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TULARE COUNTY. 



To the Honorable State Board of Horticulture: 



Gentlemen: I herewith submit the following for the year 1894 as 

 my report from Porterville district: 



During the past year there were planted at Porterville about one hun- 

 dred acres of orange and lemon trees, all of which have made a fair 

 growth. Our foothill land about Porterville seems to be especially 

 adapted to the orange and lemon, producing a fine quality as well as a 

 remarkable growth of trees. We have already this year marketed about 

 twenty-five carloads of our crop, demonstrating the fact that we are 

 much earlier than some other portions of the State, which gives this 

 vicinity a decided advantage over other localities. We have no insect 

 pests to contend with as to citrus trees. Last year there was one car of 

 orange and lemon trees shipped from Florida that was slightly infested 

 with purple scale. Said car of trees before being released was quaran- 

 tined and treated as the law required. 



The citrus colony at Lindsay is certainly worthy of mention, not alone 

 from a horticultural standpoint, but as an object-lesson, showing what 

 determination and perseverance, under apparently the most adverse 

 circumstances, can accomplish. In 1890 the Lindsay Land Company 

 commenced the planting of their experimental farm, which consisted 

 of some ten acres of deciduous trees of nearly all varieties and about 

 twenty lemon trees and two hundred orange trees. The company pro- 

 posed bringing a ditch from the Kaweah River onto the land. Await- 

 ing the construction of this ditch they pumped water enough from the 

 house well for the citrus trees, and by constant cultivation raised all 

 varieties of deciduous trees to bearing without other irrigation. Oppo- 

 sition from land owners caused so much delay that the company set to 

 work systematically hunting for the water which they felt existed 

 under the surface, and they now have eleven hundred acres under 

 one of the most perfect irrigation systems in the State. Last season 

 was a very dry one and there was not a time that there was not an 

 abundant supply of water for the six hundred acres now planted, and 

 that by pumping but one well during the daytime only. The trees on 

 the experimental farm are hard to equal. Lemon trees have grown best, 

 running up nearly fifteen or twenty feet in height and laden with fruit. 

 The orange trees similarly grown had a mass of nearly ripe fruit on the 

 last of November. There can now be seen nearly one thousand acres 

 of land planted to oranges and lemons. 



I nearly omitted to mention the nursery of eight thousand young 

 lemon trees budded last fall. The nursery alone is worthy a trip to see. 

 I was also much surprised to see some limes which were budded at the 

 same time. I am informed no protection has been given to anything. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



r. h. Mcdonald, 



Horticultural Commissioner. 



Porterville, December 26, 1894. 



