State Agricultural Society. 163 



with the skill and industry of her horticulturists, is proving, beyond a 

 question, to be one of the best fruit growing countries in the world. 

 The area of our territory is such that we have a diversified climate, 

 which enables us to produce fruits of all climes worthy of cultivation, 

 from the apple and pear of our Northern homes to the orange, the lime, 

 and the olive of the tropics. 



The quality of our fruits cannot be excelled; and they are now being 

 produced throughout our State in such quantities as to far more than 

 equal home consumption. Our fruit raisers are beginning to realize that 

 we have a climate with peculiar advantages for drying fruits and 

 making raisins, and have already demonstrated that this industry can 

 be made a paying one to themselves, and of immense value to the State. 



The process of making raisins and prunes is simple. The prunes are 

 picked when fully matured, and exposed to the sun (spread on boards 

 or tables prepared for the purpose) for several days, turning occasionally; 

 and when dried sufficiently they are taken and dipped in water to 

 moisten them. They are then placed in a hot oven on shallow pans for 

 a few minutes, until thoroughly heated, to start the sugar in them. 

 They are then spread again to cool, and when cool and dry are ready to 

 be packed down for market. Raisins are made in a similar manner, 

 with the exception that they require no fire heat. 



For want of proper statistics I am unable to state the amount of 

 money paid annually for dried fruits and raisins imported into the State; 

 but it will be safe to say that we are paying more than a million and a 

 half of dollars to other countries for what we have in abundance within 

 our own boundaries. How much better, then, for the interests of our 

 fruit gi'owers, and the State at large, when we can produce enough of 

 the above mentioned articles to meet the call for home consumption, 

 thereby retaining at home the immense sums of money sent abroad 

 annually to pay those who do supply the demand. This state of things 

 cannot remain so long. We shall soon be able to supply the whole 

 Pacific Coast with all varieties of dried fruits, and have a large surplus 

 to export to the Atlantic States. 



The foregoing statement of this new interest among us (which, with- 

 out doubt, is justly entitled to the gold medal) is most respectfully sub- 

 mitted for your consideration. 



ED. F. AIKEN. 



SEVENTH DEPARTMENT. 



STATEMENT OF JACOB ZECH, OF SAN FRANCISCO. 

 To the Gold Medal Committee: 



In compliance with requirement of exhibitors to file written statement 

 of claim, I beg to submit the following reasons for claiming a gold medal 

 in the seventh department — fine arts: 



First — My pianos are entirely of California manufacture, are of supe- 

 rior workmanship, are fully as good, if not superior in tone and finish, 

 to any imported pianos, and are unqualifiedly superior to the imported 



