The herald., 1897-04-25
{ OUR RESOURCES !
!sga.eas.s..asoa.q2.s Z r r. Y. ]

|
can show so many sources of wealth as
this southwest corner of the country
known as Southern California. The era
of rapid development here has been
confined to the past twenty-five years.
although the country mad been occupied
by civilized people for nearly a century
prior to the date of American occupa-
tion and ownership, during which time
| the foundations for future development
were being solidly established.
The orange is recognized as the lead
ing horticultural product Great strides
have been made in the past few years
in getting that industry on sure foot
| ing. At first 1t was the seeding orange;
then budded varieties We're introduced.
and finally the Washington Navel was
| discovered--a variety that at once step
ped to the front and commanded the
| attention OF the markets, which recoG-
nized it as the queen orange OF the
wolll It is now a recognized fact that
no country in the world can produce
the Washington Navel orange in the
per1Guuvn in when II is ploduced III
| Southern California, and hence our or
chardists need not fear competition from
the orchards of any other section or
this or any other country.
The orange crop of 1867 is very light.
owing to damaging frosts In less fa-
yored localities one year ago. and also
to an exceptional hot wave last spring
while the fruit was setting; and yet, on
| account of the young orchards planted
above the damaging frost line, which are
| lust coming into bearing, the orange
| crop of this season will reach 5000 car
loads. OF this crop 1t is estimated that
two-thirds, or 1000 carloads, are OF the
Washington Navel variety. This fruit
| commands the top prices in the market
higher prices than are paid for the
| best oranges from any other country.
| The average price for the navel orange
will range from $500 to $500 per car
load, while the other varieties, with the
seedlings, which are yet only partially
marketed, will range from 5000 to $500
per carload, +. o. b.
The indications for next seasons crop
| of oranges are now good, and conserva-
tive men place the crop of 1878 at dou-
| BILE the crop of this season. or 1000 car
loads. With the proposed tariff of
three-quarters of a cent per pound on
imported oranges and 30 per cent ad-
valorem duty on the orange boxes 1t Is
| believed that the fairly good prices of
| this year can be maintained, and that
next years crop will bring Southern
| California $5,000,000 or more.
The lemon, the twin sister of the or
ange, is coming rapidly to the front.
| and this popular fruit is being sent
east almost in trainload lots, and un-
| like the orange, the lemon crop is being
| harvested every month in the year.
San Diego county this year produces
almost 500 carloads of lemons and or
anges, of which about 500 carloads will
| be lemons. Most of the lemon orchards
| are ycung-just coming into bearing
| so that the increase of the lemon crop
will be very rapid during the next few
years.
| The grape fruit is comparatively
| new industry. The Florida orchardists
educated the eastern people how to eat
this fruit. until the demand for it there
became very great and then the Flor
| ida orchards We're killed, the eastern
consumers naturally turned to South
ern California for their favorite fruit,
and we are trying to supply the demand.
| Those who started in first are reaping
rich rewards.
The olive comes in as a great wealth
producer. but it requires more skill to
get money out of this fruit than out of
most other varieties; but those who
study this fruit carefully are getting
] the returns. The Pomona valley and
| San Diego and Santa Barbara counties
are thus far the leading olive producers.
| The deciduous fruits are cultivated
with good results, usually in localities
where the orange and lemon will not
| do so well. In the more elevated can
| yons and foothill valleys the apple Is
very profitable. the quality being equal
to that of those produced in the most
! favored localities of our country. The
peach, the pear the apricot and the
| prune are extensively and profitably
| grown.
The small fruits do not do so we'll
| in Southern California as they do
around the bay of San Frorcisco, al
though strawberries are grown on
| large scale in the Azusa valley and in
| scme other localities, while the cherry
thrives in he higher attitudes of the
mountain valleys.
Wheat is produced with as much reg
ularity and profit in the San Fernando
valley and in other places where the
land is now brought under irrigation
systems as it is in the Sacramento and
San Joaquin valleys. The wheat Is of
good quality, and the flour made
therefrcm is equal to that from other
| portions of the state.
| Corn is raised in the moist lands and
large crops are produced, but the area
where it will pay to raise corn is linz
tied.
Barley is a staple crop. In dry sea-
son, when it fails to make grain, 1t pro-
ceeds to make hay, which is frequently
more profitable than the grain crop.
The hay Of the country is taken from
the barley and alfalfa fields. Alfalfa
| Is very remunerative crop, and it is
a common saying that the alfalfa farm
ers have the best bank accounts of any
class of men who till the soil. Alfalfa
will produce from five to seven crops a
year. and each crop will range from
one to three tons of hay to the acre
The price OF hay ranges from Sc to SIS
per ton.
The sugar beet Is a new but growing
industry. The experiment tried at Chi
no was a success>-and now about 1000
acres at Chino, 1900 acres near Anaheim,
and 1900 acres in Ventura county are
producing beets profitably for the Chino
factory. and this year $500 acres are
! producing beets for the new Los Alami-
tos beet sugar factory. Next season
| thara will t,roha hlv he 20 0O0 acres & grow