USA > California > Santa Cruz County > History of Santa Cruz County, California with Biographical Sketches > Part 8
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Regarding the first planting in Santa Cruz, Thomas Beck, a pioneer resident of that city, writes :
"In the spring of 1853, Judge William Blackburn planted an orchard of ten acres of various kinds of fruit trees, on the southwestern portion of the Santa Cruz bottom land, and where a part of the town is now built. It extended from Pacific avenue westward to the slough, and from the Ocean
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bluff northward. In the following year (1854), an orchard of about twelve acres of apples and peach trees was planted by James Williams, on the same bottom land, west of Pacific avenue. The land upon which this orchard was planted is now the very center of the city.
"In 1855 I bought an acre of this orchard, facing on Pacific avenue, from Mr. Williams, upon which there were about seventy trees, and upon which I built myself a resi- dence. On this property there are now several fine stores. In this year (1855) J. B. Arcane and Captain Cathcart planted small orchards on the east side of Pacific avenue, and im- mediately opposite the land of Mr. Williams.
"In 1854 Jacob A. Blackburn planted an apple orchard of ten acres in what is called the Blackburn gulch on the Branci- forte river, about six miles from Santa Cruz. The varieties I do not remember. I think that it was in this year that Hiram Imus put out a small orchard on his land in the small valley northeast of the Catholic Church property, in Santa Cruz."
J. H. B. Pilkington, of Santa Cruz, formerly one of my associates on the Board of Horticultural Commissioners, and to whom I am indebted for material aid in collecting informa- tion around Santa Cruz for use in this article, writes in part as follows :
"There are also cherry and apple trees planted by David Gharkey still standing in the Kron orchard on River street, Santa Cruz, planted in the '50s. One cherry tree produces yearly the earliest cherries ripening around here. It is a fine spreading tree, in good health and produces heavily.
"F. A. Hihn, one of the first inhabitants of Santa Cruz, and at present the owner of the most extensive apple or- chard in this county, states that in 1856 he planted an or- chard of about four acres adjacent to his present home in
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Santa Cruz. Two pears and one cherry of the original trees still remain and bear fruit.
"From the same authority, we learn that the first suc- cessful vineyard in the county was planted in 1852 or '53 by one René, a Frenchman. It was located one mile north of the old Mission and its area was about two acres.
"Mr. Hihn also informs us that the first extensive venture in grape growing occurred in 1858, when George and John Jarvis and others planted about three hundred acres at Vine Hill, seven miles northeast of Santa Cruz. The product of these vineyards proved of excellent quality and this successful demonstration signaled the beginning of grape growing in an extensive way."
On the question of the first planting of grapes there seems to be a difference of opinion. Concerning this question Mr. Pilkington writes:
"Samuel Morgan tells me that the first grapes here were planted on the Potrero, near the Indian reservation, northerly from the old Mission and west from what is now Kron's tan- nery and within the present limits of Santa Cruz, by David Gharkey. They were Isabellas brought across the plains in 1852, by him and planted the next year and claimed by him to be the first Isabellas grown in California."
The orchard and vineyard industries in the middle and northern parts of the county made but slight advancement prior to 1880, most of the plantings being for family use, or at most a few acres.
Some of the more prominent early growers in the above- named districts aside from those already mentioned were: J. Parrish, A. A. Hecox, H. Daubenbiss, V. Humphrey, J. Morgan, B. Pilkington, H. Morrell, Taylor, Burrill, Curtis, Schultheis and C. McKernan.
Strawberries were first grown for market about the year
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1860. Our informant, Duncan McPherson, also adds that these first strawberries sold at $2 per quart.
The far-famed Loganberry and Mammoth blackberry were originated by Judge J. H. Logan in Santa Cruz and were first introduced to the world in 1853.
The early plantings of the various fruits had demonstrated that soil and climatic conditions existing in the valleys, foot- hills and cañons of the Santa Cruz mountains were ideal for the production of the highest type of the various fruits which had been tested.
Encouraged by this knowledge and the prevalent attractive prices, owners of tracts of land suitable for fruit growing began to plant more extensively. This was about 1880 and this period marks the beginning of commercial fruit growing in that part of the county, since which time there has been a slow but steady increase in the area devoted to fruits.
