The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-01-12
COMMUNICATION
FROM CALIFORNIA
Tells OF Growth OF Trees la The
Sunny South
Santa Ana, Calf.
Jan. 4, 1911.

HAPPY NeW ear ~ YOU anu many
of them We are having today
what we would call in South Dakota
something more than a breeze.
| have been in California something
over two months and this is the
first wind Of any amount | have
seen. ! think if it were out on n
prairie, it would be almost a tenn
pest, but here with timber all
around the effect of the wind is
greatly modified But by looking
at the tops Of the tailcst trees, some
Of them nearly one hundred feet
high, can understand something Of
the storm. ! don't know whether |
have written you anything about the
different timbers, but will now any
way. There is at least n species
from which great returns may be
expected in a short time, that is the
Eucalyptus. They are planted,
often, not more than four feet
apart, in the hedge row, not more
than eight feet apart, in the
groves. | saw some that had been
planted less than two years; they
were taller ny several feet, than
telephone poles that were by them.
Have seer some sixty and seventy
feet tail; only five years growth.
Some only a little over twenty years
Old, and they would average thirty
inches IN diameter. Just think
what could be obtained off of one
acre at that age. My belief is that
there would be over 100 cords to
the acre. Not California cords
either lthat Is So feet but the old
fashioned cord Of l2S feet. Well, it
is a sight TO look out on these Euca-
lyptus trees waving in the wind. |
believe their spread, some of them
at least must be fifty feet. They
are beautiful with their great plumy
punches Of foliage. Some people
here carefully bunch up bundles Of
the leaves with binding Irvine, using
them for t0el; three or four bundles
will get a meal, they are heavy with
resinous substance. The timber OF
the Eucalyptus is heavy, and ! be
lieye could be used for almost any
finishing lumber.
The pepper tree is n Of the most
beautiful, in the whole list of Cali
fornla timber. It's limbs and
branches are sIighter than the weep
ing willow. Its leaves are long and
narrow and suited finely for any
form of house decoration. 1t has
berries in long clusters about the
size of a whole pepper of a slightly
lighter color than the berry of the
holly. The pepper tree is an ever
green.
Last week my wife and | went to
San Diego saint James, thence up
through lemon valley as it IS called
to lie Cajon pronounced CahOon)
valley. Here we saw whole great
fields devoted to the culture of the
rasin grape. They are dried just
where they are cut off of the vine,
and the whole stump is cut back
almost close to the ground before
another years growth begins. |
have tasted them and they are eX-
cellent. In fact they stand
on many cables as something to
nioble, as we used to do with the
snow and other apples IN the east.
We visited in this valley with Mr.
and Mrs Porter and family, who
came to California from Ripon,
Wis, on account of their health,
and they are enjoyinging it very
much here. Mrs Porter gave US
two Naval oranges that weighed
nearly a Id each and some nam
moth ripe Strawberries. / belle &c a
dozen would have well filled a straw
berry box. ] think the Porters are
prosperlng in health, and in tenn
poral affairs. Nh Porter has a
brother living in Burdette. Mr.
Lucien A. Sweet, with whose family
we we're guests, came Falrmont,
Mimi, where he had been an expert
on pure foods, and was in the en-
ploy of the state government. He
was also an authority on THE
Cow, and was noted in the Far
mer's Institutes OF that state. IN
1909 he cut off all his engagements
with the state. sold out his personal
property and came to this state on
account Of his wife's health. She is
Continued on page A.