The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 16, 1902, Page 2

[ THE SAN FRAN CISCO CALL, FRIDAY. " MAY 16, 1902. GROWERS OF CEREALS IN NORTHERN COUNTIES SHARE ABUNDANTLY IN THE GREAT SUCCESS ATTENDING THE CROPS' THROUGHOUT THE STATE Yield Will Be Above the Average Because of the Timeliness of Showers, and the Certainty of the High Quality of Apples, Pears and Apricots Causes Delight. LL up to the forefront of counties in which the crop of fruits and cereals will be uncom- monly large and of exceptional quality this year are those in the northerri part of the State. The success which has aitended the work of farmers and orchardists verges almost on the phenomenal. From Colusa and Nevada to the remotest upper county the news of the crop.prospect is most gratifying. Early frost has in some places wrought damage, but not to the extent that the general brilliant outlook is affected. Rains have been all that growers could have desired. ! ED BLUFF, May 15.—The fruit prospects as a whole for all vari- eties were never better in the his- tory of Tehama County.. There will be a heavy crap of peaches and all kinds of plums, a fair crop of pears and prunes and half a crop of apricots. Almonds are a good crop, as are grapes. : Tehama County took the first premium at the World’s Fair at Chicago for its magnificent apples and this year's crop will be & splendid one. Tehama is the second county in the State in the pro- duction of peaches and this year's crop will excel that of several years past. Last year there was hardly any fruit ex cept peaches and not one-fourth of a crop, while now peaches are being heavily thinned. The James Feeley Canning Company is preparing for the largest pack this year in its history. An accurate idea of the magnitude of Tehama County’s fruit in- terests may be gained from the statement that the present prospects indicate that | fruit men and orchardists will receive 32,000,000 more for their fruit this year than they did last year. A heavy crop of grain of all kinds is selling at a high figure and the county is in a highly pros- percus condition. - WHEAT FLOURISHING ON THE YUBA FARMS ARYSVILLE, May 15.—The rainfall M of Tuesday, amounting to .54 of an inch, was very beneficlal to growing fruit and grain. The precipitation for the season is 20.43 inches, against 23.78 inches for the same date last season. All indi- cations at this time point to the largest vield of grain that this section of North- ern California has produced for many years. Wheat is looking splendid and barley is fast heading out and taking on the golden color. Haying has commenced in some districts and yield and quality | are reported as first class. Orchardists are very busy thinning peaches and pears and the crop will far exceed the one of 1901, while the fruit will of larger size. The absence of late frost Insures the largest almond crop yet produced in t section. Strawberries and cherries coming in freely now and large shipments are made daily. Managers of the Marys- ville and Yuba City canneries are work- ing large crews of men, making ready. for the opening run, which will be on apri- cots. This fruit is reported much larger and in excess of last ar’s crop. Grow- ers of Thompson seed] grapes will have full crop t In fact, every kind of fruit eal produced in this sec- tion show ntiful yield and excellent quality. Farm orchardists and trades- men in the vicini tions are ideal. FARMERS ARE GLAD IN NEVADA COUNTY EVADA CITY, May 15.—Uniess there be unusually heavy frosts within. the next few weeks, Nevada County’s vield of fruits and cereals this season will be far in excess of that of last year. The present storm, during which nearly an inch of rain has fallen already, was glad- ly welcomend by the farmers. It came in the nick of time and insures good crops. The outlook for zil kinds of fruit is also encouraging, mnotwithstanding that in some sections more or less damage was done by early frosts. In and 'about Ne- vada City cherry trees suffered to a con- siderable extent, but orchards in the lower part of the county were not affected by the biting cold. This season’s prune crop promises to be larger than for years past and returns from Bartlett pears will also be better than usual. Last year's crops of both fruit and grain. were not up to the average yield and people generally are now jubilant over improved conditions. GLENN COUNTY CROP OF SURPASSING SIZE ILLOWS, May 15.