The herald., 1894-01-01
SHORT BUT PITHY ANSWERS,
Many Up to Date Questions
About This Section.
The Chamber of Commerce Gives
Mnch Informa ion
A Column OF Condensed References That
he who Runs May Road, Conn
niled from the Most Accu-
rate Sources.

The Los Angeles chamber oil COM
merce has prepared the following up-to-
date answers in reply to the thousands
: of queries received about Southern CAL
iiornia:
Southern California, as generally un-
derstood, includes that portion OF the
state lying south OF the Tehachepi
mountains, and comprising the seven
southern counties of Santa Barbara,
Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardlno,
Orange. Riverside and San Diego.
This section differs from the rest OF
tho state in having drier and slightly
warmer climate, more even temperature,
and more fair and sunny days.
Rain falls in the winter, but seldom
for more than three or four days at a
time. the intervals being warm and
sunny. The average rainfall for the
year is 1Ss4 inches.
Epidemic diseases, poisonous insects,
tornadoes. cyclones and thunder storms
are conspicuous by their absence. 1t is
20 years since there was an earthquake
severe enough to break crockery.
All productions OF eastern and north
ern states can be grown here, besides
those OF semi-tropical and many OF trop-
ical countries.
The soil and climate are many and
varied, including eeashore, mountain
and warm interior valleys. The soil is
deep and almost inexhauetible.
All crops, except citrus fruits. are sue
cessfully grown without irrigation, al
though many crops do better with it.
Water is obtained for irrigation from
artesian wells, from streams, and from
large irrigation plants, including dams
and supply pipes.
The orange is the chief horticultural
crop. California navel oranges bring
25 per cent more than the best Flor
ida fruit. Southern California shipped
about 1000 carloads of oranges last sea-
son, worth over s., 500, 900.
There is no danger OF overproduction
OF oranges for ruany years to come.
The area of land adapted to grow or
anges to perfection is comparatively
limited, and the home markets, which
have not yet been reached, are large and
expanding.
Budded orange trees bear a small crop
four years after planting, increasing rap
Idly thenceforth; they yield one crop q
year, land for oranges costs from $3.50
to 1850 an acre; cost OF trees and setting
out an orchard, 500 to $3.50 an acre !;
care Of bearing orchard. SIS to $50 per
acre annually.
Orange orchards pay from S75 70 500
Yer acre after the fourth year; 5000 to
$500 alter seventh or eighth year; $500
20 $1,000 alter IL or l5 years. Full-bear-
orchards are worth from $1,000 to $4,000
per acre.
One man can care for 20 acres Of
bearing orange orchard. The neces-
sary experience is easily acquired. In
sect pests have been mastered, and are
kept in check by ordinary attention and
diligence.
Among other profit horticultural
crops raised here are lemons, olives.
figs. prunes. walnuts. peaches, apricote,
apples, pears. ,raisin- grapes and guavas.
Barley yields IL to SO bushels per
acre; wheat. IL to 3d.. oats, 10 to &C; ;
corn, 40 to 100 bushels without irriga.
tion, 80 to 100 bushsls with irrigation.
Green peas, string beans, tomatoes,
and other tender vegetables, are shipped
in winter to the north and east from
irostless sections.
Small fruit and other crops can be
raised between orchard trees while the
trees are growing.
The sugar beet industry ia being de-
veloped. One of the largest beet-sugar
factories in the world is at Chino, in San
Bernardino county.
Among general farming crops raised
are beans. alfalfa, peanuts and pota-
toes. Alfalfa. irrigated, can be cut from
five to eight times year, yielding from
six to ten tons Of hay, worth $l2 to $14
a ton.
AS a stock-raieing country Southern
California is unrivsled.
Fowls sell at SIS TO Sc per dozen; eggs
average 20 cents dozen. Carloads of
both are imported weekly. Poultry
raising is profitable when proper care is
given.
Dairy products find ready market at
high pricee, butter and cheese being
still i'm ported.
No other section OF the United States
raises 80 large an amount of the choicest
honey.
Among the mineral products OF South
ern California found in commercial
quantities are petroleum, asphaltum,
borax, gypsum, soda, salt, tin, silver
and gold.
Ordinary agricultural land ranges in
price from $40 to 500 per acre good de-
cjduous fruit land, without irrigation,
from $25 to 500, according to quality OF
soil, climatic conditions and proximity
to town and railroad.
Improved farm property can be bought
all the way from $50 to $500 per acre.
Easy terms can be obtained, generally,
on part OF the purchase price.
There are many thousand acres OF
cheap lands and relinquishments of GOV
eminent claims to De had, but they are
comparatively lar from market and more
or less mountainous.
All varieties of produce find ready
market, either for home consumption or
shipment.
Land can be rented for grain or hay
at s2 to So an acre. for vegetables or
fruits, where water is supplied, at $40 to
$50. Land can also be rented on ehares,
generally for third Of the crop. I'M
proved places. with buildings, may also
De rented ct reasonable rate by the
year.
The average wages are; Farm hande,
go $50 month and board common
labore,s, $3.50 to $1.75 per day; skilled
labor (earrenters, bfickmgeons, etc ),
" 50 to "a % per day CLERKS, SIS to slUU
rer month";; domestic servants, $l5 to
$40 per month.
Skilled labor is generals in fair de-
mand. Oi clerks tsere is eurplus,
also of doctors. lawyers. preachers.
school and muse reachere, and real
estate agents. There is q good opening
in the cities for handy meu VINO can
do mechanical joss of variona