The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

than success has rewarded not few, vet
today San Joaquin Valley stands well to
the front In her horticultural products.
and while not arrogantly claiming supe-
rierity yet firmly insists upon at least
equality with any other part of the State
in the production of numerous varieties of
fruit
The adaptability of the soil and climate
of. the San Joaquin Valley to the produc.
ton of fruit has never had so marked an
illustration as in the raisin industry. The
commencement of raisin production in
this state was in one of the Sacramento
Valley counties. Then the far south fol-
lowed, and for some time those localities
had monopoly of it. Then experiments
were made at Fresno, in the face of the
encouragement, and almost at bound
that section took pre-eminence and has
maintained it eyer since, promising to re-
main for all time the raisin-producin CEN
ter OF the State.
From Fresno this industry spread into
the adjoining counties of MERGED, Tulare
and Kern, until it is safe to say that nine
tenths OF the vast raisin OUTPUT of the
State comes from the counties named
with 'tBaby Kings added-that having
been portion of Tulare. 1t is true. in
common with all other lines of business.
and particularly with that of agricultural
and horticultural, the raisin industry has
Tor tive or three years suffered great de-
preston. This is due to variety of
causes. Raisin vineyards were planted in
many localities untitled for them; many
went into the business who were in no way
adapted to it, while others were so careless
in their methods of curing and packing
the fruit that dealers in the East to great
extent grew distrustful of raisins having a
California brand.
The prospects for those who have per-
sisted in retaining their interests in the
raisin industry, however, are Frightening.
With improved methods of marketing,
with greater care in preparation and with
the general revival in all kinds of business
which 1t seems impossible to delay much
longer, there must be a revival in this
prominent feature of CALIFORNIA; horti-
cultural resources. The fact that raisins
are still regarded by the majority as a
luxury, only to be INDUCED in as treat,
prevents any great increase in the demand
for them until a general business revival
and an access of prosperity makes it pos
sIble for the great mass of the people to
resume their former style of living.
But not alone does the San Joaquin
Valley, excel in the production OF large
quantities of the choicest raisins. The
hot, dry climate of that region is particu-
larly favorable for the production of wine
grapes containing a large percentage OF
sugar, and therefore admirably adapted
for conversion into sweet wine and brandy.
Millions of gallons of those products come
from this region, principally from the
Fresno section, whose extensive wine
cellars have wide reputation. English
capital has been largely invested in such
enterprises, and the products OF the
Fresno wine-grape vineyards appear to
find as ready sale as any and are largely
shipped abroad. Table grapes for Eastern
shipment are another favorite crop with
those who have experimental in that
direction, aud such good results have at
tended this feature of the horticultural in
dustry, particularly the production of very
late fruit suitable to the holiday trade,
that this promises to become prominent
feature OF San Joaquin Valley horticulture.
OF the deciduous fruits produced in any
part of California there are none that do
not attain perfection in the broad San
Joaquin Valley. 1t has always been quite
customary for enthusiastic writer's to claim
for this, that or some other more or less
limited locality the sole possession of the
right to be called "the home" of this, that
or the other variety of fruit, and the
possession of characteristics of soil.
climate, etc, which made it simply i'm
possible, from their standpoint, for any
other locality to successfully compete with
the chosen one in that particular branch.
Time has shown the fallacy of all such
claims and the term sail" is used adj
visedIy.
. Perhaps one Of the most deeply seated of
these Exclusive home'' ideas is that which
may be called the "prune superstition"
All through the San Joaquin Valley
prunes are now being produced which sell
for as good prices as any and rank as high
in quality as any. The valley has made
good her claim that while she might not
be able to produce better prunes than other
localities, she could at least produce those
which were Just as good. Extensive plant
ings have been made IN ali parts Of the
valley, and from now on the prune output
will increase rapidly. While modest in
its claims in the respects noted, there is
one point upon which this valley chal-
lenges the rest of the State, and that is the
production of the largest amount of fresh
prunes upon a single tree yet recorded in
California. AS high as 100 pounds of
fresh prunes have been gathered from a
single tree at Visalia, while single tree in
Kern County has produced over 1900
pounds at a single gathering.
In the way of reaches, apricots, necta-
rines, pears, ETC., the San Joaquin Valley
does not propose to "take back seat
with any other portion of the State, nor
vet does she arrogate to herself the sole
right to the only "front pew" The april
cot especially, is a favorite here and for
good reason. All apricot growers and
handlers know that the great difficulty
with that fruit is to persuade it to ripen
evenly. In many localities, where it is
largely produced, climatic conditions are
such that he fruit ripens unevenly, be-
coming mellow on one side, while still
hard and green on the other This diff
Guilty is not encountered in the San Joa-
ouin Valley, the apricot ripening evenly
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