The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
$3.50 . box, as they were s~verywhere in south
ern California for eeYernl Meeka last summer

shoW tne IehsJ tlnHe OF yellow. The grower ana
nus assistant go carefully over each OF the trees
have reached that stage OF development, leav-
fruit is cut from the branches and laid IN padded
baskets 80 IA TO avoid any bruises or blemishes.
The best growers. are careful to gather only
fruit of one size-for instance. all that Will just
pass through a 2l4-lnch ring. THIS gives n uni
formity in curing the fruit and helps the sale Of
the product by its attractive, even size and
color. From the groves the lemons are taken to
the curing house. IL the grower is a man OF
means. and grows lemons extensively he may
have his own curing and packing establishment,
but generally in southern California u half
dozen or so growers build cooperative houses.
All, lemon curing structures have either
double walls filled In with %sawdust, like Ice
are built so rs to have darkness within and an
abundance of cool air constantly circulating
about the fruit. There are venti!ators IN the
noor and the roof. and nearly every lemon
creating a draft of air in the curing houses.
When the fruit has been taken to the curing
house, 1t is gone over carefully. and, four grades
OF lemons are made, varying from the smooth
skinned, ~unblemished and perfect-sized fruit
down to that which has a rough, thick skin. Is
oyerGrown and blemished by thorn pricks or
abrasions against the branches OF the trees. The
fruit Is washed, and soft brushes remove any
weather stains. Then when the lemons have
dried they are placed with care in ~air-tight and
When that. process is over, the fruit is taken
out, drieh\by hand, and by careful handling Is
and having bottoms Of Stats 80 ns to permit ensy
circulation of air up through the lemons. The
trays benring the fruit are slid into grent racks
In the cellars OF the curing house. where a con-
slant temperature of 90 and darkness are
maintained. Several packing houses In San
Diego county will each accommodate 10000
boxes of fruit At once. In three or four weeks
the fruit has turned a rich yellow aud is ready
for packing for market. Every other day In the
curing period the successful grower goes over
oil his lemons by the light of u lamp. sees that
each particular lemon is curing so that II retains
It's citric oil, that its skin IL soft and Pill
able, and that the fruit is hard and firm.
for sucn properties mako lemons tho best
or months later. All fruit that shows the least
signs of decay is cast aside at once: 1t Is COM
may be rushed &c market Directly ai the cu,ins
process is finished. but 1t is patience and expe-
rience that cure a lemon so that IL may be har-
vested III january and kept in ,trst-class con-
ditioli and shipped to market in July CT August.
The fruit is never taken from the curing house
until II Is sold, when IL is packed and imme;
diately shipped to the Eastern States. Often all
the yields for ten months are kept until tho
summer demand and good prices set in.
The person whose knowledge oflemons is linn
Tied to an occasional purchase OF n dozen lemons
or TO lemonades will be surprised TO know that
there are seventeen distinct varieties of lemons
grown in California and Florida. These differ
in size, shape. quality Of skin and in keeping
nave any degree of popularity in California.
These are the Eureka, Lisbon, Villa Franco,
ana Bonnie Brae. The Eureka has proved the
best bearer in California. 1t was originated in
Los Angeles in 1880 frum seed procured by the
United States Agricultural Department from
CeyioA. II has proved u very good Keeper"
and there have been instances OF Eureka lemons
that have been Kept sound and juicy for fifteen
months after curing. The Lisbon lemon is an
importation from Portugal. 1t has been grown
in California FOR over IA century, and was
brought here by the franciscan Fathers. For
about ninety years the only lemons grown in this
country were on the few struggling trees OF the
Lisnon variety planted IN the gardens about the
missions and here anu there about Spanish ha-
ciendas. The Lisbon lemons are of uniform
size and have a very strong acid flavor. The
villa Franco is an importation from Corsica
ABOUT ntteen years ago. IL is nearly seedless. Is
oblonG, aud has a thin. smooth skin. Last year
II brought the best price in the Eastern mar
kets, and. AS a consequence, IT was In popular
demand for orchard planting last winter. The
Bonnie Brae is,o recent origin in southern
California, ana has more citric acid and a more
Only skin than other varieties OF the fruit.
