Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1882-04-29
Pleased with California.

| A writer in the Mark Lane Erpress,
who as a tourist had visited the Western
States and spent some time in California,
sums up his observations upon the adj
vantaees which this State offers to i'm
migration in this wise:
Europe is pouring hundreds CT thous-
ands of her surplus population annually
into the American continent. This tide
of immigration is being directed princi-
pally toward the prairie States OF the
Mississippi basin, almost all of which
are Offering every facility and doing
everything in theirpower to attract and
attach this living food. Does Califor-
mia consider that the resources of her
soil have been fully Developed, that she
stands idly by and allows the States on
| the other side of the Rocky Mountains
to absorb all the labor and capital that
is being poured into the Union without
lifting a finger to point to her own fruitful
valleys and foothills, with their incom-
parable climate and almost endless,
undeveloped resources? Is she con-
tent to be hustled into second place and
allow great portions OF her fertile
valleys either to lie in waste or be cult
| waited in such careless and slipshod
manner that their capabilities for pro-
ducing have never been fully tested? Is
she to allow what will yet be her great
industry-the production of wine and
fruit-to develop slowly with her pres
ent sparsely populated plains and foot
hills? 1t seems the people with both
climate and undeveloped resources sec
ond to none in the Union, are pleased
with the natural growth of her present
population; at least an effort is being
made to induce the influx of either CAPT
tai or labor. Any emigrant who elects
to come is allowed to pay in full the
heavy tariff of transportation, and after
arriving in the State he is left to find
out for himself what part of this vast
State will be most suitable for his capa-
bilities and afford the best return for his
labor and capital.
"Any one who pays a visit to the
wholesale markets of San Francisco can
not fail to be struck with the great
variety and excellence of the fruit and
vegetables displayed there. To the
growth of these on the foothills, of
which there are hundreds of square
miles yet unbroken, suitable for cultiva-
ton, would especially direct those with
small capital. This land can be home
steaded in the usual way, namely, one
hundred and sixty acres by living on it
five years and breaking up certain por-
ton. Another one hundred and sixty
acres can also be homesteaded for Us. an
acre, and about three years given to pay
it in. If land is wanted nearer commune
ication, it can be bought for from SIS. to
"a an acre, according to locality. This
land to which refer is rolling, and not
but grows'the finest quality of every va
riety of fruit. Fruit canneries are being
rapidly multiplied. California wine is
gaining a reputation in the markets of
the East. Her raisins, figs, and other
dried fruits are also coming to the front,
Fruit growing, combined with little
mixed farming, would be good starter
for man with small capital. His
profits would be small for few years,
but they would increase as his trees be-
gan to bear. California has very fer
tile and rich soil, and the dry, long Sum-
mers suit admirably for the growth of
fruit. Her seaports find ready outlet
for all her produce. She has already two,
and in less than two years will have four,
transcontinental routes of railroad COM
munication with the East
"The wonderful climate of the Pacific
slope has opened up sources of produc.
ton for her rugged-looking foothills
which Nature has denied the fiat, rich
soils of the States bordering the Rocky
Mountains on the east. There can be
no doubt that the climate is the main
attraction of the Pacific slope, at the
present time, to the immigrant, and
many people, principally from the New
England States, are going thither on
that account, and also because they
know something of the profits of fruit
growing, which will yet undoubtedly be
a staple trade of the State. To those
with small capital, willing to labor,
and who would be content with fair
return for their labor and capital, if resi-
dence in a climate with an almost per-
petual Summer have any attraction for
them, would say-see California.