THE MONTHLY Bl;LLETIN. 581 



THE KIND OF FRUIT THAT PAYS. 



By Geo. P. Weldon, Chief Deputy Commissioner of Horticulture, Sacramento, Cal. 



California is noted for its splendid fruits, and the climate of the 

 State is such that a great diversity of them may be grown. Certain 

 sections are found to be best adapted to the growing of certain fruits, 

 and the prospective orchardist can find practically anything to his 

 liking somewhere within the State. 



The kind of fruit that one should grow will depend largely upon 

 what has been tested in the particular locality where he settles and 

 which has proven a success. 



It matters not whether peaches, apricots, apples, pears, prunes, 

 oranges, lemons, or cherries are grown, the one rule holds true, that 

 only good fruit will command the best prices. The variety of a par- 

 ticular kind of fruit, whether citrus or deciduous, may mean much but 

 size and quality usually mean much more. Small, scabby, ill-shapen 

 fruit i.s not desirable, and the man who neglects his orchard to the 

 extent that his fruit will be of low grade must surely take the con- 

 sequences in the way of poor prices, and often failure, where success 

 should be his. 



The statement has often been made that there are more fruit growers 

 than orchardists. California may well boast of her orchardi.sts. As a 

 class I am told they are men who could succeed in almost any other line 

 of business. Many of them are college or university graduates. Up-to- 

 date scientific methods appeal to them, and no efforts are spared to 

 check disease when it appears ; to fight insect pests that threaten their 

 crops ; to prune intelligently ; to fertilize properly ; in fact, to do every- 

 thing that tends to improve the size, appearance, and quality of their 

 fruit. 



There are three things that are of great importance in practically 

 every orchard, viz, fertilization, pruning and thinning. Besides these 

 there are often insect pests or fungous diseases that require attention. 

 Spraying may have to be done to control certain of these, and the man 

 who studies his orchard so that he knows how and when to fertilize, 

 when to prune, when to thin and when to spray for insect pests or 

 diseases, is the man who is going to make the greatest success. 



It is true that there are many troubles of the orchard that are not 

 well enough understoood so that they may be controlled, and it is neces- 

 sary to be constantly alert, ready to experiment with things that 

 promise to give aid, and to co-operate with those who are giving their 

 time to the solution of such problems. 



None of the specific problems that we have will be discussed in this 

 article, but from time to time it is hoped that some of these may be 

 taken up in articles for the Bulletin. There are many conditions of 

 soil, climate and locality that must be considered in making recom- 

 mendations for the care of an orchard. The field worker should bring 

 himself into close touch with all these problems throughout the State 

 that so vitally effect the grade and quality of our fruit. 



Many illustrations might be given of good fruit selling for a good 

 price and bringing a nice profit to the grower, while poor fruit on the 

 same market Ijrought nothinsr. Cases of this kind are familiar to 



