The herald., 1893-10-08

The Ojai: Sicily, the largest and
-.lost important island Of the Mediter-
ranean. and which is about the size OF
the state of Maryland-besides being
noted for volcanic eruptions and some
other undesirable things, produces the
bulk Of the citron of commerce. Citron
10 regarded by some botanists as per
haps the original type Of the species
which produces the lemon, sweet lemon
and lime by others it is regarded as q
distinct species. The fruit OF the citron
is large, rough and furrowed; the pulp
sub-acid and refrigersnt. The part
chiefly valued is the rind, which has a
delicious odor and flavor. and is made
into preserves. The juice is employed
to make syrup for favoring liquors.
The csdrat 10 variety of the citron,
from which chiefly the fragrant oil OF
cedrat, used by perfumers, is produced.
The varieties Of citron are numerous,
the fruit of the largest kinds sometimes
measuring nine inches long and weigh
ing 20 pounds.
Sicily finds the raising OF citron a
profitable business, and the islanders
to take trees from the country. But
they have been caught mapping, how
ever, and az o result the raising OF cit.
ronH on the most approved Sicilian
trees has already gained firm footing
ct our very door-in Carpinteria, and
we believe will in few years become
one of the staple businesses of this sec.
tion of California.
Col. Russell Heath of Carpinteria
( was the pioneer in this part of California
| In raising English walnuts. When he
planted ont acre after acre to walnut
trees, probably the largest single or
chard Of the kind in the world, 20 odd
years ago, people said he was crazy
that he was wasting his time and
money, as walnuts could not be profit
ably raised here. The results are we'll
known. Colonel Heath's walnut Or
chard cannot be touched for q
thousand dollars an acre, and
when be demonstrated that money
could be made in walnuts, other
land owners changed their minds about
being Q crank, and followed his example.
OF late years he has believed that fa-
vored parts OF Southern California are
as well adapted to citfon culture as
Sicily, and determined to set another
example to horticulturists. For over
three years he made expensive and un-
successful efforts to get citron trees from
Sicily, his open and above.board plane
being frustrated by the Jealous Sicilians.
There arc no regular nurseries in Sicily
where trees can be bought, as in our
country, and Colonel Heath finally hired
man to travel over the island, visit the
little orchards wherever he could find
Them. and buy tree here and tree
thero as the farmers would sell. These
were shipped to the maritime town of
Leghorn, Italy, and from there they got
out of the country, coming to New York
by way Of Gibraltar. One case
OF trees was entirely lost in a
railroad smash-up in this country, but
the colonel was nevertheless compe He'd
to pay $40 expressage on the
case from New York. and has never set
eyes on the trees. either. The trees he
did receive from Sicily proved very
expensive purchase, but he now has
them growing vigorously on his ranch
z ct Cnrpinteria. and will very soon have
all the buds he needs for extending his
-citron orchard. In the matter OF crys-
tAlising the fruit for the market, Colonel
Heath few days ago told the editor Of
The Ojai that if he could fnd no one in
this country who understood the work
thoroughly he would send to Sicily for
an expert to teach the business to
American workers. Colonel Heath has
'nbundant means to work with and will
not deaist till he has firmly established
himself as the pioneer of the coming cit
ron industry Of California. Ten years
hence, when Americana are picking
pieces of dilicious American citron out
OF their plum puddings and fruit cakes.
the man whose enterprise made the
buainees possible and profitable will be
remembered in connection.