Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-08
SEVERAL MISTAKES
IN THE FRUIT PAMPHLET OF THE
STATE BOARD OF TRADE.
The Climate of the Sacramento Valley and
of Southern California Not Identical.
Citrus Fruits in the North.


Last wear the State Board of Trade de-
cided to issue pamphlet on the subject
of the 'Fruit Industries of California"
and contributions were asked from the
various organizations represented in the
board. The pamphlet was issued a
short time ago. 1t bears the name OF
General n. p. Chipman, who compiled
it,
A number of copies were sent to the
Chamber of Commerce, and with them
came the announcement that large
edition with plates would soon be issued
and that if the pamphlet contained any
errors the compiler would be glad to
correct them. The book does contain
several very serious errors, all of them
injurious to the southern part of the
State, especially so in view OF the fact
that the pamphlet emanates from the
State Board of Trade, which is supposed
to be an organization free from any form
of sectional prejudice.
In letter addressed to General Chip
man, Major E. w. Jones, the president
of the chamber, calls attention to these
errors, which he regards as entirely acci-
dental ON the part Of the compiler. He
says:
Your tables of the average and lowest
temperatures at given points are valu-
able, but they are not full enough to en-
able the inquirer to settle the question
as to the adaptability OF climate for
tpn r,It no
a greater degree of cold in some locations
than in Others which show about the
same average and extremes, because,
mainly if not altogether, in the former
the great dryness OF the atmosphere
renders the effect of cold less injurious
than in the latter.
Now statistics show that the tempera-
ture of our valley between, Ios Angeles and
the sea has a milder average and a
higher lowest degree than like situations
at the north; and it is certain that in
that region citrus fruits are sue
cessfully raised, for hundreds of
carloads are shipped thence at profit,
while none are raised in similar situa-
tions at the north. In fact, oranges are
grown here on the very borders OF the
ocean at Wilmington and at Long Beach,
and, | understand, profitably. This is
the region of middle temperature, though
with a moist climate as compared to the
interior-a climate similar in respect
to degree of moisture to the Sacramento
valley.
Again, at Riverside, where your tables
show a lower degree of temperature, by
one degree, than in the Sacramento val
ley, the most successful citrus culture is
carried on. The greater success there is
not attributable to the superior adapta-
bility of the soil over other parts of the
territory lying between the sea and that
point, and not to the superiority of the
climate to that of many other parts of
the same territory, but to the superior
intelligence and care exercised i'll the
pursuit The climate permits and pro-
tects the growth of citrus fruits by its
extreme dryness, a characteristic OF all
the interior of Southern California, and
in which it is probably not paralleled by
any citrus-growing district at the north.
! The fact that citrus fruits ripen earlier
! in the northern part OF the State than
| in the southern does not establish its
superiority to, or even its equality
with, the southern part OF the State
| for their profitable culture, and
still less does it prove a similarity
| of climate. The same fact exists with
regard to Florida, and yet no one will
claim that the climates are identical, or
very similar. The lowest degree of tenn
perature for the Sacramento valley is
shown to be Is degrees. So low de-
gree OF temperature in Florida, l be-
leve, almost always results disastrously
to citrus culture in that State. Degrees
of cold of even less intensity on the part
/ of ha 1xr 1n
damage, and such weather is expert
enced every few years.
In Southern California the tempera-
ture has never yet gone so low as to seri-
/ ously affect the citrus crop.
In view of the above facts, it seems
that the statement on page s, in the last
paragraph before the change OF subject,
that there is no practical difference as
to climate in Southern and Northern
California at the same elevation and in
the same relative position to the ocean, y
and also on page 10, last paragraph
that 'the climate is generally alike ia
vorable in both regions" are hardly yet
proven, and if this is the case the other
statements therein may be misleading.
Under ''Tree and vine planting" on
page 13, if the report would show in the
tables the acreage of vines and trees re-
ported by our Chamber of Commerce fol
Los Angeles county, it would be more
satisfactory to us. The authority car
be stated in a marginal note, if neces-
sary. The tables will be referred tt
many times while the text is examined
but once.
In other respects the report is mos
admirable, and both the State Boar(
and the whole State are greatly indebted
to you for it. Very respectfully yours,
+. w. JONES.