Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-09-27

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crops Of whest sad harley. He devoted Is,
acres to garden tnow beautifully laid out tc
supply miles Of carriage road through every
| portion) wherein are Cultivated in the creates
! perfection not only the finest American fruits
but those Of SoutAern auIy OF axQuisite quail
ty. He produces the most delicate varieti ca O,
| grapes, the olive, orange, and the lemon; the
tea-tree thrIves here, while the hgs OF Rauchc
Chico are distingl glished throughout the Sat,
for their quastity and excellence. His farm is
noted not only for its proAuctivensss, but 70
its beauty, resulting from the taste and cos
which have been bestowed Ia wayto rende
1t IN all its parts place Of rural attraction
and beautiful culture, much In advance
OF any other large estate in California
His crops ana different kinds OF live stock ar
enumerated BY thousands. While heseads o
fruit to market, the demand ct the place keep
pace with the Increasing supply, so that tn a
income from his garden amounts to a greater
sum annually than others receive frsm their
grain crops. The Chico creek affords a fin 9
water power, Of which the General made avail I
many years since to constrQct one of the best
Touring mills in the State. His house is costly
and OF great beauty. and, presided over By a
Washington lady, is the scene OF q generous
hospitality at all times. But few com paratiyely
Of those who were seized with the gold mama
now possess a competency while this property
alone possesses the value and affords the reye.
nues Of a principally. General Bidwell en-.
ploys Europeans, Americans, and Asiatics,
and has for many years endeavored to preserve
small colony Of Indians on his place from
the vices and demoralizlng influences of the
white race. The town OF Chico. built upon a
portion Of this rancho, contains near 1000 in.
ha6itants, many Of whom are people OF refine
ment. Probably NO place in America presents
better illustrator Of the capacities of this
country than re now supplied by the excellence
and variety Of the productions OF Rancho
Chico.
Butte county. with fertile bottom lands both
on the Sacramento and the Feather rivers. h,s
q large area of the best farming lands in the
State. Colusa county, on the other side Of the
Sacramento, is largely devoted to stock raising,
and in 1867 had 600 kead Of cattle and l25 600
sheep.
The Inland Valleys Of the Coast Range,
More interesting and pleasing to the eye are
the rich and picturesq ne inland valleys of the
Coast Range, Napa, Petaiuma, Santa Clara
and others. Subjoined / give notes of trips
taken through some OF these valleys within the
past fortnight.
Santa Clara Valley.
And first In interest and easiness of access to
San Francisco is the rich valley Of Santa CLARA
at the Southern extremity OF San francisco
bay, twenty mf1es wide and extending about
twenty miles southward, level to some extent
but diversified with gentle sloping hills after
the manner Of the rolling praries Of our "Wesr,
and susceptible Of cultEation over their entire
surface. Itabounds with clusters OF park.like
oaks and presents succession of pretty vii.
lagos, and highly cultivated farms, the houses,
throughout the valley having look of com.
fort and even slegence rarely seen in Cal ifornia
where the houses are generally much OF the
shed order Of architecture. The climate OF thi.
valley, though 90 near San Francisco, il from
ten to fifteen degrees warmer than in this CITY.
owing 70 ifs bsass protected hy ths nsn .s.ar,
Hom tne cold winds and fogs which rush up
the funnel Of San Francisco Bay. Taking the
cars OF the San Jose railroad for the Santa
CLARA Valley, one soon passes out Of the chilly
logs OF San Francisco into q thoroughly de-
lightful atmosphere. This railroad is compistsd
a. far as Guroy, in the southern part OF the
valley, and from thence a stage line runs
through to Montery, Los Angeles and South.
ern California. One noIes the umber of wind.
mills used for irrigating purposes; the moss ON
the fences and trees indicating touch OF sea.
air; the pyramidsi piles OF balsd wId.eats.
cut for hay; and the artesian wells ON almost
every farm. and the presence OF which are
noted by the carpet OF green in the
fields, contrasting with the browns ana vel.
lows Of the ground elsewhere baked bv
six months sunshine. There are over ons
thousand artesian wells in the Santa Clara
Valley, averaging about one hundred feet m
depth. Before the number become 20 great thu
water spouted twenty or thirty feet in the air.
but now they barely bring the water to the
surface. The greater portion OF the land In tn II
Valley IL "adobe," black sandless loan. vield.
lug from twenty I'VE to thirty bushels of wheat
TO the acre for many consecutive years without
manuring or any decrease in the yield. The
famous Stocktan rancho purchased By Com.
modcre Stockton In 18i7, and celebrated for its
wheat crops, is on the east side of the SAINT,
Clara Valley. Some OF the new land in the
Valley has produced seventy five bushels OF
wheat to the acre.
San Jose, (San Ho-Say., the county'seat is
thoroughly thriving place. / have seen no
point in California where there seemed to be 80
much business activity and "go-aheaditeiye.
ness" The streets were filled with farmers
wagons and teams and the stores all occupied
with customers. San Jose is not only
the business centre Of this richest OF the
valleys Of California, but is the radiatine
point Of half dozen stage lines in con.
necuon with the railroad. Every visitor to
San Jose, who can climb goes to the
top of the Court House to view the bean
tiful panorama OF the Santa Clara valley there
afforded. The valley here is about fifteen miles
wide, and is completely under the eye with It's
multitudlnous fields, orchards and nurseries
Of parti.colored vegetation, spread out in bands
resembling the carpet.stripes OF closely cult.
vated Belgium.
San Jose is famous for its exotics, acclimated
here in the bland air Of the valley. Beautiful
shrubs and flowers from every part OF the
globe may be seen growing here In the open
air, forming a variety Of foliage not to be seen
elsewhere in the world. The tales told Of the
productiveness Of fruit trees here border upon
the marvellous. In some Of the vineyards as
many a. 40 varieties Of grapes, from al parts
Of the world, are spcosssfully cultivated. Pear
trees yield from $500 70 1900 pounds each.
Cherry trees average $50 pounds each. and the
delicate rsisin.g grape yields betwesa dirty ana
forty pounds 70 the stem q arst crop for TIE
year, and nearly - many for seeend crop In
November a. TIE same year. - q 6fli
From, san jose to 0ilroy, thiety miles, one
passss shrough tcounnuous WHEAT sasaaS Whsse
ths steam .shresAsrs areeerer3w whore Suse
Beyond 9troy ws, striks Ne gfassne region:
OF the county where. he best blttsf end ohses.
Is made that reaches shs San Francisco mar.
hst. At Gilfoy took ssses ff San Juan