Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-07-02
FROM CALIFORNIA.
Correspondence of the Ledger.


WINTERS, CAL, June Is, 1856
California is not paradise by any
means, and this her people in their
calmest moods will sometimes admit.
She has many disadvantages to con-
tend against and in a dry year like
this they are especially numerous. 1
shall proceed to give some of these
unpleasant features, "without fear,
favor or affection" First we will
notice the ravages of insects.
Among these pests grasshoppers
have played quite conspicuous part.
They have devastated many fields Of
grain in this and adjoining counties.
They attack everything green (emi-
grants excepted) ana desert
waste marks each locality they hon
or CD with their visits. There is
also an insect much resembling the
potato bug of Missouri (only smaller)
that is causing much havoc among
the fruit. 1 saw an orchard this
week in which the figs and peaches
ready for market were being de-
stroyed by these dreaded insects.
The Hessian fly and chinch bug go
to make up the full measure Of the
cup of sorrow that is being pressed
to the lips of the California agricul-
turist. Added to these they have
another species called the fire bug.
These are found only in seasons of
adversely and dry season matches out
these pests in all their malignant fury.
Near San Jose they have been espe-
cially destructive. 1t lis not the grow
ing grain nor the vine and fig tree,
bending with the weight of luscious
fruit, that they attack, but ware
houses, grain and hay stacks, large
barns and other valuable property
can alone satisfy the cravings. of
their appetite. In a single night a
warehouse at Milipatis, fine railway
station at Santa Clara, and other
structures were pounced upon by the
fire bugs and destroyed. One OF
these was captured carrying kerosene
materials and in it's den were found
more infammables. Perhaps your
readers may think this answers tc
the description of man. If so they
are correct but fire bug is the com
mon appellation here, and who car
say the name is inappropriate? How
much capitalists are to blame for thi:
state of affairs l can not say, but
certainly 1t is very unfortunate way
to right existing wrongs.
i The harvest season here necessi
tates the employment of vast mum
ber of men, but when that Is pas
they are forced to spend the remain
der of the year almost in idleness
As they make their headquarters a
hotels, each of which contains a So
loon with a gambling house in clos
proximity, it cannot be supposed tha
the morals of these men are such a
they should be- Many of them ar
of respectable parentage and fey
conduct themselves well considering
, their surroundings. This is LITERAL.
the tramp's paradise. In few coun
tries perhaps is camping out 8
healthful. / have seen eight or te
tramps on bright morning rising
evidently much refreshed after havin
passed the previous night in the vi
cinity of straw stack. Around tn
suburbs of our larger cities they al
especially numerous, and seate
e gracefully under the shade of majes
tic oaks partaking of refreshmen'
they resemble somewhat a picni
a party minus the feminine portion
0 Much of the tramping on this coai
S can be attributed to the Chinese
0 our midst who number at prcsel
over $4,000. Most of these are me
a and a large portion are engaged
Y manual labor. In the village of VII
o tiers, In this county, containing 7(
y. inhabitants, 120, or nearly one-fft
n are Cinnamon. OF course all the
e displace great many labo1Dg M
:. of our own race. Many persons a
,r induced to come here by the glowil
j. accounts of visitors and also by lar
ranchers and capitalists who wish
70 secure cheap labor. 1t may be tr
that men coming here with mea
er and using industry and economy m
Fel attain a competency if not wealt