USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
He thought I was extravagant, but the facts and figures show ] was right in my anticipations. Not only have the number of rounds brea thus increased, but the quality has progressed in favorable ratio with the weight. Ax on industry it has paid, mol always will, with those who, give it striet attention; and as we ran observe, those who have followed It are af comfortable and happy.
It in like compound Interest; it progresses night and day; and in our happy climate only eathag for small exertion from the husband- man. While these conditions exist, we should not forget the slovenly manner that sheep interest has claimed and rerrival the care of that high-toned exacturss bestowed upon it in Spain, Snsony. Englad, und in our own Eastern and Western States,
We should be proscented by the hamane societies established for the protretion of domestic animals. We simply provide for their rom- ing into existence; if the year is good, all right; if not, we let them aturve or perish in the storms. A gond and humane L gishiture should provide that we only should have the number we are able to find and shelter. It would be better in the eml, as we would demand nud receive a better price in the market, and only raise such as were profitable,
It is au rasy mutter to makr shedbling. to provide a little hay: two or three pounds of hny will keep a sheep iu good comlition for twenty- tour bours during one of our stories when they are dey und clean. There is a satisfaction in this beyond the humanity involved, and an reutimmy beyond ronception.
There is another economy that might br practiced, and that is, the honesty in putting up our wool for market. I have always kept tags, hides, and freces separate nul apart, umnl if hurried ] so marked it. The result bas been to mr five cents u pound difference; and this in the item of freight ulone is considerable.
I would go further if I could, aud have all our sheep-men wash their sheep before shearing, have their clean-hoarded floors, and brush out the box after trying every fleece. If this course were persistently followed, wo would get npour standard of wool and have the confidence of the Eastern manufacturer.
I contend that sheep will pay mmler all cireninstances, and will discount eattle or any other stork, provided you have the proper range. This is my experience. I have followed it persistently, and I can ree- omend it on a small or large scale. It can be profitably pursued by the sumll or large proprietor. The precious little animals provide you with everything-raiment. fon ], und manure for your orchard. vineyard or potuto grouml. Apart from the present boom in wool, I recommend sheep to those who wish to thrive; ont at the same time I recommend eure, reonomy and humanity; aud the eunetwent and enforcement of Inws romprlling men to provide fred aud shelter for any and all stock that they claim ownership of, nud particularly that innocent. docile and useful little aniuuml, the sheep, that princes have been proud to owu, and kingihans gracious ruongh to protect by salutary laws. J. (i. D.
SWINE.
Pork was constantly on the table nt the rarly missions, but was used very sparingly as an article of diet. The Indians refused it utterly, maintaining (according to Hugo Reid that
swine were transformed Spaniards. The chief use of this ani- inal then was for soap, of which large quantities were made und radod. Colour Warner estimates that in 1931, San Gabriel Mission had not less than one thousand head of swing The returns for 1890 give the number now in the county at eighteen thousatol, nine humbed and ninety
BEES.
It would seem that lees were wholly unknown in t'alifornia until 1853, when a Mr. Shelton imported two hives by way of the Jthmies, these bring the only living survivors of a large umaber with which he left the East. He settled in Santa t'lara county, and from these two colonies, all the bees now in Cali. fornia are supposed to have sprung. According to John T. Gordon Hawley's Pamphlet, page 101)-
September 4, 1851. the first hive of bees was introduced intu Los Angeles. The party importing the same paid one bundred and fifty dollars for it in San Francisco, on the wharf, when it was landed with a number of hives shipped from New York, ria the Isthnmns. In April, 1835, this hive cast ont two swarms, which were sold for one hundred dollars each as they were clustered on the bush, without having. The honey sold from this rarly source of supply commanded one dollar and a half per .נתנוומין
In the" Historical Sketch" page 41), this first introduction of bees into the county, is placed! by Hon. Benjamin Hays to the credit of t). W. Chills, Esq .. in 1856. Under date of March 30, 1872, the Express notices the introduction of the first Italian guren into the county by Mr. Chills, at an outlay of sixty-live dollars, which certainly seems like an extrav- agant price for so small a "fow!" However there may be a mistake fhere, for Mr. Gordon, in the pamphlet before quoted) continues :-
In Jaunary. 1855, 1 introduced fifteen hives of Italian bees into this convty, and their marked superiority over the black or Germau bee is uttracting deserved attention. From this stork, the Italian colonies in this county have increased to five hundred stands.
