366 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



San Bernardino County produces everything grown in the temperate 

 and some things that flourish in the torrid zone. The Secretary of the 

 San Bernardino Board of Trade gathered from reliable sources the follow- 

 ing information in January, this year, viz.: 



A FEW FACTS RELATIVE TO HER PRODUCTS AND IMPROVEMENTS. 



Population of the county, 35,000. The assessed valuation of all prop- 

 erty in the county, $26,250,680. Rate of taxation, State and county, $1 25 

 outside, and $1 inside the limits of incorporated towns. The county is free 

 from debt. The county ranks first in the State in the amount of school 

 property per child, and fifth in total valuation of school property. 



There are 528 miles of standard gauge, 32-§ miles of motor and narrow 

 gauge, and 21 miles of electric railroads (last temporarily operated by 

 horse-power) in the county. 



Shipments of oranges, season of 1887-8, 760 carloads; product present 

 season estimated at 1,050 carloads. Raisin shipments the past year, about 

 325 carloads; dried fruit shipments the past year, over 1,150 tons; wine, 

 product the past year, about 250,000 gallons; honey, product the past year, 

 about #135 tons; canned fruits, product the past year, 30,000 cases; barley, 

 product the past year, 240,000 sacks; lumber, product the past year, 

 7,400,000 feet; wool clipped the past year, 350,000 pounds; gold and silver, 

 product the past year, $850,000. There are about 5,000 acres in the county 

 seeded to alfalfa, part of which is used for grazing and part for hay. The 

 shipments in lemons, limes, English walnuts, and almonds are small. 

 Aside from what is dried, canned, or otherwise put up, the crops of peaches, 

 apricots, nectarines, prunes, apples, pears, figs, and olives are used locally. 

 Wheat, oats, and Indian corn are grown in small quantities, and every kind 

 of garden vegetable in great profusion. Lime is a prominent product of 

 the county. Colton marble and building stone are gaining a name away 

 from home. South Riverside boasts of the best tin mine on the continent, 

 also coal, mineral paint, and gypsum deposits; and in the northern part of 

 the county there are heavy deposits of borax, iron, and salt. 



Evidently, for want of full information, the Secretary omitted important 

 products. The foothill and mountain valleys of this county produce 

 cherries and apples that are not excelled in the world for flavor and keep- 

 ing qualities, and they are grown in paying quantities. As high as $250 

 to $300 per acre were realized from cherries and apples in 1888 from trees 

 ranging in age from six to thirteen years. The leading products of this 

 county are now oranges and raisins. Each year increases the growth of 

 oranges, and the quality is unsurpassed. Neither the scale of any kind 

 nor the vine disease has so far injured an orchard or vineyard. Doubtless 

 its inland situation is unfavorable to scale. 



Trusting the foregoing will be deemed worthy a place in your next report 

 to the State Agricultural Society, I am, 

 Yours respectfully, 



JOHN WASSON. 



