Sutter County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter 6 Horticulture And Viticulture 1924
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 5, 2012, 1:28 am

Book Title: History Of Yuba And Sutter Counties

CHAPTER VI 
HORTICULTURE AND VITICULTURE 

    Marvelous indeed is the transformation that has come to Sutter County since
the days described in the previous chapter. From a great and vast acreage of
grain and hay, with here and there a home, to a panorama of orchards and
vineyards, each a home-place added to the thickly dotted landscape, is a change
scarce dreamed of by the men and women who blazed the way to the present stage
in the county's agricultural development. 

    Sutter County of today is the result of a combination nowhere equalled — a
combination of soil and water in alliance with a climate that does more than any
other on the face of old Mother Earth, to make plant life thrive and do its
best. The fruitful results of this three-fold union of earth's greatest riches
are everywhere in evidence in Sutter County. 

    For countless centuries, what is now Sutter County, like the Valley of the
Nile, was annually flooded with the waters that flowed down the Sacramento and
Feather Rivers from the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada Mountains that border, on
each side, the great interior valley of California. By far the greater portion
of the county lies between the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, while the
remaining portion stretches along the eastern side of the Sacramento and south
of the Bear. Year after year the mountain silt was washed down by these streams
and spread out like a blanket over what is now Sutter County. This silt-like
loam, thus finally brought to the level of the adjacent lands, is deeper than
the roots of trees or vines ever go, and the three rivers furnish ample liquid
nourishment for the successful carrying on of every kind of agricultural
enterprise. 

BEGINNINGS OF THE FRUIT INDUSTRY 

    Away back, somewhere about 1850. the first orchard in Northern California
was planted at Hock Farm on the Feather River, about nine miles south of Yuba
City, by Gen. John A. Sutter, one of the West's most conspicuous pioneers. This
first orchard soon became famous, and marked the simple beginning of an industry
that is still a baby in arms in comparison with the possibilities of its
ultimate development. Sutter County is surely destined to become, at no distant
day, one great orchard and vineyard. 

    County Horticultural Commissioner H. P. Stabler, in 1922, on the occasion of
the first annual Peach Day Celebration, thus wrote of Sutter County's claim to
the title of "Home of the Cling Peach": 

    "Gen. John A. Sutter, soon after the discovery of gold, left Sutter's Fort
at Sacramento and built a home on Hock Farm on the Feather River, nine miles
south of Yuba City. Here he planted a peach orchard, the first peach orchard in
Sutter County. In 1860 John Briggs, P. L. Bunce, Dr. A. L. Chandler, and Dr. Eli
Teegarden planted peach orchards in Sutter County. A. F. Abbott and Joseph
Phillips planted fifty-five acres of cling peaches in 1882, about nine miles
south of Yuba City. This orchard was extended in a few years to 425 acres, and
in this orchard the famous Phillips cling, a chance seedling, was found in 1888. 

    "B. F. Walton, now deceased, one of Sutter County's most progressive
citizens, organized a cooperative association in 1883 and built a fruit-canning
factory in Yuba City. The building of this plant, the Sutter Canning & Packing
Company, stimulated the planting of cling peaches, so that in each year since,
the production has grown by leaps and bounds. 

    "Joseph Phillips imported some trees of a cling peach from Augusta, Georgia,
about 1885. This was known as the Tuskenia, the name being gradually changed to
Tuscan. This cling, now grown in cling-peach districts all over the State, was
first grown in California in Sutter County. The Walton, the Johnson and the
Hauss clings, popular midsummer varieties, ripening after the Tuscan and before
the Phillips, originated in the orchards of P. A. Walton, J. Sander Johnson, and
Ferdinand Hauss." 

Abbott and Phillips 

    To A. F. Abbott and Joseph Phillips, both now deceased, those who have kept
in close touch with the history of Sutter County assign the credit for the great
fruit industry of Sutter County. Abbott is often referred to as the real father
of the industry. The widow, children and grandchildren of Abbott are now
residents of Marysville. Phillips never married. 

Abbott was a resident of Sutter County in pioneer days, and in his 
youth was an employee of Gen. John A. Sutter at Hock Farm, where he 
first saw the possibility of fruit-culture. 

    It was in 1882 that Abbott associated himself with Joseph Phillips, who had
grown fruit on Feather River below Marysville. They transformed Abbott's
extensive grain ranch on Feather River, nine miles below Yuba City, into one of
the finest orchards in California. This proved a very fortunate combination, as
each member of the partnership was unequalled in his way. Abbott was a very
successful fruit-grower, and owned 500 acres of land unusually suited to the
business of fruit-raising. He was active, intelligent, and one of the best
business men in the county. 

