Year: 1875

Editor iaeric0n.


California with its wonderful climate
is not entirely a paradise. nor is Maine
very far behind ii, when the sum of the va
riouS attractions OF each is considered


said in one OF my former letters that
there was little here to encourage an east
cru man to come, who was doing tolerably.
well at home, and TO a certain extent it is
true, now | believe, although | spoke par
tirularly witt reference Ia san Francisco,
which most new cninerS seem to regard aS
all of California, aud of the mechanics and
iaborcrs who flock there, but | believe
that during the last winter the mechanics
and laborirg men in our cities here. have
been much better of than in the east


Santa Clara county of which san Jose
is the county seat, i very productive aud
therefore prosperous county The farmers
here are not cout"nt To raise bountiful
crops alone. but give great deal of attcn-
tion to stock breeding. aud one may see
great many ialmcr> who live in very hum
bic dwellings. and .Iave much better ap-
peariug buildings for their valuable stock
There j. great deal of fruit raised in this
county and Maine man by the name Of
Gould in Santa Clara. about eight miles
from here has somewh here in the vicinity
of ,nree thousand fruit trees. which saw
a ! passed there. and was told that a
brother of his had another orchard of SINH
lar extent. His fruit is principally apples,
pears and cherries. | think and his drying
is done by method similar TO the celebrat-
ed Golden" process. which is true of all
the fruit drying worthy of mention on the
Pacific coast, for while apples are never
wormy here. insects destroy our dried
fruit, in short tire after it Is dried, but
that fact which seemed at first great mis-
fortune. will doubtless be OF incalculable
benefit 10 California. since il compelled
the adoption of artificial drying, which by
comparison with the Old method. iS Just
about as much of an Improvement "A, the
Il. X. is over the stage coach in the way
of travel.


While the winter in the east. has been so
unusually severe, we have had an unusual
ly fine one, as our rain commenced very
early, and we have had but n few days
rain at any one time, with wonderfully
pleasant weather between whiles. We
think the weather serere, when ice forms
at all. and we have had several nights Of
such severe weather. But we have had a
good many weeks when au overcoat was
not necessary during most OF the day, and
the air seems not little like New Eng
land Indian summer.


Those who would secure farming lands.
can find more desirable land here be-
leve, than in any other portion II our
great county. The country is being set
tied so rapidly, that those who want gOr-
erRmeHt land, must needs 90 some distance
from the trade centers, and | believe there
are more good lands TO be had in the
northern portion of the state then in any
other part of it. | see by the paper before
me. that the bill passed by Congress. Feb.
~. provided for the sale of one whole sec
ton of $40 acres, (in Lassen county in
stead of l60 acres everywhere else, to set
tiers at price not exceeding $l,25 per
acre, but am not sufficiently informed in
relation TO that country. TO be able to say
much about il. That the soil is prolific in
a degree similar TO the rest OF the state, |
do not doubt. There is some snow there.
in the winter believe. but do not know
how much.


Susauyille the county seat. is 90 miles
from Reno Nevada. the Central Pacific x.
r.. and | believe there will soon be T.
r., built TO that section OF county. The
lands thus sold, are termed desert lands.
because they require irrigation for success
ful cultivation. and all lands in the county
are thus termed. except timber or mineral
lands. know of no reason why lands in
Lassen county. are not as good as In any
other county in that part of the state. and
the opportunity to purchase land in such
quantity. and at SO cheap a rate will
doubtless secure the early settlement of
the whole county. PILGRIM.