8o Fruit Farming for Profit in California. 



an income slionld seek for information in regard to it. 

 For this class and for the benefit of the Eastern people 

 desiring to locate in California it is purposed to present 

 a series of papers on the fruit industry of California 

 that may be a guide to them. 



Many of the pioneers who sought California in early 

 days, allured by the prospects of sudden wealth in her 

 mines, brought with them seeds, cuttings, cions or roots 

 from their Eastern homes, and in the mining towns we 

 find the oldest American orchards of the State. These 

 were composed of the hardy fruits of the Eastern States, 

 and many of them flourished in their new home. But 

 the conditions of soil, climate and physical features of 

 California are in so many ways contrary to those of the 

 East that fruit culture in early days was largely ex- 

 perimental, and many of the early orchardists paid 

 dearly for their experience. The orchardist of to-day 

 profits by their experience. He knows the rocks upon 

 which they struck and can avoid them, and there is no 

 reason why, with the experience of the past to guide 

 him, if possessed of ordinary business judgment, the 

 beginner in orchard work should not succeed. He 

 must not, however, expect to clear from $300 to $1000 

 from his orchard in three or five years, or at all, for 

 while the stories of large profits are true of favoured 

 spots, it is not generally true of our fruit orchards, and 

 the man who would make a success must make up his 

 mind to receive a fair income for his outlay of money 

 and labour. This he may depend upon, and it is more 

 certain in fruit growing than in any other pursuit, but 

 he has got to carry into it the business tact and judg- 

 ment that win success in other lines. 



