New-York tribune., 1895-02-17
STRA WBERRIES ALL THE TIME

HOW THEY ARE GROWN IN CALirohNlA'
From The Land OF Sunshine
One Of the things that most agreeaoy impress
the "tenderfoot' from the Eastern bizzard-Deit
when he first arrives In Southern California is 'hat
almost any day in the year he can OBTAIN iresh
strawberries at the fruit stands here. and at a
very moderate price. For dime you may get n
Mound box of ripe. luscious berries at Christmas;
at some seasons for half the money.
Strawberries raised not only for nome con-
sumpton but for export. large quantities being
shipped East by express during the spring About
three and a half miles southeast of Azusa. In the
San Gabriel Valley. is Covna. pretty and pros
porous settlement. Azusa is chiefly noted for citrus.
Coyina for deciduous fruits 1t is also great CEN
tire OF the strawberry industry. one OF the most
important branches OF horticulture In the valley.
The visitor who alighs at the Azusa railroad sta
ton during the season cannot fall TO be impressed
with the immense piles OF strawberry cases BY
novel Arrangement containing sixty one-pound
boxes provided with space lined with zinc
in which Ice is packed. This keeps the berries fresh
when shipped by express-as they all are-to Den
ver Kansas City and other points. six cents per
pound is the price received by the Shippers
For very early berries more is realized. From
Mnrch to July Is the height of the season. During
that period ton end a half in a day Is some
times shipped The shipments for April. May and
June have amounted to 2l6Oo pounds The acreage
strawberries around Azusa Is estimated at near;y
picking and the work furnishes a welcome addition
TO the income Of many families one noteWotln!
ries are extensively planted among orange and
other trees. BY this means the expenses OF souns
coming into bearing. - , ,o
than at the East. Twcve-yearold plants stili
healthful and fruitful. have been reported. F ana
FIVE to eight wears Is grown have perfect flow
ers but some pstillate kinds have been ntroducea'
ann sion With II such as have saminate blossoms Long
worths Prolific, sharpless. Monarch OF ths West est
proved varieties. although new kinds arc constantly
being introduced and new naTe 'he be given
SO thoroughly as to supersede me value OF "u''oe
Another section where strawberry culture Is made made
a speciality is around Gardena about ten miles
Although in certain sections along the coast and
in the thermal belts in the foothills under lavor
the year. yet the main crop that reaches hn @
has its special in 93hfn pTnccay do
mant and as the roots run so near ~ one keen the
ground properly moist than is needed for other
With thorough preparation such ground as might
be expected 10 do we'll in corn or potatoes II
adapted to strawberries provided the irrigas shnms
be so arranged as TO keep the ground as uhilorn
ly moist possible, with fine cultivation ana ir.e
dom from weeds In lcading strawberry uis',tU,s ,h
plants often set on ridges In rows TWO or mr. mr.
feet apart with roots foot apap, N sda ne where
water is running most OF the time ana a sIIlp 2i
Well-cultvated SOIL on the otnei III Hilbnt'nh, ~
is convenient to have a small stream running be
tween the rows a great part OF the time. ly
having the plants on ridge the berries are kept
out OF the mud and the ground does not phHc az
it would II cultivation were done by hooding the
surface. The trenches must be often so Work'i
as 10 destroy the weeds by taking a thin shaving
from the surface In leveng the land for straw
berries where growers can choose tnelr grace. u
Is customary 10 allow half an inch fall 10 the roc
on hillsdes where a very small stream IL used.
they sometimes run on grade as steep ASSN as SIX
inches the rod. From bearing pIdhtat'ohsS,
runners should be removed as carefully as weeds
-.
So profitable have strawberries proved that
many growers have retained them In their orange
groves after the latter have come INTO p"ai,hs,
Sill some aver that the orange tree Is bound TO
he injured by the frequent Irrigation which i2
well-knoy yn grower OF Gardena some time ago
had an exhibit OF Monarch Of he West straw
berries at the Los Angeles Chamber or commerce,
some OF which weighed one and one-fourjh ounces
each. These berries came from patch oi TWO
and a half acres. from which he had sold wIthin
three DAYS l;O crates OF thirty pounds each. max
ing 300 pounds. ! cents per pound. whlch
amounts to s29i Deducting from this So for labor
and 80 for other expenses. there remains nel
profit Of s220 which Is for only one picking. 1his
grower raises three crops "A year
A small patch Of berries Will keep quite a mum
Der OF men at work: and the industry IS specially
fitted for farmers who have large families. as the
picking Is the principal item Of expense one
grower who has less than five acres planted 10
Strawberries and blackberries keeps from ten 10
twelve Constantly employed, ana his weekly
payroll amounts TO over $Si During one season ne
paid out more than 5000 for labor on these I'VE
acres. There are not many countries where lana
will pay big net profit over and above an eN-
pense OF 800 per acre
Considering the large and constantly growing
market in the cities OF the East for berries al "A
season when they can be raised there only In hot
for the extension OF this industry in Southern Call
lOrna.