The herald., 1898-01-02
Deciduous Fruits

believe the raising of deciduous fruits,
from a commercial standpoint, is nearly
as important, on revenue paying basis,
as the citrus products are in Southern
California. In making this statement
Will attempt to explain what experience
mas taught me regarding the planting
ana growth of orchards-an experience
that has probably been larger than that
OF anyone else in this portion of the
state
Deciduous fruits comprise many vari-
cites. but peaches, aprcots, pears and
apples seem more profitable and produce
better results than any other deciduous
fruits in this locality. Prunes have paid
during the past for local consumption,
but the uncertainty of the crop and the
low market value make them a very
questionable problem. Peaches of all
standard varieties and Royal apricots
seldom fail in producing largely, pro-
viding they are properly pruned, thinned.
cultivated and thoroughly cared for. l
believe that Orange, Lemon, Tuskana
and Henrietta cling peaches will pro-
duce better results than any free-stone
varieties, providing there are more can
neries established to utilize this beauti-
full fruit. Under existing circumstances,
however. yellow free-stones. consisting
of early and late Crawfords. Fosters
Susouehannas. Globe. Alberta. Muirs
and Salways. are equally as valuable
to the grower. and have the double adj
vantage of driving and curing with home
labor, IL the few canneries combine and
choose to fix their own prices. as is
believed by many growers to be the case
at present. To illustrate: We have but
few canneries in Southern California. as
compared with the many in the northern
part of the state, and results this sea-
son show conclusively that the grower
in the north. with no better. and in many
instances. inferior. fruit. has averaged
from 100 To 200 per cent above prices re-
ceiyed here. These conditions are doubt
less due to the lack of competing facili-
ties for using the present products. which
must be overcome entirely by organized
effort or associations which shall govern
and control the grading and marketing
of our fruit to the best advantage.
Apricots come under the same head
and classification as peaches in prepar-
ing and distribution. but I have always
been a firm believer that thew would be-
come more valuable from a commercial
standnoint. as there is but a small area
of tho world in which thew are produced
consequently they should be in greater
demand when properly introduced in for
eign markets. which learn is now being
done NV our northern competitors. The
best apricots for general planting, in my
judgement. is the ROYAL. While a few
other varieties may produce larger fruit,
thew are usually shy bearers. and conse-
ouently not as staple to the hard-work-
ing grower who Is anxious to receive a
steady yearly income.
1 am thoroughly satisfied that one of
the most essential factors in procuring
a market for all of our dried fruit is
a more uniform mode of selecting, pre-
pairing and packing. This will increase
it's commercial value, equaling the same
degree of excellence that the northern
fruit now commands. Peaches and april
cots, for growth to the tree and value to
the fruit, require a sandy loan soil that
is susceptible to easy cultivation without
irrigation, as the fruit produced from
this character of soil has a finer texture,
has a sweeter substance and is more val
liable to both the Gamer and dryer.
The Whittier cannery, in making
test of fruits grown in different locali-
ties, for the purpose of ascertaining the
qualities most desirable and best adapted
for drying purposes, discovered that
while pounds of fruit grown on 1rri-
gated land were required to make
pound of dried fruit, it only required
4 90-10O pounds of fruit grown upon unir-
rigated soil to dry into an excellent and
marketable article of the same weight,
and exceeding the former in percentage
of sweetness.
Pears and apples should undoubted-
1v be marketed in their green state. Our
Rartlett nears on unirrigated land be-
ing eouai If not superior for long-dis-
lance shipments to any in the world.
and the variety is undoubtedly the
nrenium kind to grow for profit. Our
GREATEST drawback is the mode of mack
inv and nrenaring for Eastern markets
and T predict that if attention is given
in this direction and a reasonable effort
made to introduce them. through fruit
associations under our own control. that
eastern commission men will not be as
rich at the end of the season. and the
grower he satisfied that he has not la
bored in vain
we, ~ or,,, ;roraos CO of tho ,,,
-, 49, cost .,d 10 fa1,, ,,ony,Io
-. y, 49,, uod,,ot;o 20 I
~, tt;s ,ooa,it, ha,;eve o,,r a,,+,ra ~
d,,at nc, no cors,,n,ed in ho,,,a o,i,ats
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