Arizona republican., 1891-02-08
MARYSyILLE'S CITRUS FAIR.
The Result of an Orange Seed Planted
 Forty Years Ago.

knew what to do with. So flush" were they that majority of lem were very improvident. They would willingly pay S5 for watermelon, $2 for peach or an orange, or $l for little potato. Some of them, when they ate an orange, planted the seed. To their great wonder the seed sprouted and grew into beau tiful dark green leaved sprout. They petted and cared for it and they soon had beautiful bush-the pride of the camp. For time such tree was fairly wor- shipped. The miners were astonished when winter came that it was not killed. Instead, it grew on, and was soon a fine strong bush of perennial green.
 The gold being gathered, the camps were deserted. The miners who had filled their pouches went back across the continent, and those who had not sought other "diggin's. The little orange tree was left to care for itself, which it did, and 1t grew into a strong, healthy tree. Being seeding it was in no hurry about fruiting. No one expected it to fruit in cold Northern California. One bright morning in March there was sweet fragrance about the neglected orange tree, for it was covered with its snow white, maiden bloom--so sweet and de- licioas that every little bug and bee for miles around gathered in to enjoy its sweets and fragrance.
 So far, so good. What next?
 No one expected or asked further fav- ors of the tree. But the blossoms fell, tiny green fruit balls appeared in their places and persistenly remained and grew. The result was that the follow ing December the tree was a mass of golden fruit, rivaling in brilliance of its clear gold, the nuggets that had been washed with such persistence and labor from the soil in which its roots were growing. The snow came and bent its branches, the frost at times nipped its tender foliage, but both treated it ten derly, and there the orange tree stands after forty long years, golden again to- day with its burthen of delicious fruit How far beyond the fultilment of the thoughts or even dreams of him who planted the seed amid the wild surround ings is this strong, healthy tree and its yearly fruitage?
 And what are these longings of these hardy miners to see something green and growing to lead up to? What is the promise of that little orange tree, grow ing into fine fruitful tree in the lonely canyon of the Sierra?
 First, it taught the people who were turning their thoughts from mining to agriculture that the orange was one of the finest of ornamental trees, fresh and green at all seasons, so that every one who had floral or aesthetic taste, planted them around their homes as soon as they could be had
 Second, as soon as the pioneer trees fruited all saw that the fruit was very good and more were planted.
 Third, the seedlings proving hardy and good few timidly and doubtingly planted of the finer budded varieties. Greatly to their delight and profit these also did well, and now there are thousands of the finest of budded oranges growing throughout all parts of the great interior valleys and foothills of California and in many portions of Ari- zona and even in the warmer localities in South Oregon with slight protection for the young trees in winter all the common varieties of oranges can be grown suc- cessfully. And farther, the evidence around Marysville, Sacramento, Oro- vile and Chico is that they can be grown everywhere that deciduous fruits can be, without irrigation, if gwen thorough cultivation.
 The grand continuation of that orange seed planted by the homesick miner, in pioneer days, was to be seen at the North California state citrus fair at Marysville in January 1891, we will say forty years after 1t was planted the grandest citrus fair ever seen on this con- tinent. The daily press has described it it full detail. None saw it but to ad- mire, and praise it. But the best thing about the great fair were the words of the awarding committee of $2,5OO in pre- miums, selected as experts in knowledge of citrus fruits; they say:
 We found it diffcultin many cases to properly award premiums, there being so many in the same class. We very carefully examined the different varieties of citrus fruits displayed and we can conscientiously state that for ineness of texture, color and general appearance your navel oranges are unexcelled by any raised in other portions of the state, and 1t is opinion they are superior. Your Mediterranean sweets and seedlings are just approaching perfection, and those raised in Smartville district are the best we have ever seen. The Parson Brown orange we can also recommend as being the finest va riety of budded orange we know of In all cases we have endeayored to give the premium for the articles which in our judgment possessed the greatest merit We think we have never seen finer display of citrus fruits at any fair than you have made. The arrangement of the exhibits has been very artistic and unique.
 All had learned that oranges could be grown in great perfection in Southern California. That even this was true was hard for other countries to believe. But that this fruit could be produced in com mercial quantities so far north was a revelation. To make these same people believe that the golden fruits could be produced equally as fine and even ripen one to three months earlier 400 to 600 miles farther north, over plains and mountains without any intervening warm seas or other thermal accessories natural or unnatural, it is still difficult