The record-union., 1894-04-05

Fifth-The precocity, constancy and
certainty of our trees in bearing, and the
prolifcness and superior quality of our
fruits, give our growers great advant-
age, and enable them to produce fruits at
a profit that can be sold within the means
OF the mass OF fruit-eaterS III the East. An
apple orchard in Kansas that gives a crop
once in three years is worth more than
any other land. y peach orchard in
Michigan or New Jersey that gives
crop once in two years is valuable prop
erty. Why, then, may not California
orchards that produce every year be
profitable?
Sixth-1he wonderful range of varie
ties that may be grown here gives di-
versity OF products in the same orchard
not elsewhere to be found. This range
includes many valuable and delightful
fruits not elsewhere produced III the
United States. We have no competitors
on this continent for our olives, hgS,
raisins, foreign table and wine grapes,
almonds, English walnuts, apricots and
only Florida tor our oranges and lemons,
and only ,Oregon-and not seriously
therefor our prunes. Indeed, upon the
question OF competition this general
truth may be stated: that we have no
competition in any OF our fruits from re-
glOnS where there Is great uncertainty IN
tree bearing. The orchards of the harder
deciduous fruits of the regions east or
the Rocky Mountains are too capricOus
to enter the field of competition against
country whose orchards are prClltlC and
constant bearers. And it must follow
that with quick transit and reasonable
charges we shall ultimately force many
Eastern orchardiSts to seek more protita-
BILE uses tor their lands. This is the
logical sequence OF the unerrlng law
which at present fills California with
IL l.
duced more cheaply in the East than
here; and it is the law that will give us
the markets of America for all our
fruits.
Seventh-The ultimate just regulation
of the profits to middle-men will give low
prices to the consumer and yet profitable
prices to the producer. AT present when
prices are low to the producer the con-
sumner pays fully 10G per cent. more than
the producer receives. This is not true OF
any other agricultural product. and must
not be allowed to be true OF fruit. There
is no reason for prunes costing five cents
per pound in California selling in Ne
Draska or Illinois or New Y ork for fifteen
cents per pound. Recent investigation
has shown that the consumer pays alto
gether too much for our fruit. We can
grow fruits at profit so that they will
become articles OF food necessity and not
remain articles OF luxury, as they now
are. This we are seeking to do and shall
do. We concede q necessity for middle
men, but we deny any necessity to pay
them for selling our fruit more than the
producer receives, or IN fact any more
than a reasonable compensation for the
service.
Eighth-The readiness with which any
intelligent person may acquire practical
knowledge of the art of fruit-grOwing,
and the inherent delight which accom-
panies the occupation in this State, must
prove a most attractive feature OF the
business. The possibility of utilizing
prodtably every day of the year. and not
day of actual physical discomfort en-
countered, will heghten the interest of
the horticulturist, and lead him to eXalt
his occupation.
WHERE TO LOCATE.
And this leads US to the inquiry of vital
Where shall the intending fruit-grower
settle down?
1t is not the purpose of this report to
point out or recommend localities. This
is State Board and knows no north or
south, no coast, valley, or mountain; it
seeks only to place reliable facts before
home-seekers. and leave them to choose
localities.
The chief embarrassment the immi-
grant find is to select a home i'll all this
vast region of desirable country. The
merit of Southern California is attested
in the fact that people once attracted there
seldom go elsewhere, but are content to
live in that charming country. 1t is also
true that people coming into the north,
and into what may more properly be
termed the central portion of the State,
pitch their tents there, and are content
and happy. The practical results OF frui-
growing in the State show that the adj
vantages and disad vantages are about
equalized throughout all the fruit regions.
There are compensations here for the ad
vantages there. and the matter of choice
must be determined largely by consider
ations entirely apart from financial re-
suits, for the business intelligently pur-
sued will bring substantially the same
results in all parts alike The first cost
OF land, the kind and character of people
in the neighbOrhood. the school and
church privileges, the general air of
thrift noticeable, the greater or less ad-
vancement of horticulture. the nearness
to lines of transportation, the condition of
the roads and highways, the intellectual