Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-27
THE VEGETABLE GARDENS

elevation of Morela is about 6 400 feet
above the level of the Gulf nearly thou-
and feet lower than the CITY of Mexico-at
Just the proper altitude in the tropics for a
perfect climate. From year to year the
temperature seldom varies more than ten
degrees 5Oo Fahrenheit being considered
exceptionally cold. During one memora
bic February within the recollection of the
Oldest lnhabitant, few flakes of snow fell.
winch are still commented upon by the
people as an astonishing phenomenon.
An agreeable popularity of Morelia is its
numerous ash trees (fresnos), and the SPLEEN
did cedars and expresses on the north side
OF Inc city. The main plaza about half
mile square, Is not very carefully kept, but
contains specimens of every plant indigen-
Gus to Mexico. Its trees and shrubs are
said to number more than twenty thousand:
and, II properly cared for, this park would
rival any of similar size in the world, with
the added advantage of
PERFECT CLIMATE
Which no other country can boast 1t is
connected with the alameda grove of elmsl
or public drive-the Bots de Boulogne or
Central Park of fashionable Michoacan. On
one side of II an ancient adobe-coated aque-
duct, two miles long, conveys water to the
city and behind 1t frown the brand-new
walls of mammoth pententiary This
prison seems TO have been constructed I'M
der the impression that the whole town
may turn criminals, being large enough to
accommodate the entire population. Upon
certain evenings OF every week military
bands play in this plaza and then it is
tEronged with the beauty and chivalry"
of the capital.
On Sunday afternoons, however it is the
fashion to patr0nize the Cuizada (prome-
nade) of Guadalupe, or to ride-un horse
back or en- cockc-in the adjoining Paseo de
San Pedro" ST. Peters drive" Both these
pleasure resorts are on the east side of the
city, which, like ali Mexican towns, drops
OF abruptly into the open country, with no
suburbs - worth mentioning. The Cal
zada was constructed by the pleasure-lov-
ing Spaniards more than a century and
half ago. It is about three-quarters of a
mile long, its well-paved boulevard being
oyerarched by magnificent trees, with a
promenade for pedestrians on either side,
and broad space for loiterers in the
center.
HOW 70 CONQUER HIGHwAYMEN.
II is snow lined with handsome residences.
but not long ago il was considered unsafe
10 live here on account of the robbers that
infested al this region and committed I'M
paralleled depredations The wise Gov
eminent disposed of these gentlemen of the
road in a way that to our ideas border upon
the absurd, bat which has certainly proved
elle2tual. The chief of the bandits-a
murderous desperate whose name was
terror throughout the State-was pardoned
for all his past misdeedS and placed ut the
head of the falnour Rural Guards, post
of great honor and profit. Being thus made
3 conspicuous advocate of good order
wherein, for him, lay the law and the
profits in accordance with personal in
terests this doughty Robin Hood speedily
dispersed his blood-thirsty boon com
paulons. Since his conversion not a robber
has dared show his head in this portion of
Nichoacan. and to-day-doubtless under
the old rule that it takes a rogue to catch
rogue'-this is one of the safest cities in
Mexico.
Among Morelia's numerous attractions
fine bull-ring, or Plaza de Torros must
not be omitted. for it is certainly better
patronized than any other institution.
There is also vast Campo Santo {" Field
Of Saints or graveyard, in the suburbs
SO quaint as to verge upon the Comical
several manufactures of the famous wax
eeriiios (matchcs), well worth visiting, and
cotton factory or two.
THk sEMIsARIo DE SAN JUAN
Is a fine old spacious building, several cen
turtles old. but kept in good repair. Its
weli-chosen library contains all the most
classic works in Spanish, German, French
and English, besides Greek and Latin au-
thors and numerous theological and scien-
tiiic works.
House rent and fuel are so comparatively
cheap in MoreIia that a family can enjoy
every luxury here who could barely exist
iii the City of Mexico. The Morelians are
great sticklers for caste, and society is won
derluly cut up into cliques and factions
Upon every side one hears much of the
first people" the families in our set
second rate" and every other " rate of
persons in the social gamut. There is little
real wealth herc-which probably accounts
for such great pretensionS, rs persons of
large means can afford to be less particular
but everybody seems well-to-do, because
of the cheapness of things.
RESOURCES OF MICHoAcAN.
This great state of Michoacan extends
from The center Of the table-lands, westward
to the Pacific, covering an area of -. 700
square miles-about equal to that of West
Virginia. Its population Is supposed to be
about $50 900, although there are but ten
small cities (of which Morela is by far the
largesN, nineteen insignificant villages and
pa .pueblos." The entire taxable prop
ertv of the State is valued at $4,000, 600;
bCt for undeVeloped resources, it is beyond
n doubt one of the richest portions of the
carried on, in slow and easy fashion. in
various parts of. Michoacan, but the great
bulk of its presumably rich mountains
IS entirely uneXplored. In several such
uupronounceable districts as Tlalpuiahua
Ozumatlan, AuganqUzo, Guayaboa, Chepa-
tua'l AMI Curucupaseo, gold, silver COP
Ter mtrcI ny. II N, lie, coal, sulphur,
anthony aud nlagistral are mined With
in seventy miles of Moreia there NAV be
: tI,, s.f no
from the choicest coffee, sugarcane, rice,
tobacco. indigo, vanilla, etc, to wheat.
earn potatoes and the most valuable woods
In the world Besides all the fruits of the
temperate zone. here are figs, pineapples,
bananas. lines, lemons, oranges, mulber-
ries, margoes, and a thousand strange and
luscious tropical varieties unknown to peo-
pie of the North. The preserving of fruits
Will one DAY be u great industry here: al
ready Morclia is famous from one end OF
the country 20 the other for its daicies
(syeetmeats), chief among them being the
gs.dyaSats. made from the guaga.
THE pIsYRIcr OF URUAPAN.
With its little semi-tropical city of thesame
name. is especially famous for It's fne-fa-
yored coffee, which took special premium
at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876.
The town pronounced u rah-pan) is stu
stad on that picturesque mountain stream
the Rio Cupatitzio, just above the cele-
brated cataract OF Tzararacua. It is consid-
cred one Of the most beautiful places in
Mexico. q. we'll as the most salubrious
Here, also, the raising of silk-worms has
become an important industry, through
The efforts Of citizen, Don Aristeo Mer-
cado. 4 society has lately been organized |
To extend the Industry, and the Governor !
of hichoaean subscribed for several sheTes