AGRICULTURE AND SOILS OF CALIFORNIA. 503 
culture. While the orange and lemon product is marketed without dif- 
ficulty and at good prices, the millions of excellent limes borne by the 
hedges customary in the southern part of the State are still mostly 
allowed to decay where they fall. The manufacture of citric acid can 
hardly fail before long to put an end to this waste of precious material. 
The pomegranate, which is to some extent similarly used, generally 
finds a ready sale for its fruit. The olive,so generally found around the 
old missions as a relic of the past, has not so far found its place in gen- 
eral culture; and on the shelves of the grocers in the cities we still find 
the same mixtures of cotton-seed, peanut, and other oils, with a modicum 
of the genuine product of the olive, that form the standing complaint of 
salad-eaters throughout the United States. The subject of clive culture 
has of late attracted considerable attention, and small quantities of ex- 
cellent oil have been made in various parts of the State, proving beyond 
cavil that its production can be made an important industry. The cul- 
ture of the fig in California is coextensive with that of the vine, and 
both fresh and dried fruit of the highest quality is found in the market. 
Asio nuts, the European walnut, Italian chestnut, and almond are those 
whose culture on a large scale has been successfully carried out. The 
filbert may also be mentioned. Of these, the almond has been made 
the subject of the largest experiments, and, as might be expected, there 
have been numerous disappointments in consequence of the selection 
of unsuitable localities, subject to light frosts at the time of bloom. 
The best results have been obtained in situations moderately elevated 
above the valleys, ‘‘ thermal belts,” where the cold air cannot accumu- 
late. The quality of the product leaves nothing to be desired, where 
proper care is had in selection of varieties. 
The Japanese persimmon promises here, as in the Southern United 
States, to prove an important acquisition. The jujube, the carob, the 
pistachio nut, and many others are under trial. 
Of small fruits, the strawberry is in the market during the twelve 
months of the year. Raspberries and blackberries are largely grown, 
both for market and canning. The currant is of especial excellence 
and size, and is extensively grown between the rows in orchards. 
Gooseberries have not been altogether successful in general culture. 
A good deal has been said and written about coffee culture. It was 
currently reported that a kind of coffee grew wild in the foot-hills, and 
of course the real coffee must sueceed. The “wild coffee,” however, is 
simply the California buckthorn (Frangula Californica), and of course no. 
more suitable for a beverage than turnip-seed. ‘True, coffee trees are 
now growing at numerous points in the State, but it is not probable 
that the culture will prove a success outside of South California. 
GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 
The grape-vine was among the culture plants introduced earliest by 
the Catholic missionaries. ‘The similarity of the California climate to 
that of the vine-growing regions of the Mediterranean would naturally 
suggest the probable success of vine culture, corroborated by the fact 
that a native vine, albeit with a somewhat acid and unpalatable fruit, 
grows abundantly along the banks of all the larger streams. The grape 
variety introduced by the missionaries, and still universally known as 
the “ Mission” grape, was probably the outcome of seed brought from 
Spain ; it most resembles that of the vineyards which furnish the “Beni- 
earlo” wine. It is a rather pale-blue, small, round berry, forming at 
times very large and somewhat straggling bunches. It is very sweet, 
