Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-01-31
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
Dear Monitor:


ing of wiring you So that our existence
might not be entirely forgotten by our
former acquaintances.
The past week we have been forci-
bly, reminded of Vermont and her
present surroundings. We have been
and air cold enough to satisfy the de-
sire of the VermOnter who is most
homesick for an opportunity to enjoy
a New England winters day On the
twelfth of this month we had three
inches of genuine snow; at the city
Of Ukiah, fifteen miles north of us,
fall of four inches and the thermom-
eter registering ten degrees Above
zero. q degree of cold never before
known in this part of the country. AS
the snow fell on frozen ground it last
ed several hours; quite long enough to
drive nearly frantic all the younger
element also youths and maidens of
advanced years. 1t was an amusing
sight for one accustomed to sleighs
and sleighing to see the contrivances
soon put together by all who owned
teams The much talked Of ''Yankee
ingenuity could not produce more
surprising articles than some brought
into use by the 'Native Sons of the
Golden West"-carriage bodies with
iron piping for runners, bob sleds with
dry goods boxes for bodies, enor-
NOUS COW bells for the thinking"
sleighbell. Now you would see dig
nifed pastor with his family on bob
sled, lawyer and his wife in gay
turnout, now party Of eight or ten
young people making merry on
wood sled; but most amusing Of all
was the arrangement in which
youthful swain was taking his lady
for a ride. He had narrow dry
goods box on a bob sled, drawn by a
tandem, each horse being well supplied
with COW bells. California sunshine
putting in an appearance the snow
soon Disappeared
We have been having lovely win
ter up to this time; warm cloudless
DAYS with but very little rain. We are
looking, however, for our usual heavy
rains.
We will take for granted that some
thing of Mendocino county's scenery |
and the industries Of her people may
prove of interest to you. Remember
when we mention Mendocino county
we speak Of an area nearly, if not
quite, equal to that Of the state OF
We are situated in the
Sanel valley one hundred miles north
Of the San Francisco and on n. Pacific
Rail Road; on an airline, about thir-
.y miles east of the Pacific. We are
Justly prond Of our valley. It has
been called by many one Of the most
beautiful spots in the state. The
scenery on both sides the Russian
liver is charming in it's ruggedness.
We are surrounded by branches of the
COAST Range which afford variety of
as the eastern and Western
anges differ radically. On the east,
he mountains seem to have been
ormed by the cooling of the earth
ind appear, if you allow me to use the
erm, like series of wrinkles. They
ire nearly destitute of trees, except
lear the base, just here and there an
oak and few evergreens. They are
covered with a growth of shrubbery
called chaparral which grows in clus-
ers and is almost impossible. The
western range is made up of more
ocular hills and peaks, the canyons
being the result of glacial
.ction; it is covered with oaks, the
nanzanita, Ga cousin of the dainty
railing arbutus), and the maderone,
he two last being noted for their
ovely wood. The oaks deserve spec
al mention; there are eight Or ten
in the valley. They are very
arge and twist themselves into every
shape. In the winter
hey are made more beautiful by the
leavy fungus growth called "reindeer
noss,' by some "lace moss,'' which
grows to great length. No human
mind can devise a pattern for lace
work that can compare with this in it's
beauty of design and daintiness of
exture.
The climate is very healthful, SO
much SO that no physician can live
lere.
This is of course an agricultural re-
zion. The ranches are large but we
ire sorry to say not a source of much
wealth to the owners just at present.
Prices for all productions are low,
reight is high and taxes are higher.
As the name of the town implies, this
las been great hop region. There
ire now many large fields about US,