The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-01-25
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

DEAR READERS or THE NEW NORTHWEST:
1t was our good fortune several days
since to accompany friends in a drive
up the beautiful valley of Vaca, one of
the finest fruit regions in all the State.
Passing through Vaeayille, the gateway
Of the valley, our road lay for a few
miles through lovely farming region,
the fertility Of which, despite the want
of rain, was already being attested ia
the green fields of wheat and barley that
stretch in every direction over the val
ley, creep to the summit Of the foothills
that bordered the surrounding noun
tains, and were lost in the distance as
We progressed. In a little while vine
yards and orchards Of peach, apricot,
and fig trees began to supplant the
| fields of grain, and these abounded even
on the steepest hillsides. The swelling
buds upon the denuded branches held,
/ but did not hide their promise of lus-
ciOus abundance. In the most unex-
pected places we came suddenly upon
the farm-hOuses, some more pretentious
in size aud surroundings than any We
had previously seen, others mere cots
nesting at the foot Of a grapevine
studded hill, or peeping with an air OF
quiet content through the branches OF
the orchard trees, the small square win
dows bright with the wondering eyes Of
children whom the sOnorOus bass of the
house dog had called thither to see
"who was coming" It is from this val
ley and the adjacent country, we are
told, that the earliest fruits and vegeta-
Oles are sent to the San Francisco mar
ket, aud an idea of the fertility of the
soil in this speciality and the industry Of
the lsnd-hOlders in utilizing it may be
formed when We consider that during
the hight of the season from sixty to
sixty-five tons are daily sent out Of the
valley, and there is record of one day,
at least, in which eighty-iive tons were
sent into the city. The fig trees bear
without visible blossom three successive
crops each season. The first Of these
ripening in June are sent in fresh to the
market; the second crop, which in IA
vorable seasons is very abundant, is al
lowed to dry upon the trees, aud upon
dropping to the ground to give place tC
the third, is gathered and sent to mar,
Set either loosely in sacks, or pressed il
boxes, being the California dried figs 5,
well known in our market. OF thes,
Que orchardist in Pleasant Valley, which
4djOins Vaca, sent to market last yea
fourteen tons. Fruit growers expect tn,
crop this season to be greatly in exces
Of that Of any former year.
The omnipotent Chinese, much to tn
disgust Of the average Californian, her
n many places lives his life of silent in
Iustry, and forces the not reluctant sol
TO return him handsome profits in th
, way Of finest vegetables. Scorning th
modern appliances for irrigating tn
soil, these painstaking toilers carr
water in great vessels suspended from
+ stick across their shoulders up steepes
d banks, to sprinkle during the dry seasO
B their entire gardens.
Hard by one Of these carefully tende
gardens is a ''deep place. in the creet
D 10 which the followers of Alexande
e Campbell, whose name is legion here
= tbouts, resort to initiate by baptism
d members into their fold. y wonderiu
O disciple of Confucius, after witnessin
b for several successive Sabbaths the sut
{ merging of lady candidates for churc
membership, ventured to inquire Of th
b minister who performed the sacred rite
E "HOw muchee you charge for washe
4 one Mclean woman ,"
y The minister's answer is not recorded
E 30 il will never be known whether hi
j Interloeutor meditated starting a laur
o Try, or whether he was going to offe
his services Cheap" at the baptisms
b. font, while the minister remained DIR
Il shOd upon the bank. IL is, however
n tolerably certain that he meant bus
# uess, as outside of matters that promis
!. gain a Chinaman evinces little curiosit
., regarding MEXICAN" customs.
# The farming and fruit-growing den
D. zens Of these lovely valleys aud roman
tic hills as a rule seem to care little +,
the great world beyond their immediat
/. horizon. The only question discusse
!. beyond that Of crops aud fruit yields
l. that OF Chinese labor. Their ideas upo
this point are incongruous and often el
pressed in hOmely phrase, but upon OF
point all agree; that is, that the Chins
men should be driven out.
Having often heard the general /
health, or, at least, the broken dow
> and tagged out appearance Of Orego
women commented upon by persons r,
- Gently arrived in that State, we hay
: looked sharply about US, institutinl
mentally, of course, comparisons b'
tween the wives OF farmers and laborel
in Oregon and those of the same clas
'e in California, and we can assure our si;
: ters in Oregon that they do not suffer j
any respect by the comparison. Wher
women are labOring under the doubl
. curse imposed separately upon Adar
and Eve, they inevitably grow old be
fore their time, without regard to loca
ity. Overtaxed nature will avenge hel
self in physical ills that leave their in
" press on form and brow and cheek
,.,o,t- l., tho Iauuuid efay, tho IaaE