Editorial 



HE fifth Counties Number of FOR CALIFORNIA contains a descrip- 

 tion of eight more counties of California. The series was begun 

 in October, the object being to give a complete resume of the con- 



■ ^ ditions and advantages in every part of California. Experts well 

 acquainted with the various counties have contributed these articles, 

 which contain a wealth of timely and valuable information that can be 

 relied upon as absolutely accurate. In the February number the counties 

 described range from Mendocino on the north to Ventura on the south, 

 and from El Dorado on the east to Marin on the west, and the diversity 

 of products, climate, and industries set forth, illustrated again the remark- 

 able assets which this State possesses, and the variety of valuable oppor- 

 tunities and advantages it has to offer to the home-seeker, the capitalist, 

 and the tourist. 



Kern County, which has come to be known the world over for its rich 

 oil fields, is described by A. W. MacRae, Secretary of the Bakersfield Board 

 of Trade. He points out the fact that there are almost 2,000,000 acres 

 of good land tributary to Bakersfield which is still undeveloped and would 

 support a population of several hundred thousand. Some interesting fig- 

 ures are given showing the agricultural, horticultural, and mineral wealth 

 of his county. 



Presley I. Lancaster, President of the Willits Chamber of Commerce, 

 predicts a big boom for Mendocino County during the coming year. With 

 the completion of the railroad link between Willits and Eureka, he says the 

 northern part of the county will become a mine of wealth for the investor, 

 the home-seeker, and the business man, and afford the thriving little 

 towns and mills their long-desired all-rail connections with the lumber 

 markets of the interior. The valleys, he says, are peopled with an easy- 

 going, satisfied class, who enjoy their large holdings and easy prosperity, 

 and make no effort to make known their fortunate surroundings, although 

 they have an open heart for the new-comer. 



Ventura County, sometimes called the "Bean County," is described 

 by a staff writer, who tells of the large sugar-plant at Oxnard, the oil fields 

 near Santa Paula, the county's fruit crop, stock ranges, and beautiful val- 

 leys, notably the Ojai, which is dotted with pretentious country homes of 

 Eastern people who spend their winters there. 



An interesting article deals with El Dorado County, within whose 

 boundaries is located Lake Tahoe, one of the most picturesque sheets of 

 water in the world. Valuable information is given of its fruit-raising, lum- 

 bering, stock-raising, dairying, poultry-raising, slate-quarrying, and summer 

 resorts. 



The mining industry of Trinity County forms the main theme of James 

 W. Bartlett's summary of Trinity County's resources. He tells of the great 

 activities that exist in this mining section, the improvements of the past 

 year, and the wealth that has been contributed during the past. He also 

 declares that there are large bodies of unworked land along the river bars 

 and beds which would yield highly profitable returns to judicious instal- 

 lations of necessary machinery. 



Kings County is another county which has much to offer to the new- 

 comer. It is one of the best natural irrigated counties In the State and is 

 pre-eminently the desirable home for the agriculturist. There is plenty 

 of good land to be had in Kings County at reasonable figures, and the 

 demand for labor is so great that the settler with limited capital will expe- 

 rience no difficulty in getting a fair start. 



Contra Costa County, which stands second in the State in the value 

 of manufactured products, is described by a staff writer. Much space is 

 given to the varied products of the county and to Point Richmond, where 

 is located the western terminus of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe 



