The record-union., 1891-05-10
POPULATION NEEDED.
G. p. Huntington on the Prospects In
California.

G. P. Huntington writes to a CORE
spondent in this city, under date of Los
Angeles, April 25th, as follows:
After leaving San Francisco I went up
the Sacramento Valley, on the west side
of the river to Knights Landing. At this
point we crossed the river and went
thence to Marysville and thence to Oro-
vile. l was delighted with the evidences
OF fertility seen on every hand and from
what saw about Oroville, am satisfied
that that locality will be one of the finest
orange districts in the State. / ascer-
tanned from the testimony of orange
growers that the citrus crops ripen in
that vicinity much earlier than in the
south, a very decided advantage in the
markets of the world; also, that the soil
is exceedingly well adapted to cultiva-
ton of oranges and lemons, and there is
practically no limit to the water which
flows out of the mountains at that point
which might be economically devoted to
purposes of irrigation. Between Marys-
vile and Oroville the country is fairly
settled most of the way, but throughout
the region Of the Sacramento Valley
northward on the east side, including
some localities in the vicinity of Lincoln,
MarysYille and many places north of
Marysville, the land is owned by too few
persons.
From Sacramento to Stockton the
farms are large, and from Stockton to
Merced there are but few settlers. With
all the advantages of climate, fertility of
soil and the vast possibilities of develop
ment which awaits the labor of intelligent
cultivators, it seems great pity that such
a country should not be densely settled.
The whole region under consideration is
capable of supporting a hundred land
owners where there is now one; and if it
We're understood at the East, particularly
in such districts as the Dakotas and North
Minnesota, where the climate is inhOs-
pltable for the greater part of the year,
that land like this could be obtained at
reasonable prices. it would be but a short
time before we should see in the places in
California l have mentioned, not great
wheat fields with scarcely q habitation in
sight, not habitations with no trees
around them, but the view of these plac ces
would be one of pleasing cultivation,
beautiful homes, and a country life more
attractive than is possible in any other
country. What is wanted is hundreds of
thrifty homes in the midst of cultivated
gardens and orchards, and this should be
here where the gardens and orchards are
capable of producing all varieties of fruit
and market produce. California needs
population on these large, unoccupied
stretches of fertile land, and it cannot be
that the world is sufficiently advertised
concerning her resources, or greater pop
ulations would now occupy her territory.
l believe that healthy and rapid immi-
grafton to California from the classes
which would be most welcomed could be
induced by work of this kind done con-
tinuously and earnestly, and such work
should be persisted in. 1t is work which
should appeal to the patriotic pride of
every citizen of California, because its re-
suits will rebound to the material pros
perity Of the whole State, and of every in
terest in Il - W,OOdInDd 1fnfT