No one knows how long a lemon tree that has
The franciscan monks kept no records Of the
fruit trees growing about the missions. SO rar
As KNOWN lemon tree will bear in California
Tor forty 1--WE or nifty years. A few horticultur-
lists say sixty years. There are in the less fe-tIle
soil OF sicily ana Corsica several trees over u
tree in California Will bear some fruit the fourth
year from its planting in the orchard, ana when
of fruit yiE" each sta Year. Wien Wit of IL is n WE'VE ,y year o"S old
1t has reached its full vigor, out IL is not for
twenty or more years yet that it begin, 10 show
tree In California is That in the mission garden
At Santa Barbara. 1t was probably planted
about 1921. 1t has u good foliage and looks
strong and sturdy. but IL has borne only a dozen
or so lemons in the last fifteen years. When it
was twenty years old it bore halt a ton Of fruit
in one season. but not OF good quality.
Lemon trees cannot be successfully grown on
their own roots: The trees may exist, Tor a few
years. but the fruit on them is small. Orange
roots are used for lemon trees, us lemon roots
serve best for orange trees. " hen q young
lemon bud from the variety OF tree that 1t is
proposed to grow Is budded on the orange stock.
and all that remains OF the original orange stock
is cut away above the end. When the young
lemon tree is two years old from the time OF the
budding operation 1t Is ready for the grove. \
lemon grove Is planted similarly to an orange
grove. Holes are dug two feet deep in exact
line with one another. so that from whatever
point the observer looks across the acres the
young trees are in perfect alignment with all the
Others. Eighty trees to an acre are planted
For nine months during tour years there is
a monthly round OF irrigation and cultivation OF
the soil. a periodical pruning of the trees. an in
ce-sant watchfulne>s for the earliest appearance
of scale pests and insects. and n nevcr-ceasing
general training OF the trees So that they shall he
acre each year to pay for thorough care OF n
growing lemon grove. and II Is generally reck-
SIX years old Ill the grove. Will pay for, all care
of them up to that time. After it, eighth year,
when the tree Is well along toward maturity.
the care needed becomes less, and the yield in
creases each year. The farmer who finds that
the work on a tfty-acre farm In the East occu-
a good job on his hands in properly caring for a
lemon grove OF even ten acres.
The largest lemon groves in Southern Cali
fornia are in San Diego county, where 1t has
been found that the proximity to the breeZes
from the ocean. the light friable soil, and espe-
S'"''J Wv '','A N'S'i Gal thO year
round combine to make it an ideal region for
growing and curing the best lemons sent out of
the state. Among the people who have invest
cd small fortunes in growing lemons in sun
Diego county are U, ). Grant. Jr.. Jesse Grant,
ex-Cnited states senator Cole, and Charles
NordhOtr. In the last six years over 81, 600, 900
has been Invested in lemon groves In san
Diego county. and from l.32l trees growing
there in 1890 there are now upward of $50, 900.
Several groves are there OF eighty acres each,
and one comprises 1870 acres. The cost of n
lemon grove AZ six years OF age. when 1t is bear
ing two and three boxes n year 10 the tree. is
about 500 an acre. but 1t is doubtful IL a we'll
kept and fruitful lemon grove, in II good location
can be bought for less Than 81, 900 or 81. 100 an
acre, now that the industry has been established
on II commercial basis. The bare land and the
all i'm pcrtRnt companying irrigation water
right cost from $40 10 $500 AN acre, because
experience has shown that the territory In
which lemons may he safely grown with free
dOm from killing frOsts and damaging winds is
nue.. more limited than that upon which
oranges and other fruits may be cultivated.
The young trees in the nursery ready for or
ciiard planting cost from thirty to NIFTY cents
each, and there are eighty to an acre. 1t costs
from $50 to $50 an acre tn prepare the land, to
level it, and TO dig hole, for setting out
trees. The expense of keeping up a grove Ia
usually about SO an acre each year, and
there are always expenditures for ploughs. Gull
%tivators. horticultural tools. and Irrigation APP
planes. The interest on the investment until
fltu trpaa m hair nyn "a ahnull he cpDRil.