The record-union., 1892-06-10
EASTERN OPINION.
Third Selection of Editorial Express
sions and Criticism
BY Our Late Visitors of the National
Editorial Association-Intelli-
gent Observation.

sented III the late editorial Visitation, the
RECoRD-UNIoN makes extracts. AS a
rule the letters are long and deal largely
in details, statistics, descriptions of
scenery, farming, orchards. vineyards
soils, business, etc. OF necessity, there
fore, we omit those parts treating OF facts
familiar to our people, and give para
graphs mainly rejecting the verdict of
the visitors.
Brooks County (Kansas) Record.
lSan Bernardino County, its products,
fruit, beet sugar, tin mines, climate, soil.
statistics, etc., is described at length. San
Diego is described, the bay and the sur
rounding country; then Riverside and it's
orange groves and avenues; then Red
lands and its fertile soil and equable eli
mate, the irrigation works, etc. Then
Los Angeles, with statistics, descriptions
OF flora, horticulture, buildings, etc. The
finds language inadequate
to describe Calitornia's floral wealth and
the great size and plenitude of flowers,
rare III the East. Of Fresno it is said:l
Here everything runs to grape culture,
and extensive VINEYARDS are spread out
over miles and miles Of surrounding
country. This is the center of the raisin
industry OF the United States, as the soil
IS better adapted for raising grapes than
oranges. Water is the magic wand that
has covered barren desert with yerdant
life anu transformed the poverty stricken
into men Of means.
IRRIGATION.
The canals and irrigation works of
Fresno County have cost fully 81 coo, 900
and they make the farmers independent
of the elements, and we learn that many
people are making a fine living raising
az Lon for "
twenty acres. We rode about ten miles
through successive vineyards under the
highest state OF cultivation, and still they
extended on indefinitely. No other crop
OF Importance seems to be in favor here.
WINES.
i Great farm houses. filed
with all the luXuries and conveniences OF
city homes, can be found on every hand,
and occasionally immense wine presses
and cellars are seen. One cellar that we
visited contained about eighty great butts
OF wine, in each Of which were 1900 gall
Ions of the Biblical mocker. We esti-
mated that in this one cellar there were at
least 10000 gallons. California wines are
generally sold III the East as the imported
article, and by experts are considered
much finer than anything that comes
across the deep blue sea.
RICHER THAN THE SOUTH.
The country in The great San Joaquin
Valley more nearly resembles our own
Kansas, the staples being wheat, oats and
barley, though fruits are abundant. Here
irrigation is but little used, as Nature
supplies the moisture necessary for farm
ing the ordinary cereals. The settlement
here dates back to the times Of gold ex-
element in the early SOS. Uncultivated
tracts are no longer desert-like in appear
oh
sent and vineyards far less frequent, the
country is even richer than the south
lands. We were allowed to shift for our
selves that evening, but on the following
morning were marched to the big Me-
chanics' Pavilion at Stockton, where a
toothsome breakfast was served by the
charming ladies of Stockton. q @
Stockton has several great Touring
mills, natural gas, extensive manufacture
ing plants of farm machinery and street
cars, many beautiful public and private
buildings, and is enjoying substantial
boom.
WE REACHED SACRAMENTO,
The Capital City, in time for splendid
lunch at the French Restaurant, on X
street. The enterprising people of this
city had matters so peculiarly arranged
that nobody could spend money for any
thing-in fact, the same spirit has every
y.
When traveller strikes a free dinner,
supper and breakfast he is apt to have a
kindly remem brance Of the place ever
after. You could better estimate our re-
gard for Sacramento had you partaken of
the rich viands spread out for US.
TO FOLSOM.
After dinner-or lunch, as they call it
here-we went on side trip to Folsom
and took in the State Penitentiary, where
AGO cOnvicts are confined. They have
worked for number of years on great
dam over the American River, which,
when completed, will furnish over 1000
power. 1t is called the State water
power, and is one of the most stupendous
works Of civil engineering in the coun-
try. Wires will be run to Sacramento
from the power-house, and all the street.
car lines and manufacturing plants of the
Capital City will be operated from this
source. Immense reservoirs are to be
constructed below Folsom, and it is esti-
mated that there will be enough water to
irrigate the whole of Sacramento County.
about 450, 900 acres.
SACRAMENTO.
Friday evening we visited the cele-
brated Crocker Art Gallery, presented to
the city by Mrs. E. Is. Crocker The cost
of the building was 100000 and the
y p. Nj,
we went over TO the Capitol building.
where a reception was in progress, the
Governor being present.
AT vACAvILLE.
The run from Sacramento to Vacayille
was made In couple of hours. The
people of this beautiful little place had
worked all night to prepare for the recep-
ton of the National Association, and the
evidences of their solicitude were seen in
triumphal arch over the street. flags oj
all nations fiuttering from the house
tops and decorations of every character
in profusion. Wagons were in waiting
and we were driven out in the country,
Nacaville suffered greatly from the re-
cent earthquakes. The work of restora-
ton is rapidly going on. They all told
us they would rather have an earthauake
any day than Kansas cyclone, but the
quantity of fear is dependent on what one
is used To.
Vaca Valley is covered with prosperous
vineyards and orchards. Apricots
peaches, pears, apples, prunes and grape:
are the staples and they are propagatec
without irrigation of any kind. The rain.
fall is much heavier than in the south
and it is only necessary to keep tn,
ground stirred on top to preserve the
moisture in the ground.
TThe Ranch, Pueblo (Col9
The drives We're delightful and instruct
i've as well. AT Fresno the surrounding
country is nearly all planted out in vine
yards, some for wine-making and som,
Tor raisins. Even a novice soon learns t.
tell whether the grapes are for wine oI
raisins by the way they are grown. IDe
scriptions of vineyards, cutting back
grapes, wineries, cost of lands, ETC., fol
low.l
SURPRISE.
We were surprised to learn that a con
siderable portion of California has no irri
CATION system whatever. nor does it neeC
it. We were shown miles upon miles o
fine vineyards and orchards where irri
cation is unknown or at least not nrac