Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-01-01

oeeli pOTlng anu at small ueptnS. Inc
entire Chino Ranch is covered with
springs which Fever cease to flow, so
that there is nc doubt of artesian wa
ter there. It's reasonable to antici-
pate such Developments in the water
line as new and energetic settlers
come in and capital accumniates that
there will be comparatively little land
that cannot be cultivated at all sea-
sons. When it is considered that
| good paying winter crop of grain can
be made upon any of our lands, and
that irrigation enables the farmer to
60 on and make one or two crops
more during the summer, the rapid in
crease In wealth can be family i'm
agined. 1t is but just now that the
people In the central portion of the
State have awakened to the advan-
tages of irrigation, and extensive
works are in contemplation there.
There is point too in connection
with this subject that the ;;ew conner
should not fail to consider. Lands
which are extremely fertile and sup
piled with water make farming cer-
tainty, and ought therefore to COM
mand u fair price. When the advan-
tages are considered the prices now
paid are too cheap to be permanent.
The value of farming land ought to
be regulated by what it can produce,
and on this basis simple calculation
shows that real estate values here are
yet low. The labor involved in irriga-
tion is considerable, but far less than
the uninitiated would suppose. The wa
ter is brought upon the land at its high
est elevation. The gate is opened and
the water distributed through smaller
bitches or fumes to all parts of the
farm. In the case of corn, potatoes or
other staples planted in rows the
stream is simply turned down each
furrow in order. 1t is not generally
necessary to irrigate a crop more than
from one to four times; fruit trees gen.
orally require water monthly. There
is class of lands however in South
ern California on which nature per-
forms the work of irrigation, where
the Water stands sufficiently near the
surface to keep the land always in a
tillable condition. These moist lands
however are scarce and of course val
liable. There is nothing nature could
do to perfect them. The owner of
such tract is freed from considera-
tions of water supply or the weather.
His crops are planted, worked but lit
tie, and harvested with absolute cer-
tainty. The largest tracts of these are
the Chino Rancho, Eel Monte, and a
belt of considerable magnitude along
the sea shore in the Anaheim section
embracing Gospel Swamp.
AGRICULTURE
is the principal pursuit of the human
race, and the basis of a nations pros
perity. The soil and climatic condi-
tions of Southern California, have
united to make it the best agricultural
country in the world. There is no
part of the United States that can at
all compare with this section, in the
extent and variety of its productions.
Nature has been working for ages to
compound soil that would defy the
skill of the chemist. There is not a
single element that is wanting. Vast
mountain chains have crumbled and
rolled into the valley their rich bones;
immense tracts of the richest loan
have been raised from beneath the sea.
The wrecks of a worn out primeval
world have been heaped together in
such happy combination that the
densest population known could not
exhaust it in ages. The soil extends
down for hundreds of feet and the hills
and mountains are constantly wearing
away, and renewing the lands below.
Each small mountain chain is o store
house holding billions of tons of the
most perfect fertilizers. Such soil is
adapted for the growth of nearly all
the staples. There is as we have pre-
viously stated no terminating season
in Semi-tropical California. Seeds
planted at one time within their sea-
son, sprout and grow with the same
vigOr as at another. The farmer may
put his corn or potatoes in the ground
in March, or he may wait till July or
August, and he will find no difference
in the growth. He has the entire year
to sow barley. The seed planted
through the Summer does not germi-
nate till the first rains fall upon it.
There is therefore no rush at planting
time with its consequent rise in wages
and attending difficulties. Harvesting
is performed at leisure. AS no rain
falls the grain may stand in the 1leld
without injury. This brings with it
another advantage. BY judicious
management two or three crops may be
grown annually. The barley is cut in
the Spring and followed by a crop of
corn or potatoes, and after these are
gathered beans are sometimes grown.
If Irish potatoes are planted early in
the Spring second crop can generally
be secured by December. Certainly
such advantages as these cannot be too
highly estimated. The yield, too of
the various staples is so large that
the Eastern farmer usually refuses to
believe till he has witnessed it, nor do
we speak of exceptional cases but the
general average. 1t is with many of
the staples double and sometimes tre-
BILE the average in the richest Western
states. A list Of the products now
regularly grown is astonishing but
each year is adding to the number, the
new settlers bringing with them the
staples grown at their old homes.
Wheat, barley, corn, oats, hay, hops,
broom corn, potatoes Irish and sweet),
white beans, castor beans, rye, pop
corn, tobacco, and pumpkins are
among the products now grown. On