50 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



confined to fewer hands, was profitable also. The idea that quality 

 rather than size should be striven for, led to more discrimination in 

 propagation and better treatment of trees. 



The decade from 1858 to 1868 was one of quiet in the fruit interest 

 of California. Many of the too hastily and carelessly planted trees 

 died from lack of proper cultivation and pruning, and the borer 

 wrought sad havoc. In 1860 and 1861 there was serious depression. 

 It is recorded that peaches were worth but one cent a pound, and 

 many were allowed to go to waste as not worth gathering. The flood 

 of 1862 destroyed many trees along the Sacramento River, and replant- 

 ing was slow until prices began to improve, as they did soon afterward. 

 The rapid development of the mining interest in Nevada, and the 

 construction of roads across the Sierras, opened the way for the dis- 

 position of much fruit growth in the foothills and in the region around 

 Sacramento. 



The imports of dried and canned fruits were large, and growers 

 were exhorted to take steps to secure this trade for themselves. Some- 

 thing was done in this direction, for by 1867 the local product of 

 canned fruit was equal to the demand. Drying did not advance so 

 fast; for two years later there were imports of six thousand barrels 

 of dried apples, while the hundreds of thousands of bushels of the fruit 

 were rotting under the trees in our orchards. 



The decade under review was also notable for the first appearance 

 of cured raisins and prunes at the State Fair of 1863. The raisins 

 were from the Muscat of Alexandria grape, and the report states that 

 so-called raisins exhibited previous to that time were merely dried 

 grapes. Dr. J. Strentzel, of Martinez, was the first exhibitor of Muscat 

 raisins, and he exhibited also dried grapes of four varieties to show 

 the contrast between a raisin and a dried grape. J. R. Nickerson, of 

 Placer county, exhibited the dried prunes, which were of the German 

 variety. 



Though this decade was one of uncertainty and doubt, there were 

 rich lessons of experience learned, and the foundations for coming 

 greatness were well laid. Many of our leading lines of production 

 trace their beginnings to this period, and their later developments have 

 been beyond any anticipations then cherished. 



The New Era. Another era in California may be marked as 

 beginning with the year 1869, because then the first fresh fruits were 

 sent East over the newly-opened overland line. The first season's 

 shipments amounted to thirty-three tons of pears, apples, grapes, and 

 plums; in 1870 seventy carloads, or about seven hundred tons, were 

 sent. 



The Eastern shipment of fresh fruits began its new era with the 

 year 1886, when the first full train load of fifteen cars of fresh fruit 

 from deciduous trees went overland. Shipping train loads of oranges 

 from Southern California began at an earlier date. 



During the present decade shipments of fruit and fruit-products 

 have increased until a very large aggregate in weight and value has 



