Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-23
A Great Need.

county and indeed all Southern Cali
fornia points to great and continuous
growth, there are features of the local
situation that really call for the attention
of capitalists both here and abroad, and
which offer marked inducements to the
judicious investor. There is probably
not on the face of the globe more
prolific soil, or one from which more
rare vegetation may be secured, than
from that of Los Angeles county. In
many portions of it's ample spread OF
three million, six hundred thousand
acres, this soil is from ten to one hun
dred feet deep. AS consequence, there
are parts OF Los Angeles county where
the soil has been cropped for one hun
dred years past without the slightest
diminution in the yield or in the fertility
of the acreage.
Yet we are at disadvantage just now,
notwithstanding our unrivaled systems
of transportation, in number of essen
tials as compared with the people OF
the Santa Clara, Sonoma, Napa and Sac
ramento valleys.
The number of wineries in Los An
geles county is grossly inadequate to the
needs of our vineyardists. There is nc
more attractive opening to the capt.
alist than the making and grading oi
wine. He can afford to pay fair price
for his grapes and still make an extrava.
CANT profit on his investment. This
field will doubtless be gradually occu-
pied. Meanwhile, cooperative wineries
ought to spring up on every hand in thi:
great and opulent county. They are
the vineyardist's srrest recourse, and
would have magical effect in stiffenins
the prices of grapes.
In the regions named above, though
their transportation facilities are far in
ferior to ours, the shipping of the lus
cious table grapes of California to tn,
East has become great business. Their,
is demand there for all that can b,
furnished. The ability of the grape
grower of Santa Clara county, for in
stance, to do this is founded upon tn,
fact that capital and organization are il
unison to afford him a market outlet
While we have three transcontinenta
railways to his one, and while our facili
ties ought to be three times such as h
can command, we shall be at disad
vantage until we take hold of the matte
in earnest. Through properly organized
agencies the horticulturist of Santa Clar.
county can even ship his tomatoes to tn,
markets of st. Louis and Chicago.
Then, as to their fruits generally, tn,
horticulturists of Santa Clara, Sonoma
Napa and other points in Central Cali
fornia have a great superiority in thei
facilities as compared with the people o
Los Angeles county. They have thre,
ways of disposing of their peaches, TO
instance. They can either sell them il
the market, dispose of them on shares t.
the dryer or Gamer, or sell them to tn
distillery, to be converted into brandy.
The need of more canning and dryin
facilities, of more wineries and distil
leries, Of more extended and bette
organized methods for the shipment {
our fruits and vegetables to the East,
sadly apparent. These drawback
should not be allowed to continue
There is plenty of money in duplicatin
for our people the conveniences an
facilities of the regions named. There i
better return in it than in loaning ou
money on even the high rates of interes
, that prevail here. A good deal has al
ready been done in this line, but it is no
even a marker to what ought to an
: doubtless will be accomplished in tn
next four or five years.