The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-06-17
SALINAS CITY, CALIFORNIA.

DEAR WHICH, promised in my last te
write you from this town, which is the
county seat of Monterey county, situated
in what is termed the great Salinas Valley,
about ten miles from tide water and from
the bay of Monterey, and 1lS miles from
San Francisco The Southern Pacific Rail
way, in reaching this place, passes through
the Santa Clara Valley, which is classed
among the finest valleys in the State, anG
enjoys the most pleasant climate on the
coast. This valley is protected from the
cold ocean breeze, to considerable extent,
by the coast range, and being we'll settled
presents more civilizing and pleasing as
pect than much of the country through
which this road passes. There are also
numerous groves of live oaks growing in
the Santa Clara Valley, which contribute
much to the beauty and park like grandeur
of the landscape. San Jose pronounced
O-=a), the pet city of Californians, is also
located in this valley, fifty miles south OF
San Francisco The Salinas Valley, open,
ing on Monterey bay, extends south about
one hundred miles, and contains some OF
the
MOST FERTILE SOIL
in the State. This valley is comparatively
new to settlers and farming, having been
covered with herds of cattle and bands OF
sheep less than ten years ago. The old
stock men could not be persuaded that
grain would grow in region which had
been devoted to the grazing of stock since
the Spanish herders discovered and occupied
the country, without any attempt at cult
walton. The wild oats grew and dried and
fell to the earth, affording abundant food
for the numerous herds which roamed over
the vast plains between the mountain
ranges
This valley is now occupied principally
by fields of wheat, barley and oats, and
proves to be one of the most produc-
tive grain districts in the State. 1t is
protected from drought in a great meas
ure, by dense fogs which come up from the
ocean at night, in the Summer months.
Thirty to fifty bushels of wheat to the
acre and forty to sixty bushels of barley
are very common in this valley; in fact this
is the rule rather than the exception, if the
ground is properly plowed and the crops
put in early in the Winter While taking
a drive through the country, | stopped in a
barley field where the grain was just begin
ming to ripen, and where some men were
trying
MCCORMICK REAPER.
Such heads of grain | never before had
seen. Every huSk was filled to almost
bursting with the bright, transparent grain.
The owner of the field estimated that the
yield would be upwards of thirty sacks to
the acre, of one hundred pounds to the
sack, and l did not doubt his estimate.
This crop, too, was what is termed a vol
unteer crop, which is the second crop
which grows up from the stubble of the
previous year, the farmer merely running
a harrow over the field to give the grain a
slight covering. This field was no excep-
ton, but may be taken as very fair speci-
men of the grain crops throughout the
whole valley, of barley, wheat and oats.
One feature which strikes the stranger
at this season Of the year, is the vast guam
titles of wild mustard growing all over the
country. Every hedge row, and wheat,
barley and hay field presents one vast ex-
panse of yellow mustard flowers. This
wild mustard is the general weed of the
country, and Is great pest to the large
farmers. While the ground is strong
enough to produce the heavy crops ! have
spoken of, in spite of this rank growth of
mustard, the latter is great annoyance in
gathering the grain, the mustard being so
much taller than the grain, that it inter
feres very much with the reel of the head
ing machine. Having nothing to fear from
wet weather-there seldom being a shower
from the first of May to the middle of
November,-the grain is cut and threshed,
and the sacks left standing in the fields till
hauled to market. Where the crops are so
large and the growth SO heavy, the
HARVESTING AND THREsHING
is, of course, very slovcnly DONE and there
is probably as much grain left on the ground
as would be considered fair crop in the
old States.
From this brief account some idea may
be formed of the great grain producing
capacity of the State. California has also
a world wide reputation as fruit growing
country, which is in a great measure true.
The absence of insects which prey upon
small fruit trees of the plum variety, to-
gether with exemption from frosts and
70 g Il,
plum family, aad every variety of plums,
cages, apricots, nectarines, cherries, etc ,
yield here most abundantly Pears and
apples also grow here, the former being
very large and fine in appearance, but
neither of these fruits reach the delicate
flavor and tineness of grain which they
attain in the Northern and Lake States.
The peaches raised here do not measure up
in excellence to the Delaware and Eastern
Shore peaches. California has a greater
reputation for the
PRODUCTION OF GRAPES
than probably anything else, gold not even
excepted. But the grape does not do well
in locations swept by the cold sea winds.
Farther inland, where the country is pro-
tected from fogs and ocean winds, in the
hot dry valleys and foothills the vine pro,
duces IN the greatest abundance grapes oil
the most luscious qualities. Planting and
cultivating vineyard is attended with
severe labor. The vines are cut back to
about eighteen inches to two feet in hight
and compelled to form stout stocks like the
bodies of small trees. In this condition
they require no stakes to support them.
From the top of this stock the branches
which produce the fruit are thrown out,
and by yearly pruning head is formed
from which the clusters hang. From !.
vine treated in this manner, when it has
attained an age of twelve or fourteen years,
a half bushel Of grapes is often TAKEN the
clusters weighing from half 4 pound to six
or eight pounds each. The grapes begin
to ripen in August, and hang on the vines
till the rains set in, in November. This
period is the grape season, and the cutting.
and boxing, and shipping goes on. The
finest clusters are selected and shipped tc
the towns and cities. Four cents pound
in the vineyard is considered a good price
for the grapes that are boxed and shipped
for table use, but the grape men Otter
meet the same luck which overtakes oul
peach growers. Their fruit meets
| GLUTTED MARKET,