French prunes predominate in acreage and the quality is equal to the best raised in the state.
Grapes rank second in acreage and for size, color and flavor and keeping qualities they cannot be excelled. Both table and wine grapes are grown in a wide range of varieties.
Peaches, plums and apricots reach a high state of perfec- tion but are not extensively grown.
Some of the choicest cherries produced in the state are raised around Highland, Skyland and other districts of con- siderable elevation. The Royal Anne and Black Tartarian are the favorites.
Red varieties of apples-the Spitzenburg, Baldwin, Jon- athan and others-attain highest perfection around Boulder Creek, Castle Rock, Bonny Doon and other places, in elevation ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. Bartlett and other pears succeed well at those elevations also.
While all districts of the county are well adapted to the
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growing of fruits and are undergoing development along these lines, the topography of the territory is such that Pajaro valley district has taken the lead in commercial growing of fruits on a large scale.
It should be explained here that while Pajaro valley dis- trict is mainly within Santa Cruz county it also embraces a strip of the northern part of Monterey county and in this case it is virtually necessary to include said strip in the Pajaro district, as the two constitute a unit when the fruit industry is under consideration.
The first orchard in this valley was planted as stated be- fore, in 1853 by Jesse D. Carr. Its location was two miles east of Watsonville on what is now known as the old Silliman homestead. This orchard was about two acres in area and con- tained a general mixture of fruit for home use. Some of the original trees are still bearing fruit.
The second orchard planted was by William F. White, in 1854. During the next two or three years several small fam- ily orchards were planted. The Coopers and others planted a few trees on their town lots. Scott planted fruit trees on a portion of what is now the plaza. The latter were still stand- ing as late as 1870. The writer recalls eating fruit from those trees at that time.
G. M. Bockius was one of the early planters, he having set out fifty-two trees of mixed varieties in 1857.
The first commercial orchards were set out by Isaac Will- iams and Judge R. F. Peckham in 1858. Williams planted thirteen acres to apples principally, on land now owned by K. F. Redman. Peckham planted six acres on what is now called the Gaily place. The Moss peach orchard and the Sanford orchard were planted about the same time. These orchards were located on the Santa Cruz road at the extreme western limit of the valley.
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As these early orchards were entirely experimental it was the rule to plant many varieties. With apples the popular varieties were Smith Cider, Rhode Island Greening, Rambo, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Newton Pippin and Bellflower. The favorite plums were the Egg plum, Washington, Jefferson and Green Gage. In cherries, Governor, Wood, Napoleon, Biger- reau, Blackheart and Black Tartarian. The Crawford was. the favorite peach. In apricots the Royal and Moorpark were planted but the Moorpark proved a failure, as it flourishes only in warm dry climates. With pears the favorites were Winter Nellis and Bartlett. Most of the trees were procured from San Jose nurseries, and were hauled in wagons, there be- ing no other means of transportation. These trees cost at the nurseries from $1 to $1.50 each.
In 1860 the total amount planted to fruit trees in our valley did not exceed fifty acres. By this time it had been demon- strated that our soil and climate were well adapted to the production of a great variety of fruits. Our apples particular- ly showed the highest perfection. High prices stimulated the planting of quite an acreage of apples during the next five years, or between 1860 and 1865. People began to plant on a larger scale-some planting as much as fifteen acres.
In the winter of 1861-62 Jacob Blackburn planted an apple orchard of twelve acres. This was for many years the model orchard of the valley. This tract has recently been subdivided into town lots, but many of the original trees remain and bear good fruit.
Blackburn might well be called the father of the apple in- dustry in Pajaro. He, above all others, through the experi- ments which he conducted, demonstrated the most profitable varieties to plant. Being a man of keen observation and rare judgment, thorough in all that pertained to the manage- ment of his orchard, and enthusiastic in the industry, his
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advice, always cheerfully given, was much sought and his or- chard methods widely adopted.
The same winter, that of 1861-62, James Waters planted 1900 apple trees on the bottom land now owned by William Birlem, and the adjoining piece belonging to the orphanage. After the abatement of the renowned flood of 1862 not one tree was left. All were either covered with debris or were washed away. Some pear trees which he planted on the hillside near by still stand.
