Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-05
AGRICULTURAL.
NJ r4ER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOR
THE "RECoRD UNION"
crane and Fruit Culture in Sacramento
CoYuty-The Mound
Builders.


leading agricultural product raised for export
and for money making, this county has not
been distinguished as rich agricultural
county. Her soil is not adapted to wheat
culture, except in limited sections. Those
sections lying along the American and Sacra-
mento rivers, It is true. produced some OF
the heaviest crops Of wheat ever raised
n the State in the early days OF
agriculture here, but it was found after few
years experience in wheat culture on these
deep rich bottoms that the straw grew too
heavy, and that the rust and smut attacked
the wheat ana rendered the crop too nncer-
taiu. Wheat, as a crop, has been wholly
abandoned now on these rivers In the county.
Fruit and the dairy business has been
very successfully introduced and followed on
these bottom lands, except near the city OF
Sacramento, where market gardening has
been followed by Chinese, Portuguese and
Italians very successfully. Back from the
river bottoms the soil OF the county is mostly
of a red clay, mixed in places with gravel
and decayed quartz. These uplands were
formerly regarded Of but little value, and
were used mostly for sheep pastures. The
surface soil is quite shallow and lies upon
hard pan Of clay and mari. This hard pan
is also, as rule, quite thin. and below it
there is an inexhaustable supply Of pure, soft
water at depth from ths surface of from
six to twelve feet. The land, to q consider
able extent, is rolling, or ii fiat, has natural
sloughs running through it. SO that nearly all
sections can, with very little expense, be
thoroughly drained. Thereare small vineyards
and orchards in nearly every neighborhood ia
these sections of the county, and both, where
moderate care has been bestowed upon them,
are among the best producing in the State.
The vineyards produce glapes that either for
shipping for the table or for wine, are not
excelled by grapes produced In any other
county in the State. For cherries, prunes,
spricots, nectarines and the various kiuds of
small fruits, as blackberries, raspberries and
Strawberries, no other section or county can
excel, and very few equal, these red lands of
Sacramento county. The fruit of these Sec
tions is not only among the finest In appear
ance, but is highly favored and commands
the highest prices Tor home consumption, for
shipping and for canning. Very much of the
land we have described is used by It's owners
in raising wild oat, barley, wheat, and other
cultivated hay, while some Is sown biennially
with barley or wheat and allowed TO volun-
teer for hay the second year. Very little so
cultivated produces more than one crop of
hay year of from one-haif to ton at cut
ting For this kind Of culture-the least re-
muneratiye-this land can hardly be said to
be of second quality, and hardly pays
any profit to its owners, and Is yearly
becoming less profitable. For fruit and grape
culture we are not afraid to assert that these
same lands are among the best in the State.
The time has arrived now In California when
fruit culture and grape culture have become
the most profitable agricultural specialties,
and instead of continuing to cultivate these
lands in Improbable crops they should be
devoted to the culture to which they are
specially adapted and which will at once
enhance their value from S25 or $50 to $3.50
or $500 per acre. 1t is a fact that
some of the vineyards now bearing on
these lands have this year psid the interest
on the lands occupied, at a valuation OF one
thousand dollars per acre, over and above all
other expenses. Sacramento to-day is the
best market in the State for fruit, or for
grapes to be shipped or made into wine.
Nine tenths of the fruit and grapes shipped
out of the State are either packed st and
shipped from Sacramento, or pass through
Sacramento. Sacramento has also the best
market for wine grapes, and the best facil-
tiles for manufacturing them into wine or
brandy of any other locality In the State
It is true that other localities have the start
of Sacramento in facilities for canning fruit,
but the advantages in shipping facilities have
UbSu ulOTc bldu u COiElcUodIiOu lOE b.llo uts-
advantage, and it may be stated that the
reason why Sacramento has not been fore
most in facilities for canning has been her SUI
perior advantages for shipping. We can now
state upon authority that a canning estab-
ment will be erected and ready for operation
before the next fruit harvest, and that the
best skill and experience in the business will
be supplemented by an abundance of capital
and enterprise. There is no reason, there
c. -, sbO,,fI Of in 4n..
future become the leading fruit-growing and
raisin and wine and brandy. producing county
In the State. No other county has such
combination Of favorable circumstances, and
no other people have greater inducements to
take advantage Of these circumstances. We
would not urge people to abandon their
present modes of farming at once
and rush into fruit or grape culture
with all their means and energy,
but we would urge them to change their occu-
pations, that give them only bare living
and that gives to their lands but nominal
value, for an occupation that, if well con-
Quoted, viii secure them handsome annual
income and that will increase the value of
their lands more than an hundred fold. We
would counsel them, however, to make the
change carefully, cautiously and gradually.
Let few less acres be sown TO barley or
few less acres be devoted to hay crops this
year, and let an orchard or vineyard, or both.
be commenced on these few acres. Let
one or two wells be bored and as many
windmills be erected. Let the ground be
well prepared at the earliest oppor tunity,
and the trees and vines of the best varieties
be secured and planted and then well attend
ed and cultivated Then another year
enlarge the orchard and vineyard as circum-
stances will allow, continuing the old cultures
to pay expenses till the new enterprises 5
shall be in condition to take their places.
If we were to be asked to specify
the varieties of fruit we would advise
plsnting of these Sacramento red lands we
would name peaches, apricots, nectarines,
plums, cherries and pears We would not go
exclusively into the culture of any one, but
carry all along, so as TO be ready to meet the
demand for any one, and never be without a
crop of some of the kinds when there is
money to pay for it. We would also pursue
somewhat the same course with grapes,
though not TO the same extent. Wine or
brandy and rsisius will be the permanent
paying crops from the future vineyards of
California, as they have always been of every
other grspe-growing country. Determine,
then, which branch of business you viii enter
upon, and make one or the other the leading
or principal product. and the other as an al
tentative or attendant. If we were TO be
asked for the varieties of grapes best to plant
for table use, we would say the Black Prince.
Flame Tokay, Muscat of Alexandria, Black
Farrar and Emperor. If for raisins, we
would name the seedless Sultana, Muscat
Gordo and Muscatel If wine be the object,
We would plant the Znfaudel, Riesling, White
Nice, Berger and Frontignan. We would
not, however, render our vineyard for wine
comparatively useless by trying to produce
too many varieties. Determine as near as
can be determined, by consultation with prac-
tical men, the variety of grape that will best
be adapted to your soil. and make this the
leading variety, so as always to have enough
of this kind to make it an object for buyers to
come for it and pay the best price TO secure it.
Probably the greatest mistake that wine
growers in France have made is in planting
the vines too near together. In this way
they have had only stunted and sickly
growth, and the soil has been exhausted and
the vines exposed to diseases Of various kinds
and finally the industry is being ruined
Let us not make this mistake, but so plant
our vineyards that they will live and thrive q