The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 21, 1903, Page 9

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1903. "GROWING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA ARE DESCRIBED BY SKILLED PRODUCERS OF CROPS THAT ARE ADDING MUCH TO STAT County Exhibits Make Up Good Display. Varied Products Found in All Sections. nia State Board o a list of the arch the is very re r i to walk features > a source of y other coun- ructed of the bark placed in side of this = center con- ereals. It will stand in itself is an f the county’s leading feature of this ex- ntaining a shin- was taken from the roof of ie old Fort Humboldt group of h was used as headquar- 1 Grant in 1 VARIETY OF PRODUCTS. unty has a large octagon - center aisie on which are assortment of fruits, iduous, cereals, vegeta- erals. It also contains a of nuts of the different 4 a splendid exhibit of olive g¢ 10 County has a stand sim- on. used by Los Angeles. apartments under glass show phs of the industrial features unty, as well as its cereal wool, h and nuts. The above contain jars of apples, es, pears, peaches, apricots, olives, oranges and beans. has & large wall stand, placed large photographs arious industrial and scenic display of mineral wi i its and vegeta- seeds and cereals, unty has a large redwood T erous shelves and vhich can be seen the vegetab! grains and n their variety. A number ice jars of grapes, figs, oranges, especially and aches are ADVERTISES RESOURCES. County has used the base of as a medium for ad- arious resources and ad- kpown to exist in that local- pper part of the stand is de- \ 1 to photographs and jars of pre- served fruits in their variety. Clara has a large wall stand ntaining a great number of very h jars of the products of that « noticeable among which are oranges, celery, tomatoes, ¥ ichok onions, almonds, ¥ ete. There is also a very fine exhibit of olive oil and wines, together with whic very complete collection of seeds, h are placed upon a handsome open 4 against one of the windows, ontra Costa has a ‘sister gtand’ to of Sonoma County. Upon it may seen almonds on the branch, apri- grapes, plums, prunes, peaches, oranges, lemons, dates, peppers, apples, vegetables in their variety, wines and olive oil “Solano County has an exceedingly attractive wall stand, showinz a com- plete line of its products; large and be has perhaps the | contains an | 3 Suggests Rare Chances. jars of plums, grapcs, peach- asparagus, and in the cereals unty has a large w stand, which is shown a very complete inciuding grapes, , plums, oranges, e persimmons, line ot dried ALAMEDA COUNTY SHOW. “Alameda County has a large octagon d in the center aisle, on which is a large rtment of fruits, cersals, vegetahl and dried fruits. The base of this stand 1s made of the brick manufactured in this county. There are also several cases of this ar- ticle exhibited. One of the interesting features of Alameda County is a com- | plete exhibit of beet sugar, showing the | beet in its natural form and the vari- ous stages of development up to and the finished article. | *“San Joaquin County has a stand | similar to the one described for Sac- ramento. Its exhibit has received much attention from the representatives of that lJocality and shows a very compre- line of its produ pears, plums, grapes, nectarines, peaches, | lemons, oranges, sugar beets, onions, corn and chickory, showing the pre- served 100t and the stages through which it passes before it is used as an adulterant for coffee. The exhibit of dried fruits, nuts and cereals in their varlety, together with wine and olive | oil, makes this an exceedingly attract- | tve exhibit. | “Stanislaus County has a very at- tractive redwood wall stand, upon which is placed handsome jars of nuts, plums, grapes, oranges, pears. lemons, | rhubarb, peas, etc. There is also an | attractive display of wines and olive ofl, soils and cereals. SOME VALLEY COUNTIES. “Fresno County is represented by a stand recently built for the express purpose of exhibiting their products to the best advantage in the State Board of Trade rooms. Dried fruits and raisins and figs form a prominent feat- ure of this display, but it also has an attractive exhibit of green dectduous and citrus fruits, olive oil, wines, pickled olives and preserved fruits, as well as an exhibit of perroleum in its crude and refined stages. “Tulare County’s stand is built of ge- lected curly and burl redwood, having | shelves and compartments upon which are exhibited pomegranates, oranges and lemons, citron, olives, deciduous fruits in their varlety, persimmons, grapes, quinces, cereals and dried fruits. “Kern County has a large stand in the center aisle which contains a full assortment of its products, including vegetables, green deciduous and citrus fruits, nuts, cereals, dried fruits and apples. The prominent feature is a collection of oils from the principal re- Ifln?ril—! of that locality showing this { product in all stages from the crude to the refined oil. Above the stand is sus- pended photographs of a birdseye view of the city of Bakersfield on one side and on the other a panoramic view of the Kern River oil fields. LOS ANGELES ON HAND. “Los Angeles County is represented by a large stand, the lower part of which is divided into sections in which are placed, under glass, cereals, nuts, dried vegetables, seeds and silk. Above this are a number of shelves upon which can be seen pineapples, citron, oranges and lemons, onions, quinces, plums and other fruits in variety, together with a full