The Land of Oranges

S. l. (Los Angeles, CA): California Fruit Growers Exchange, 1932. Softcover. First edition thus; 5 3/4 x 4 1/4; pp. 1-12; chromolithographed wraps; small nicks to tips of spine and corners; small closed cut to bottom edge of front wrap; illustrated with b & w drawings and two tables; very good or better condition.A charming, coloring book for children, it told the story of Betty and Billy visiting their Uncle Jim, who lives on a ranch in California and grows orange trees. Kids were supposed to read the story and color the illustrations with crayons and water colors. The booklet also contained height and weight charts for keeping records of the development of its little owners and a list of good health rules. A sad fact of the times was that the prevalent reality of the California citriculture was that it completely relied on immigrant, minority groups, and more specifically Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican workers, while literature and art portrayed the industry as always and only involving white people, including the front wrap illustration of the current book, which showed a white father and his two children gazing contentedly down rows of orange trees.