The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-27
SOME POINTS CONCERNING GROW
ING AND MARKETING CALI
FORNIA FRUIT.
ABOUT THE MARCH FROST.
WORK DONE BY THE HoRTI-
CULTURAL COMMISSION - GEN
ERAL AGRICULTURAL News.

1t is not only necessary to know how to
grow fruit and where to grow it, but how
to put it into the hands of consumers.
How to grow includes a general knowledge
of tilIing the soil, the planting and care of
the trees. What to grow, the best varie
ties, where to grow and the adaptabihty of
certain localities for certain varieties of
fruit.
California fruit Is the best in the world,
and has the world for market. The time
is coming when we can reach the markets
of the old world promptly and probably.
Fresh California fruit was practically I'M
known to England until last year. The
success OF that shipment means that other
transatlantic markets will be supplied in
the future. But the Eastern market has
not yet been properly supplied. We have
heretofore sold our fruit on commission to
middle-men. They shipped it in bulk to
Chicago and New York, glutted the mar
ket and came back and offered us one-tenth
Of what the fruit brought. At the same
time there were other markets that should
have been supplied where our fruit would
nave been eagerly sought and bought. Our
fruitmen have made money notwithstand-
ing middle-men, but the time is coming
when horticulturistS will see the necessity
of cooperating with a view of marketing
their fruit. The orange-producers of South
ern California and the raisin- growers of
Fresno have already organized with that
end in view, and their shipments last sea-
son proved the wisdom of their action.
Santa Clara growers of deciduous fruits
have formed several cooperative unions
for packing and selling fruit, and their
success last season was very encouraging.
The par1fral tharY e he
State were visited by frosts on the nights
of March II, ID and IA, which did some
damage to fruit in sections where the crop
is early. Many estimates have been made
concerning the damage, few Of which APP
proach correctness. The tendency in such
instances is always to exaggerate, and
those who are interested in creating the
impression that the fruit crop will be short
and prices proportionateIy high, OCCASION
ally make unreliable estimates. 1t is, no
doubt fact that in a few sections the
damage was considerable. In others it
was very slight. In some instances the
killing of a portion of the crop will result
in insuring better crop and larger fruit
Frost, however, never benefits fruit trees
1t was an unusual visitation, similar to
those whlsh occasionally occur. There is
neither necessity for exaggeration nor con-
cealment concerning meteorological condi-
tons in California. The climate is not
in the United States.
The horticultural Commission has been
of great service to horticultural interests
We have only to mention the importation
Of predaceous insects to remind our legis-
lators OF this. The work, however, has
been accomplished at great cost. In fact,
the reckless expenditure OF money by
some OF the officials has become notorious,
and no doubt greatly strengthens the
cause. of those who labor to prevent the
granting of further support to the COM
mission. The forestry bill was cut down
in the Senate from $4,000 to $1,000, thus
making the section providing for an ex-
detrimental station on Mount Hamilton at
least Tor time imperative. The Horti-
cultural Commission could be made of
great service to the State, and its promo
ton and economical management are
earnestly to be hoped for.
It's rigid inspection and quarantine system
has saved California orchardists much
money, and the literature issued has as a
rule been very practical and useful
California is TOO large, and its soil and
climate. 100 varied, 10 warrant the resi-
dents OF any one section in claiming COM
plete immunity from frost or other I'M
favorable features, while claiming that
some other section has all the draw backs.
Limiting frost belts, fruit belts, citrus
belts, ralsln, prune or orange-growing to
one valley or one side of a mountain
range Is unjust to the State and its re-
sources.
Professor Hilgard states that stable ma
nure should not be used in connection with
commercial fertilizers, as they tend to de-
compose each other. This is an important
point which has heretofore escaped gen.
eral notice.
There is in the rougher mountain dis
tricts much land that is entirely unutilized.
There are few hillsides so steep. however
and few so rocky that olives will not grow
upon and thrive, especially . there is a
southern exposure.
The kind and amount OF fertilizer needed
by certain crop upon a certain soil, or
that can be applied with profit, can best be
determined by experiment and depends
not only upon the amount of plant food
which the soil already contains but also
upon the physical condition of the soil and
the nature of the previous crop.
Any orchardist may secure an electrical
frost alarm that will every season pay its
cost many times over. The appliances NAV
be had OF nearly any dealer in electrical
devices.
In the case of prunes it is a question
whether it is not more profitable to prune
the trees SO they will not bear SO heavily.
rather than to allow so much bearing wood
20 grow, and then thin the crop by removal
OF the extra fruit. In either case it paws
beyond doubt to curtail in quantity and
secure quality.
Mr.. Kinsell of Riverside cures his lemons
in peculiar manner, which seems to do
the work, however, very SATISFACTORILY.
He first carefully grades the fruit after
which it is placed in bins about three feet
IN depth where it is covered with alfalfa
that has recently been cut. The alfalfa
promotes the sweating process and, Mr..
kinsell thinks, causes the fruit TO take on
brighter color.
We notice in the markets several new
styles of fruit boxes. One holds about five
pounds OF fruit and the sides are made of
wire netting, thus insuring proper ventila-
ton. This box weighs less than six ounces
and is made with view of serving as a
drawer in chest or crate. A similar box
made of thin strips OF pine is being used
for oranges in the grocery stores, and
seems to insure the keeping of the fruit
much better than any box could in which
the fruit is pressed together in bulk.