The History of California Fruit 



Growing 



E. J. WICKSON, Dean of the College oi Aifricultare ol the UniTersity of California, 

 and Acting Director of the Experlmeat Station 



CALIFORNIA fruit growing is not a new industry. A century ago there 

 was a greater aggregate acreage of fruit trees and vines within the 

 area now comprising the State of California than within the combined 

 areas of the original thirteen states on the Atlantic Coast. The 

 California missions had fruit growing establishments greater in variety 

 and commercial value of fruit products than any similar enterprises 

 on the Atlantic side. The rigors of the Eastern climate, the perils of Indian 

 wars, the struggle with forest displacement on the Atlantic side were in 

 sharp contrast with the mild seasons, the peaceful natives and the pos- 

 session of open land in California. Nature smiled upon horticultural effort 

 here and frowned upon it there a century ago just as Nature smiles and 

 frowns upon the same efforts to-day. The padres at the missions were 

 first to demonstrate the agricultural advantage of the California soils and 

 climate. 



Americans reached California on hunting and trading errands during 

 the two decades preceding the gold discovery in 1848, and saw enough at 

 the downfallen missions to enable them to discern the horticultural quality 

 of the land. They also had enterprise enough to secure possession of some 

 old mission vineyards and orcfiards, and restored them to fruitfulless just in 

 time to meet the sharp demand for fruits among the argonauts of 1849, 

 weary of ship fare and sometimes scurvy for lack of fruit acids. There was 

 often more gold in the fruit tree than in the mine, and the modern com- 

 mercial horticulture of California arose upon the foundation of the mission 

 achievements. In this way the present horticultural eminence of the State, 

 overshadowing the accomplishment of any other State of the Union, and 

 of any foreign country of the world save France, reflects the loftiness of 

 its beginning. 



But it was not until a few years after the inrush of gold-seekers in 

 1849, that horticulture began to attract people to California for the declared 

 purpose of enlistment in it, and it is interesting to note that vegetables, not 

 fruits, made the land famous at the East. The vegetables were so large 

 and abundant that ordinary records of weights and measurements were 

 declared incredible and credence could not be secured for them until a 

 committee at one of the first State Fairs published its findings in the form 

 of an affidavit duly signed, sealed and certified. But the vegetables were 

 so large and abundant that there were too few people to eat them, and 

 American growers handed this branch of horticulture over to thrifty immi- 

 grants from China and the Mediterranean countries for nearly four decades, 

 until the present large export movement began across the mountains and 

 presented an opportunity for large scale production which seemed worth 

 while according to American standards. About the same time the canning 

 of vegetables entered upon its present expanding career, and the attainment 

 may be measured by the present shipments beyond State lines, which 

 sometimes reach five million cases of canned vegetables and a hundred 

 million pounds of fresh vegetables in a year. Thus it appears that Califor- 

 nia vegetable growing has realized the greatness which the first achieve- 

 ments prophesied. 



California fruit growing since the American occupation has been 

 characterized by a series of headlong onrushes alternating with intervals 

 of reactionary weariness and temporary depression, but each new awaken- 

 ing has disclosed new openings, and new courage to possess them. Thus 

 the general course has been onward and upward. There has been a period- 

 icity of about one decade. The enthusiastic planting of the early fifties 

 brought the dullness and apprehension of over supply of the early sixties. 

 The opening of the first overland railway in 1 869 brought great anticipation 



