The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-17
NOTHING BUT THE BEST.

We notice a statement in the papers to
the effect that the California orange crop
which win begin to ripen in January, 1891,
will be double the crop of this year. That
is quite likely to prove the case; the area
planted in oranges during the past decade
is very large, and the orange increases its
bearing capacity till past its fifteenth year.
We note likewise reports from Fresno that
this years raisin crop will show great in
crease over any former crop, and residents
Of Alameda ami Santa Clara predict an in
crease in the yield of prunes and apricots.
All this is well. Fluctuations, however,
will be satisfactory if we find that the new
fruit is an improvement over the old fruit in
quality as we'll as quantity. The State gains
but little by growing fruit which is difficult
of sale. The past ten years experience
ought to have taught us that inferior fruit
is of small value; to ship 1t East is to eX-
pose the shipper to reclamations for freight;
to try to market it at home is to ensure the
loss of large proportion from decay. The
man who grows such fruit courts loss, dis
appointment and veXation of spirit.
Take the case of oranges. a quarter of
a century has elapsed since it was demon
strated that California could grow oranges
in profuslon. But we will venture the as
sertion that there are not many planters in
the State who have become rich by growing
oranges. Why? Simply because to the
early planter an orange WAS an orange, as
to some people horse is a horse; there
was no choice between oranges. We raised
large quantities of poor oranges, which
were difficult of sale in the East, and could
not be marketed here at $40 a thousand.
Hence, in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara
counties, large orange groves were allowed
to run 10 decay. 1t was not till FIVE or six
years ago that the successful cultivation Of
the navel orange at San Bernardino placed
the industry on business basis. The cir
culars of the Eastern fruit trade tell the
story. They quote, in the season, with I'M
varying monotony, Havana oranges and
fine Floridas at 81 50, while Southern Cali
fornias are dull at ST. but an active de-
mand is noted for Messina imperials and
Riverside naYels at 81 to S. If these new
oranges which we are told to expect next
January are of the same grade as the
Riversides, there may be good ground for
rejoicing; but if they are merely fresh
supply of the old thick-skinned, juiceless,
tasteless orange, their owners had better
have grown potatoes.
Persons who propose TO grow fruit for a
HNlB6 III ILLS Dldlt CdulUt no UtlleT LlldU
study the history Of raisin culture. 1t is
twelve or fourteen years since the first
raisins were shipped from this State; but as
late as four years ago our ralsins were gen.
orally so Door in quality that the importers
OF Spanish raisins in New York refused to
handle them, and declared that they never
could compete with the foreign fruit
Meanwhile the Fresno grape growers were
improving their vines, and their methods
year by year, and last year California
raisns sold in New York on the parity of
Spanish fruit. Indeed, toward the close of
the year, after the whole of our crop had
gone into consumption, a demand arose in
certain Eastern markets for California
raisins, and the lighthouses had to fill the
orders with Spanish fruit, which, it is said,
was sold as California fruit. Yet the last
word has not yet been said in raisin cul-
ture. There is no dispute now that the
best grape to grow is the Museat But
growers still differ on the proper style of
pruni ng. Before many years this will be
settled by common consent, and in other
details Of the business the best way to man
age will be discovered. Probably before
1898 the rasin industry will be placed on
such footing that it will be impregnable;
simply because we shall produce better
raisiDs than can be produced anywhere else
1t Is by attaining perfection in products
and in no other way that a satisfactory fruit
industry can be established.