153 



The success of fruit culture is of the highest importance to this State and nation. 



That the State Board of Horticulture, created under Act approved March 13, 1883, has, 

 since its organization, accomplished great good, and its work has been of incalculable ben- 

 efit. 



That the demands upon the Board have become so great and its opportunities for ben- 

 efiting the fruit industries of the State have become so varied and multiplied, it is of the 

 highest importance that future appropriations be niuch increased. 



Your memorialists, therefore, respectfully and earnestly request the Legislature of the 

 State of California to appropriate $20,000 for the annual expenses of the State Board of 

 Horticulture. 



W. H. AIKEN, 

 S. J. STABLER, 

 WM. JOHNSTON, 

 MILTON THOMAS, 

 P. W. BUTLER, 



Committee. 



On motion of Dr. Kimball, it was ordered that the committee be continued, 

 to act in cooperation with the State Board of Horticulture as to legislation 

 for furthering the development of fruit interests connected with the Board 

 and with the State. 



Hon. S. J. Stabler offered, by request, the following resolution, which was 

 adopted : 



Resolved, That we, the fruit growers of California, in convention assembled, petition the 

 Legislature of the State to increase the appropriation for the State Board of Horticulture, 

 so that said Board be enabled to better protect the horticultural interests than with the 

 meager appropriation allowed said Board. And be it further 



Resolved, That His Excellency the Governor be and is hereby requested to recommend 

 the increase of appropriation in' his message to the Legislature. 



GROWING FRUIT WITHOUT IRRIGATION. 



Essay by Geo. Ohleyek, Yuba City. 



It seems almost idle to affirm that fruit can be grown in the Sacramento 

 Valley without irrigation. Nowhere in this or any other State has fruit 

 made such wonderful progress in all branches as it has in this valley, all 

 without irrigation. This being a fact, argument would seem to be super- 

 fluous, and we might with more propriety turn our attention to the question 

 of what to grow, and how to grow it. Possibly not every acre of land in 

 the Sacramento Valley will grow successfully fruits or vines without arti- 

 ficial water, but being very greatly in the minority their necessities should 

 not control the desire and reputation of the great majority. 



It has been abundantly shown by actual experience that too much water 

 is as injurious to fruit as too little. It seems therefore necessary to find the 

 "happy medium," and as ' such we offer you the matchless Sacramento 

 Valley. We offer it as nature's work and the best inheritance of man. 

 What has been accomplished in horticulture here is the natural history of 

 our State; what has been done elsewhere required bolstering up by artificial 

 means. Our fruit growers understand the causes, of which I may be 

 excused for giving a few. 



First, water in quantities almost like the ocean underlies our valley, 

 from eight to twelve feet beneath the surface, and the capillary attraction 

 carries the moisture to the roots where it can do the most good. 



Second, the attracting forces are greatly augmented by cultivation, and 

 benefit the trees and fruit in proportion as the work is done more or less 



