CHAPTER XVII 



THE APPLE 



During the last decade notable progress has been made in apple 

 growing in California. The old idea that our conditions did not favor 

 excellence in the apple has given away to full assurance that in wisely 

 selected elevations and exposures the very highest points of size, 

 beauty, flavor, keeping and shipping qualities are secured. Even before 

 the wonderfully satisfactory test of both northern and southern Cali- 

 fornia apples at the New Orleans World's Fair, it was clear that the 

 right variety grown in the right place yields an apple in California 

 than which a better can not be grown anywhere, and during the last 

 five years California early apples have been in sharp request for ship- 

 ment to all regions of the Northwest and British Columbia, and Cali- 

 fornia winter apples have been sold at the highest prices east of the 

 Rocky Mountains and in Europe. Shipments beyond State lines of 

 above four thousand carloads in 1910 testify to these facts. 



Localities for Apples. Speaking generally, it may be laid down 

 that the great valleys of the interior are not well suited to the apple ; 

 also, there are some situations which are much better than others. In 

 the early regions of the Sacramento Valley and foothills, however, ex- 

 cellent early apples are profitably produced. In the great valley and 

 lower foothill region of the State, the late apple usually lacks character 

 and keeping quality. On the great plains the tree is liable to sunburn, 

 or sun blight, as it is called. Some varieties, because of the character 

 of their foliage, are less liable to this injury than others, and it is 

 possible that this evil may be finally overcome by the selection of 

 varieties with blight-proof foliage, as will be mentioned later. In the 

 great valley, however, on the rich river-bottom land of the Sacramento 

 and the San Joaquin and its tributaries, the apple roots deeply, attains 

 good size, bears good fruit, with fair keeping quality, while but a few 

 miles away on the plains it is inferior. 



In the interior, adaptation to the apple lies at an elevation on the 

 foothills on both the east and west rims of the great valley. Its limits 

 are not well defined, but there are flourishing orchards at an elevation 

 of about four thousand five hundred feet on the slopes of the Sierra 

 Nevada Mountains, and from two thousand to three thousand five 

 hundred feet is commonly regarded the best apple region of the moun- 

 tains. The trees attain large size and bear heavily, and the fruit, of 

 well-adapted varieties, is large, crisp, juicy and has exceptional keep- 

 ing- qualities. On the Tule River in Tulare County, at an elevation of 

 4100 feet, eight-year-old Winesaps have borne 300 pounds, Yellow 

 Newtown Pippins 250 pounds, and White Winter Pearmains 300 

 pounds per tree. At such elevations, however, there is constant danger 

 of spring frost injury. 



Along the coast the apple succeeds well from end to end of the 

 State, and very close to the ocean excellent fruit is produced on good 



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