208 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



and sugary, and very productive. Requires deep strong soil to bring it to 

 the greatest perfection. I think it the most profitable for general culture. 

 The German prune is also medium size, long oval, purple, is good dried, 

 and separates from the stone as does the Hungarian prune, and in this 

 differs from the French prune. 



The discussion of the plum belongs here. In our State we have some 

 insect pests of the plum and some diseases of the tree, but we have no 

 curculio such as has destroyed this fruit in the East. This has made the 

 growing of plums very profitable here. I would not at present plant for 

 shipping green, except of varieties that can be successfully dried, and few 

 of the plums can be; while sjpme of the prunes are good shippers green, for 

 example the Hungarian, being large and handsome. The Kelsey (Japan) 

 plum is attracting attention as a snipper. 



As to soils, the peach, prune, and apricot require much the same to 

 bring the fruit to perfection without irrigation. With irrigation, almost 

 any of our soils are good. Indeed, I have seen fruits growing on nearly 

 all our soils — even including the adobe — and I think no one can safely say 

 that any particular fruit will not do well on any particular soil, while it is 

 of course true that certain soils are safest and best. ■ Mr. Aitken, a prune 

 expert of Santa Clara Valley, says where the apple and pear will grow a 

 good prune can be raised, and we know that pears do well in heavy soils, 

 as do apples also. In a discussion before the State Horticultural Society, 

 he doubted whether they would do well in the hot valleys, but he Jwas 

 immediately confronted by delegates from the San Joaquin, and Los 

 Angeles, and Sacramento Valleys, who showed to the contrary. 



APPLES, PEARS, CHERRIES. 



Good apples are scarce in this State. I think it is generally conceded 

 that in our low valleys, where the heat is greatest, the apple does not flourish, 

 and yet J. S. Cone, near Red Bluff, has a large orchard which, until the 

 codlin moth took it, was producing fine apples, and I think General Bid- 

 well at Chico raises good apples. Mr. R. B. Blowers, of Woodland, contends 

 that good apples can be grown in our valleys if the conditions required 

 are maintained, which can be done by a judicious use of water. 'Our best 

 apples, however, come from the foothills and higher altitudes, but the profit 

 is much decreased by cost of hauling to market. I have never seen a year 

 yet, in ten years, when we have not paid good prices for fall apples — we 

 are now paying 2 cents a pound. Plant only a few of the best varieties, 

 and unless you are near market, let these varieties embrace fall and winter 

 apples. The foothill fruit has fine keeping qualities which the valley apples 

 seem to lack. Plant but few kinds and of known value, such as the Spitz- 

 enberg, Baldwin, Yellow Newtown Pippin, White Winter Pearmain, Smith's 

 Cider, Yellow Bellflower, and for very early, Red Astrachan and Early 

 Harvest. 



The pear is becoming, indeed is one of our most profitable fruits. The 

 pear has almost disappeared in the East as an article of fruit commerce, 

 and the yield is always precarious. The canning of pears on an extensive 

 scale was left to California. Summer pears should be gathered ten days 

 before they are ripe, and autumn pears two weeks. Winter varieties may 

 hang, if they will, until the leaves begin to fall. Don't let your tree over- 

 bear; thin out when the fruit is small. Of the summer pear, there is no 

 use planting any but the Bartlett. It is good for market or canning, large, 

 buttery, with rich musky flavor, erect grower, bears young and abundantly. 

 Other good summer pears, such as the Le Conte, Clapp's Favorite, Souve- 



