Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-01
grasses, scattered proiusely everywhere

grasses, scattered profusely everywhere
afford pasturage.
Practice lly, it is climate that is warm
in winter and cool in summer. The rain
season lasts only six months. Storms
seldom last over three days at time
and then most of the rain falls gently IN
the night. In the higher attitudes on
the mountains the rainfall ia always
heavier than on the lowlands. Hence
after hard storm of any extent or dura-
tion the river beds, which are usually
dry in the summer, are often filled with
torrent. Sometimes they overflow
their banks, and the lowlands are COW
cred with small seas for short time.
Railroads occasionally suffer at
such times from washouts, and
travel will be interrupted for
a few hours until repairs can be
made. But floods are never very seri-
Gus, and it is seldom that they occasion
loss of life.
Once in long while there is slight
earthquake shock. The hardest earth
| quake took place way back in 1872, when
a church tower, built of round cobble
stones, poorly cemented, was thrown
down. This was the only shake known
here within the memory of man that
But these are only few drawbacks to
| climate and country which approach
perfection as near as any spot that can
be found on this old earth.
PRODUCTS.
The natural wealth of Southern Cali
fornia is varied and great. Its climate
and rich soils are the chief factors.
Fruit. cereal and stock farming are first
in the order of importance. Petroleum,
asphalt, gold and silver mining come
next. The fisheries are considerable.
Lumber, lime, building stone, asbestos,
are valuable industries, and there is
even some tin. Manufactures are quite
numerous, but as yet do not keep pace
with the demand.
This is pre- eminently an agricultural
land. The soil is varied. On the high
lands it ia chiefly decomposed granite
mixed with desiccated vegetable matter,
and dry and warm, the richest soil in
the world. On the lowlands it is often
debris. or mixture of various earths
Sometimes a clay, again sandy loan
at other places adobe, thick, black,
heavy soil. The lowland soils are often
cold and wet, and are subject to light
frosts. The reason of this is a well-'
known meteorological law, that during
the night the warm air rises up along
the hills and uplands and the cold,
heavy air seeks the level of the low
lands. For this reason many OF the ele-
waited valleys never have any frosts, and
delicate vines and plants, such as hello
tropes, tomatoes and all kinds OF flow
ers grow out doors all winter long.
in I'D nli 10 OE
even few miles, guides the farmer in
planting. One section is suited to citrus
and raisin culture, another to deciduous
and cereals and go 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 bis seeding, the citrus harvest
commences and lasts from December un-
til way in April. By this time many Il
the deciduous fruits begin to ripeD, and
this harvest lasts till late in the dry
season.
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
from the same fields each year. Vegeta-
bles are fresh all the year, as also are
many berries and small fruits.
For orchards, vineyards, small fruits
and sometimes for cereals, irrigation is
necessary. This is an art which the
American settlers learned from the
Mexicans, and upon which they have
made many improvements. Big dams
have been built in the rivers and
cai1ons, by which the waters of the win
ter rains and the summer SHOWS are
saved and taken thence in bitches,
fumes or pipes for many miles
and out on to the land and dis
tributed evenly over the surface. 1t
is great art to know when to irrigate,
and just how much water is needed for
certain soils and the different products
grown. By means of irrigation farmers
are enabled to have sufficiency of
water at regular intervals and in guam
titles to suit. They do not depend upon
the tickle heayens for proper supply oil
moisture, but have it ION tap" as it
were, and can give their growing crops
the needed amount whenever REQUIRED.
Cooperation is practiced in irrigation
to the highest degree by means of pri-
vate and public corporations. From
necessity, there has been great deal of
legislation on this subject. Northern
California, ON the other side of the
Sierra Nevada mountains, requires little
or no irrigation compared with Southern
California, on account of having
greater rainfall. The greater portion of
the wealth and population of the state
| is in the north and, Northern California
has always acted very unjustly towards
| Southern California in the matter of
| irrigation laws, as in many other
| things. Northern California several
years ago affirmed the doctrine of
riparian rights, which, if enforced in
| the southern part OF the state, would
destroy all agriculture in this section.
Happily, although the law of the state,
| it is not carried out to it's full extent.
This is one OF the chief reasons why
Southern California desires division of
the state, which will come sooner or
later, so it can make laws that will
benefit this section.
All the old civilizations of past ages
were established in irrigating countries.
Here is being laid the foundation of
civilization which will yet rival those of
Babylon, Egypt. and those which -four
ished around the Mediterranean sea.
By means of irrigation the farmer
here raises two and three different crops
on the same land during the year. 1t is
a common sight to see barley and corn
raised in the same field, one after the
other, and that before the year is out.
| nfIr ~Ie,4 l,n ot.osa Gnt,