Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-07

constitute important articles of export,
though at present many of the orchards
and vineyards are too young for bear
ing. Citrus fruits are also being sue
cessfully experimental with. This year
the cantaloupe crop is estimated at
about 1900 carloads. Similar results are
working out In the San Joaquin valley
at various points, with other sections
on the live wire, full of agricultural
activity l cite these facts to show
that opportunity is knocking at every
mans door who is thirsting for land
and chance to work it in California.
In this onward trend there have nee
essarily been some disappointments,
chief among which must be cited the
mistake of planting certain crops on
soil and in sections unsuitable. In so
far as my observation goes-now COW
ering a period of nearly forty years
this has been the rock on which many
bright ambition has foundereo. Dls
versity of soil and climate is one OF
California's attractions, but woe to the
man who abuses it.
In earlier times oranges to my knowl-
edge were often planted on alfalfa
land, olives on rocky and desert wastes,
etc. When a certain piece of land in
favorable situation produces a profit
able crop of certain kind the tendency
has been to believe 1t would do equally
we'll anywhere, so long as 1t was in
California. And while it is in a meas
ure true that certain growths are pos
sible in a poor soil and an uncongenlal
environment, it is also emphatically
true that they will do better in good
soil and situation. AS matter of fact
profits are always best on a good soil.
Just at present this fact should be
carefully considered by all who are
contemplating planting eucalyptus for
timber culture.
AS an indication of our horticultural
development l cannot do better than
give the volume of shipments by sea-
sons. In 1S83-84 the total output of
citrus fruits was not more than $50 car
loads. The rapid advance all along the
line is graphically told in the following
table:
Citrus fruits. 1sss-s7. 1000 cars; 1861
80, 00o
Dried fruits. 1898. $50 cars; 1867 4so
cars
walnuts, 1897. 275 cars; 1861 $50 cars.
Picked olives. 1901, 100000 gallons; 1906
7, 100000 gallons.
olive OIL. 1901. 1os.5OO gallons; 1sOO-7.
Canned goods. 1897 $50 cars; 1sOs-7. 100
Beet sugar, 1899, $4,000. 900 pounds; 1906
T., 6s,S4S100 pounds.
Cabbage, 1S99 600 cars; 1906-I, 500 cars
Celery, 25 cars. 19O6-7, 5000 cars.
Beans 1901, 1900 cars; 1906-7, 1000 cars
eaulifiower, 1899. $50 cars; 1867 $50
cars
Wine and brandy, 1900 4SS,545 gallons;
19O6-7, 100000 gallons.
Beets 1895 $500 barrels; 19o6-7. 100000
barrels.
Statistics touching on the number of
acres under irrigation in Southern call
fornia are unavailable. The total acre
age Of the state under irrigation at
present is 1,70S,720 acres.
Irrigation No New Thing
In this connection it is interesting
to note that irrigation is as old as our
history and was first practiced by the
mission fathers. In the early days the
Los Angeles council granted Q. W..
Childs 100 acres of land (Which is now
nearly the center of the city,. for which
he was to construct an irrigation ditch
(and did, affording irrigation to the
ranchers doing business where now are
heard the clang and rumble OF the cleo
tric cars and the hum of traffic. Since
that memorable event much water mas
been developed, the cap sheaf of which
is the owens river enterprise Wnlch,
when completed, will not only give the
ttoWn an adequate supply, but irrigate
thousands of acres destined to become
the prosperous homes OF many familleS.
Beyond fruits, cereals and vegetable
productions, the growing of seNds has
also become a great industry, Call
fornia leading in certain lines. 1t is
not generally known that we supply
the world with its sweet pea seed. and
that Los Angeles county possesses the
proud distinction of having the largest
field of sweet peas in the world-36O
acres. harvesting something like 200
tons-all of which has already been
contracted for. We lead in onion, to-
mato, lettuce, peppers. lima and other
beans, onion SETS cauliflower peas, al
falfa, etc. In flower seeds. aster, bal
sans, carnations, cosmos and many
other sorts.
Speaking of flowers. it is interesting