CITRUS CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 



17 



daries; that no compass and chain can separate the so-called 

 southern from the northern citrus belt; that with proper 

 conditions citrus fruits can be grown over a large area of the 

 State; and that without proper climatic conditions thej' can 

 not be grown successfully. 



Primitive Orchards. — The most extensive orange orchard 

 of early planting was at the San Gabriel Mission, in Los 

 Angeles County, supposed to have been set out in 1804 

 by one "Father" Thomas Sanches. The first orange orchard 

 of any note, outside of the missions, although small and 

 intended for home use, was planted by Louis Vignes at Los 



The once famous Wolfsklll Orange Orchard— trees forty years old. 



Angeles in 1834. The same year Manuel Requena also planted 

 a small orchard. Other plantings soon followed, the most 

 notable and important of which was that of the late William 

 Wolfskin, at Los Angeles, consisting of two acres set out in 

 1841, and this was probably the first orange orchard -planted 

 in the State with a view to profit. In 1853 the Matthew Keller 

 orchard, opposite the Wolfskill orchard, was planted. Another 

 orchard was planted north of the San Gabriel Mission, now 

 known as the Wilson orchard. These plantings did not 

 immediately succeed each other, but a considerable period 

 elapsed from the date of the setting out of the mission orchard, 

 and even after the success of this latter orchard had been 

 assured other plantings were slow and not extensive. 

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