254 J>cyo)id tlu iSicrruti. 



noticed jvs the black walnuts where they fall in autumn under their parent 

 trees in the Wiibash valley. When ynu lii>t gaze upon this fruit-covered 

 groun 1 you hear a voice much like that wliich came to St. Peter when he 

 saw the sheet full of things, saying, " Arise, slay and eat.'' 



After breakfast we observed this scene with wonder. Up and down the 

 •street on either hand, everywhere, you have this semi-tropical display. Here, 

 too, are palm trees and an occasional banana. Here are long lines of the 

 beautiful, smooth and while-barked English walnut, shaped like an ajiple tree, 

 but handsomer. I do not mean like a California apple tree, but like an old 

 orthodox Puritan Pijipin or Vandeveer. Now we are taken up by this train 

 of free carriages and driven about the young city and its environs. It is 

 what the Californians call a valley. Insidi' the compass of the foot-hills we 

 have here an area of about 20,(100 acres, all adapted to the raising of oranges 

 and other fruits of the semi-tropics. Figs grow here, lemons, apricots, 

 prunes, English walnuts, almonds, and even the banana a little. The people 

 of Southern California claim the banana, and even the ilate p;\lm : but these 

 are truly tropical fruits, and I doubt whether they will li jurish as far up as 

 this region. But there is enough here, and to spare. Without going beyond 

 the range of home products you can make up a Uible to set before a king. 

 We are driven through beautiful avenues, with orange orchards everywhere, 

 vineyards there and apricots yonder. These S.uita Ana p"!ople claim that 

 they can do the business without artificial irrigation. Doubtless they can ; 

 indeed, it is manifest on every hand ; but perhaps a controllable supply of 

 water would add somewhat to the regularity of their production and the e.\- 

 cellence of their products. 



There is, on this lOlh of January, a sale of lots and properties going on 

 in the city. Part of the motive in bringing us here was that we might be 

 present at these auctions. Some of us attended the sales ; others concerned 

 themselves simply with the productive resources of the region. All were 

 delighted with this iirst of many journeys aside into the blooming and fruit- 

 ful towns of California. We were treated in a hospitable way by the citizens 

 of S.inta ,\na, and, before departing for Los Angeles, had the pleasure of 

 telling them what we thought of it in the following words of hearty formality : 



The ppople of Santa Ana have just reason to be proiitl of what nature hag pro- 

 vided for them, and what they have so diligently improved. \Ve tender them not 

 more our thanks than our congratulations. 



It is our delilicrate ojiinion that they have planted themselves in an environ- 

 ment as favoral)le for |irolital)le industry as it is ins|)iring to the highest faculties 

 of taste and beauty. Their wide and mountain-girded valley seems to us to be 

 almost an ideal home for man, and the promise for the immediate future is that 

 it will become a veritaliie garden to its utmost limit. 



To the people of Santa Ana we are indehted for a view of the most novel and 

 beautiful landscape that most of us have ever seen, and we take this imperfect 

 method of expressing to them our sense of satisfaction and gratitude. 



