The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1891-05-29
HEsPERIDEs APPLES.
SWEET GOLDEN FRUIT or A
SUNNY CLINE,
FIftesu Years Ago tho industry was
stranger I'D ssutherh Csiifotnis,
70: Day Icr ORANGES Fiobd
Every Market:

Five or six years ago the oranges Of
the eastern market came from Florida,
Cuba, Messina and other European
countries. Tho southern California
production was not n prominent feat
ure and hardly factor In trade. To-
day the reverse is the case, says very
entertaining correspondent Of the Chi
cago Herald.
The first picking Is made about the
middle Of December in the San Gabriel
Valley, and from the first OF January.
for Il month or so, tho gathering con.
tinucs undated. A few weeks previ-
GUS the wholesale shippers go the
rounds OF the groves. Many Of them
have arrangements from year 10 year
with the owners, while many producers
prefer 10 make new contracts each s6a-
son. Tho agent inspects the grove
and offers SO much per box or so much
for tho fruit on the trec, and hore the
responsibility OF tho owner ceases.
The shipper puts on his pickers. the
grower receives his check, and anoth.
or year is begun.
Tho picking Of the orange In large
orange ccntcrs, such MS the San Ga
briel Valley. is announced by IN nd
dition to the floating population.
Gangs of pickcrs-M exicans, Chinese.
Americans men and boys--gathcr
from far and near, and the groves arc
filled with gay laughter and song.
Everybody is at work. and II tho crop
is large. every one feels cheerful md
confident. The orange grove OF tho
imagination is stretch OF trees filled
with golden fruit, where one can lie In
the soft grass and luxuriate in tho
sight. The actual grove, whilo beau
tiful to tho eye, is not place for
lounging, ms the ground Is or should
be kept plowed continually and irri-
gated often by floods OF wntcr. But
tho trees are attractive; ever green.
often showing ripe and green fruit and
white blossoms at tho same time, thoy
are nm cngima.
At Pasadena and nil through the
southern country gang Of men under
the hcad OF n leader or Overseer takes
possession of n grove bright and early
"a 'h' h''i t"o' W.
ing appointed to n tree. and the pick
ing begins. Tall stepladders enable
the pickcrs TO roach the top branches.
and each orange is carefully cut from
the tree, as # II Is pulled and the skin
broken II will soon decay. The picker
wears n bag into which the fruit is
dropped, which, when filed, is handed
60 A. A.
generally n Chinaman, washes the
black stain or rust from the fruit
polishing IL with cloth after which
IL IL passed 10 the nssortcr. Some
times n simple machine Is used. n run
way, so that the oranges Of the same
size will nil collect together. This
accomplished. each orange is wrapped
in vnriCusly colored paper and placed
in the box ready for shipment A
counter keeps tally OF the boxes, as
sometimes the owner is paid by the
box ns well as the picker
The orange pickers are usually n
jolly lot. there being something about
the business apparently that cnlivens
tho spirits md imparis nm air OF jollity
to the party. The Mexicans and
Americans labor In harmony. but nm
orango-picking team composed OF
Cinnamon and Americans appears TO
work the reverse.
Al the orange picking time the coun-
try is n marvel to tho eastcrner While
standing among the oranges the picker
looks away over grove after grove.
fields Of iiowcrs--ncrcs OF golden csch-
scholtzins, patches Of wild daisies.
blucbclls and yellow violc,s - and
finally his eye rests upon tho Sierra
Madrcs, or mother mountains. rising
bu, four or five miles distant, the gar
den wall of this modern IIcspcridcs
His nostrils inhnlo tho odor OF the
orange blossoms. while his eyes greet
the snow banks Of vigorous winter.
The great peaks nre capped with snow.
and the upland blizzard Is raging with
nnabnied fury. From tho vantage
ground Of the orange grove the wind
can be seen on Mount san Antonio
whirllng the snow In gigantic wrniths.
tossing II upward in huge clouds tina,
rise hundreds of feet. 10 be borne AWAY
over the lowlnnd and dissipnted. With
eyes ON this arctic scene the observer
can scarce believe the facts, scarce real
lie that hecan bya single glnncc cncom-
pass winter and summer. The orange
picker however, has no ilmc TO spend
on the aesthetics Of the subject; he |.
picking against time, and an eager East
is waiting.