In 1860 we find that one party in the county has twenty- live colonies, and several others are in the same business, all doing well. In 1868 wild honey was gathered in considerable quantities throughout the foot-hills, and shipped to San Fran- eisen. The following account of a famous deposit of will honey is extracted from W. McPherson's pamphlet, "Homes in Los Angeles County" :-
Ju Los Angeles county, on the eastern slope of the San Fernando range of mountains, and in the immediate vicinity of the Leaming Petroleum Company's oil region, there is the most wonderful collection of wild honey in existence. The hive is located in a rift, which pene. trates the rock to the depth of probably one hundred and sixty feet. The orifice is thirty feet long and seventeen feet wide ; with four pas. sages. This ritt was discovered to be the abiding place of a swarm of bees, that is seen to come out in a nearly solid column, one foot in diameter. Certain parties have endeavored to descend to the immense store of honey collected by the hees, but were invariably driven back. and one man lost bis hife in the effort. Others, at the expense of much labor and money, built a scaffold one hundred and twenty-five
feet high, in hope of reaching a place where they could run a drift into the mek and extract its well-hoarded sweets, but finally ceased their work. Within four years the bees bave mulded not less than fifteen feel of depth to their treasure, as ascertained by actual measurement, nud it is thought that at the present time there cannot be less than right or ten tous of honey in the rock. A gentleman by the name of B. Brophy lives in a cabin not far from the spot, and obtained from the melting of the honey by the sun's heat unde than enough for his family requirements. All through that region stores of wild honey are found in trees, in the rocks, in nearly every place where it- industri- ous manufacturers think ifor they seem to thinki that it will be secure. They consume a very small portico, is the climate euables them to keep up operations nearly every day in the year, and flowerset some wort are always in bloom. It must be a very severe wawmindved when the little fellows are not seen abroad in vast numbers, buvily engaged in their mellituous work.
The bees have four natural enemies which we may quote in in ascending scale : maths, lizards, free kinds, mit bears. The tirst enters the hive, and soon destroys the oreupauts, The seensol and third pamee upon the bee outside whenever they have the chance, and swallow him without remorse or vinegar The fourth does not want the bees especially though he is said to devour them when Inden with honey , but to costs their stock with an insatiate greed. Not even the four of rille balls will deter him when he discovers a love rauch Swooping down frotu his mountain fastness at night, he overturns the hives, and fairly wallows in sweets until he is either satisfied. or killed by the infuriated ber-men, wha, however, not mufre quently come off' second best in the encounter, for bruin is a good fighter, and when he is after honey goes in to win
Formerly the honey was strained by exposure to the sun. but of late years it is generally extracted. The modus ope. randi of extracting is very interesting to a movie knives, crooked at the handle, are kept constantly heated in boiling water. With these the comb, which is made in frates, is uncapped on each side. The frames are now placed in the circular extractor, which revolves rapidly by means of a crank, when the centrifugal force thus obtained expels the lony, and Icaves the empty comb in good shape to be relilled by the boy when placed back in the hive. By this means their time and labor are saved, as they can much more speedily repair any little damage this comb has sustained, in the extracting pro- cess, than they can form a new one With the saun: view many ber-men now furnish their hives with artificial combs of bee-wax, partially formed Thee the bees go to work and complete, and all time thins saved is spent in gathering honey. But little honey is now shipped from Los Angeles county incomb, as ber-keepers think the time of their bees too valnabb: as honey gatherers, to keep them constantly making wax. The extracted honey is usually shipped in tins, and in all the best_apiaries it is handled with remarkable care and cleanliness.
