220 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Oct. r, 1894. 
In addition to the above there may be some charge 
for levelling the land, but this is olten unnecessary 
and can stand over. 
The above particulars as cost for 20 acres are all 
that is necessary to introduce the subject, and give 
an idea for those going into the industry on a larger 
scale, according to the capital in hand and ihe 
income needed. 
What to no with Oun Boys. 
And How Can a New Slart be Blade in Life ? 
The question of what to do with our beys is one 
that has long troubled | arents, more especially those 
who, though of gentle birth and good connections, 
have not unlimited incomes. Where money is no 
object the difficulty is not great, but for those only 
ab.e to spare a few hundreds, wherewith to < ive 
their youngsters a start in life the opportunities are 
not many. Owing to society prejudices there are 
many occupations that a well-bred son cannot follow 
in England were he willing, and as the amount of 
capital required in this country for anyone to turn 
gentleman-farmer is considerable, the prospects ol 
fru t-farming in California are particularly attractive 
to this section of society. Sons of gentlemen can 
be boarded at the house of one of the settlers while 
their land is cultivated for them. 
Profits of Fhuit Culture. 
The profits in this beautiful land of prosperity 
are most remarkable, from £20 to £60 per acre pe. 
annum, and more, according to the fruit grown, and 
the attention and care i estowed upon it. 
Treating on the large | rufits of the Orange-Cliug 
Peach, a special variety grown at Bakersfield, a 
statement is published by the Kern County Land 
Company, certified to as will be seen below. The 
statemeutin brief runs thus: — One orchard of 17 acres 
in which the olde t tree did not exceed six years in 
a g e> produced a gross income in the season of lt:8'J 
of over $9,00lt (£1,800) The crop of Ibao was sold 
at prices retiring a profit $150 (£30) to §300 (£60) 
per acre. 
We certify that the above statement is not over- 
dr.wn, and is entitled to full credence in every 
particular: 
tol. Jewett, President Kern Valley Bank, Bekers- 
field, Cal. , ., „ 
E. M. Roberts, Chahman Board of Supervisors, 
Kern County, Cal. 
A. R. Conitiirg, Judge, Superior Court. 
W. K. fti'.Murdo, t ounty Surveyor, Kem County, 
Cal. 
Geo. K. Ober, Pos' mas' er, Bakersfield, Kern County, 
C £L Hor^ge Clapham, Rector cf St. Paul's Episcopal 
Church, Bakersfield, Cal. 
Rev. J. 1J. Heniy, Pastor Methodist Episcopal 
Church, Bakersfield, Cal. 
Rev. J. C. Jordan, Pas or Baptist Church, Bakers- 
field, Cal. t ' 
S. W. Wible, Superiutendent, Miller and Lux, Kern 
County, Cal. 
Referrii g to the profit of French prunes, I have 
samples of i his fruit in my own office from t ees 
fi/e years old, each tree bearing a crop of 1,000 lb. 
which would equal 48,400 lb of dried fiuit to the 
acre; but perhaps the best evidence of the success 
of the undertaking is the pride and satisfaction o! 
those who have embaiked in this business under n y 
auspices, as shown by their sending to their friends, 
at home sample boxes <f raisins grown on their 
places within a period of 17 months, which is a 
wonderful evidence of the fertility of the soil. 
The Cause of Success. 
After buying the land we assume the responsibility 
of cultivating the same, finding good vines and trees 
and paying all attention in having the work done 
well, and further undertake to study the best markets; 
and now, as a further help, we are sending out 
responsible practical gentlemen ft r the erection of a 
factory for the manufacture of jams, jellies, and th 
preservation of fruit for market in all its branches. 
Table showing estimated acres and capital needed 
first year to produce future proportionate inct-iue, 
calculating from £20 to per acre profit : 
Acies. Capital needed. Estimated income 
First year, in full fearing. 
20 £UJ From £300 
40 £4:1.0 do £fJ(IO 
60 £720 do £1.000 
80 £tf'J9 do £M00 
100 £1,980 do gtJtU 
The above table provides for the one-fourth deposit 
for the purchase of ihe land at S0o (about £1 ' < per 
acre, the balance being paid by arrangement, and 
provides also for vines, fruit trees, alfalfa (forage 
plant), planting, cultivating, and aiu-niion for the 
first year, also fencing and wa'er-gates — Jhoud Jtm e 
Olid Sacol and Military (laiettt. 
rBODUOTION OF COIT'EE IN C OSTA l<Jl_A. 
The coffee plant was introduced iu o « oata Rica 
in 17%, and its cultivation there has been con- 
tinuous since that time. The product! n. which liaa 
been gradually and constantly increasing un cr the 
Spanish occupation, and since the independence of 
tJie cou try, amounted to 5,000 ton* in )*t.: and 
18 000 in 1884. In 1891, the exports of coffee 
amounte i in \alue to ne rly 6,150,000 dollars. Cost* 
Rica coffee i< of superior quality, and commands the 
big est prices in the market. The IScieau of the 
South American Republics has recent y iss ed a 
report, from wh ch it appears that n 18'Jti ti e tei.sui 
of t. osta Ric t shewed ihe existence of 8,130 coffee 
plantations, with 26,558.251 trees. These planta 
lions were situated at various altitudes, from 2,600 
to 5,000 feet abovv tea le>el, but the best lesulisare 
obtained at 4,000 feet. The method of rasing the 
young plants in nurseries, the distance at which they 
ate planted, the pieparation of the viigiu lauds for 
the plantations, and the subsequent cultivation of 
the ttees, a e the same as in the other coffee districts 
of the Western Continent. The seed teds are sown 
,n May, and in the same month of the fallowing 
year are set in the p'autat ons. At the end of two 
years a few berries wil be produced, the first regular 
crop being harvested the following season. J he 
cui..vatiou of other trops between the rows while 
the trees are j oung. is practised to sou e extent, as 
elsewhere ; the banana, or a quick-growing tree 
called poro bianco, being used to shade 'be young 
plants. The average annual cost per acre of working 
a coffee plantation after it comes into I earing is 
estimated at ibout six dollars, and the annual yield 
is put at an average of 2,500 pounds per acre. The 
gathering of the berry, which lasts from December 
to aiaicli. is done by women and children, 
who pick the be ries and place them in baskets, 
holding from eighteen to twenty quatts. The 
gatherers are paid about sixpence per basket, and 
active workers can fill eight to ten baskets per day. 
The provinces of San Jose Alajuela, Cartago, and 
Heredia are those in which the cultivation of coffee 
is most extensively carried on ; and in all these, 
except Cartago, the greater part of the available 
lands are already occupied by plantations. A vast 
extent of excellent coffee lands is found on the 
Atlantic side of the country between Cartago and 
Reventazon, and are said to be even better than 
those of irlesedia and San Jose. The Costa Ricsn 
Government encourages the settlement of foreigners 
in the country, to engage in agricultural pursuits, and 
offeis lauds at very low prices, considering the great 
productiveness of the soil. Public lands may be 
acquired by pre-emption, in tracts of not less than 120 
acres, by merely fencing them, and giving notice to tl e 
au horities of the intention of the occupant to put 
them under Lultivation. If the cultivation be carried 
on for two years, a patent of ownership wid be issued 
to the holder, and he a ay enclose, and ciaim in the 
same manner, another 120 acres, and so on. Lands 
may also be purchased, in areas not to exceed 1,500 
acres for each person, at public auction, at prices 
arying from 3s, 4d. to 8s, per acre, according tQ 
