Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-12
RIVERA.
Farmers Making From 5000
to $500 an Acre.
Walnuts Galore and Oranges
More, With Corn, Etc.
The Land Between the Rivers and
the Products of che Same.
Ten Thousand Sacks of Walnuts at ST. a
Sack Gathered From Three Miles
Circuit of Land.

Circuit of Land.
Yesterday the tramp reporter of the
HERALD went down to Rivera, to take a
look at the walnut and orange orchards
and the corn fields OF that strip Of land
that lies between the rivers. Away back
in the dim dawn of history, where the
human race was Graded, in the heart of
Asia, lay wide territory between the
rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The
Greeks, at a later date, called this Meso-
potamia, or Betweenrivers. 1t had
reputation as wide as civilization for the
fruitfulness of it's soil. There
is Betweenrivers in Los An
geles county, not so large as
that in the center of Asia,
but just as rich. 1t really stretches from
the gap between the hills at the Old
Mission where the river breaks through
the Monte country, to below Downey
city. But the trip of yesterday covered
but very small part of the territory.
1t never reached more than three miles
from the Rivera depot, and most of the
time the station was within a mile of
the circuit traversed by the party. Yet
i
spot.
Surf line train on the Santa Fe drew up
at the pretty station at Rivera, j. f.
Isbell was on the spot with team from
the stables of E. A. Fish, ready to drive
the reporter to the surrounding ranches.
The orchards OF walnut and orange trees
come right up to the very station, and
stretch thick all around to distance of
three miles.
Mr.. IL. l.. Montgomery was also of the
party, and with a good team and fine
day, there was every prospect of pleas
ant time.
The first place visited was that of G..
w. Palette. There are 500 acres of
land in this ranch, some OF it lying
quite near the depot. Considerable of
it is set to walnuts and oranges, and the
trees are very fine.
Beyond this to the northward is the
100 acre ranch of H. L. Montgomery.
This gentleman lives in the town of
Rivera, where he owns his own pleasant
cottage, and business block close to
the depot, in which the postotfice is.
His son runs the ranch. There are 40
acres of this set to walnuts, some of
them being eighteen years old. Mr..
Montgomery is an old-timer in
the valley. A number OF the
trees are fourteen years old, and
some are only six. There are
hard shells, soft shells and paper shells
among the trees. There are about
twenty-three to the acre, and the old
trees completely shade the ground. the
of the trees lead up to the house. There
ora pI1rp hnr Of fine oranpa traac fau
lemons and lines, pears, peaches. april
cots and figs on the place. They are all
doing excellently, a noticeable feature
being fine seeding peach grown on the
place, large, white, firm and of fine
flavor; it is worthy to be propagated as
the Rivera Seeding. But it is the wal
nut orchard that deserves most atten-
ton. The boughs are bent to the ground
with the weight of the crop. There
are from fifty to 200 pounds
of fruit to the tree. In many instances
punches of six or seven and even eight
nuts were found, the general rule from
three to four to the bunch Mr.. Mont
gomery has had the satisfaction OF re-
fusing 10000 Or these 40 acres. Last
year the crol was small, but they
brought $4,000 or 10 per cent on $1,000
per acre valuation. This year the crop
is very large, and the prices good. Mr..
Montgomery thinks he will get $4,000 for
the crop. About two thirds of all the
growers in the valley are in an associa-
ton. The crops are all sold to local
dealers, but the prices are kept strictly
private. 1t is not less than nine cents
pound. Ii Mr.. Montgomery gets as big
a crop as he estimates, the return will
be 10 per cent on valuation of $4,000 an
acre.
Beyond this place lies the fine farm
300 acres of this fine land. There are
good many trees on the place, but
most of it is in alfalfa and corn, Mr..
Coffman devoting himself for the most
part, to stock raising. He has the best
breeds of swine and cattle as we'll as
fine horses. The corn stands 10 to Is
feet high, with immense ears of per-
fectly developed corn on each. The
alfalfa on broad stretches of the farm, is
kneedeep to the stock that revels in its
richness.
Retracing their steps the party re-
passed the depot, and just to the south
passed the farm of l.. L. Bequette.
There are forty-two acres of it, nearly all
set to walnuts and oranges. The trees
are fourteen to twenty years old, and to
describe them would be, in the main, to
repeat all said of Mr.. Montgomery's.
Opposite is the home of Mrs. Flora
and her daughter. This lady owns six
ty-two acres all set to oranges, lemons
and .walnuts. The trees are nearly in
full bearing, and are in perfect condition.
The ladies attend to the business of the
place themselves, and direct all that is
done on it. They are successful farmers
in the extreme, and make very large
profits from their fruit.
Near the last place is the farm of G..
w. Tweedy. 1t is eighty acres set
mostly to walnut trees. Mr.. Tweedy
was suffering from a severe cold which
confined him to the house. His people
were busy preparing the means to
handle the walnut crop, putting up
sheds, getting trays ready, and building
more room in the harms