The herald., 1894-05-24
-----------
A QUICK TRANSITION.

has been dry season as proof OF the fact
that we have in Los Angeles and South
ern California drawbacks as serious as
those which visit our eastern brethren.
The HERALD has something to say as
to this which, we think, will modify the
| opinions of those who have not had
much experience in this section. We
have not had dry season since that of
1S76-77, the season in California en-
bracing portion of two years, the rain.
fall beginning generally towards the end
of October and ending about the middle
Of May. In 1857 we had only ass
inches of rain, and the paucity OF the
rainfall was made more disastrous by
| the fact that no provision had been made
| to store hay or grain for drouth. The
pastures had been overetocked, and, as
result, the owners of sheep and cattle
suffered quite severely. Yet it is sin
gular circumstance that many farmers,
even in that season of retrenched pre-
cipitation, secured fair crops. This was
done on the Centinela rancho by Mr..
| Curtis and Others.
Now the conditions are entirely differ
emit. Large quantities of hay and grain
are stored throughout Los Angeles, San
Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura
counties. The facilities for irrigation
have been vastly increased of late years,
and the rsncher con grow abundant
crops of alfalfa, which makes an excel
lent hay. While in a season like the
present the mesa farmer suffers, it mus t
be borne in mind that for the long
great luck, and that this is special dis
pensation to California. During that
time there have been frequen drouths
in the states east OF the Rocky noun
tains, and even Croton Lake. from
which the great city OF New York
draws its supply of water, has been
nearly dried up number of times. In
the northwest, in such states as Missouri,
Illinois. Indiana and others, there have
been frequent failures of crops during
the past eighteen years. There are in
all that region periods, when the corn is
in the "tsssel," in which. if the rains
are withheld for two weeks, the crop is
q total failure no matter what may have
been the precipitation. In Los Angeles
county we have known fine crops Of
corn to be raised that never saw q drop
OF rain. and in some instances where the
ground had been plowed and seeded
fter the last rain, and which besides
never received particle of irrigation.
Two an fastener this looks incredible,
but it is of gospel verify.
In considering the status of things in
Los Angeles county the facts should be
borne in mind that we have extensive
tracts of irrigated and bottom lands,
and that probably, If balance were
struck, as much money will come into
the county for the crops thus raised as
if we had had year of abundant rain
fall. 1t is quite true that it would be
better If the money were generally dis
t=ibuted, but the fact remains that the
mesa farmers have had their innings
uninterruptsdly for years, and they
should not look forward to unvarying
prosperity. But even as to this class OF
our agricultural population the failure of
crops has been greatly exaggerated.
Multitudes of farmers who looked upon
their crops ss downright loss have made
good deal of hay and fractional portions
OF a crop.
In addition, in considering Los Al
geles in one of her infrequent dry yeers,
he crcu matances must be borne in
mind that the sheep and cattle interests
of this county are now comparatively
unimportsnt, except as an incident of
the farm, and that our horticultural
products are now our main staples. In
all lines the yield of fruit promises to be
unusually satisfactory i'll quantity and
quality. The market will be, from ali
accounts, a very profitable one for all
kinds OF fruit, both in their natural and
prepared states. The fruit crop in the
east will be a DISASTROUS failure this
year, end Californ ia will be called upon
to fill the gap.
The dry year bugaboo has already
served its purpose. People have die
counted it, and are looking forward to
the future. Caliiornians are not of the
brooding kind. They look ahead, not
backward. Los Angeefios in an espe.
cial degree belong to the cheerful and
progressive order of the genus homo.
AT no time has the march of improve.
ment ever been more noted here than
now. Great enterprises are being de-
veloped on every hand. The other day
we mentioned the closing of a contract
with the Risdon Iron Works OF San
Francisco for the building of an electric
railway between Los Angeles and Pasa-
dena, the sum involved being 1882, 900.
An electric railway between Los Angeles
and Santa Monica is the next great
work which will be undertaken, and we
happen TO know that it will be executed
very shortly, the track and right OF way
of the old Los Angeles aud Pacific rail-
way being svsiled of for that purpose.
In addition, we are quite close to the
day when a railway will be in operation
between Los Angeles and Salt Lake
City. Under all the circumstances a