COAST CLIMATES OF CALIFORNIA 13 



varies from deserts as much as 280 feet below the sea to Shasta, 14,380 

 feet, or the High Sierra, where 66 peaks exceed 10,000 feet in height, 

 while 40 exceed 13,000 feet, and Mount Whitney rises to 14,502 feet." 



It is apparent then, in view of such diversity, that the selection of 

 locations for orchards must be made with a knowledge of special condi- 

 tions governing the distribution of equal temperatures and other natural 

 agencies contributing to the development of fruit. This distribution, as 

 has been intimated, is not by parallels of latitude, great circles which 

 appear as straight lines on a map, but by curves, which proceed in 

 various directions, governed chiefly by topography. These are curves 

 of temperature, of rainfall, of elevation, of soil formation and deposit. 

 Geography must be interpreted by topography and climatography. 



Let these ruling conditions be reviewed, then, briefly: First, as 

 to general areas; second, with reference to special situations and 

 locations. 



COAST CLIMATE 



The chief characteristics of the coast are equable temperature, 

 increasing southward ; summers cool and winters warm, as compared 

 with the interior; abundant rainfall, decreasing considerably south- 

 ward; a somewhat humid atmosphere, as compared with the interior; 

 frequent fogs or overcast skies; prevailing westerly winds. 



The extension of coast influence toward the interior is gov- 

 erned by local topography. Coast valleys open to ocean winds are 

 cooler and moister and demand hardier fruits than valleys sheltered 

 by intervening ranges. Gaps and passes in the ranges are subject to 

 winds of considerable force and low temperature, and are not generally 

 favorable for fruit ; on the other hand, situations sheltered on the north 

 and west favor growth of fruits even though quite near the coast. 

 Sometimes a distance of a few miles, sometimes a wind-break or 

 natural forest, or of planted trees, so modifies coast influences that 

 fruits do well. Elevation on the sides of coast valleys secures similar 

 results. For example, the floor of the Pajaro Valley is well suited 

 for apples, late pears, cherries, plums, prunes, and berries (except 

 gooseberries), while on adjacent hillsides peaches do well. 



In southern California, coast winds are warmer than in the upper 

 half of the State, but coast influences intrude further, as a rule, 

 because the hills near the coast in Southern California are low; the 

 high ranges, answering to the Coast Range of the upper part of 

 the State, trending far into the interior. On the coast side of these 

 ranges fruits ripen later than in sheltered interior points in the upper 

 part of the State, but eastward of the mountains, where soil and 

 moisture favor, or irrigation is practised, extra early locations have 

 been found and are now being rapidly developed in the Imperial 

 and adjacent valleys, for instance. 



Some of the horticultural effects of the conditions prevailing on 

 the coast may be described as follows : 



Late Ripening of Fruits. The late ripening of fruits west of 

 the mountains in southern California has just been mentioned. In- 

 trusion of coast influences has the same effect in more marked degree 



