ELDORADO 235 



It is noted for its transparent beauty. Here the 

 overhanging mountains, trees and foliage are all mir- 

 rored in the water below as clear and life-like as they 

 stand upon the banks. 



California is eminently a land of flowers and if the 

 invasion of civilization has broken the natural beauty 

 of the valleys and rolling hills by the uniformity of 

 wheat fields, vineyards, orange groves and flower gar- 

 dens, it has introduced scientific industry, refinement 

 and happy homes where the domestic comforts are 

 in marked contrast with the pastored, semi-barbarous 

 lives of the early Spanish settlers of the country, and 

 where the perpetual bloom of the rose, heliotrope, ger- 

 anium, honey-suckle and lily, so abundant every month 

 in the year, will compensate for the partial loss of the 

 wild flowers of the valleys. While its people are des- 

 tined to engage extensively in commercial enterprises, 

 its population will, to a very large extent; pursue rural 

 industries, supplying the world's constantly increasing 

 demands for the products of its grain fields, its semi- 

 tropic and deciduous fruit orchards, which have al- 

 ready gained for California great fame. 



Mr. John H. Mills, one of the best know^n and tried 

 friends of the State, justifies the universal love for Cali- 

 fornia among its citizens in the following eloquent pas- 

 sage: "The love of Californians for their State, which 

 is proverbial, is not devoid of justification. What other 

 country presents such inspirations of love and devo- 

 tion ? In what other country is there broader freedom 

 of thought and action ? In what other country are the 

 alluring prophecies which attend young life more cer- 

 tain of fulfillment? In what country do the higher 