line of dried fruits. The base of this stand is of black velvet upon which are placed gold letters, making the name ‘Los Angeles County’ very promi- nent.” The recent effort of the State Board of Trade to get a renewal of county ex- hibits at the Ferry:building and to se- cure exhibits from counties not now affiliated is meeting with satisfactory results. During the week representa- tives from three counties—Mr. Chitten- inclu hensive V 4 ' DRYING CALITYRNE TGS, 2 4 SCENES THAT ILLU RESULTED ID TRATE THE CONDITIONS BRINGING INTO EXISTENCE FRESH SOURCE OF REVENUE FECT FRUIT TO AMERICA THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ALIEN. UNDER WHICH INTELLIGENTLY DIRECTED EFFORT HAS AND IN GIVING PER- } | s The vear 1800 marked a new era in the fig industry of California. In that season the first Smyrna figs were pro- duced. being six tons of dried figs. In 1901 twenty-five tons were harvested and in 1902 thirty-eight tons, and this year the crop increased to sixty-five. Buch success so closely following the establishment of the blastophaga or fig wasp should have convinced the most skeptical that the business of growing the true commercial fig in California was firmly established. It is not necessary for me to empha- size the fact that anything new and outside of that which people are ac- eustomed to is beset with difficulties, and this has been amply illustrated in the fig business. In the first place it was predicted by the know alls that the bugs would die during the first cold snap that was experienced. ‘When this prediction was not verified it was claimed that the Smyrna figs would rot bear like the Adriatics, and some of my solicitous friends even went so0 far as to credit me with sclentific knowledge, one thing I am sorry to say I do not possess, saying that it would be useless for any one else to engage in this business on account of the many complications in connection with it. The results thus far udtained in grow- ing the Smyrna fig in Califprnia ought to set at rest once and for all the pes- simistic reports which have been cir- culated. COMMERCIAL FACTS. During the past season a careful and accurate account was kept of the labor of distributing the profichi or June crop of Capri figs. Over 200,000 of these figs were distributed in our orchard, at an expense of $1 15 per acre. More figs were really distributed than necessary, but having a good supply on hand it was concluded best to distribute them. This, then, is the only additional ex- den of the Fresno Chamber of Com- merce, Mr. Miot of the Tulare Board of Trade and Ben L. Brundage of the Bakersfleld Board of Trade—have been here to examine their respective exhib- its and have all expressed an intention to renew and enlarge in a manner that will bring these counties into more con- spicuous notice in comparison with oth- ers represented. Several other county organizations have been heard from favorably. The State Board of Trade has just com- pleted a new and attractive office in the exhibit room for use as an informa- pense in connection with the growing of the true commercial fig, and it is such a small matter that it is not worthy of consideration. The drying and handling of the Smyrna fig or “Calimyrna,” as we have designated the true fig of commerce, to distinguish it from the other Smyrna varfeties, costs considerably less than the drying of the white Adriatics. The opening prices for dried Adriatics this season was 3% cents per pound, an inflated price by the way, brought about by competition among the local packers and not warranted by the mar- ket price of the packed goods. This price has steadily declined until to-day figs of this variety can be bought at 1% cents a pound, with practically no market justifying this price. Caltmyrna figs sold at 6 cents per pound delivered in the sweatbox. I do not wish to infer that they will always bring this price. They will, however, always have a value In the commercial world, based on the law of supply and demand, with many factors in their favor. Deliveries can be mads a month earlier, and our goods will be put up with more care, will be cleaner, and last but not least, they will be packed in attractive packages, all of which will tend to give them the lead. DEMAND IS PERMANENT. It must be apparent to the most cur- sory observer that the success which California has attained in fruit grow- ing is directly attributable to the fact of her taking the best of certain fruits grown in the old world and under our more favorable climatic conditions and improved methods of handling and packing creating a demand which has become permanent. Individual success in growing figs, or any other variety of frutt, can only be accomplished by starting with the right tion bureau. This gives increased fa- cilities to visitors and home-seekers. The number of visitors at the exhibit room for the month ended the 10th inst., according to the report of Mana- ger Briggs, aggregated a little more than 8000. MAKE FORWARD STRIDES. Communities of the Interior Continue to Enjoy Prosperity. A petition has been/prepared for the incorporation of @¥oville. The incor- BY GEORGE C. ROEDING, PROMINENT HORTICULTURIST OF FRESNO. — myrna Figs Are Firmly Established as a Reliable Resource of the Valleys of the Interior. variety. How much better it would have been for the citrus business of California if the Australlan navel had never been Introduced and mixed with the genuine Washington navel. There is hardly an old-established orchard which has not more or less mixtures in it. These