The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-04-05
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
WanIerings or the Press Association in
the Paradise OF Southern
California.
Citrus Culture Orange GrOves-Raisfn. n.
Grapes-Etc.. Etc.

Especial Correspondence of the MINER.l
The press association tourists reached Col
ton, San BernadiDo county, $40 miles from
San Francisco, on March 10Th. They had
journeyed from the sand-hlled city eastward
along the shores of San Pablo, and southwark
across the levels of the vast San joaquin val
ley; they had climbed the wild passes of the
Tehaehapi ranges, which cluster in eloquent
silence, green and gray, and clad with pines
and oaks; they had snow-balled each other
on the summit, and looked down on the tor
tuous links of the famous Loop; they had
pierced the desert land, desolate with cacti,
and yuccas they had searched mountain
valleys and pierced dark tunnels, and gazed
upon waste mesaS, and rejoiced at the
sight of fertile plains. From the hour of
leaving San Francisco to the hour of reaching
Cotton, the excursion had been succession
of pleasurable experiences, and the tourists
had become like members of one family.
At Cotton, the people of Riverside, vino
had assembled with their carriages, met us,
and took the party to that famed Citrus
colony. 1t is eight miles south over all un-
peopled waste, fit for pasture now, but need
ing water to make it available for any other
purpose. The clear, chill moon shone on the
peaks of SHOW, and the road was hard as
steel, as, winding past dark peaks, isolated
from the higher ranges, moving through hol-
| lows and gray barracas, the line of carriages
moved 70 Riverside.
In the morning we saw that the land was
beautiful one. At this season the road
sides are green, but irrigation has already be-
gun in some places. Riverside is a trim
town Of suburban appearance, and an air of
independence and prosperity is everywhere
manifest. The industry of the people is at
present the raising of citrus fruits, by irriga-
tion. The town nucleus itself is small for the
population IF the settlement. South of River
side IS Arlington, mereIya continuation of the
same belt Of orchards and vineyards. Raj
sin-grapes will, doubtless, form subsidiary
resource of much Importance. Four years
ago the settlement was struggling for exist
cnce, hopeful but not certain Of success. To-
day their orange groves, teginning to bear,
the newly-planted groves, the fine residences,
the beautiful avenues of magnolia and gre
yilea, all attest the steady realization of the
plans and beliefs of the founders of the set
tlelnent. If oranges continue profitable. or
only pay half or one-fourth of what they do
now, the time must come when these colo
nists will reap grand reward.
Thursday nig the Riverside Citrus Fair
was in full blast and the excurslonlsts went
to see it. Tie large hall was a golden maze.
There were plates of oranges, lemons, cit
rons, lines, shaddocks in every conceivable
variety, clusters OF oranges hung mingled
with their blossoms from stage and wall.
Boxes of ralsils dried figs, and other valua-
bic products occupied the tables. There was
also fine exhibit of noxlous and beneficial
insects. Preserved fruits, canned fruits, mar
malddes, and other household products were
shown. Among the the twenty varieties of
oranges exhibited, the Riverside novel, the
red, the Du Roy, the st. AIicha>l and the
malta blood rank as the best. The Mediter-
ranean sweet is a good early bearer, of medl
mum size. popular in some other orange dis
tricts. but losing ground here. The Manda
rian and the Fangerne are choice little kid
glove oranges neat and nice for family use
In all there were over 400 ries in the varioll:
departments. One of the marked features
consisted in pyramids of oranges, beautiful ir
shape, size and color. which added much tC
the general effect. The riverside raisns were
contrasted with boxes OF the best MalagaS
to show what there was yet to do in this
promising industry. One sample, the best o
imported laisinS. was wortl SI.50 per bon
common London layers ranked at but $50
All in all, the Riverside fair was grra
success, and gave the members of the party
better view than they had ever gained of tn,
resources of this southern land. In the eve
ming the party met the assembled Wit, beaut,
and intelligence of Riverside, in the publ
hall Speeches were made and songs sung
the thanks of the tourists We're rendered Il
the people, and all era OF good feeling pre-
vailed with unusual fervor. The next morn
ing, Friday, the party were landed at Coltol
again.
Here the people oi San i'ernadino Vale,
met the tourists with carriages and a band o
excellent musicians. Again they turned east
ward, and entered upon 4 day of sight-see
ing. The land is desolate aud uncultivate,
in many places, there being room for man,
more toileGs. but wherever the proper ener",
has been shown tl:,' the capsblity OF, tile sol
for fruit culture is manifest. About OLE
San Bernadiro, where there is Il curious oil,