The Placer herald., 1858-10-02
REPORT OF THE ASSESSOR OF PLACER
COUNTY.
ASSESSORS OFFICE, Placer Co !
Sentember 2Sth. 1888

To Hon. II. Il. Higfey. Surveyor GenerdI'
In compliance with the terms of your Circular,
addressed to County Assessors have the honor
TO submit the following as my Annual Report as
Assessor of Placer County. for the year 1858 de-
rived chiefly from the schedules submitted to the
assessable portion Of our inhabitants. and in re-
viewing the work which has devoved upon me
and my Deputies, cannot but offer to the tax
payers OF our county my hearty congratulation
upon the general prosperity. under kind Provi-
dence, which seems to pervade almost every des-
cription of business clieving that, if we can
Judge the future by the past and present, few
counties in California have a brighter prestige
for wealth and influence than Placer.
There are two great interests which are para
mount to all others in this county-MlNING and
! AGRICULTURE: to the second of which desire TO
! first call your attention. About one-third of the
territorial limits Of Placer county is what may be
denomnated ali agricultural and grazing country.
! This is principally located in the southern and
western section OF the county, and luckily for the
hardy Farmer. few, it any OF its acres are accurs-
/ ed with Spanish Grants. While the settlement of
the farming districts Of the county seems to be
tNrdy, still that portion Of our population is evi-
IDENTIFY increasing My predecessor A. S. SMITH
ESQ., to whose very elaborate and valuable report
! OF 1857, am indebted for many reference of the
condition OF the county for that year. reported
two hundred and twenty-six farms in the county
! in 81. | have every reason to believe that this
number has increased to near three hundred.
! Many of our farmers are making more substantial
/ improvements in the way of commodous dwell
! lngs. outbuildlngS fences. etc. Farming is get
ting to be better unders God in this climate than
| heretofore; experience has taught the farmer the
most suitable time to put in his crops-and as
/ Dame Nature has manifested her Willingness to
respond handsomely to the call of the husband
men, some OF our more enterprslng farmers have
( taken to mixing the different soils. and applying
the old heaps OF manure, which n few years ago
/ considered entirely useless. but which rp
now proved 10 have the most beneficial influence
in aiding the earh to respond to the call upon it
Last year there were claimed in this county. and
upon which there were one or more occupants on
tracts Of l60 acres. about 100000 acres; about
one fourth OF this is fenced. The Federal Gov
ernment has issued its proclamation to sell nearly
all the agricultural lands of this county next Feb
ruary: in view OF which Fact many of our farmers
are taking the necessary steps TO obtain patents
for their lands after which their improvements
will be characterized by more permanency for the
greatest drawback to the settlement OF the public
lands in California has been the unsettled cond-
ton OF the land titles Ii is the peculiar province
OF agriculture to minister to the immediate wants
of man, and it is subject which has been dwelt
upon by the Poet and Philosopher in all ages. No
country has ever risen to any great and command
lag emlnencc, and for any length OF time sus-
taned ITSELF without the solid basis of an agr
cultural population. Although Agriculture oC-
cupies prominent position among the industrial
pursuits of man. still it is intimately connected
with the mechanic arts commerce. and mines of
this well other countries; they are like the
tinbers OF d well constructed coach, mutually de
pendent upon each other-whatever benefits and
supports the one, assists the other
The permanent inhabitants of cur county are
fast rearing around their residences and home
steads those floral. horticultural and agricultural
embellishments, which are the pride and glory of
any country; which speak for themselves, and
need only passing reference from me. aside
from M statistical reference.
FRUIT TREES.
The following is believed to be very near cor
rect estimataoi the numbers of fruit trees and
vines now under successful cultyation; Peach
trees from one to five years Old. l0.2ZS: Apple
trees. 6.32l; Pear, 594; Plum, 66s; Cherry, 2O4;
Apricot, 200; Ounce POS, Nectarine, 81 Fig. G7;
Almond, II; PersimmoA. 6; Pecan. Is; Black
Walnut s: Strawberry vines, l2l,S.o; Grape
vines, 4,23l.
The following named gentlemen are especially
entitled TO notice for the zeal aud energy mani
tested in cultyating fruit trees. vines, and orna-
mental shrubbery: Col. VIM. McClure. Yankee
Jim's Messrs. Ctandal. Eussel. Tuttle an, Hill
yer, Auburn; Philip Lynch. Secret Rayjne: j. Il.
Nickorson Doty's kayine; G. ". Threlkel. Long
Valley: Augustus Williams, Half Way House;
Mr. GavlLrtl Fountain House: j. NJ D. Reese. and
Arnold Denton, near Virginia; L. L. Miller, near
RatIlesnake Perry u Courtright. near Stewart
Flat; Thos. llearn. Rock Spring; j. K. Gwynn.
Lauravlle: E. =. Mendenhull, llluostoVn: and
Geo W. Appegatr, Lisbon
/ In connection with fruit orchards | would say,
! that owing to the unusually severe and late ro>ts
| last Spring. many of the fruit buds were killed.
aud consequently the amount Of fruit raised was
very limited for this season. In many instances.
| however, the fruit trees have grown beyond what
mi gllt have been expected bad they horne fruit:
aud the prospects are, that if Jack Frost will
only stand aioof next Spring. our fruit growers
will reap most desirable harvest for their past
labors The fruit, such as peaches. which is
usually brought from the Valley below, bears no
comparison to that which is raised in our own
county, either in size. flavor or beauty; This is
owing, doubtless. to our fruit rasers having
better quality of fruit trees than many Of those
who have been in the habit OF sending their fruit
into the interior.
CEREALS.
The number of bushels of cereal grains raised
this year sum as follows: Wheat, los 600 bushels:
Barley about 100, 900 bushels; Oats, about 400
acres, mostly cut for Hay.
In 1852. according to the census returns of that
year. there were raised in this county, 1890
Bushels OF barley-this year there were raised
10000 bushels; wheat, in 50, IS bushels-this
year l0S.000 hcs. These two items alone
demonstrate the progress which has been made in
this county for the last six years.
LIVE STOCK.
Vaiue.
Horses 954 .........S 80. .40S
Mules, 35G ............. 3l448
Cows, 2.2G4 .............. 1880
Hogs. 5S72 ............. 1854
Icarling Calves 1920 .............. "a 400
Work Oxen, 312 .............. 2224O
Sheep G22S ........ 3l,40
Stock Cattle, a,l66 ............ 94,9SO