The San Francisco call., 1897-04-04
.sALIFoRNIANs are so accustomed


farms the grandest orchards. the largest
fruit and biggest vegetables than any one
would be deemed unworthy of being
known as Californian if he disputed any
of these assertions.
remember some years ago hearing a
man with stentorian lungs shouting,
"Oranges-sweet oranges-eyery one as
big as watermelon-every one as sweet
as sugarP and we grew SO accustomed to
that cry that a man would have had
Quarrel upon his hands If he had at
tempted to denv that California oranges
were not as big as watermelons or as sweet
as sugar.
lady OF the Sacramento Valley some
years ago returned TO visit relatives in
Indiana, and at first she often spoke OF
this climate and productions, but she
observed looks OF incredulity pass over
the countenances of her friends when she
aluded to three crops of figs in one sea-
son or lemons fresh on the trees at Christ
mas or oranges hanging on the trees dur
ing all the seasons. Finally she felt con-
strained to cease praising the State lest
she should lose her reputation for truth
and veracity.
That the Sacramento Valley is the most
wonderful valley in the world from an
agricultural and horticultural point of
view can be proved. This valley lies be-
tween the Sierra Nevadas on the east and
the Coast Range on the west and is shell
tered from desert winds and ocean storms.
From its soil and climate it is able to
support denser population to the square
mile than any other corresponding area of
the earth. 1t is 100 miles long and from
seven 10 fifty miles wide and contains, in
round mum bers, 5000 square miles. II the
foothills of the Sierras and Coast Range
were added the area would be increased
by 1000 square miles.
Compare this valley with the most
famous ones known! Compare its soil
and climate with that of the valley of the
Po in Italy, rich in olive plantations,
orange groves and vineyards! Compare it
with the valley of the Hudson, so famous
for its thousands of orchards of plum,
par and apple treesl Com pare it with
the valley of the Nile, renowned for its
prolific orchards of date trees! The Sac
ramento Valley in soil, in climate, in
number of clear days, in its abundance
and variety of productions will outrank
any OF the others and support more
people to the square mile.
1t is strictly within the bounds OF truth
to say that the flowers of this valley bloom
every day in the year, and that fresh fruit
OF some kind can be gathered from the
first to the last day of the twelve months.
Even in mdwinter more than dozen diff
ferent kinds of flowers can be seen in
blossom in the different gardens of a val
lev town. The ripe orang hangs upon
the trees when tie peach is in its perfec-
ton. The black and oily olive is plucked
before the lemon is ready for gathering,
and while the late apples and pears are
sull upon the trees.
Almost every township in this valley
produces the orange, olive, hg, lemon,
peach, pear, apple. cherry, prune, apricot,
nectarine, ounce, pomegranate, lcquat,
walnut, shaddock, pomelo, grapefruit,
chestnut, and in the more sheltered spots
the guava and hines will thrive, and here
the date palm is grown and even the
banana ripens.
The planting of orchards and vineyards
has been rapidly carried on in this valley,
and when one takes into consideration the
ease with which money was made in grow
ing wheat and what immense tracts could
be easily handled by fIrmers it is won
der that fruit-growing has made such
wonderful progress.
The State of Vermont is not as large as
this valley Is, If the low ranges o.. foot
hills upon both sides are inc luded, vet that
Slate supports a population of 332, ,0o0
while this valley has but 157 600. That
State affords pasturage for 1900 hogs,
362 COO sheen, S4 000 horses, 169 600 head of
cattle and 234 600 cows, or almost as many
as the whole STATE of California.
Massachusetts, has but trifle over 5000
square miles, while this valley and low
foothills cover 10000 miles, yet Massachn-
setts has more horses, cows, sheep and
hogs than our broad and fertile valley.
This valley is larger than New JERSEY. vet
that State has $4,000 horses, 1874 900 cows
$1,000 other cattle, 100,0OO sheep and 200
0O0 hogs.
Delaware is only trife larger than the
county of Butte, yet she has % 600 horses
10000 cows, $4,000 other cattle, % 600
sheep and $1,000 hogs.
The province OF Lucca, in Italy. is no
larger than Yuba County in this valley
yet its population is three times greater
than the combined population of all the
counties in the Sacramento Valley.
Few habitable parts of the earth are
blessed with more clear sunny DAYS than
the Sacramento Valley. 1t has more
clear days than either Los Angeles or San
Diego, although both are famous for Their
climate. The average number OF clear
days in the Sacramento Valley is 235
while San Diego has 122 and Los Angeles
III.
The valley is far ahead of Florida in
climate, for The average in that State is
only 124 clear days in year except at the
extreme southern point, where one OF the
KEYS has 1872 days. Italy has long been
famed for her bright and genial climate
yet the average number of clear days in
Italy is only 1856 or Al less than this valley
has. 1t has more bright, clear days than
any part o: France, Spain, Italy or Greece.
New York has 100 clear days in q wear,
Philadelphia has 106, Baltimore 100. no
part Of North Carolina more than I25. no
part of Georgia more than 126. and the
limit in South Carolina is 1872, or but
trifie more than half the clear days in
this valley.
In lis temperature the Sacramento
Valley ranks with the most favored parts
OF the earth. Orovlla is degrees
warmer than Nice. 81 degrees warmer
than Florence. 4 degrees warmer than
Naples and ~ degrees warmer than Rome.
Malta and Malaga have about the same
temperature as Oroville although they are
200 miles further south. while Valencia,