The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-10
Prizes We're Awarded to The Owners
Of Displays.
THE TOWN OVERRUN WITH VISITORS.
The Last Days Entertainment Enjoyed
by Thousands Of People From All
Over the Country.

sion of three days of rejoicing. The fair
has been a success in every way and the
people of the peculiarly mOuntain-locked
Russian River Valley are confident that no
other part of the State can produce such
oranges as the fogless and MINDLESS belt of
land about Cloverdale.
To-day farmers and fruit-growerS came
in town from all directions, filling the
streets with a lively, bustling crowd. The
jam in the fair building this afternoon and
this evening was so great that at times
passageway was completely blocked for
several minutes
The general verdict of all who examined
the exhibits was that citrus fruit should be
thickly planted throughout that portion of
Russian River Valley which has certain
topography peculiar to this district.
The valley runs almost longitudinally
toward San Francisco Bay, but has three or
four turns in it. These turns prevent the
fog from coming up from the Golden Gate,
while successive ranges of high hills keep
away the fog striking inland from the
Pacific Ocean, which is forty miles away in
a direct line. This gives Cloverdale a
steady, warm climate, with frosts occurring
very seldom.
The fact that this strip of land, four
miles wide by twelve miles long, could pro-
duce excellent oranges, was discovered
comparatively a few years ago. I. Z.
Shaw, ]. a. Kleiser and number of other
persons planted trees as garden ornaments,
principally for their blossoms. The trees
produced such fine oranges that eight years
ago Captain John Field put out number
of Washington navels. Senator J. C. Hol-
loway and William McCauslin also planted
a few trees. Within two years they COM
menced bearing, and for the last four years
they have produced heavy crops of large,
sweet fruit.
The Italian-Swiss colony followed the
pioneers of the movement and after they
had put out a large orchard of citrus fruit
trees the people generally began to plant.
The result has been so satisfactory that the
people of this district believe that there
will be more wealth gained in the future
by cultivating the yellow orbs than by
delving for the yellow metal and that more
people will be attracted to the State
through the medium of the golden fruit
than have been in the past by gold itself
So well satisfied are the people of Clover
dale that they are willing to oppose South
ern California or the Sacramento Valley in
a contest over title to the best climate
and soil for raising citrus fruits.
Few of the orchards here are irrigated,
while those of other places require much
watering. There is a sort of natural irri-
cation in the Cloverdale district, which
makes it unnecessary for the fruit-raiser to
build irrigation bitches. On account of the
land lying in narrow valley large
amount of water runs down from gulches
and hillsides, permeating the ground and
keeping it constantly moist.
Another thing the fruit-raisers of the
Cloverdale district pride themselves on is
the fact, as demonstrated by the exhibit,
that the orange trees, leaves and fruit are
free from smut and disease. This is due
to the fact that there is never any sand
blowing against the trees and that fogs are
virtually unknown. All these things COM
bine to bring early returns, and the pride
of the exhibitors can be seen in some of
the signs, such as Oranges from a tree
one year from setting" or Eighteen
months from bud" Few allow their trees
to bear much until the fourth year, how
ever, preferring to pick off the buds and
allow the trees to get full benefit of the
cultivation, so as to do well at the proper
age.
L. H. Whipple has on exhibition thir-
teen oranges from a four-year-old tree.
They are all of the same size, color and
smoothness of skin. Nearly every one is
twelve inches in circumference and weighs
about 1917 ounces. Four of the oranges
are in cluster.
Daniel Silk displayed the best small
group of navels. They are eight in num-
Der and surpass all others in color, size
and smoothness of skin, being perfectly
free from blemish. Had Mr.. Silk dozen
such oranges on exhibition he probably
would have won first prize. L. L. Shell
ford likewise exhibited half a dozen beau
tiful specimens of the golden fruit. B. F.
Green had tine-looking display of oranges
from young trees arranged in the shape of
a star. Mrs. J. 1. Eastlick displayed a
nice table-pile of oranges of pure color and
blemishless skin.
The odd figures to be seen in the exhibits
were as follows: A fig man, with an
orange head and prune arms, exhibited by
- n AlO1oS1J a p1 OAlO
by NJ. K. Truett; raisin swing, with a
raisin boy in it, suspended from green
olive branches. exhibited by H. P. Bedford.
The awarding of prizes took place this
evening. While the judges had great
deal of difficulty in choosing the best of
some choice exhibits the verdicts were re-
ceived with satisfaction. The sentiment
among the exhibitors was more to secure
general benefit than an individual victory.
The awards were as follows:
Best display of navel oranges, N. Mcmillan.
Second best display of navel oranges, ]. N.
Atherton. Most artistic display of navel
oranges, John Field. Best display of lemons,
]. C. Holloway. Most artistic display of lem
ons, H. ]. Croker. Best twelve navel oranges.
Miss Lizzie Hail. Second best display of twelve
navel oranges, T. J. Cottle. Best twelve Med
iterranean sweets, J. A. Chalfant. Best twelve
Malta bloods, H. P. Bedford. Best twelve seed
ings, w, T. Brush. Best display of assorted
oranges, Italian-Swiss Colony. Most artistic
display of assorted oranges, f. Yordi. Best ai-.
play of olives, Italian-Swiss Colony. Most art
lstic display of olives, Parker Vineyard Com
pany. Best display of citron, Mrs. C. Worth.
Best display of dried fruit, NJ. K. Truett. Most
artistic display of dried fruits, Cooley Bros.
Best display of canned fruits, H P. Belford.
The Italian Consul of San Francisco WIS.,