Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-12-23
LAND OF SUNSHINE.
WINTERS, CAL, Dec, 8, 1902.
r.. E. B. ThayT,

writing before, | have noticed many
things of interest to me. and which
might be TO others. Thanksgiving day
was observed here the same as in other
cities Church congregations uniting
in service at the Cumberland P%sby-
terian church. The church was a
bower Of misletoe and chrysaathemums
in pink, white aud lemon, and very
pretty. La the afternoon | took drive
of about miles, the roads being fine.
AT the ranch where | called there is a
bounteous supply of all kinds of fruit,
but the kind that interested me the
most Was a grove of 200 orange trees
loaded with the most lovely fruit one
could wish for The lady knew | was
not a native so she gave me the privi-
lege Of helping myself; / tooka ten. /
thought would go easy the first time,
because am Invited to spend the day
while they are being picked, and that is
this month, although some are being
shipped already.
lam feasting on prunes and dried
peaches-something | never cared for
before Here they need 40 sugar and
are delicious.
While out driving | passed a date
palm 40 years old. The tree is about 80
feet high and feet in circumference.
The dates are 10 feet from the ground
in clusters and are a peculiar red.
There will be bushels on the tree.
There are but two trees bearing fruit in
this locality Persim mons and pome-
granates are plentiful, but they are not
to my taste.
The horse here is not as large as there
and being cheap they use them for all
there is in them, rather than buy feed /;
my heart has ached to see them so poor
Ten dollars will buy horse but not
much feed This is beautiful day,
similar to our own June days Soon
the rainy season will set in, which will
continue for several weeks, but the
rains are warm. | am sitting under a
large live oak tree, no wraps on the
thermometer at 50 above zero and a
meadow lark singing in the branches
above Jack rabbits are plenty, the
young ones being used for food. just
little ways off sits one, his ears giving
him away. 1t appears TO me this To-
cality would not be the place for poor
laboring man, for living is Highland
wages low. The Japs are given the
preference on the account of their work
ing cheap and boarding themselves.
Land owners have the poor land
staked out waiting the arrival of the
home seeker. When the latter comes
the land owner viii take him perhaps
just over the fence where there is
splendid orchard and, of course, that is
Just what the man wants, but will he
gel it No The land he sells him at
a good price viii grow nothing but wild
morning glory and is used for sheep
pasture. After toiling several years he
concludes that if his friends will send
for him and his family they will go back
East and be contented with the cold
winters. Mostly all the merchandise
comes from the East, making it very
costly. The farmers are all done plow-
ing and seeding; it has to be done be-
fore the rains begin, so that vegetation
will set in for there are so many months
that there is no rain or dew Portions
of the land here is as good as it is in
other sections. There are thousands of
acres here that grow what is called
volunteer grain and grass for the cattle.
There are ranches here of several thou
sand acres. You can here find the
herder with his horse and dogs and
thousands of sheep-for every hundred
a black one He turns them in the
pasture where it would seem they
would starve and SO steep they could
not stand, but they go around and
round the mountain until all is eaten.
While they are climbing up they look
like white streak with a back ground
of green The ranchmen have plows
that can plow very steep hills using six
or eight mules or horses with as much
ease as on plain.
The rising aud setting of the sun is
most beautiful. l shall not attempt to
describe it. can look away for miles
toward the capitol and behind me the
peaks of the coast range are towering
in all their beauty with here and there
a house--some who can not live in the
valley. 1t seems there is a climate to
suit all cases and their ills. Consump-
ton, catarrh and malaria are here
The city water pipes are on top of the
ground The pastor of the Presby-
terian church told me that there were
no Sunday laws in California, but as the
people became christians they were in
favor of Sunday closing, whereas be-
fore all the places did as much business
on Sunday as on any other day Teach
ers in public schools get more wages,
$50, l believe being the average.
Mostly eastern teachers are employed
want to tell you about the lovely fish
the salmon They cut them
in slices because no one would want a
whole one, they are so large. The sea
son for catching them is just closed.
The deer season here Is in July, but the
meat cannot be preserved long ter the
weather IS warm aad Ice is too expen-
sive. When harvesting. the grain is
cut, threshed aud bagged up by the
same machines ready for the mill
The -four can be used the same day.
visited the capitol and found the
grounds very beautiful. The tail cy-
press is mingled with the orange, lemon
and palm trees The baildings need
paint and are not as fine as at Madison
The electric plant is on the mountain
over 100 ailes away, furnishing light
for the cities Of Sacramento, Dixon,
Petaluma. Suisun and San Francisco
The water fall in the mountain being SO