150 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



STATISTICS. 

 VARIETIES OF FRUITS FOR CALIFORNIA PLANTING, 



By Geo. P. Weldon. 



As success in the fruit business depends so much on the varieties 

 planted, the greatest care should be exercised in choosing them. To 

 determine which are adapted to the varied conditions of different locali- 

 ties in a state, requires years of experimental work. With the knowl- 

 edge acquired from such experimental plantings in the past, we are 

 enabled to .judge fairly well in the case of most of our fruits, as to 

 which particular varieties may be expected to meet our individual 

 conditions. It is a well known fact that varieties which will do well 

 in one place fail entirely in another; so that the fact that one has been 

 growing a certain variety to perfection under certain conditions should 

 not influence him in favor of that variety under conditions elsewhere, 

 unless they are known to be similar. The only safe guide to the choice 

 of varieties is the old orchards where certain of them have been grown 

 successfully through a long series of years. If such orchards can not be 

 found, experimental work must necessarily be done, the only other guide 

 available being that furnished through a knowledge of similar con- 

 ditions elsewhere. 



The process of determining which varieties are valuable being exceed- 

 ingly slow, we should not expect results too quickly, and because there 

 are favorities for planting at present the experimental work should 

 not cease entirely, for the future will undoubtedly see better varieties 

 of most of our fruits. Experimental work should not be done in a 

 large way by growers, who must receive a financial benefit at the earliest 

 possible moment, but if at all, in a small way, trusting to the experiment 

 stations to perform the larger service. Certain varieties are now recog- 

 nized in California as being of great commercial value. These should 

 be chosen for planting after a careful study of their adaptation to local 

 conditions and needs. 



The following list of varieties, while very small in comparison to the 

 large number which might be included, is made up of the favorite kinds 

 for California. There are others than those mentioned that may be 

 doing well in certain localities, possibly better than any on the list 

 would do under similar conditions. It will nevertheless serve as a guide 

 to planting of the most popular and successful varieties. 



An attempt has been macie to give these names in the order of their 

 present popularity within the state, .judging from the data on varieties, 

 given by the forty-four county horticultural commissioners in their 

 1914 reports to this office : 



Almonds.— NONPAREIL. TEXAS PROLIFIC. DRAKE SEEDLTXC. 

 IXL, NE PLUS ULTRA. 



Apples.— YELLOW BELLFLOWER, YELLOAV NEWTOWN, CRAV- 

 ENSTEIN, WINTER PEARMAIN, ROME BEAUTY, 

 JONATHAN. 



Apricots.— ROYAL, BLENHEni, :\IOORPARK, IIEMSKIRKE, TIL- 

 TON. 



