PUBLISHER'S DEPARTMENT. 



THE HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRIES OF THE KERN DELTA. 



THEY are having a thrifty season in the Kern 

 Delta colonies, California, this summer. The 

 serious drouth in many parts of the State creates an 

 immense demand for alfalfa at high prices. Kern 

 county is an enormous producer of alfalfa, and those 

 of her citizens who have land in this crop will enjoy 

 a splendid prosperity. 



Every new settler in Kern Delta should put some 

 of his land into the marvelous forage plant. While 

 this year's demand and prices are phenomenal, 

 alfalfa is always a profitable crop here. Let us look 

 for a moment at other Kern county industries : 



THE APRICOT. 



Kern county is the apricot's home, and it may be 

 depended upon for a good yield with each returning 

 season. The tree matures early and produces fruit 

 when very young. The fourth year from planting a 

 fair crop will be produced. From that time on the 

 crop increases yearly, and not infrequently the yield 

 is fabulous. 



The returns from this fruit will average better than 

 from the peach, the annual net, based upon years of 

 experience, being $ 100 to $150 an acre. 



The product may be sold in its fresh state, but it is 

 a better practice to dry it, which may be done at 

 home. The dried fruit, with proper management, 

 should not cost the producer over two cents per 

 pound, and sells at from six to fifteen cents. 



THE PEACH. 



For the production of the perfect peach Kern 

 county reigns supreme. The trees of all varieties 

 grow with unusual thrift, are remarkably free from 

 disease. They are long lived, bear early and produce 

 large, high-colored, luscious fruit. 



A fair yield is often forthcoming at three years 

 from planting in the orchard; at four years good 

 crops are the rule where proper methods of cultiva- 

 tion are pursued. From that time on until the trees 

 are fully matured (eight to ten years) the product in- 

 creases almost beyond belief. Ten tons per acre is 

 not an unusual harvest from a full-grown orchard. 



The profits of peach-growing depend upon condi- 

 tions that vary more or less each year; $400 per acre 

 has been realized, and even more, but usually less. 

 Past experience, however, warrants an expectation 

 of a net average of f 100 per acre per annum. The 

 number of trees to the acre varies with different 

 growers from 75 to 108. Young trees cost 8 to 15 

 cents each. 



THE PRUNE 



Has not been so extensively grown in Kern county 

 as either the apricot or peach. There are numerous 

 old trees, however, and thousands of young ones have 

 been set in orchard form. The amount of fresh fruit 

 which is born by mature trees would be phenomenal 

 but for its frequency; 1,300 pounds have been taken 

 from a single tree ; 300 to 500 pounds is common to 

 trees eight to ten years old. 



A desirable quality of the prune additional to its 

 prolific yield is that it is so easily and inexpensively 

 prepared for market. Experts claim that three- 

 fourths of a cent per pound will cover everything. 

 The curing can be done entirely in the open air. 



GRAPES. 



There is a fine field for profit in growing the vari- 

 ous kinds of table grapes for the eastern market. 

 The favored varieties are the Flaming Tokay, Rose 

 of Peru, Black Morocco, Cornichon and Ferrara. 



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 Established 1866. 



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