The hydraulic press., 1860-05-19
ITEMS OF PRbaREss.

for tillage is fast winning general apprecia-
ton. In numerous localities where the hand
ofcultiyation never was busy before, it is at
work this spring, winning nature from her
wi1dness and smoothing the ruggedness of
these elevated regions till they smile like the
gardens Of the favored East. Every mining
center is now focus of agricultural effort,
and the highways are fast being converted
into lanes. Between North San Juan and
French Corral, distance of eight miles
along the lofty ridge dividing the South and
Middle Yubas, very little tillable land
remains unoccupied and unfenced; and for
ten miles above the former town, up nearly
to the deep snow line, where the soil is
deeper and richer, thousands of acres along
the roads have been either enclosed or partly
so, both for tillage and the preservation of
the timber, which is becoming immensely
valuable. From tie upper portion of the
ridge will soon come our chief supplies Of
lumber and irewood, and as the dense for
ests are leveled the ground they have fertil-
lied for ages will be ploughed and planted.
Mining operations will occasionally ruin
some choice spot, but they will justify the
making of many another. But for the mines
these savage attitudes would not have been
the home of civilized comm unities for many
years. They constitute the propulsive ele-
ment here, as throughout the whole State.
Those who work them are themselves be-
coming cultivators and home-builders. AT
French Corral, an exclusively mining village
ever since 1849, large number Of fruit
trees and vines have been planted and small
gardens made, surrounding tasteful cottages.
No place in Nevada county evinces more ac-
tivity in this respect. Birchyille is mere
hamlet, but is doing its proportion in the
same good work. At Buckeye Hill, a few
miles further, Orlando Evans has 1000
rooted grape vines, many of which will bear
this year, and 1000 cuttings, besides pro-
duc,ive garden spot. His cottage, surrounded
by a verandah and looking down sunny
southern slope, is a model of simple taste
and adaptability to the climate. His rich
mining claims and vineyard are on opposite
sides of the same elevation, while his resi-
dence is between. This is an apt illustra-
ton of the harmony which is gradually
growing up between the two great interests
of our State. AT Sweetland, signs of i'm
provement and increasing content are visi-
BILE in the greater attention shown to orna-
mentation Of residences and enclosures
Robert Crawford has one of the quaintest,
most picturesque little home nests imagin-
able. 1t looks like the happy thought of an
artist At Sehastcpol-which better de.
serves to be known as Spring Vale, than by
such warlike name-are three charming
homes tenanted by our friends McKeeby,
Mccoy and Hartman. The last has increased
the number of his vines to four or five thou
sand, is planting a nursery-the first one in
Northern Nevada-and will do his own bud
ding and grating. He raises splendid po-
tatoes, and thinks when planted in a dry
soil they do much better if mulched with
saw dust, the heat of which draws up the
subsoil moisture. The next town, our own,
we need hardly mention in this connection,
except to say that it can boast of about forty
private gardens, every one of which has its
pretty cottage. The Hill sides about the
place are all fenced and partly under culti-
vation. Two years hence there wil not be
a loyelier village in the State. At Cherokee,
the next town above San Juan, may be seen
the handsomest farm in this part of the
county, belonging to Ackley & Collins. Its
fields Of bright green grain glitter amid the
At Columbia Hill, Nichols Il Decker have
700 rooted vines and 500 fruit trees. Mr..
Bisson has had very productive small farm
on New York ravine for several years. Keyes'
orchard and garden on Emory's road we have
before described. They contain several thou
sand vines and trees and yield a good in
come. At Lake City, Mr.. Arnold has fine
garden and several hundred apple, peach,
plum and pomegranate trees. He has
brought good spring water to the village,
through wooden pipes, a distance of 1000
feet AtNorth Bloomfield an Italian named
Antoine has 800 grape vines-some of them
five years old. They have been frozen every
year in the first leaf, and have not borne
fruit. This point is near the line of deep
snow and extreme cold, and probably indi-
Gates the limit of grape culture, though ap-
Piles and vegetables do well. The snow last
winter was 80 inches deep; this winter but
l8 inches.
On the 4th of June the citizens of Auburn
are to determine By vote whether they will
authorize the town trustees to subscribe for