(No time to attend to any but Fruit trees unless a man is employed, so
only the return of Fruit trees is given).
Sixth year. - The orchard now pays, if properly
attended to, from 150 to 350 dols. per acre;
say the lowest .. 6,000
Seventh year. - The orchard pays, if properly
cared for, from 200 to 450 dols. per acre;
say the lowest .. 8,000
This clear after expenses have been deducted. The farmer can take care
of 20 acres himself, with occasional help. With 40 acres he requires one
man more, his son or hired help.
The first three years he will only make his living ordinarily so; after
that time he will make money. Poultry, and vegetables should, during
the first year pay for all expenses at least, and in many instances
leave a large surplus. All this depends upon the capacity of the
settler. With good land such as this 100 dollars or more could be made
from vegetables the first season by a capable and experienced man. At
least it has been done repeatedly.
If poultry is properly cared for, a family will make its living by
selling eggs and chickens until the trees come in bearing.
=How to start with a capital of 8,000 dols., i.e., say L1,600.=
dols.
Land, 40 acres, 6,000 dols., half cost.. .. 3,000
House and barn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,500
Horses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 200
Cows and chickens .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 75
Waggon and tools .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 200
Sundries, tools, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. 400
Trees, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,200
Well and pump .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100
Or windmill and tank .. .. .. .. .. .. 250
Interest on 3,000 dols. at 8 % for three years .. 780
Sundries for living, etc. .. .. .. .. .. 295
- - -
dols. 8,000
The fourth and fifth years there should be a gross
profit of at least 2,650 dols. a year, enough to pay for
the balance due on land.
How to start with, a capital of 5,000 dols.,
i.e., say L1,000.
dols.
Land, 20 acres, 3,000 dols., half cost .. .. 1,500
House and barn, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,000
Trees .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 600
Horses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 200
Cow .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50
Household furniture .. .. .. .. .. .. 100
Waggon and tools .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 200
Well and pump .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100
(If tank and windmill required, from 250 dols.
upwards extra).
Seed, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50
Sundry expenses and chickens .. .. .. .. 300
Interest for three years on balance of land
at 8% .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 360
Capital on hand to pay for part of the land.. 840
- - -
dols. 5,300
What some people have started with, and
come out all right.
dols. dols.
Land, 3,000 dols., cash, balance credit 1000
House and barn 500
Horses 150
Cow 50
Poultry 25
225
Provisions, sundries, etc 100
Furniture and tools 150
Sundry expenses 100
Waggon and horses 150
dols. 2,225
But ordinarily, this is too little, as the planting of the land cannot
be proceeded with at once, and work must be procured among the
neighbours, etc.
The estimates, were furnished us by Professor Eisen, who remarked that,
probably, in giving estimates all persons would vary somewhat, but
these, and other estimates which he gave, are really more than
estimates, because they are the actual results of past experiences.
PROFESSOR EISEN'S OPINION.
Received January 20th, 1891.
Professor Eisen writes: - "I am of opinion that these lands (British
Colony, Merced) are amongst the very best in the State for raisins;
still, as I explained to you, I do not advise any one to put his whole
interest in the raisin industry, as the market for this Fruit is
limited. For other dried fruit, especially for prunes (French plums),
apricots, peaches, and nectarines, the market is practically unlimited,
and as our population increases yearly 1,500,000 people, it will be seen
that our markets must extend as well, even after we have driven all
foreign Fruits out of our home markets. As regards the adaptability of
the land of British Colony for various Fruits, I can say that they are
especially adapted to the prune (French plums) and peaches for drying
and canning, olives for olive oil and pickling; also for oranges. You
can see how the orange thrives in the city of Merced and surroundings,
or in localities exactly like those of British Colony lands, and there
can be no doubt that oranges and lemons will prove very profitable in
British Colony. Olives will especially do well there. The British Colony
lands I consider as exceptionally rich and fertile, and there are few,
if any, equal to them in this State or anywhere else."
PRICE OF FRUIT TREES.
The prices in California of young Fruit trees for planting, for the
season 1890-91, are given as follows: -
dols.
Prunes (like French plums) 25 to 30 per 100
Plums and other prunes 15 "
Apricots 20 "
Peaches, from 15 to 17.50 "
Olives (layers) 20 "
Olives, grafted 40 to 60 "
Pears 18 "
Oranges, best kinds 70 to 100 "
Shade trees 50 "
Grape-vines (raisins) 12 "
Persimmons 15 "
Walnuts, from 15 to 35 "
WHEN FRUIT TREES PAY.
The Fruit trees enumerated above would begin to bear the second year,
but only the fourth year would they bear any considerable amount; the
fifth and sixth years they would come into good bearing, and should then
yield a profit of, say, from 100 to 350 dollars per acre. At seven years
the orchard should be in full bearing, and never yield less than 150,
and, possibly, 450 dollars per acre. Instances have been known when
prunes, peaches, and pears have produced from 750 to 1,500 dollars per
acre clear profit.
POSITION OF A SETTLER.
The position of a settler, then, is that for the first three years he
cannot depend upon his crop of Fruit to maintain him, but must either
have sufficient capital to support him during that time, or else earn
his living in some other way. To be idle, and live on capital, would
not, of course, suit any man who meant to succeed, and therefore he
would fill up his time in cultivating garden and poultry produce, for
which there is always a demand, or in getting some occasional
employment.
