Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-09-12
Correspondence.
From Southern California.

To the Editor Of The American:
One year ago sent THE AMERICAN a
letter from Santa Barbara, where had
been visiting friends for few weeks.
With the added experience OF year, am
able to write more intelligently OF South
ern California.
| There are really two climates In Cali
| fornia-the land and the sea climate.
The latter deriving its even temperature
| from the ocean, is usually from So degrees
| to 20 degrees. 1t is in winter that rains
may fall, and it is considered he pleasant
est time of the year. 1t seems more like
spring than winter, as 1t is the time when
grass IL growing and wild flowers are
blossoming. But to me, the summer Is
delight. No heat, NO thunder storms,
period Of deIig htfully cool nights, cloud
less skies, never "muggy", II thermome-
ter reacher 80 degrees 1t seems less warm
than at rs degrees OH the Atlantic coast.
Perhaps these long dry sunny months
become monotonous, and old residents
tell me that they welcome the fogs which
drift in occasionally as pleasant change.
| In the northern part OF the state, there Is
more rain and greater extremes OF heat
and cold. For the last three years there
| has been much less rain than usual, and
crops have suffered seriously. The rains
begin In October and November and
every one looks forward anxiously to
that time, for Humboldt predicted, that
in time this would become rainess land.
| lam writing this at a country home In
the Carpinteria valley, twelve miles south
| Of the city OF Santa Bar bara. The valley
IL nine miles long and four wide, and Is
walled In by mountains. l can see green
fields of corn and lima beans stretching
away for miles, which have been planted
since the rains ceased, and have had no
artificial irrigation. The natural moisture
is retained in the deep, loamy soil by
| cultivation.
In this valley are large orchards OF
peaches, apricots and prunes, which are
dried here for market, and smaller or
chards of nectarines, figs, olives and APP
pies mot like our Maiue appies) growing
side by side with oranges and lemons.
| Qusnttie OF the most delicious straw
| berries are sent to market from this
ranch every month in the year. Here
grows one of the largest grape vines in
the world, measuring eight feet in cir
| conference and yieiding ten tons OF fine
grapes (Mission brandt yearly. The
owner, an old Swede, was offered one
thousand dollars to let this vine be taken
to the Worlds fair. but wisely refused.
Another interesting rancho In the
centre OF this valley is that OF Col. Rus
sell Heath, who came here from New
York in 1850. tie WAS the first TO intro
! duce the English walnut, and has the
largest orchard in the world. The well
nut grows very slowly, and does not come
into bearing until. the tenth year. 1t in
creases In value every year after that.
Twelve miles west OF Santa Bar bsra are
the famous olive oil works owned by
Eilwood Cooper. This oil took first prize
at the Coium bisn exposition.
Santa Bar bsra is small city of eight
| Thousand inhabitants, which, from its
phenomenal climate has attracted people
from all parts OF the world. l have met
many from Msine-some from Bangor,
Brunswick, and several from Oxford
county. The friends that / am visiting
were born at Mt. Desert, daughters OF the
late Hon. John NJ. Noyes. A Maine re-
union would not be small gathering,
and would include some of the oldest
residents.
Nearly one-fourth of the population
are descendants of Spanish and Mexicans,
who were the original settlers. Many OF
these people now live in quaint adobe
houses. The women do the most ex-
| quisite Spanish drawn work. The schools
are excelent-even Boston has taken
models from the manual training and
kindergarten departments.
| Nature has endowed this little corner
OF our union with many wonderful gifts,
and there is a tradition that the Spanish
missionaries, over a century and quarter
ago, were SO impressed with the natural
beauty OF the valley, bordering the placid
crescent-shaped bay, with adjacent noun
tains and canons, that they named 1t for
their most beautiful saint, Santa Barbara.
Now 1t is q modern city, with paved
streets, electric lights, electric cars. rail-
roads, steamships, fine buildings, public
| library, beautiful homes, many churches,
| good school buildings and refined society.
you've not seen California till you've
seen Santa Bar bara", was not said in Jest.
| Aug. 8. E. A. 5.
To Acquire Good Vocabulary.
h.,lo Ia k,,