Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-05

pulled up and burned for fuel, and only the
Washington navels and the Valencias are
being planted, because they pay the biggest
profits and cost no more to cultivate than
the poorest variety. An orchard of either,
well cared for should pay profit any
where from $3.50 to $500 an acre, and they
bring more money into California than any
other product of the air, earth sea.
There has been good deal of criticism of
California fruit: that its quantity has been
greater than its quality; that it has more
fiber than favor; that 1T looks better than
it tastes; and it will be admitted. even in
Riverside, that vast quantities of poor stuff
have been shipped to the eastern markets.
But that period is over. according to Mr..
Chase and other big growers here They
say that the quality of the fruit here. more
than anywhere else depends upon the man
ner of Its cultivation, and the faster the
fruit grows the less valuable it is, up to a
certain limit. The excessive use of water
is also responsible for great part of the
poor stuff which has hurt the reputation of
California orchards. 1t has been demon
Strated beyond doubt that in fruit growing
the less water used the higher the quality
of the fruit. Too much moisture not only
makes a coarse fiber but destroys the flavor.
This is true of all fruits and vegetables, but
most farmers have not realized the fact I'M
til recently and have turned on their soil
all the water 1t would soak up.
Orange Raising Region.
The city of Riverside is the center of the
orange trade and produces 100000 boxes,
worth an average of $4,000 net each
season. Bradstreet's reports show that 1t
is one of the richest towns per capita in
the United States, and that its banks have
larger deposits, according to their capital
and the population of the town, than any
others included in the report of the comp
troller of the currency. The money all
comes out of the orchards. There are no
'remitters' Nothing but oranges are
he a 10 la nd Jxrhi oh &c
for oranges is cut up into orchards of ten
or fifteen acres, as much as one
attend to. The Riverside orchards produce
about One-half the entire orange crop of
California, which averages II, 600 coo boxes
year, and twice as much the entire
state of Florida since the big freeze" AS
many as 100000 boxes, of all sorts. have
come out of Florida in the past, but now
adays the product Is very much smaller.
The orange land of Riverside is limited to
little valley about twenty-five miles long
and from twelve to fifteen miles wide,
surrounded by ranges of mountains. whose
canyons and gorges are always filled with
snow. This furnishes an inexhaustible res
ervoir from which the irrigation systems
are fed. But for them every green and
living thing in the country would perish,
for the rainfall averages less than seven
inches. During the past twenty years the
entire valley has become an immense park,
one of the most picturesque and attractive
landscapes in the universe. The orange
and lemon groves are intersected by twenty
miles of boulevards shaded by palms, euca-
lyptus magnolia and pepper trees making
one of the most famous Of drives This
park was snatched from the desert by the
present generation. Only few years ago
1t was waste of drifting sand. Riverside
is, therefore, one of the most remarkable
illustrations of the miracles which may be
wrought by the application of water to the
thirsty lands along the southwest border.
There is always sunshine; there is never
q cloud; there Is no poverty, and from ap-
pearances one would suppose the people en-
Joy unbroken and perpetual happiness.
Next to her oranges Riverside is proud
of her hotel-a unique structure Of ancient
Moorish, or, what they call here, the Mis-
sion type of architecture. which is carried
out to the most insignificant detail. There
is not door knob in the entire building;
every door is opened by an old-fashioned
wrought iron latch. Guests are welcomed
and meals announced by the chimes of
chapel bells. 1t would take more space
than l have at my disposal to describe this
must not fail to mention the Sherman In
stitute, a school for the education Of the
Indians, founded a few years ago and
named after James S. Sherman of Utica,
N. Y, for many years chairman Of the In
dian committee of the House of Representa-
tives. 1t accommodates about 400 pupils.
Redlands is the outpost of the cultivated
area. 1t Is a second Riverside and only a
few miles distant. Its soil and climate are
similar, Its attractions are equally great
and the community is made up Of a similar
class of people. Messrs. Albert K. and AL
fred H. Smiley. the Cheeryble brothers of
America, who keep hotel at Lake Mo-
honk- -the-Hudson in the summer and out
here In the winter, have done a great deal
for Redlands, and have added to its MANY
natural attractions. There are other towns
Of smaller population surrounding River
side and Redlands. made UP mostly of
eastern people, who have come here In
search of health and happiness and have
found both.