IN THE CITRUS INDUSTRY 19 



carloads, Japan and Palestine each less l^an 5 per cent, of 

 the world's production.^ 



And it is due to California's activity that the United 

 States can take this prominent position among citrus pro- 

 ducing countries. At present in California there are almost 

 200,000 acres of citrus groves, some two-thirds of which 

 are in bearing, the remainder consisting of young trees. 



It is impossible to present accurate statistics either of the 

 growth or of the present extent of the citrus industry. Some 

 counties report the number of trees, others the number 

 of acres planted. Since the number of trees to the acre 

 varies somewhat widely it is impossible to give totals for 

 either acreage or trees except as rough approximations. 

 The figures given in the feports of the California State 

 Board of Equalization (i 890-1 91 4) were found to be so 

 unreliable that statistics for the earlier period cannot be 

 given. However, there was a steady and rapid growth in 

 the industry, except for the few years of depression during 

 the early '90s. Since 1903 the Citrus Protective League 

 has assembled data from official and private sources and 

 offers figures which, though they are conflicting at certain 

 points, should not convey an erroneous impression of the 

 real situation.® (See table on page 20.) 



The relative importance of oranges and lemons is con- 

 cisely stated by Wallschlaeger : 



Of the total acreage 83 per cent, consisted of oranges 

 and 17 per cent, of lemons, 64 per cent, was of bearing age 

 and 36 per cent, was of non-bearing age. Of the bearing 

 acreage 85 per cent, consisted of oranges and 15 per cent. 



^ Wallschlaeger : "The World's Production and Commerce in Citrus 

 Fruits and Their By-Products," Citrus Protective League of California, 

 Bulletin No. 11, Introduction. 



Citrus Protective League : Bulletin No. 11, pp. 67-68 ; cf ., Citrus 

 Protective League, Bulletin No. g, pp. 7-8. 



