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Show (Special Correspondence.) Nestled nt the foot of tho Sierra Aladres and overshadowed by their Imposing grandeur, lies the old nnd well-settled community of Cucamongn. Located where the old Los Angeles-Snn Angeles-Snn llernnrdino stnge road used to run. the town of Cucainoiign hnd the privilege to provide the stage tavern and pascngcr depot for tho travel between those two cities even nR far back ns under the old Mexican rule. Whllo Cucamongn undoubtedly forms ono of the great ornnge-growlng centers of southern California, the fact remains that the unique nnd more nnd moro Interest-absorbing part of her Industry Is found In the gradually Increasing ncres of her vineyards Al ready thousands upon thousands of acres are covered by the noble vino. One single vineyard comprises more than 3,00(1 ncres. Never did nature. In uny form of her dazzling miinlll-cence. miinlll-cence. spread a moro Inviting nnd more absolutely Irresistible banquet table than In these vineyards of Cu camoiigii. witli their vines weighed down with huge clusters of glowing grapes shifting In almost every shade of the color scale from tho deep blue "zlnfandel." and tho beautiful royal purple colored "rose of Peru" to the lighter shades of the pink or opal stained "tokay," the nmber, glowing "nultatia." tho cmernld green "muscat." "mus-cat." and the almost pure while "burgher." It is a sight equally las-cluatiug las-cluatiug to the poet and to the practical prac-tical business man to the Ioer of nature and to tho lover of bank accounts. ac-counts. It Is at once a dream o-k.-niity and a bit of concrete reality. Vineynrds meet the eye of tho traveler trav-eler everywhere. Perhaps tho expanse ex-panse of unbroken level on which the vineyards here lire situated presents to the arllstle eye a less plcturosque aspect as-pect than tho sloping grounds .of tho huge foothills on which must of thu vineyards nlong the Khlno lu southern Germany aro trailed. But the vineynrds vine-ynrds of tho lint ground have the advantage ad-vantage of being more easily uccessl-bio uccessl-bio to tho Implements of cultivation with tho result of n corresponding Increase In-crease In the profitableness of the industry. in-dustry. The life in a vineyard during tho grapo-plcklng season Is throbbing wlih energy nnd eager Interest. Tho picking pick-ing must tako place as soon us the ftrnpo shows sign of ripeness, nnd the owner must lose no time In facilitating facilitat-ing tho important operation. Pickers gather from nil lands, though most of them seem to hall from Mexico and tho Orient. The dexterity with which somo of thoso expert grapo pickers handle their scythe-shaped knives, removing re-moving tho clusters from tho vine, Is astonishing, nnd If paid by the box. pure, strong blood. Thus, in Kuropt ' every year during the grape season the worn-out nnd enervated glldei j youth of nil lands hasten to the vino I ynrds of southern Germany nn France, to glvo themselves up to 1 1 dlel of grapes nnd "pumpernickel" 1 the (icrhinn brown bread and tho ro suit Is most gratifying. Undoubtedly much suffering and physical breakdown break-down could be prevented If, In place of n haphazard and trying drug medication, medi-cation, the overworked head or over-feasted over-feasted stomach were given a rest and 1 I Relic of Early Days. 'recuperation In some of California's numerous vineynrds. Cucamongn gets Its water supply from the ndjaeent mountains of the ' same nnme. "Cucnmoiiga" Is nn Indian Indi-an appellation, nnd means "many j springs." The village Is favored with j the purest water supply ever known. It is crystal clear and perfectly tasteless. taste-less. And this wnter, which n king might consider n priceless luxury on 1 his table, la piped to every fnrmor's ' house nnd used for his household nnd ! Irrigation. I If the wnter lu Cucumoiiga Is luxurious, luxuri-ous, the weather is not loss so. Tho I soft, balmy breezes carry the fra-j fra-j grance of the wild flowers of tho I mountain slope down over the village, while the l,r00 feet nltltudo of tho latter Is high enough to bring It In touch with the ocean air current, which, to the balm nnd fragrance of the atmosphere; adds vigor and brad-ness. brad-ness. The soil Is rich, and the vegctntlon tropical , In Its nlmost conclusive I growth. ' The homes with which the avenues nre lined are framed by evergreens ever-greens and flowers, while gigantic palms give shade and dignity to tho surroundings. Many of these homes sl.ow all the elegance nnd refinements refine-ments of the city residence, plus tho rural grace and freedom, Invigorating air and enchanting sylvan retrents which a city home can never even approximately ap-proximately realize. The aspect of mountains above nil suggests rest and peace, and worn-out muscles and shattered nerves can bo treated no better (linn to bo brought In vibratory touch with tho healing forces nt work In tills enchanted, region. re-gion. No country outside of California, Califor-nia, tho citizens clnlm, possesses such unique and felicitous combination of nil the strongest nnd sweetest of land, wnter, sky and mountain nnd Cucnmoiiga Cucn-moiiga Is ono of the goms of Cnllfor-nla. Monument to Faithful Padre. It mny easily result In a dally compensation com-pensation of $3 to $. Tho rnto per box Is 4 cents. Usually, however tho most picking Is paid by the day $1.7r as day-work Insures the owner from loss through carelessness In picking, pick-ing, and at the same time guarantees (ho averago picker a steadier employment. employ-ment. Pickers hnvo to provldo for their own board and lodging, though n good deal of tho bill of faro consists of grapos. No fruit. If taken with moderation, moder-ation, Is more healthy and nutritious than tho ripe grapo Its principal Niaractorlstlc Is to generato frosh. |
