The herald., 1897-03-09
THE ORANGE INDUSTRY

Although the citrus family is not in
digenous to California, its introduction
was so far back and the culture has been
so successful in favored portions OF the
state that the world has come to regard
this as the home of the orange. The in
dustry has developed gradually and
systematically until the annual product
is about 5000 carloads.
At one time Louisiana was known
as an orange growing state. but sue
cessive cold years, combined with in
sect pests and lack of thoroughness in
culture. have all but obliterated citrus
culture there.
Until a few years ago Florida was
our formidable competitor in the United
States and, with her large production
and cheap access to the Atlantic sea-
board markets, that state threatened
fguratively to snow us under. But Jack
Frost has done for Florida what she
threatened to do for us. The freeze
of 1894 ruined the groves of Florida to
such an extent that the annual crop was
reduced from about 1000 900 boxes to
a bout 900, 900 boxes. As a result, Cali
fornia has practically a monopoly Of
the orange markets of the United States,
saving only as they are affected by for
eign importations. At first importers
brought in the fruit in large quantities
in order to break down the markets and
exclude California, and they succeeded;
but in so doing they broke down the
markets for themselves. They overdid
the work to such an extent that they
lost heavily, and since that time they
have been more careful.
For several years the crop OF this
state has been injured to a great extent
by unusual cold waves. We have had
a series of winters unprecedented In the
history of California-at least, since the
occupation Of this country by Ameri-
cans. For many years prior to the cold
winter of 1928 there had been no dam
age to speak of in Southern California
from cold, and there is no reason to be-
lieve that we will have these cold sea-
sons very often in the future. Even II
we should, our fruit growers have
learned that certain sections are sub
ject to damaging frosts, and that certain
other sections are always free from such
danger.
AS a rule, the older orchards were
planted in the more frosty localities
in the lower portions Of the valley
while those orchards more recently
planted have been located in the FROST
less belt-in the higher portions of the
valleys and along the foothills, where
damaging frosts are never known.
AS a result of this condition of affairs,
the greater portion of the oranges here
tofore produced have been raised on
the more dangerous grounds, while the
younger trees, in more favored locali-
ties, have produced but little fruit.
This is illustrated at Riverside. A
large portion of the orchards under the
old canals are subject to damage by
frosts in exceptionally cold winters.
while the 1000 acres of orchard on the
higher slopes of the valley have rarely
been damaged.
During the years from 1886 to 1890 there
was a very heavy planting Of orange
and lemon orchards in Southern Cali
fornia. These orchards are now coming
into bearing. Because of these new or
chards the fruit crop of 1867 will be
much larger than had been generally
expected 1t has been believed that
because of the heavy dropping Of fruit
last spring during a cold norther. at a
critical period, there would not be more
than half a crop Of oranges this season,
and many put the crop at much lower
estimate; but the facts seem to be that
Southern California will this season
sell about as many oranges as she has
ever sent to market in any one year.
In Riverside, for instance, during the
season of 1S94-5, there were marketed
2SOO carloads. Up to the 1st day of
March of this year that valley had sent
to market 1928 carloads, and the belief
seems to be very general among those
best posted that less than half the crop
has beer gathered, and an estimate Of