Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-03-13
A LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
Los ANGELES Co., Feb. q, 1874.

Los ANGELES Co., Feb. 81, 1874.
h Mr.. f. WELLs.-Dear .Sir:-One day passes
so much like another with me, and am living
in such retired locality that | have but few
opportunities for procuring items for conmu-
nication. You are welcome to such as | have,
though fear they are barely worth the space
they occupy. But there is plenty room in the
waste basket.
will at first talk of some of the main fea-
lures Of California farming. The yield Of grain
is much larger than in other States, and large
share is raised in volunteer crops. There is
no customary rotation of crops; the amount of
land cultivated depends great deal upon the
earliness of the rains, for blowing cannot be
done until the rains begin in the early part of
winter: irrigation is common; no barns are
used, and little shelter is provided for animals,
and little cultivated food is prepared for them;
the gang-plow is used considerably. All kinds
of horsepower and steam machinery are used
extensively. We have the steam corn-sheller;
the corn-cohs serve as fuel for it. the cost per
acre for reaping barley and rye is 81 Is; for
| threshing, ten cents per hundred pounds. For
heading the charge is 81 80 per acre. The
farmers of Charles will not likely understand
what this means We have a machine called
the Header which clips off the heads and leaves
the straw standing, it Inns large wagons accom-
panying it TO receive the heads as they are TAX
en- off The reason of the additional charge for
heading is that the farmer is exempt from
all cost Of labor, except for the stackers wages.
| | will now say something Of the farmer
| Candor Compels me to say that he is, in intelli-
gence and refinement, behind the average farm
| ity. though in most cases he began operations
in debt for his IL nd. His success is not owing
to superior industry, but to rich land and adj
rantages ofclimate. Before many years think
we will have a different and better class fpeo-
pie. know ofsome who are becoming dissatis-
! fed and want 10 sell out because the country is
filling up too fast. Such people have been &C
customed to border lite, consequently do not
value, because they cannot enjoy, the society
Of the intellectual and refined. Besides, when
they turn loose a horse or COW they want to feel
NJ ease as to its Safety-not in fear of its getting
according to nature. There is another restless
class always fIncying riches near at haId-re-
quiring but a change of place to grasp them.
Others delightin nourishing wild speculations,
and will sell their last horse 10 get 4 few dol
lars to operate upon. California is full of such
number.
| As have mentioned the gentlemen, it is but
justice TO the ladies that should say something
about them. | will begin with the Spanish
wash-woman: Should our journey extend along
the banks OF stream we would likely see her,
If Sunday, the more likely, with her smooth
| board, three or four feet long and foot or
more wide, with one end in the stream and she
upon the other, rubbing the dirty clothes, but
not very induariousfy, for these people step
very leisurey through life. They obey Christ's
injunction Take no heed for the morroM.n
in more than one sense. We will take an out
side view of the habitatons Of these uuthrifty
people. Willow poles are set in the earth, ex-
tending FIVE or six feet above ground the raft
ers are placed upon this structure and then COW
cred with a weed known to the rush the
space between the caves and the ground is fill
c / in with weeds or corn-stalkS the doors are
| in the ends and a hole in the top serves
| sky-light. Now, pass these primitive
edi6ces, we will probably see several women
sitting outside, upon the ground, with hand
kerchief around their heads, surrounded by a
| lot of little children dressed without any dis
.inction as TO sex-all appareled somewhat af-
ter the style Q: Joseph when fleeing from the
embraces of Potiphar's WHETHER garments
may be ,cAolc, but in some cases indicate a
scarcity Of material. The old folks are not al
together idle one may be seen with a needle !;
another with child head in her lap, its hair
ldsheveled. and from the motion of her fingers
we would suppose she was trying to extermi-
nate one of the Egyptian plagues-at least in
that head. five, perchance, pass near the door
something more refreshing will perhaps meet
our eyes, ''senorita' standing before look
ing-gass primming to receive her 'amante"-
Hover. If she is not too much absorbed in the
task of decorating herself we will have chance
of getting peep at her sparkling black eyes,
and while we, half uneonsciously and entirely
innocently bestow smile, will perhaps, get one
in return
AS my sheet is nearly filled, and as prom
Used to give you only an outside view of the
premises will pass on, leaving you to reflect
upon the scene. Bachelor.