The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-03-14
Los Angeles Letter.

miles and more, is barley. Tht
heavy rains begin in November, ane
since December scarcely any rair
has fallen. The usual method is tc
pillow and sow all winter. While bar.
ley early sown looks fairly promis-
ng, that put in later will amount tc
but little without more rain, and now
it has become so dry that blowing
and sowing cannot be done. Farm
ing in Southern California would as
tonish an eastern granger. On the
large ranches the gang pillow is used,
drawn by from six to ten horses;
there is a seeder that drops the
grain forward of the plows, which
cut furrow two inches deep, just
enough to cover the grain. Behind
the pillow is an oblong frame, some
times containing teeth that smooths
the land, and the work is nicely
done when the land is in right con-
ditlon. but when dry and hard, or
covered by volunteer growth of
barley, it looks as if it had been
struck b, a cyclone. The barley is
cut and pressed for hay, or allowed
to ripen, and is threshed according
to which pays the best. The man
ure from the ranch is used to repair
the highway, and there are miles of
it. Barley land towards Rodondo
Beach and Santa Monica is from
$125 to S2oo per acre, and mostly
for sale 1t produces about 16 sacks
per acre, and is worth on the ground
now after sacked, 6 bits per sack.
The owners rent land for one-quar-
ter; this gives them a rent of S. per
acre, out of which taxes must be
paid. Money is worth from I to IS
per cent. On the basis of the fictitious
value put on these lands. they should
rent for from $24 to SIS per acre,
and may, if the next is generation
of fools.
Peach trees have been in blossom
for a week or more, and the country
is one of verdure and blossoms. The
morning papers announce a. degrees
below zero in the east this morning;
here it is about IS, cloudy, with
promise of rain. California has
Democratic Legislature; they appear
to be about as competent and honest
as body of that politics generally
are. The question of corruption in
penltentlary matters was limited, the
Democrats secuted the idea and de,
manded an investigation, the Repub-
liCan members and the Governor
took them at their word, and now
they are trying every device to get
out of it, as some crooked work is
sure to be unearthed.
Our city having adopted new
charter, has just had another cleo
ton. In the December election the
Democrats elected their Mayor and
nearly the whole ticket, and prom
ised a good city government. But
like all Democratic promises, they
were only made to be broken. The
Tribune, the only real Republican
morning daily published in the city,,
kept up hot fire on the enemy I'M
til they saw the handwriting on the
wall. A move was then made to
crush the paper by throwing it into
bankruptcy by the aid Of the courts
and other sharp practices. The
principal owner and manager, Gen.
Boice, stepped into the breach, and
then a Democratic Councilman un-
dertook to cane him in the street; he
found the General more of an expert
at that business than he counted on,
fol-, after using up his own cane on
the head of his opponent, he dis
armed him and belabored his pol
ished Uranium till it looked like a
billiard ball dipped in gore. The
result, every man on the Republican
ticket was elected by large MAORI
ity, and now we can count Southern
California Republican. The Demo
Gratis during their years in authority
here, have been building City Hall
to cost about 100000. The work
was shown by the zri6une to be de-
Eoo%;x,~ wall or c1-,o 49,.