Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-07-14

mined Man Can Do.
EDITOR HERALD: Almost every set
tlement in this county has some un-
just slander circulating about it. They
say that the Indiana Colony and Or
ange are scant Of water. The truth is
at Indiana Colony two hundred inches
of water of the stream used are run
ming to waste aud several available
springs are not used at all; while at
Orange there is no fear of scarcity and
will not be until the Santa Ana river
runs dry. Los Nietos, Compton,
Westminster and other places have
the alkali scare, but corn continues to
grow at the rate Of one hundred BUSH
els per acre and the people of these
places get along quite well.
GOSPEL SWAMP.
Gospel Swamp has had more than
Its share of maligners, who have sue
ceeded in giving it a peculiar reputa-
tion, to say the least. Some of their
statements deserve careful answer.
The statements of "Abel," negatived,
will give a tolerably true idea of Cos
pei Swamp. First, let me say, it is
not a swamp at all, in the ordinary
sense, and the place gives no greater
evidence of being entitled to the epi-
thet "Gospel,n than most places do.
The water is near the surface, the land
unused is covered with an exceeding
ly heavy growth Of grass, and in very
wet seasons the country sometimes
overfiows; and these three facts enti-
tie 1t to its name of "Swamp" in this
country. Parties visiting it now need
not take rubber boots, but they will
need busters.
WHAT ABEL SAYS.
"Abel" says: "Men have been there
for three years and have not been able
to raise crop" 1t Is strange that
these men should ask one hundred
dollars an acre for their land, just for
crop raising. Not an acre of land in
the Swamp can be bought for less than
seventy-five dollars, and even old citi-
zens of the place find difficulty in
getting it at that price.
"Abel" ISLANDERS the pumpkins, cab
bages, radishes, etc.; says "they are
more fit for stock to eat than for the
food Of man, Well, they are raised
for the stock to eat, and table vegeta-
bles grow well also.
potatoes do not grow here" Near
ly every family In Gospel Swamp has
its potato patch, and potatoes yield
abundantly.
"One fact is patent" says "Abel;"
"the most of the apples consumed here
are brought from Oregon and the
North part of the State" Well, this
would be terrible if the people had to
live on fruit, and if there We're no fruit
but apples. The truth is that apples
are succeeding well in Gospel Swamp,
so far as tried. There are many thrifty
little orchards covered with healthy
fruit to evidence this. Suppose the
people could not raise apples. They
do not raise many of them in Lowell,
Manchester, Philadelphia or New
York; but then the people of those
places generally have plenty in their
markets, and the Gospel Swamp peo-
pie can get all the apples they want
"when they sell their corn"
He complains of mosquitoes and frogs.
They are "a little troublesome, but no
one intends to emigrate on account of
them. Both are musical, and "Abeln
must be very surly to object SO seri-
ously to them.
"There is not enough butter made to
judge of its qualities" Everybody
keeps cows in Gospel Swamp and the
butter made there has the very best
reputation. In fact, they pride them
selves on the quality of the butter
they make, and the country stores in
the surrounding neighborhoods buy 1t
up eagerly. oceans
ALFALFA AND OTHER CROPS.
There are no finer alfalfa patches to
be found anywhere than in Gospel
Swamp, and alfalfa grows without
irrigation. There is no trouble to get
extra water for this or any other pur-
pose, as artesian wells are numerous
at depth of from sixty to two hun
dred feet.
AS in Westminster, the early frosts
are damage to young orange trees,
but there is no doubt that trees can be
successfully grown there if protected
the first few years. Eucalyptus, cot
tonwood, poplarand other shade trees
show an amazing growth.
Vines are successfully cultivated on
some of the ranches. was shown a
fine crop of grapes on Mr.. WaKeham's
vineyard.
They get from three to five tons Of
barley hay to the acre in Gospel
Swamp, and the potato crop averages
about five tons.
| FALSE STATEMENTS.
Nearly all the injurious statements
made of the place are certainly false.
The great crop is corn, and that is so
profitable that the residents do not
care to spend much time on anything
else. Other crops are only raised in
quantities for home consumption, with
a small surplus. At this time the
country presents very fine appear
ance, as all the crops are growing very
finely.
"a WHAT A MAN CAN DO.