River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-02-02

bearing trees). the eucalyptus, pepper
cyprus, century plant, and the differ
ent kinds of palms Shade and orna
mentaD. This variety of evergreen
trees and some winter flowers, such a:
the Gala lilly and the German family
with the orange and lemon now ripe
gives the country green appearance
all through the winter months. But
there is no winter here. We have had
some white frosts, but winter garden
ing in the open air is the rule in this
(the San Gabriel valley.
There was good shower in May and
one in August, but the first rain of the
season commenced on the 9th of No.
vember and lasted one week, and there
fell AZ inches of water. The next
rain was four weeks later and %
inches fell. No rain since. There is
no mud after rain, as it rains so easy
that the ground takes it in as it falls,
and the roads are much better than
before.
This valley runs east from Los An.
geles to Claremont, about 30 miles,
and will average u miles wide; is
bounded on the north by the Sierra
Madre mountains and on the south
by the Puente hills, and Vineland is
about midway between them. The
middle one.third of the valley is
watered from the San Gabriel river,
the east one-third from the San Anto.
MO river, and the west one.third is
moist land and requires no irrigation.
The east two-thirds of the valley is
more particularly fruit, corn and vege-
table land, and is composed of decom-
posed granite and vegetable moulds
and requires irrigation for all the sec
ond, or fall crops; but any crops of
grain or fruit harvested before August
requires no irrigation. This part of
the valley is the home of all citrus
fruits, such as the orange, lemon and
olive; but the prune. apricot, pear,
guava, nectarine, walnut, peach and
any other seEi-tropical fruit does
well. The west one-third of the valley
is better calculated for deciduous
fruits and alfalfa and all small grains.
Alfalfa will cut seven crops a year,
from e to 2 tons per acre each cut
tung, and is worth about So per ton.
Unimproved land can be bought
from SIS to 500 per acre. and i'm
proved land from $500 to 1900 per
acre, according to location and i'm
provements. A seven or eight year
old orange, lemon, prune or olive or.
ehard (well attended toy will yield
$1,000 per acre every year.
The orange and lemon must be irri.
gated at least twice during the season,
and on some land as often as -four
times, and be cultivated every time
Last season was very dry and the
water in the river failed to go round;
but this irrigation district has finished
a tunnel which develops $50 miners
inches of water from the underhow OF
the river and will be sufficient for all
purposes for the district besides sup
plying an ice factory. Water is val
ued at 81 900 an inch, which will ado
about $l50,000 to the value of the
district. The district contains 4, 00C
acres and was assessed at 1921 ,00(
before the water was developed. The
total cost for all water development
and piping the water over the district
was $50, 200, which is bonded deb
running 20 years at s per cent. pei
annum. The interest is paid annually
and after ten years the principal to bt
paid on the ''sliding scale" so tina
the bonds will be paid at the end o.
the 20 years. In thirteen counties il
the state there are SO irrigation dis
tricts. Thirty-two of these district
have voted bonds. The total acreag,
is 1881. 424, and the average bonded
debt is 1922 per acre.
There are orchards in this and tn
adjoining county (San Bernardino
that have paid $1,000 per acre (gross
in one year, and some have sold a
high as S., 900 per acre. One man las
season sold his crop of prunes on til
trees 10 acres) for $1,000; another sol
his crop on five acres for the sam
amount but he picked and handle,
them himself.
The eucalyptus and peppers are tn
"road side" trees, but many are plant
ing the olive for that purpose, Will
the cyprus is the principal hedge an
is clipped and trained to suit the taste
With the exception of the wild sur
flower and the tumble-weed there ar
no trees, weeds nor grasses that RI
semble the same east of the noun
tains. Alfilaree is the principal will
grass. 1t grows every season fror
the seed and il abundant on the range
from January till August, then stoc
feeds on the stubble and cornstalks c
are yarded and fed on alfalfa, corr
fodder, beets and pumpkins. Worl
horses are fed the whole year roun
on barley, wheat or oats hay. Horse
are very cheap. Aspan of good mare
can be bought for 500. Cows al
high, from $50 to SIS. Poultry
very profitable; eggs from 30 to 40 ct
per dozen, and dressed chickens frol
Is to 20 cents per Id. and "a to So p,
doz. alive.
Outside of the water districts whe;
raising is done on a large scale an
must be profitable the way it is COZ
Quoted. Seeding commences after ii
first rain in the fall and continues ii
March, or until they are done. Ha