We’re on Page 8 in our booklet entitled Facts About Fresno County. In case you missed it, this is from a promotional pamphlet that dates all the way back to the 1900s. Here’s a link to all of the past posts: FACTS ABOUT FRESNO COUNTY.
Page 8 starts off with a little bit of the obvious, “grown successfully wherever there is water” but then quickly quantifies it with, “the most successful orange lands are located in the eastern part of the county at the base of the foothills“.
We know how the foothills east of Fresno are generally a little bit cooler, and if you have been paying attention you also know the soil is different as you move towards the Sierras. Apparently this is better soil for oranges than the soil to the west.
The page mentions a couple of distinct advantages – freedom from frost and that the soil produces a superior fruit as compared to others. But we really like the way they suggest that oranges grown here ripen earlier (three to six weeks earlier!). The grower can take advantage of this by getting top dollar, beating the bulk of oranges presumably coming out of Florida to the eastern markets.
Once again, this all relies heavily on Fresno being close to railroad lines, which we learned is why Fresno was built where it was.
The page finishes with an estimate of land prices at $60 to $100 an acre (with water). Compare that with what we’ve learned in the past – the prime vineyard land was valued at $250 to $350 an acre.
Strangely enough, while the title of the page is “Oranges and Lemons“, there isn’t a single mention about the little yellow guys.
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