The record-union., 1893-05-01

assumed large dimensions in Southern
California, but it is not necessary to go
there to raise oranges profitably. Ell
wood Cooper first made a success of
olives in Santa Barbara. but other Sec
tions are IS well adapted to olives as that
county. 1t was once supposed that better
| almonds could be raised in Suisun Valley
than elsewhere, but l have secured more
| valuable results in almond culture out
side of Suisun-say on the Feather River,
| in Butte county. The inclination has
been for one locality to start in on certain
lines and for others to follow.
Q.-Do you mean TO say that you 90
not have to go to Fresno to get the best
results from raisins?
A.-Not necessarily, but you must
cultivate raisins where best conditions
exist; they cannot be advantageously
produced in Napa County, for instance,
because of too much fog.
Q.-What about the overproduction in
raisins last year?
A.-Good raisins brought good price
last year, the same as any other. If it is
| good article market will be found.
Q.-What about the use of fruit now, as
compared with old times?
A.-People of the East are reaching out
for other fruits beside their own; they
| cannot raise the varieties they once did.
For instance, there are practically no
They are afflicted and destroyed by pests.
els the aridity of the California eli
mate favorable or uniavorable to the de-
velopment of insect pest life?
MIR. Hatch-l am bound to say that in
some places conditions are very favora-
Die. In hot sections the scale thrives
very well. California is as completely
menaced by insects as the East. But
| believe that we handle our insects better
and, in fact, that we do everything else
better in connection with fruit. 1t used
to lie that when we discovered pest-in-
fected trees we dug them up and burned
them; but our methods have so improved
that now we do not need to worry about
pests. We know how to handle them.
General Chipman-l cannot agree en-
tirely with Mr.. Hatch. | am persuaded
that in the warm sections of the State the
scale does not flourish so well as in the
more humid sections. In some counties
the scale is disappearing.
Mr.. Beach-In Santa Clara the scale has
almost disappeared. 1t is the impression OF
some persons that insects have definite
time Tor existence, and many pests have
reached their limit.
Mr. Maslin-In respect to our capacity
to overcome the various pests, | wall say
that Professor CouStock, one of the lead
ing entomOloglStS Ill the L United States. i'll
a lecture before the State horticultural
| Society, stated that at one time he began
| the study of washes and other means for
eXterminating insect pests; but the Cali
! forna orchardists have so far outstripped
him in practical results that he had re-
| Trained from further investigation. He
| further congratulated the orchardists
! upon the Intelligence they displayed in
| the study of the lie habits of insects, and
stated that the people OF the State ex-
| celied all others in the enterprise and
learning they exhibited in horticultural
| pursuits.
Mr.. Mills-I agree with Mr.. Hatch that
horticulture demands high order of in
| telligence. 1t will be elevated almost
| into the domain of a learned profession.
The stanford University has class OF
students pursuing, under a professor, the
study OF the theory and practice of horti-
culture. The State University has MAIN
tanned, and still maintains. a department
Of horticulture. The opportunity offered
in this State for the education of tiIlers OF
the soil surpasses that of any other State.
J MIR. Hatch-Our people take better care
and use better Judgment IN everything
pertaining to the fruit business than ever
| before. We are unquestionably further
advanced in this respect than any other
! State in the Union.
! MIR. Mills-I am approached by great
! many people who come here from the
East for the purpose of going into the
fruit business, and who have learned that
our processes are totally different from
those in vogue there. They want to know
how to begin fruit culture, and they ask
me if there is any compilation of printed
experience that will be of benefit 10 them
in starting and cultivating orchards. DO
! you know of any work that is sufficient
guide to these newcomers?
A.-Ees, there is. Professor Wickson's
"Caiifornia Fruits' is an excellent book
for them and ali others. This, with the
various reports of the State Board OF
Horticulture, giving verbatim proceed
ings of different truit-growers' conven-
tions, ought to provide sufficient instruc-
ton and information.
Q.-What do you think of a special
school or college education, instructing
students by course of study as to when,
where and how to plant, and designed to
equip them fully for the fruit profession =?
A.-There is no doubt of its value.
Fruit-growing is going to become a
science. 1t is necessary to begin at the
bottom and learn. l do not want fore
man in my orchard who has had great
deal of experience elsewhere. He has too
much to forget. The best experience
have had was with man who knew
nothing about the business, who knew
he knew nothing and was willing to
learn. He did learn.