Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-12-19
A LETTER Row CALIFORNIA.

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A LETTER FoM CALIFORNIA.
Political RenegadSeT The Climate, Fruit
and Wool-groooiag-The Indian-Agree
able Experiences sesth Spanish Ladies-Th
Ordinary Spaniqrd- 'sHeathen Chi
mee''-"Hooaor add Reputation Cheaplg
Sold."
Los ANGELES, NoU. %, 1878.
Mr.. E. WELLs-Deor SIR: AS you sci
dom hear from this distant region, I tho
a few lines might be of interest to some O.
your readers. They will serve, at least, te
fill vacant corner of your paper.
AS have not heard from your recent
election don't know whether to congrat
ulate you, or condole with you upon the
result. But hope the political renegadef
met the fate which they deserved-an over
whelming defeat, and buried so deep thai
their allies, the poor negroes, can never
resurrect them. It is lamentable sight
to see any people sinking into political
degradation, but doubly so when those
people happen to be our friends. Inpoli
tics, as in religion, apostates become the
most Jealous champions of the creed which
they have adopted last. Their success in
this case would be calamity to the once
united people of Charles.
| 4o1 IL o. oil for n 6oti
begin this letter for the purpose of discus
sing politics.
AS the climate is the most attractive
feature of this country, will talk of il
first. I cannot give fair description Of
it, nor can any one. AS much as I had
read and heard of its beauties, I found il
more agreeable than / anticipated. What
ever disappointments the over-sanguine
stranger may encounter here, he will al
most involuntarily exclaim, "What a grand
climate" Not long. since, I heard an old
lady, who had just arrived from the East
and one of those who had not found every
thing to suit her fancy, say, "There is no
rubbing out the fact that this is an elegant
climate. Some prefer this climate for
both health and agreeableness to that OF
Santa Barbara, the famous place of resort
for invalids. This town cannot convent
emily accommodate the strangers who come
here to spend the winter. And as the
climate becomes more generally known
immigration will increase rapidly. The
difference hat6a geaaateWp erataxe
Of the warnest and coldest month is about
twenty degrees. During the warmest wea-
ther we have the sea-breeze part of the day,
and the nights are always delightfully."- cool
and refreshing. You can imagine the
mildness of the climate when you are told
that bees make honey all the year round.
Our winter is the most pleasant season,
and the time when the country has on her
most attractive garb.
Our fields are beginning to look green,
the effects of a recent rain-the first we
have had since about the first of April
Another rain will produce an abundance
Of food for stock. Farming, as you will
infer, is carried on by irrigation. In some
places very little water is to be had
for that purpose; but in some localities
but very little is needed, and in others
none is required; it would be disadvan-
tage to use it. Corn and barley are the
staples in the way of grain; of the former
from fifty to one hundred bushels are rails
ed per acre; of the latter, from forty to
siXty-fve
This is great fruit region, as you will
remember. Oranges, lemons, pomegrantes,
plums, English Walnuts, grapes, lines "a
species of lemon), peaches, pears, figs, al
monds, and other kinds, which, perhaps, l
have overlooked, grow here in abundance.
Wine making is carried on extensively
here. Wine sometimes sells as low as
twenty-five cts. per gallon. Grapes can be
bought for one dollar per hundred pounds.
Oranges may be had for one cent apiece
! per hundred. We had bunch of grapes
which weighed sixteen pounds. To see
them weighing ten or twelve pounds is, l
am told, no uncommon sight. Pears some
times measure seventeen inches in circum-
ference. Plums grow as large as the larg-
est hens eggs. Watermelons are still in
season. I could 60 on to relate facts until
you would think had but little regard
for truth. Don't he surprised at anything
you hear in regard to California, for it is a
different country, in all its features, from
any ever saw.
This is wool-growing country too as
well as fruit-growing one. Five millions
pounds were raised in this county last year.
Sheep are now very cheap; can be bought,
1 am told, for two dollars and fifty cents
per head by the hundred. They are shear
ed twice during the year. Spaniards do
the shearing, and receive five cents per
head, and make most excellent wages at
the business. Twas present at one of these
shearings, and noticed the time it took to
finish sheaFing a sheep. You will, no
doubt, be surprised to hear that the opera
ton was performed in nine minutes. The
sheep are not tied, as they are in Maryland,
but are set upon one end, between the legs
of the shearer, and caught by the other,
which is the head, from where the shears
proceed downward until the job is finish
ed. The sheep seem to understand what
is to be done, and generally remain as still
as you would to be SHARED. But they are
not always handled SO tenderly as you are,
for if by chance they move kick usually
follows.
I must not forget to mention the Indian,
for he is to be seen here oftener than one
desires. If any of your readers have any
sympathy for the poor Indian" they
would, l think, lose it all were they to see
him, even under the civilizing influences
of the white man. had at one time, per-