AGRICULTURE. 187 



not the best, or the change of climate had an iujurious influ- 

 ence on them. In 1852, a few trees were imported by way 

 of the isthmus of Panama ; other importations followed very 

 rapidly ; and now the state has millions of trees in nursery, and 

 about eight hundred thousand bearing trees in orchard, inclu- 

 ding two hundred varieties, the best of Europe and the Atlan- 

 tic states, both standard and dwarf trees. 



Apple-trees are usually planted from twelve to thirty feet 

 apart, fourteen or sixteen being the more common distances. 

 This is much closer together than is customary in the Atlantic 

 states ; the reasons for the denser planting here being to pre- 

 vent injury by the wind, and to keep the earth moist by sha- 

 ding it against the sun. The apple-tree comes into bearing in 

 the third year in California, about two years earlier than in 

 the Eastern states. It also grows more rapidly, a yearling tree 

 here being as large as a two-year-old tree in Ohio. Grafts on 

 yearling stocks have been known to grow six and eight feet in 

 a season — twice as long as similar grafts will grow in the mid- 

 dle states. The fruit usually grows larger here than elsewhere. 

 The Gloria Mundi apple, which elsewhere seldom exceeds 

 fourteen ounces in weight, in California frequently reaches 

 twenty ounces, and some have attained the great size of two 

 and even two and a half pounds. 



The climate seems to have a tendency to ripen apples more 

 thoroughly here than in other states. Those varieties which 

 are grown for winter use elsewhere, are here generally con- 

 verted into autumn apples, and only a few will keep to New- 

 Year's Day. A fruit-grower in Alameda has succeeded in 

 keeping several kinds until June. Our list of winter apples is 

 very short, and some years will pass before we can in this re- 

 spect equal the middle states. Some varieties have been intro- 

 duced here from Georgia and other Southern states, but we 

 do not yet know how they will succeed. 



The flavor of our apples is not equal, as a general rule, to 

 that of the apples grown on the Atlantic slope. They are less 

 juicy, and more mealy. Some varieties, however, are better 



