654 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Many of our people do not show interest and energy enough. They rely 

 entirely upon others to display the district's productions, excusing their 

 own lack of enthusiasm by claiming that what their efforts would bring 

 would add simply to the quantity, and not to the quality or the variety. 

 Yet these same people will come to our fairs and boast that they have 

 apples, and fruits, and vegetables at home "which can beat all those." 



Ladies and gentlemen, this is not right; it is not the proper spirit to mani- 

 fest. It behooves every person — aye, it is the bounden duty of every one who 

 can — to contribute his mite towards making our fairs a complete success. 

 Strangers are now rapidly filling up our State. They come with means to 

 improve, and with the intention to remain with us permanently. To what 

 places will they first turn their eyes? Certainly to those places which 

 extend the right hand of fellowship the heartiest, and offer to them the 

 most inducements to settle. Many of our counties, recognizing this fact, 

 have used their best efforts in publishing abroad the splendid variety and 

 quality of their soil's products, the excellence of their climate, and the 

 many opportunities for investment. Recognizing that our fairs are one of 

 the best modes of advertising the local advantages, the people have vied 

 with one another to make them successful, and to bring out to the utmost 

 extent the district's best productions. 



In the southern part of the State there is being witnessed an era of pros- 

 perity and excitement rivaling almost " the days of old, and the da} r s of 

 gold." Strangers are streaming in, comfortable homes are being erected, 

 and substantial improvements are being made on all sides. Those portions 

 of the State which have catered most to the stranger have been amply 

 repaid in the material advancement of every interest and industry, and 

 are to-day pronounced the most energetic and enterprising counties of the 

 State. Yet our county has hardly felt the least quiver of the excitement, 

 only because her people will not rouse their energies and push her forward. 

 She has within her borders natural advantages which can make her the 

 successful rival of the counties much further advanced. 



Do we want soil? We have acres upon acres richer than the famed val- 

 ley of the Nile. Aye, we have soil adapted to every product which can 

 be raised in any part of the State. The soil in the southern part of the 

 county has been pronounced by old grape growers to be especially adapted 

 to the culture of that fruit. In our valleys we can produce all kinds of 

 cereals in abundance, whilst in the vast stretch of country lying between 

 the valley and the seacoast, and again to the eastward of the valley, fruits 

 may be grown which in sweetness, flavor, and quality can rival the best 

 in the State. 



Do we want climate? In the hotter region of the south the temperature 

 can develop all that is indigenous to the tropics, whilst here, in the north 

 end, along our seacoast, all the products of the temperate zone thrive in 

 abundance. And a more healthful climate can be found nowhere on God's 

 footstool. 



All who have felt the blighting breath of disease may well turn their 

 eyes to our county for their Mecca. The weak and trembling consumptive, 

 the sallow dyspeptic, all can find here renewed life and vigor; and let it 

 not be supposed that this class of people should meet with disfavor. They 

 are to be gladly welcomed, for as,a general rule those people who look to 

 California for health are people of means. They come here to find comfort 

 and renewed strength. They come, not to make money, but to spend it, 

 and, consequently, are simply a source of money making to others. They 

 willingly exchange their means for the good health our climate can give. 



And yet, notwithstanding these advantages which the generous hand of 



