SEMI- TROPIC CA LIFORNIA. 
165 
AS OTHERS SEE US. 
OPINION OF A VISITOR FROM THE EAST. 
At the close of the Children's perform¬ 
ances, Gen. J. H. Shields, of Florence, 
took the stand to introduce n visitor, and 
said: 
Ladies and gentlemen: Culifol'nians have 
plowed, planted, cultivated, harvested, 
and told an incredulous outside world of 
the results. We have among; us to-da.v 
a sl.ranger, from the fur East, who was 
but is no longer iucrfidulons, because he 
came, he sees, and believes. He proposes 
to make amende for his incredulity upon 
hearsay by telling you of his belief upon 
the sight of the horticultural displays 
which he has examined in this pavilion. 
1 now have the pleasure of introducing 
Mr- Horace ,J. Smith, of Philadelphia. 
MV. Smith has traveled much in Europe 
ami America, was one nf the managers of 
the Centennial Exposition, visited Califor¬ 
nia in 1STT, staying six months; returned 
in 187!) for a visit of eighteen months. 
Ha Inis a tine residence at George's Hill, 
Philadelphia, from which only the fine 
climate of Southern California entices him 
to absent himself. 
On taking Lho pint form Mr. Smith said: 
It, Rooms proper that some cum from it 
distance, who has no investments here, 
should give expression to his surprise at 
such an exhibition as this now before us. 
When Moses led the children of Israel up 
out, of Egypt and through the wilderness, 
he was only permitted to lake a view of 
the promised laud and die. Those of us 
who have crossed the alkali deseit. and 
looked down on the golden plains and been 
still more favored than Moses, to enter in 
like Joshua to see the fruition, can truly 
Bay this is a goodly land and wondrous in 
its possibilities. 
It was my good fortune to visit this 
coast four yours ago, fresh from centennial 
labors, when, through the courtesy nf lend¬ 
ing' gentlemen. I had ail intelligent ex¬ 
planation of the hopes, then entertained, 
of making this a great fruit and grain pro¬ 
ducing country. There was then enough 
accomplished to justify the Calebs who 
hud come to spy nut the land m going 
forward, though if was required that 
works should go hand in hand with faith. 
Coming again, the egg that was then 
hardly laid, we see now hutched—the 
bud then set Inis mnv blossomed and 
fruited. I wish that the horticulturists of 
the East, who swelter and freeze alter¬ 
nately, could but KOe wlialynu have necntii- 
plished miller more genial skies mid moie 
favorable climaticonmlitiuiiK. If, however, 
the mountain will not COlne to Mahomet, 
let me advise yon to send Mnlmniet to the 
mountain; or, in ot.lic r words, to send to 
our principal cities such „ collection of 
your fruits mid other production* as will 
amply testify to the value of your lands. 
There has boon ho much gushing writing 
in the papers about California u gusliing 
that was truly justified by facts, hut "as 
like lady, in that it cloyed on tin- appetite 
— that now it is required that the realized 
products of the southern portion of the 
Stale should be seen anrl handled and 
tasted. At this moment we Stand on the 
The canning establishment of Dmimiek & 
Sheffield at Santa Burhnra, should find 
eve of great developments, greater even, 1 others in every important district to emu- 
I believe, than those wliiub we bnve already late then-success; and the mill in which 
seen. Capital is hastening to your lmr- Mr Ell wood Cooper makes his delirious 
ders with new lines of railroad, and reliev- olive oil, find other competitors. 
If I have but faintly fuluded to the &uc- 
ce*w d cun mat rut i- d by ibis oxldl.it in horti¬ 
culture. I can Mill les* do justice to jour 
gram*—your uniirignted corn, and wheat, 
and barley. 
These, however, need no words of mine, 
for are tin y not seen and known on the 
mg von. by competition, of dependence 
on the triumvirate who have created thel 
line you know so much better than I fhm 
1 need not characterize it. If the impulse 
given to Hue country by one line has re¬ 
sulted in Mieh wondrous development 
vvluit may not bo expected when these 
facilities are more than doubled; when thejexchange* 
bars of high-priced transportation me let 
down to ground-floor rnl.-s? And here let 
us pause to given tribute to that far-seeing 
engineer, John It Weller, who insisted 
Upon including the grand harbor of San 
IJiego within the limit-: of the I'uirui when 
the lines were run and the treaty made 
which redeemed this favored country from 
the Mexican*. Imagine how we all should 
feel at this moment if this safe harbor and 
nf the world, and du juu not 
who, but for you, 
cow feed inultilmh 
would las stinted? 
One other notable exhibit, however, de¬ 
serves especial mention, and that is the 
display of mineral ores from Arizona. 
