The San Francisco call., 1909-07-18
CITRUS FRUITS ARE
THRIVING IN AREA
Department of Agriculture Re-
ports Brilliant Outlook for
POrterviIIe District
With Soils Follow
Great Development in
Rich District
[Seeeial Dispatch 10 The Call

" fas-AAA-No4O4Ns AA1 - 4 lAC OnAlC0
States department of agriculture has
published an interesting report on the
soil survey OF the Porterville area,
California. by A T. strahorn. L. C.
Holmes and c. W. Mann, experts of
the bureau of soils.
The Porterville area forms a part
Of the San Joaquin valley. where the
bureau Of soils has been making sur
veys for a number of years at the
earnest request of citizens. chambers
OF commerce and Boards of trade of
this part Of the state. 1t is located
in the central portion of Tulare county,
the largest county in the state. and
covers about 500 square miles OF cul-
tivable land.
This survey is Of special interest as
covering an important citrus fruit dis
trist in the foothills of the Sierra Ne
vadas. Particular attention was given
in the survey 10 the adaptation of the
various types of soil for the growing
or oranges and lemons, and it is
thought the results viii have a bearing
upon the extension of the industry not
only in the area covered by the survey,
but in other parts of the valley.
BIG GROWTH IN AREA
Porterville. Exeter and Lindsay are
the principal towns in the Porterville
AREA. Porterville was founded in 1864
and was the first permanent settlement
in the area. Exeter and Lindsay were
settled in 1888, at which time the
Porterville branch OF the Southern Pa
cifc railroad. which gives communica-
ton with outside markets, was con-
structed. Other settlements are Lemon
Cove. Naranjo. Strathmore. Plano.
Globe and Poplar. Porterville is a
point Of supplies for a vast stretch OF
country in the foothiIl and mountain
regions. It IS the shipping point for
considerable lumber from the noun
tains. for thousands of boxes of citrus
and deciduous fruits and for grain and
cattle.
The climate of the area is arid and
is characterized by long. hot. dry sum-
mers, a mild winter rainy season. little
wind and large number of sunshiny
days. Heavy frosts are almost un-
known. The annual rainfall, avera ging
about s1z inches. occurs largely be-
tween December and April.
CITRUS FRUITS THRIVE
Production of citrus fruits is now
the leading industry. From a begin
ming in 1882 the acreage in groves has
increased to nearly $4,000 acres and
the output to an average of about
$500 carloads, chiefly oranges. The
Washington navel orange has the Iarg-
est acreage, followed by the Valencia
late, lemons and Seeding oranges The
principal citrus soils are the Porter
vile clay loan adobe, the San Joaquin
sandy loan and the San Joaquin loam
The average net returns from citrus
groves range from $3.50 to $3.50 a year
Land suitable for orange culture sells
for $50 to $175 an acre, depending upon
the location and the supply of water
Data taken from the United States
census of 1900 show that the total
acres in farms is 1,O59,727, of which
over so per cent are improved. The
value Of farms and improvements is
stated as sI5,sss.6oo.
Since these figures were compiled
the increase in value of farms has
been enormous. No figures are at hand
for the entire county. but in the Por-
terville area Cless than 10 per cent Of
the entire county, very conservative
estimate of the value of the citrus
groves alone is $4,000. 900. The gen.
eraI trend of land values is upward
although the prices asked are seldom
out of proportion 70 the earning value
Of the soil In the past large indi-
vidual holdings of land have been the
rule, but now most Of these large
tracts are being cut up and placed on
the market in 10, 20. 40 and so acre
lots.
IRRIGATION Is USED
Irrigation is practiced throughout
the area, except where the land is dry
farmed TO grain. Irrigation water is
secured from the streams and from
an underground supply. The cost of
irrigation varies from 81 to $50 per
acre per year.
Deciduous fruits are proving a sue
cess on the alIuviaI and San Joaquin
soils, and the acreage is increasing
rapidly. The acreage of grapes, which
are profitably grown on the same soils,
is also increasing rapidly, the largest
paintings being in the vicinity of Ex-
eter and extending southwark around
Lindsay and Porterville. Practically
all of the vineyards are planted on
San Joaquin sandy loan. Raisin
grapes yield from one TO two tons of
raisins per acre and->usually net the
growers about cents a pound.