Fullerton Union High School - Pleiades Yearbook (Fullerton, CA)

Page 13 text:

EARLY HISTORY OF THE VALENCIA The orange is a native of India or Southern China, whence, from time to time, it has been dis- tributed to all parts of the temperate regions and sub-tropical zones. The orange, which is now known as the Valencia, was first noted in England, having been taken there in the second half of the nineteenth century by a leading nurseryman. In 1876 Judge A. B. Chapman of San Gabriel ob- tained (in what manner it is not mutually agreed) a bundle of rooted orange tree slips which had origi- nated in River Brothers ' greenhouse in England. Although they had no labels, he set them out be- lieving them to be the then popular Navel orange. When they began to bear it was discovered that some of the trees were of a variety hitherto un- known in California. Since he did not know their correct name, upon the suggestion of a Spanish em- ployee he called them Valencia Lates. This name was generally adopted, but the last word, Lates, was dropped through popular use. About this time Mr. J. H. Dobbins, a neighbor of Mr. Chapman, sent a nurseryman to obtain some Washington Navel buds from Mr. Chapman ' s Navels. This was done, and not until the buds began to bear did Mr. Dobbins realize that a mis- take had been made. Upon discovering that the buds were not from Navel trees he became angry and threatened to sue the budder. hlowever, when he sent some of these Valencias to Chicago and re- ceived $4.00 a box for them he changed his mind. Meanwhile the Valencias on Chapman ' s property were attracting the attention of many nurserymen, particularly of a certain Byron Clark of Pasadena. Mr. Clark spoke to Mr. R. H. Gilman concerning the valuable qualities of this new type of orange. Gilman was interested and obtained buds from Dobbins. This took place in the year 1880 or thereabouts. He budded them with his seedlings until in two or three years he had budded over five acres of seedlings on his property in the north- ern part of Orange County. This was the first Valencia orange grove in California. Most of the trees are still alive and in flourishing condition and may be seen any time at the original site, which is now owned by the Placentia Fruit Company and operated by Mr. S. W. McColloch. This grove is