The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-02-01

ket in Germany and other foreign couu-
tries.
.One would naturally conclude that
the fruit growing business that had
achieved $50 much in twenty years and
was Still on a paying basis and core
stantIy enlarging it's market, that had
demonstrated it's ability not only to
reach every domestic market but was
successfully invading foreign markets
with it's fruits fresh from the trees
as we'll az in dried, canned and pre-
served forms, would hesitate to dis
courage further expansion. This same
suggestion off production has
come up periodically eever since 1 be-
came interested in the fruit growing
industry. Several times / have been
asked by the groweBs themselves to
Combat and down0 this specter. o. o
THE OUTLOOK IMPROVES.
Ten. years ago / took up the matter
and marshaled the points of the ar
gument with as much care as a judge
w0ild write an opinion to support his
conclusions or a lawyer would prepare
a brief confident of his position. In
looking over othe record of the con-
troversy at that time l find that a less
encouraging outlook was before us
than there is to-day; the reply then
made to the alarmist holds good to-
day.
Many difficulties confronted us then
in the art of growing fruit that have
since. been removed; many factors en-
terfng into the problem of successfully
marketing our fruit which were then
uncertain have since found satisfactory
solution; new and constantly widen
ing markets have opened to US. as was
then predicted; improved methods of
preparing and handling our products
have come to us by experience; for
many reasons we are better prepared
to sen and more customers are ready
to buy our largely increased product
than ten years ago.
The essayist who treated the sub
ject of the raisin at the Fresno CON
vention Ga Fresno raisin grower) c0un
seled NO more planting of raisin
grapes. Statistics show that in 1898
the raisin crop was as large as it was
in 1902 q have not yet collected the
data for 1909, and In ten years the
output increased only 1000 tons. Look
at the citrus industry. In 1898 it was
S0.757 tons and in 1902 it was 225. 66S
tons. and the orange grower never
more prosperous. There was an in
creased shipment of fresh deciduous
fruits in 1903 at prices reported salts
factory. Dried fruits moved out very
promptly at remunerative prices and
nuts at high price. The Fresno E'eso-
luton was simply the statement of an
existing fact.
PLANTING FRUIT TREES.
Fruit tree planting is going on all
the time east of the Rocky Mountains.
Despite the drawbacks and discourage
ments and the climatic limitations to
fruit growing there, so essential to hui
ter o. nY~fir ST
is fruit regarded that nothing daunts
the owner of land from making an
effort to meet the ever increasing de-
mand. If the soil and climatic con-
ditions of the State of Iowa, or the
State of Illinois. for example, were the
same as in California, does any one
suppose that the farmer would grow
corn or oats or wheat? Certainly not
The State would soon become one I'M
broken orchard and no fruit grower
there would worry himself about over
production.
Look at the hundreds of thousands
of acres devoted to fruit growing in
Europe by countries that send abroad
for other food products. There are
many more acres of grape vines alone
in France than all our orchards and
vineyards if we had twice our pres
ent acreage. Fruit growing has ever
Ocen CldSScu 40 dlAiOiS iiAC iilOSl
able branches of agriculture the world
over-indeed it is or should be classed
as intensive cultivation, and when
made so is everywhere profitable.
INTELLIGENCE NEEDED.
There are many Improbable orchards
in California, but reason for 1t is
not far to seek. Side by side one or
chardist will fail while his neighbor
prospers Under no better natural con-
ditions So it is in every business. But
no one intelligently seeking the truth
would Judge the business by the exam