orariges naturally drift into the market and their infer- fority detracts from the value of the true navel, causing annoyance and loss to packer and grower alike. The same state of affairs is liable to arise in the growing of figs unless growers exercise proper precautions. It is an unfortunate fact that the ear- lter importations of Smyrna fig cuttings into California have been found to be badly mixed. No less than four varie- tles have been found growing on the Vina ranch alone. All of this would indicate that the cuttings sent from Smyrna were most likely taken from a fig garden (thé name applied to all fig orchards in Asia Minor) started from seed, otherwise there could not have been so many varieties among the trees stfll to be found growing in California. In my travels through the fig' dis- tricts of Asia Minor I took particular pains to inspect a number of orchards, and it was only in rare instances that I found any variety outside of the Lop Injir, which is identical with the vari- ety which has been designated as the “Calimyrna” in California. Odkasion- ally a Kassaba was found growing among the Lop Injir figs, but very few of any other varieties, with which I was familiar, were to be seen. If steps are taken promptly to graft all the Adriatic varieties of figs into the Calimyrna it will only be a ques- tion of a few years when California will be shipping fully as m~ny tons of ‘this variety as she is of Adriatics to- day. © oot ffeeifeelefodeldeelmimfeefe el o § el el e bfefoieldedemfieefe el ettt @ poration of Lodi is also being discussed. The Stockton Mail says that the con- struction of a first-class hotel for Stockton would seem to be assured. The Lodi Sentinel says that the pres- pect is good for large immigration from the East into the San Joaquin Valley in the spring. The Petaluma Courier says that Pet. aluma will have a new theater. According to the Oxnard Courfer James K. Fulkerson is trying to locate a machine shop at Oxnard. Gilroy now has its own gas plant, which has just been accepted by the Great Success s Achieved in Few Years. * i B Mayor and Council, says the Gilroy Gazette. The Stockton Independent peports that the wheat starch factory to be established at Stockton will cost $45,- 000. Sabastopol, Sonoma County, so says the Santa Rosa Democrat, is about to have another bank. The Colfax Sentinel says that the lime works near Colfax are nearly com- pleted. The Red Bluf! News reports that the Sierra Lumber Company's flume dur- ing the last season conveyed 19,000,000 feet of lumber to Red Bluff, an excess of 4,000,000 feet' above any other sea- son's record. President Fay of the California Cit- rus Union says that the decision re- cently rendered by Judge Trask rela- tive to.enjoining members who mepu- diated their written contracts will not interfere with the success of the union. Ninety-nine per cent of the members are acting together. If injunction pro- ceedings fail the validity of the con- tracts with the union. still remains to be determined in the courts. The largest dredger in the State, so reports the Sacramento Union, will re- claim 3000 acres of the richest land in the State in Yolo reclamation distiict No. 537. Twenty-two acres of white celery have been successfully grown on Jersey Island. The Stockton Independent reports that “at no distent day Bakersfleld, Stockton and Fresno and suburban towns will be connected with an elec- trie car system.” The Pasadena News says on author- ity that the construction of an electric railway between Garvanza and Pasa- dena and Los Angeles will soon begin. Tt will be broad gauge. The Dixon Tribune reports that the creamery business is thriving. According to the Selma Enterprise a co-operative winery is proposed for Selma. Electric lighting has improved Yreka, Siskiyou County. Barly in January, so reports the Stocktqn Independent, power will be turned on in Stockton by the American River Electric Company. The Chico Enterprise says that the Sierra Lumber Company “is putting up a splendid factory on Humboldt avenue, Chico.” Forty machines will be used when the factory is completed. The Napa Register reports the forma- tion of a Napa Women's Improvement Club, with Mrs. G. M. Francis as pres- ident, Mrs. Anna S. Holden as vice president, Miss Maude Fisher as sec- retary and Miss Claire Goodman as treasurer. The San Mateo County Savings Bank, to do business at Redwood City, has been incorporated. The capital stock is $50,000. The Redwood Democrat pub- lishes the following as the board of officers: President, Dr. J. L. Ross; vice president, P. P. Chamberlain; cashler, L. P. Behrens; assistant cashier, Frank K. Towne. The Berkeley Gazette reports that the Santa Fe line from Berkeley to Point Richmond will be in operation in March. A citrus fair will be held at Clover- dale In February. The Healdsburg Enterprise says that the French-American Wine Company will build & large winery in Healds- burg. Half the bonus needed to insure the construction of an electric railway be- tween Cloverdale and Clear Lake, ac- cording to the Cloverdale Revellle, has been pledged. A franchise for an automobile line between Bakersfleld and Paso Robles has been granted. The Woodland Democrat raports that the Woodland roller mill will be re- built, according to the vote of the di- rectors of the Roller Mill Company. The Chico Enterprise urges the ad- vertising of the Empire Valley to at- tract the attention of Bastern tourists that are coming into the State by thou- sands. The Chico Record reports that the Sferra Lumber Company