Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-26
Total cost of one acre.....................

The prospects of 1920 an acre for the
care alone, with the price of the land
added, somewhat upset his visions of an
orange grove in the south.
But where can orange land be bought
for less?" he inquired.
l opened upon him thus: 81 will lay off
tomorrow, and we will go up to New
castle. get a team and drive among the
orange orchards and open your eyes some
what. On your return go up to Oroville
and inspect that locality, where there are
hundreds of acres Of young trees. When
you get back here again go to OraDgevale
for day, and then go on to Southern Cali
forna, and buy where you like. You will
know something about orange-growing
when you get there, and what is of equal
get the first smell of it."
He said he would do it.
We drove from Auburn to Newcastle,
and en- route passed the orange orchard of
Mr.. Wilson, the first my friend had ever
seen. In the winter of 'SS the mercury
went down to is degrees, and shortly after
ward there wasn't leaf on these trees, but
now they were as beautiful as ever with
their green foliage and oranges by the
thousand just beginning to color. l exhib-
tied these as old trees which had success
fully passed through the coolest winter in
thirty years. The next was the twenty
acre orange grove of Harry Hook of this
city, in its second seasons growth. irrigated
with only two inches of water. 1t is stu
ated near Rsttlespeke Bar, on a steep side
hill, and has not been cultivated this
season, excepting an occasional spading
around the trees. These trees, | remarked,
were planted one year ago last winter on
two-y old roots. You have been in
formed that the fourth year is the first TO
expect q crop in Southern California; Just
examine these and see if there are any
oranges.
He did SO and simply said: II am aston
ished; drive on"
The Auburn orange orchard of 80 acres,
adjoining Mr.. Kuk's place, was next WIS.,
tied. Here l gave him another object les
son which he will doubtless remember.
Five acres Of that tract were subject to 16o
of cold in IS, and were cut down pretty
badly. the same as hiss frequently been the
case in the south With young trees, and yet
there they were, large elegant trees, with
such quantity of navel and other vari-
cites CT oranges as required the propping up
of many limbs.
Robert Hector's orchard. mile below,
was the next and last visited, where my
friend once more had an opportunity of
looking over really the most wonderful re-
suits of orange culture which have ever
seen. Washington navels in the third
seasons growth were literally loaded with
fruit, while second-year trees had each
from half to dozen oranges lying on the
ground-the limbs not being able TO sup
port them-and lemon trees in similar
condition.
On the run down from Auburn my East
ern friend was expressing himself as
greatly pleased over the trip and asking
questions about the culture of the orange,
lemon, olive, peach, cherry and other fruit
trees seen that day. when We were inter.
| rupted By gentleman across the aisle, who
seated himself behind Us and said;
Pardon me, gentlemen, for interrupting
you; but l have overheard part of your
conversation about orange growing in this
part OF California, and | am astonished. !
am from Illinois, and on my way to South
ern California in search of home away
! from The cold winters of the prairie. l was
not aware that oranges grew in this section
| of the State, and would like to listen to
your discussion. Myself snd a few Others
| in my ueighborhood wish to come out here
and grow fruit, preferring oranges, Of
course. and wish 10 learn Of the resources
| OF the lfulL grower III oil paris VI Tue otatc.
l informed him that my friend was from
New York State, aud on similar errand
and equally as ignorant of this section as 9
citrus fruit region, or at least be was until
10 day; that / bad been showing him
through an orange section, and would pre-
fer that he himself should talk of what h'
| had seen on the trip.
| The two strangers talked until Sacra
| mento was reached. The Illinoissn pro
ceeded south, intending to visit Newcastle
and Oroville on his return. The New
! Yorker went 10 0roville that night re
turned Yesterday, and is nov on his va,
south.
| only present these instances to show
what can be done nearly every day at th'
! present time. 1t is only necessary to IN
! form these visitors of such facts as hay
given. a few hours before they reach tn
foothills to induce them to look into
mater of Such importance to them. They
don't 20 to Southern California because !
is the southern part of the State, but be
cause it is the only portion OF the Stat
they have learned anything about. l
they knew positively that oranges wer
grown successfully here, and that goo'
orange land could be bought for from p
to $50 an acre, without having to pay 10
water-rights, and as good as there IS ID III