It is claimed that in a good season cach swarm will produce three hundred and fifty pounds of honey, double the number of workers, and provide feed for all in addition. The Italian
60
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
queens, in this climate, are said to average three thousandI eggs per day. The feed is principally derived from the tlowers of the white sage, which grows in great abundance on the foot- hills; but failing to procure that, the insects will feed upon and extraet honey from any and all plants and flowers they may be able to find. Fruit-men maintain that they destroy large quantities of fruit yearly, and demand protection from tlwir ravages. The assertion is denied by the bee-keepers, and a wordy contest of doubtful issue is the result. Probably soine disinterested savan will, some of these days, decide the the matter linally, and save further offusion of ink. After enrefil inquiry the writer is of the opinion that there are fully one Inred thousand colonies in Los Angeles county to-day, and this notwithstanding the heavy losses of a few years ago, when loves starved to death by millions. The Bee-keepers Association of Los Angeles County, was organized August 16, 1873, with nine members: John T. Gordon, W. T. Martin, Heury Beckley, L. M. Rasmussen, Win. M. Rasmussen, Levi Richardson, Mrs. B. Richardson, A. J. Davidson, and John W. Wilson. The object : "To promote the interest of bee culture in this county." The first meeting was held at. El Monte, on Saturday, August 18, 1873, when a Constitution and By-laws were adopted, and the following officers elected : President, Jolm T. Gordon; Vice-presidents, Thomas A. Garey and W. 'T. Martin ; Secretary, Win. M. Rasmussen ; Treasurer, J. C. Barnes. The highest recorded membership is fifty-six.
SILK-WORMS.
A perfect furor for the growing of mulberry trees, ud the raising of silk-worms, seems to have swept over Los Angeles county in 1869. The silk-worin fever was epidemic, and spread to all corners of the county. Everybody talked "silk," and every isssue of every newspaper wrote " silk." So great was the demand for mulberry cuttings, that dealers sold them a year ahead. Over two hundred acres were planted with some two million enttings, and then the fever subsided; and to-day many a comparatively oldl resident does not know that silk was over grown in the county ; and this writer's as-ertiou of the fact, has been denied by leading citizens of from four to eight years' residence. Probably the oll'ered "State bounty" lund something to do with the excitement.
CHAPTER XX. AGRICULTURE.
(1771-1280.)
Los Angeles as an Agricultural County-Mexican Agriculture-Modern Agri- culture-Wheal -Its History-)Jessa Wheat-A Californian Harvest Field-Barley-C'orn-Oats- Rye- Buck wheat- Peas- Beana- Castor Beans-Peanuts-Potatoes-Sweet Potatoes-Onions-Flax-Hops-Al. falin Sugar Beets-A Mighty Bret !- Tobacco-Cotton-Sugar Cane- Broom-Corn-Forest Culture-Eucaly pins.
AS THE years roll by, it becomes more and more evident to all, that Los Angeles is pre-eminently an agricultural county. Here are half a million of acres upon which may be grown almost every variety of crop known to the farmer, and while in dry years the labor of the husbandman too often proves vain, in wet seasons, or on irrigable lands, he is always sure of bountiful returns.
Year by year the Assessor's report shows a marked increase in the acreage cultivated; and a corresponding increase in the quantity and value of exports, is year by year perceivable. Nor is this to be wondered at, when we mark the strides made by mechanical invention in perfecting the tools with which the farmer works. But thirty years have elapsed since the Mexi- can fastened the crooked branch of a tree to the horns of his ox (by thongs) and therewith lightly scratched the bosom of Mother Earth; then laboriously dropped the seed, one by one, in the tiny furrows he had made. Now behold mighty gang- plows, yoked to a seore of snorting steeds, cutting a broad swath of brown mold across the green prairie, from horizon to horizon. Next the automatie seeder seatters the germs by millions; and where once was seen but the Mexican's tiny acre of scanty stalks, now waves a billowy ocean of yellow grain, far as the eye can reach. Not the slow sickle, or puny scythe must reap this harvest. The swift headers come, with waving wings aud rattling blades, rejecting the treasured straw of the Eastern farmer, and daintily choosing only the golden heads. And last-no wooden flail with feeble beat, nor old-time fan- ning-mill, but the mighty steam separator, devouring heads by millions, and making immediate return in hundreds of tons of clean, bright grain.
In mission times, the lands being devoted to stock, but little grain was raised save for home consumption, though it is alleged that occasionally a surplus was exported. The prin- cipal crops were wheat, barley, corn and frirol-a small bean much used by the Mexicans. With the influx of American enterprise, a greater area of land was brought under cultiva- tion, and many crops-hitherto unknown-were experimented with, in order to test fully the capabilities of the soil aud eli- mate. Up to the present time, almost every known variety of grain, fruit and vegetable have received a trial at some period,
in some part of the county. It is our purpose here briefly to review these experiments, and note results.
