Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-12-20
LETTER FROM SAN FERNANDO,
Crop Prospects Acreage thus fer Seeded
Model Farms - Trade Of the Santa CLARA
Valley-How it may be Secured.

EDITOR HERALD: Nevor in th'
history of our valley has such &C
tivity been manifested In carrying
forward farming operations. Nor,
teams and plows and more people
anxious to raise wheat are to-day
here than ever before. Every foo
of land that has ever been stirred
by a plow will be seeded prior Il
January 1st, 1880, and after thai
period the large force of teams will
begin on virgin soil. 1t is entirely
too early for an estimate of acre
age, but fully one-third more than
ever before in the history of oui
valley will be seeded. So far the
signs are very propitious, and even
the chronic croakers predict O
fruitful year.
Senator Maclsy, with full
corps of plows, teams and work
men, is giving his large experience
to the full development of this part
Of Los Angeles county. Since 1874
the Senator has steadily, energeti.
cally and most industriously ad-
hered to his we'll known idea that
the people of this county could and
would raise bread for themselves
and have a large surplus for export.
The Senator is our weather pro-
phet, church deacon and general
helper for the weak-kneed farmers.
He is here, there and seemingly
everywhere, aiding by counsel and
active labor all cf us. May his
venerable form appear to us many
years to come, for he is a legion IN
and of himself.
Hubbard & Wrig't are fully up
to the mark in aci age thus far.
and will more than double their
acreage of last year. Z. G. Porter
and G. HI. Porter, the brothers of G..
X. Porter, III Battery street, San
Francisco, have o full force at work
under the able management of c..
H. Porter, Il. c. Porter being alb
sent sick. They make q splendid
showing. Our small farmers are
all away ahead of this time other
years, on account of early rains.
By "small farmers" l mean those
who put in not less than 500 nor
more than 1000 acres.
The accompanying list will show
tthe number of acres sown to date:
Hubbard & Wright, 1000; II. G. and
G. III. Wright, 1000; Judge L. J.
Beckett, 500; Thomas Hight, ATS;
Col. T. M. Loop, 200; Valentine
Lopez. 800; Slaughter & Maclay,
Jr 1870; John M. Jeniper, 800.
The Messrs. G. X. and B. f. Por-
ter, owners Of good share of our
wheat land, are running twelve
gang plows and it is difficult to say
how much they will get seeded, as
they are very reticent relative to it.
1. N. Van Nuys is running his full
complement of teams, as are l.
Lankershim, Smith g. Sutten and
Alfred Workman. They farm on
such colossal scale that 1 reserve
for another time description of
their farms, equipments. etc. In
my opinion Mr.. L. N. Van Nuys
has the model farm in Southern
California. Everything is COM
plete and in apple.pie order. He
employs the year around black
smith, wagon-maker and harness
maker, and his house, barn, sheds,
stock and fixtures generally betoken
the well-to-do, prosperous and sue
cessful farmer. The mode and
manner in which he and Mr.. L.
Lankersh:m employ their large
fortunes make them valuable citi-
zens of Los Angeles county; and,
what is more, they have the love
and respect of their large number
of laborers and tenantry. 1 look
upon them and Lucky" Baldwin
as among our most public.spirited
citizens.
In the adjoining valley-San'a
Clara-Mr. II. M. Newhall is also
doing an important and praise
worthy part toward the develop
ment of our county. To the west Is
the Simi, in Ventura county. Jno.
u. Burnett g. Bro. will put in
wheat 1000 acres, and his neigh
bors 1000 to 5000 more. This wheat
and the consequent trade of those
farmers can, with a small outlay
for q wagon road, be diverted to
Los Angeles county. They are all
anxious to come this way for sever
al reasons, chief among which is
the fact that from the Simi to the
station here they can make one
trip in two days, while to Huene-
me it takes three full days hard
driving, and to Ventura four days.
They also say they can buy mer-
chandise in Los Angeles ut San
Francisco prices. That fact can
vouch for myself, and further, that
their wheat can all be sold to Los
Angeles people. They promise to
build the road to the summit of the
mountains on their side, our coun-
ty to build this side. The whole
expense VIII not be more than ten
or twelve hundred dollars for this
county, and In my judgment, would
be o good investment for this coun-
ty. We intend to ask the Beard of
Supervisors to visit us and take q
look at the situation. There is not
merchant, miller, or in fact, a
business man or we'll wisher of our
county, who would not, II they
place themselves in possession of
all the facts, most heartily favor
the road. Yours, VETO.
San Fernando, Dec. 10, 1879.