The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-04-01
Letter from. California.

Letter from California.
We are permitted to publish few
extracts from private letter from a
nephew of our old friend Hiram Bulla,
dated San Jose, Cal, March 18th,
1874:
Many Of my old acquaintance la
Minnesota and Indiana write to me
and say, Tell us the whole truth
about California as you see it. They
seem in good faith about coming here
to live, and SO / feel like giving all
the information possible; but here let
me say, l know comparatively nothing
about this wonderful Golden State,
yet ! believe it to be a great and pleas
ant place to live-have sold part of my
real estate in Minnesota to enable us
TO make a trial visit here; came here
over three years ago; remained over
nine mOnths-was much pleased with
the country. Before came here first,
was prettysnear used up with kidney
disease. which Is very common in
Minnesota. After | was here few
months. ate all the fresh grapes and
pears that l could. and began to feel
much better; also, got rid of rheuma-
tism, which | have had for over thir-
ty-hve years, yet, after being in Min
nesOta two winters, my kidney Itroub-
les and rheumatism returned; but
now, after being here again nearly five
months, feel nothing of rheumatism
and am much better with my kidney
troubles-I feel much better and
younger--have gained 20 pounds since
leaving Minnesota. At present, we
leel we'll satisfied with our new home,
although have not bought real estate
have rented good, new frame
house of six rooms, on lot. for fif-
teen dollars per month, | am looking
around all the time for place that
suits me-must have good one, or
none l think it very likely that we
shall remain here for life, especially
if we all keep as well as at present.
Here in this valley (Santa Clara) no
snow falls-no thunder nor hard
winds occur. An occasional quake
appears, which is nothing compared to
thunder and lightning in Minnesota.
San Jose is the county seat of Santa
Clara county, and is quite a city of
about 1900 souls-has good schools,
churches and colleges-has one of the
finest drives of over 10 miles-five of
which has street cars on; also, many
fine parks and gardens. Vegetation
grows to enormous proportions. Think
of it: beets to weigh 200 lbs; grapes
10 and even 10 lbs. to the cluster;
squashes over 200 lbs; pears over
lbs; cherries one inch in diameter,
aud very sweet; blue gum trees Ian
evergreen) three years old, 30 feet
high aud inches in diameter at the !
ground. Stock grows fine, also. Mr..
Hicks, from Richmond, Ind, is here
on mountain farm; can see his house
from here; has some fine stock:
Wheat, barley, potatoes-Irish and
sweet-beans, onions, and the differ
ent vegetables, all seem to do we'll
Alfalfa clover also does we'll, three !
crops can be cut per annum-makes
good hay if cut young. | tried it in
Minnesota and found it stood the
winter pretty we'll and grew fine in
summer-will send package of seed.
l think your boys are doing fine; our
children are all going to school. Have
had good rains at intervals the past
three months, which insures good
crops for this season; wheat is foot
high. Apricots, peaches, pears, and
almonds are in bloom; roses bloom the
year round. Ice occurred on four
nights during the winter months. two
of which it was halt an inch thick, and
the other two, about as thick as q
window pane. Robbins, larks, and
ducks, remain here all winter; also.
blue birds and blue jays.
Southern California, by ocean steamer:
had a pleasant time; visited all the
principal towns and Settlements
among which was Santa Barbara, San
Louis, sObispo, San Pedro and Los
Angeles. At the last named place.
oranges, lemons, lines and citrons.
were just ripe, which was a grand
sight to me. Oranges pay we'll after
IL years. An orchard of twenty acres
near Auahem. about IA years old, pro-
duced over thirty-fve thousand dol
lars worth last year; the owner, Mr.
Rose, has refused sixty thousand dol
lars in gold Tor the crop of this year,
which will be ripe next Jan. Young
men, who can only get the land suit
able, and have patience whilst the
trees are growing. can, IN II years,
have fortunes in orange orchards near
Anahem. Here oranges have never
been planted, only a few, which seem
to do we'll, and even further north, in
Sonoma county, they do we'll, so am
told. California produces the great
est and best varieties Of grains, fruits,
and vegetables Of any State IN the
Union, aud also has the greatest va
rieties of climate. Has very healthy
and very unhealthy localities This
valley is very healthy; the Sacramento
not all healthy-some chills and fever
Southern California is better for lung
complaint than at this place
Santiago is a dry, barren point, with
good harber. and may be CONNER
cial point after the Southern Pacific
railroad is completed Should 1 tell
you what think Of California, as
farming and fruit growing State,
would say that, after STRIKING half
circle Of sevesty. ire miles, making
San. Francisco the hub or center, no
better place can BE found.
From al that I can learn, occasional
drouths occur, say every i've to seven
years. Old farmrrs tell me that they
can make more money here in three
years than in i've years in the States.
Here all the seeding IL done during