Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-24
THE FOOTHILLS.
Work Being Done There These Fall
DAYS.

Such a day as yesterday was Tor a
drive at this season of the year could
not be found outside OF semi-tropical
California. No rain has fallen here yet,
and the roads are therefore a trifie
dusty, but the highways along the foot
hills are hard and fairly smooth for Los
Angeles county roads. With a good
team and stsong vehicle careful driver
will not complain loudly at such roads.
Passing out OF the city by way OF West
lake park, the mesas of La Brea ranch
are soon reached. 1t is astonishing how
fat the stock is these September days on
these dry, brown plains. The cattle at
the big milk ranch of A. F. Gilmore are
in excellent condition, and are giving
large supplies of sweet, rich milk. A
large number of families in this city en-
joy this milk.
On the Rodeo de las Aguas, A. H.
Denker has been trying sugar cane for
fodder instead OF corn. Some, planted
early in July, was cut yesterday. One
stalk, about an average, was 16 feet tall
by actual measurement, and some were
2 to feet taller. The cattle enjoy this
feed even better than they dogreen corn,
and the crop has the advantage of COM
ing up from the roots again after it is
cut. Mr.. Denker has 100 acres of the
plant now growing. On the fertile and
sunny plains OF this ranch the growth is
immense, and the pith is sweet as sugar.
Few ranches are so appropriately
named as the Rodeo de las Aguas. In
English it is the gathering together of
the waters. Ii one were to see it these
days he would see why. Great streams
of the flood SO precious in this climate,
run to waste. 1t wells up in springs or
cienegas that cover patches of 49, 20 to
80 acres. There is water enough there
to irrigate in oranges ali the area of the
big ranch.
Further up the slope, at Monte Vista,
p. L. Durfy was found in the balmy au
tumn air, enjoying his otium cum digni
tate in way to make any lover of rural life
envy him his lot. By his side Mr.. M.
L. Wager was discovered in the center of
his big banana grove. The HERALD re-
porter measured one of these stalks in a
rough way and found it twenty feet in
height, sixteen inches in circumference
near the ground and bearing one bunch
of fruit that had ninety to ninety-fve
bananas on it. This big fellow will go
to Chicago later on to advertise this sec
ton.
One OF the places on the foothills that
excels all others is that of Mr.. w. II.
Corlin. There are fine views all along
there, but this eclipses them all, or
nearly all. The house is built on the
very highest point just where the noun
tain springs for its last flight into the
clouds. He has a most fertile farm all
around.
Just below this point is fine school
house, and near by new church build
ing.
There are three superlative points
along here. One is that of Mr.. Durfy,
that OF Mr. Carlin, and that of d. Pen
man on the Lick tract. But to choose
one place from another here is like hes
itating about which rose to pick from a
bunch where every flower was perfect.
Mr.. Penman was busy yesterday
planting peas from early spring crop.
Many OF his neighbors were doing the
same thing, while others were prepar-
ing the ground for peas, beans or pota
toes.
Crops OF these vegetables will be
ripening along these foothills all winter
long. No frost can ever reach them.
There will be a great trade in these
products with the east this winter. The
crop is worth to the farmer as much as
$500 an acre, in many instances.
At Hollywood Mr.. l. Watts was found
busy in his store, where he carries fine
assortment OF goods to supply the neigh
borhood.
At Prospect Park Judge Taggart sat at
6 O'Clock in his shirt sleeves enjoying
the balmy evening air as if it were mid
summer.
Due west of that point is Mr.. Pember-
ton, newcomer to the section, who
recently bought 10 acres of fine land
from Mr.. Hall. The purchaser has
erected a beautiful cottage on the place,
which he is rapidly converting into
model rural home. 1t is right across
the street from one we'll worthy OF imi-
tation, that OF w. G. Fry.
The shadows were pretty deep at this
point, and the heads of the horses were
turned towards the city. Colegrove,
beautiful residence of ex-senator Cor
nelius Cole, was passed in the cleaning.
The senator was principality here,
and he has improved it very much by
the planting of thousands of eucalyptus
trees. The planting was done many
years ago and the trees are now OF
gigantic growth.