The herald., 1895-08-19

and has done more to attract attention
10 this section than all other features
com bined, even including the climate.
During the past three years the industry
has received q special impetus, due to
the large profits made by fruit growers:
and to the now well-esta blshed belief
that the market for choice Southern Cali
fornia fruit, under proper methods vi dis
trjbution, is practically unlimited. III Is
safe to say that more orchards have peen
set out during the past four years thar
were in existence in 1859.
Southern California has the advantage
of being able to grow to perfection h Dr.
ticultural products that can be raised on
a commercial basis in few, il any, other
parts Of the United States. Among
these are the orange, lemon, citron. hg,
olive, English walnut, apricot, ralsin
crane, prune. aud delicate winter vege-
tables. Tuese products VIII always com,
mand a good price, owing TO the Limited
area within which they can be prohtablv
grown.
LEADING FRUITS.
First in importance among the hortl-
cltural products of Southern California
comes the orange. There is glamour
about the golden fruit which captivates
most new arrivals. The profits of orange
growing are large. The expenses OF start
ing a grove are also considerable. orange
trees are grown ana bear fruit from San
Diego to Siskiyou, but to grow oranges
for the market is another thing. FIRST
class orange land with ample water, is
comparatively scarce, and is CHEAP at
5000 an acre. Orange trees planted on
low cold spots may do well 1or leW
wears, but when an exceptionally cold
spell comes they will suffer.
The chief orange sections OF southern
California are the San Gabriel, Pomona
and Santa Ana valleys. and around Riv-
erside and Redlands. They do well IN
certain portions of all the seven southern
counties. 1t was formerly believed that
oranges would not succeed near the coast,
but this idea has been exploded.
The shipments for the past season
1S92-93-from the seven southern counties
will aggregate from $500 to 1000 carloads,
averaging 300 boxes, worth 81, 500, 600 to
the growers.
GRAPE CULTURE.
Iany varieties of the grade &e grown
for table use and the manufacture of
wines and brandies. Raisin grapes are
raised along the foothills in the north
ern and eastern parts with fair success
where the air is dry. For table use the
Black Hamburg, Muscat, Champagne and
Flaming Tokay are the favoritc varieties.
Some varieties ripen as late as Novem-
her, For raisins, the Muscat of Alexan-
dria is grown Usually about $50 cut
tngs are planted to the acre. The cost
of planting. irrigating and two years car
ing for a raisin vineyard is about.S25 per
acre. In three years the vineyard should
yield so twenty pound boxes OF ralsins
per acre: in four years $50 boxes; III hve
years 300 boxes, and after that small
increase The cost of cultivating per
acre is SIS; curing and packing 40 cents
per box. In Antelope valley. lands adapt
ed to the culture OF the raisin grape may
be purchased at about $50 an acre, or
even less. There are several large wlner-
les, notably in the San Gabrlel valley,
where wine and brandy OF excellent quail
ity are made.
The Mission grape, introduced more
than a century ago. has been largely sup
planted by improved varieties. For wine
grapes. French and Spanish varieties are
grown; for rsisins the Mnscat OF AleXan-
dria; for table use, the Black Hamburg,
Champagne. Flaming Tokay and many
others. The raisin industry is a very
important one. the chief center OF the
business in Southern California being at
Riverside. California raisins have al
most entirely taken the place of the i'm
ported article in the United States. The
seedless Sultana raisin is in especially