on the other by the beautiful background of hills rising gently toward the 

 smiling California sky, this county possesses an ideal situation. Shunning 

 alike the cold winter and the heat of summer, it possesses the golden mean 

 of temperature, with probably more pleasant days in the year than fall to 

 the lot of many residents even of favored California. 



Alameda County is the natural terminus of all transcontinental rail- 

 ways. The Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Railways are already completed 

 to Oakland, and the Western Pacific is rapidly being constructed to termiriate 

 also In Oakland. 



Riverside County 



EDWARD W. HOLMBS 



RIVERSIDE COUNTY is the youngest of the seven counties which lie 

 south of the Tehachapi Mountains. It has over 7,000 square miles 

 of territory (an area larger than many of the Eastern States), a 

 population of about 25,000, and an assessed valuation of over 

 $1 8,000,000. 



Few counties in the United States have such diversified conditions of 

 soil and climate, and consequently no other section can show such a won- 

 derful variety of productions as this. Within its limits are lofty mountain 

 peaks, snowclad at times, from which cool streams descend to supply sur- 

 face or underground water with which to irrigate the great fertile valleys 

 along their slopes. On the westerly side is located the principal population, 

 and over the broad mesas many thousand acres are compactly planted to 

 the orange and lemon; and among these are orchards of the olive, apricot, 

 peach, and plum, vineyards of wine and raisin grapes, and indeed every 

 plant known to the temperate or semitropic zones. 



On the level valley lands are large areas of green alfalfa, and dairying 

 is a large and growing industry; while upon the lands where water is not 

 available for irrigation hay and grain are produced in years of favoring rain- 

 fall in immense quantities. Stock is grown in the foothill ranches, and in 

 the canyons the beemen obtain a high grade of honey. 



The rapid growth of the cities and villages in the southern part of 

 California has provided a splendid local market for all farm products, and 

 insured the prosperity of the small farmer; while the development of the 

 Eastern markets has made it possible to harvest most profitably the seven 

 thousand carloads of oranges and lemons now produced in the county. 



Only a few miles from the summit of the San Jacinto Mountain the 

 land drops abruptly on the easterly side from an altitude of 1,000 feet to 

 hundreds of feet below sea-level. These desert valleys were once deemed 

 valueless, excepting for their undeveloped mineral resources or as a winter 

 resort for invalids to whom an absolutely dry atmosphere was necessary. 

 But the discovery there of artesian water, and experiments made with mel- 

 ons, grapes, alfalfa, etc., have demonstrated the wonderful productiveness 

 of the soil and the fact that no section of the Union can compete with these 

 valleys in the quality and early ripening of its products. Already thousands 

 of carloads of these products are annually shipped to the great Eastern 

 markets at a season when elsewhere seed is being sown. 



Riverside County offers exceptional opportunity for men of all classes. 

 The railroad and hotel interests have sufficiently pointed out the pleasures 

 of life, in a section where the climate invites out-of-door life for the worker 

 or pleasure-seeker. The tourist finds in our sunny climate, our excellent 

 hotels, our splendid roads, and our mountain and coast resorts attractions 

 sufficient to bring him here in steadily increasing numbers, and it is 

 largely from this class that our permanent urban population is being re- 

 cruited. And the requirements of this rapidly increasing class furnish a 

 steadily growing market for the products of the farm, the dairy, and the 

 poultry yard. Manufacturing is also stimulated by the growing local needs. 



