Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-07-02
FROM CALIFORNIA.
r. A. Dague's Third Letter.

Los ANGELES, Cal, June 20, 1891
Editors Herald:
have now been in Los Angeles about six weeks.
have kept daily record Of the weather since /
came, and so far, have marked every day Zine -
have talked with people who have been in all
parts ef the world; they say Southern California
has the best climate OF any place on earth and be
liey9 them. 1t is quite a comforting thought TO
ne that here there cyclones, no thunder
nor lightning, no sun-strokes, no SHOWS, nor hail
storms, but about a25 perfect days in the year and
those not perfect. are not unpleasant. Dogs never
so mad here, and there are no cases OF hydropho-
bia. Then it Is u healthful as we'll as a pleasant
country.
Before left Kansas, some friends asked me 10
investigate the Insect pest matter" have &C.
eoEdingly been studying 'bngoloey'' a little.
From what il told NE and my own observation, !
am able 10 state that house flies me about as much
annoyance here rs in Kansas. Strange TO say
there comparatively no bed-bugs in Southern
California. They do lot thrive here Fleas are
said be pretty bad in places certain seasons OF
the year-the winter menths. j have never
known more successful fea-eatcher than Mrs
Dague, and far, those pests have been so scarce
at our house that ske has captured but two able
bodied healthy In the drug stores here il
sold powder made from weed which, when
EpEllk4Su On Inc Dtu C4OllE5 or wearing apparel.
either kills the insects drives them away. ]
very much doubt il heas are more numerous here
than in Kansas.
There is an insect called "scales,'' that every
year ruins thousands Of dollars worth OF oranges.
Fruit raisers now exterminate them by fumiga
ting the tees Ut the proper time. This is a tedi
ous process: a muslin sack is hoisted up high
and drawn down over an orange tree enclosing il
closely in the balloon shaped sack; then a gas is
liberated inside the sack which kills the seales
This process mast be done at night. II the oper-
alton is performed in daylight the gas kills the
tree. There il patent on the process and the
fruit raiser must hire this done at a cost OF fifty
cents per tree. Three years ago all the grape
vines OF Southern California died from some IN
known cause inhicting immense loss on the
owners. They are beginning TO plant them out
again.
Ranchers are annoyed great deal by gophers
which are very numerous. They not only eat the
/ vegetables and injure vines and and trees. but
| they make irrigation very difficult by reason Of
the holes they make in the ground. These holes
and subterIanean passage ways divert the watel
/ from the course the farmer wants it To go anC
wastes it. a man who engages in fruit raising o.
farming here has Il whole lot OF things to learn
didn't know in the east. There are ar many diff
ferent kinds OF soil there were eolors in Jacob
/ coat. some KINDS OF ground are good for oranges
or figs, or apricots or olives and nearly worthless
for other things. The ''tender-foot' who WANT
10 buy real estate must be CAREFUL that he doe
| not invest in aiki or adobe, gravel lands. III
/ should first decide what he wants to raise an,
then buy land adapted TO the production of tina
thing. ] have lately rode about considerably il
this and the adjoining county OF Orange. i
some places men raising crops Of corn with
out irrigation that will 90 from 20 TO 100 bushel
TO the acre. Vast crops Of potatoes and beets ant
turnips are produced and peanuts are raised il
great aundance.
Tie farmers are forming Alliances all owe
Southern California and are determined to hav
some needtd legislation soon, or they will act a
an independent political party. The old partie
have been guilty OF great deal of eroOkedues
and official corruption in this state, and the bel
ter element OF both parties would rejoice at see
ing some thorough Political house-eleaning done
California has for years been cursed by rings an
syndicGtes Of wealthy and selfish men who by th
Illicit Of money have secured the passage c
iniquitons laws and have piled unjust burdens 0
the masses. l believe that the power which is yt
TO overthrow these bad political tricksters an
selfish shysters, will Come from the Farmers a
liances and other Industrial Unions.
The more see Of This country the better lik
it. The climate is simply grand, then the tuaut
Of the cultivated places is inspiring. The cLit
drawbacks are the difficulty one Of small mean
encounters in catching to business" and th
high prices asked for land.
Mrs. Dsgue's health seems to be improg in
here r. A. DAeUE, 63s, Montreal u