The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-24

The roots of an orange tree may be at
tackled by pocket gophers, of which
there are millions in southern Califor-
MIA. A tiny heap of fresh earth in the
grove indicated the presence of the bur
rowing rodent. The orange grower
must at once get out his gopher traps.
Gophers eat the bark just below the sur
face, and the first the unwary grower
knows, the foliage on a few of his trees
is turning yellow and the trees are dy
ing.
Notwithstanding the ceaseless vigi-
lance required in an orange grove, 1t is
the most interesting occupation in the
realm Of horticulture. President Eliot
of Harvard university lived in an Or
ange grove for month when he and his
wife were out here a few years ago, and
he said in public speech that there
was no out-of-door pursuit so fascina-
ting to him. 1t requires so much brain
work that it is above the plodding rou-
tine of farm labor. From an artistic
view, the orange tree is always beau
tiful, graceful thing. A true horticul-
turist comes to love his trees.
The capital which some Of the eastern
milionaires have invested in their or
ange groves in southern California is
perennial cause of surprise among visi-
tors in this country in the winter Per-
haps orange growing is fad among
some of the rich growers, but not with
all. Some very hard-headed business
men have each put 100000 and more in
orange groves and improvements here,
and the annual sales of fruit certainly
justify the unusual expenses. In the
Everest grove at Riverside, from forty
to fifty thousand dollars has been spent
on improvements in a few years, and it
has cost, first and last, some ninety
thousand dollars. In 1895 the crop sold
for fifteen thousand dollars, and in sew
eral years has brought over ten thou
sand dollars. The Wentworth orange
grove in San Diego county was planted
in 1888, and has cost over one hundred
and twenty-five thousand dollars.
When it was seven years old it's yield
sold for about twelve thousand dollars.
The Seth Richards grove of three hun
bred acres at North Pomona was the
property of very careful business man
from Connecticut until his death. 1t
has cost over three hundred thousand
QOlldTS, mas great stone TeSeTVOlTS IUI
irrigation water, it's own packing
houses and all the latest Improvements.
It's output of oranges now is from TWEEN
ty-six to thirty three boxes of navel or
anges a year. When oranges bring no
more than dollar box, this is fine
investment for the Richards estate.
When the orange grove is four years
old it should bear fruit in marketable
quantities; yield of fifteen boxes to the
acre may then be. fairly anticipated
The fifth year the grove should yield
thirty-five boxes to the acre; the sew
enth year about one hundred and TWEEN
ty-five boxes to the acre, and the tenth
about one hundred and eighty boxes. A
grove of navel oranges is in its prime fif-
teen years after planting. A great many
groves produce over two hundred and
fifty boxes to the acre at that age.
variety SO common be-
fore naves came into popular favor-are
twenty years old. Hundreds of old
in Pomona, San Gabriel |
and Riverside have borne more than |
fifteen boxes 20 the tree. |