The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-09-04
NO. S43
ALL is NOT GOLD
THAT GLlTTERS IN THE GLORIOUS
CLIMATE" OF CALIFORNIA.
Malaria In the Mats OF the Valley Cen
eral Dustiness of the Summer Time
Abundance of Small Four
Legged vermin.
Foothills Cor. Chicago Tribune.l

Besides the musquito, and the ant, and
the ;nse ectdisturbers Of the peace generally.
there are in California few other nui-
sances Of which eastern people are less likely
to be informed than Of the glorious climate"
and the perennial strawberry" For in
stance, many localities in the San Joaquin
valley can coast Of being very fair rivals OF
Martin ChuzzlewiL'y Eden in the matter of
malaria. Almost any of the low lands by
the water-cuursos iu that valley can at short
notice produce choice article of fever and
ague. During an evening, especially in the fall
OF the year, a mist steals along the surface
Of the rivers and the sloughs and creeps
over the bottom lands Beware Of that
crawling mist, for 1t contains the promise Of
racked frame and burning skin to whom
soever it may enfold in its coil,
One has to be mindful, too, that there Is
danger in drinking to excess Of the water
from those rivers and sloughs and bathing
in them is omewhat risky il prolonged.
While the streams are running pretty full
there il not mu IN harm in them, but after
the rainy season, and when tho mountain
SHOWS have melted and passed down
to the ocean, and the rivers have
nearly disappeared, and the sloughs are
stagnant and full of decayei vegetation,
then Is tie time when distance lends en-
chantment to thu neighborhood Of the water
courSes. There are, 1t is true, hundreds Of
people who live In these districts without
unpleasant con equences but everywhere In
the valley one Is constantly encountering
victims Of the malarious regions The little
quipine bottle is an indispensable ad iunct to
the personal equipment Of an army Of men.
Another diSagreeable factor In California
ife-one less easily avoidable, although less
serious, than the malarial neighborhoods-
is the general dustinsss which prevails
througt much OF the year. The absence Of
summer rains, assisted by professions, con.
tinuing fer several months, of heavily laden
grain wagons, drawn by six or eight mules
or horses, causes the country roads ap-
preaching all towns where grain is shipped
by rail or water to become mere rows Of
deeply worn ruts filed with fine dust The
daily play Of the tradewinds catches up this
dust and whirs it around the towns and
along ths roads with an utterly free and easy
unconcern for the rig hts Of man. Water-carts
and little bitches mitigate the nuisance to q
considerable extent in the better parts Of
the wel.-reguiatel towns, and even on some
of the country roads, but as rule the dusty
breezs has its own way. The foothill and
mountain roads, unless in some Of the lum-
ber-proiucing sections, are not so much cut
up as thre in the grain growing valleys,
but all of them do their share toward max
ing activity in the dust business.
Still another Californian nuisance Of de-
cided import to the farmer, be he a grower
Of grain, or hay, or grapes, or tree-fruit, or
what not, Is the great abundance Of small
four-legged vermin. Rabbits, squirrels,
gophers, and wooi-rats are tireless enemies
against whom the farmer must carry on an
unceas!n, warfare. Men are frequently
employed for the sole purpose OF pois-
oning squirrels, few of these in
dustrious animals being capable IL undis-
turbed OF gathering into their holes con-
siderable share Of the crop Of a grain field
or potato-patch in very short order. The
gopher does his work under ground, AMI
very effective mining engineer he Is He
drives his tunnel along a row Of vines or
trees, cutting the roots and ultimately caus-
ing the death of the plants, with wonderful
quickness and accuracy. He Is q burden
some foe OF the alfalfa grower, working his
passages in all directions TO the detriment Of
the roots. To everybody who irrigates the
land he Is an abomination, making In the
levees and ditch-banks holes that allow the
water to run in any direction but that in
which it is intended to 60.
Fortunately the gopher Is neither difficult
to trap nor to poison-at least where tun
neling can be traced by the earth which he
brings to the surface through his uplifts.
In the alfalfa-felds his whereabouts are not
30 readily discernible as in other places, and
he becomes a more troublesome customer
with whom to deal But in all gardens,
orchards, and the like his presence must be
promptly detected and his progress arrested,
or he is more than likely to do irreparable
mischief. The destruction of growing
vegetation by rabbits must be enormous.
Common estimate declares that two
sack rabbits" will eat as much as
full-grown sheep The correctness
OF that intricate problem in animal alimen-
tation is not materi l. Suffice 1t TO say that
"Mr Rabbit" Is almost everywhere out Of
doors, and that. be he @jack" or little scot
tontaip only, very small numerical allow
ance Of him goes great way as regards the
devastation Of young vineyards or orchards,
or Of filled crops or gardens
In many parts of the state rabbit-proof
fences are absolutely necessary "a very seri-
Gus item Of expense. Fence requirements,
by the way. are to persons undertaking ag-
riculture in California, particularly to per-
sons OF small means, the stumbling blocks of
greatest dimensions-almost ludicrously so
for when ones fences must b not only
Ahorse-high, bull-strong. and pig-tight,"
ON account OF the live stock rang
ing at large in the country, but
must Be rabbitproof as well, and when the
birds, as occurs frequently in places, are so
numerous that to insure q crop ones land
ought to be rooted In, agriculture becomes
something like an indoor pursuit In fact,
. California farm has q similarity to town
In stats Of siege by an allied host, de-
manding ruinous imposts from the be-
leaguered party, and only held Off by means
Of ample fortifcations, liberal stores of mu-
nitions Of war, and @eternal vigilance"
Even the timid deer joins the hostile coali-
tion. Vineyardists In the Santa Cruz
mountains say that the deer, with greedy
appetitss for grapes and fond Of the young
vine shoots, can only be restrained by the
use Of guns and dogs from committing dep
redations Of Importance during raids BY
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