The San Francisco call., 1903-09-09

mercial Museum is Eugene Goodwin.
Along the shores Of the bay OF
San Francisco the smoke Of scores
OF new manufacturing enterprises daily
arises showing the increasing CONNER
cial importance Of the entire State Los
Angeles, the great city Of the southland,
has had large growth. Its building
operations have been extensive; its de-
velopment solid and satisfactory. All
parts Of California have steadily i'm
proved IN a material way: accommodating
wealth; giving rise to new enterprises
strengthening old lines Of endeavor: jus
tifying the hopes OF the well wishers
OF the entire vast commonwealth that
extends along a coast line of 500 miles
south from the forty-second parallel OF
latitude.
While tracing the forward march OF
this State, II may be well to grasp one
significant fact as a key to all develop
ment- The stability Of any industry that
Is once established in California is illus
trated by the fact that the gold output
Of the State runs $4,000, 900 per annum on
the average and often II surpasses that
figure The gold mining industry has
been alluded to at some length on the
preceding page. II is more than half a
century old. The newer principal indus
tries now come in for extended mention
Any Californian being asked what home
industry, apart from manufa cturing, con
tains the greatest promise for the future
Of California would undoubtedly indicate
fruit culture. Areas devoted TO grain are
very large. In many places the great
ranches that were once exclusively de-
voted 10 growing wheat have been sub
divided and the policy IF having
10000 acres in one wheat ranch, which
was among the phenomena Of the earlier
days. coupled with an ambition TO raise
100000 bushels Of wheat per annum on
one farm, has been discarded.
Many wheat ranches have been turned
partly into fruit orchards or vineyards
for either table or wine grapes. So in
certain sections wheat growing has di-
minished its area, but other virgin lands
have been brought under cultivation in
wheat and barley. For a century at least
and perhaps forever California will be a
strong claimant to the credit of supply
ing large amount of daily bread to the
citizens Of Europe, Of the United States,
OF the islands Of the Pacific Ocean and
OF the countries OF the Orient
Fruit growing in California is one strik-
ing indication of the extent to which this
State has digressed in one direction from
its old position as almost exclusively a
gold yielding State. Figures and con-
current facts in this regard are striking
and furnish a rarely interesting theme
for the contemplative observer of Califor-
MAS industrial advancement.
The foremost authority in California on
statistics relative to the fruit industry in
this State is probably General n. P Chip
man, who has annually, for period of
years, compiled a comprehensive review
Of material conditions for the California
State Board of Trade. There are 40,0O0.-
900 fruit trees in bearing in California, as
shown by the returns of County Asses
sors. Undoubtedly many trees escape the
attention of the Assessors and the full
showing, if 1t could be made, would be
even more imposing. Oranges are grown
on 5000 900 trees; lemons on 15OO, 900 trees
Other fruits are represented in round fig
ures by the following approximate show
ing: Apples, 15S6,2OO trees; almonds,
l,161 900 trees; apricot, 2,3O5, 200 trees;
cherry, 10000 trees; figs. 100000 trees;
olives, 100000 trees; peaches, approx
mately, 5000 900 trees. The remainder of
the 100000 trees before mentioned is
subdivided between the pear, plum, nee
tarine, prune, ounce, walnut, pomelo and
lesser represented varieties.