Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-31
Letter from California.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, l
n0ap.snra ~ IQ-n

DECEMBER 16, 1879
Mesrs. Editors while reading Maud Mer-
edith's letter from Iowa, the thought suggested
itself that possibly few words from California
might be acceptable. Most heartily echo her
wish that there were more journals like yours,
but about Natures seam needle" | trust II il
not saying too much TO assert that In this lovely
favored place the bewitching dame has none, n
that means resting place, for we had for dinner
to-day green corn sweet corn picked from the
corn fodder as they cut IL up. About two weeks
ago my husband commenced blowing intending
to plant potatoes, but finding that the volunteer
potatoes from last summers crop had come up
thickly all over the ground, and were large as
birds eggs, he desisted and went to hoeing in
stead. Here truly Nature Is our gentle fostering
mother, who seems to drink constantly from the
tabled fountain Of changeless youth, and we, her
petted children, bask In her loveliest Smiles and
sing her praises In every grateful thought. There
has not been day since came here last July
that could not go into our yard and pick boun-
tin bouquet OF at least fifteen different kinds Of
howers-pinks roses, and seven or eight differ
ent kinds OF geranlums In bloom eUerV day On
our little place here we have two acres In fruit,
oil eighteen different kinds among which are the
guavas, whose limbs are now quite well supplied
with fruit that will ripen In January or February
The Loquat or Japanese plum fruit nearly as
LARGE as hens egg, rpens in March; or
anges also, winter ripening fruit; lines In
April and May; apricots-an uncommonly deli
cous fruit-May, June and July; peaches, June,
July, August and September II you secure early
and late varieties, these interpreted with apples
pears, piums, prunes, cherries, grapes, figs, lem
ons, etc do not give any one much OF chance
to starve for fruit, any month in the year Mr.
Fisher thinks that apples do the most remarkable
thing here in Santa Barbara Of any place pos
sible, for we have many trees only Just three
years old that bore this year from one-half peck
to a half bushel and such splendid beauties, as
reminded me when on the trees OF orange groves,
they were 80 handsome. Dates, bananas, wal
nuts, olives, and all the small fruits, excepting
possibly cherries, do well here ! have not men,
toned the climate yet but how wish that all
you vermonters could enjoy one year Of it, 1t Is
so even, and 80 much as though 1t was well
pleased with itself and everything else. The
Thermometer last summer rarely peeped into the
eighties, and then soon got sick OF it, and went
back home to about seventy to seventy-fve;
this winter we are picking volunteer tomatoes In
the field whenever we wish, and not leaf OF any
kind has even limited Jack Frost once
1t is past my pen to convey any faint conception
OF the rare lovelness OF the scenery. will give
outlines and leave for each one to imagine for him
self how beautiful 1t can be. Less than half a
mile, in Its ever changing sparkling blue, is the
Pacific, which to see surrounded by these hills
and smiling valley, as we daily see them, no one
could wonder that Balboa knet and thanked God