San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-07
BALMY AND BEAUTIFUL
SWEET DOORS FROM THE SACRA-
MENTO PEACH RANCHES.

How the delicious Fruit Is Raised ana
Shipped to San Francisco-Stern Wheel
ers Loaded Down-Orchards Containing
Thousands of Acres.
A man familiar with the fruit growing
of the Pacific slope said:
at is worth the while of any tourist to
California to take run up the Sacramento
river. Not one tourist in thousand does
this. simply because the attraction is not
advertised. But such peaches and such
tripI Let me tell you about it for the en-
Iightenment of travellers in search of
something new, and also in the interest of
general information.
THE fruit ranches of the Sacramento
river district are near the river banks or
levees The river is narrow and winding.
A fringe of cottonwood trees marks its
course Cor miles. These cottonwoods also
make windbreak to protect the orchards.
The Sacramento river fruit which comes
east is packed carefully in boxes. 1t eX-
hales less odor and is duller looking than
the ripper fruit which is ready to go to San
Francisco for immediate consumption. 1t
is in fact expected to ripen on the way,
while the consignments for San Francisco
are in their prime. And here let me sug
gest that while California has its mining
romances, the daring and successful mark
citing of green fruits-carried over snow
clad mountain ranges and extensive deserts
over 5000 miles, in fact, that the palates
of New Workers may be tickled-is some
thing out of the common.
UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.
These orchards are as carefully cult.
waited as IL flower garden in the east. There
is not a weed an inch long, or blade of
growing grass between their uniform and
we'll trimmed rows. They have as basis a
rich bottom lands soil and the glorious
climate of California. They are scattered
all along the river on both sides. The
fruit boats which visit them are stern
wheelers, which pillow up the water like an
old fashioned churn. And here come in
the picturesque features of the trip. There
are no wharves-nothing but bank land.
ings Each boat makes trips of two sorts
The first is made largely after dark. The
boat is filled with empty baskets, which
must be delivered from the city back to the
owners at their ranches to be refilled
This is on the up trip from the city. The
pilots steer up in the blacklist night with
unfaling accuracy to the slight breaks in
the cottonwood barriers-none over few
feet wide-to the bank landings. BY some
occult sense the deck hands acquire equally
exact acquaintance. with the identity and
number of baskets to be thrown ashore at
each of the many stops. Overhead the
dark sky, underneath the quiet river, on
each side a ragged row of trees, except
for the tinkling of the bell in the engine
room and the pounding of the wheel on
the water astern, the trip is accomplished
in almost total silence.
But with the coming of the daylight
the scene changes At each gateway
through the trees there are great consign-
ments of fruit, smelling sweet as all the
spices of Cathay, and rivaling any flower
in rich coloring. Great, juicy, luscious
peaches in thousands Of baskets, mutely
implore you to eat them-bloom and ALI
While the baskets are going over the gang
plank q am speaking entirely now of the
shipments to San Francisco you have a
chance to view the ranches. First, there is
an odor of clean, fresh straw, which is
spread at the landings to keep the dust
down Then a view of a California home
"a tasteful wooden building. Its sur
rounding turf is brilliant and odorous with
the most luxurious flowers, all the result
of irrigation coupled with the climate-let
the climate never be forgotten.
THE ORCHARDS.
Then you see the hitherto concealed or.
chards. The trees are small, without one