The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-11
Ontarians Who Have Found
Ranching Profitable.
Big Returns From Fruit Culture in
a Year of Low Prices.
Some Reliable Figures which Will Be
Instructive to Eastern Grain
Growers and Fruit
Farmers.


that the Southern California fruit grow
ers realized very little from their orch
ards and vineyards. This is far from
being true. While $500 an acre returns
were very rare, the man who properly
cared for his trees or vines and intelli-
gently marketed his crop secured an in
come far in excess of the profits of the
average farmer in the east. We have
collected few returns from Ontario
and vicinity, the accuracy OF which we
can vouch for. They NAV be little
above the average, but many others
equally as good could have been found.
They represent what the successful fruit
'oH year" when the market was badly
demoTalized. 1t must be remembered
thar all the orchards in Ontario are
young, and that many seasons have
bsen marked by much higher prices.
Over $400 per acre has in number of
instances been realized in previous
lemon groves.
Mrs. F. E Oakley received $1,000 net
cash from her two and ope-half acre
Deducting space for house, barn and
acres in trees, or 100 trees in bearing.
This will average about $3.50 per tree,
or $515 per acre. The trees had been
planted nine years.
Robert Gray sold the prune crop from
one and one-half acres OF 6 and 7-year-
old trees for $343.8O, or about $3.50 an
acre. He dried the fruit and sold it for
5 cents per pound. This orchard has
paid from $3.50 to $500 per acre every
year since.it came into bearing.
G.. 8. Barrett sold the prune crop from
five acres for $3.50. drying and selling for
5 cents per pound. The trees were
planted in 1886 He kept a careful rec
ord of all expense, and puts the net
profit at 800 per acre, which is 10 per
cent on a valuation of $1,000 per acre.
From FIVE acres in oranges of the same
age, about three-fourths navels, balance
Mediterraneans, he sold the crop for
over $1,000, or 5000 per acre. The gross
income from the 10 acres was over
$3.50.
y. Shield from one acre OF Royal april
cote sold six tons at $25 per ton. From
an acre of peaches he Did IL tons at $40
per ton The trees are eight years old.
George B. Ford from 800 trees, less
than 31s acres, SOLD $3.50 worth OF
oranges, this being the net price. The
trees we're eight years old and about
three fourths navels and one-fourth
Mediterraneans. There were about 800
boxes picked, making gross yield OF
over $780, or nearly $3.50 per acre.
A. B. Fox, who came here from Chi
cago without previous experience in
farm work, makes the following report
on his lemon crop: "DEAR SIR: The
few figures that l may give will date
from December l, 1892, to April 10,
1898, when l sold the ranch. date
from December lst, as it was the first of
the winters picking. l made three
pickings in the above time-frst, about
$50 boxes. loose and green Common
orange boxes); second, $50, and third,
about 450. These packed meant two
carloads of cured fruit OF AL quality,
besides about 500 worth sold to local
points. The carload lots were ship ped
July 18th, one to Minneapolis and one
to Kansas City. The car to Kansas
CITY had to be repacked, even though
both cars were iced regularly. But
Notwithstanding this extra expense, this
car Melted ovei 500 the most; both cars
averaged the low figure OF $l.90 net per
box. The total income for the four and
one.half months from my 10 acres Of
seven-year-old Eureka lemons was
$1,000, and under ordinary conditions
double tffat amount could be expected.
On April 10Th this 10 acres was sold to
f. A. Little for 900 cash. There is
big money in lemons"
Since Mr.. Little took the place he has
sold three carloads of lemons, and has
400 boxes on hand. He has just sold 800
boxes for $l005, over SO % per box. The
total income for year would foot up to
$500.
William T. Lseke sold the crop from
six acres OF 9.year-old nsvels for $500.
This figure was afterwards made $1,000
for spot cash. The fruit was delivered
loose at the packing house, less than
half a mile distant. This average per
acre would be nearly $500.
HI. o. Maynard sold the oranges from
five acres of 8-yesrold trees for $1l75.
There are about 80 trees of Mediterran-
cans; balance nsvels. This Is an aver
age Of $235 per acre.
E E. Leach received in round num-
bers $1,000 from less than four acres OF
bearing trees, years old. They are
mostly navels, with few Mediterran-
cans and SO lemon trees.
Logan Seltz sold Is tons green prunee
at S25 per ton from acres OF 7-year-od
trees, and from five acres 6-yesr-old peach
trees he sold 341a tons OF peaches at $l2
per ton.
H. w. Jackson sold his prune crop,
from seven and three-iorth acres, for
SS36.25. The trees are years old. Tie
price of dried fruit was 5 cents per
pound, and the yield per acre would be
sos
Prof. G. H. Dwinele marketed 5000
worth of cherries from an acre at the
head of the avenue, at an altitude oil
200 feet. In 1892 the crop sold for $500.
S. H. Housekeeper sold $l95 worth of
prunee from one acre of 7-year-old
trees, and from an acre of peaches he
sold ton a dried fruit at ~ cents per
pound.
H e. Joliffe received $l40 per acre
net from his orange orchard OF 9.year-
old trees. He shipped the fruit directly
east himself 4
70 illustrate how an early orchard
begins to yield, we may note that H.
I'll. Morgan picked eight and half tons
of peaches from four acres OF 2-year- old
trees. He sold the crop for $3.50. This
orchard is between Ontario and Cuca-
monga, on light soil.
G. d. Adams sold the black berry crop
from one acre for $3.50 net. In previous