226 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



is something that may be expected in some years, and our producers should 

 find therein no reason to complain. The California walnut has come to 

 stay. It is a better nut, when freshness is considered, than the best im- 

 ported; and the far western trade, we think, prefer them to the imported 

 goods. The walnut industry has not grown as rapidly as some of our Cal- 

 ifornia fruit industries, but there is a very wide field. Land for growing 

 them is abundant at reasonable prices; and we see no reason why Califor- 

 nia, within the next decade, should not supply the United -States with all 

 the walnuts they want. The best walnuts — or the most properly prepared 

 for market — come from Los Nietos, in Southern California. Santa Bar- 

 bara also produced a fine nut; but they have not taken as yet the same 

 pains in grading or bleaching them as their friends in Los Nietos have. 



California Almonds. — The market this year has been dull and slow for 

 our almonds. The crop was not as large as was expected; but, notwith- 

 standing this fact, the demand from the East, where the bulk of them are 

 placed, has been sluggish in the extreme. The soft-shelled almond of 

 California is a fine nut. It is not as large as the Tarragona imported 

 almond, but it is of softer shell, and for the consumer is the cheapest and 

 best nut to buy. Tarragona almonds are large, coarse, thick-shelled nuts; 

 and the purchaser pays his money for a pretty good percentage of shells. 

 As the California becomes better known, we have no doubt whatever that 

 they will drive out the imported goods. The imported almonds still have 

 a pretty strong hold on the far eastern trade; but the California soft- 

 shelled almonds are generally called for by the far western trade. Like 

 the walnut, the almond industry has not advanced as rapidly as it should; 

 still a great many new orchards are being planted out, and take it one 

 year with another it is a good paying industry. The area that can be 

 devoted to almond raising in California is very large; and lands for this 

 purpose can be bought at very reasonable prices. 



Extracted Honey. — The output this season fell a good deal short of what 

 was anticipated, which, consequently, made prices much better. The qual- 

 ity, also, is good, and the color especially is much finer; and we have had 

 more extra white honey this year than we have seen for a long time. The 

 honey of California is beyond question the finest produced in the world. 

 Another thing in its favor is that the honey shipped from California is, as 

 a rule, pure. Where adulterations have been indulged in, it has gener- 

 ally been done after the honey leaves this State. There is in fact little or 

 nothing that could be used here for adulterating the honey but that is 

 worth as much as the honey itself. We notice that our suggestion in regard 

 to using new tins and cases is being more generally adopted, and this is to 

 the benefit of the producer. Honey which is put up in that shape will 

 generally bring enough more to pay for the extra cost; and it looks much 

 neater and more tasty in that shape. It is to be deplored that the con- 

 sumption of pure honey throughout the country is not larger than it now 

 is. The article is cheap enough for any one. It is a wholesome article of 

 food, and can take the place of butter, as well as being used in various 

 other ways on the table. Yet, notwithstanding this, it is only right to say 

 that the sale of honey has been languishing for a number of years. Just 

 why this is, it is very difficult to tell. Pure honey is an article that ought 

 to be found in every household in the country. 



California Comb Honey. — The output of this, like extracted, has been 

 comparatively light this year; and good prices for choice goods have been 



