AGRICULTURE. 187 
not the best, or the change of climate had an injurious influ- 
ence on them. In 1852, a few trees were imported by way 
of the isthmus of Panama; other importations followed very 
rapidly ; and now the state has millions of trees in nursery, and 
about eight hundred thousand bearing trees in orchard, inclu- 
ding two hundred varieties, the best of Europe and the Atlan- 
tic states, both standard and dwarf trees. 
Apple-trees are usually planted from twelve to thirty feet 
apart, fourteen or sixteen being the more common distances. 
This is much closer together than is customary in the Atlantic 
states; the reasons for the denser planting here being to pre- 
vent injury by the wind, and to keep the earth moist by sha- 
ding it against the sun. The apple-tree comes into bearing in 
the third year in California, about two years earlier than in 
the Eastern states. It also grows more rapidly, a yearling tree 
here being as large as a two-year-old tree in Ohio. Grafts on 
yearling stocks have been known to grow six and eight feet in 
a season—twice as long as similar grafts will grow in the mid- 
dle states. The fruit usually grows larger here than elsewhere. 
The Gloria Mundi apple, which elsewhere seldom exceeds 
fourteen ounces in weight, in California frequently reaches 
twenty ounces, and some have attained the great size of two 
and even two and a half pounds. 
The climate seems to have a tendency to ripen apples more 
thoroughly here than in other states. Those varieties which 
are grown for winter use elsewhere, are here generally con- 
verted into autumn apples, and only a few will keep to New- 
Year’s Day. A fruit-grower in Alameda has succeeded in 
keeping several kinds until June. Our list of winter apples is 
very short, and some years will pass before we can in this re- 
spect equal the middle states. Some varieties have been intro- 
duced here from Georgia and other Southern states, but we 
do not yet know how they will succeed. 
The flavor of-our apples is not equal, as a general rule, to 
that of the apples grown on the Atlantic slope. They are less 
juicy, and more mealy. Some varieties, however, are better 
