The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-07-01
SALINAS CITY, CALIFORNIA.

DEAR WHIG:-One great obstacle encoun
tered in this country is the monopoly il
land, which is held in immense tracts by
individuals. The most intelligent business
men of this place assure me that this is the
greatest hindrance to the advancement Of
this valley. Unimproved land in the vicin
ity of this town is held at $50 per acre,
which is beyond the means of ordinary
farmers. These large land owners rent OF
lease to troopers for one or more years, as
much land as they wish to occupy, which
is cultivated in grain or used for pasturine
stock, owing to the location. This system
of course, greatly interferes with perma
nent improvement and settlement of the
country. A few orchards are being planted
hereof apples, pears and cherries, but
grain and hay are the principal product
The principal hay crop is grain sown fol
the purpose and cut when in the milk
Grasses are not cultivated here, the long
drought from May till November being
death to every plant that does not throw
down long tap roots deep into the soil.
Alfalfa clover is raised to some extent,
and would flourish here if the pest of the
country, gophers and burrowing squirrels,
did not destroy it by devouring the roots
The farmers wage constant war on these
destructive animals, by means of poisoned
wheat, which they place in their holes anG
paths, and kill them by hundreds. Rab.
bits are also great pests to the grape grow
ers. They are very numerous, and have a
great love for the young shoots of the vine,
which they will trim off close to the stock
as fast as they sprout, a process Of prun-
ing, which soon ends in death to the vine
Protecting the vines from rabbits, in con-
sequence, becomes very serious business
with the owners of young vineyards.
California has world wide reputation
as fruit growing State, and in time it
will doubtless be a great fruit producing
region. The grape and plum especially
flourish here; but when the vineyards and
orchards, which are now planted-and
every year adds to the extent of ground
being planted to fruit trees-come into full
bearing, the same experience which so
afflicts our peach growers on the Peninsula
of Delaware and the Eastern Shore, will
be felt by the California fruit men, glut
of the markets and loss by rottng in the
orchards. Tons of grapes, for which there
was no market, rotted on the vines last
season, | am told.
Everybody has heard of the climate OF
California, as being unsurpassed and even
unapproachable. | am sorry to have to
write it here, that there is a great deal of
poetry in all that has been written on the
subject of climate. AS sanitarium it is
no comparison to that of Kansas. speak
of the valleys where the population must
largely dwell, and where towns and cities
are built. Mountain climates are health
full here as every where, but only one in a
thousand of the population of country
dwell in the mountains. The climate of
the valleys is termed semi-tropical, if your
readers can imagine what that is. Those
who have dwelt always in the Atlantic
States, can form no conception of this
country. There is nothing there to COM
pare it with If it were possible to imag
inc the kind of climate the mixture of the
four seasons of Maryland-Spring, Sum
mer, Autumn and Winter-would make,
with all the rain extracted, it is possible
that the mixture would produce something
like this climate. Wherever the ocean
winds reach, and they sweep nearly all the
valleys in the State, the atmosphere is raw
and decidedly cold. In such situations
Winter clothing is necessarily worn all the
year round. A strong wind springs up
about 10 o'clock in the forenoon, and blows
with violence, frequently, which would
be termed gale in the East. This sea
breeze comes over an ocean whose tempera.
ture is not higher than about sixty degrees
SO cold that sea bathing is unknown,
except in the extreme southern portion OF
the coast, where it is said a warm gull
stream sets in from the Mexican coast.
Some spots in the southern part of the
State are represented as possessing a fav.
Orable climate for persons afflicted with
pulmonary diseases. All the principal
parts of the State-the mountain recesses,
probably excepted, are the very worst for
consumptives, or persons of weak consti-
tutions. Persons of robust constitutions
will enjoy good health any where in the
State, it being in the main free from ma
larial diseases, but those having delicate
constitutions are apt to experience much
sickness in the process of acclimation.
There is another serious drawback to the
health of the country on weak lungs, which
is seldom mentioned by writers who dwell
on the beauties of this country, and that is
the dust, which, in the small towns and
populous districts, is intolerable. In the
large towns and cities it is kept under toll
cradle control by sprinkling the streets.
But the public roads of a populous district
are fearful to contemplate. For months
there is not drop of rain, and the roads
much travelled becomes beds of dust in
many places, and the strong wind, which
is almost constantly blowing, lifts the dust
in clouds, which covers everything on the
east side of the street OF road. Vineyards,
orchards and gardens, which happen to be
planted on that side of a thoroughfare that
is much travelled, are well nigh worthless
This universal dust is not only great an
noyance aud discomfort, but works serious
injury to the eyes and lungs of the citizens.
San Francisco for suicides and insanity
will rank among the first locations in the
world. While it is claimed that climatic
influences have much to do with this re.
suit, | apprehend that to the reckless,
speculative life which is a notable feature
of the country, and especially of San Fran
cisco, may be attributed all this melancholy
sequel to the existence of such compare.
lively large numbers. There is frenzy tc
acquire wealth here which is stimulated by
the universal mania for stock gambling
that possesses the people, and the wild
pursuit of coarse, licentious pleasure
Everybody dabbles in mining stocks, the
epidemic, which has no intermission, per.
vades all classes, am told, and is worse
than ever the oil fever was in the East
San Francisco brokers have their agents in
every town and village, who make remit
tances for all classes of people. The
chances to make are less, if possible, thar
dealing in lottery tickets. Valuable mines
are owned by individuals Or companies
and reports are made daily of their great
wealth, which serves to keep up the fever
Experts are employed by mine stock gam
blers, who make examination of mines anG
report favorable or unfavorable to answer
/ the purpose of the spectators.
San Francisco is to California what Paris
is to France. 1t absorbs all 1t supple.
the coast with imports, and controls ant
tolls the products Of the country which
passes through the hands of its merchants
and shippers. E. f. L.