The Russellville Democrat., 1881-09-08
FROM THE OCCIDENT.
 SaxBKUxa VENTURA, CAL.

Editors Russeliviise Democrat
 As I have received several pri- vate letters of late from old friends of Pope coun.y, inquiring about this country. it's climate. heallhfulness aad prodHctiveBess, &c-, I will make my statements as short and as impar
 tisl as l can. In the first place >snBeaua Ventura IS about 3S0 miles south of San Francisco, and eighty miles from Los Angeles. The prospects for good crop this season is good. The thermometer stands
 from sixty five to eighty five de grees in the summer and only little variation in winter. The first valley
 I will mention is the Santa Paula Ssusoy rancho commencing one mile east O. SanBeuna Ventura, run ming & distance of fifteen miles northeast from said place lying on tue northwest side of Santa Clara river, and in width from one to three miles. The soil is from ten to one hundred feet deep. this body of laGd Is mostly farmsd by small far
 msrs, say from twenty to 200 acres: there are but few acres of land in this body but what can be farmed: the land is worth from s20 10 $40 per acre. and nearly anything can he raised here that can be raised anywhere; the wheat crop will aver age from twenty 10 fifty bushels; this is the first year that wheat has been raised To any extent; we have four varieties of whest: the white Russian. two varieties of Odessa, and Sonora: there has been but little rust h wheat this season: we had aooat twslse inches of rain. none fsii after the 20th of March. m this valley you can raise wheat. oats, rye, c0Fn. besas. flax, potatoes of both varieties snd vegetables Of all de scrlT Ttlons. bot it is more famous for corn sad eeana will give average crop af corn aud beans for last year: corn yielded from nfty to one hun dred bashsls: beans from 1. 500 tO 2. J0Q pounds so the acre. TAere are but fs~ places of living water % this raacho oatside of the river. snd the wster is from twenty to l50 feet. and thsa ths water is generally not good. s great many hsai wster and build eistsrnx. that is oas Of the greatest GrAwhacks t0 thls Fsacho.
 Now we wiA cFoss over to the southeast side of the river and strike lhs Faaehes santa Clara and Del NoFt of about i3.Oo0 acres. aad the Fsaehos Rec ds Ssnta Clara snd O Coloaia enatsiniHg about t&.000 acres whieh about ous half of these two rsaehos is geost farming lxnds. this valley ts better aisptsa for barley, bat part is also gosd fog corn aBd beans. but nos e good Es ths hrss aAmsd vsilsFs this valley is as beautiful ss nature cosd make it, the valley rans BoFths.sssriy--lt goes with q grsdasi elssstioa from oceaa iof hsaeen miles. snd is fFom tea to khssn miles ia wt8ths R s only K tew feet sbovs lhs i<vei Of shs oeean; good water csa bs had ia msuy places fraEn six to twelve iesg. and other places it can bs had st tas same depth. 6at 'tls Bot ht To- mas nor beast. for t ts bltlsrs ths most of the iaBd IH this Faaeho hss strong solasiea of slksi there is now 70 this valley AAoat Aey sFte sian wells fanging from leo te 20o feet deep wisn p.entF of aa~ing water, en0ugh to irfigAts 6 c@asd erahie la1 uf laaa ssl xtsessn wns@F is gueis taeru lA sa@s Of ta@ aaesk land co this rAE0h9 ef anY utheF lands ia the cn4ntx. ca the hFs& named Fsncbo aboat f0. .t<so acres is swnsd hy tso hruthers. tbs Aaa A.s Bot yet bseh thsFoaahlY ia ths mAr kei but is lsAsea to fAFAsfa. sad lke balance far shesp ta gf4zs spcn fAs other raarho is owm&4 hy fArmmss only about l7.00c asrss is s&iH owned by eas mAE this la.d eas hs bought for ffon ss to asa ger are. aeaat t1s s1lfas f tss e4sH ee