Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-05

on the climate of Southern California
but the reality cannot be understood bv
those who have not enjoyed the months
of glorious sunshine or who have not
seen the forest-like orchards. The San
Franciscan padres brought the first
vines and fruit trees into Los Angeles
county in 177l, two years after their ar
rival at San Diego, and since then the
trees and vines have ever thrived. 1t
was not until century later, however.
that the first organized work was done
in citrus culture. In 1889 alone
there were nearly 100000 orange
trees planted and the business
of fruit growing had become an i'm
portant industry. In 1880 the River
side colony, fifty miles east of Los An
geles, shipped fifteen carloads of or
anges; in 1SS9-9o it shipped 1900 car
loads, or All, 900 boxes. Time was when
you could have acres of land in the
county almost for the asking; today an
unimproved, but watered, acre is worth
from $3.50 to $500 per acre; and will
earn, when the orchards are in bearing,
per cent. dividend on $1,000 to $500
an acre. For the first six months of
1890 Southern California exported 2556
carloads of oranges. From twenty acres
of land farmer will raise $500 boxes of
oranges, 1900 boxes of lemons, 1900
pounds of grapes, 1000 pounds of pears
and $4,000 pounds of apples, all valued
at from $1,000 to $4,000. l know of one
ranch of less than 150 acres of lemons
and oranges that now nets its owner
$4,000 year. One cause of the pres
ent general prosperity enjoyed in
Southern California cities is due to
the prosperity of the fruit grow
ers. The last few years have
been to them a golden harvest. They
are rich today. The state at large is
increasing every year as a great fruit
country. The crop OF 1890, large as it
was, is only 331s per cent. OF the states
capacity. In 1889 the shipments
amounted to 2300 barrels of 1000 pounds
each OF green fruits, together with 1000
carloads of dried and canned fruits.
When all the trees now planted are
producing, California, on the above
basis, will produce three years from
now over $4,000 carloads OF 10000
pounds each. Two years ago nearly all
the shipments were to Chicvgo; now
they are to New York and Boston. In
one day last summer 1000 packages of
California fruits were disposed of in one
day in New York city. In ten years
there will be $4,000 carloads of oranges
exported from Southern California, or
100000 boxes. Today there are only
1000, 900 boxes consumed in the United
States, but the demand is increasing
every year. There would have been
fruit famine this year if it had not
been for California. Manufacturing es-
Establishments, fruit canneries, wineries
and other industries are rapidly adding
to the wealth of Los Angeles county.
The valuation OF its real estate, personal
property and improvements is over
800, 100000. The county produces not
only fruits, but all the cereals. Irriga-
ting bitches are rapidly being extended
everywhere, and the country is being
settled by an industrious people, at
tracted to it by the climate, soil and
general opportunities of getting enjoy
ment while gaining more than living.
! Southern California, in fact, has safely
weathered its dark days, and is accord
ingly prosperous. In five years Los
Angeles will more than count its hum
dred thousand people. Its history will
be like that of Denver. There, there
was great activity, great imitation, and
then collapse. In 1888 remember
hearing that Denver had seen its best
days. So far from that, it did not begin
to see them until three years later. Los
Angeles, in my opinion, may calmly
meet-the future"