Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-04
Southern, California 81 AUTO.
rBy D. ". Norris.l

7. Norris.l
by the congestion Of : business section.
Here Il stood. q great city with streets
paved. .electroliers UP. school built, pub
lie park planted and all 1t lacked 20
mako 1t q city was people. A. yet not
one had arrived either to teach school
or keep store but they would surely
come soma time 90 the promoters had
made everything ready. i
No Hay Hay.
This San Fernando valley was really
the most beautiful and interesting short
motor trip In tho vicinity OF Los
Angeles principally because the lAnd
was gently rolling ana green with grow.
Ing grain like lows but the grain VII!
never be threshed. Nearly all small
grain in southern California 10 cut IN
the milk for hay. The wet season y
SO short that grass will not grow IN the
meadows without irrigation and iESa-
gated land 10 10 valuable that It had
better be put into orchards. Some years
the grain sown in January might ma
ture in the early dry season but-usuaily
1t is safer to cut 1t for hay and that 10
the rule out there. am speaking OF
California south of Tehatchapt's top. "A
fellow tourist told me story OF the
disappointment Of an old Iowa farmer
who visited southern California and
found plenty Of alfalfa hay, wheat hay,
oat hay and barley hay but he'd be
"darned" IL he could find any hay hay.
This entire valley twenty 1--WE miles
long once belonged to one OF the early
missions and much Of the upper end
of 1t has not yet been brought under
Irrigation. AZ one drives along enjoy
ing the hills on one side and the beauti-
full valley scene on the other he sees
now an apricot orchard with its un-
mistakable peach-blow color and then
a walnut grove with Its trees all lean
ing with the prevailing wind because
on light, sandy soil the bushy, spread
ing top OF the walnut tree makes 1t top
heavy to such an extent that the light
soil will not hold it erect. Only few
oranges are grown in this valley but
the chicken ranches are frequent.
Chickens by Thousands, But Scarce.
Chicken ranches in southern Cali
fornia are numerous. One passes them
on all roads. A chicken ranch in CAL
ifornia means small farm where from
/ 900 to 5000 hens are kept, White Leg
horns, always White Leghorns. They
are so frequent that one would think
that the chicken business would be
overdone but when you get back to
town you will have to pay more Tor
eggs and fat hens than you would In
Iowa. looked up the census statistics
and found that with all her chicken
ranches California did not raise as
much poultry and eggs as she con-
sumed and the price received for poul-
try on the farms In California is listed
in the census office at Washington az
being greater than the price received
for poultry on the farms In Iowa. That
is the difference between q country IN
which every square mile OF land Is
farmed with a few chickens on every
farm and country in which farming
can be done only in the valleys or
pockets as it were between the hills
with a lot of chickens on only a few
farms.
Motoring In almost every other direc-
ton from Pasadena or Los Angeles,
and the two cities adjoin. one drives
thru orchards OF orange and lemon
trees. Here ten acres and q bungalow
constitute a ranch" More than that
usually denotes q syndicate enterprise.
The settlements are dotted here and
there turnout the valleys with the or
chards skirted about the towns and
strips of unclaimed desert in between
the settlements. The ground. stony and
full OF gravel, is usually scrupulously
cultivated with smudge pots sitting
ready for emergencies. one pot for each
tree, but the frost never camo until this
week. Quite often palacial residence
with servants quarters and the like de-
notes the winter home Of some eastern
person Of wealth. Then the orchard 70
a plaything. OF course, but u the build.
ings are there for utility and appear to
be part of farm they seldom bespeak
of the prosperity which real estate
agents can prove to be In the orange
business. Each town has its associa-
ton packing plant and union school
The children from the country all 80
to the village school on their bicycles
over the paved roads and the women
go to trade quite generally to the big
stores in Los Angeles over the interur-
ban railway which runs everywhere.
Some Magnifieant Distances.
Many have asked me Wether drove
the auto from Los Angeles to San
Francisco. I did not for 1t is as far as
from Marshalltown to Indianapolis
and the country roads outside OF Los
Angeles county are bottomless in the
rainy season. It would have been q
delightful trip down the San Joaquin
valley which is the only real farming
section of the state. but it is no winter
trip as yet. The state road when nm
ished, will take one along the coast
route. After that is completed another
will be paved thru the inland valleys
and then hope may visit California
again.
Hair Raising Roads.
Likewise with the trip from Los An
geles to San Diego. It IL wonder
fully scenic route when the roads are
good, but We were warned al winter
not to try It and finally in March after