—The grain and w fruit prospects for this season are better than they have been for a number of years. The farmers and orchardists from all over Glenn County report the vield will far exceed the large crops of 1%01. Very little hay was blown down during the last rain and Jate sown grain along the Sacramento River was greaily benefi The " barley crop will be exceptionally large. The large orchard of the Fruto Land and Improvement Company in An- derson Valley in the foothill country wiil Field the largest crop in the history of Yruit crops in Glenn County. The apricot and almond crops will be greatly in the | Jead. Prunes will fall a little short. The Orland fruit belt will also yield a recorg breaking crop. BUTTE COUNTY NEEDS HORDE OF LABORERS HICO, May 15.—There is every indica- C tion that this year there will be gath- ered the largest crop of fruits and cereals that the Vicinity of Chico has yielded in several years past. There are bereabouts about 1000 acres of Muir peaches, and the most conservative esti- mates are that this acreage will produce 6000%tcns of fruit. The estimates are that the many hundreds of acres of Crawford peach trees will produce an average of | six and a half tons to the acre. Fifteen | thousand acres of prune trees in this vi- | cinity will prcduce 3750 tons of dried fruit, | h is better than a half crop. Almond are loaded with nuts and will yield an enormous crop. Many entire crops have already been sold at 10% cents. The vield of Bartlett pears and cherries will abundant. Apricots will yield about a | | half crop. Summarized, the total truit gDill])u! will be much better than last year. Grain of all kinds will turn out far bet- ter than an average crop. Barley will prove especially heavy, and this year there is much larger acreage than for sever: ars past. In view of the abundant crops to be gathered, the farmers and fruit men have organized to advertise for outside laborers to come here to work during the fruit and | grain harvest. It is estimated that from 2000 to 3000 more laborers than those now here will be needed. GROWERS WILL NEED NUMEROUS LABORERS INTERS, May 15.—The crop outlook W for the Winters district is very good. All kinds of grain are more than an average. Hay is heavy and cutting has just commenced, though the acreage is less than in former years. The fruit trees | are in splendid cultivation and exceeding- | Iy heavy laden except Alexander peaches. and Bartlett pears. The latter will not make a one-third crop. For some un- known cause the pears nearly all fell when first formed. | . The apricot and plum yield is very | hea also Muir peaches. A large of white help will be needed in July and August to handle the dried fruit. Cutting will begin about the middle of GROWERS ARE PLEASED UP GRASS VALLEY WAY | /A RASS VALLEY May 15.—Farmers and | G fruit growers in this section report a more prosperous outlook than for | many years. The season is much further | advanced than usual and nearly all of the trees have bloomed excepting apples and those are now in bloom. This is in marked contrast to last year when killing frosts nearly ruined the entire fruit crop. he proximity of snow in the mountains makes orchardists fearful of a frost, this | being a peculiarity of this district. Indi- cations point to a heavy crop of cherries and peaches, while last year the produc- tion was extremely limited. The hay and grain crop is assured of a heavy yield and farmers are jubilant over the prospect of | 2 prosperous summer. Many acres have been cultivated witnin the past year and although this is a mining district it will soon be widely known for the extent of the agricultural products. The Bfirt]elz pear_crop promises to be unusually large and it is expected that thousands of boxes will be shipped this summer. The fruit cumpanies are al- ready making contracts for this frult, as the Grass Valley district is known as the Bartlett pear belt of California. Ne- vada County is elated over the outlook for this season. S MENDOCINO PROSPECT GIVES SATISFACTION U KIAH, May 15.—As a while, conditions o g in Mendocino County are much more favorable than they were at this time last year. While the loss of lambs on the ranges was greater than last year, owing to continued rains in lambing time, the same rains insured better pasturage. Fre- quent spring rains have kept the feed green and growing fruit of all -kinds promises well, while at an even date last ar practically all fruit except apples had been killed by frost. Grain and nay crops are good and there will be an aver- age yield. In some of the northern vai- levs, planting was somewhat retarded by rain. Continued cool weather has prevented a very rapid growth of hops, but the.out- look is good for a full crop, The hop yards have been cultivated, poled and twined and the vines are now being trained. There is increased activity in the development of Mendocino's lumber interests. New mills are being put in, both on the coast and in the woods near Willits. Lumber is now coming down oV the Willits extension of the Cali- fornia Northwestern Railway. Arrange- merts are being made for a big season i run in the tan bark industry. SHASTA IS ASSURED OF RAREST OF PEARS EDDING, May 15.