Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-03-06
WINTER IN CALIFORNIA.
How 1t Differs from the Winter Weather
in New England.

in New England.
After Thanksgiving. winter. In the
Atlantic States, east of the Hudson.
good sleighing is expected at this date.
Here nothing more than few white
frosts indicate that winter has come.
There have been froSts in the lowlands
during the past week. Last night the
frost crept up on the hillsides Little.
The crystals lay on the plank side
walks in the suburban towns. and
sparkled as the rays Of the rising sun
touched them. For a moment or two
there were millions of diamonds, then
small drops of wafer. and then moth
ing. But the frost makes crisp morn
ing,. and coal or wood fire most en-
iovable morning and evening the
wood fire especially. Moreover. the
frosts help to color the foliage. although
in this country the dciduous trees drop
the greater part Of their foliage before
the frosts come. The soft m piles.
ems. white brches and locust trees.
which have bel naturaliZed here. for
the most part. have cast Their leaves.
Yet the III: pes take on a wealth of col
or before the leaves fall; so the frost
does not do all the coloring. Even
the eucalyptus. which casts its leaves ut
midsummer and continues dropping
them until late IN autumn, has wealth
of color which is hardy noticed. The
conifcrous trees prevail so largely in
California that the high colors of dccid-
uous trees which grow on the hillsides
and mountain s.oIe; of eastern States
are rarely seen here. Yet in every Il II
after the first frOs:s have come in this
latitude, ore may find patches of color
shad ing off from gold to scarlet, with q
great many subdued toes, which art
lists. who are good cO,Orists. do not fail
to notice. The frs and the pines clothe
many of the mounta ms in eternal
green. When they are bare, they are as
desolate As in Spain until the vernal sea-
son sets in.
The first rains have already come.
But the winter rains have not yet APP
peared. There is sort of hush between
autumn and winter. If one goes to the
wood, he will ha,d ly hear any other
sound than that of the harsh and OBJ
strcperous blue-jay. Here and there
will be tapping on tie trunks. and an
occasional squirrel descends to see what
provision in the way of acorns there
may yet be left on the ground. In the
open. where the ground is soft. there
are the tracks of the sneaking coyote.
Even owls cease in a measure to boot in
the winter season, and the mOurnful
sound of doves has altogether ceased.
A great silence has fallen upon the
woods. There is hardly singing bird.
The linnets in the suburban gardens.
which two months ago were so active in
feasting on tie ripe fruit. bcginn ng
with cherries, and continuing until the
last ripe pear had disappeared. have
become silent also. No more songs ar d
no more depredations. for the good rea-
son that there is nothing to steal. and
the pairing s'ason has not begun. Tho
white frosts are the fitting introduction
of winter. They precede the heavier
rains.
The trade winds have died out. They
will not prevail in this latitude before
the middle of next May Some are I'M
kind enough to say that it is a pity that
they should ever prevail. But these
winds are the Lords scavengcrs, sent
up us SO many messengers from the salt
ocean to deliver the city from plaques
and pc,tilence. San Francisco has not
been clean city from the day of its
foundation. There is Oriental dirt. and
Occidental dirt. 1t has come to be .
foreign city. Merchandise fills the side
walks, and in many places crowds the
pedestrian into the street Caal is
thrown there. The six months trade
winds of summer ard the six months
rain are the two sanitary agents which
keep watch and ward over the city.
The most dangerous weeks of the year.
on the score of health. are those when
neither the trade WIN y nor the rains
prevail. The winter season being less
pronounced in this latitude, there is
less disposition to stpre up anything.
All the season is open, and even now
the bees are making honey, or are 90
ing to rob other hives. They get part
of their honey honestly. and, As to the
rest. they do not scrup!e to get it dis
honestly.-San Francisco Bulletin.