Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-11-23
Agricultural Lands in the Southern
Counties Of California.
BY WM. r. OLDEN.

10 furnish information to eastern
people, who have already commenced
to stream into California, seeking
homes in a country and climate where
they can recover and maintain their
health, and where they can avoid the
extremes of heat and cold, 1 will at
tempt to describe and locate the most
desirable agricultural lands of the
Southern coast counties.
As these lands are with the eXcep-
tiOn of few secluded valleys of small
importance) entirely included in
belt lying between the coast range
and the sea, will confine myself to
them, as the land east of the noun
tain is, generally speaking, not adapt
ed to anything except pasture for
sheep and cattle, and cannot, therefore,
be properly classed as agricultural
lands.
This belt commences with the north
line of San Luis ObispO county,
about ten miles northwest of San
Simeon bay, and extends to the south
ern limits of the county at the mouth
of the Santa Maria, and has varying
width of from three to fifteen miles,
composed principally of undulating
foot hills, which, as they approach the
sea gradually subside into cOmpara-
lively level mesa or table land, cross
ed occasionally by some stream flow
Ing westerly from the coast range,
with it's narrow border of rich and
moist bottom land. A valley from one
to three miles wide, extends lOngi-
tudinally through this belt, with
some unimpOrtant Interruptions from
the northern to the southern line of the
county. The soil is generally rich and
productive, and although a consider
able portion Is devoted to grain it is
found that dairying and sheep are
more profitable; but little grain is
raised for export, most of it being re-
ouired for home consumption. The
famous Steele Bros. dairies are located
In the centre of this belt, near the
town of San Luis Obispo. Steamers
land regularly at San Simeon bay and
San Luis landing, twice each month.
Santa Barbara County.
The northwesterly part of this coun-
ty is rough, and broken spurs and
ridges from the mountains crossing
the coast belt, extend to the coast.
Between these ridges, however, are
some very fertile valleys, equal in pro-
ductiveness to anything found in the
State. Owing, however, to the alb
sence of any convenient shipping
facilities, the country must remain
what it is at present-exclusively pas
toral. The climate of the coast from
Point Conception, (the western limit
of the valley of Santa Barbara), to San
Simeon bay, (the northern limit of
this belt) is cool and bracing; admir-
ably adapted for healthy and robust
people, and it is also resorted to by
those whose health has been broken
by the malarious fevers OF San JOa-
quin valley. A residence OF six
months or a year scarcely ever fails to
effect cure.
Santa Barbara valley, proper ex-
tends from the GaviOta Pass to Car
pinteria, a distince of about 40 miles,
and consists of mesa belt, tOlerably
level, varying from one to two miles
in width. The town of Santa Barbara
occupies q central position in this val
lev, and is remarkable as the only
town In Southern California that is
built directly on the coast, the towns
at other places being located few
miles back, to avoid the somewhat
too vigorous sea breeze, which usually
acquires milder and more pleasant