Year: 1876

behind any portion of the State, many
fine cattle have been imported, and
the grade of the sheep has been rising
rapidly. Excellent breeds of hogs
have been introduced, and hog raising
is extending steadily. These animals
can be reared in excellent condition
on alfalfa alone an acre supporting
fifteen. Beets and pumpkins, which
grow in California to such mammoth
size and with no care, are largely used
in fattening and are almost equal to
corn.


THE BEE BUSINESS.


Fifteen years ago the first swarm OF
Italian bees was introduced into Los
Angeles county. The flower OF the
white sage, which grows in great
abundance upon the plains and noun
tains, furnished honey that was so
pure and white that it soon attracted
attention and bee raising soon became
an important industry. In 1874 the
Assessor returned %, 900 stands of bees
in the State, Of which 1000 were in
Los Angeles and San Diego counties.





the sage flowers dying early, but up
to that time the average increase had
been l50 per cent, aud the annual
yield of honey about one hundred
pounds to the hive. With prosperous
years in the future, it is obvious the
number OF stands will soon get up in
to the hundreds of thousands, and tue
production of honey assume immense
proportions. The extreme clearness
and rich flavor of the honey gives it
the leading position in the various
markets. This season 25c per pound
in the comb and to 12c strained have
been about the rates in San Francisco.


HEALTH.


The average American while he may
be lured by the prospects of gain to
almost any part of the world, is yet,
withal, a little particular about his
prospects of life, and is apt to inquire
closely into the health statistics of a
locality which he purposes making
his home. A healthy country will al
ways attract settlers. The hygienic
conditions of Southern California are
as peculiar and favorable as her soil
and climate. The conditions under
which the human race may remain
healthy, robust and vigorous are all
united here. A vast ocean on one
eide, and an immense desert on the
other, precludes the possibility of mi
asmatic influences. In the Summer
the Pacific breeZes watt pure air every
hour in the day and night. In the
Winter the rain fall is quickly absorb
ed by our porous soil, and there is no
extreme of cold to breed the long cat
egory of lung diseases. No swamps
and mOrasses exist to germinate dis
eases. An equable temperature and
genial climate keep the system in per-
feet condition. The heat of Summer
cannot affect the constitution with
such cool bracing nights. The Win
ter days are as pleasant as The Indian
Summer of the States. In Winter
there is not the combination of cold
and moisture which operates 80 disas-
trOusly upon the lungs, and IN the
Summer there is no combination of
heat and moisture to breed mahrial
diseases. 1t is not surprising there
fore that in Winter, invalids from all
parts of the country should fly to this
section for relief. Were the trutl
more generally known, the influA
would be so great as to overtax our ut
most powers to accommodate them
The temperature of Los Angeles with
the number of cloudy and rainy days
will be seen by reference to the head
ing of temperature above. The fig
ures speak for themselves, and convey
more information than words.