The Forrest City times., 1900-10-12
cALIFoRNIA's SPLENDID SHOWING
 AT THE PARIS EXPOSITION.

Following is an extract from a letter recently written by Mir. Wm. H. Mills. of California, while in Paris in charge of the Southern Pacific Company's ex. hibit at the Exposition. It is remark. able for two reasons, first, as evidence of the great interest which is every. where manifested in that wonderful State; also for the valuable informa. tion it contains, and fer which it is here reproduced:
 Paris July 10th, 1900
 oIhe panorama picture of the Mariposa Grove is admitted by all including pho- tographers, to be the most wonderful pho tosrdphlc reproduction that has ever been made. Only yesterday a Committee rep resenting the greatest Fruit-Growing As sociation of France, to the number of fif- charss of their President, who is the largest individual fruit grower in the Hepublc. They came here to get an illus tratfon Of the industrial and climatic con- aitions under which our fruit is grown. 1 explained to them fully the prolific char acter of our climate. and by pictures and s,iI, hinstrations ur showed them that we had rom over bearing; that in no instance had we missed two crops in succession from any cause. You will scarcely un- aerstand the. intense interest of this in- terview until 1t is explained that this Fruit-Growing Association practices fruit culture in two ways. wall-culture and designat!ons). The outdoor cultivation of fruit in France is extra-hazardous and is last being superseded by the artificial means of wall and glass.
 The gentlemen who were here yester- day explained that the most profitable cultivation was that wherein all the fac- tors of success were in the hands of the cultivator. I have used this argument many times for the promotion of the policy If irrigation. l have said that when the moisture can be controlled, both with ref erence to moisture and drainage, civilized culture will have been achieved; that at that point only 1t becomes an art; but where natural conditions are depended upon and are not under the control of man, the cultivation has not risen to the dignity of an art. Its main factors are at the hazard of chance.
 tions under which fruit was grown in California, it became apparent both to my self and my auditors, that the natural conditions in California are as nearly per feet for the production of fruit as it is possible to be, and that at all events there are economies with us which will give us the fruit markets of the world. You may accept this conclusion as dem onstrated by our exhibit and observation here. California is hereafter to be the orchard of the world. for reasons which will be more easily made apparent in a personal interview. The reason for the foregoing narration the interest of the exhibit aa in showing enssh the fruits, the pineapples, the dates, the prunes, the peaches, the pears, the ap- ples, the vegetables In all their varieties, etc.
 The day was extremely hot and the in- terview had become monotonous. I called the company into an attitude in which they could get a good view of the pam orama of the great tree grove. I have never heard more. genuine expressions of surprise ana aomiration. The President of the Association, man of fine mentality and dignity of character, said, through the interpreter to me, that the picture was the most beautiful presentation of for the most beautiful of any that had ever been shown abroad. The forest as ex- pressed in that picture Is infinitely su- perior to any forestry expression possible many was less than twenty-four inches In diameter, and not to exceed seventy-five or. eighty feet high. After what we had told them of the favoring conditions of the heart of one of our greatest forests by the best representation which can be placed upon paper. You can have no adequate conception of how it broadened and dignified and ennobled our State. We had shown them panorama pictures, pie lures of prune orchards in bloom. pie lures of orchards, one of which is a most marvellous presentation, tke panorama itself being six feet by fourteen inches high. and representing five hundred acres of prune orchard. We had shown them twenty-one square miles in one panorama of fruit orchard in Vaca Valley. We had shown them large fruits and large veg etables. and all these things had appealed the great forests of California, including the greatest trees that grow in the State, conferred upon the entire exhibit proba- bility and confirmation. m