Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-14
SPRING LAPS OVER WINTER
The Region of Perennial Mildness and o.
c~asional Showers,
NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL MOISTURE
Attractive Feature OF Winter Lie In
outhern California; Climatic
Jewel in a Setting of Sea
and Mountain.
NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL MOISTURE

Los ANGELES, Cal, Jan. S.-ICorrespond-
euce of The BEE. The farmers in this part
of the country are iubilant over the copious
rains of the last two weeks, for the croakers
had commenced their accustomed croak,
prophesying drouth, failure of crops, fnan-
cial ruin therefrom and all sorts Of Ills and
trouoles. But, thanks TO q kind Providence,
their sound is no longer heard in the land.
The warm earth responds quickly TO the soft
caress of the falling drops and IS already
bringing forth its long begotten measures
and weaving therefrom d rich mantle of
green TO replace the brown robe that has
been its covering these many months.
There are those who have a very errone-
Gus impression Of the rainy season here,
thinking that term denotes a downpour Of
water lasting for several months with little
cessation. The facts are, the rains come
and SO as in the springtime OF the eastern
states. 1t may rain for one, two
OF three days-pernaps a week-then
clear off and be as bright and warm
for a week or two as a Nebraska
June, then another season of shower and so
on throughout the winter months, But as
the summer days approach the rains cease
and the rubber COATS and boots and UNI
brellas are relegated to the attic, where they
remain jll Tue next winter. DuIiis LuS
summer months we speak with assurance as
TO picnic parties or moonlight rides. A
Fourth Of July thunder shower is d hing
unknown. Not ;hat thunder showers are
not known, but they seldom occur and are
very llght-just enough TO make eastern
people homesick for a regular old fashioned
ear splitter, one that makes the windows
rattle and the house tremDlc and culver.
Irrigation.
People often wonder why, IL this country
is irrigated, there should be any alarm felt
over the absence of rain. The reasons are
two: FJrst-Ouly a small portion COMPARE
lively Is irrigated, the rest OF III depends
upon the seasou's rain for its crops. The
great valley Of the san Joaquin, with the
exception of small districts devoted 10 fruit
raising and the raislu industry, IS one great
waving wheat field, miles upon miles il
stretches away TO the east anu west seem
ingly unendIng, and north and south a fuIl
days ride on an express train leaves you still
surrounded with the golden cereal. Then
there are thousands OF acres OF barley and
other thousands upon whose unturned 500
the cattle eat their fill These all depend
upon the rainfall for their supply of water.
Second-As the rains descend upon the
valleys the SHOWS crown the mountain top,
fill the deep gOrges ana canOns, aud lay up u
goodly supply Of moisture in cold storage,
from which TO drain at pleasure the follow
ing summer for irrigating purposes. Water
tor irrigating is obtained in several ways.
some people Qlg wells Rnu use VIVA mlllS
ana pipe the water through their places.
Some have a~rtesian wells. Some own lands
that nave natural springs or water
ways upon them. Others form com
| panies, buy a good water right and flumc or
pip the water TO their several tracts. Again
others buy a canon, dam it across and thus
creating a great reservoir, tap this al
pleasure. There are water rights in the
rivers and creeks, and which sometimes
lead TO strife, angry disputes and even law
suits.
Bonds for Irrigation.
Alaw passed some time ago, known as the
Wright act enables a township to vote
bonds for developing water, and where IL is
properly and honestly carried out II is a
great benefit 10 the town. IL sometimes
happens, however, that people owning small
parcels Of land vote bonus 10 large props
erty owners, who do not need nor want nor
ask for water. To such IL IS a burden,
| Water however always enhances the value
OF land hero 10 such an extent that most
men are usually glad 10 get IL al almost any
| price, for while with tho seasons rainfall
| one crop IS assured, with irrigation the same
land may produce four crops per year. THIS
Of course does not apply 10 fruits, unless ]
may except STRAW berries, figs aud black
| berries. II is not an unusual thing TO cut
seven crops Of alfalfa from the same land
| per year.
These Christmas holidays we are enjoying
fresh vegetables on our tADles-green peas,
lettuce, caulitioTer, spinach, turuips, rad
! ishes, etc But these are the least OF our
| Delights, for are not Won der the beautiful
. blue mountains calling Us 70 d closer