—As the season ad- R vances the fruit and cereal growers of I Shasta County predict with an in- creasing degree of certainty the heaviest crops generally which have been reaped in many years. The weather during re- cent months has been most propitious, The grain crops of the county and its fruit are dependent upon a heavy rainfall i and the showers of to-day brought the total precipitation pas{ fifty-one inches. The Anderson and Happy Valley orchard- ists have but one concern. It is that in their eagerness to waste nothing they may not thin their prune, pear and peach crops sufficiently and have their trees broken down by an overwelght of fruit. The prospects are for a most excellent season of Bartlett pears. Those grown in Shasta County are pronounced the finest In the State. The canners ind more | sugar in them than in any other. Pears will be so abundant that considerable quantities may be dried. Good prices are expected. The prune growers, who have disposed of every pound of the old crop, expect to market tons, the heaviest yleld in_ a decade. Frost is no longer feared. Peach trees thrive as well. The wheat, barley and oat crops of Churn Creek Bottom, Happy Valley, Burney Val- ley and Fall River Valley are rated as away above the average by the growers. The meadow hay districts in the hills are luxuriant. The ranges were never better. This will be a record crop year in Shasta, NEWCASTLE SHIPMENTS WILL BE VERY LARGE EWCASTLE, May 15.—The general in- dications point to exceedingly large crops of all fruits, The weathér 1§ favorable for the ripening of ‘deciduous fruits and berries. Shipments will be one: fifth larger than those of last season. There will be a large crop of cherries, peaches and berries, a medium yield of pears and a light crop of plums, Ship- ments of cherries and strawberries are in- ;‘reu-ing dally. Most of them go to the East. PLACER’S SHIPMENTS WILL BE ENORMOUS ! UBURN, May 15.—The crop outlook in Placer County was never better and | the prospects are for the largest yield in its history. Last year only a third of a crop was realized although good prices prevailed. Cherries and berries are now coming to market in large quantities and the yield will be heavy. The former fruit is generally light in this section. All va- rieties of peach trees are laden with the green fruit, now the size of marbles, and much thinning will be necessary. The fruit crop will be fully two weeks behind that of last year. Grain of all kinds looks promising and a good hay crop is being cut. The grain acreage fs far in excess of that'of last year and the number of young trees that come into bearing this season will ma- terially swell the fruit shipments from this county. ety CEREALS AND FRUITS DO WELL IN COLUSA OLUSA, May 15.—Indications now are C for good crops in Colusa County. Ce- reals and fruits are doing fine and the yvield will be large. The showers of | the last few days have done considerable damage to mown hay but have been of great penefit to late sown grain. o BEET CROP ASSURED IN SAN JUAN VALLEY OLLISTER, May 15.—The scarcity of H rains in the first part of the season had a disastrous effect on the early sown grain, but the spring rains have been of great benefit to the late grain, and the prospect at the present time i very favorable for an average yield in the valleys, while in the higher altitudes and in the southern end of the county not more than a half-crop will be harvested. Green feed is abundant and stock of all kinds is in splendid condition. Hay cut- ting has commenced, and though the yield will fall considerably short of last year it will be of excellent quality. In the fan Juan Vailey preparations are being made for a large beet crop, the acreage for that purpose exceeding any previous year. The fruit crop is in excei-. lent condition and from present indica- tions will exceed that of last year, The geason has been very favorable for all kinds of declduous fruits. HEAT MAY PREVENT A HEAVY GRAIN YIELD PORTERVILLE, May 15.