Pacific Rural Press, Volume 12, Number 23, 2 December 1876 — Notes from San Bernardino County. [ARTICLE]

Notes from San Bernardino County.

Editobs Pbebs:—One year ago I gave you a few items for whioh we oould "thank God," in response to the request of your correspondent from Oedar Bapids, and promised more. To-day I wish to redeem my pledge and will say that Biverside has grown wondrously during the past 12 months. It has about doubled its population. Buildings have sprung np in all direotions, and many of them compare favorably with those of older States, and are good enough for any State. Brick, wood and adobe are used in their construction) according to tastes and means of the owners Many are flocking in from the East seeking homes in oar more genial dime, and altogether our society is very desirable., Three good Bohoolhouses are already built and schools in successful operation. Three churches organized look after the morals of our community. Three dry goods stores, two drug and one hardware suoply the wants of the valley in this direction. There is only one hotel as yet in the place, but a new one is projeoted and in a few weeks will be ready for the public. Several of the largest and most convenient houses have been opened as boarding and lodging houses, and accommodations can be secured at low rates for either transient or permanent visitors. My object more especially is to call attention to the ample facilities we have in this valley for Irrigation. Already 28 miles of irrigating canals are completed and abundance of water to irrigate, at lowest possible estimates, 50,000 acres, whereas only 20,000 to 25,000 acres are covered by these ditches. A l*rge portion of these canals are built in solid rook, blasted out of the mountain Bide, and wherever it was necessary to make "tills" the work has been done in the most substantial manner. The cross-ditches are covered with good strong bridges and culverts built with brick and cement. This all goes to prove that the "company 1' is determined to spare no labor or money to make the enterprise a suocess, not only in the end financially, but to tie settler, guaranteeing him by these permanent improvements the security of his home aud surroundings. I have been nine years and a half in California, have traveled quite ex tensively through the State, and have come here to make my "home," beoause, in my judgment, the future of this valley is very bright. Fruits. Such growth of setni-tropioal trees as we oan show has not yet been equaled in Southern

California. The orange is almost entirely free from scale; those raised from seed have none whatever, and the few which show it have been imported from Los Angeles, San Gabriel, etc Our limes are pronounced by San Francisco fruit dealers to be vastly superior to those raised elsewhere in the State or imported from the South Pacific islands. Oranges and lemons are too young to produce fruit, except one tree of the former, which proves the fruit to be superior. The Musoat of Alexandria grape is quite extensively cultivated and the raisin interests of our valley, though yet in infancy, promise well. Ten pounds of raisins to the vine have been produced by use of the trellis; this is not the ordinary yield but shows what can be done by care and attention, At this rate an acre would produce 6,000 pounds, wbich, at 10 cents a pound, would realize $600. Let the average be only 25 per cent, of this, and we have an avenue to wealth open to the industrious at comparatively email outlay. The hue and cry is rased against our valley by some would-be philanthropists, who are anxious to furnish "facts," especially if they have an axe to grind of their own, that Riverside may be very good for raining semi-tropical fruit, but what is a poor man to do for ei^ht years while his trees are growing and coming into bearing?" Oar reply is, come and see what poor men can do while trees are growing. The fact that nearly all the original settlers in this valley wt re poor men and yet have managed to exist and seoure thrifty homes, proves that the ground between trees, if cultivated, will support the farmer while the trees are growing. Corn, vegetables of atl kiuda, berries of every description, barley and alfalfa can be raised in abundance. A gentleman told me last week that last year his alfalfa orop in 100 acres netted him $3,000 This year not quite so much on account of bad management.

Cost of Land and Water. We are misrepresented by saying that all good land is held at $50 per acre. It is not so. There is an avenue nearly 15 miles Ion; laid oat the entire length of the valley, 132 feet wide, eight miles of which is as straight an a line. On this main avenue the land is $50 per acre, bat back from this thoroughfare 40 rods und land is only $13, equal in every respect to that on the avenue except choice of location. A.g*in, we are accused of selling water at an average of $5 per acre annually, whereas the "facto*' are that it only costs from three dollars to three dollars and one-half per acre, exoept where parties want a continuous stream of five inche,; it then amounts to $50 per annum for a 10 acre lot. This water, on account of the great length of canal, becomes warmed up and stimulates the growth of trees and other fruits, whereas water from flow iDg wells chill* the tender plants and is not so valuable for irrigation. I wish, Mr. Editor, you would take a vacation and visit Riverside, and thus see for yourself what our prospects are. But my letter is already too long. The fact is I am fall of my subjeot and perhaps you may hear from me at some future time, should you so desire it. D. W. McLeod. Riverside, Nov. 17th, 1876.

[We are glad to receive fair and true statements from all looations where our readers have oast the lot of their lives. We would like to introduce the State to itself and to the world, and thus bid each part come forward.—Eds. Pbi»».]