Thin region atyolir iluovn i* so marvelonsly 
rich that tin- demand nniile upon your 
bounteous hurvnstH bus already advanced 
the price of your l.orley and hay twenty 
per cent this season. IiisUmd of having 
future metropolis was ten miles within the price* depressed by Inn." Irnmqmii.itiou, 
boundaries of a foreign country instead of land the losses incident r l. • r« t-•. yon have 
ten miles within our own territory. an inter state coniriiiie< growing a> fust, 
And another tribute should be paid to almost. a* your rapacity to supply it 
the steadfast men who have fought a win These oves now here dcmonsti.it': how 
ning battle under Adverse gircumatniices, | nwily the debt of the nation can be paid 
and lmve compelled capitalists to see the when those coffer* of nature an unlocked 
merits of the harbor of the southern const, by the pick and this crowbar. Well has 
Ami we must accord to New England the ’ California chosen fm her gn at veal the 
credit of being the brains of Ameiicn, just , motto “ Eureka,” for hen indeed i.* the 
ns France is the bruins of the world, and El Dorado, the desired home fm the race, 
though we are warned not to put our trust where climate, soil, mel otic rnatural con- 
in princes, yet if there is any faith to he ditiuns are most propitious to health, 
put m human nature, surely we may trust• wealth, and longevity, 
in the solid men of Boston. But France. 
too, ik hastening to open up a now world 
to you; mid nsMuna. da Lessens Inis bought 
the Panama Bnilroad, and Lieuteniinl 
Meuoc.nl has deumnstialed the pmelicn- 
bilily of n Nicaraguan canal, u tnms-iatli- 
minii canal in the near future is assured. I 
If the projectors of thrse line* oould but 
see this exhibition, surely their confidence 
in t.heii investments here would bis strength¬ 
ened. Von could point them to the aiium- 
nloiis fact of npples and pears as large and 
luscious and ns fair -is any, glow n oil nti- 
UTigated Inml, from Apple pips that were 
but blossoms four years ago; lei lemons 
grown alongside the apples, that are as 
smooth and juicy IIS till Mediterranean measured 15J inch 
eve.r shipped to iis; to chest lints ripened on 
trees only MX yearsohl; to orange*, rich and 
luscious, from orchards that annually real¬ 
ize to their owner* sHHlb pm acre: I" stiaw- 
lieilies as large, pruie -' us rich in flavor, 
pickled olive* a ml oli‘> nil superior b> the 
imported. 15 n( limn would fail me to cata¬ 
logue the grape*, yielding ten Ian* to the 
acre, the grape-vines, 10-1 y •■;»!* old, now 
|n fruit, and ramus shipped now by tin 
ciir-lnnd; the flaxseed, plumper and 
weightier than grown elsewhere; tin pump 
kins, in weight approaching eight luluotmi; 
the honey. limpid amt dcliouto; almonds, 
walnuts, peaches, blackberries. guava*, 
peanuts, melons, and uprioal*. It >- a Bo 
pleasing to see the diversilioalinn "I indio- 
trios, ami the lujjiiufiietories springing up 
in votir midst, for it i* vi ry certain that no 
DOTS. 
MeVberg Brothers superb exhibition of 
glass and silver plate. 
\V. U. Bowman's Duarte corn it) ear-. 
12 inches in length and IH inches in 
circumference. 
No department of agriculture wa*. better 
lepiosouted at the fair than small fruits— 
the babies. 
Seven feet I inches was the circumfer¬ 
ence of a Westminster pumpkiu it the 
fair. Its weight wan 201 pounds. 
W. N. Ted ford of Gospel Swamp had 
at the fair a Gloria Mutidi ipple. which 
i circumference, 
off the blue ribbon 
cluster of giapes. 
Los Nietos earned 
fur largest siugli 
Weight six pounds. It ■*.• of I'-rii variety. 
d Sullivan uf Santa Bui bar i • xhibited 
a pear of tin Vicar of Wakefield variety, 
l.i inches in length and 11 niche* in equa- 
loriul circumference. 
Li <s Nil In-, showed a in&tmnotli I'lppin 
l.i inches, a yellow Bell flower, 11J inches, 
and u white Bellflower, lit; inches in 
circumference. And their quality on 
being tested was found to be of the best. 
Woodbind A Gay exhibited the two 
largest pours in the pavilion. The mea¬ 
surement of the hngist is given elsew here. 
Tin* second in rammed 7 inches in length, 
I It inches in circumference of the largest 
yienl State can lean alone on agriciiltme 
mu id, a 
. uuiference, 
11 me 
be-* ill longitudinal cir- 