—Unless this section of the San Joaquin Valley fs favored with ccol weather for three. or four weeks more there will'be a very light grain crop. Owing to the Iateness of the season, but a very small acreage was sown. Most of the early sown grain is now being cut for hay. The deciduous fruit crop will be un- usually large this season, although it is reported that apricots and peaches are dropping in places. Orange and lemqn trees are loaded with fruit, and as there is. a large increase in the acreage which wil} come jnto bearing this year, the prospects- are for a large increase over last year's * shipments. .ception of prunes the frult crop will be TREES IN ALL ORCHARDS ARE HEAVILY LADEN ~ AND THE FARMING LANDS IN CENTRAL SECTIONS GIVE GOODLY PROMISE OF A RICH HARVEST Growth of an Extraordinary Variety of Fruits Shows Results Most Satisfac- tory, and the Late Rains Have Not Seriously Affected the Season’s Enormous Product. \HE fertile ficlds and bountiful orchards of the central part of the State will not suffer the loss of a vestige of -their reputation for fecundity this year. Reports ga?lrered fnmf all the farming and fruit-growing localities indicate that the promise of a rich harvest is greater, if anything, than it has been in previous scasons. Here, as in other portions of Califor_ma, the demand for an unusual amount of labor is certain to be made. Already there have been futile requests for assistance in S 0 T some sections where the fruit requires the earliest possible attention. P TOCKTON, May 15.—Crops through- out San Joaquin County look better than at this time last year. The dis- | tinctive feature of the farming -sec- tions is the diversity of products raised, The northern end of the county is having an actual boom in frult growing. Many orchards are reach- ing the bearing stage, and others are be- ing planted. The first carload of cherries has gone forward. On the reclaimed islands wheat and barley never looked better. Dairying is causing a big increase In the acreage of alfalfa. Every season sees the cultiva- ble area added to by further reclama-; tions, and with the increase in truck gar- dening the grain acreage manages o hold to the average. On the west side . good two-thirds crop is in sight. ‘The late rains have been beneficial, as the nature of the land requires much | water. The rain may affect the quality of the hay, but not the quantity. Some late Eotatoes were nipped by the frost, but the damge is not great. Heavy ship- ments are already being made from the lowlands. . | Taken all in all the general condition of crops has not been better at any corre- sponding period for years. The warm Wweather is causing the grain t¢ fairiy Jjump and it looks like an early harvest. STANISLAUS EXPECTS HEAVY YIELD OF GRAIN ODESTO, May 15.—The prospects for | a heavy yleld of grain in Stanislaus County are excellent. The rainfall of yesterday amounted to of an inch in some parts, while the whole county re- ceived a thorough soaking. In an inter- view Garrison Turner, president of the | Grange Company” of Modesto, said; “Yesterday's rainfall will do great good to the wheat fields of the county. The yleld throughout will be increased 10 per cent. The rain has made the prospect ex- cellent for a good average crop in the whele county. The late grain has re- | cefved the most good. The early grain has not been harmed, but, on the con- trary, the raln has helped it greatly. Taken all in all, the generous precipit tion that.has just visited us was a splen- did affair and will be worth thousands of dollars to the grain growers of Stanislaus County.” i The outlook for a large crop of all kinds | of fruit was never better. At the Para- | dise Gardens, owned by Mrs. N. E. Deyoe | of this city, great preparations are being made-to handle the unusually large yield of apricots, Bartlett pears and peaches. PRUNES THE ONE POOR CROP IN KERN COUNTY | Y AKERSFIELD, May 15.—A precipita- | tion of .57 of an inch of rain last| night brings the total for this season to 5.33 inches, as against 4.94 inches at this date last season. The prospect for cereal crops is much better than last year, and the rain of last night gives as- surance that ail but the late-sewn grain will give an average yield. With the ex- i excellent. There werc no severe frosts, | but the trees are not sufficiently laden to require thinning. The prune yield will be less than last year. The. late rains have greatly strengthened the feed on | the range, on which stockmen depend, | and cattle are already improving. Thera is promise of abundant water for. irriga- | tion until late in the year, as the snows | & on the higher mountains wuere Kern | b River' starts were heavy during this win- | ter. FIND IT NECESSARY TO THIN OUT FRUIT ANFORD, May 15.—The crop pros- pects in Kings County this year are cxcellent atong all lines. There has | been no frost to speak of and every or- chardist in the county has been compelled to thin his fruit on account of the large quantity on the trees. Last year the| apricot crop was a total failure, but this | year it will be immensge—in fact, the heav- fest in years. There will be a large yield of ‘peaches, and the same may be said of prunes. 