December 15, 1897. | 



Garden and Forest. 



493 



while on the foot-hills the small beginnings have developed 

 into one of the most permanent and profitable branches of 

 horticulture in the state. 



Although in early years the increase in planting, except in 

 Los Angeles County, was quite slow, of late years it has been 

 more rapid. In 1881, by official returns, the whole number of 

 trees in the state was : Orange, 484,227, and Lemon, 62,130. Of 

 these Los Angeles County had 450,125 of Orange and 48,350 of 

 Lemon trees. Estimates of the number of Orange-trees now 

 in the state vary between four millions and eight millions. There 

 are of Lemon-trees one and a half millions. In 1879 Los 

 Angeles County shipped fifteen cars of oranges out of the 

 state. In 1890 there were shipped from the state 3,429 cars, 

 mostly from three southern counties. By careful estimate 

 California has this season to ship 12,000 cars of oranges and 

 1,500 cars of lemons. The receipts for oranges in 1890 to 1891 

 were $1,796,025. This season, at the same prices, the state 

 should receive for oranges $6,300,000, and lor lemons $675,000, 

 a total of $6,975,000. The shipments this season will go irom 

 thirteen counties — San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, 

 Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Los Angeles, Tulare, Fresno, 

 Sacramento, Placer, Butte and Tehama. 



I have given the accepted estimate of this season's crop 



it could not have been very sweet and ripe. But the trade 

 seems to demand these early shipments, and prices have been 

 steady at $3.00 for best Navels, and $2.00 for best seedlings. 



An innovation in marketing fruit has been established at 

 Redlands, the results of which will be watched by growers 

 with great interest. This is an effort to give growers and 

 packers an equal voice in establishing the prices of oranges 

 from time to time through the selling season, and to eliminate, 

 as far as possible, the element of competition among the 

 packers of this locality. It is believed that this effort will result 

 in higher prices to the growers. An association known as the 

 Redlands Citrus Union has been organized, with a general 

 committee consisting of one representative from each firm of 

 packers, one irom the patrons of each firm among the 

 growers, and five members of the Redlands Horticultural 

 Club, an organization which has as its objects the general hor- 

 ticultural interests of the city. This general committee will 

 meet from time to time to fix the minimum price at which the 

 oranges of this section shall be sold. The packers have agreed, 

 in wiiting, to abide by the price so fixed. This is an extension 

 of the principle of cooperation which has already aided in 

 bringing the Redlands oranges reputation and high prices. The 

 experiment is regarded with favor by all those interested, and 



1. A fruiting branch, natural size. 



Fig. 63.— Tsuga diversifolia. — See page 490. 

 2. A cone-scale, with its seeds, natural size. 3. A leaf, natural size. 



4. Portion of a brancliiet. natural size. 



of oranges at 12,000 cars, but another reasonable estimate is 

 14,000 cars. If climatic conditions continue favorable the out- 

 put will probably reach the latter figure. There will be a larger 

 quant ty of the best fruit than ever before, as the crop in those 

 districts which produce the best will be largely increased. 

 Riverside will have 4,000 cars instead of the 2,600 of last year; 

 Redlands, 1,200 in place of 700 ; Ontario will increase seventy- 

 five percent, and the San Gabriel Valley expects double the crop 

 of last year. The crop from the northern districts will proba- 

 bly not exceed 1,000 cars this year. But Tulare County is rap- 

 idly coming to the front as an Orange-growing section, and 

 will soon be a noteworthy factor in the situation. It is inter- 

 esting to note that this section and Redlands, both of which 

 now grow fine oranges, were long considered unsuitable for 

 Citrus culture : Tulare because it is so far north ; Redlands be- 

 cause its northern slopes and heavy, red, clayey soil had not 

 been tested. The two districts are at least 200 miles apart as 

 the crow flies. 



Early shipments have already gone forward from several 

 localities ; from Porterville and other places in the north ; 

 from Azusa, Covina and Highlands in the south, and shipping 

 will be active from now on. The first carload was sent from 

 Highlands October 23d. This is very early, and, although the 

 fruit may have been well colored and pleasing in appearance, 



will undoubtedly receive a careful trial. Other localities are 

 investigating its merits with a view to its adoption. 



Some of the facts stated in this article with respect to the 

 history and the limits of the cultivation of Citrus fruits in 

 California were collected while engaged in work with Mr. I. 

 N. Hoa°". 

 Redlands, Calif. William M. Tisdale. 



Foreign Correspondence. 



London Letter. 



Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. — At the risk of overdo- 

 ing, I must again praise this beautiful plant. It has been 

 a feature at every exhibition I have seen during the last 

 two months ; it has been and is the principal attraction in 

 many gardens where warm-house plants are grown, and it 

 is admired by all classes, even the Chrysanthemum wor- 

 shippers stopping to praise it. Fogs do nut appreciably 

 hurt it, and it continues to flower all winter, its elegant 

 flowers, colored bright rose-pink, being most decorative and 

 useful in various ways. Scores of line examples of it were 

 shown at the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society. 



