The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
IT'S PERFECT CLIMATIC ADVANTAGES

years VIII roll around the Ban Joaquin
Valley will be the great fruir-growing Sec
ton of California. as we'll as OF the world.
| The exact conditions OF climate and soil
necessary to grow fruit exist in profusion,
and it is only required of the new settler
that he begin the business Systematically
! in order to make it successful. Previous
/ experience in California soils and climate
| has shown the writer that while the north
ern part Of our State. as we'll as the south
ern portion of it, has a good right to set
| forth its claims as an excellent fruit-grow-
ing section, either deciduous or citrus, as
the case may be, the San joaquin Valley
can and does now produce all the fruits in
| perfection for which our California is so
well noted. 1t is hard, indeed, to realize
the possibilities OF this grand valley.
Fruit production will be in the near
future only one among many of its great
| resources developed but an article on
fruit-raising scarcely permits the diversion
OF illustrating other products of this big
valley. Yet allow little depression from
the subject, just long enough to say that
all the cereals, all the cattle, all the hogs
and sheep, and every known product Of
the soil, used by the civilized people of the
world, either as food or as raw material
for manufacturing, can be produced in
this big valley. But ito my mutton!
In connection with fruit-growing comes
the nursery business, and in the near
future the horticulturists of the entire
State, and all other States, will turn their
attention toward our nurseries for their
stock; and then there are flowers and
bulbs and Seeds no one nowadays denies
the commercial value of such products.
The old-fashioned farmer used to
think he was doing well when he
raised potatoes, beets and cabbages,
and turned up his nose at the idea Of
hower-raising; but, thank the Lord, the
day of the old, fashioned farmer is passing
away and the new soil-tiller Is here with
the "new woman" alongside of him.
Flower seed and bulb culture is work for
which women are pre-eminently fitted, and
it goes hand in hand with Embarrassing.
All these pursuits belong to the higher Or
der of agriculture, and it is not only i'm
portant but necessary to keep in touch with
the times and up to date in all matters of
public interest and enterprise in order to
succeed in them. Any man with large
family, either girls or boys, stands better
chance of raising them well and giving
them good education with a fruit ranch
behind him in the San Joaquin Valley
than in any other pursuit that he may fol-
low. During the season of gathering his
crop the entire family are his helpers,
and even the little ''tots" can earn money
at that time to clothe themselves through
out the year. The pessimist will cry,
TOO much fruit produced now" Why,
we are only on the very threshold OF fruit
production. We have not yet learned how
to put fruit up so they will be accepted
by the entire civilized world as the very
best in that line now produced. We are
only in the primary department OF fruit
growing and fruit-packing in this big val
ley, and our efforts now will be our
children's inheritance. Staple articles are
always called for, ana fruit is one of the
staples. 1.-THE elements of success are in
the individual" Nature is made to serve,
and nature in this San Joaquin Valley
serves the soil-tilier with a sure re-
turn every year when he applies the
means at hand - irrigation - which.
in connection with the warm
sun and mild climate, makes horticulture
a pleasure, a profit and a sure thing.
Trees are like children, they need atten-
ton, they need watchful care, they need
pruning; and the marvellous tales told by
some enthusiastic real estate dealers are
not always realized by the novice, but for
ali that fruit-growing in this big valley is
now successful, ana will become more and
more so every year the writer can see into
the future. Fresno County's raisin-pro-
is ba Of
spite of hard times and low prices the net
returns to the growers of raisins in that
county will reach the large sum OF $500, 900
for the year 1895. Then think of the fact
that it is only few years since the site
of that beautiful interior city, Fresno, was
sheep camp, and the surrounding country
was used for pasturing cattle. Now the
entire plain as far as the eye can reach
aye, good deal farther tools dotted
with vineyards, orchards, flowers, line
homes and surroundings, evidencing the
enterprise of our citizeus and the fact
strongly set forth that this part of our
valley is sure producer and a good place
to emigrate to. While Fresno enjoys the
distinction of being the banner county in
its raisin production, let us not forget
Kings County" Kings, (which rivals
Fresno in its quality of raisins. But Baby
Kings presents q greater diversity OF soil,
and, therefore, is capable OF a greater diver
sity OF products. AS we approach the
middle portion of our big valley we
find everything provided for mans
needs, our comfort. Kings County
is only partly in that Elysian
field OF fruit production that the
middle of this valley so happily illustrates.
We must admit the fact that the country
known as "Mussel Slough" about Han
ford, Ammonia and Lemoore, is able to hold
its own alongside of any other portion of
our valley in fruit production. One Illus
tration of the magnitude of which some
lines of fruit-growing are pursued: There
is the Kimble prune orchard of 600 acres.
containing $4,000 trees. The coming sea-
son finds it years old. and it is estimated
the crop will reach 6000 tons of fresh fruit
or 1000 tons of dried product. The season
for gathering this enormous crop lasts
about forty days, and it will require 200
pickers children and men), 30 wagons to
haul the fruit, Is field bosses to direct the
labor, 5000 packing boxes, $4,000 trays for
drying g by g., so to 100 acres in drv ward