'Last year the prune crop was | short on account of the fruit falling from the trees, but this year e fall is not nearly so great. Bartlett pears will be very short. on account of the pear blight. | The frost last year in April and May did considerable damage to grapes, but this seazon the crop of raisins w..a be the big- gest in years. More wine grapes will be harvested than ever before in the history | of the county. The wheat crop on the | lake bed will be small because of lack of water. The only thing that is worry- infil the orchardist is the fear that there w. not he enough help procurable to harvest the’crop. VACA VALLEY BREAKS ALL FORMER RECORDS | ACAVILLE, May 15.—The old common v law adage, “When the memory of | man runneth not to the contrary” ' fittingly expresses the fruit situation in Vaca Valley as to the abundance of | the crop. In years past there may hlvel | cherries, they added twice that quantity | per cent more; grapes and Dpeaches, 50 been larger crops of certain varieties, but taken as a whole the yield was nevcr so tremendous. The weather conditions this | year have been perfect. While late rains may have injured a hundred boxes of in larger frult. The crop is three weeks later than last year's. In 1901, 837 cars of green fruit were shipped East, and something over 200 carloads of dried fruit. A .conservative estimate for this year gives 1300 carloads of green and nearly 400 carloads of dried fruit. Prominent growers say that, as ccm- pared with last year, the present out- look for the various ylelds is as follows: Apricots, four times as great; plums. 100 per cent more; French prunes, five times as great; Bartlett pears, 25 per cent less. The cherry crop will not be as large as was expected. French prunes and plums are so thick that as high as $40 an acre must be spent to thin them. Help to har- vest the crop is the only thing needed here. ST. HELENA EXPECTS AN AVERAGE RETURN T. . HELENA, - May 15.—The. prospects are that there will be an average | crop_of fruits in this vicinity. The continued cloudy and rainy weather kas prevented the frosts which can usually be expected at this time of year, in consequenc: of which the grape crop bids fair to ‘be the best known in a long time. Of prunes, which i{s the next important—product | here, there will be an average yield, while last year the crop was very short. In some orchards the trees are heavily laden, while in others fruit has been dropping considerably. There will be an average crop of peaches and pears, both of which were short last year. Taken as an average, almonds will be very short. Althocugh a few orchards show well, in most places the fruit has been dropping off the trees. On the whole, . indications are favorable and the average yleld will be much larger than that of last year. e e WHEAT DOES POORLY ON WESTLEY FIELDS WESTLEY, May 15.—The wheat crop is below the average in this locality. Summer fallow will yleld about ten sacks to the acre on the low land and abeut seven sacks on the high land. Bar- ley is looking well and some fields will yield twenty sacks to the acre, while oth- ers will run from ten to fifieen sacks, mwauking an average crop. Winter sowed ain is a_failure and will hardly make hay. No fruit or vegetables is ralsed in this vicinity. Feed on the hills is drying up and sheep are being moved to lower land. Some farmers have plowed up their winter sowed grain and are cultivating the scf! for next season. s O BERRIES DAMAGED N SANTA ROSA'S VICINITY SANTA ROSA, May 15.—This section has been given more than its share of rain recently and considerable dam- age has been done to fruits and berries. A gentle rain began falling on Monday afternoon and continued throughout the night. “The record of the storm was .92 of an inch, bringing the total for the sea- n up to 36 jgches. The worst damage the rain was done to strawberries. The of the Sonoma County crop was very soft and unpalatable on account of pre- vious rains, and the sunshine and dry weather necessary to make them firm have not been vouchsafed. These late rains will materially affect the crop now maturing. Much hay has been cut, especially in the eastern portion of the county. The rain will damage it to a considerable ex- tent. That which has not been cut will be ber:fited. Prunes have been seriously injured by previous rains. The estimated yield will be about one-quarter of a erop. Other fruits are safe from injury by this precipitation. Cherries have only n to ripen, and no damage has been dona to them. .The crops of fruits, with the ex- ception of prunes, will be very large. The seasen thus far has been backward, and what is most generally desired by the horticulturists and agriculturists of So- noma County at the present time is plenty ot sunshine. ALL CROP RECORDS IN TULARE ARE DOOMED ISALIA, MAY 15.