234 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



THE EARLY CITRUS FRUITS OF PLACER COUNTY. 



Its Record at the Citrus and State Fairs of California. 



Newcastle, December 1, 1887. 



The Northern and Central California Citrus Fair which was held at 

 Sacramento in January, 1886, was started more as a novelty and as a 

 pastime than for any other purpose. The idea was suggested that a lot of 

 oranges massed together would be a beautiful sight. The suggestion was 

 acted upon, and the result was something not anticipated by even the most 

 fanciful. There were thousands upon thousands of the prettiest golden- 

 hued spheres upon which the sun ever shone. The originators of the affair 

 were not surprised to a greater extent than were those who contributed 

 most largely of their fruits, and who had for years been eating oranges 

 grown upon their own and upon their neighbors' trees. Among the people 

 of Placer County it was tacitly understood that the orange tree would 

 thrive and produce fruit in large quantities, but their success with decid- 

 uous fruits had been of such a gratifying nature that it never occurred to 

 them that a new and more profitable source of revenue was at their hands. 

 Not only were they not alive to the advantages of citrus culture, but they 

 had never placed the product of their orange trees in comparison with the 

 product of other sections ; but when the Placer oranges were placed side by 

 side with the exhibit of Washington Navel oranges from Riverside, and 

 were pronounced superior in size, beauty, and flavor to the Riverside ex- 

 hibit, and when they became aware that of all Southern California oranges 

 the Riverside product it considered the best, then they thought Placer 

 County was pretty lucky in making such a display. In a short time the 

 feeling changed into a belief that Placer had done well. ' After more con- 

 sideration, it was apparent that the Placer County people were beginning 

 to feel a little elated, and after having received a shower of flattering com- 

 pliments from private sources and the press, and being generally patted 

 upon the back, they began to whoop and hurrah, and everybody joined 

 with them in their rejoicing. 



placer's record at the fairs. 



This Fair was held at a time when the bulk of the Placer County crop 

 had already been marketed — orange shipping that season having com- 

 menced at Newcastle as early as the latter part of November. Notwith- 

 standing this drawback, Placer County exhibitors were awarded a fine lot 

 of the most valuable premiums, and the exhibitors returned to their homes 

 elated, and determined to do still better another year. This was about 

 the situation of the orange interest up to January, 1886, in Placer County. 

 The interest awakened in this direction, however, was wonderful, and the 

 immediate demand for orange trees for that season's planting became so 

 great that all the available nursery stock of that variety was at once 

 exhausted, and many were obliged to postpone planting for another season. 

 During the intervening period, between the first Citrus Fair and that 



