The herald., 1893-01-31
TUESDAY. JANUARY 81. 1898.
A PLEASANT OUTLOOK.

\, Every drop of rain which has fallen
sin Southern California during the past
tthree days is a benison from the Gods;
kor, rather, 1t is a most gracious dispen-
Saation of Providence. During the season
Eof 1922 the rainfall was not only
Escant but it was attended by very many
Einopportune circumstances. There were
sthree days of an excessively high tenn
Aperature coincident with scant precip-
citation that were highly disastrous to
sthe corn crop, especially on the mesa
klands. Now everything is propitious.
The rains have come in great abundance
land they put in their appearance ex-
sactly at the right time.
In anticipation OF a generous down.
spour the farmers have taken advantage
lof the early and successive rains, and
ian area has been put in grain that has
inever heretofore been paralleled in this
lsection. This is in an especial manner
Gratifying to the farmers in San Bernar-
ldino and Los Angeles counties and in
the northern portion of San Diego coun-
sty. Extensive areas in the neighbor-
shood of Perris, San Jacinto and Banning
Twill this season signalize themselves by
phenomenal crops OF the cereals.
But the crops of the cereals, while i'm
sportant, are by no means the leading in
pterest OF Southern California. For years
rpast the planting Of the citrus and the
Sdeciduous fruits has been absorbing a
larger and larger area of our best lands.
The profits of both under sn intelligent
system. will be great, and permanently
sgreat. In the east, for some reason
which ia not understood, there or here,
many of the deciduous varieties OF fruit
are practically disappearing. In exten-
Give sections it is becoming hard to
raise peach. In Missouri the peach
orchards are practically disappearing.
They die after few years. Their yield
is so insignificant and so capricious that
there is no longer any profit in raising
them. The frequent failure OF the Del-
aware peach orchards ia beginning to
attract attention. For the past twelve
years the eastern states have found it
impossible. to raise plum. The fruit
seems to reach the maturing point,
when the curculio, or some other pest,
epierces the partially matured fruit, and
ut falls to the ground. The apple, even,
lis menaced by insect pests; and, when
stored in the cellars for winter
use, apples are drawn out worm eaten
and scarcely available.
These facts seem to point out Califor-
mia as the final recourse for the decidu-
ous fruits. This state, especially in the
southern counties, seems to be remark
ably free from these eastern pests, and
it ought to De our sedulous endeavor to
keep it free. The plums raised in Los
Angeles county are Of such generous
size, flavor and weight as to suggest q
miracle OF nature. Our pears aud
peaches are exceptionally fine. For
canning purposes they excel anything
on the footHtool.
There are always notable features in
horticulture, both in the success of the
cultivation and in the demand which
springs up for specialNtaples. Such an
incident is connected with the cultiva-
tion OF the apricot, which is un-
usually fine in Los Angeles and
adjoining counties. This is remark
ably delicate fruit in most climates,
and the regions over the whole world in
which it can be successfully cultivated
ere remarkably few. Some years ago
the commissariat OF the British army
included canned apricots in the regimen
OF the land forces, and they were found
go healthful and delicious that they
were also embraced in ths acquisitions
OF the navy. The taste communicated
itself to the British people, and spread
to the continent. Today the demand
for canned and dried apricots is SO pro-
nounced in Europe that carefully
tended apricot orchard is sure to yield
It's owner profit of $3.50 per acre year.
That, or upwards, is the return OF a
mature orchard of these trees.
At the beginning of this article we
stated that we suffered from two serious
disabilities last year. In addition to
the lack OF rainfall, there was memoir
RDle ana lamentable succession OF north
h winds. The injury resultant from these
winds was great and far reaching. Eight
inches OF rainfall properly distributed
are ample for all crop and orchard pur-
poses in Los Angeles county for single
season. But last year we had neither a
pleasant distribution of, nor our usual
squable weather after the rains. "North-
ers," fierce and furious, were the or
der Of the day and Of the night. This
year the rains have come just in the
nick Of time, and they have been fol-
lowed by genial and growing weather.
II our farmers and horticulturists
had had the ordering both of wind
and weather they could not have been
better pleased. The citrus industry,
which will always remain one Of our