22 PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



Kings County. — This county is well to the front in deciduous fruits, 

 and still has a large acreage of deciduous fruit lands yet unplanted. 

 The growers had fine crops this season and received fair prices. 

 The great problem that now stares them in the face, as well as the 

 growers of other counties in this valley, is the pear blight, which 

 looks as if it will destroy the pear industry in this valley. The eradi- 

 cation of this pest or disease, or explaining what it is and providing a 

 remedy for the same, is far beyond the brain capacity of the ordinary 

 county horticultural commissioner, and if immediate help does not 

 come from our State Board of Horticulture or from university professors, 

 there will be a great loss in this valley by blight. 



In conclusion of my remarks on the deciduous outlook would say that 

 the chance for making money in this valley out of deciduous fruits is 

 as good now as it ever was. The planter now can profit by the experi- 

 ence of others, knowing just what to plant to supply canneries and 

 Eastern shipments, as well as to grow the best drying product. With 

 our facilities for irrigation, the planter should not now make a failure. 



Citrus Fruits. — Now as to our citrus industry. I will not weary 

 yoUj but will give you a brief mention of the principal localities where 

 orchards are now in bearing. 



The citrus belt of the San Joaquin Valley commences in Kern County 

 and occupies the thermal belt of the west slope of the Sierra Nevada 

 Mountains to the northern part of the State. The planting of citrus 

 trees for profit first commenced on a small scale at Porterville about the 

 year 1888, and the first carload was shipped from that place in 1891. 

 At this writing there are 800 acres planted to oranges and lemons, with 

 a shipment of 325 cars from the Porterville station for the present sea- 

 son's crop. The water for irrigating this section comes mostly from 

 Tule River, though many of the orchards are irrigated from pumping- 

 plants, there being no difficulty in getting water at a minimum cost. 



In 1888 the Lindsay Land Company purchased 2,000 acres of land 

 where the town of Lindsay now stands, and incorporated, with Captain 

 Arthur J. Hutchinson as manager. The company at once commenced 

 the improvement of its holdings, and now has planted in that district 

 1800 acres. The first shipment from this place was in 1896, when 10 

 carloads were shipped out. This season the crop will amount to 300 

 cars. The orchards in this vicinity are in small holdings, which are 

 irrigated by water from pumping-plants supplied by the Lindsay Water 

 Development Company. This section of Tulare County is underlaid 

 with plenty of water, at a depth of from 40 to 100 feet, and power is 

 furnished by the Kaweah Electric Power Company. There is an 

 abundance of water for all and during all times of the year. Besides 

 the Lindsay Land Company, other companies have and are now opening 



