The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1875-06-07

man, we visited the Sonoma Ranch, in
Grass Valley, twelve miles south of
Winnemucca. Leaving the railroad
and the sand mile or more south Of
town, the road thence to the ranch is
in excellent condition. At this season
of the year the valley is variegated with
flowers of every hue which spring mp
among the clumps of sagebrush and
relieve the characteristic dreariness of
that universal shrub. Numberless
jack rabbits, many of them fryin'
size." sported in the sagebrush along
the road, and disturbed by the tread of
the horses, set up on their launches to
take in the situation, aud see if the
noise betokened the appearance of an
enemy. Arriving at the ranch we were
cordially received by the genial propri-
etor, whose avoirdupois raises the
beam at 900 pounds, indicating the
healthiness Of the locality and the
W ItSS VI IhHtu idle. Dt
farm house and outbuildings. which
make respectably-sized Nevada vii
lage, is located in the foothills over
looking the ranch and the valley.
There is n school house, and mill. and
barns, and stables, all conveniently
arrar ged for their specific purposes,
and neatly painted. In the door yard,
which is carpeted with blue grnss and
lined with flowers and roses, are elms,
naples, mulberries and other kinds of
forest trees, all luxuriant with foliage
A spring in the foothills, short dis
lance above the house, supplies the
premises with water, and furnishes
sufficient of that essential fluid to irri-
gate garden and orchard of fourteen
acres In the summer season, and run
barley mill in the spring and fall An
artificial pond near this spring is well
stocked with trout, several OF which we
saw were from eight to ten inches in
length. Below this pond are rows of
blackberry, cnrrant and gooseberry
bushes, all loaded with frnit. A row
of grape vines IL this vicinity showed
by their blackened and crisped leaves
the effects of the late frost, and proved
that they are not SO well adapted to
this latitude as berries. The orchard.
in which are apple, pear. cherry, plum
and other fruit trees, contains Ia acres,
and many of the trees set out two years
ago are well filled with fruit. The
ground between the trees il covered
with red clover, now in bloom and
scenting the atmosphere with its per-
fume. On the west side Of the orchard
grove of poplars has been set ont
this spring. and are all in leaf On the
east is the grain field, containing 200
acres Of barley and new variety of
rye, which seems to be admirably
adapted to the locality The whole IL
enclosed with n substantial fence, and
is irrigated by mountain stream con-
veyed TO the ranch by ditch four
miles long.
Great pains have been taken in i'm
proving the stock, as is evidenced by n
thoroughbred bull kept in stall, and
though only two years old, weighs
1860 ponds. and COW with q three
months old calf. for which 800 has
been offered and refused. The sheep
and hogs have not been neglected, and
some of the finest breeds of both can
be found on the ranch.
Taken altogether it is doubtful if so
delightful n scene. and SO we'll appoint
ed farm can be found elsewhere in
the State, and John Guthrie is entitled
to the distinction of The Model Far
mer of Nevada" He has reclaimed
the wilderness and made the desert
blossom, and proved what the soil and
climate of our sagebrush plains will
produce where water can be had for ir-
rigating.
A TouGH ONE. w. II. Rose, who
belongs to the emigrant party from
Idaho driving teams to California. in
forms us that three days ago, his son,