Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-02-16
and and country where thoy grow grapes in

TUE LAND OF CANAAN.
And so q few Of US horticultural dreamers
have come over tho great fertile plains and
across the thirsty deserts, and have climbed
the gigantic walls which fortify you against In
yasion, 20 test for ourselves the climate and the
fruits OF this earthly paradise. We think we
like the land and the fruits thereof, and shall
make good report OF them to oil the chosen
people OF Israel
glad that We came. We are glad TO be with
you and to see the welcome which shines in all
your faces. We come as fruit growers, and
gardeners, and forest planters, and builders Of
homes, to greet our brethren in q land whose
conditions of culture we have long envied We
have come to study these new conditions for
ourselves; to gain new ideas which We may
apply whore our surroundings less favora-
bic TO compare views as TO many questions re-
garding which we have a common interest and
TO drink with you ut the fountains OF enthusi-
nsm which have inspired you to so many bril-
liant enterprises all along this golden coast.
Ihe President also urged Congressional
Legislation TO prevent wanton destruction OF
forests, AMI the discussion which ensued
showed strong sentiment in favor of such q
course, and resolutions requesting legislation
were adopted A paper from j. M. Smith. Of
Wisconsin, favored ferhlizng the soil, but
the discussion which followed showed there
was no such necessity in California.
Mr.. Wilcox said the soil of great part of
Santa Clara County was inexhaustible In
boring arteslan wells it had been found that
good garden soil extended to depth Of over
five hundred feet Five crops Of alfalfa
could be produced in one year without mate
rally diminishing the production. AS much
as eighty-five bushes of wheat had been
raised to the acre, but small fruits, etc, were
found to be more valuable, and people quit
raising wheat He had raised, he said, !, 600
pounds of onion seed from two acres
At various stages of the proceedings there
were similar Developments, showing that the
labor and care required for the production Of
fruit In the East was very much more than in
California, and the Californians, being on
their native heath, clinched their arguments
by citations and illustrations of practical ex-
perience.
AT HORTICULTURAL HALL.
The people of San Jose have erected per-
manent building, 80 feet wide by 166 feet
cultural exhibits. The proceedings of the
National Association were made especially IN
teresting by having a Citrus Fair in progress
at Horticultural Hall at the same time.
Though held at the most unfavorable time
of the year tho Eastern visitors were greatly
astonished at what they saw Santa Clara
County does not make great pretensions to
being citrus region, because the people
frankly say they can make moro money out
of less. perishable fruit, but the
exhibit here o,,rd this Week week shows, shows that
sunning to DO. 1'hore are several canning
factories here, and 30 while cirrus fruits grow
in the county in considerable quantities, the
oNapACo aiO pIuuoS, hpTlCOlH, pohTS, DekCHcb,
cherries, figs, olives, etc. The exhibit of these
fruits, canned or dried, or both, was some
thing astonishing. or the smaller fruits,
Strawberries, raspberries, etc., the production
is large, and especially of strawberries. Nne-
tenths of all the strawberries in the State are
grown in this county, two crops year being
secured, the market time ranging from May
to January.
There was also an exhibit of almonds, Eng
lish walnuts, pecan7, and other varieties OF
s,.. s,,C
Valley A pyramid of vegetables rising twenty
five feet high, and containing $50 TO 200
pound squashes and 100-pound beets (as
large in circumference as mans body) at
tracted good deal of attention from tho
Eastern visitors To enumerate all the at
fractions of the exhibit would require vol
ume, but it was happy tribute to place
before the National Horticultural Associa-
tion.
THE TEMPERATURE.
San Jose proposes to let her light shine aud
has an energetic Board of Trade, whose rooms
are constantly open to supply visitors with all
kr6t ki9di Of n@termaton @ relative to lands prices
One of The most comprehensive little vol
umes L have seen is issued by this Board for
general circulation, descriptive of Santa Clara
County. In talking with tho Secretary, Mr.
Edward IL. Lewis, he showed me tho follow
ing thermometer cal record
The highest temperature during 1886 was 92
degrees ut ii o'clock, June 8; and the lowest
was % degrees above zero on Jan. 4, at a. m.
The highest for 1887 was 50 degrees at 3 80
p NJ, June 10 and the lowest was % degrees
above zero on Jan. %. at a. IN.
They take their observations four times q
day, and every day in the year, and these fig
ures are not the Average, but the actual high
est and lowest points reached during the years
named.
Mr. Lewis told me that the price of land in
tho county ranged from $40 to $500 per acre,
according to location and amount Of improve
1nant Thara il Of land halH at loxvar
and also at higher figures, but give an aver
age range. To realize 10 per cent interest on
81 900 from the products of single acre is
quite moderate, and oftentimes double that
amount is produced. In fact, five acres, we'll
handled, will support family.
Tho Horticultural Association did not con-
clude lis session here, but adjourned to meet
at Riverside, in the southern part of the
State, on February q, and in the meantime
the delegates will roam about viewing other
wonders as we'll as the products Of Santa
Clara Valley, though these have nearly filed
their capacity to the utmost limit