will at once rebuild its plant and that the shops will be completed in three months. E'S WEALTH San Luis Obispo Extends lts Market. Garden Seeds Are Thriving in New Field. BY W. M. ENT. Among the industries that are firmly established in San Luis Obispo County that of seed growing Is taking a most impertant place. The soil and climatie conditions prevailing in this coun seem wonderfully well adapted to production of all kinds of flower a garden seeds and the bus ready assumed important prep This is due not alene to the wond producing qualities of the soil, but w | invigorating fogs which come in from the ocean are important factors in the success of this industry. About ten years ago the offered by portions grasped by E. W. ploneers and larg vantages S land owners of the county, who began experimenting in this direction in the Arroyo Grande Valley in collaboration with T. H. Mc- Clure. The first experiment was a s cess beyond the expectations of the ex- perimenters, though the first crop, ow- ing to the small area planted, sold for only $1500. The following r seeds to he value of $3500 were raised. The | gentlemen named were in the decline of life and it was left to L. C. Rout- zahn, a cch-in-law of Me re, to de- velop the industry In this countys ACRES OF SWEET PEAS. While on a visit to California for his health Mr. Routzahn became interested in the business of McClure. His inter- est became deeper and hls visit was protracted until he becai.e a resident of the county. A company was organ- ized and the business was extended to much larger proportions. Every year the acreage planted to seed crops has been increased until now several hun- dred acres ave in cultivation, giving eriployment to many men and children. The company is sald to have farmed more land in 1903 than any other seed firm in the Stat~ with one possible ex- ception. It has grown more sals seed during the past few years than any other seed farm in the United States, and it is also the largest pro- ducer of nasturtium seed. Muc tention is also given to the cultivation of sweet peas and every year a large area is sown. The sweet pea field the Arroyo Grande Valley are places of the county. It has been the custom of Mr. Rout- zahn for many years to donate to the ladies of the churches’ of Arroyo Grande millions of sweet pea blossoms, and in June of each year the Arroyo Grande Sweet Pea Fair is held. This event alternates among the sects rep- resented in Arroyo Grande. Annually the interest increases and practically the whole population of this section at- tend. Its fame is bound to attract vis- itars from distant places. DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY. Attention has been given not only to the few varieties already mentioned, but nearly all kinds of seeds have been grown In this county and all the prod- uct has found a ready market with the large Eastern dealers. This year, at the beginning of the season, orders for more than $15,000 worth of seed were turned down as had been made for the entire crop. The large orders were due to the excellent quality and remarkable fertility of the San Luis Obispo seeds. A number of experiments conducted by one of the prominent Eastern deal- ers with seeds raised in this county has made a record for the local product of over 98 per cent of fertility. Hastern grown seed as a rule will not germinate after the second year, but California’s product preserves Its vitality for many years. Peter Henderson of New York a few years since experimented with a variety of seed grown in this county, five vears old, and 90 per cent of the seed under the test germinated. Last year the product of onme com- pany sold for $35,000. The same con- cern received $50,000 for its crop. Farm- ing is carried on over a large area. Last September E. M. Haven of South Haven, Mich., decided that this locality ofters better inducements than the other parts of the State with which he is familiar. In Michigan Mr. Haven conducted a large business, farming from fous to six hundred acres each year and he desires to engage in the business in this county on equally as large a scale. The operations will be confined to the vicinity of Arroyo Grande for the present year. OTHER OPERATIONS. Victor Johansen, who is located a short distance north of Arroyo Grande, commenced experimenting in seed growing some four or flve years ago. The coming season he will farm from one hundreq to one hundred and fifty acres, producing seeds of many thou- sand- dollars in value and giving re< munerative employment to many peow ple. John Badger, formerly engaged in seed growing in the southern part of the State, has acquired a forty-acre tract near Arroyo Grande and It is probable that more land will be rented. D. D. Barnard has been experiment- ing in seed growing a few miles north of San Luis Obispo. His experiments establish the fact that there is a large area in the county which can be profit- ably devoted to fhe business. Smaller growers have been engaged in seed farming in the vicinity of Ar- royo Grande for a few years. All have met with success and are gradually increasing their acreage. The business has proved very profitable. There has never been a fallure, though all erops have been grown without Iirrigation. If past successes are any forerunner of the future San Luis Obispo County is soon to become known as one of the great seed-growing centers of the State. —_—————————— From the State Library of Ohlo, 302 traveling libraries, countaining 22,031 books, were sent cut last year at & cost of $41,227.