Wheat, barley, and oats, both as grain and as hay, are largely raised
without irrigation. Olives, and many deciduous trees, by careful
cultivation may flourish without water other than the rainfall; yet
notwithstanding this, for a home in southern California, land without a
good water-right is of little value.
The wealth of the region is in a great measure in its expensive water
system, which, by means of reservoirs, dams, ditches, flumes, and pipes,
gathers the water from the mountain streams and conveys it to the
thirsty land below.
Chapter XV
California's other Contributions to the World's Bill of Fare
By 1874 people in the Eastern states had begun to talk of California
canned fruits. Apricots and the large white grape found ready sale, but
California raisins, though on the market, were not in demand. That line
from the old game "Malaga raisins are very fine raisins and figs from
Smyrna are better," represented the idea of the public; and figs,
raisins, and prunes eaten in the United States all came from abroad. But
how is it to-day?
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners of our Eastern friends owe much to
California.
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