River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-10-01
( CALIFORNIA LETTER.
REDLASps. Cal. sept. q. Q.

TO send you letter concerning South
ern California and Redlands especially
I shall try now to keep my promise.
1t hardly seems year since we came
here, but by the time this reaches you
1t will be more than year.
Redlands is in what is called the
citrus belt of Southern California.
Oranges are the chief product OF the
place although great numbers of
peaches and apricots are grown here.
Many hundred tons of apricots, nee
tarines and peaches are dried yearly.
Grapes for raisins are also largely
cultivated. Besides these lemons,
ounces, pomegranites, pears, olives,
many varieties of grapes. blackber-
ries and strawberries are raised, while
in the mountains near US currants,
cherries and apples are grown in
abundance. There is not a month in
the year that we do not have fresh
fruit of some variety. During the
winter the oranges are ripe, the re-
mainder of the year the other fruits.
On some of the ranches ripe oranges
can be picked from the trees all the
year round. An orange will keep
fairly good on the tree for year after
il is ripe, but very few are left ON the
trees as it is not considered good for
the trees. Those that are left are
OILY for private use and for curiosity.
What seems strange to newcomer
is that only i'll the winter months can
he secure an orange. To-day do not
believe an orange can be bought in
any of our stores. The reason is that
there is no sale for them. The people
have 80 many in the orange season
that they have no desire for them
only when they are fresh and so all
are shipped away. And such oranges
that we have! i wish | could treat
you all to some that are raised here.
It seems | never saw in the east such
oranges as we have. When you go
to the city ask for Riverside or Red.
lands Navel orange and you will have
sweet, luscious orange. AS in an
eastern apple orchard the ground in
the fall is covered with apples that
are never used, so here in the orange
season the ground is covered with
oranges that are allowed to rot. l
have seen better oranges rotting here
than | have bought in River Falls for
80 cents a dozen.
Vegetables also grow in abundance
and one can secure fresh vegetables
any month in the year. The vegeta-
bles are mostly raised by Cinnamon
who come to your door peddling. For
five or ten cents enough can be OBJ
tanned to make meal for good sized
family. Tomato vines grow all the
year round. and several crops of pota-
toes are raised in one year.
But some one says ''Yes, yes, that is
all very nice about the fruit and vege-
tables, but how are your summers! Is
it not hot!" Yesi 1t becomes hot
exceedingly hot. The thermometer
reached l04e and 1862 many days, and
one day reached Il6' in the shade.
But we do not suffer from it any more
than you do at 90". have not heard
of single case of sun-stroke, or sun
sickness, in Redlands. One pleasant
feature of California is the ease with
which one can escape the heat. A
ride of few hours will take us into
the mountains where under lofty
pines and oaks, and by the side of ice-
cold, sparkling, rushing streams one
is away from the heat and Can enjoy
the bracing mountain all and scenery.
Or If one wishes he can take train
and in few hours he is by the sea
shore enjoying the cool and exhila-
rating breezes from Old Pacific.
Redlands is one of the thriving cit
les of Southern California. There is
a steady growth here. New buildings
are going up constantly all about us.
The price at which land is sold speaks
of the value and growth of the town.
Good unimproved land can not be OBJ
tanned for less than $500 per acre and
is constantly being sold at that price,
and a great deal is being sold at a
much higher price. | know now OF
five acres unimproved that sold fol-
$3.50 per acre. A. ranch of ten acres
set out to orange trees just year
with no buildings on whatever, was
recently sold for $1,000. Carpenters
earn $500 per day of nine hours and
common laborers secure $500.
Our summers are hot, but you should
see our winters. While your Their.
mometer is away down below zero
snow foot or two deep, and you can
not get out without fur coat, we art
sitting on our porch in the sunshine
surrounded by roses and other flowers
in blossom. We had but one slight
frost all last winter and never wore
nv overcoat at all. My fur cap ant
thick oyercoat are reminders of youl
severe winters. Rains here in the
winterg o yesl But no more rair
falls here during the rainy season thar
with you during the same length Of
time. After a shower it quickly drie:
off and the sun shines brightly. Bu'
do not think Southern California is {
paradise. There are disagreeablt
things here as well as in other places
People get sick and people die here
Would advise you to come to Cali
fornia! My advice is, il you have 6
good thing where you are. if YOU
health is good, and you enjoy the
climate then ''leave well enough
alone and stay. If your health j:
poor. and you must seek a warmer
cline, then believe you can find nc
better place than Redlands. Here yor
can work and be in the genial sun
shine all through the winter months
But if you are almost dead with con
sumption don't come here. The
change NAV prolong your life little