WHEAT.
Probably no other erop in the county has shown so marked an increase, and achieved so great a success-where least expected-as has wheat. The missions always raised some, aml Father Sanchez-during his pastorate -- is said to have loaded three Russian ships yearly with the surplus.
Still Los Angeles was never regarded as a wheat-growing country, and a series of dry years following closely upon the American occupation, caused a pretty general belief that this grain could not be here raised to advantage. Even in wet sea- sons rust and mildew destroyed the crop, and wheat-growers despaired of ever achieving success. From 1855 to 1859 this crop proved one prolonged failure, scarcely enough being saved from year to year for seed. Still some few persevered, and in 1860 came a change-that year they had an excellent crop; and the following season brought one equally good.
But Dame Nature now forgot her compliant mood, and resumed her habitual coyness. From this out until 1865 the crop was generally cut green for feed, to avoid total loss. hut the last-mentioned year thirteen thousand bushels were har- vested. The ensuing ten years were but a repetition of former ones-sometimes a half or a quarter crop, sometimes none at all. In 1875 the county returns showed a yield of twenty thou- sand bushels. In 1877-8 some ten thousand acres were planted and a fair yield realized. About this time occurred a new departure, which promises to fairly revolutionize farming in the southern country, and to promote Los Angeles-possibly to be the banner wheat county of California. This was none other than the introduction of a new variety of wheat, known as the "Ghirka," or " Odessa" variety, and described in the Pacific Rural Press, of February 28, 1880, as follows :-
The wheat is small, round, and although not absolutely what millers call " hard wheat," it is of hard, dark grain, and contains much more strength and gluten than the tender " Yellow Polish " and white "Sandomirca," which are also grown in southern Russia. The "(birka" contains more gluten than even the American " Red Winter," and ju the Trieste and Hungarian Mills it is found more suitable to the mode of milling there in use than almost any other description of wheat.
The Ghirka district extends principally eastward from Odessa, in the direction of Nicolociff, Kharkoff, and the Dnieper, and also as far as the Azoff, where the Taganrog wheats are also dark and strong. The "Ghirkas " are sown in spring, and after sufficient rain up to May. do not require more moisture.
The chief advantages expected by growers from this wheat are, first, an ability to thrive with less moisture than is neces- sary for other varieties; second, that in wet seasons it will not rust. So far these anticipations seem to have been fully real- ized. In 1879, thirty-one thousand five hundred acres were planted, largely in the "Odessa " variety, and a net yield of three hundred and seventy-eight thousand bushels (average
RESIDENCE OF I. R. DUNKELBERGER, LOS ANGELES,
CAL.
008418470 WY THOMPSON & WAST.
61
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
twelve bushels to the acre) was the result, as per Asesor's report. This year (1880, it has been estimated by competent authority that not less than one hundred thousand acres are under wheat in this county, and the yield, judging from present appearances, will certainly show a much higher average. In the low-lands and southern portions, the crop is almost entirely " Odessa" whent, while many of the old varieties have been retnined on the higher and more north- erly lands. It has been the custom hitlerty to commence sowing with forty pounds of sred to the arre, gradually increasing the allowance, as the season adenneed, to sixty pounds, which was the maximum. The belief is, however, rapidly gaining ground unong the Los Angeles farmers, that this is too large an umount of seed, and that thirty- three or thirty five pounds, increased gradually to forty-five pounds, and no more, will give letter results. As many as seventy five walks have been found springing from a single wed, at least, so we are informed by those who profess to have counted them.
A Californian harvest field is a scene of rare activity, and cannot be letter described than as seen by this writer in July, 1880, on a trip to the magnificent whent fields of II. M. New- huh, Esq., nt the town of Newhull, in the northern purt of Los Angeles county.
A space has been eleured by the henders, in the center of a mighty field of yellow, waving grain ; a ficht so vust thut its area may be moro readily computed in square miles than square ueres, To this spot was drawn yesterday what appears at first sight to be an old-fashioned locomotive, but which is, in reulity, a steam-boiler upon wheels, In front of this stands the engineer with a fork, stuthing waste struw (the only fuch used) into the voracious fire-box, under which a tank of water entches the sparks, and serves us a guard against fire. A tight-box water wngon supplies water from a distant spring. und this, being speedily transformed to steam, canses a Inrge driving wheel to revolve rapidly.
