Daily Los Angeles herald., 1882-01-07
why Wo Are Fortunate.

why We Are Fortunate.
It 10 specially fortunate for Los
Angeles county that the immi.
nsncs of dry season has started a
great deal Of discussion as to our
capabilities. The inquiry has elic-
tied the fact that, more than any
ceunty In the State, we can stand
. dreuth. 1t by no means follows
that we are to have drouth. AL
Though the season has opened in
auspiciously, 1t is quite likely that
We may have rainfall ample for
eli purposes. Owing to the intelli-
gent system of agriculture which
has been introduced here, it does not
now require the abundant raipfalls
which were before needed to as.
sure crops. We have learned the
ways Of old mother Earth In Los
Angeles county, and we now know
how to meet her scant favors by
the artifices of the husbandman.
To-day the greater portion of Los
Angeles county is prepared to BEN
s6t by rainfall which, ten years
:Sc, wcnld have counted for moth
ing. Dry sowing and Summer
following have at last come into
vogue. The old, stupid practice,
was to allow one half or two thirds
Of the rainfall to osunt for moth
ing. By the time old J. P. was
through with his pluvial dispenss.
tions, the old time farmers reused
themselves to q realization of the
fact that 1t might be worth while
to put in q crop. And 80 we ran,
from hand to mouth, through decade
and decade. It is not too much to
say that, with five inches of a rain
fall, We can now do as much as
could have been done with ten
Inches, ten years ago. In addi-
ticn, our irrigating system has
been perfected to . splendid ex-
tent. We can now spread water
over four acres where, before, there
would have been an insufficient
supply for one. Even our present
system Is q caricsture upon what
can be done in the predestined
wealthy county of the State
which, it is needless to say, is
Los Angeles. When we shall real
ize that expenditure and income
bear . certain and invariable rec
ognized relation, in which three
per cent. is an ample return on an
Investment to wealthy communi-
ties, We shall be near the real out
come OF this county. Every drop
Of it's precious waters should be
reservoired; and, instead of being
sent on their glorious missioa of
fructiflcation through sandy and
porous bitches, which absorb and
send under the earth three-fourths
Of their contents, cemented and
covered fumes, and even iron
pipes, will come into vogue. And
they will pay, and pay largely.
Hitherto We have simply played
with our superabundsnt resources.
Az q matter OF fact, our people
have suffered themselves to be In.
ttmidated by an occasional dry
year. which never comes more
than once in five years. While, rs |
matter of fact, we don't have as
many dry years as they have in
New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio, custora has affixed the word
"dreuth" to this county as a possI-
Ole incident. To speak the truth,
We never have drouth, and seldom
have dry years. An inch of rain.
fall In Los Angeles county goes
farther than five inches do in the
East. Our people, and the outside
barbarians, are at last beginning
TO realize this fact. 1t will be of
great significance in the future.
What between our ability to de-
vslop our water resources, and the
spontaneous reproductiveness OF
our soil under comparativelysmall
rainfalls, the fact will soon be rec
ognised that Los Angeles county
ought to be, par excellence, the re-
sort Of Intelligent men of means
who wish to make profits from the
reproductive energies of old
Mother Earth. Notwithstanding
these manifest and encouraging
facts to those who are really ac-
4uainted with the local situation,
and which leave US almost un.
souched In q dry year, we believe
that the present year of grace will
Do noted for a sufficient rainfall. |
The fact that the weather.cIerk
has deferred his favors by no
means implies that he has alto
gether forgotten us.
We are Informed that Gan.