60,000 yearly. Thirty-six tons of beans were used this year
in planting. This could not be done in the East, but beans do not need
to be "poled" here, as, influenced by the dreamy atmosphere, they show
no desire to climb, but just lie lazily along the ground. Still, there
is a deal of work connected with the business. Dairying, building,
horseshoeing, repairing of machinery, are all done on the place. "As
soon as the spring rains are over, eleven gang ploughs, four ploughs to
a gang, each gang drawn by six horses, plough about seven acres per
day." Then the harrowing and planting in the same big way. During the
entire summer these vines grow without a drop of water, freshened daily
by the heavy sea fogs. Harvesting and threshing all done by machinery.
The steam thresher would amaze some of our overworked, land-poor
farmers. About one hundred and twenty carloads of beans are annually
shipped from this ranch, reserving the tons needed for seed.

And all along the way fine ranches are seen, where beans are seen
growing alone, or planted between the long even rows of fruit trees. Mr.
Thompson also owns a large hog ranch. But dear me! We are now skirting
the beautiful ocean curve which leads to the "Channel City"--so near the
beach that the waves almost touch the rails and the dash of the surf
seems under the cars. See how fine a situation! The coast line taking a
sudden and most fortunate turn, the trend of mountain range and plain
land is east and west, instead of north and south. Sheltered by
mountains and mesas, and nestled in the green foot-hills, with the ocean
breeze tempered by a chain of islands, making a serene harbor, Santa
Barbara has much to make it the rival of San Diego and Pasadena. Pork
and beans must now give way to legend and romance, martyred virgin, holy
monks, untutored "neophytes," handsome Castilians, dashing Mexicans,
energetic pioneers, the old Spanish, the imported Chinese, the eastern
element now thoroughly at home, and the inevitable, ubiquitous invalid,
globe-trotter, and hotel habitue--each type or stratum as distinctly
marked as in a pousse cafe, or jelly cake. What a comparison! I ask
Santa Barbara's pardon, and beg not to be struck with lightning, or
destroyed by gunpowder.--"_Yes, to the Arlington._"

CHAPTER XI.

SANTA BARBARA.

"Saints will aid if men will call,
For the blue sky bends o'er all."

Sweet sixteen and an "awful dad." Santa Barbara and Dioscurus. Such a
c