PART TWO: CULTURAL 



CHAPTER VII 



CLEARING LAND FOR FRUIT 



The greater part of the orchard and vineyard area of this State 

 was naturally almost clear for planting. The removal of large trees, 

 which paid the cost of the work in firewood, or the grubbing out of 

 willows on some especially rich bottom land, was about the extent 

 of clearing which our earlier planters had to undertake, and many 

 of them perhaps never had to lift an axe. Still there has always 

 been some clearing done, here and there, ever since the earliest days, 

 especially upon hill lands, the peculiar value of which for some fruits 

 is generally recognized. 



Though in most cases of clearing by the actual settler himself the 

 problem is merely one of muscle and persistence, using the best 

 appliances one can afford, some few hints may be given from the 

 experience of others which may be useful. Spare time during the 

 summer and fall can often be used to advantage with a sharp axe 

 in trimming up the smaller trees, which are large enough to yield 

 fencing material, and getting out posts from the redwoods and oaks, 

 and rails and pickets from the pines. By thus using the waste 

 material the settler can often get out enough fencing material to in- 

 close his land and thus save considerable expense. Brush, too, 

 which cannot be made use of, can be lopped off in short, all the 

 sharp axe work can be done in a dry time. The actual clearing, 

 however, should be done in winter, when the ground is wet and soft, 

 and digging is easy or "snaking out" is possible. 



Partial and Thorough Clearings. Orchards are planted on both 

 partially and thoroughly cleared land. By the former practice clear- 

 ing enough is done to give space for the tree holes, the debris is 

 burned up, and the trees planted. In this kind of work the stumps 

 are left to be taken out at a convenient season, the object being to 

 get fruit trees to growing as soon as possible. Where one is work- 

 ing with little more than his own muscle, and has no capital, this 

 soirt of planting is better, perhaps, than not planting at all, but it 

 must be borne in mind that all subsequent work will be done at a 

 great disadvantage, and as cultivation is likely to be very imperfect, 

 it would be a question whether in the end anything would be gained 

 by such a plan. The encumbered character of the ground will, of 

 course, prevent the use of the horse in cultivation until most of the 

 stumps are removed. Whenever possible the clearing for fruit 

 should be thorough, everything which will interfere with good cul- 

 tivation removed ; roots grubbed so that as little shooting up as pos- 



