The record-union., 1895-01-21


or pear until they could intrust them to
the soil beside their cabins. And this
early pomological fervor was richly re-
Warded; the trees attained growth and
came into bearing with a rapidity and
profuslon almost incredible to those who
came from less genial climates.
Though the planting of fruit seed 8
never wholly stopped it was matter of
minor concern as soon as budded fruit
became cheap and plentiful. From 1856
to 1879 incentive to growth of seedlings
ceased, except with those who loved po-
mology for its own sake and never lost
Its inspiration to improvement. With
THE UPRISING OF FRUIT GROWING
AS great commercial industry about
1875 new incentive was given, and il
was one OF quite as engrossing nature as
that of pioneer times. Fruit for shipping
long distances, fruit fit to endure the trial
OF The canning process, varieties which
would resist the attacks of parasites and
diseases, varieties which would extend
the fruit season at both ends by begin
ming earlier and ending later, all these
and other similar considerations de-
veloped a discriminating demand for
varieties with definite traits and quail
ties-a demand which we had never
known before.
1t has remained ruling factor in our
development of new varieties ever since
that time, and it will remain with US. OF
late it has taken the higher form of cross
polllnatlon from selected parentage OF
specific type, but probably we shall al
ways CLEAN from the field of chance seed
Ilngs which has hitherto yielded such
A RICH HARVEST.
1t would carry me beyond all proper
limits OF this paper to submit 20 you list
with detailed descriptions of seedlings
" how nf
Such account, too, can be found IN our To-
cal genealogical literature. 1t would bet
ter serve our present purpose to remar k
briefly upon each of the leading kinds OF
fruits and note some things we have
gained by new varieties.
OUR APRICoTS.
In apricots we have secured new sorts
which open the season two or three weeks
earlier than the ripening of those Euro
pean varieties which are generally trust
worthy here. Some OF the earliest Eu-
ropean varieties are too small for COM
mercial purposes, or else they are so shy
in bearing as to be Improbable. The
greatest apricot in the State is the ROYAL,
supposed TO be from France.
We have seedlings which are shipped
to Eastern markets from our early fruit
regions almost month before the ROYAL
is ready. The Moorpark is our grandest
ID.
We have seedlings which com bine much
of the glory OF the Moorpark with surer
bearing, more even ripening, and we
have also good seedlings considerab bly,
later than the Moorpark
THE CHERRY
Has always occupied rather a limited
area IN California, though the product is
important and of considerable value Re-
cent experience shows better success in
shipment Of cherries for long distances,
though there is little warrant at present
IN commercial planting of the fruit.
Several Important varieties have been
developed from seedlings in Oregon and
in this State, which, like the Centennial
and Black Republican, have exceptionally Y
good shipping qualities, and are supplant-
Ing old varieties for this purpose. Extra
earllness, extreme size and other excel
lence Is also shown by other seedlings, but
they have never become very prominent
because OF the general limitations which
beset the cnerry in California.
APPLES AND PEARS.
In apples we rely mainly upon stand
ard varieties, some of which are far more
prominent here than in the places wnere
they originated. We have several fall
and winter apples of our own, however,
which have secured permanent place in
our orchards, such as Skinner'S Mar
shall's and Cooks seedlings.
In pears, our commercial ambition has
been rather narrow, and has been chiefly
10 OBTAIN something which would pass
Tor either Bartlett or Winter Nelis, and
thus prolong the market season OF these
varieties, or escape some of the evils they
are subject to in some parts of the State
Our most prominent Seeding pear is =.
Barry, originated by the late b. 5. Fox
OF San Jose, and honored with medal
by your society some years ago. We
also nave other Seeding pears which
nave attained some popularity.
Recently our list of pears commercially
profitable has been extending, and the
outlook is that we shall grow this grand
irult more lntelligently and discrimi-
nately than we have hitherto.
VARIETIES OF PRUNES
Our chief prune product is made from
french varieties which seem to leave
little TO be desired unless we can get dry-
ing qualities associated with greater size.
a constant effort has been made in this
direction in this State and Oregon. and
regret to say that some very large seed
Hngs are being offered to prune planters
which will be Disappointing, because
they do not contain sugar enough to yield
sweet, dried prune of the French type
which now seems desirable.
III the American people want a large
acid prune these varieties may afford 1t.
but the curer will probably have to trust
To quick, high heat in his evaporator to
check fermentation during curing.
L apprehend that these large, thin
Julced pLums will need more energetic
treatment than even the glorious sun
shine of California can afford them.
On the other hand. in shipping and
canning plums we have accom- mplished
great things by. seedlings. We have
originated varieties even earlier than the
cherry plum or myrobalan of far greater
SIZE ana splendid shipping qualities. We
also have, through Mr.. Burbank, cross
pred Japanese plums of decidedly novel
features IN form. color and flavor.
we nave, too, seedlings from European
parentage which SurpaSS their progeni-
tors In size, keeping and shipping quail
ties. With these we are growing a large
line OF old varieties. and can mark Ell
plums from the trees all during the sea-
son from May to Novem Der. Some OF
our new plums of Japanese origin can be
safely shipped without refrigeration, sc
pronounced are their keeping qualities
PEACH CULTURE.
Californians have done more in origi-
mating new peaches than in varieties OF
any other fruit. The peach has ALWAYS
been our leading deciduous fruit. though
1t is now closely pressed, if not surpassed.
by the plum family, which, of course. in
cludes prunes. Our origination of new
peaches first obtained the notice of your
society, II l am not mistaken, and Briggs
Red May is memorial OF one of our
greatest pioneers in fruit-growing.
Ii would require an elaborate ESSAY and
much study to do anything like justice to
the character and values of our new
peaches. In different periods of our ad-
VancemeEt selection of seedlings has pro-
ceeded upon different standards of excel
lence which seemed at the time of special
Importance. In pursuit of these ends we
nave extended our peach season at both
ends, so that 1t now runs from Decoration
Day 10 i lnankSglVlng. We GScana6 cnrl-