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.

COST OF BOARD AND LODGING.

At Merced railway station is a very large hotel, and the cost of board and lodging for emigrants is only 25 dollars, i.e., say, L5 per month; to usual visitors it is 60 dollars a month.

RAISIN CULTURE.

The Pacific Rural Press, referring to the raisin vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley, California, states:—­

“What is especially interesting to the home-seeker in connection with this information, is the fact that everyone of these vineyardists is prosperous.  No other horticultural industry is so profitable as the culture of the raisin grape, in no other is the work so pleasant, and no other yields a return so quickly.”

An acre of Muscat vines in full bearing will yield from two to three tons of grapes on good heavy soil.  At 5-1/2 cents a pound in the sweat-box, this means from 225 to 325 dollars per acre, gross.  Numerous instances are known, however, where the yield of an acre of Muscats amounted to as much as 450 dollars, this being the result of careful cultivation and favourable circumstances.  Some grapes are borne on the vines when they are one-year old, while two-year old’s have been known to bear a crop.  At three years the vines pay the expenses and interest on the money invested, and at four years from planting they bring the first large paying crop.