Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-26
plain Talk AbOy-

'Foi >ened to really industrious people |
.nan that afforded by Southern California |
to-day. In the East truck gardener,
orchardist and farmer labors with his
own hands. You never see him stand
ing around counting the cost OF his la
Dor as if he had nothing to do with the
soil himself. He takes hold OF the plow
and the harrow and gets down to solid
work. In California, and especially in
Southern California, the case is very
different. Nothing like the patient,
persevering toll of the truck gardener in
the East is ever seen here except in the
case of the Cinnamon and the Italians,
who form SO large portion OF the mar
ket gardeners around San Francisco. To
all who are willing to work in Los
Angeles as they have been accustomed
to work in the East, either truck
garden or fruit raising in this section
is mine of riches. Fertilizers as a rule
are almost unknown, aud it is literally
case of "tickling the ground with a hoe
to see it blossom with CROP" to employ
Abraham Lncoln's happy simile of the
early days of Illinois. A crop OF corn
can be raised in our rich bottom lands at
one-half the labor that it requires to pro.
duce it in Illinois or Missouri, the yield
is much larger and there is no apprecia-
BILE diminution of the fertility. not even
where two crops, one of potatoes and one
of corn, are raised on the same ground in
single year. The immense population
of Los Angeles county, and the rapid
rate at which it is growing, assure a
remunerative market for all our produce.
These multitudes must eat, and it
is not at all surprising that we
have outgrown our productive capacity
in the necessaries of life. We have
quite large and prosperous farming
class. Almost to man they have a bal
ance to the good at the bank, they have
cleared off their mortgages and are sup
piled with the latest and most improved
machinery, while their dwellings and
other improvements show thrift and
well-being. To the argument that lands
are now selling in this section beyond
their real value we reply by point
blank denial OF the fact. Even as a
purely speculative venture the naturally
moist or irrigated lands OF Los Angeles
county are good investment at current
rates. 1t is no exaggeration to say that
circumstances favor the buyer this year
as fully as they did the seller year ago.
The great outcry about the extrava-
gent prices of land hereabouts
has been founded on misap-
prehension. There are some lands,
it is true, that look high, but iu all such
cases there are features connected with
them which make the figures at which
they are held legitimate. In almost
every instance in which land sells for
$500 or upwards an acre it is what is
known as fancy property. 1t is either in
or Immediately adjoining some flourish
ing town, or it is in the best portions OF
the peculiarly favored foothills, where
the properties of the climate enter largely
into the count. This territory is limited,
and it is filing up with people who are
dotting its expanse with palaces. The
society, the climate and other excep-
tional advantages make it difficult to de-
termine just what the value OF such
property will be at the rate which Los
Angeles is filling up with wealthy people
But even as to this small and select
portion Of Los Angeles county the figures
have been greatly exaggerated, and in
many portions OF this exquisite region
sites for homes can be bought at very
reasonable figures.
AS to the great bulk Of the farming
and frui. lands Of Los Angeles county, it
may be safely said that their price is not
half as high as equivalent lands in Santa
Clara and Alameda counties. This state
ment will excite the wonder of a great
many people, but it is nevertheless true,
and it is true that in Los Angeles we
have range of production that the
others cannot claim. Los Angeles lands
are thought high because within very
recent period they have sold for a mere
song. Many new comers do not stop
to reflect that, within the same
brief period, the population of the
county and city have increased in a
ratio larger than has been reported from
any other portion Of the American Union.
1t is an invariable rule of political econ
omy that where the population increases
at the rate OF one hundred per cent.
property values treble, and where pop
ulation has increased seven or eight fold
within eight years, the arithm stical ratio
comes into play.
No industrious man who believes in
what is known by the homely name OF
"elbow grease need have any fear OF
casting in his lot with Los Angeles. He
requires some capital, and he ought to be
careful where he invests it. He should
find out what land is worth before he
pays for It. But, given industry and en-
ergy, moderate prudence and a modest
capital, whether he elects to run a
chicken ranch, stock farm, an orchard,
a market garden or farm, success will
surely await him and he will achieve it
under specially charming climatic condi-
tions.
THE Council will have its hands full of
business to-day and very important
ftoro u,;ll oo,,aun E;,,t