Iron County register., 1885-07-23

The first rains, however, wash the
greater portion of the nourishment out
of this dried grass, and although the new
shoots spring up at once, it is difficult,
for time, for stock to get at it through
the heavy coating of old and worthless
growth which falls down over it, and is
mot very nourishing when obtained.
A portion of the settlers had cow
each, but those in whom we are most
interested were without Among those
who were so fortunate as to possess one,
however, was Rltchie; and as Mr.. Par
sons and Erastus were enabled to give
him needed assistance in the erection OF
bis shanty and the cutting of grass for
his team and cow, it was agreed that
the milk should be divided between tn e
two families for the next year, Jenny
and Lucy making regular trips for their
share every night and morning.
The shanty up, and a sufficient
smount of grass secured, the settlers
next turned their attention to the
breaking of the soil, the planting of
trees and vines, and, at the proper
time, of vegetables. For the first year
they expected to live largely upon wild
game and the few provisions which
they had brought with them. The sec
ond year they would get on much bet
ter.
There is no country where the COM
mon domestic fowls, ducks, chickens
and geese, are so easily raised or pay so
well the little attention which they re-
quire as in California; and our friends
were in possession of a sufficient num-
Der of these to enable them to subsist
upon eggs and fowls of their own rails
ing, if need be, by another year; besides
which they would be well supplied with
vegetables. so that the heprospect was not
so very gloomy after all, especially as
all were blessed with good health; and
hope, which usually comes with a
healthful body busily employed in its
own service, gave a coloring as OF the
sunrise to the future which was opening
up before them.
Fruit trees were already being
shipped to the coast by way of the
istimus. and although they were cost
ly and our friends poor, they managed
to get a few; enough, at least. to fur
nish gratis for future use. Of peach
pits and apple and pear seeds the care
full housewife who presided over John
Parsons shanty had brought supply
from the States.
Grape-cuttings could be more easily
obtained. More than century before
the Jesuit priests who penetrated up
ward from Mexico had planted grape
vines brought from Spain, and these,
crossed, perhaps, with other varieties
brought from the States, and favored
by the adaptibility of the climate, pro-
duced fruit far excelling anything
which the Atlantic States can boast of
And so when spring came again and
the RAIN ceased, there was quite the ap-
pearance of living in the vicinity of the
Parsons shanty. Some twenty acres of
the land had been broken, a garden
planted, and many of its products were
lifting their heads to the sunlight; a
half-hundred fruit trees and a hundred
grape-vines had put forth their leaves,
and were ready to drink in the sunshine
so fast that one could almost fancy
selves.
1t has been said that the only thing
which ever distanced a California
grapevine when it once got down to
the business of growing is the bean-vine
of Jack the Giant-killer, known to our
childhood days; the one that Jack
undertook to climb to the top of, but
which grew faster than he could climb.
and so carrying him with it, finally
reached clear up to the giants castle.
And such clusters of fruit as hang
dependent upon their stems, and grow
and ripen in the long sunny days OF
September and October. when not a
cloud mars the blue of the sky for
weeks and weeks; clusters that look
like pure globes of clear crystal; or that
turn purple and amber-colored where
they hang among the broad. velvety
leaves that seem as if conscious of the
beauty of the picture which they help TO
make; and which turn themselves side
ways upon their long stems, now hid
ing. now disclosing the fruit in their
midst
The California grapes shipped by re-
frigerator cars, and exposed for sale at
the fruit stands in all our Eastern cities,
and which attract such universal at
tention, give but poor idea of Cali
fornia grapes when plucked and eaten
standing beneath the vine in California,
or sitting at ease at your own table or
that of a friend. with the sea or the
mountains in sight through the open
window.
, Only the tougher skinned or less
luscious of the fruits of all kinds will
bear such long shipping. The finer and
iuicier and more luscious varieties OF
each must be eaten where they are
grown, or be sent to not distant mar
8 ket.
California plums are wrapped in tis-
sue paper and sent east boxed up like
oranges from Florida or the West
Indies, and sold ga nickel apiece, or
three for dime" to people who buy
them as curiosity, or very rare treat.
At home in California the children eat
them as children eat apples In New
England, and the housewife drops them
into liquid sugar and takes them out
great globes of pearl with centers OF
amethyst. Or she cuts them in halves,
and, removing the pit, lets them dry IN
the sun, and stores them away In sacks
and boxes Just as she does figs and
grapes; only that these latter are
packed down hard when but little more
than half dried, and before the rich
juices have crystalized into sugar; and
which, eaten as freely as bread is eaten.
f1ushes the veins with the rich blood
that crimsons the cheeks of children
and grown people alike in this land OF
fruits and flowers; this land of mount
ain ranges and sea-washed shores; of
valleys as rich in the elements of agri-
cultural wealth as its hillsides are with
precious ores-this land that should
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