The morning call., 1892-06-26

with a ready sale at good prices. Ship
ments were then made TO Germany, where
they were eagerly purchased, and for sew
eral years carload lots have been sent from
Santa Barbara to Hamburg, also to Eng
land, Russia and Italy. The cultivation OF
the plant extended to other sections of
Southern California, the product increased
rapidly, and the plumes, being strictly an
article Of luxury or fashion, have, during
the past two years, fallen greatly in price,
becoming something of glut on the mar
ket, until new use WAS found for them by
tie enterprising lady above referred to.
Just outside of Whittier, Los Angeles
County, where the new State Reform School
is located, Is tile 120-acre farm OF Mrs. Strong,
which, by felicitous play on her name.
she has called the "Ranchto del Fuerte"
Qittle ranch of the strong. 1t was a portion
of the Ranchlt0 estate OF Ex-Governor Pho
PicO, the last Mexican Governor of Cali
fornia, who still resides in a dilapidated
adobe near by, a venerable relic of by
gone days and fallen fortunes. The
RanchitO was a princely domain, but so
small In comparison TO other ranches then
owned by Governor Pico that he called it
the Ranehito, or little ranch TIE piece Of
321 acres. originally purchased by Mrs.
Strong's late husband, was the first that
was sold by Don Pho. and Mrs. Strong is one
of the earliest settlers in the valley.
Away back in the sixties Mr.. Strong,
w u
Francisco with party on horseback, living
in the open air His health was restored,
and, falling In love with this section, be
decided TO remain. The Ex-Governor took
q great liking TO MIR. Strong. and asked him
to take the entire arrangement of his af.
fairs. He has often since regretted that
the latter refused to do so. He then offered
Mr.. Strong the whole 5000 acres of the
rancho at IS an acre. This WAS in 1868.
They dld not want so much, however, and
bought $40 acres. At that time from the
Puente Hills to the ocean not tree was to
be seen. Mr.. Strong die1, and the widow
was lett TO manage the ranch alone. She
has made remarkable success. the
RanebiO del Fuerte being now q model
productive Southern California home.
Besides eight acres Of old orange trees
and other fruit trees, there are on the place
80 acres of walnut trees, now years old.
1t is among these trees that Mrs. Strong
grows her pampas plumes. 1t is the custom
in this section to plant corn between tile
rows of young walnut trees, but the practice
Is Objectionable, as the tall growth Of corn
shades the young trees too much. Casting
about for a substitute, Mrs. Strong thought
of the pampaS plumes. She has now about
80 acres of plumes growing between the
trees. Three years ago Mrs. Strong mar
keted 14.oo0 plumes in Philadelphia at from
$50 to S65 thousand. The following year
the crop had grown to 800 coo. Two years
ago the Santa Barbara growers ran the
price up to 500 thousand, which tended
to check the demand.
In planting the roots Of the grass are di-
vded, one root making about six. They
are set from 10 to 16 feet apart In the rows.
The plants need rather more irrigation than
corn when the land is not naturally moist,
in which case no irrigation is necessary.
The picking takes place in August or early
In September. After picking, the plnmes
are "snueked," like corn, and spread out To