The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-11-22

Nlhl W LNONCtuDol DOWihk VI "hNat
commences in December and continues
until FEBRUARY, and barley is sown as late
as March The crops, being matured ARE
gathered in June or July. In case no
rain falls in the winter, the wheat crop is
usually failure, as it does not depend on
irrigation, or is sown on lands where ir-
rigation would be impracticable. But
when crop is made it is usually good in
quality, and large in quantity. The aver
age of thirty bushels of wheat to the acre
is usually made, and some claim to have
raised seventy bushels of wheat to the
acre on choice lands.
In respect to manufacturing and me-
chanical products-these are in about the
condition Of those in our states west of the
Missouri River, yet to be developed and
put on the basis of regular industries.
Mercantile and Commercial interests
are settled to better system of fixed and
regular profits. The golden days Of '49
are gone, and $3.50 is paid for fare from
Stockton to San Francisco instead 1882,
as was charged in 40 and 80, the dis
tance being one hundred and seven miles.
Some things are higher in San Francisco
market, than in New York, while others
are lower. Probably twenty per cent
additional to the expense of living in New
York, would cover like style of living
in San Francisco. Hotel charges are lower
than in New York. Three dollars day
in gold or sixty dollars month are the
charges in first class hotels in San Fran.
cisco. These hotels are immense estab.
lishments, with from 300 to 400 rooms in
each, and have their rates regulated. SC
that the resident citizens, could live in
them, at a moderate expense.
There is look towards refined Chris.
tian civilization in the churches, with
generally competent and able ministers
The Educational institutions, from the
university to the towns and country, land
even back among the hills. where the min
ing settlements have children to be edu
Gated. are of great promise to the future
In all respects, the tendency of things il
California, is towards the improvement
and domestic comfort of its people.
But the dra wbacks found, as in all oul
new States, are that too great portion
of the lands are held by capitalists fol
speculation, rather than improvement -
Farms of ten, fifteen, and even fifty thou
sand acres are found, and men of small
means wanting farm, are charged higt
prices for the few hundred acres they car
cultivate-or perhaps, they are coerced tt
raise crops on shares, on the lands ofcap
italists Withheld from market Caiforni,
is cursed with land monopoly beyond al
most any other State in the Union. Some
ranch men gave a sort of haggling culture
to from ten to twenty thousand acres
But to do this they must surround them
selves with great number Of dependent
and foster in the community great masses
of poverty. Resort is had to Chinamel
on the most of these farms, and with com
petent management, their labor may b,
regarded as success. Such estates, how
ever. and their operations, leave no facil
ties for respectable neighborhoods, schools
churches and society. Travelled acros
one sheep farm in Butte County of 90,
600 year, if the increase shall pay tn
expense of shearng and of herders t,
care for them.
| have said nothing Of the fruits an,
vegetable products of California. Ora
pes are the great staple in this line. The,
will grow without irrigation on the uplan'
soil. But where practicable irrigation i
resorted to for young vines, as they ar
thus brought to bearing condition on
or two years earlier,than where the root
are left to find their way unaided to tn
subsoil moisture. The prices of grape
are from fifteen to thirty dollars to-
for conversion into wine choice varietic
for the table, bringing five to twenty.fv
cents pound. Of pears the Bartlett
are the most extensively grown. Whe
their season in the lowlands are past, the
are brought down from the foothills G
the mountains for five or six weeks later
or until about the first of October. Thes
pears are shipped to all the large town
along the railroad and to St. Loui,
Chicago. and New York. and if the bus
ness is we'll managed it pays romarkabl
WE'LL
Monopolies in California are not cor
. fined to land. The rivers in the mour
tains are turned into aqueducts by spec
al authority Of law and carried along rid
, ges and whoever has use for the water, ,fc
mining or other purposes, pays lare
: royalty to the person who has thus divel
ted the stream from its ancient channels
, against all the settled laws on the subjec
in any other state or country. Aroun
Z San Francisco dock rights have been LOAF
ed to individuals for a great number {
, years, and whoever drives coach or loaG
cart on a pier, is charged from twenty
> five to fifty cents for the privilege; thoug
Q the goods or passengers come BY steam'
0 that has paid full dock rights.
Y All these incidents Of monopoly wi
$ remain a curse to California for cent?
b. ry to come, unless others than the mon
J. polists shall be represented in the legisl
+ ture that alone can cure these mischie
n by carefully devised systems of taxatio
r But one other incident remains to !
s noticed as affecting the prospects of ii
f new emigrant to California. That is IL
G state of debt and credit. For these su'
il sist there, to perhaps larger extent tbs
: in any other state in the Union. I'll
= chances of loss are not less than elsewher
S If the borrower makes crop he usual
= pays his debt. But if not pay day is
:. ferred-and it is question if those wi
Is furnish money to tenants to new estate
e ought not to have lien on the land
Ie the extent Of the share of the crop reese
.e we'd in the lease to the landlord. r.
rs soundness of credit being so subject to
I. the contingencies affecting business purs
d its the emigrant may also be liable to lo
g. in case he fall into the general system
es credit. If he make crop and sell it 1
OF cash. he is all right. But otherwise
-. mo q, ha aU, m Had hy communication ~, a rob .