The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-08-05
Angeles, CAL, July 10th. 1873.

a space in your columns, we venture
brief sketch reaccting the pictures Of our
observations during a few weeks journey
ir4s and sojournings in Southern Caifor-
MIA. G. Nordhof, S. b. Rockwell and
others howery and poetica writer's have
before CLEANED the subject beauties of the
Pacific coast and gratuitously distributed
them through the medium of the press
still as every day adds something new to
created things we may hope to favor your
readers with au acceptable article dedica.
ted to facts and the exhaustless wonders
Of this quarter of the globe.
The charms Of California climate is too
well understood to bear more than casual
comment by way of more forcibly allud-
ing to other things, especially that por-
ton Of the country bordering on the coast
where flowers pcrpetually bloom, whore
summer is winter and winter is spring.
II must be still fresh in the minds of our
Eastern friends, that when the passenger
trains for thirty days were locked in the
frigid embrace Of the snow king in the
Black Hills on the Overland, that when
finally they were loosed from the snow
bound they ran iuto a golden climate
where the people of Oakland with fresh
baskets of flowers plucked from the open
air gardens came to refresh and greet
them with welcome of sympathy.
Los Angeles county is situated between
39 degrees and % minutes and 81 de-
grees and 80 minutes north latitude !;
and contains an area Of 1000 square
miles or about 100000 acres nearly
! 100000 of which is together farming
and grazing land, and one half the whole
area is susceptible Of high state of
cultivation. The water resources Of this
country are more numerous than in many
other portions of the state. The three
principal rivers are the Los Angeles the
waters Of which irrigate the gardens of
the city and adjoining lands extending
south some five miles, the San Gabriel on
the banks of which is situated the flourish
ing village of Los Nietos, the Santa Anna
which irrigatcs the city Anahcm 30
miles east Of here
Artesan wells are found in every part
of the county. The first bored with sue
cess was in the year 1868 on the line of
the railroad connecting this city with the
landing on the coast 90 miles distant
Since then 20 have been obtained in
different parts OF the county. Vinecul.
ture and wine making has become very
prominent feature of industry in this part
of the state.
In 1868 California produced 1854
600 gallons of wine. In 1872 the esti-
mate of the Wine Growers Association
was 100000 gallons. This year S,O0O.-
600 gallons will be produced. At 80
cents per gallon the estimate price Of last
years vintage this wine is worth 50, 400.
00O The best varieties of grape grown
are the Muscat Of Alexandria native Of
Egypt, the flaming Tokay, the Rose of
Peru, and the Black Morocco. Many
other varieties are grown used in making
Caret and Hook wines.
Though the vineyards are beautiful to
look upon, the lemon and orange groves
to the stranger are the most refreshing
and interesting spectacles to be seen. 1t
may be day in mid.winter that he has
selected to drive through them and learn
some of the facts of the wealth that here
stand arrayed in emerald and golden
garniture. All over the gently rolling
hills and far as the eye can see along the
far reaching valley spreads the green car
pet, sot with floral gems Of every hue.
He sees the honey bee coming and
going, and he hears the sweet song Of
birds in the thick foliage, and he feels a
sense of surprise that this scene Of spring
around him is vcritably spread out in the
lap of January.
Such was the declaration and descrip
tive language used by Mr. X. ofSudbury
w., upon meeting him in Sacramento
after his visit here last winter, where he
met brother Vcrmonters engaged in or
angc growing who welcomed him to thu
shady retreats of their orchard grove
and to partake of the golden abundance
thereof. The number Of orange trees IL
r bearing in Los Angeles County is $4,000
, The orange trees are most usual.
raised in nurseries and when three year
old are transplanted during the rain.
season into the grounds selected for tn
orchard OF this about GO are planted
f to the acre and will come to bearing a
eight years Increasing in iullness of crol
every year thereafter.
Trees tea years old yield from eigh
g hundred to one thousand. When fiji
y teen years old from two to three thou
4 sand. Some of the Oldest trees her
f last year bore G000 oranges which sol
c for two cents apiece wholesale An acr
). Of good orchard gives net income G
I $4,000.
I The most noted and complete orang
' grove in the county stands in almost th
= r,utcr Of the city, and is now l6 year
- old is the property Of Mias Francisc
IS Walrskill Though wealthy this fa
y daughter Of Eve never has been cons(
cred worth Adam consequently she re
:, mains single anl the pet OF the Cathol
l clergy who manage to relieve her Of
It good portion Of her surplus incom
J.. Lines, lemons. black aud English wa
); nuts, olives, almonds, figs are also raise
r to some extent. Apples, pears, peache
1T apricots, and pomegrana,es grow in abu
p dance Aside from fruit all kinds
grain give bountilul yield. For Il
year 1871 the corn crop was $4,000
or bushels, Los Angeles county. Bari,
n 27l, 900 bushels potatoes 100000 bus
10 els sweet potatoes $500 bushels.
" For the year 1872 the number Of he
lie cattle raised was $1,000; horses. Il
IN 600; sheep, 100000; pounds of wo'
c. 100000 Number of pounds Of hon
100000.
,. The population of the county is q
ao =" 900, Of the city proper 5000. The ci
10 "r is lighted by gas and watered from or,
W 20 tai springs seven miles distant, by
~ conpanv incnrnorataI in 1913 ~