The herald., 1897-04-05
AND STILL THERE IS ROOM

Southern California has done pretty
we'll In the last fifteen years in develop
ing the latent resources of the soil and
making them vital to the enriching OF
those interested.
The 1000 cars Of oranges sold this sea-
son have brought more money into the
section than any equal acreage perhaps
In the world.
The 900 cars of celery sent from the
neat lands of Las Bolsas have made the
growers happy.
All over the damp and semi damp
lands stockmen are steadily adding to
their bands of cattle kept for milk pur-
poses.
Gardena is noted far and wide for her
strawberry beds. The season is trihe
late this spring. and it will be two or
three weeks before the crop comes on
the market freely. But in a month,
when the business gets into full swing,
that small community Of thrifty toilers
will be getting 5000 to $3.50 day for their
strawberries.
In many branches of horticulture and
of plain farming this section has made
great strides. But 1t is not all done yet.
There are dozens Of openings almost un-
touched. Many places offer the very
best soil and climate in the world for the
production Of asparagus, luscious and
wholesome vegetable equaled by few
used on the table of men. This city is
getting carloads of it now from the
Sacramento valley, a region not half SO
fitted for the growth of the vegetable
as many spots close to Los Angeles.
One at least of the San Joaquin valley
asparagus growers who canned large
quantities of his crop has made repu-
tation for his goods in most of the large
cities of the United States, and even in
Europe.
But lemons are the crop for which
Southern California will wear medals at
exhibits from now on. The crop of this
season will probably reach 1000 car
loads, some of those who give the sub
ject attention say more.
The 1000 carloads of oranges shipped
this winter will be matched in a few
years by a like number of lemons ship
ped during the summer months. The
SO, 900, 900 brought in by the oranges will
be duplicated by a like sum from the
lemons. The imported lemons for 1896
cost the people of the United States
$4,557, 900. There is not particle OF
trouble in growing every one of those
products in Southern California. The
visible supply of foreign lemons for
periods of thirty days at the city of New
York runs at 300, 900 to 100000 boxes Is
early in the season as April. In July
and August the Sicily lemons find their
way as far west as this coast at times.
Large as the demand for lemons is now,
it will increase marvelously as more and
more Of the people learn of their value
as a health preserver.
AS profit producer the lemon has ad
vantage even over the orange. 1t can
be kept longer and more advantage can
therefore be taken of the market. An
acre will bear as many of the one fruit
as the other, and if sold at the proper
time they bring better prices.
Not all the soil of the section will
bear lemons to perfection. The tree is
less hardy even than the orange. 1t re-
quires a more select location. 1t re-
quires less irrigation, but it must have
enough water in the summer and au-
tumn months. The soil must have per-
feet drainage so that the water will
not lie about the roots of the trees. The
soil must be light. porous and warm.
The fruit must be gathered at the
proper stage OF development, and it
must be properly cured to get the best
results.
But all these matters are now so we'll
understood that the knowledge is no lon
ger an esoteric matter.