MISSION FRUITS IN AMERICAN OCCUPATION 43 



Robinson described the orchards connected with the Mission of San 

 Gabriel as very extensive, having among their trees oranges, citrons, 

 limes, apples, pears, peaches, pomegranates, and figs. There were 

 also grapes in abundance. Edwin Bryant noticed at San Luis Obispo 

 Mission the orange, fig, date-palm, olive, and grape. E. S. Capron, 

 in a general enumeration of the fruits grown at the missions, includes 

 cherries. 



Early Planting by Others than the Padres. Though the earlier 

 Spanish population had the example of successful horticulture before 

 them for half a century at the missions, they did not seem inclined 

 to emulate the efforts of the padres upon their own grounds, except 

 in occasional instances. General Vallejo planted fruit trees in 

 Sonoma Valley as early as 1830, and of his place it is said : "It is 

 an old and well-cultivated place, well known in all the northern 

 portions of California while this State was still Mexican territory." 

 Exceptions there were also at the south. The old fruit garden on 

 the Camulos Rancho, in Ventura county, has become famous. Fre- 

 mont, writing of his observations in 1846, says that among the arid, 

 brush-covered hills south of San Diego he found little valleys con- 

 verted by a single spring into crowded gardens, where pears, 

 peaches, quinces, pomegranates, grapes, olives, and other fruits grew 

 luxuriantly together. 



Scarcely had six years elapsed subsequent to the settlement of 

 the pueblo of San Jose on its present site before the inhabitants 

 were enjoying the benefits of luxurious fruits. Before 1805 more 

 fruit was grown than could be disposed of in its natural state. 



Decline of the Mission Orchards. The decline of most of the 

 mission orchards and gardens followed the secularization of the 

 establishments in 1834. There were a few exceptions, where the 

 mission lands fell into enterprising Spanish or American hands. 

 During the years of neglect, the more tender trees died, and the 

 more hardy survived. The pear and the olive vied with the vine in 

 withstanding drouth and the trampling and browsing of the cattle 

 that roamed unmolested through the deserted gardens. These pears, 

 as will be described presently, were turned to good account by the 

 early American settlers ; the olive, fig and vine furnished cuttings 

 for most of the plantations made during the first twenty years or 

 more of American occupation. 



But it seems that not all the mission orchards were permitted to 

 fall into decay after secularization. In 1846 Edwin Bryant found 

 at the Mission San Jose two gardens inclosed by high adobe walls. 

 The area was from fifteen to twenty acres, all of which was planted 

 with fruit trees and grape vines. There were about six hundred 

 pear trees and a large number of apple and peach trees, all bearing 

 fruit in great abundance, the quality of the pears being excellent, 

 the apples and peaches indifferent. Other visitors to some of the 

 mission orchards between the events of secularization and American 

 occupation speak of being regaled with pears and milk, a dish which 

 seemed to them ambrosial after the weary journeys overland across 

 the deserts, or after months of ship fare. 



