The herald., 1894-01-01

know when to irrigate, and just how
much water is needed for certain Eoile
and the different products grown. BY
means of irrigation farmsrs are enabled
to have suficiency OF water at regular
intervals and inquantities to suit. They
do not depend upon the fckle heavens
for proper supply OF moisture, but
have it ION tap" as it we're, 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 thia subject. Northern
California, on the other side OF the Sier-
ra Nevada mountains. requires little or
no irrigation compared with Southern
California, on account OF having great
er 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
the state, would destroy all agriculture
in this section. Happily, although the
law of the state. it is not carried ont 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, 30 that 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
Babylo Egypt, and those which four
ished around the Mediterranean sea.
By means of irrigation the farmer hers
raises two and three different crops ON
the same land during the year. 1t is q
common sight to see barley and corn
raised in the same field, one after the
other, and that before the year is out.
The sea affords the choicest fish. At
different times of the year various kinds
OF fish have their run" along the coast,
from which the markets are we'll sup
piled.
For years Southern California WAS
noted for it's cattle. In the early part OF
the present century trade first COM
menced with the Atlantic states, the
| Califnrnians exchanging hides. horns and
tallow for the manufactured. goods of
New England. 1t was during this period.
| toward it's close, when Richard II. Dana
visited this coast, and after wards told
the delightful story of his voyages in
Two Years Before the Mast.
When the great gold excitement of
1848 broke out in Northern California
the chief supply of meat came from the
south. And when that boom burst
many OF the southrons found themselves
wealthy from the proceeds of their sales.
The old missions numbered their cattle
by the thousands and did big business
with the Yankee traders. In 1833.34,
when the Mexican government contis-
Gated the missions and their property,
the missionaries slaughtered their cattle j
by the thousands in order to prevent
them falling into the hands of the gov
ernment, but in spite of all this cattle
were soon as numerous as ever.
Sometimes the droughts would come,
or seasons in which the rainfall
in the valleys would be insufficient to
give the native grass good start, and
the cattle would perish by the thousands.
The Spanish were the fret to bring
horses to America. Here their horses
often escaped and ran in bands. and in
creased rapidly in numbers. These wild
California horses found plenty of feed
ON the luxurisnt, grassy plains. They
were called mustangs, probably derived
from the Spanish word mostrenco, an
estray. Many of these mustangs had
strains of Arabic blood. They were very
hardy and feet of foot. Instances are
known where they performed many
wonderful feats of endurance. Some OF
them, when tanned, made splendid reo-
ords on the turf. With the settlement
OF the country all the bands Of wild
horses are gone, having been either cap
tured or killed. But they suggested the
raising of 8 better stock, and the success
of California horses in the east attests to
the progress made in Shis line.
The mines of Southern California de-
mand more than passing notice. Gold
was frat discovered in California, not
by Marshall at Coloma in 1S4S, but near
the mission of San Fernando in 1913, and
Thousands of dollars worth of the dust
was taken from the plecers. The placers
in the San Gabriel cafion have also
yielded many thousand OF dollars.
! Later, the gold mine at Julian created
an excitement. The silver mines at
Calico have yearly paid many thousands
of dollars for more than 10 years. There
are many paying mines of gold, silver,
antimony. copper and lead. Asbestos
is fonnd in paying quantities. There
are also large deposits of kaolin and
| OJD6r VAluhDic ChIbhb
runs to a high percentage in many
of the clsys. The petroleum
fields rank among the best
producers in the world. Marble,
dolomite, granite, brown, red and green
stones are among the best building ma
terials, with plenty of beautiful onyx for
finishing.
Native building timber lie scarce, but
fuel, such as OAK, pine, chemisal, brea
and oil is abundant.
HISTORY.
Southern California was first discov-
ereo and visited by Europeans in the
year 1912. by an expedition under Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo. Portuguese in the
employ of Spain. In 1869 the Spanish
took formal possession of the country.
In 1922 it passed with the Mexican rev.
olution into the possession of that gov!
ernment. In 1S48 it was purchased by
the United States from the Mexican re-
public, and in 1850 California was adj
mitted as q state into the union.
For many years alter the American
occupation Southern California re-
manned quiet, pastoral country. until
the advent of the railroad in 1877. This
gave easy communication with the great
markets and centers of wealth and pop
ulation of the east, and immigrants
49, l.x. a