Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-01


posed granite mixed with desiccat-
ed vegetable matter, and dry and
warm, the richest soil in the world.
On the lowlands it is often a debris.
or mixture of various earths. Some
times a clay, again sandy loan at
other places adobe. thick. black heavy
soil. The lowland soils are often cold
and wet, end are subject to slight frosts.
The reason OF this is well-known me-
neurological law, that during the night
the warm air rises up along the hills
and uplands and the cold. heavy air
seeks the levels of the lowlands. For
this reason, many of the elevated val
leys never have any frosts, and delicate
vines and plants, such as heliotropes,
tomatoes, and all kinds of flowers grow
out doors all winter long.
This difference in soil and climate, of
even a few miles, guides the farmer in
planting. One section is suited to citrus
and raisin culture, another to deciduous
and cereals, and so on.
The agricultural products of Southern
California are as varied as are its soils
and climates. Commencing, then, with
the rain season, when the grasses begin
to grow and the grain farmer has fin
ished his seeding, the citrus harvest
commences, and lasts from December
until way in April. By this time many
of the deciduous fruits begin to ripen,
and this harvest lasts till late in the dry
season.
There are only two seasons-the wet
and the dry. Spring. summer, fall and
winter, as known on the Atlantic coast,
are unknown here. Sleigh riding and
other snow sports are known only in the
traditions of the fathers. Billiards., cy-
clones, tornadoes and hurricanes are
alike unknown or forgotten phe-
nomena. During the summer thunder
storm occasionally comes up across the
Colorado desert, along the summit of
the Sierra Madre, and once in long
while gets down into the valleys. They
are mild storms when compared with the
electrical. disturbances in the eastern
states. Such climate, of course, rem
ders agriculture capable of the highest
degree of development. Crop follows
crop without failure, always insured by
irrigation, free from destructive storms,
and in climate where the farmer can
work outdoors nearly every day in the
year. Such favorable condition of eli
mate renders unnecessary the winte.
housing of stock, the annual preparation
for the rigors of winter, and overwork for
| shelter from summer showers.
| Along in the time of the eastern fall
season the vintage begins, and lasts till
winter time. From two to seven crops
of alfalfa, or Chile clover, is harvested
tables are fresh all the year, saleo are
nanny berries and small fruits.
The sea affords the choicest fish. At
different times of the year various kinds
of fish have their "run" along the coast,
| from which the markets are well sup
piled.
For years Southern California was
noted for its cattle. In the early part
of the present century, trade ifrst COM
menced with the Atlantic states, the
Californians exchanging hides. horns
and tallow for the manufactured goods
of New England. 1t was during this
period, toward its close, when Richard
II. Dana visited this coast, and after
wards told the delightful story of his
voyage in Two Years Before the Mast.
When the great goli excitement of
1848 broke out in Northern California,
the chief supply of meat came from the
| south. And wnen that boom burst,
many of the southrons found the mselves
wealthy from the proceeds of their sales.
The old missions numbered their
cattle by the thousands, and
did big business with the
Yankee traders. In 1888 81. when
the Mexican government contiscated the
missions and their property, the mis-
sionaries slaughtered their cattle by the
thousands in order to prevent them fall
ing into the hands of the government,
but, in spite OF this, cattle were soon as
numerous as ever. Sometimes the
drouths would come, or seasons in
which the rainfall IN the valleys would
be insufficient to give the native grasses
good start, and the cattle would perish
by the thousands.
The Spanish were the first to bring
horses to America. Here their horses
often escaped, and ran in bands, and
increased rapidly in numbers. These
wild California horses found plenty OF
! feed on the luxuriant grassy plains.
They were called mustangs, probably
derived from the Spanish word, mos
trenco, an estray. Many of these mus
tangs had strains OF Arabic blood. They
were very hardy and fleet OF foot. In
stances are known where they per-
formed many wonderful feats of endur-
ance. Some OF them when tanned made
! splendid records on the turf. With
the settlement of the country, all the
bands of wild horses are gone, having
been either captured or killed. But
they suggested the raising Of q better
stock, and the success of California
horses in the east attests to the prog
ress made in this line.
The mines OF Southern California de-
mand more than passing notice, Gold
was first discovered in California, not
by Marshall at Coloina in l848, but near
the mission of San Fernando in 1912,
and thousands Of dollars worth of the
dust was taken from the placeres. The
placeres in the San Gabriel caflon have
also yielded many thousands OF dollars.
Later, the gold mines at Julian created
an excitement The silver mines of
Calico have yearly paid many thou
sands of dollars for more than ten
years. There are many paying mines OF
gold, silver, antmony, copper aud lead.
Asbestos is found in paying quantities.
The tin mines OF Temescal are attract
ing worldwide attention. There are
also large deposits of kaolin and other
valuable eartns. Aluminium runs to a
high percentage in many of the clays.
The petroleum fields rank among the
best producers in the world. Marble,
dolomite, granite, brown, red and
green stones are among the best build,