Louis Martinelli, Daniel Tuttle, Charles Smith, Lum Smith, Thomas Beck, Mike Gagnon, Dunlap and others, followed with their plantings within the next year or two. In 1863 G. M. Bockius planted a pear orchard of ten acres.
As this valley was so isolated on account of such poor shipping facilities, and as other sections more favorably situated were raising enough to supply the markets, prices ruled low and few trees were planted during the period be- tween 1865 and 1875.
To illustrate of how little consequence apples were con- sidered during this time, when J. M. Rodgers planted an or- chard of four acres, in 1868, he was derided by some of his friends and neighbors for planting so much. They said he would have more than enough for family use and could not sell the remainder. Their prediction proved true for a time, for during the next few years orchardists were glad to get twenty-five or thirty cents per box for their apples.
This was not the case with pears at this time, however, for the late G. M. Bockius informed us that in 1868 Porter Brothers of Chicago came here and paid him $2.50 per box for his pears, and they furnished the boxes and did the pack- ing.
Jacob Blackburn and James Waters planted the first nur- sery in 1876.
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The first shipment of apples from Pajaro valley was made by Isaac Williams. They were shipped by way of Hudson's landing to San Francisco. Charles Williams, a merchant of Watsonville, was the first to buy fruit on the tree and handle it after the manner of our present system. This was in 1869. In 1870 the space devoted to fruit trees in Pajaro val- ley did not exceed two hundred and fifty acres. The handling of our fruit was greatly facilitated on the completion of the railroad into our valley in 1870, but this did not stimulate tree planting.
The first strong lasting demand for Pajaro apples dates back to the decline of the industry in Santa Clara and other bay counties which had been supplying the markets of the state with apples. Almost simultaneously two of the worst pests of the apple made their appearance in those districts, the pernicious or San Jose scale from the Orient appearing in 1873 and the codling-moth from Europe, by way of the eastern states, in 1874. Unable to check the inroad of these pests, the orchardists of those sections became discouraged and one by one, dug up their apple orchards, so that by 1880 there was scarcely an apple tree left of over a million that or- iginally had been planted.
With the decline of the industry in the sections mentioned, dealers began to search for apples in localities in which the pests had not secured a foothold.
Marco Rabasa was the first apple dealer to come to Pajaro. This was about 1876. L. G. Sresovich followed shortly after- wards. Up to this time he had no fruit pests. Codling moth was brought into our valley in old boxes shipped in by these men in 1877. San Jose scale made its appearance in about 1880 and probably originated from nursery stock brought from San Jose.
The continued decrease in the output from San Jose, with
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consequent increase in demand and prices, greatly stimulated the planting of trees, and yearly from that period up to 1901 there was a constantly increasing acreage planted. That year witnessed the most extensive planting in the history of the district, 156,000 apple trees or 1,780 acres being planted, the varieties almost exclusively Newton Pippins and Bellflowers.
These early dealers paid the orchardists from $100 to $150 per acre for the fruit on the tree, and in turn sold it at from $2.50 to $4 per box in San Francisco. It is said that one season in the late '70s, Rabasa secured the fruit on the Black- burn orchard for $1,800. After selling enough to pay for the fruit he sold the remainder to L. G. Sresovich for $8,000. The acreage planted to trees in 1880 did not exceed 500 acres.
Another factor which figured in the increased acreage dur- ing this period was the strawberry industry. The completion of the Corralitos water system in 1878 afforded water for irrigation purposes and in the early '80s large acreages were planted to strawberries. As trees planted among the berries grew vigorously, and required no special care, and as berries could be profitably grown until the trees attained bearing age, the thrifty berry grower made it a rule to plant out all berry fields to apple trees. The greater portion of the or- chards on level land north and east of Watsonville were originally planted to strawberry fields.
J. M. Rodgers, in 1882, planted the first prune orchard, comprising four and a-half acres. In 1887, when the trees were five years old, the prunes in this orchard sold on the trees for $1,800. This sale was the primary cause of such a large acreage being planted during the next seven years. In 1894 there was close to 1,500 acres devoted to Petit prunes. Prices were so low by 1896 that most of the prunes in the valley proper were dug up and replaced by apples.
