THE CALIFORNIA LEMON. 



The time does not seem far distant 

 when there will be produced within the 

 limits of these United States all the 

 necessities and luxuries of civilized life, 

 and it is safe to say that California will 

 play no small part in the great work. 



Indeed this splendid state is constantly 

 giving some fresh evidence of her mag- 

 nificent resources. The recent marvel- 

 ous growth of her lemon industry, seems 

 therefore, not a matter for surprise, but 

 rather a very natural achievement. She. 

 exported no less than six hundred thou- 

 sand boxes of lemons during the past 

 year. That, notwithstanding the • fact 

 that more than half of the trees already 

 planted in the great lemon regions have 

 not yet reached the bearing age. Further, 

 there is space for millions more. Cer- 

 tainly her productive capacity has its pos- 

 sibilities. No wonder she is rapidly mo- 

 nopolizing the home market, hitherto 

 supplied by Sicily and has her eye upon 

 foreign trade as well. 



By experts it is claimed that certain 

 portions of southern California possess 

 in a degree unequaled on any known 

 portion of the globe, the peculiar condi- 

 tions necessary to lemon growth. For, 

 to a generous soil, an equable temper- 

 ature and freedom from frost, she adds 

 that unique advantage, the almost per- 

 petual sunshine of a temperate, not a 

 tropical, climate. But, as this sunshine 

 is at the expense of rain, which in this 

 region falls very rarely, some provision 

 had to be made for securing that great 

 necessity to the lemon's well being — 

 water. 



The need was met by the construction 

 of vast reservoirs far back in the moun- 

 tains, where rain was a more common 

 occurrence, and where it could be gath- 

 ered and hoarded for future use. The 

 water, thus acquired, is conducted by 

 means of pipes to the various ranches, a 



meter at the entrance to each measuring 

 and recording the amount used: The 

 pipes are opened several times a year, 

 and the water allowed to flow in little 

 rivulets between the rows of trees. 



The harvest in this San Diego dis- 

 trict is continuous. The blossom, and 

 green and ripe fruit, may be seen, side 

 by side, on the same tree. 



The pickers are mainly men. Their 

 wages range from $1.25 to $2.00 a day, 

 while the Sicilian receives only from 

 thirty to forty cents for the same work. 

 Each picker wears a bag strapped to his 

 chest, and carries in one hand a clipping 

 knife, in the other, a steel ring two and 

 five-sixteenths inches in diameter. This 

 ring is passed over the lemons before 

 picking and such as fit it are taken from 

 the tree, whether they are ripe or green, 

 for they belong in the catagory "medi- 

 um," the size in greatest demand by those 

 who can afford to be fastidious. Of 

 course all ripe fruit is picked, without 

 reference to size but the green, if small, 

 is left on the tree to increase in size. 



Ripe lemons are ready for immediate 

 market, but the green ones are piled 

 away in boxes for curing or ripening. 

 This usually requires from six to eight 

 weeks. After being "removed from the 

 trees, the lemons are taken to a ware- 

 house, where they are run through a 

 washing wheel and packed ready for 

 shipment. This washing wheel is about 

 five feet in diameter, with brushes five 

 or six inches long, arranged on the outer 

 rim. These brushes pass down into a 

 trough of water as the wheel revolves, 

 and in this trough lemons are fed. The 

 brushes remove the dirt and slight im- 

 perfections. 



After boxes are placed in cars long 

 strips of wood hold them in place during 

 their long journey across the' American 

 continent. Louise Jamison. 



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