CALIFORNIA AND ITS FRUITS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2213, 14 September 1886, Page 2

CALIFORNIA AND ITS FRUITS.

Thk people of California are beginning to think the time is coining when they will get more gold by selling their fruit than by digging for the precious metal in the ground. Says the £an Francisco Bulletin: — "When a single ship was despatched daily laden w ith wheat for the European markets, that circumstance atti acted the attention of the whole country. But it had no such industiial significance as the sending off of trains laden with citrus fruits, or the great number of cars laden with green fruits despatched from the central parts of the State. Even the despatch of cargoes af wheat from this port illustrated a comparatively new phase of agricultural industry, because it is only a few years since California had any surplus wheat to sell. But the later and more interest* ing fact is the beginning of a colossal business in sending green and dried fruits across the country to supply Eastern markets. The following figures will show the wonderful fruit production of California : — During 1885 she produced in raisins o\er 9,000,000 pounds, or nearly three times as much as in 1884. She also sent to market last year 1,300,000 pounds of prunes, 1,823,000 pounds of apples, 1,900,000 pounds of peaches, 1,139,000 pounds of plums, 650,000 pounds of apricots, 2, 250,0 00 pounds of honey, 1,250,000 pounds of walnuts and 1,050,000 pounds of almonds,

The whole of Lord Penrhyn's slate quarryraen took & whole holiday on Ascension Day, because of the universally prevalent superstition that a fatal accident will iuevitably cut off those who work during that day. This strange and remarkable superstition is common among the thousands of [quarrymen engaged in North Wales.

A Rkmini^cknce of Slavery Day. — While practising law a number of years ago, I had a peculiar will case. An oil lady, who was a slave-holder, dyiug, bequeathed her coloured man, John and her dusky maid, Jane, who sustained to e:ich other the relation of husbaud and wife, to the tiustcs of the church, to be used as far as possible to the "glory of God." I was curious to know what course was taken, and after investigation found that, after meditation and prayer, the pious trustees sold their living legacy at auction, and with the proceeds sent a missionary to China.—Judge Tourgee. Mr S. S. Gvaham invites tenders for ploughing. Mr R. Ryan, Hamilton, offers a reward fur lost cattle.