State Agricultural Society. 379 



with fine timber, such as pine, spruce, cedar, live oak, etc., and along 

 their base lie the gold quartz mining districts of the count)'. This sec- 

 tion, so rich in the resources needed to build up a commercial center, 

 only awaits the opening of an outlet to a market by the advent of the 

 railroad on its proposed line through San Gorgonio Pass, to be occupied 

 by a large and thrifty class. Here are thousands of acres of Govern- 

 ment land which ere long will become a portion of the productive " back 

 country" of this port. 



Previous to eighteen hundred and sixty-eight this county was one vast 

 stock range, while comparatively nothing had been done in the way of 

 raising cereals or fruit, and as we have had three seasons of drought 

 since then, the efforts in that direction have been limited, but the past 

 favorable season has given an impetus in that direction which will, if 

 continued, soon change the character of the export products. Enough 

 has been done, however, to demonstrate that both soil and climate are 

 adapted to the growth of all kinds of grain, the yield the past season 

 being about two hundred thousand centals of wheat, fifty thousand cen- 

 tals of barley, in addition to the general crops of the section, while the 

 yield of fruits, so far as they have been grown, will compare favorably 

 with any locality in flavor, size, and productiveness. 



GRAIN. 



In some sections of the county every year, and in all sections in favor- 

 able ones, grain of all kinds may be grown, yet the future wealth of 

 this county will come largely from its production of fruits, as it is so 

 well adapted to the growth of all kinds, from the hardy fruits of the 

 North to the semi-tropical ones of the Southern clime. 



FRUIT. 



Practical experiments have demonstrated that lemons, limes, guavas, 

 almonds, figs, pomegranates, olives, and Italian and Spanish chestnuts, 

 are adapted to this locality, while orange and English walnut trees 

 flourish, and, when of sufficient age, there is no reason why they should 

 not produce. as good fruit as those of our neighboring counties. Apples, 

 pears, peaches, quinces, nectarines, apricots, and grapes are unexcelled 

 for general culture, while some of the other varieties, like plums, cher- 

 ries, etc., will require experienced cultivators to make them a success. 

 Berries of all kinds do well, but require a large amount of water. 



There is scarcely a variety of fruit for which we annually pay large 

 sums to foreign nations, but might be grown here, and many of* them of 

 a superior qualit} T . The climate is not only favorable for their produc- 

 tion, but for curing such as require drying, and this county alone might 

 in a short time supply the United States with fruits for which we now 

 send abroad. 



The choice varieties of figs do much better here than in more north- 

 erly sections, and the cured fruit is equal to tiny imported. This county 

 is especially adapted to the cultivation of grapes; the finer varieties, 

 such as will not mature in climates where frosts prevail, are grown, pro- 

 ducing abundantly the largest and most delicious fruit. Table and 

 raisin grapes are the principal varieties. 



As to which kind of fruit shall eventually prove the most profitable, 

 it is too soon to tell. The olive has been cultivated at the mission, six 

 miles from the bay, for seven ty-five years, and the trees are to-day ap- 



