Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1876 — Southern California. [ARTICLE]

Southern California.

Through the courtesy of C. D. Stackhouse, Esq., we are permitted to publish the following extract from a letter written by Sir. Moses W. Stine, who was formerly a citizen of Jasper county. The letter is dated at Santa Cruz, California, January 6th: I have been in California two years and one month. During the time have visited the four coast counties of Napa, Banta Cruz, Santa Barbara and Ventura. Most of my time has been spent in Santa Cruz. 1 think the climate is nearly the same in all, except that further south is warmer and the country .suffers most from drought. People are adopting a better system of irrigation of late, and, consequently,,will not depend so mueb on the rain fall for good Crops. Near the coast they do not suffer so pinch from lack of rain as further inland,*on account of the heavy fogs that prevailall summer. Aa a general thing the soil in the valleys is very productive, lam told that in-places 110 bushels of wheat have been raised, to the acre. A gentleman told me hashed raised 122 bushids of corn' per acre in,Ventura county, but hod to water it, the distance from, the ’sen being too great to be'benefited by the fogs. There are places here where if . the . same industry and economy were observed more could lie made-vn twenty acres of valley land, after fiic years of cultivation, than' 160 acres in Jasper county. Think of strawberries thia season< of the year as large as your thumb 1 and other kinds of frtiitTn their season the best in'the World; and in greatest profusion. For honey this region can not be surpassed. A friend in Ventura county recently wrote that last iflihonm; hn to„k from 100 hires 300 boxes.] &xt» inches in size, and 1,600-pounds qi ■

i strained honey. Any amount of the finest fish may be oabglit in their Moeen. There is a great variety of climate in thia State. It ia cold or hot; windy or calm; foggy or clear, depending on the locality. Some sections are covered with finest timber, While others ere nothing but barred rocks, or covered with scrubby brush, tele now our rainy season, and we are having plenty of it. Wheat and barley that were sowed in the duet ere now s foot high ; and great is the same in many places. We wear the same quantity of clothing the year round, and keep on Woolen underclothes. Our bedding is also the same. At this eeaeon fires are comfortable to sit by mornings and evenings. This would be a good place for a tinsmith to eome to. Il is reported that during the past twelve months more than 66,000 people have moved into California in search of homes. Of course out of this vast number some will bedisappointed and dissatisfied. One should remain here at least one year before settling permanently. I have been here two years and am not settled yet. I came afflicted with chronic diarrhea, hoping the climate would effect, a cure. I have keen treated by Dr. Josalyn. who was once in Rensselaer, and now feel well.