70 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



about eight years ago. At the same period, or one or 

 two years later, Southern California began to attract 

 an immense amount of attention by its success in the 

 production of citrus fruits. It also became a compet- 

 Jtor of the northern and central valleys in the output 

 of peaches, apricots, raisins, walnuts, almonds, 

 pecans and all other products of the semi-tropics. 



THE RESULTS OF PROSPERITY. 



The results realized from the introduction of scien- 

 tific methods of cultivation were veiy gratifying to 

 all concerned. The first effect was seen in the di- 

 vision of large land properties into ten, twenty and 

 forty acre fruit farms. This resulted in an rapid 

 increase of population in the localities affected, both 

 urban and rural, for the cities and large towns were 

 naturally built up as the surrounding country was 

 filled with prosperous producers. There were profits 

 for real estate operators, profits for fruit-growers, 

 profits for nurserymen, profits for railroads and profits 

 for tradesmen in the towns But all this was based 

 on sound industrial development. Everybody pros- 

 pered because new values had actually been created. 

 Something had been added to the volume of com- 

 merce, and the money distributed through all the 

 channels of trade and industry was real wealth, which 

 came primarily as the result of applying honest labor to 

 good soil. The reckless town booms which preceded 

 this industrial evolution naturally came to grief. 

 They were based entirely on fictitious profits, existing 

 only in the fevered imaginations of speculative minds. 

 When the collapse came it was perfectly logical. 

 But no such explanation can fairly be offered for the 

 decline in the prosperity of the fruit industry, as it is 

 not generally true that land was sold for this business 

 upon an unreasonable valuation. 



HOW OTHER STATES ARE AFFECTED. 



The results of California's prosperity in the fruit 

 business extended far beyond the boundaries even of 

 that State of imperial dimensions. Thus it happens 

 that the problem with which California fruit growers 

 are now dealing is a matter of broad interest wherever 

 THE AGE is read in the West. The California fruit 

 industry became a type for many other States and 

 Territories. While the California climate confers 

 especial advantages, there are other localities in the 

 semi-tropic belt, and not only that, but California 

 methods of producing and marketing fruit are appli- 

 cable to the business when pursued in the temperate 

 zone with hardier fruits. For instance, an enterpris- 

 ing irrigation company in Colorado has adopted the 

 California plan in developing ten-acre fruit farms 

 near Denver. The same plans are being put into 

 operation in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Utah 

 is another field in the temperate zone which is deeply 

 interested in this problem. The southern portions of 

 New Mexico and Arizona are basing their hopes 



largely upon the wide adoption of California methods 

 by their people. So it happens that the California 

 fruit situation can only be intelligently considered by 

 a journal of general circulation, like THE IRRIGATION 

 AGE, with reference to the various parts of the arid 

 region which are capable of producing the deciduous 

 fruits in abundance. If there is any reason why the 

 industry is not to be profitable henceforth in Cali- 

 fornia it applies with equal force to other localities 

 that are as deeply interested prospectively as the 

 older State is actually. 



A VERY BAD MISTAKE. 



Before proceeding to the consideration of what the 

 Californians regard as a chief cause of the present 

 situation, it is well to point out one or two serious 

 mistakes chargeable to no one except themselves. 

 It cannot be denied that the raisin market was injured 

 by the shipment of a damaged crop two years ago. 

 A great reputation for the Fresno raisin had been 

 laboriously built up after years of effort, and this 

 reputation was seriously impaired by the over-shrewd- 

 ness of a small number of growers who managed to 

 sell damaged raisins on the strength of their good 

 name. The natural result was complaint and lower 

 prices. The Riverside orange-growers were guilty 

 of the same stupid blunder when they shipped a 

 frozen crop two years ago and sold it under cover of 

 Riverside's exalted reputation. In both instances a 

 little temporary gain was purchased at the expense 

 of large permanent loss. A reputation achieved by- 

 years of hard work may be spoiled in a day. These 

 mistakes are not likely to be repeated. To see that 

 they are not repeated is one of the important things 

 he producers have on hand at present. 



II. THE CAUSE OF LOW PRICES. 



A study of the California fruit industry thus in- 

 volves the consideration of the future of the business 

 in all the States and Territories of the Rocky Mount- 

 ain region west to the Pacific ocean. The common- 

 est explanation of the present situation is that it is 

 due to overproduction. This excuse is not accepta- 

 ble for several reasons. The United States still im- 

 ports a considerable quantity of all kinds of fruit. 

 Furthermore, the home markets of the East and 

 central West are still rapidly expanding. On the 

 other hand, the production of fruit from the old, 

 wornout lands and orchards of Eastern States is 

 steadily declining. There is, therefore, no reason to 

 believe that the business in the West has begun to 

 approach its natural limitations. 



UNDERCONSUMPTION, NOT OVERPRODUCTION. 



It is a more difficult thing to estimate to what ex- 

 tent and with what rapidity the consumption of fruit 

 will increase per capita, but the most casual study is 

 sufficient to indicate that the average family will 