To give an idea of the extent of the industry when at its
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height, the reports for 1896 from the different drying plants in our valley give the total of 2,269,800 pounds green. The Pajaro Valley Fruit Exchange handled about one-half of these. With the decline of the prune the apricot came to the front in the foothill sections and is proving a profitable crop. Some portions of the district raise a very large, handsome canning apricot. The Royal is the favorite. By 1890 the area devoted to fruit trees was about 2,500 acres.
While there was a steady increase in the acreage yearly planted to apples during the decade succeeding 1880, the most extensive planting in the history of the industry be- gan about 1890. By this time those who had hesitated fear- ing that the business would be overdone now gained confi- dence in the stability of the apple market. The chief factor, however, in bringing about this accelerated planting of trees was the establishment of the sugar factory in 1888. The farmer soon learned that he could raise trees and at the same time make the land yield a good profit by raising beets between the trees. To such an extent was this plan carried out that about 1895 the sugar factory officials, becoming alarmed lest no beet acreage would be left, and to discourage tree planting, refused to give out contracts for planting beets in orchards, stating, among other reasons, that they did not propose to ruin their own business by encouraging fruit-tree planting. This, however, did not deter the farmer in the least, as he could raise other crops-beans, potatoes and corn between the trees.
While it was demonstrated in the '60s that the Newton and Bellflower attained their highest perfection here, and while, as time wore on, they continually gained in public favor, and were mainly planted, yet there were those who, thinking these two varieties would be overdone, planted other varieties, their preference running to red apples.
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Between 1885 and 1895 considerable acreages were planted to Missouri Pippin, Red Pearmain, Lawver and Langford Seedling. As these had to come in sharp competition with the eastern red apple, and as our Newton Pippin and Bell- flowers were more in demand and commanded higher prices, the two last-named varieties were planted almost exclusively between 1895 and 1905. During the last few years a strong demand with attractive prices has arisen particularly in Aus- tralia and New Zealand, consequently the tendency is again toward planting the red varieties.
At present there are in round numbers 1,000,000 apple trees planted on 14,000 acres in Pajaro district. Of this number fully seven-eighths are Newtons and Bellflowers, in the proportion of three Newtons to two Bellflowers. The remainder is made up of almost every known variety, with Red Pearmains (Pomme de Fer), Missouri Pippin, White Pearmain, Lawver, Langford and Smith Cider predominating in the order named. Less than one-half of the trees are in full bearing.
The output of apples in 1890 in Pajaro district amounted to about 150,000 boxes and increased ten fold, or to 1,500,000 boxes during the next decade. The yield for this season, 1909, closely approaches 3,000,000 boxes. Of course, this amount is not all shipped out green; as will be seen further on, quite a percentage is converted into the by-products.
The amount shipped green this season totals 3,200 car loads or considerably over 2,000,000 boxes, returning a sum exceeding $1,500,000.
The dried apple product amounts to more than 3,200,000 pounds, yielding in return $190,000; and to produce this it required 750 car loads or 500,000 boxes of apples. Four hundred and twenty car loads or 275,000 boxes of apples
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were converted into 12,000 cases of canned apples, 600 barrels of cider and 6,000 barrels of vinegar, valued at $255,000.
The area devoted to apricots is about 1,500 acres and the dried product amounts to 2,000,000 pounds, returning to the growers $140,000.
The prune industry has dwindled down to 400 acres produc- ing about 950,000 pounds, dried, and returning about $20,000. Of pears there are all told about 5,000 trees. Cherries amount to about 4,000 trees. There are about 200 acres planted to grapes both table and wine varieties.
Pajaro valley has been for many years the leading berry producing district of the state. At present there are 1,000 acres devoted to berry growing. The varieties, acreage and yield are as follows:
Strawberries, 500 acres yielding 50,000 chests.
Blackberries, 200 acres, yielding 12,000 chests.
Loganberries, 200 acres, yielding 8,000 chests.
Raspberries, 100 acres, yielding 4,000 chests.
The returns of these berries this season amounted to up- wards of $250,000.
