Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-03-17
California Letter.
MERGED. CAL, Feb. 25. 'sS.

last letter was received sometime ago
but | have been too busy to answer
sooner. Since my last letter to you I
have sold my little home place near
Modesto; have built me comfortable
house on my place near MERGED, and
moved to it the oath of January. /
am now at home think. My home
place | sold was all IN grain, which
crop reserved, except one-fourth for
rent. I,sold at $40 per acre, cash in
hand. When bought the land I'D
acres), the first 40 acres cost me $500,
for the other 40 acres | paid $500, to-
tai $500. sold for 81, 200 reservin9
three-fourths of the present crop. So
you can see how land has enhanced in
value in few years. Land does not
rate so high in this (Merced) county
as IN Stanislaus, from the fact that
land here is held IN larger tracts and
farmed on larger scale, and actual
settlers kept out, consequently our
county town does not improve so rap
idly as Modesto. The lands around
the latter are farmed in small tracts,
which is the life of any town. have
now one of the incest little farms in
MERGED county. My residence is with
in two miles of the courthouse and in
plain view. | can see from my door
the arrival and departure Of all the
railway trains that arrive and depart
in daylight. The railroad touches one
corner of our land. Cars leaving Mer
ced City, running northwest, are in
full view for q distance of more than
five miles. This is the Southern Pa
cifc road, now doing an immense
amount of business. My farm is level
and very rich, as much so as any river
bottom in your county, not an acre of
poor land in the tract. But must
stop, lest you should think am trying
to induce you to come to California.
| have built me comfortable, though
not expensive. house of six rooms. we'll
ventilated and neatly finished up, COW
cred with red wood shingles. The
! money it cost me would build good
house in Tennessee. Lumber is high
: IN California My lumber cost me
; S2S per 1000 feet, rough, and 500 sur
faced or matched. My crop looks
J pretty well, though the weather has
been unusually cold. We have had
more ice and snow this winter than l
have seen any previous winter since l
came here. 1t has been rather dry for
u farming. We have had only about
} A inches of rain fall during the fall
i and winter so far. Still there is plen-
> ty of time for rain.
" Mr.. Perry, wife, and children, spent
" last night with us, and have just left
. for home. They are quite well. ]
- don't think you would know Emma
u (Mrs. Perry. She is little larger
l. than her mother Mr.. Perry has a
It field of grain that joins my place, about
u 900 acres, rented, besides his own land,
= 1000 acres. He has altogether about
3" 1900 acres in grain. So you can readi-
y ly understand why our farmers are SO
c anxious for rain Many Of them have
. large crops and much at stake, and
when the seasons are favorable their
" crops are very profitable.
y We are all very well. Laura (my
!" wife) is in fine health and still good
)" looking Can't you come out and see
'o us? Would like for you to take one
u" look from my door over the grain
~ fields at this season of the year. There
is enough grain and other beauties in
sight to fiji the STANDARD full, from
its editorial to its last advertising col
umn. Try the trip. think it would
EST not only do you good, but be the
We means of enlarging your paper. Men,
IRE minds and views are apt to enlarge
err. and expand when they reach thest
l.- places and take a grand view Of thes'
tie vast grain fields which spread out AM
IRE extend further than the eye can see
ere Come out and see us-the trip would
me do you good. Will send SIS forth
'h- STANDARD. Send the paper to Fanni
tie (Mrs. Wooton). She says she has no
by forgotten Uncle Jimmie.
nes Your brother, NJ. NJ. RITcHEY.