The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-06-30

fCorrc<pondencc OF the richmond bSpatcn'j
San FRANCISCO, CAL, June %, 1882.
In INV last letter did not say anything
about A trim ] made few days since to the
.sGcyscrs,' not because the "Geysers
are not worth talking about, but because
battered myself that my epistle did not
need birthstone flavor 10 make 1t accepta-
bic. The "Geysers" arc about 100 miles
north OF this city by way OF the bay, North
Pacific railroad, and 1G miles OF staging
You take the railroad at san Raphael,
very pretty little town near the bay, ana
pass trough beautiful and closely-culti-
waited valley for its whole length OF some
20 miles. It's breadth IL from 2 to 10 miles.
At Coverdale you get poor dinner; ana
then take the stage, and for 13 miles OF
narrow, dusty road that frequently passes
on the brink OF precipices that are hundreds
OF feet deep, with a yawning, hungry
look about them that makes you feel aversc
TO closer acquaintance, you go up, up
through canyons and over mountains, until
the fumes OF sulphur and the sight OF
buildings perched on q bit Of table-land on
the side Of the mountain 1900 feet above
the sea-level proclaim your objective point.
The "Geysers" burst up from innumera-
BILE assures, commencing at the bottom OF
the canyon and extending up the sides OF
the mountain for nearly or quite quarter
OF mile. These assures are not large, and
constantly throw up hot water, steam,
melted birthstone, magncsia, salt, &c. Some
are larger than others, and there is con-
siderable difference in the temperature,
some being so hot a. TO convert the now OF
water into steam before il reaches the out
let, and II comes out with Kissing sound
resembling the noise made by steamboat.
Others, again, throw out melted minerals, OF
which sulphur seems to be In largest guam
tity. Early I'm The morning dense clouds OF
steam roll up from some OF the principal fis-
sures-or craters, IL you please-and float
away upon the breeze. Altogether 1t Is a
curious freak OF nature, and II were n
dweller in the vicinity it would suggest to
lay mind thoughts not more agreeable than
the sulphurous odors that greet your olfac-
tories. / wonder il Milton had this place
in his minds eye when he wrote his de-
scription OF hell:
1.-THE gates that now
Stood open wide, tolching outrageous fame
Far into chaos, since the fiend passed through"
After nights rest on pallet spread
upon q biliard-table, and a breakfast with
only the glowing charm OF high price to
awaken the senses, we ioyfully took our
departure from Pluto's heights, feeling
confident there was "deeper deep" more
suited to our comfort to be found in the
Valley OF San Raphael. Nature was GER
tainly disposed to indulge in the pictur-
esQue and the fanciful Il would add
aesthetic, but | don't know exactly what
aesthetic means) when she formed this Pa
cific-coast region-loity mountains, deep
canyons, extended plains, and pretty val
leys, with the ornamentation OF domes, ca
thedral-spires. and other curious RESENT
blances upon the mountains, and rocky al
tars and pillars browning occasional mound
like eminences i'm the valleys and plains.
And except at the narrow entrance, where
she has left open a gate for the oceans
flow into this beautiful and expansive bay,
she his barred the misnamed Pacitic's far
Their advance with 4 rock-bound coast that
defies her proud waves.
The horticultural productions Of Caliior-
MIA are extensive, and the size OF the fruits
is wonderful. This is said to be bad
wheat year, and not fair specimen OF the
capacity Of the land for growing the &C.
reals. / have seen a great deal OF good
looking wheat and barley. but l have also
seen much that even WORKOUT Old Virginia
would not be proud Of. OF corn there is
but little planted. have seen nothing but
patches Of it, and not many Of them. They
plant corn here very late, and said that by
so doing it natures better. Alfalfa, wild
oats, green barley, and green wheat are
cut for hay on a large scale. l have
seen no timothy or red clover. Sheep,
cattle, horses, and hogs are in large
numbers, and some very fine, and
where they can get plenty Of alfalfa
are always fat. Most il not all the harvest
ing is done by heading-machines. The
"heade-" cuts the straw just below the
head and &C u yeys the heads Of grain into a
large wagon that is driven alongside and
has body suitable to holding it. When
one wagon gets load it drives of to 4
place Of deposit in the open field and de-
livers 1t to the thresher, another wagon
taking its p'ac, beside the "header."
There IS never any decger Of rain, and OF
course there is no prov ision made TO guard
agains, it. Irrigation is in most parts OF
the State a necessity, and is generally prac-
ticed. In the northern part OF the State
they have what he call dry farming, and
so far as | have been able to observe,
dry it is. Away from The effects OF irri-
CATION, on beaten roads, the DIST is terrible,
and down in the southern part OF the State
clouds OF loose sand and dust sometimes
darken the sun. Give me Old Virginia,
with her cool and sparkling springs, her
flowing streams and refreshing rains. The
gentle ST. &c OF the Atlantic upon her sandy
bea is music to my ear, and her noun
tain breezes invigorate me-. What boots it
IL she is battle-scarred, worn, and poor!
She is rich in her poverty! c. NJ. Il.
(Good for c. NJ. X.