The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-03-21
SURREY MAN WRITES
AGAIN OF TRIP

0NA4Sy? Az AOs1 49, W.
Ward County Independent, Mi
not, N. Dive will now contin-
ue our course via Southern Paci-
fic southwark along the coast of
the Great Pacific ocean at times
we rode so close one could throw
an apple core into the water.
.1Sand hills for miles and miles.
We saw snow fences down there.
Snow fences in southern Califor-
mia? Why yes; but they were
used for sand; the sand drifts
same as snow. Some $50 miles
south of San Francisco, the far
mers were busy blowing and SOW
ing. Coy got tired of buying
coffee at 10 cents per cup and
now buys it by the pot. Not un-
til we got within a few miles of
Santa Barbara did we see an
orange tree.
On arriving at Santa Barbara
CAL, about 400 miles south of
San Francisco we spied an orange
tree laden with the golden fruit.
the first opportunity presented
itself for us to have the happy
privilege to walk under the trees
with blossoms of silver and fruit
of gold. We picked up a. few
from the ground and found them
to be of an excellent variety.
Santa Barbara is known all
over the world as the place where
the largest number Of plants
from widely different climates,
have congregated to live happily
together and often thrive with
more vigor than in their native
countries: It is claimed that
they have NJ t less than $50 diff
ferent species of palms, so spe-
cies of bamboos, about 300 vines
and climbers and something like
1000 different species of trees and
shrubs.
Near here we find oil wells in
abundance, right out in the wat
ers of the pacific; a grand sight
to see those oil derricks towering
above the waters.
The beet industry puts in it's ap-
pearance near Los Angeles. This
industry seems to be steadily
growing by the large fields that
we find here prove that there
must be an appetite for the sugar
somewhere. Los Angeles is a
city of fruit and flo vers, of palms
and pepper trees, of century
plants, tree geraniums and roses,
climbing to the house tops; a city
of parks, drives and fine hotels.
Both mountains and ocean are
so near that it is possible in
winter to go sleigh riding in the
morning. pick ripe oranges at
noon and go bathing in the even
Sing. We leave this city en- route
for Ell Paso, Texas. On our way
we go through the San Gabriel
valley with its orange and lemon
groves. 1t was in one of these
these beautiful orange groves
that the train stopped for some
unknown cause; the passengers
all got out to inspect the golden
fruit only to find a barb wire
fence about 8 feet high. The
writer crawles through the fence;
the conductor hollows all
aboard:' out comes nv knife. off
comes a small limb with 3 fine
oranges on; train about to leave;
a North Dakotan fast in the wire
fence furnishing amusement for
the crowd. 1t is needless to say
that it would take something
more than a barb wire fence to
hold a Dakotan.
We boarded the train in due
time, thinking that this was the
greatest event of our life; secur-
ed a string hung them up in the
car. The train soon stopped; we
lay for an hour and half. All
out of the train; watching the
train men clearing the track off;
"a small accident has occured).
On my return, to my great sur
prise my oranges were gone;
they had fallen in the hands of
some five or six ladies. After
quite a bit Of fun at my expense
the oranges were returned, which
/ happily received. tits needless
to say that they were made Sc
cure at once.
Next comes a 5000 acre Vine
yard, we'll trimmed and cultivat-
ed. Seems to a northern farmer
that it would be an endless job;
however, they have IL months
out of a year to work. l wish
to speak of one thing that
I learned of; a grape vine, the
largest in the world, at Santa
Barbara, 100 inches in circumfer-
enCe.