Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-24

apricot has been grown here from the
earliest days OF the American occupa-
tion, and though since the opening OF
the export trade in canned and dried
fruits the planting of apricot orchards
has proceeded with great rapidity, pres
ent indications are that our distant
patrons are only just beginning to rec
ognize the desirability Of the fruit, and
that their demands will make it well
nigh impossible for us to extend our
production beyond profitable limits.
The apricot is comparatively long
lived tree as we'll as a rapid grower and
heavy bearer in California. A paying
crop is usually secured the third year
from planting. As a windbreak the
apricot is a complete success. Most all
trees shrink away from the trade winds,
but the apricot leans a little toward it,
and is thickest of foliage on that side.
Where the pits are sown in a row aud
the young seedlings thinned to about
foot apart, in two years time hedge
and windbreak will be produced that
will withstand any ordinary wind.
OF all California orchard trees the
apricot needs more attention in the way
of pruning than any other.
1t is rampant grower, and in its
jealous haste for size and fruitage it
overreaches itself and becomes the prey
of specific gravity and wind force. This
excessive growth and cor &c Juent weak
ness of the apricot is greater in some
parts of the state than Others because
of the indifference in degree OF forcing
conditions, but everywhere the apricot
needs watchfulness and timely aid in
building up it's strength. Space forbids
us going into details in regard to prun-
ing this valuable tree. But we advise
anyone who seeks knowledge of the
business topurchase copy OF California
Fruits, as it is thorough treatise on
this desirable fruit. We herewith give
descriptions of a few choice varieties:
Royal-A French variety and at pres
ent the leading apricot in California; of
large size, if well thinned, free stone,
fine color and flavor; good bearer and
ripens evenly. A fayorite with the can
ners and an excellent variety for drying.
Fruit roundish, large, oval, slightly COM
pressed skin dull yellow with orange
cheek, flesh pale orange, firm and juicy
with rich vlnous flavor.
Blenheim-A very good variety, above
medium, oval; orange with deep yell
low, juicy and tolerably rich flesh; vig-
orous grower and regular prolific bearer.
later than the Royal.
Early Golden-Small roundish oval
with suture well marked and extending
half way around; skin smooth. pale
orange, flesh yellow, with very good
flavor, free stone; ripens before Royal
-[California Cultivator.
THE OLIVE.
Of all the semi-tropic fruit and nut
trees that flourish in California the olive
is by far the hardest, says the Pomona
Progress. 1t ripens its fruits even in
some parts OF England, when planted on
the south side OF wall and having some
other protection. 1t 6ourishes best in
the departments of Tuscany, Florence
and Italy. Ludovjco Gaddi, who has
charge of the olive orchard on the Quito
farm, says that snow sometimes falls
there to the depth of two and often to
the depth of three inches. The olive
will endure frozen ground and quite
low temperature. Sleet or rain freezing
on the tree destroys the bark, ruptures
the sap vessels of the smaller twigs and
is fatal. Two hundyed and eighty-seven
years ago severe frost killed all the
trees in Lucca to the ground. The roots,
however, threw up new shoots, and now
the trees are as healthy as any in the
world, the trunks being now two feet in
diameter. The annual product OF olive
oil in Italy is put at about $4,000, 900,
and in Spain at 80, 100000. The olive
oil OF California is annually worth about
$65, 900. Ten years ago it was worth less
than $4,000.
HOW TO SOW ALFALFA.
To secure the best results the alfalfa
needs to be sown quite thinly, and the
plants when first sprouting are very
slender and delicate, az we'll as slow
growing. observes the California Irri-
gationist. Consequently experience
has demonstrated that there is great
danger of their being cboked out ut
terly by weeds, and thus necsssitate
being resown. By mixing the alfalfa
seed with barley two advantages are
gained. First, the process Of sowing
so fine seed as alfalfa in so small
quantity as is necessary is rendered
much easier and the seed is more
evenly sprinkled when mixed with the
larger grains of barley next, the barley
springs up quickest and grows go much
more luxuriantly that the weeds are al
most entirely kept down, and the alfalfa
ia given chance to get start. AS soon
as fit for hay the barley is cut, the field
is at once irrigated and the alfalfa,
thenceforward is bound to do we'll.
Actual experience has demonstrated
that by this method "good stand" or
alfalfa can be more easily secured, with
out chance of failure, than by any other
method, and it is certainly more profit
able to pursue plan that has already
been demonstrated to be successful than
to MAKE new experiments of doubtful
success.-l Tucson Star.
HALLS lANTlSEpTlC) CREAM SALVE,
Eni fal.nil is i.1l.r asnaaad.