    On the other hand, Joseph Phillips, from his youth, had been engaged in the
nursery and fruit business, and at the time of planting the orchard was
considered the leading authority in California on horticultural matters. He was
a keen observer; a successful experimenter, trying out new varieties to test
their adaptability to California conditions; a hybridizer, crossing different
fruits to produce new varieties; and a close student of all matters pertaining
to horticulture. 

    Phillips imported from P. J. Berckmans, a nurseryman of Augusta, Ga., a
cling peach called by Berckmans the Tuskenia. Phillips was the first to grow
this peach in California. It is known now as the Tuscan, and is one of the
leading canning peaches of the State. Several of the most valuable cultivated
fruits were brought to the State by Phillips. 

    In the year 1882 Abbott and Phillips planted fifty-five acres; and they
rapidly added to their orchard until they had 425 acres. This move was watched
by the farmers, and the success of this enterprise stimulated landowners all
over the Sacramento Valley to plant orchards. In 1883 the farmers and business
men of the county were so favorably impressed with the possibilities of
fruit-growing that the Sutter Canning & Packing Company was organized and a
canning factory built in Yuba City the same year. The first fruit canned in
Sutter County was grown and gathered in the Abbott & Phillips orchard. 

Birth of the Phillips Cling Peach 

    Phillips was always on the alert for new and desirable varieties. In 1888,
he discovered in the orchard a chance seedling peach with so many good qualities
that he budded a few trees. From that beginning, growers and nurserymen secured
the now famous Phillips cling peach, which is now grown in every cling-peach
district of California. 

    The remains of Phillips now lie in an unmarked grave in the Marysville
cemetery, a grave supplied by the generosity of a few friends who admired him
during his lifetime and mourned his death. It has been suggested in recent years
— and the movement promises to take form — that those who profited through the
cling peach (and they are numerous), and who appreciate the good that Phillips
wrought for the fruit industry of this section, contribute to a fund for the
erection of a shaft to mark the grave of their benefactor. 

    The full name of the originator of the Phillips cling peach was Joseph Duke
Phillips. 

Other Pioneer Fruit Growers 

    In another chapter we have listed the men who pioneered in the grain era of
Sutter County. Those also who paved the way to the great fruit era in which the
county is now prospering should not be forgotten. Sharing early honors with A.
F. Abbott, Joe Phillips, and Gen. John A. Sutter, who no doubt brought the first
olive trees, fig trees, and vines to his place at Hock Farm, presumably from the
California Missions, are the late P. L. Bunce and John Briggs, who had orchards
south of Yuba City early in the sixties. The Bunce properties are still known as
such, while the Briggs orchard is now known as the Dr. Jackson place. Besides
making a success of deciduous fruits, P. L. Bunce pioneered in citrus fruits
also, though not on a large scale. 

    It was about the year 1867 that the Briggs orchard of 100 acres, then
considered a large tract for fruits, became famous all over California, both for
the quality of the fruit produced and for the many varieties cultivated. Briggs
had pears, peaches, cherries, apricots, figs, prunes, nectarines, apples, and
nuts on the place. It was from this orchard that the first carload of California
fruit to be shipped to the East was picked in 1876. The buyer was Edwin T. Earl,
who later organized on this coast the well-known Earl Fruit Company. Notable in
the old Briggs orchard at the present time are the large and beautiful pecan
trees which Briggs planted fifty-five years ago. These trees still are in
bearing, although no one seems to benefit by their present efforts. They were
the first pecans planted in California. 

    Dr. S. R. Chandler also ranks as an early-day grower. As early as 1857, he
had a small orchard planted to peaches, pears, and some other fruits. 

    S. J. Stabler, father of the present horticultural commissioner, and B. G.
Stabler, an uncle of H. P. Stabler, each put out orchards in 1885. They had 100
acres each, and their places were located a short distance west of Yuba City. In
the same year Dr. S. R. Chandler added to his plantings. 

    C. F. Butler of Yuba City, E. W. Hixson of Franklin Corners, and T. B. Hull,
"down the river," became interested in horticulture about the same time. G. F.
Starr followed with a large orchard planting on his place north of Yuba City,
which tract now adjoins that of R. W. Skinner on the north and, like Skinner's,
borders the State Highway. 

    In 1886, the late B. F. Walton laid the foundation for the fruit industry
that has spread widely in the Bogue section. He chose peaches, almonds, and
prunes. Walton organized the first canning concern in Sutter County. 

    The Cutts & Hudson orchard of 155 acres, located near Live Oak, was planted
about this same time. 

    About two years later, the late J. T. Bogue, after whom Bogue Station,
popular fruit-shipping point, was named, put out forty acres of orchard and
established a nursery. He was the first nurseryman to propagate the Phillips
cling peach commercially. 

    R. W. Skinner, now regarded as the leading cherry expert in California,
first became prominent in the horticultural field about this time. He came to
this section from San Jose about 1887, and was the founder of a local branch of
the Golden Gate Packing Company. He previously had leased orchards, purchased
crops, and engaged as a shipper in several sections, including the orange belt
of Palermo, in Butte County. He is now interested in one of the largest cherry
orchards of Sutter County, north of Yuba City. 

