Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-06-23
ORANGE HARVEST.
HOW SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA;
CROP Is GATHERED.
Sun Rfpened Fruit Plucked Within
View Of Wind -Whirled SHOWS
OF the Sierras The
Picking GaE-s.


California is Al industry fiji
~ teen years OLD In 1875 and |
1876, saws letter from Pom. |
ons, Cal, to the New York Sun, there |
were a tew orange groves IN Los
Angeles and near the historic old. Mis-. |
sion of San Gabriei.- These groves |
bore altogether about 1000 boxes OF
Seeding oranges each year. This
fruit was eagerly bought at large
prices by the San Francisco people,
and never was sent Eas. on account of
the tremendously heavy freight rates
at that time. When the Southern
Pacific Railway was built through
Southern California from San Fran
cisco to New Orleans. and freight rates
were cheapened, orange growing had
great impetus, but when the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad system
was extended into this region, and
shipping rates were cut in two, the
growing OF oranges had wonderful
boom.
The Pomona Progress, the hortlcul.
tural journal of this region, estimates
that there is now invested in orange
growing N Southern California over
| $33, 900, 900. There are in bearing
about 10, 900 acres of orange groves,
and about $4,000 more acres are
planted. The present crop, is esti-
mated by the railroad companies and
horticultural officials at $500 car loads.
An average car load consists Of 800
boxes. and its valuation is $500. Thus
the present crop is worth SIS, ,44O, 900.
Wholesale orange buyers, who come
annually to Southern California as
soon as the orange season is over in
Florida, say that the California and
Florida orange crops have never yet
interfered with each other. The Cali.
fornia fruit is rarely ready for ship
ment before February. By that time
Florida oranges are practically con-
sumed and the market clear.
The orange >trees are not stripped of
their fruit at one time, as are the
Eastern apple. peach, or pear trees.
but are picked at different times in
the course Of the month, the picker
knowing whether the fruit is ready for
packing by its color and form He
picks all the fruit that is ripe on the
trees at one time, and repeats the pro-
cess again a week or two later. The
first picking is made about the middle
of February in the Pomona Valley,
and, from the lst of March, for 4bree
months the gathering continues una
bated.
a few weeks previous to the picking
time the wholesale shippers go the
rounds of the groves. Some of them
have arrangements from year TO year
with the owners, while most Of the
producers prefer to make new con-
tracts each season. The agent inspects
the grove and offers so much box,
or so much for the fruit on the trees,
and here the responsibility Of the
owner ceases The shipper puts his
pickers and packers at work, thu
| crower receives his check, aud another
year is begun.
The picking Of the orange in large
orange centers, such as San Gabriel
Valley, Pomona, Riverside and Red
| lands, is announced by ali addition Il
the floating population. Gangs o
pickers, Mexicans, Chinese. A,neri
cans, men and boys, gather from fal
and near. and the groves arc filles
with laughter aui song. Everyb2.i,
is at work. and ii the crop - fAlri
large, every one .eels cheerful. Tn
: orange grove of the Imagination Is
: stretch of trees .ii!ei w!ta go!de.
( fruit, where one can lie - the sos
e grass and luxuriste N the saca. Th
| actual grove, while Deau,lIu, .o IA
: eye. is not place .o- ioany.ns. 3
| the ground il. or snouId De. kept cor
g t.nualiy plow'ed and irrigated. Bu
6 | the trees are attractive. Ever green
| they often SHOW ripe Easi g-eea .-u.
i. | aod ~h.se blossoms a. tee sane tsme
2 4 gang o: men made. 9 leader. q"
overseer. takes possession .. = Srov
). bright and early IN the morning, tx
Ia OF three men being appointed -
|. tree. AMI the picking begins. r.
& step ladders ea.5.e tie psczers {
!. reach the top branches, an1 escI
. ! orange IS carefully cat i-2n tue t-@.