The Newtown bee., 1904-04-08
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

LOCAL AFFAIRS.
 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
 ESTEEMED VIEWPOINT CITIZEN.
 MT Editor: We have now been in Southern California four weeks and during that time neither rain, sick ness or accident has interfered with our plans or pleasures. We have had two days this week, that are said to have been the coldest days of the win. ter, the thermometer registering in the morning AS degrees, but warming interfered with the blooming of roses and sweet peas, and flowers that are so carefully housed yet at home, are in rich profusion all about the city. The orange crop it not near all har- vested, nor will it be for some weeks to come. They keep on the trees well yet, although there are quantities on the ground, as thick as cider apples at home in early October. It is no yarn when I tell you that more than g thousand bushels could be gathered from under the trees tomorrow. were they of any account to the trade. Growers are having hard season this winter, as the East has been so severe, hundreds of car loads have frozen in transit, and now that weather is mild CT, there is lack of cars for their ship l ment.
 The net returns on crops are smaller than at any time since the orange in- dustry started in this section. The crop is also the largest, and of the best quality that has ever been grown here. of water, that at the east we would have called the line storm. To-day the sun is warm, but bank of clouds hang over the mountain range, and the peaks are snow-covered. The bar ley that was sown in January has a good start and is very green. There are many beautiful drives in this part of the country, and there Is no better way to study a country than by cover | the ground so far as may be done with horse and buggy, and where horse can't go take mule, and where the mule can't go, jump on burrO, called here the mountain canary. We have taken few valley drives, and propose to do some mountain climbing when the joints get more Timber. One day our drive took uss through Live Oak canyon, to get into which, we had to climb over wild and barren slopes pie turesque in their barrenness. Once in l the canyon, there lay spread out before 1 us beautiful valley with orchards of peach. apricot and plum and long stret- cnes of barley, adding color and life to the landscape, while on opposite sides of the valley rugged mountains rise. at present worthless for horticulture, yet grand scene in it's untitled barren | ness. The valley takes it's name from | the fact that there are many native live oaks scattered along the valley, 1 the only native trees that grow there. The oak is always green, not shedding it's foliage allat once, but the ldleaves | dropping only as new ones appear. The long stretch of valley land, hemmed in by high mountain ranges, is the abiding place of few widely scattered families, who cultivate the and alfalfa, with which to feed the scanty stock thaC is raised.
 Large tracts of barley were driven through, as there seems to be no set rules as to where one travels, some times right through some ones ranch, then again following a mountain trail. or dipping into what seemed public road. The novelty of our situation and surroundings excited my interest: A mixture iof Mexican, Chinese and American madesup the sparselY settled valley, and the school house and Mis- sion house gave evidence of desire to Americanize and christianize the child ren. The warm climate of this coun- try makes it unnecessary to be over par ticular as to the structure of houses, and an tadObe, or one room. shack will answer until something better can be afforded. There is not much wild game in this valley, though the coyote comes down in the night time to visit chicken GOODS, and rattle snakes come out on the mountain sides for some, tender foot adventurer like myself. We did see a race between two stray dogs and jack rabbit. My sympathy was with the jack rabbit, and when the rabbit scooted into the sage brush, the dogs looked as much surprised as did the darkey, who posed himself along side the New York Gen. tral tracks to see the Chicago flyer go by, and his ejaculation was "Here she comes, dar she goes, whar am she?' The valley, stretching far of in the distance, was beautiful to look upon. It was o'clock when we reached the most productive part of the valley, and we drove up t( the ranch house O1 what seemed prosperous dalryman. to learn from him that he had herd offs COWS or.more fromIwhich he helped supply the people of RedlandS with milk from the Live Oak dairy. The COWS had just been brought in by the shepherd dogs and were enclosed in a stockade just large enough to accom- modate the bunch, and the dairYmer were going out with their pails to per form an operation that had been ac customed to the greater part of my life, though 1 had never learned there was more than one way of carrying g milking stool, until 1 saw the mer crossing the path with the stool fast ened on in the proper place to become at once available, fastened by straI :: around the body, and the stools legt sticking out ready to give support with out further adjustment handy way maybe, and would give fellow ample time to reflect after he had been kicked while he was unStrapping his stool whether after all, it was good policy to whack the COW for such an unwar ranted performance on her part. Th' milk is sold in Redlands at ten cents { quart. The COWS have a large range for the summer, and fodder corn ant barley unthreshed, supplements tht closest of the winter months. Ther, must be much of loneliness in the Tiff. f the pioneer, but that is the way ir
 which this great country has beer primarily developed, as the star O
 Empire has westward Sped it's way