The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-21

been in course of development for three
Or four years past. In this connection it
may be considered well worthy of note
that oranges ripen in this part of the
State much earlier than they do south,
which l think may be accounted for by
reason of its sheltered inland position.
keeping it free from the influence of cold
ocean trade-winds during the ripening
months of October and November This
fact OF early ripening Of oranges makes
the industry vastly more profitable as
the fruit is ready for market before the
holiday season, and long before the heavy
Florida crop comes into competition.
1T has been common thing for oranges
grown IN this section to sell at from s. to
50 per box, and they have never sold be-
low 50. am told that orange growing is
profitable at 90 cents per box. These
hgures carry their own inference. 1t
may be mentioned that the quality of
citrus fruits produced here is not ex-
celled In any section of the country;
bright, solid, heavy, juicy fruit, of good
flavor, IS what the market demands, and
all these essentials are found in Sacra-
mento-grown oranges
Not all land In California by any means
is adapted to growing oranges. On the
contrary, it is only in favored spots in
any part of the State that the best results
can be had. The foothill districts of Sac
many such locations; and during the past
four or five years very large acreage has
been planted to lemons and oranges.
l next come to the consideration of
what may be called
SPRING FRUITS.
These embrace Strawberries, raspberries,
black berries and cherries. Every acre of
arabic land in Sacramento County will
grow the finest strawberries. 1t is pro-
htably crop when properly and intelli-
gently handled. The only drawback
seems to be that occasionally late rains
during the months of April and May oc-
cur. and seem to injure the fruit when it
IS rlpening. These occurrences are the
exception and not the rule. | think it is
true that strawberries grown in Sacra-
mento County are of better keeping
quality than those grown anywhere else
on the Pacific Coast. They are when
properly handled, easily transported to
points as far East as the Missouri River;
and there is an unlimited demand for
them up to the time when the same fruit
natures in the East. This generally gives
the entire months Of April and May for a
clear market to the Sacramento producer
Raspberries and blackberries are not
grown so extensively as they might be-
The former is very profitable crop; the
latter not SO much SO. Cherries should
be planted much more extensively than
they are; still it is true that there are a
good many large orchards in this county.
and think it is also true that they are
universally very profitable. The writer
IS interested in an orchard of cherries
located just east of the city, from which
twenty boxes per tree have been picked
and sold at an average of over 81 per box
the trees being only six years old. Cherry
culture should be one Of the most lucra-
tive callingS any one could follow. The
fruit rlpens here during the latter part of
April and early May, and is Of such
quality that with the recently improved
transportation facilities it can be deliv-
cred in New York or any other Eastern
city in prime condition. and long before
similar fruit can be had from any other
section in the country. Following the
early spring fruits,
OTHER VARIETIES
Come in rapid succession, such as apples,
apricots, peaches, plums, nectarines,
pears and grapes. These of course are
divided into large number of varieties,
but think the Sacramento fruit-grower
has demonstrated the fact by much eX-
perimenting in the past, that more money
can be made from a limited number of
varieties than by producing a great many
kinds. In apples, the Red Astrakan,
Early Alexander and White Astrakan
have been found TO be most profitable. /
think all these mature in Sacramento
County earlier than they do in any other
part of the State, and consequently earlier
than they do in any other fruit producing
section of the United States. The result
being that they can be maEizeted to adj
vantage in all parts of the country, espe-
cially at points this side of the Missis-
sippi River. 1t would not, however,
seem to be advisable to plant late varie-