Year: 1875

forts of our citizens in this branch of
industry, butithere is not as much do
ing as there ought to be in this line.
Our climate and soil is all that could
be asked to make this the best fruit
growing country on the continent.
Indeed, it should be the chief business
of Southern California. 1t is true that
until the last year or two the want of
a market for fruit disheartened many
persons, who turned their attention to
cereals and other produce, but this is
no longer the case. Since the fruit
dryers were invented, the world has
become our market, and If. every acre
in Los Angeles county were in or
chard and every tree in full bearing,
and every pound of fruit properly
dried and put on the market, it would
not meet the demand. There are
hundred times more demand for the
fruits dried in these machines than
the supply we now have, and it is
rapidly increasing. All the navies
and armies Of the world want them.
They are easy put up; will keep any
length of time, and there is never any
danger of the'worm or bug that is SO
disastrous to sun-dried fruit. Besides,
the fruit dried on these machines are
quite as good as fresh fruit when they
are soaked in water a few minutes be-
fore being used. For this reason alone
ships on long voyages want them.
With plenty of this fruit on voyage
there is not the least danger of scurvy
"a disease which gives the greatest
trouble in the navy. Besides the fruit,
all kinds of vegetables which grow in
the gardens can be desiccated and kept
any length of time and made as good
as the day there were gathered from
the garden by putting them in cold
water for thirty minutes before cook
ing. Now with these facts before us
and with the advantages we have of
raising vegetables and fruits the year
round, what hinders this county or all
the counties in Southern California
from becoming the garden spot of
America. 1t is demonstrated that all
our brushy foothills will grow vege-
tables and orchards without water,
and every five acres of valley land will
support family if planted in vegeta-
bles and trees and watered by wind
mill. We can hardly estimate the
amount that can be raised on even one
acre of land if it is kept constantly
growing one crop after another-to-
matoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips,
peas, beans, potatoes, cabbage, beats,
ocre, ETC., will grow the year round.
And all these can be raised between
the fruit trees without any detriment
to the orchard. 1t is a conceded fact
that we have the best climate in the
United States for grape culture. The
best raisin grapes on earth grow on a
huge scale in California, and for
peaches, apples and pears there is no
better climate. But our people have
not taken the pains they should to pro-
cure the best quality of these fruits.
Our object in urging this matter upon
the attention of the farmers is to in
duce them to go into this industry in
good earnest and procure the best
fruits to be had. If they will do this,
and either sell their fruits and vegeta-
bles to drying factory or procure
family fruit dryer, it will be worth
dozen bonanzas to this county. 1t is
really foolish to spend time and money
in grain and hay crops in country
like this. OF course they can make
living at it, but let people do this in
countries where nothing better can be
done, and let our people accept the
better thing which nature has pre-
pared for them.