Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-01-03
The Local outlook.

reason to look Tor dry season the cur
rent year it is nevertheless true that the
large and reliable croaking element of
Los Angeles county had about made up
Its mind that the time had come for the
famous dry year. The HERALD was at
pains to point out, the other day, the
fact that there has only been one year
Of downright drouth in this county in
the last fifteen years. The reputation
Of Los Angeles county has suffered a
great deal in the past from very pecu-
liar folly Of her people. The custom
was to allow sheep and cattle to multi
ply on the ranches beyond all reason;
ind, consequently, when the rains were
capriciously delayed, there being three
animals to feed where there ought 10
have been but one, cvy Of drouth was
raised when there was really none, the
deaths of myriads Of cattle being simply
referable to the stupidity Of the ranch
eros.
Up to noon yesterday l.97 inches Of
rain fell during the late storm, according
to Mr.. Ducommun's rain gauge, giving
US, by the same authority, 4.l0 for the
season thus far. We have had already
1886 inches more rainfall up till noon Of
January 2nd than we had up till Janu-
ary last year. This Is good start both
as 70 amount Of downpour and time.
In three years out Of ten in California
the rainfall up to the beginning of the
new year Is only third as great as tho
subsequent rains. II is only fair to
credit the last storm as the closing up
Of the old year, and on the usual basis
we have right to look for total rain
fall for the season Of at least fifteen or
sixteen inches. We have no doubt
whatever that it will be much greater,
In the judgment Of or most expert
enced farmers the last storm has placed
the harvesting of large crop of the
cereals in Los Angeles county beyond
peradvcnture. 1t has also assured
abundant pasturage. We have already
secured an exceptionally good wine and
brandy crop, both as to quality and
quantity. The citrus crops were also
beyond peradventure, being dependent
on irrigation. AT least an average corn
crop had also been harvested.
Now that the only two interests OF
this county which were aced-grain
and grass-are safe, there is not cloud
on the face Of our local prosperity.
The area which has been sown and
will be sown in wheat and barley thil
year is unusually large. In the Sal
Fernando valley the large acreage whicl
Is generally reported there seems t(
have been nearly doubled. Senator
Maclay has this year put in an addi
tional three thousand acres in wheat
The Messrs. Workman, Porter, Var
Nuys and others have greatly increased
the large areas they usually put il
wheat. In the neighlorhood of New
hall tens of thousands of acres will b'
sown in wheat, great progress having
been made already. The eleven thous
and acres of the Laguna ranch will thi
year be sown to the cereals for the frs
time. In the San Jose and San Gabrie
valleys and in the Los Angeles vale,
proper an unprecedented area has beer
seeded to wheat and barley. From th'
Cahuenga and from the southern porto,
Of the 20 lnty the most encouraging ac
counts seach us of the great breadth
which are being devoted to the cereals
Mr.. D. Freeman, OF the Centinela AM
Sausal Redondo ranches has already pu
ten thousand acres in wheat and barle.
and proposes to keep on until he ha
twenty-four thousand acres seeded,
We do not look upon it as an exag
goraton to assume that there will b.
close upon hundred and fifty thousan'
acres OF land in the cereals in Los An
geles county this year, and it is no
unreasonable to expect couple OF mil
lion sacks OF grain as the outcome Q
this splendid farming energy. Th
pleasantest thing about il all is that
owing to her splendid geographical
position and her unrivaled railway sys
ten, Los Angeles wheat and barley com
nands fancy prices. Very close upol
three millions of dollars ought I,
be the return from our cereal crops thi
year
With an unexampled influx OF peopl,
of means to Los Angeles, taken in con
nection with the steady, energetic AM
healthy expansion of her productiv
resources, with climate which will
people this region with highly eelecti
class of settlers, with labor in cage
demand at good wages, no place on tn
American continent has brighter ont
look than the Orange Grove city.