Gold Rush Era Letters

The markets are now well supplied with fruit & vegetables of all kinds being brought here from all parts of this State as well as Oregon Chile & the Sandwich Islands. In the way of fruit we have Oranges Limes & bananas from the coast of Chile & the S.I., Apples, Pears, Water melons musk melons, Peaches & Grapes which are now grown in this State. Peaches & Grapes have been in market but a few days & were at first retailed, the former for $1. each & the latter for $1.50 per pound!! In a month however Grapes will come in from all parts of the country & will then sell for 12 1/2 cts per pound & then I think I can afford to eat a few. Oh, how I wish I could step into your garden in about one month from now, couldn't I have a rich treat, after having been so long deprived the privilege of helping myself to fruit & all the luxuries of good living & a good house which I may never return to again --

I was glad to hear that your haying was done & that you were so well satisfied & I hope you may have good success in all your farming operations --

The grass you say on the upper mowing was very good this year & sold tolerably well which is good news --

As for A. & W. Woods they & all others like them are a curse to any place, & to their neighbors particularly.

They neither try to get along themselves or to help others but on the contrary it seems as though they liked to live off from other people. They will borrow money & never pay & obtain credit then fail, lay idle &c &c