    Plantings in the early nineties included the famed Giblin Brothers' cherry
orchard, just south of Yuba City. Owing to the good care given to the sixty
acres of trees planted on wonderful land specially adapted to the cherry,
tremendous crops of this fruit were produced for years, and still are being
harvested. 

Herman Berg, of Berg Brothers, early settlers, put out twelve acres of olives
about this time, north of Yuba City, and Marcuse Brothers also planted 100 acres
to fruits on the bank of Feather River, their place being east of Marcuse Station. 

    About the same time, also, B. S. J. Hiatt planted a large acreage to pears
on the bank of Sacramento River, near Kirksville. These plantings were preceded
by a few years by one on Bear River, northeast of Nicolaus. C. P. Berry, who
later became State Senator representing this district, was the founder of this
orchard of peaches and pears. 

    An interesting planting about this time was made by the late E. F.
Thornbrough along the Sacramento River, south of Meridian. Thornbrough chose the
"Robe de Sargent" prunes, now known as the "robe," among orchardists. They were
the first of this variety of prune to be planted in Sutter County; and at. once
the fruit grew into popularity. The trees planted by Thornbrough are still
bearing profitably. 

    The oldest prune orchard in Sutter County is that planted in 1890 by Wesley
T. Wilson, who showed foresightedness by putting out a large tract to this fruit
on the bank of Feather River southeast of Tudor. This orchard still has the
record for production, yielding seven tons of dried fruit to the acre. The place
is now owned by H. Cheim, of Marysville, and J. A. Bennett, of Sutter County. 

    G. F. Starr also pioneered in prunes at his place north of Yuba City. 

PRESENT STATUS OF THE FRUIT INDUSTRY 

    To print a list of those now engaged in the peach industry in Sutter County
would be to publish almost a complete census of the family heads of the county.
County Horticultural Commissioner H. P. Stabler, to whom the compiler of this
volume is indebted for much data on the history of Sutter County's fruit
plantings, has listed at the present time 637 growers of peaches; while of those
cultivating fruits, of whatever variety, Stabler's census shows the number to be
1034. 

Quality, and Tonnage per Acre 

    Sutter County's orchards are noted not only for the quality of the fruit,
but also for the extremely heavy tonnage per acre. Miss Elaine Wilbur's orchard
of cling peaches has became famous throughout the country. For two years Miss
Wilbur has won the first prize in the annual peach contest, for quality,
tonnage, and condition of orchard, on Tuscan and Phillips cling peaches. Her
orchard, when five years old, had a record of twenty tons and two hundred
forty-two pounds per acre, on a plot of thirteen and two-thirds acres, a record
which then stood unchallenged. 

In F. S. Walton's orchard of Phillips clings, one acre of particularly fine
trees produced twenty-six tons. L. A. Walton has had trees of Phillips clings
which regularly produced 1000 pounds per tree. 

New Early-fruiting Midsummer Peach 

    In the spring of 1923, Roy Van Tiger, a fruit-grower of the Encinal
district, surprised the horticultural world with the announcement that peach
trees planted by him in 1922 would produce early in the summer of 1923. It
proved to be so, though the crop was light. The newspapers investigated and
found the trees to be of the new midsummer variety known as the Palora, which
had originated at Gridley, Butte County, by chance. The limbs were found to be
showing an average of thirty-five peaches to the tree. Van Tiger had ten acres
in his first planting. 

    M. J. Newkom was the first grower to plant this new cling peach in Sutter
County. He now has eight acres in full bearing. The peach is highly valued, as
it carries exceptionally well to distant canneries and its production record is
notable. At two years of age, Newkom's trees produced three tons to the acre,
and nine tons per acre at three years. At four years the orchard produced
fifteen tons to the acre. 

    The Palora started from a chance seedling found in the yard of the Gridley
cannery by a man named Dixon, who sent the buds to Linden, San Joaquin County,
for propagation, where the people by whom he was employed had headquarters. 

    County Horticultural Commissioner H. P. Stabler has said that the Palora is
rapidly growing in favor with the growers, and will soon rank with any of Sutter
County's midsummer varieties. It is the first to appear each season in that class. 

Viticulture 

    Sharing honors with the peach, the Thompson Seedless grape has done much to
make Sutter County famous. From a few cuttings obtained by a man named William
Thompson, who lived near Sutter City, the growing of this valuable grape has
been developed in a little over a decade into one of California's leading
industries. 

    The seedless grape of commerce, known here as the Thompson Seedless, was
first grown in this country in Sutter County. Its potential value was instantly
recognized, and extensive plantings were made as rapidly as cuttings could be
procured. Other sections of California have adopted this grape, but Sutter
County easily holds its position as its home and principal producing district in
the State. 

