STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 187 



will keep pace with the production, the predictions of prophets of evil to 



tin' contrary notwithstanding. 



DRIED FRUITS. 



In tlic past the absence of transportation facilities for green fruits, at 

 reasonable rates, gave an impetus to the production of dried fruits. This 

 impetus was accelerated by the vastly improved process of drying and 

 evaporating. This branch of fruit production was. in some degree, inde- 

 pendent of railway rates. Its growth has been steady for a number of 

 years, and has now reached enormous proportions. The following is the 

 table of the production for 1885, representing a total value of several mil- 

 lions of dollars: 



Prunes l,f.50,(H><> pounds. 



Apples - - -- -- . 1,820,000 pounds- 

 Peaches - 1,900,000 pounds- 



Plums 1,209,000 pounds- 

 Pears -- ---- 100,000 pounds. 



Nectarines 80,000 pounds- 



With the present lowered rates it is reasonable to expect a rapid increase 

 in the future. 



OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL. 



Like the citrus fruits, olives were early grown at the old missions of the 

 low T er and middle portions of the State. The product was small, as the 

 demand was limited; but it was fully demonstrated that California soil 

 and climate are admirably adapted to the perfect growth of the olive tree 

 and its products. In late years the olive has been planted in all parts of 

 the State with unvarying success. In all the counties of the Sacramento 

 and San Joaquin basin large, vigorous olive trees may be seen, that have 

 been prolific bearers for years. There is no reason why California should 

 not produce all the olives and olive oil consumed in this country. This 

 industry has, in the last two or three years, received a largely increased 

 impetus. Inasmuch as the olive is one of the hardiest of trees, little 

 troubled with insects or disease, and well adapted to either the valleys or 

 foothills, we may look for a largely increased area devoted to its growth. 

 The profits of olive growing are large. Spain, in her present low condition 

 of agriculture, produces nearly $300,000,000 worth of olive oil annually. 

 We could, within ten years, have an equally large product. California is 

 the only portion of the United States that can successfully grow the olive. 



CITRUS FRUIT. 



I have, in a general way, spoken of the past of citrus fruit growing. 

 From that we see that the citrus fruit production in the lower part of the 

 State has become an old and well established industry. The production 

 for eastern shipment in 1885 was, approximately, 1,200 carloads. The 

 area devoted to citrus growth has vastly increased within the last five 

 years. California oranges, within the last two years, achieved a com- 

 manding position in all the eastern markets. The destruction of the citrus 

 trees of Florida this past Winter, points to California as the only reliable 

 citrus region in the United States, and promises to give our citrus fruit a 

 commanding lead in eastern markets. In upper California the industry of 

 citrus fruit growing has received a great impetus within the past year. The 

 planting of orange and lemon trees for ornament, more than a third of a 



