Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-22
Gbe aain spu: aarursst Saturday urng Sumo %, 1872

the Santa Anna river, is Anahem, a German
settlement Of a thousand people, started about
ten years since. 1t is on the stage road to San
Diego, the western or Pacific coast terminus of
the Texas line. 1t is thirty miles distant by road
running over plains and gentle slopes, crossing
the ranches at viii, wherever easiest, without +,
gard to the right of way. For the entire thirty
mics there are in all about thirty dwellings by
the way, of farmers. Till within five years all
along the road most of the lands have been
owned by a few persons and used exclusively
for grazing. They would not SELL until lately,
for any price; but the dry years compelled
them to change their foolish notions and sell
some to keep the rest from possession of mort
gagees.
As soon as settlers came prices jumped from
50 per acre to SO and $40, and then the obsti-
nate owner was converted and glad to SELL
These Anaheim Germans began grape raising
and wine making on large scale, until now
they have hundreds of acres green with vines
growing the most delicious grapes. 1t is a
beautiful sight to look over them, waving and
glistening in the gentle, steady breezes blowing
in constantly from the ocean ten miles away.
Those who do not wish to raise wine grapes can
produce the raisn grapes with equal ease, and,
we believe, with greater profit, getting two crops
a year Of the sweetest raisins we ever tasted.
None are imported that surpass them. But the
German is slow TO change his habits. Wine
making is an immense interest at home, and he
is unwilling to conclude that he can do better in
any other business in California.
Near by him are orange orchards that pay
better profits with less labor, and yet he will
not plant grove there. In the gardens around
some of the houses grow many of the semi
tropical fruits, and plants, and shrubs,
bananas, figs, lemons lines, olives, dates, ETC.,
and the piazzas are fragrant with the Odors of
yerbenas aud helotropes, growing in rankest
profusion. And yet so marvellously even is the
annual temperature, there is no summer heat to
prevent out door labor in the hottest middays,
and every night is cool. Now, the mercury
goes from siXty-ive degrees in early morning
to seventy-ive degrees at noon, while during
all the hours from sun to sun come the cooling
zephyrS from the sea.
Americans are coming in rapidly to this set
Element. At present there is no church, but
ton pays ample subscriptions though he now
keeps his store open on Sundays. He is quiet,
orderly, honest, industrious; though last night,
(to-day is Monday, | was awakened by the
strains of "Shoo Fly and "Pop goes the
WeaseP at a German dance. Be patient and
they will learn better by and by. They have
good tendencies, and promise well.
At the Anaheim hotel where we tarred over
night, the rooms were carpeted with Brussels
and velvet carpetings, chambers furnished with
costly carved furniture, and at the meal room
was well-laden table, while in the bar-room
below the cink of lager glasses and the jolly
laugh wakened us at midnight on Saturday.
Mine host and his attendants were refined In
manners and cultured in speech. No rudeness,
no hypocrisy, simply living IN his adopted
country as he did in his native land. But if he
would be true TO his position, he must Ameri-
canize, and surely he will in time.
Twelve miles from Los Angeles is one of the
best ranches in the state owned by Mr.. L. j.
Rose, and known widely as "Rose'S Ranch"
1t is well worth a long journey to see. Situated
among a cluster of gently Sloping foot hills,
about seven miles from the mountains, it has
in bearing two hundred and fifty acres of orange
trees, English walnuts, figs, pomegranates etc.
This year, he sold sixteen hundred boxes of Or
angeS in San Francisco at $3.50 per box, in coin,
almost all net profit. plucked from his trees
the most luscious oranges that grow on the
globe, in any land, or isle of the sea. Nature
did her best when she grew them. They are
bearing in five years from the seed in
three years from the nursery tree. His
well kept home is uncovered in the
stalwart, yet graceful, dropping shade of the
pepper tree, resembling our weeping willow, but
better. Near the front door rpped gentle
stream-an artificial brooklet from the noun
tains-and it seemed a sort of paradise as we
alighted from dusty carriage at midday, and
the genial proprietor handed us an easy chair
and oranges, and narrated how ten years agoh he
came to this then barren spot. covered with
cactus, grass, and wild mustard, brought the IT.
rigating waters from the streams, planted his
vineyards and groves, and sowed his grain fields
partly on borrowed capital-and now, out of
debt, magnificent farm.garden around him,
and extending it by the hundreds of acres every
year.
This year he has planted several thousand
orange trees. Space will not permit me to give
details They may come in future letter. All
tourists here visit him, and his place shows what
any enterprising man can do in the Los Angeles
valley of southern California. We wish it
might be Transported to Shrewsbury or Paxton,
and contrasted in January when his men can
plough barefoot, and the oranges are being |
packed for San Francisco, to snow banks break |
ing roads, and shoveing paths side by side with |
this Eden scene. Enough for nowl JF.M.