Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-19
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 10, 1890.
The Increase of Production An
Anomaly.

The Increase of Production = An
Anomaly.
The complaint that was frequently
heard three years ago that the city was
growing ahead Of production was true at
that time, although it is not true now by
any mea ans. At no time in the history of
Los Angeles county has there been an
approach to the energy which has been
and is being shown in tree planting.
Orange orchards have been and are be-
ing planted out at an unprecedented rate,
and considering the large profits result
ing from properly selected and skill
fully tended grove this is not surprising
Three years ago the city was distancing
the country out of sight. Now the boot
is on the other leg, very fortunately for
the prosperity of this section, although
the City of the Angels is advancing at a
very gratifying rate in these days OF
supposed depression.
The planting of orange groves is by no
means confined to Los Angeles county,
nor is the setting out of new vineyards
limited to this favored spot. In San
Bsrpardino the advances in all lines of
production are simply magical. Almost
from the crest of the mountains beautiful
groves of we'll selected citrus fruit are
springing up, and the grape is by no
means neglected. We have alluded to
the fact that, in certain quarters, appre-
tensions are entertained that the market
may be overstocked. These are abso-
lutely groundless, and are held by per-
sons who are ignorant of the extent of
the market which exists for the first
quality of oranges. Statistics show that
for a psriod of ten years the shipments Of
this fruit from three ports of Italy alone
Naples, Messina and Palermo-aver-
aged twenty millions of dollars year in
value. In addition, a taste for oranges is
rapidly spreading all over the United
States. A decade ago they were looked
upon as luxury, and their consumption
was confined to the wealthier classes in
cities. Now they are demanded in every
little hamlet in the land, and the chill
as special treat, as they were wont in
the old days to ask for the apple. Two
changes will undoubtedly take place,
viz, the prices will be lowered and
orchardists will no longer grow poor
fruit. This is inevitable. The grower
can afford to sell his oranges for a dollar
box on the ground, and make money.
With a properly handled grove of &C.
lected trees, somewhat advanced towards
maturity, this price would ensure net
return of $3.50 and upward per acre.
Fancy prices for our oranges will be
realized for some years to come, perhaps,
but they are not to be relied upon as a
steady thing. The anomaly of the
largest and finest Washington navels of
Southern California selling in st. Louis
and Chicago for 81 so dozen, as against
sixty cents for the highest priced Florida
fruit, is gratifying to our pride, but it is
not calculated to increase the demand
for California oranges. We shall doubt
less shortly reach stage of production
in which fine California oranges can be
retailed in the Eastern cities at from
thirty to forty cents a dozen. Under
such conditions we shall have practi-
cally unlimited market.
1t is really sight to gladden. one to
take trip through Los Angeles
and the adjoining counties, and to OBJ
serve the tremendous strides that are be.
ing made in that increase of production
which is destined in the near future tc
make this section not only self-sustain.
Ing but rich beyond compare. The
glorious stretch of country aligning the
foothills is being set out in orange groves,
vineyards and orchards of the deciduous
fruits, both in San Bernardino and Los
Angeles counties. The sale of the
Gage lands will be followed by
the creation of numerous wealth.
producing orange groves, vineyards, or
chards and farms. The water from the
Bear Valley reservoir is about to be car
ried to Perris, in San Diego county,
whore it will be used to irrigate some
forty-seven thousand acres of rich lands.
About Ontario the Dunkards are about to
start farms and orchards that will be
models of thrift and productiveness.
Clear to the very edge of the city of Los
Angeles and on all sides, between town
and mountain, and mountain and sea, a
veritable cornacopia will discharge the
lush favors of nature, the spontaneity Of
the soil being guided and increased in
remuneratiye outcome by diversified
farming.
As the city of Los Angeles is the CEN
ter of all this splendid and promising
energy, she will of course benefit from ii
beyond measure. Yet, strange to say,
lands on the foothills forty miles away
are selling today for more money than
equally good lands, within five and ten
miles of the city of Los Angeles, grea,
and certain as her future is. You can
buy the rich soil of the San Francisquito
and San Felipe Lugo ranches for half the
money demanded for those in the neigh
borhood of Ontario and other promising
new settlements, although the former