CHAPTER V 



CALIFORNIA MISSION FRUITS 



Cultivated fruits were first brought into California from the 

 south. Mission work among the Indians of Lower California was 

 actually begun by the establishment of the mission at Loreto by 

 Salvatierra, October 19, 1697. The following years horses and cattle 

 were brought from Mexico, and from this introduction came ulti- 

 mately the vast herds which roamed the hills and plains of Cali- 

 fornia. Probably the first seeds and plants of cultivated vegetables 

 and fruits came about the same time, for there was a small garden 

 and a few fruit trees at Loreto in 1701. But Loreto was not fitted 

 for horticulture, and in the same year an expedition in charge of 

 Father Ugarte, who is called the founder of agriculture in Lower 

 California, crossed over the mountains to a more suitable location 

 at the mission of Vigge Biaundo, which had been destroyed some 

 time before by hostile Indians. Ugarte restored the mission, made 

 irrigating ditches, and planted fruit trees and vines. This effort was 

 successful from a horticultural point of view, for in 1707 Ugarte 

 made more wine than would suffice for mission use, and sent some 

 to Mexico in exchange for other goods. Thus began the export trade 

 in California wine. 



The Jesuits continued their establishment of missions in Lower 

 California until there were fifteen missions, at five of which there 

 were vineyards, and presumably as many or more which had gardens 

 with fruit trees. 



The variety of fruits grown in Lower California was small. They 

 had figs, oranges, citrons, pomegranates, plantains, and some olives 

 and dates. There^were no North European fruits, with the exception 

 of a few peaches, which, however, did not appear to thrive. 



The Jesuits were supplanted in Lower California, in 1768, by the 

 Franciscans. The Franciscans, led by Junipero Serra, at once 

 pressed northward, and entered the territory which is now the State 

 of California. Their first establishment was at San Diego, in 1769. 

 Thence they proceeded northward, braving many perils, and under- 

 going great hardships, establishing missions through the coast re- 

 gion of the State. Credit is given to the secular head of the expedi- 

 tion to San Diego, Don Jose de Galvez, representing the king of 

 Spain, for ordering the carrying of seeds of fruit, grains, vegetables, 

 and flowers into the new territory, and from the planting at San 

 Diego the same varieties were taken to the twenty missions after- 

 wards established. 



Kinds of Fruit at the Missions. It is of no little interest to ascer- 

 tain how great a variety of fruits was grown in these mission or- 

 chards. Vancouver, in 1792, found a fine orchard at Santa Clara, 

 with apple, peach, pear, apricot, and fig trees, all thrifty and promis- 

 ing. He also describes at the mission of San Buena Ventura apples, 

 pears, plums, figs, oranges, grapes, peaches and pomegranates. 



