The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-09

Ncls, no mosquitoes, no POISONOUS rep
tiles; yet their roses bloom all the year
round 81 do not know the day in the
whole year when l cannot gather bou
quet in my garden" said lady here to
me; in one place in Oakland, saw the
gasmoter out of doors near the stable
dwellings need no furnaces to warm
them in winter and the whole cum
brous machinery by which we guard
ourselves and our animals and tender
plants against cold is here unknown.
The greenhouse and conservatory are
only ail'ectation; the oleander remains
in the ground the winter through; and
the fan palm ilourishes everywhere.
The people of San Francisco complain
of their climato-but with little reason.
Every day at twelve o'clock they get
stiff and cool sea breeze. If you go out
in the morning, no matter how warm it
is, you are warned to take with you a
shawl or ovcrcoat but for seven months
in the year you may lock up your um.
brella and we, too, have dusty roads,
but no constant alleviation of cool
breCzcs.
Moreover, u journey Of thirty miles
puts you into an entirely different eli
mate. The San Jose Valley, the Napa
Valley, and others, lie behind the Coast
Range, and are thus sheltered from the
ocean breezes and here there is no after
noon gale, and all the winds are gentle.
We came up from San Jose on brill
liant warm day, which we had enjoyed
by driving early to the quicksilver
mines, and later over the lovely Alamo.
da, to Santa Clara. AS the train neared
the city, we closed the windows pres.
entity the ladies drew shawls about them
and when we got out of the cars at San
was glad to close the carriage windows {;
and we sat by fire in the evening.
Thus, l am told, it is ali summer; and
rs there is no rain, the country, of
course, gets dusty; and in the country
houses you find wraps for the neck and
other appliances to keep out the dust
when you drive out, and in your room
a queer sprinkler over the wash basin,
wherewith conveniently to wash your
bead and neck, when you return from q
drive.
San Jose is considerable place, but
it has nothing remarkable that know
of, except the quicksilver mines, fifteen
miles away, to visit which you should
rise at six, and set out at seven in the
morning, getting Pat Welch to drive
you there, who is one of the notabilitie:
of the place, and takes great pride il
his horses. lie is an honest Irishman
who served us so well, at such reas
enable rate, and was SO ready and wei
informed, that he added much to ou
pleasure. The hotel Of the place, thu
Auzeray House, is admirably kept il
every way, SO that no one need fear thu
journey to San Jose, and no one ough
to omit it who wishes to sec one of tn
pleasantest aspects of California life
AT the mines you will meet Mr.. Raj
/ dali, the superintendent, a young Ne'
f Yorker, who will suffer you TO see tn
lions of the place, and, if he is not to
/ busy, may even show you around
, There is not much to see; but the pro
1 cess of roasting the ores and ladling tn,
| liquid silver into the iron bottles is in
teresting, and | was very glad my chi
dren could see the sight. But the driv
, is charming, and worth taking if thel
, were no mine at the end. On the wa
we saw thousands of little groun
squirrel, which l imagine takes ratht
larger tithes Of the farmers crops her
O than they like.
, FRUIT FA RMING.
, "Docs fruit pay?" | asked countr
gentleman near Fair Oaks, when "
had walked through his extensive o
| chards.
l at does not pay me-" he said: 81 sc
r none. 1t is my pleasure. But SON
kinds of fruit pay those who make it
n business. Now you would not que
y what it is that pays best-currant
}. gooscbcrries and sometimes strawbe
y ries. Peaches and apricots are 'drr
:, in the Market as the reporter says"
y 81 fed tons of the finest Bartlett AZ
Duchess pears to my hogs last year,
p said one gentleman to me, adding, "a
s. monds might pay, but planted only
d few, because they are not wholesome
6 the children" Cherries are too abu
e dant and perishablc TO be valuable; Il
sr pear crop, which with US is the mo
J., valuable, is here not worth shippil
d thirty miles. The vineyards, of cours
g. are profitable; and this especially whe
Is one gets Il good reputation. 1t is here
d in Europe-of two vineyards lying
it the same region, one will produce val
able grapes for wine, and the other W
u be rejected; the soil is the same t
II. vines are the same; the culture is t
er same everywhere; yet the most carei
n and experienced wine-makers find Il
h. great difference.
&c Grapes are sold at cent and hal
Us pound at the vineyards, and they wou
y pay very handsomely, l am told, at h
20 the price 1t appearsto me that it wor
lis pay well to export grapes and pears
Il the Atlantic States at such rates
3 could be got for them there; for thu
as would be, in the most extreme case
no very large margin for decay and loss
d c. n
III PINS AND Hooks AND EYEs.-P
49, are in continual demand, while hoe
on and eyes are subject to the freaks
nj fashion. In 1885 pins which now br
,,n fifteen cents pack were worth one {