-MISSION FRUITS AFTER GOLD DISCOVERY 



47 



pears, as will be described presently, were turned to good account 

 by the early American settlers; the olive and the vine furnished 

 cuttings for most of the plantations made during the first twenty 

 years or more of American occupation. 



Hut it seems that not all the mission orchards were permitted to 

 fall into decay after the secularization. In 1846 Bryant found at 

 the Mission San Jose two gardens inclosed by high adobe walls. 

 The area was from fifteen to twenty acres, all of which was planted 

 with fruit trees and vines. There were about six hundred pear trees 

 and a large number of apple and peach trees, all bearing fruit in 

 great abundance, the quality of the pears being excellent, the apples 

 and peaches indifferent. Other visitors to some of the mission 

 orchards between the events of secularization and American occu- 

 pation speak of being regaled with pears and milk, a dish which 

 seemed to them ambrosial after the weary journeys overland across 

 the deserts, or after months of ship fare. 



Planting of Mission Fruits by Early Settlers. There were quite 

 considerable plantations, chiefly of mission grapes and oranges, by 

 early settlers in the neighborhood of Los Angeles. General Bidwell 

 saw in Los Angeles in 1845 the largest vineyards that he had seen 

 in California, and the vines were the most thrifty. Wine was also 

 abundant even the Angelica. Los Angeles had orchards, also, 

 mostly of oranges. The largest orange orchards at that time were 

 those of Wolfskill. Carpenter, and Louis Vigne. During recent 

 years the modern city of Los Angeles has been built over and 

 beyond them. 



Among the early planters of mission fruits in the northern part 

 of the State was Yount, who planted vines in Napa Valley in 1838, 

 and other fruits later. John Wolfskill, of Winters, saw grapes and 

 peaches at Vomit's in 1841, and J. M. Pleasant took peach pits from 

 Yount's over into Pleasant's Valley, Solano county, in 1851. Dr. 

 Marsh, on his place at the base of Mount Diablo, had, in 184J. a 

 mission grape vineyard more than an acre in extent, and in good 

 bearing. The vines were planted about 1838. Mr. Wolfskill planted 

 a few vines on Putah Creek in 1842. 



Partial Revival of the Mission Fruit Gardens. After the incom- 

 ing of Americans in 1849 some of the old mission trees were secured 

 by enterprising men. and made to renew their youth by pruning, 

 cultivation, and irrigation, that they might minister to the great 

 demand for fruit which sprang up among the gold seekers. The 

 trees richly reciprocated the care and attention given them and 

 there still exist at the San Gabriel Mission old pear trees grafted 

 over with improved varieties by W. M. Stockton in 1854. The first 

 fruits offered for sale in San Francisco markets were from the pear 

 trees of Santa Clara and San Jose Missions, and from the mission 

 grapevines of the same localities, and of Los Angeles' county. 



