CALIFORNIAN FRUIT CROWING.

Waikato Times, Volume XL, Issue 3210, 21 January 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

CALIFORNIAN FRUIT CROWING.

A nra Yuan. Wr, tal'O the following account of the yield of French prime's from tho Weekly Visalia Delta of September last, Yesterday af tornoon several people from Visilia and clsiivhore wont lo tho Briggs orchard to witness tho harvesting of the crop of some nine-year-old pruno trees, and those who wero present will sign an affidavit setting forth tho faols, Tho party loft Visalia shortly after ono o'clock in a number of vehicles and after arriving at the orchard three trees of the French prune variety,near together, wero selected. Soino of tho fruit has fallen and was gathered in boxes, and then the trees were shaken, tho fruit cleaned of twigs and leaves and placed in boxes to be weighted, Tho first trco shaken yielded Sl2 pounds, but a considerable amount was left on the tree. Tho next trco bore 9SI pounds and the third 1017, One largo limb of tho last tree, heavily laden with fruit, had been taken away. The total product of tho three harvested amounted to 2813 pounds, and tho average was 037. CO pounds. With 61 trees to the aero this would give a yisld of G0,910 pounds, of 30i tons. As 2.05 pounds of fresh primes are required to malto one pound dried, ono aero would produce 23,361 pounds ready for market, and at 11 cents per pound, tho present selling price, tho gross value of tho yield of a single acre would reach tho enormous sum of §2560.82: at 2i cents per pouud on the grounds, for which they could bo sold to-day, the price of an acre's product would be §1522,75. In the Briggs orchard there are twelve acres of prune trees of different ages and several experienced orchardists estimate the average yield at 600 pounds per trees. Thero arc Gl trees to each aero, which would make 38,100 pounds to tho acre, the value of which at 2$ cents per lb on tlio ground—the price at which prunes aro now selling hero—would bo §960 per acre, a net profit (after allowing for every possible expeuso and lass) of more then §9OO per acre. If dried at the orchard and soli the value of the crop per acre would be §1592,90, and for tho 12 acres tho enormous sum of §19,129 SO would be realized.

These aro no fancy figures, and any ono doubting thoir nccuracy or believing the estimate of yield too high, may have an opportunity to ho convinced of their accuracy by visiting the orchard now while tho pram crop is being gathered,' Among those who wero present were Clias. Rickoff of San Francisco, John S. Urton, F. A. Blakeley, Joe D, Biddle, R. Milts, W. V. Vaughn, O. R. Brown, Robt. Doherty and Leigh Ovorman of Hanford, 6. W. Welch of Three Rivers, and M, J. Wright, Tipton Lindsey, H. ,W. Doau, R. E. Hydo, M. E. Power, Jasper Hnrrell, D. I(. Zumwalt, Cutlibertßurrell, James Barton, L. C. Rice, John A Patterson, B, M, Maddox, V. 1). Knupp, H, G. Stuart, G. A. Botsford, A. Showers, I. 11. Thomas, Goorgo Birkcnhauer, W, 11, Hnnmond, Adolph Lovis, J, E, Denny, C. A. Myers and I). V. Robidson of Visalia/ :

Photographs wore made by C. A, My-, ers before nnd after tho prunes were shaken from the trees,

Many of the prunos were beginning to dry and shrink up nnd did not weigh so much as they would ut week ago, When tho affidavit as prepared, signed and sworn to by those present is ready the same will be published in tho Delta,