48 F] icit Farming for Profit in California. 



the cool waters from tliis very spring. It would tell of 

 how the stages of the overland line, which in early 

 days ran from San Francisco to St. Louis, would stop 

 here to water the horses at this spring, and for the 

 passengers also to quench their thirst. Now the old 

 stage line has been superseded by the railroads, and 

 this spring, then so highly prized, is neglected and 

 unused. 



A little further on, and we cross Los Alisos creek, 

 whose banks are fringed with sycamore trees, and whose 

 waters flow along the eastern boundary line of the 

 Eanche. This creek is one of the principal water-ways 

 of the county. It was on its banks, and near the S23ring 

 just mentioned, that the missionary fathers burned the 

 lime used for constructing the old mission at Capis- 

 trano. The old kiln still stands, and the wood used for 

 kindling the fires was gotten near by. Many an old 

 legend could be told of this historic place, but the sur- 

 vivors of these early days are few now, most of them 

 having passed into the great unknown. 



Our drive is continued on through the fields, and no 

 other stop is made until the house of the foreman, 

 situated on the eastern edge of the orchard, and in the 

 midst of a grove of sycamore trees, is reached. The 

 building is a comfortable structure consisting of six 

 rooms, and is most conveniently arranged. 



We drive along again, and over to an adobe build- 

 ing, which was built over one hundred years ago. 

 It was erected for a former owner of the Eanche — 

 Don Juan Serano — and surrounding it are giant pear, 

 apricot, and olive trees planted more than a century 

 ago by the early settlers and still bearing large crops. 