—This year will break all crop records in Tulare County. A number of new orchards coming into bearing. The peach crop will be enor- mous. Trees are laden with fruit. At present thinners are at work with instrue- tions to remove 7 per cent of fruit from the trees. Apricots will be a full erop, though the acreage is small. Apple orchards in the foothills are reported be in a flourishing condition. The pmrtx: | crop is_something wonderful to contem. plate. The trees were never before bur- dened with such frultage. There is great difficulty in getting men to thin the trees in time to promote the development of the crop. w'rne natr‘ cr:p u:: mm.?ully a fail- ure; per cent of trees are affected by blight. Prunus Simoni trees will yleld & an enormous output. Already orders ars being received for this choice variety of frult. The shipping of ereen fruit will begin about June 7. In this county Alex- ander peaches ripen first, then Clyman plums, followed by Tragedy prunes. The general frult erop is 50 per cent heavier than last year. The grain crop is estimated at about 40 per cent of a full yleld. Hay is a big crop, though some- what damaged by recent rains. ~ George Fleming, one of the best in- formed fruit men in this region, says ha has traveled all over Tulare County and that it would be impossible for conditions to be more favorable. GILROY VALLEY SEES BRIGHT ERA DAWNING ILROY, May 15.—The prospects for grain and cereals were never better In Gil- roy Valley and the yield will greatly exceed that of last year. Rain has fallen at opportune times. The fruit crop will break all previous local records. Frost has not damaged it and apricot and peach trees are so heavily laden that thin- ning is" in' progress N many orcharas - [t was reported that prunes were dropping’ in some districts, but the quality will be much finer and will counterbalance a shortage in quantity. Cherries, English walnuts and - grapes will have a large yield. Orchardists and farmers are hope- ful of experiencing the most prosperous season in the history of the valley. Many young orchards will bear their first fruft. The late rain has moistened the ground and the beet planters expect a great crop. GALT DISTRICT GRAIN SHOWS BIG INCREASE GALT_ May 15.—Prospects for all kinds of cereals were never better or more encouraging here at this season of the year. The late rains heiped wintes sown wheat and came in the nick of time to Insure goodycrops. The output of graia in the Galt district last year was 300,000 sacks. This season’s yield will be more than 500,000 sacks. The prineipal increase will be, confined to oats and the acreage devoted to this cereal is larger than ev er before in the history of this distriet. The fruit crop will be oie-third larger tham last year’s and the quality of the differ- ent varieties promises to be superjor in every way. Vineyards are looking thrifty and the outlook for immense grape crops is encouraging. The yleld promises to be double that of last year in Sacramente County. The strawberry crop is two Weeks late and was slightly damaged by the rain. It will be larger, however, than that of last season. The acreage devoted to hay is small compared with other seas sons. but what there is of it Is of gueG quality. MILPITAS RELIES UPON APRICOTS AND PEACHES ILPITAS, May 15.—Ths apricot and peach crops will be large, 35 per cent greater than last year. Cher- ries will be an average crop and prumes will be about half a ecrop. Hay will yleld 25 per cent more than last vear, and grain, particu'arly barley, about 3 per cent less. —_— SOLEDAD IS PRODUCING MORE BEETS THIS YEAR S OLEDAD, May 15.—The crop prospects in the vieinity of Soledad are not very favorable compared with last season. About one-half crop of barley is expected, which will be about 4000 tons. Wheat wiil be an average, or about 2000 tons. The wheat crop has held out against the dry spell better than the barley, as most of the wheat was sown in the uplands and the foothills and the barley in adobe land, which drys out sooner. With one-half inch of ¥ain in the next week or ten days crops would improve to about two-thirds of an average yield. The potatoes that have already been planted are doing nicely, but most of the crop is not!yet planted. About four times the yleld of last year is expected, on ac- count of the larger acreage and more favorable conditions. Frults of all kinds give promise of a large yield. Fruit is net grown very ex- tensively here, and a good portion of the crop is locally. The beet crop will be very large on account of plenty of ir- rigation. It will be about twice that of last year. CALISTOGA FARMERS HAVE FINE FRUITS C'AUSTOGA‘ May 15.—Pasturage is of the best this year. Hay and grain are as good or petter than last year. Prunes this year are two-thirds of a crop. Last year there was but one-fourth of a crop. Peaches are a full crop and last year were one-fourth of a crop. Apricots are medium this year and were last year. Cherrles are much better than year, but apples are not so, good. v