The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-08-12

one OF the shortness OF the step from
sublime to ridiculous, from God to
man. The Californian boasts that II
is "man-made." forgetting that God
gave him the Climate" which Is the
sum total OF southern California.
The climate is based. not on its lati-
tude. but by the formation OF the
mountains and desert. For. nina
YOU. they are so placed that 1t only
rains in the winter. and this condi-
ton is caused by the position OF the
mountains to the ocean.
In my former letter told you o.
the desert we passed through, and
that this desert was great plateau
or table land OF the mountains.
When you reach the west edge OF the
plateau the mountains are thrown
as IL were. in ridges that run in
northwest course TO the sea and are
from 90 to so miles apart, winds
follow the line of least resistance. OF
course. and blow up these wide
canyons The winds during the
warm months blow up these carrying
the fogs of the sea but at the edge
of the plateaus meet the hot winds OF
the desert and the yapor or fog Is
drank up. No clouds form, no rains
fall. In the winter the same condi-
lions exist. but the cold increas S
I'm it oyercomes the heat of the des-
ert. and cold winds meeting the va
por from the sea. congeals the same
into rain and it falls in soft. slow
rain without thunder or lightning
over the lower coast country. and
they have southern California.
The rain falling on this decom-
posed granite. which is but fine grav-
81. is drank up and is stored. and
thereby gives great ocean 20 pump
from during the summer. So you see
God made it. but they applied what
lie gave and are entitled TO much
praise. II one-hundredth OF work
was put on our conditions in the
Colorado valley il could be made
more beautiful and more productive.
our land has fertility; theirs as
rule is merely a lazy mems reservoir.
Che country has certain districts
where certain things grow best. and
$50 coming down from san Bernardino
where we encountered the first large
city. We were impressed very much
lat the lack OF the necessary things
Ito live on. The most beautiful or
chards OF oranges. lemons, walnuts.
peaches. apricots and plums. but very
few gardens II man has oranges
ne has nothing else; il walnuts. moth
ing else. and so on. OF course TINS
Ia because he can put all his oranges
ON that one crop for 30 or 80 days
iand have nothing to do but sit around
Tor months.
To me. it makes farm life precar-
lious. in that il he misses crop he Il
AN In for that year He is just like a
Texas man who does not diversity
Speaking OF these orchards. walnuts
lare all planted so feet apart and
when they get up or 6 years old,
nothing else is allowed to grow on
the land. 1t is plowed beneath the
trees and then worked with a hne
sprinc-toothed harrow till the soil Is
as fine as doodle dust. Oranges and
lemons. as rule. are about 20 tee'
except in some valleys. which are rict
apart and are cultivated to walnuts
in soil. oranges and lemons require
fertilizing. as do peaches and plum
in some places.
Orange. lemon and walnut or
chard run from $4,000 to $4,000 pc
acre: vineyards from $500 to $500
per acre; peaches. plums. apricots
apples and pears run from $500 L
$4,000: olive orchards. $500 to 50,
600.
There is very little land, mountain
or otherwise. in southern Californi
under $1,000. and no land in 20 mile
of Los Angeles can be bought 10
less than $1,000 per acre; some cour