The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-09
SMALL PLANTATIONS.
Thoir Embellishments VIII Mako southora
California . Rich Country.

California = Rich Country.
What are tho chances for family Of
very moderate means to obtain foot
hold and thrive by farming in Southern
California? l can not answer this bet
ter than by giving substantially tho ex-
perienco Of ono family, and by saying
that this has been paralleled, with
change of details, by many others or
course. in highly developed scttlo-
mont, where the land Is mostly Guilt
waited. and its actual yearly produce
makes its price very high, it is not easy
to get n foothold. But there arc many
regions-say in Orange County, and cor
tainly in San Diego-whero land can be
had at 4 moderate price and on oasy
terms of payment Indeed, there are few
places: as have said, where an indus
trious family would not find welcome
and cordial help in establishing itself
And it must DO remom bered that there
arc many communities where life is
very simple, and the great exponse of
keeping up an appearance attending
lifo elsewhere need not be reckoned
few years ago professional man in
New England city, who was in del
icate health, with his wife. and five
I boys all under sixteen, and one too
young to be Of any service. moved to
San Diego. he had in money small
sum, less than thousand dollars. Ho
had no experience in farming or horti-
culture, and his health would not have
permitted him to do much fold work in
our climate. Fortunately he found In
the fertile Ell Caion Valley, fiftocn
miles from San Diego, farmer and
fruit grower who had upon his place
small unoccupiod house. Into that
house he moved. furnishing it very sim
ply with furniture bought in San
Diego, and hired his services to tho
landlord. Tho work required was COM
paratively easy, in tho orchards and
vineyards, and consisted largely in
uper!ntonding other laborers Tho pay
was about enough TO support his family
without cncroaching on his little cap
ital. Very soon. however, no made ar
rangements to buy tho small house and
tract of some twenty acres, on which he
lived, on time, perhaps making partial
payment He began at once to put out
an orange orchard and plant a vineyard;
this he accomplished with tho assistance
Of his boys, who did practically most of
the work after the first planting, leav-
ing him chance to give most Of his
days to his employer. The orchard and
vineyard work is so light that smart
intelligent boy is almost as valuable
worker in the fold as man. Tho
wife, meantime kept the house
and did its work Housekeeping
was comparatively easy; little fuel
was required except for cook
IN hn 90 IL
a minor one. In that climate wants for
fairly comfortable existence are Tower
than with us. From the first almost,
vegetables raised upon the ground whilo
the vines and oranges wero growing,
contributed largely to the support Of the
family. The outdoor lifo and freedom
from worry insured better health, and
the diet of fruit and vegetables, suita-
bio to the climate, reduced the cost of
living to q minimum. AS soon as the
orchard and the vineyard began to pro-
duce fruit, the owner was enabled to
quit working for his neighbor, and give
all his time to the development of his
own place. lie increased his plan ting;
he added to his house; he bought piece
Of land adjoining which had grove of
eucalyptus, which would supply him
with fuel. At first tho society circlo
was small, and there was no school But
the incoming of families had increased
the number of children, so that an ex-
ccllent public school was established
When saw him he was living in con-
ditions of comforta BILE industry; his land
had trebled in value; the pair OF horses
which he drove no had bought cheap,
for they were Eastern horses; but tho
climate bad brought them up 30 that
the team was serviceable ono in good
condition The story Is not one of
brilliant success, but to me it Is much
more hopeful for the country than the
other tales / heard Of sudden wealth or
lucky speculation. 1t is the founding
in an unambitious way Of a comfortable
home. The boys of the family will
branch out, get fields. orchards, Vine
yards OF their own, and add to the solid
producing industry OF the country
This ord orly, contented industry, in
creasing its gains day by day, little by
little, is tho life and hope of any State
Charles Dudley Warner, in Harpcr's
Magazine.
TREMENDOUS FORCE.
The Enormous Power Developed on tho