Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-11-19
WHAT I san OUT WEST.
BY DAVID HILL.

Fifty years ago the valley Of San
Joaquin was as barren as are the table
lands of New Mexico; to day, it is one
Of the most productive valleys in the
state. Large fields of grass; acres of
wheat, barley, corn and oats; great
orchards of peaches, prunes, olives,
apples and other fruits; and most ex-
tensive of all, enormous vineyards of
MADEIRA, Malaga and Muscat grapes
are spread out on every hand. The
valley is fair example of what irri-
CATION can do when it is applied to the
whole of those western sun dried
wastes.
The rabbits are a nuisance in the
San Joaquin valley, and the way to
dispose of them is novel one. After
harvesting hunt is organized to
which the people gather from all parts
of the valley. All those who parti-
cipate in the hunt must be excellent
horseback riders. A favorable locali-
ty is chosen, a great pit is dug, and
out from it branch two long tight
fences like a pair Of curved wings.
The length of these wings or fences, is
often over a mile; and the yard when
finished resembles half circle with
the pit in the most extreme central
point. When all is arranged the hun
tiers ride several miles up the valley,
form in straight line across it, and
then advance on the gallop at the
same time making as much noise and
hurra as possible. The frightened
rabbits fee before them. When the
fence is neared the outside riders
draw in thereby forcing the fleeing
drove in toward the center. Finally
the riders all close up, while the rab-
bits, unable to break through the bar
rier in front of them, rush in the di-
rection of the pit and plunge into it
by the thousands. Then the slaughter
begins, great feast is prepared, and
the rest of the day and night is spent
in music and dancing.
There is only one place on this con-
tinent where two distinct climates,
one temperate the other semi tropical
exist almost within stones throw Of
each other; and that place is in south
ern California with the short range of
Sierra Madre mountains for the divid-
ing line. The valley of San Joaquin
is swept by north winds, is subject to
frosts, and is open to climatic chang
es. AS you climb the mountains lead
Of no uo11Qu wind around
"the loop,' and disappear within a
tunnel leading under the higher peaks,
you leave a country behind the gen
eral appearance Of which is not un-
like our own. Emerge from that
mile, of tunnel on the opposite side,
descend into the San Bernardino val
ley, and apparently you are in anoth-
er world. The trees, plants flowers,
and general appearance Of the coun-
try are all different. Around you is
almost eternal sunshine and flowers.
You marvel at the wonderful change,
and yet the change is easy of explain
alton The coast range of mountains
forks about the north western corner
of Los Angeles County, while the
main, or lower range, holds more to
the southwark Or along the coast.
Then the Sierra Madre range branch
es out of the coast range and runs
south eastward, thereby becoming
the climatic barrier, or dividing line
between the two climates. Crowded
up to this notch between the Coast
range and the Sierra Madres is the
San Bernardino valley, which without
any exception, contains one of the
finest climates on this continent.
I went to Pasadena from Los An
geles and visited A. F. Brockway
formerly of Barton Landing. His re-
s;dence is centrally located, and 1
must say, is situated in the midst of
wild profusion of beautiful trees and
flowers. So is nearly every other
house in the valley. 1t is all flowers
flowers in the fields, flowers in the
gardens, flowers along the hedges.
Hedges? Mr.. Brockway took me for
ride one afternoon and we passed a
hedge of roses of nearly mile in
length. Not roses grown upon
scraggly lot Of bushes, but actually
upon treasures two or three inches
thick at the base, five feet in hight,
and the blossoms of which were in
proportion to the size of the trees.
Then the green hedges-of vines,
hedges of shrubs twined and inter-
twined into and around each other
and trimmed until they resembled pill
lars, and columns and colonades.
Beautiful hedges SO compact that