According to the best information at hand, Santa Cruz county contains 772,410 apple trees, 83,014 apricot trees, 25,- 541 cherry trees, 12,908 peach trees, 19,324 pear trees, 132,606 prune trees and 1,022,800 grape vines.
To close this article without making mention of the struggle against insect pests and diseases affecting the fruit-bearing plants would leave untold the story of a hard-fought con- test, the outcome varying at times from hope to despair and without which struggle, ending as it did in a means of control over all those pests, the fruit industry of this county would have been reduced to such insignificance that a history of it would not be worth the while.
For the first twenty-five years in the history of the fruit
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industry of Santa Cruz county our fruits were practically immune from insect pests and diseases.
There was neither a spray pump nor need of one prior to about 1877, at which time the codling-moth made its appear- ance in our county and the pernicious or San Jose scale about three years later.
Viewing with alarm the advent of those and other noxious pests, and with a hope of checking their inroads, a number of orchardists in the early '80s appealed to the board of supervisors, with the result that a board of horticultural commissioners was appointed whose duty it was to advise best remedies and supervise destruction of the pests. The men who constituted this commission were B. Pilkington, Dr. C. L. Anderson and Samuel Drennan. These men put forth their best efforts in the performance of their duties, but accomplished little, as at that time there were no well-de- fined remedies known for successfully controlling the various noxious pests.
This board served for a number of years and was succeeded by other boards of commissioners who successively served until 1895, at which time the commissioners then in office, discouraged by their inability to control the ever-increasing insect enemies of the orchards, resigned and announced their belief that the situation had resolved itself into a case of the "survival of the fittest" as between the fruit trees on one side and the pests on the other. Thus for five years matters drifted, without a board of commissioners and orchard pests increasing. However, in the meantime, scientists elsewhere had evolved remedies, amongst which were, paris-green for the codling-moth and kindred insects and the lime-sulphur- salt wash for the scale insects.
In 1899 a number of far-seeing orchardists alive to the sit- uation and aware of the fate which would surely befall their
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business unless prompt and heroic measures were adopted, petitioned the supervisors to appoint another board of horti- cultural commissioners. The request was granted and the new board consisted of J. H. B. Pilkington for the Santa Cruz, or northern district; H. R. Dakin for the Soquel or central district; and the writer for the Pajaro or southern district. On December 27, 1899, the appointees met and formally or- ganized. Plans were mapped out and each went at the work in earnest in the territory assigned him.
Mr. Dakin served about one year and was succeeded by F. W. Hitchings, the present incumbent. Mr. Pilkington served about four years and was succeeded by L. N. Trumbly, who is still in office. The duties of the commissioners at first were not the most pleasant, for the orchardists in general were ignorant as to best remedies and their application. Then, too, many were prejudiced against the use of remedies recommended and skeptical as to results. Taken altogether, quite a percentage of the growers rather resented the advice of the commissioners, preferring to drift and take their chances.
Realizing the power of organization in the matter of mould- ing public opinion and the absolute necessity of united ac- tion in this case, the writer, in the spring of 1900, issued a call and named a committee for the purpose of outlining a plan of organization. Through the recommendation of this committee the board of trade and the Pajaro Valley Orchard- ists' Association were launched, the latter as a branch of the board of trade, thus securing the influence and co-operation of the business men in the movement aiming toward the protection and improvement of the fruit industry.
A campaign of publicity was inaugurated by the Orchard- ists' Association. Meetings were held for the consideration of the various problems confronting the orchardists. The
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life history of the various pests was studied and best remedies discussed. Specimens of the injurious together with the bene- ficial insects were placed on exhibition for the benefit of the uninitiated. The columns of both the local newspapers were generously proffered and liberally used by the association for the dissemination of knowledge of importance to the or- chardist. Experiments were conducted for the purpose of testing remedies and the results of those tests announced. Millions of lady-birds, as well as many varieties of other beneficial insects, were brought in and liberated in the or- chards.
Within two years even the most skeptical were convinced that the scale insects could be controlled, the lime-sulphur- salt wash proving most effectual for this purpose. All remedial measures used, however, in the attempt to control the codling-moth proved disappointing and often disastrous to foliage. Paris-green, the sovereign remedy in dryer climates, injured the foliage every time it was applied in this locality.
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