The "Separator" (Eustern "Threshing Machine ") stands sume thirty feet uway, connected with the revolving wheel of the engine by a long belt.
Far uway near the hill-side stands the white camp of the harvesters, where at early duwn they breakfasted. No eight- hour system has yet abbreviated the day, nor prolonged the night amid these mountain solitudes. "Sun to sun" is the golden rule, and us the lurid orb peeps o'er the eastern hills, the reapers are pushed, each by four horses harnessed behind, and each accompanied by its consort wngon, upon the quiver- ing mass of bearded grain. These reapers are a practical illns- tration of " the curt before the horse," the machine going first and the team following, pushing iustead of pulling. Last of all, the driver rides upon the tongue, behind his horses, his
hand upon a lever, and his eye upon the grain, that he may raise or lower the seythe, according to its height, and thus secure all the heads The revolution of the wheels causes the reel to revolve, and also shuttles the scythe, while an endless balt carries the severed heads each with its six or twelve inches of straw attachel, up a slanting gangway, and into the attendant wagon.
This wagon, having a box very high on one side, and very low on the other, looks as though the builder had starte I ont to Greet a mammoth packing car on wheels, but had run out of material after finishing the bottom, both ends, and one side. Each wagon is manned by two persons, one to drive being very careful to keep close alongside the reaper, the other, armed with a fork, to pack the heads away, as they fly into the wagon (over the low side of the box from the gangway of the reaper. A very few minutes serves to till the wagon, when the reaper is stopped, the full wagon drives away to the Sepa- rator, and an empty one takes its place, to be filled as was the former.
At the Separator there are generally two wagons being unloaded at the same time, one on each side. Two men, with forks, pitch the wheat upon a platform, some six or eight feet high, while four others, from the platform, feed it to the Sepa- rator. If regularly fod, a steady, satisfied rumble attests the fact, but the quick eur of the manager detects on the instant any complaint from his mechanical pet, and he chides his men accordingly.
· At the far end of the machine, a cloud of threshed straw and chatl', settling upon the ground, is dragged away by a team of horses (wearing canvas hoods to protect their eyes) attached to n twelve-foot wooden shovel.
At the side, protected from the dust and chaff by a canvas awning, a steady stream of clean, ripe grain is received into new sacks by oue man, while another deftly stitches up the mouth of cach, as tilled. and with marvelous celerity carries it ont and deposits it upon a fast increasing pile. Anon, these are loaded npon immense double wagons (carrying nine tons to the trip , and are hauled by teams of sixteen horses 'all guided by a single line) to the great warehouses of the proprietor, there to be stored till shipment.
Yet even in this apparently simple matter of storage, system must be followed, and every sack inst be laid so as to break joints with its fellows, or a leak in some of the lower tiers may cause the pile to totter and fall, wrecking not only the ware- house, lunt also a goodly slice from the ample fortune of their enterprising owner.
BARLEY.
While the raising of wheat in Los Angeles has always been looked upon, at least until quite recently, as a moot question, there has been no such problem to solve regarding barley.
From the earliest times this has been one of the chief agriend- tural products of the county, and formed a stapte article of diet, for both man and beast, at the missions.
Naturally. American immigrants chose this erop in prefer- ence to those of less estaldished reliability, and we find one hundred and fifty thousand bushels reported in 1565 Ten years later four hundred and fifteen thousand nine hundred and fifty bushels were reported, and the returns for 1579 give twenty-nine thousand five hundred arres under this crop, with a yield of five hundred and ninety thousand landets, or nu average of say twenty bushels to the acre. It is estimaten that this year ISSO at least ninety thousand acres bnve been sown, and there is every promise of at least us abundant returns.
There is one peculiarity nlmt this crop in California which at once attracts the attention and excites the amazement of the Eastern visitar, viz, the growth of " volunteer" erops, car- tainly the second, and probaldy the third year after sowing. It seems almost incredible, while viewing a field of rank, rich grain, to be told that this has come up "on its own hook," without toil or care on the part of the farmer, n sort of free- will offering ns it were from Dame Nature
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.