    The Thompson Seedless lays claim to several superior qualities. It is a
medium-sized, oblong white grape, grows in large clusters or bunches, and is
entirely free from seeds. It has no equal as a raisin grape, and is also
delicious when eaten fresh. It possesses a high sugar content and a luscious
flavor, which together make it a favorite in any market. 

    The Thompson Seedless is shipped as a fresh grape to the cities of the
Pacific Coast, and growers are each year expectantly looking forward to the day
when improved shipping facilities will permit its being sold in larger
quantities than now, and delivered fresh in the cities of the East. Excellent
prices are received for both the raisins and the green grapes. 

    Many other varieties of table and wine grapes, including the well-known
Zante currants, are grown in this county. 

Almonds at Home in Sutter County 

    Almonds are particular about where they grow. California is the only State
that grows almonds commercially; and it is not everywhere, even within
California, that this nut is at home. Sutter County is one of the most favored
almond-growing districts, and this crop represents one of its most valuable
industries. The almond is an inhabitant of temperate climes. It blossoms the
earliest of all fruit trees, and will not stand much frost. One great advantage
to the producer of the almond, as well as of other fruits, lies in the fact that
the growers of California are well organized, and a central selling agency fixes
the prices at which the crop shall be sold, which insures profitable selling
prices and effectually checkmates any possibility of a combination en the part
of the buyers to say how much the grower shall be paid for his crop. 

Prunes and Plums 

    Prunes and plums are valuable fruit crops, although they do not represent
quite the acreage of peaches, grapes or almonds. The crops are at present
harvested mostly from trees of comparatively recent planting; but there are
hundreds of acres of young orchards that are soon to come into bearing, and
heavy plantings are being made as a result of the large and highly profitable
crops from the older trees. 

    The prune has always ranked as one of California's most important fruits.
Many fortunes have been made from the much-abused prune, because it is a highly
dependable crop, and one that can be relied upon to run true to form year in and
year out. 

    Present-day growers who specialize in prunes are, The Herman Berg Estate,
Frank Berry, Mrs. G. H. Taylor, Thorn Brothers, Henry Van Tiger, Leonard Walton,
Glenn Walton, Eloyd Wilbur, Elaine Wilbur, E. A. Boynton, Lester Clark, A. W.
Cutts, A. W. Hincks, A. E. Bigger, M. J. Newkom, Glenn Onstott, J. A. Onstott,
G. H. Stewart, Charles F. Rednall, C. C. Schell, T. H. Stafford, E. W. Stanton,
and Rosenberg Brothers & Company. 

Growing and Packing of Figs 

    Figs are an important product. One of the large dried-fruit packing-houses
at Yuba City was built for the purpose of packing figs. The business grew to
such proportions that dried figs were imported from surrounding counties for
packing. Nearly every grocery in the United States at this time sells figs
packed in Yuba City. In Sutter County you can literally "sit under your own vine
and fig tree." 

Fruit Plantings in 1923 

    During the planting season of 1923 the Sutter County acreage planted to
trees, plants, shrubs, and vines was 5316 acres. Of this area, the acreage
planted to cling peaches was 3705. The season eclipsed all previous records in
Sutter County. The number of trees, vines, shrubs and plants inspected was
1,334,119. These figures are taken from the report of H. P. Stabler,
horticultural commissioner of the county. 

    The total of peach trees planted during that season was 378,764. The
Phillips cling predominated, with 168,763 trees; the Palora was next, with
68,882; and the Tuscan variety was third, with 50,438 trees. Other leading
varieties planted were: Peaks, 22,579; Libbee, 13,905; Johnson, 12.233; and
Sims, 11,157. Under the 10,000 mark were the Hauss, Guame, Walton, Harris,
Selma, Flint, Albright, Muirs, Lovel, and seedlings. 

    The number of prune trees set out during this season was 54,559, on 546
acres. The French led, with 469 acres; Imperials were next, with 36 acres; and
the Robes were third, with 5 acres. Thirty-six acres were planted to seedling
prunes. 

Other varieties of trees planted during this remarkable season were: Apricots,
4487; almonds, 11,316; walnuts, 852; pears, 4290; plums, 9590; and cherries, 9509. 

    There was also a large planting in grapes, the total of vines put out being
233,005, distributed between the following varieties: Alicante Bouschet, 90,550;
Thompson Seedless, 95,705: Zinfandels, 38,950; Granache, 6000; Muscat, 700;
Emperor, 700; and Petit Sirrah, 400. 


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES 
CALIFORNIA 
WITH 
Biographical Sketches OF 
The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their
Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present 

HISTORY BY 
PETER J. DELAY 

ILLUSTRATED 
COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME 

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1924



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sutter/history/1924/historyo/chapter6338gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 22.2 Kb