Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-22
A Good Work In Progress.

1ecC season Los Angeles county mas
enjoyed for decade. The HERALD has
often pointed out the fact that we have
not had drouth in this county since
the famons season of 1867, but the
rains have not always come at the times
nor in the quantities most favorable to
the farmer. This year, if the weather
clerk had given Agricola carte blanche to
name his own pluvial conditions, the
meteorological status could not have
been improved upon. 1t is pleasant to
know that everything possible to be
done has been done to make the most of
this pleasant dispensation. The crops Of
wheat, barley, potatoes and the other
vegetables which enter SO largely into
the daily consumption of the household
will be twice as large as at any former
period of our history. They will
be abundant for home consumption and
leave margin for export. There will still
be deficiency in chicken ranches and
in stock and dairy farms, but a begin
ming has been made in that direction.
Those who know Los Angeles county
since her second great advance began, re-
member that it started when the South
ern Pacific Railway had reached the Col
orado river and our farmers we're able
to supply the people of Arizona with our
fruits, wines, brandies, vegetables, eggs
and butter. This city then only con-
tained population OF eleven thousand
souls, and we had big surplus for ex-
port. 1t is natural, that with popula-
ton increased perhaps eightfold in the
city, to say nothing OF an almost equal
increase in the county, our farmers
should have proved temporarily unequal
to the demands made upon them, and
that butter, eggs, poultry and other ne
eessaries OF life, should be shipped in here
from Kansas and Iowa. But our farmers
are multiplying in numbers and extend
ing their operations beyond precedent;
and there is little doubt that, even dur
ing the coming year, we shall be more
than self-sustaining in most staples and
nearly so in all. Any one who will
drive out into the country in any direc-
tion will be impressed by the progress
that is being made in assuring abundant
harvests. Between Los Angeles and
Compton, for instance, and between Los
Angeles and Santa Monica, an immense
area OF fertile land has been sown, and
the gang plows are. busy with the re-
manning acreage. The same story comes
of fhn fx, kn
orchardist has also not been idle. Full
advantage has been taken at all points
of the compass in planting trees and
vines. In the vineyards the important
lesson has been learned that the disease
which has attacked the Mission and
Malaga grapes has no effect on many
of the foreign varieties. The truth
has also been learned that an
industrious man, who limits him
self to from five to ten acres Of
oranges, can defy the scale bug. The
HERALD has been laboring for year
past to bring about the state OF things
which we can truthfully chronicle as ex-
listing now, and it ,congratulates its
readers on what will prove to be golden
year. Activity in the sale of lots in
towns which are not demanded by the
present state Of our development is by no
means the surest index of our prosperity.
Towns are bound to grow up and flourish
as they are called for, bu. to give a
reason for their existence and to afford a
guarantee for their prosperity the gang
plow Of the farmer and the pruning knife
of the orchardist and vineyardist must
do their perfect work. The good effect
Of their labors will remain no matter
whether the speculator scores profit or
loss as the result of his operations. That
work is now being done on splendid
scale.