The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-28
COUNTRY NOTES.
Special Correspondence to the
Sunday Morning Call.

Everything in the country around speaks
of the harvest that is now about gathered.
The orchards, bereft of their fruit, except
ing late apples and pears, but gay from the
touch of Natures hand-green, is giving
place to bright yellow, vivid red and orange.
The vineyards are full of busy workers.
Grape drying is being pushed vigorously.
1t is strange sight to see acres OF land that
in the spring were green with waving grain,
now dry aud brown, covered with trays and
canvas spread with grapes drying in the
sun. They are for the poor people to eat
in the East" little girl naively said to me;
doubtless having heard her elders speaking
of dried grapes being sold cheaper than
raisins. The wineries are paying $40 per
ton; those who ship their grapes get S17,
delivered in San Francisco. Table grapes
than wine grapes, and bring from
SIS to $40 per ton. The distillery at Geyser-
vile, a busy little village eight miles north
of Healdsburg, is engaged in making brandy.
Walden u Co. are business men. and every
thing is in shipshape A train of wagons
half mile long IS coming and going all the
time. but everything is very orderly. A
handsome young lady sits at the scales,
taking the weight OF the load of grapes,
giving the driver receipt and checking 1t
OIL Ill the company DOCK. liz MUST COU-
deDser Company seems to be drying about
as many grapes as they are converting into
must. Nearly all who have vineyards in
Upper Dry Creek and Alexander valleys,
who have not wineries of their own, or who
are not drying their grapes, are hauling
them to Geyserville. Charles J. DunZ, who
has a vineyard of $50 acres in Upper
Dry Creek, is also engaged in making
brandy.
There may be a lovelier valley than Upper
Dry Greek, situated few miles northwest
of Healdsburg, but do not think there can
be. On one point of the road the scenery re-
minds one very forcibly of a view in the
panorama of the Battle of Waterloo" The
land slopes gently from the road, then
broadens and spreads out far and wide,
until it touches the feet of the Everlasting
hills" This level plain is dotted here with
what was a0grain field in the spring, there
an orchard neatly fenced and, beyond, a
corn field,
Growing. growing, tall, green and strong.
With the voice OF the harvest in its song.
The corn is ripening fast and will soon be
garnered. We do not appreciate the beau
ties we have always with us. Fredrika
Bremen, that sweet Swedish writer's de-
scriptiOn of growing corn is an idyl in prose.
But the stately corn is treasured, not for its
beauty, but for its usefulness. Ii is tooth
some delieacy, enjoyed by man and beast.
Good. sweet corn for table use is harder to
find than it should be. But no better sweet
corn could be desired than that raised by
Mr.. Nicnols on his little farm just west of
town from seed he received from the San
Francisco Bulletin office. 1t showed that this
Land was well apted for it. A new kind
of corn, Egyptian, | believe it is, has been
experimental with by John Reynolds, of
Upper Dry Creek He says it gives good
satisfaction. After it attains certain
growth, it is cut off close to the ground. A
new stalk then grows from the roots thus
tyiy txvn of fapH fnr pattlp Tho
seed. it has no ears, when ground into meal,
is considered by some superior to bnckHh heat
for shot cakes" This corn is growing on
hillside. He also exhibited. with pardonable
pride, a sunfower grown on his place, that
measures nineteen inches In diameter. The
sunfOwer seed is fine food for fowls. His
farm is high Up in the hills, but he has fine
crops of every thing from the plebian onion
to the patrician apricot and fig. How pic
turesque are the mountain sides at this time
of the year! The dark pines and live oaks
contrasting beautifully with the bright green
of the wild grape vine; while everywhere,
giving a bit of color to the landscape, CLOVIS
the cleaning red of the rhus taxicodendron.
The prosperous season of the fruit-grower
and farmer is being reflected ON every
branch OF business. Tradesmen and me-
chanics are alike benefited by it. Our mer-
chants are laying in larger and finer stock
of goods than they have for years before,
knowing well that when the farmers wife
and daughters have tine to think of some
| thing else besides hard work their thoughts
will turn to them-and well have they
| earned new wardrobes.
Every carpenter and painter in town has
| more work engaged than he can possibly do
! unless the rain holds off, better than it
| promises to do just now. When trade is
| dull and "hard times" the cry no one has
the inclination or means to make extensive
| or expensive improvements to beautify his
home, and there is something in the ring of
carpenters tools and in the smell of fresh
paint that speaks of prosperity.
Our next Governor, Colonel III. II. Mark
| ham, paid us the honor of few remarks
| and left most pleasing impression when he
was here last Tuesday. When Mr.. III. V.
/ Morehouse was introduced he was applauded
| to the echo. for many are here who may re-
member when he was "a barefoot boy, with
| cheek of tan" He spoke affectionately Of
the time he lived in Healdsburg and his re-
| marks on the political questions of the day
| were to the point and well received.
The relatives Of A. p. Muligan, who was
a passenger on the steamship Acapulco
| when General Barrundia was killed, have
| kindly granted me the privilege of reading
| letter just received from him, in which
| he graphically describes the events preced-
| ing and subsequent to the tragedy Among
| other interesting details he says: II was
sitting ON the upper deck taking a little after
dinner nap when the mate came forward
| and told us we had better go below for fear
| Of trouble, but that he did not anticipate
any. When we went below / left the GRO
cheted ''slumber robe aunt G. made for
my comfort hanging over my steamer chair.
| When l returned, after all was over, found
| it riddled with bullets. One bullet had
lodged in its folds, and | shall keep it as a
| souvenir of the Guatemalan war"
! He also inclosed a CODY of the letter re-
ceived from Minister Miner by Capital N
| Pitts, which is as follows
| UNITED STATES LEG ATIoN,
GUATEMALA, Central America. I
Captain W. U. Pitts, Commander p. M s. s.
| Co.'S Steamship hcdpulc0-SIR: III your ship
| is within one league OF the territory OF Guate-
| maia. and you have on board one j. M. Bar
| fundia, 1t becomes your duty, under the law OF
nations to deliver him to the authorities OF
Guatemala upon their demand, allegations hay-
| Ing been made TO the Legation that said Bar
| rundia is hostile to and an enemy TO the repub-
! lie. Guarantees have been made TO me by this
Government that his life shall not bc endangered,
| nor any other punishment inflicted upon him
| than for causes stated 10 the letter Of Senior
AuginanO to onsuGenetal Hashner, dated
| yesterday. / have the honor OF being yours
very respectfully, LANSING b. MINER,
United states Minister.
| Aug. 81, 1890, 1890 p. NJ.
PAN.
Heatds1ury Sept 81. 1890.
FROM NAPA.