Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-22
AGRICULTURAL NOTES.
The Dairy and Grazing Farms of
Pine Valley.

Especial Correspondence of the SENTINEL
Our valued Mineral Hill correspond
ent has been making a trip through
the agricultural portion of the county,
and gives us the result Of his observa-
tons in the following communication:
MINERAL HILL, May 20.
A week ago the writer was invited
to take a ride through Pine valley,
and a magnificent bronco having been
placed at his disposal the invitation
was duly accepted. At twelve NJ. of
the following day, in company with
John backward, Esq, We left town,
and, after a pleasant ! of five miles,
halted at the Warm Springs House,"
where We had the pleasure of meeting
the genial and well known proprietor,
L. Il. Brutfey. After ~partaking of the
Inequalities of the house, we mounted
our impatient steeds and proceeded on
to the stock ranch of Messrs. Bradley
IL Lane, which is situated about twelve
miles from the Hill. After leaving
Bfutey's, the ranches of L. Matthews,
f.. L. Edwards, NJ. Pratt and T. r..
Whelen appear in sight, and from a
cursory view everything looks to be in
a hourishing condition. 1t is from
these ranches that our town is sup
piled with fresh butter, cheese, eggs,
etc.
The ranch of Bradley IL Lane is
beautifully situated on a meadow, con-
tanning about one thousand acres, and
through whose whole length runs the
famous stream known as Hot Creek,
which ~irrigates all the ranches clear
through to where its valuable waters
intermingle with those OF the Hum
boldt. Here, on the meadow, the
sportsmen will find good shooting,
rabbits, ducks and doves, being quite
abundant, with the geese just beginning
t % come in. Captain Haley, who has
charge Of the property, informed us
that trout were plentiful in the creek,
although it was extremely difficult to
catch them.
After half an hours rest, we again
resumed our journey, and in a short
time rode up To the stock ranch of the
backward Bros, which is well situated
for stock purposes, Hot creek running
through the premises and irrigating
their meadow on which hay is raised
TO feed the stock necessary to be kept
up.
The big farm of the Hay Ranch is to
be s9en from this point, and a sharp
canter soon brings us in front of the
pretty cottage, where reside John
Fletcher (manager) and his wife. This
is about the largest hay ranch in the
State, there being broken land three
miles in length by one in breadth, and
it is a sight 10 see the breaking plows
in operation. One pillow was drawn by
a team consisting of sixteen mules,
while another called the little one"
was worked by a team of twelve. They
raised one thousand tons of hay last
year, and will probably cut the same
amount this season. Some hundreds
OF acres are sown with grain, while al
falfa is also being raised to aconsidera-
BILE extent. The facilities for storing
and shipping the immense amount of
hay grown at this place are OF the
most approved character, the Eureka
and Palisade Railroad Company
who own this valuable property, hav-
ing a track running the entire length
OF the farm. The system of irrigation
pursued here has a most beneficial eff
feet, and reflects credit ON the manage
ment.
The next place we come to is Steve
Naples dairy farm, which is well
known for the excellent quality of
butter, cheese and milk exported to
Eureka and other points. Everything
about the place has a neat and orderly
appearance, and m naturally comes
to the conclusion That success is crown
ing the efforts of the hospitable pro.
prietor.
A few miles further brings us in front
of the "Willard Ranch" but not having
the pleasure of knowing the people
there, we were obliged to go by, and in
a quarter of an hour we arrived at
Frank Parry's dairy and stock farm;
and we were delighted to find the sup
per just being put upon the table. Our
ride had given us keen appetites, and
we certainly done justice to the good
things spread before us. We yielded to
the solicitations of Mr.. and Mrs. Parry
TO stay all night, and will never forget
the hospitality shown us. Next morn
ing we were up at sunrise, and after
hreaktasting in a most substantial man
ner, and accepting an invitation to
spend the day at the "Ranch," we
sailed out on an inspecting tour. Go
ing into the corral, we sa about forty
or fifty cOws-some being MIXED while
the others were "cbewing the cud,"
and patiently waiting their turn. On
going into the dairy room, we found
the thermometer recording a tenn pera
ture of COZ. The rocks supported in
Vulnerable pans-some filled with rich
milk ready to be skinned, and others
ready to be filled with the mornings
production. The presiding genius (the
neice of our hostessl, of this charm
ingly neat and cool retreat, graciously
done the honors by setting before us a
crystal pitcher of rich buttermilk, in
which we quatfed the health of our fair
entertainer. Hot creek. at this point,
assumes larger proportions, and is
noted for the excellent trout with which
it abounds. Two of us caught sixteen
fish in about half An hour, and the
promise for duck, geese and snipe
shooting this season is good. The pro.
ducts of the farm find a ready market
in Eureka and other places, and il
struck the writer very forcibly that the
proprietor was conducting a very pros
porous business. GRINGO.
The IA. of y. Excursion.
1t looks at the present writing as j