The record-union., 1895-05-06
FRUITS OF TIE WORLD.
California's Tremendous Supremacy
Confirmed.
VIII Soon Be Able to Control the
Markets of the World
Annual Output.

cerning the early history of fruit to
the New York Tribune: "The cultivation
of many fruits was as far advanced. ex-
ospt for quantity, several thousand years
ago as it is to-day. The Phoenlcians hao
In their gardens almonds. apricots, ba-
nanas, citrons, grapes. olives, peaches
and pomeqranates The history of an
cient Babylon shows that the peach was
then cultivated, and comes from the al
mond, the thin shell of which became the
fieshy part of the peach. This variety OF
fruit originated in Persia, and is mem
toned by classical writer's as early as 200
B. c. The apricot, in reality OF the
peach family, does not seem to have been
known until 80 A. D.
"Oranges were first known of histori-
cally in Bnrmah, and were disseminated
in the Far East. They seemed to have
had a great development in the Holy
Land when they reached there. The
Moors introduced the orange into Spain
shortly afterward, cultivating the fruit
extensively in Andalusia.
1.-The origin of the pear seems to be in
doubt. but it is supposed to have been
improved from the apple. The nectarine
is said TO be from a union of the plum and
"
later period. The cherry is of Persian
growth, and was probably improved
from varieties that grew wild in the val
leys of the Tigris and Euphrates. The
wine aud fig tree SO often referred TO in
the Bible prove the antiquity of these
fruits, and their use as food by the
ancients. Lytton, referring to the feasts
held by the kings and MOBILES prior to the
first century, quotes from ancient history
to show that part of every such repast
was the 'rareSt fruits
The tremendous development in the
extent of fruit culture has been a matter
of few years, and is wholly confined to
this country, as throughout Europe the
volume of production is declining rapidly.
1t is rather strange, therefore, that the
Golden State of California has under cul-
tivation and bearing probably enough
trees and vines to supply from their pro-
duction within five years the entire
United States and Europe with all the
fresh, dried and citrus fruits that can be
consumed. Hence the agricultural i'm
pOrtance OF that State not only to our own
country, but to Europe. An evidence of
the fact that the prejudice which has here
tofore existed against California fruits on
account of an alleged lack of flavor is
being dissipated can be shown by the in
crease in consumption in that States
fruit products during the last five years
in the various markets of the United
States.
''California's products are distributed
throughout America, in especially con-
structed, patented refrigerator cars, each
car containing 20, 900 pounds of fruit. The
time in transit to New York is about ten
days. In 1885 the entire output of Cali
fornia fresh fruits amounted 10 q, 900, 900
pounds, and in 1890 there were IS, 900, 900
shipped, an increase in five years of 81,
N TIM
reached the enormous quantity of l60,-
600, 900 pounds. 1t must be borne in mind
that this represents the production OF the
State of fresh fruits that were exported.
There were used for canning and drying
in 1894 about 300, 100000 pounds, SO that
the aggregate production of the State was
the enormous quantity represented by
the figures, 460, 900 pounds.
''As there are 40I, 4l5 acres offruit under
cultivation in that State, of which only 80
per cent.sis at present in bearing, with
The full acreage in bearing the possible
agricultural wealth of the State is enor-
nous 10 contemplate. The total value of
last years fruit crop exceeded $50, 900, 900,
or was $40, 600, 900 more than that OF gold
taken from the ground. 1t is only fair to
say that the agriculturists OF the State
possess the brains, energy and ability
necessary to deal with not only the
questions of the best production possible
from the soil, but also the problem of
marketing the results of the work to the
best possible profit In every college in
the State there are professorships of ag-
riculture, where students are taught
modern farming. The late philanthro-
pist, Ex-Governor Leland Stanford, en-
dowed very liberally this chair at Stan
ford University. When, therefore, the
fruit product of the State reaches a total
of 500, 600 900 pounds. as it could in five
= L. 1. t1rl fill
as is now the case.
1.-The California orange crop this year
Of 1000, 900 boxes, each containing on an
average $50 oranges, has probably been
the most profitable ever produced, on ac-
count of thedestructIon of tlorida's crop
by frost OF 100000 boxes in January.
This left clear field, except for the Sic
lily oranges, of which 100000 boxes, con-
tanning 200 oranges each. have arrived
since January. AS result ten times the
quantity of the celebrated California
Washington navel oranges have been
sold in New York anu at figures aggre-
eating 30 per cent. higher than in former
years. America may soon enjoy some Of
the products of African soil, as an Eng
lish company, with 100000 capital, is
being formed TO plant thousands of acres
in all kinds of fruits-Oranges. peaches,
pears, eIc.-near Cape Town, Africa. 1t
is the intention of the syndicate to equip
the entire cargo space OF last steamers
with approved retrigeratlng appliances,
thus making 1t possible to send The fruit
to New York direct, and land 1t in mer-
chantable aud eatabie condition. The
mostinteresting part of this information
is the fact that as the seasons alternate
with ours, the summer fruits and vegeta-
bles mature in November, December and
January. so that within few years
peaches and other fruits should be plen-
III ~, aJo-
they are in July.
"At present New York is supplied
with fruits during their season from
Sicily, Spain, Jamaica and Cuba, as re-
CARDS foreign countries, While California,
Florida. oregon, Delaware. New York.
New Jersey, Georgia and Arizona help
to make up the total receipts. their i'm
portance. as to the aggregate OF produc-
lion and supply being in the order men,
toned.
ut is noted and regretted that fruit cul-
ture in the Eastern States is dying out, par
ticularly as regards the production OF
peaches. In Delaware last year there
were scarcely 10000 one-half-bushel
baskets shipped, as against 6,005.000 pro-
duced some years ago. a disease calleo
the yellows is destroying the trees.
From reports which have been col
lected throughout the nearby States the
prospects are for an abundance of sum-
mer fruits. TO supply the demand, how
ever, we shall have to go 5000 miles
away to the never-failing agricultural
spring-California. Without this Golden
States products we should be badly Oft
every summer, and with the prospects OF
enormous crops of cherries which begin
coming to us IN May, apricots and
peaches III June, plums and pears in
July and grapes In August, there will be
sufficient quantities to enable the work
ing classes TO enjoy at moderate figure
these delicious products
Few Americans are aware of the fact
that if it were not for the little island of