110 ORANGE CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 



More than a year has elapsed since the greater part of this 

 work was written; it is now November, 1881. To avoid the im- 

 putation of being one of the "false prophets of the last days," 

 this being the year in which the final winding up of earthly ac- 

 counts would take place, according to some widely-circulated 

 predictions, it is necessary for me to state the causes, so far as 

 I may be able, that made oranges a drug in our markets during 

 a considerable portion of this year. 



First An unusually severe freeze in the early part of last No- 

 vember and subsequent cold weather made our oranges small 

 and sour sour until warm weather late in the season, when 

 other fruits supplied our markets. 



Second Heavy and long-continued rains in the central and 

 northern portions of this State, interrupting transportation to all 

 of the northern and central parts of the Pacific slope of the 

 United States. 



Third The increased production over that of former years 

 called for an eastern outlet on reasonable terms, in order to se- 

 cure remunerative prices. The two great railroads now com- 

 posing the "Southern route" between the Missouri river and the 

 Pacific, formed a junction in the spring of this year. For a 

 number of months after the union of the two roads neither com- 

 pany would give bills of lading for freight over the other com- 

 pany's road; hence orange shipments to the East were often 

 attended with dissatisfaction, and sometimes with pecuniary 

 loss to the shippers. 



The hostile feelings of the railroad magnates have calmed 

 down sufficiently to admit of through shipments, and it is to be 

 hoped that before the present crop of oranges will be ready for 

 shipment the very favorable terms now offered shippers of raisins 

 will also be accorded to shippers of oranges. When this shall 

 have been done, I predict a golden future for our intelligent and 

 energetic orange-growers. 



