Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-21
HOMES FOR ALL.
CoJJSA COUNTY-ITS PRODUCE
TIONS, CAPABILITIES, ETC.
Address by Wendell Easton-Vast
Resources of a Comparatively
Undeyeloped Region.
lslocl,on Indenepdent November 15th.

<tpOhp WV -
sonic Music Hall last night to listen to a lecture
on Colusa county and its advantages Tor setIle,
ment TO those in search OF nome, by MendeIi
Faston President of the Pacihc Coast Lana
Bureau The meeting was opened by George
w. Frink, Vice President and General Manager
of the Bureau, who spoke as follows:
EXPLANATORY REMARKS.
This meeting has been called to disseminate
knowledge of the resources and capabllltles OF
the State of California, and OF the particular
counties best adapted for settlement, where soil,
climate and cheapnesS OF land, either LOT gen
eral farming or for the vine and fruit meet the
wants of the industrious man, VINO mas Dut
small means and his own right arm TO fght the
battle of life. The great valleys OF the san Joa-
uuin and Sacramento, which are nearly one ana
the same valleys, differ in thrift and population.
Los Angeles Fresno and Stockton, by reason OF
the public spirit of their citizens, of the. vast
amount of energy, advertising, etc., have placed
themselves before the Eastern word, thereby
filling their valleys and foothills with an indus
triouS farming people, and land has advanced
so high in price that it is necessary to look else
where for farms that the young man starting in
life, I'd the old man who has not been sue
cess, with their small savings may lind land
within their abilities, and where the large own
ers will take small payments and long credits
will aid and foster the immigrant.
This opening we find in the northern counties,
now owned in large tracts of many thousands of
acres formerly used for pasturing large herds,
but now sown to grain.
BY this effort we are not taking business from
Stockton; on the contrary. you manufacture the
best and most improved agricultural imple-
ments in the world, and the extent of your
ability is governed only by the demand. Here
is a vast field Of trade opening unto you. Will
you cooperate with us? The larger the field the
greater your benefit.
The Pacific Coast Land Bureau was incorpor-
ated March, 1882, TO meet Il long-felt want in
aiding strangers and citizens to reliable data of
farming and fruit lands in this State. The
bureaus object is to supply good lands ut price
within the reach of those with small means.
We have had land auctions in Naca valley,
Pleasant Glen valley, Los Angeles Fresno,
Bakersfield, Stockton Roberts Island, Richland,
Santa Rosa, Kelloggs Strowbridges Woodland,
Government Ranch, Holly Oak Park, Martinez,
San Mateo, Menlo, Napa, and now we are going
to take you to Colusa, the banner wheat county
OF the State having harvested this year l2,OO0,-
600 bushels. This county is sparsely inhabited,
large ranches are given us 70 cut up Tor small
holders, at the cheapest prices, within reach OF
all a climate, soil and beauty when will all be
told TO you by our President, the speaker OF the
evening.
CoLusA COUNTY.
At the conclusion of Mr. Frink's remarks,
Wendell Easton, President of the Pacific Coast
Land Bureau, was introduced, and delivered an
interesting address that held the attention of
the audience until its close He referred tc the
vast resources of California and the annual pro-
ductions OF the State. This meeting, he said,
was Il continuation of the series inaugurated by
the Pacific Coast Land Bureau, aiding the dis
position of the large landholders of the State in
placing before settlers reliable information with
reference to the different counties and their re-
spective advantages. The large landholders in
northern California are ready TO encourage i'm
migration, and are prepared TO place {. fair sell
ing price ON their holdings. With these remarks
the speaker continued his lecture Us follows
Colusa county comprises large portion of the
Sacramento valley, and contains very nearly
5000 square miles The western part OF the
county comprises about One-third of the area,
being part of the coast range, and is low hills
and mountains. The balance consists of rich
alluvial soil or less fertile prairie land, and is
nearly all level and well adapted to the growing
OF fruit and grain. the county having been de,
voted almost exclusively, until within the last
few years, to agriculture and stock-raising.
SOILS.
The soils of the county are varied in charac-
ter, from black clay usually called adobe, 10
the sandy soils and different colors and kinds of
alluvial soils The dark alluyial soil is no doubt
the best the broWn-colOred as we term it. the
ashy soil, next, and the sandy, mixed gravel,
better adapted for raising barley than wheat.
What is known as the gravelly lands have been
known to summer fallow and yield from twenty
to thirty bushels of barley i'll teir season, and
were better adapted no doubt to raising barley
than wheat or hay The system generally
adopted is to summer-fallow and SOW in the fall,
or Immediately after the first rains the follow
ing season yolunteerit and SOW some seed where
needed. By this method each farm can be
divided into three parts and each IalloWed once
in three years. In Il recent visit to the county
teered crop for three years, and this is the
only section of the State where ] have seen four
crops taken from the same piece from one seed
ing BY the method adopted in this county
crops have never failed 20 yield the faireSt re-
turn in the dryest season, deep blowing being
generally adopted by the best farmers.
PROJECTIONS.
The principal productions so far have been
wheat and other small grain, and experiments
have fully proved that both soil and climate are
favorable in the pNrrplup tho nrOGrptiOp of
cot on, tobacco, hops, castor beans, flax aud
broomcorn, as well as all manner OF vegetables
and fruit, not excepting the tropic and semi
tropie productions. The orange, lemon and diff
ferent varieties of fruit and the vine thrive here
Chief among the indigenous growths of the
county were the wild oats. Clover predominetes
along the losvlands of the rivers and sloughs
and amongst the timber the pea vine grows TO /,
great hight. The wild rose and raspberry grow
in great quantities. and the blackberry and wild
grape grow all through the timer and along the
river. They are small and when ripe are very
finely favored. There is a wild hemp growing
along The lowlands from which the Indians
make rope FOR all purposes The wild tobacco
grows all through the lowlandS The alfilerca
and bunck-gTaSs are Of an indigenous growth,
and were magnificent feed for tue immense
herds OF stock formerly ranging over this coun-
try. Sixty bushels of wheat 10 the acre is not
an uncommon thing; but. of course. this Is mol
the usual harvest. Thirty bushels is the average,
but it is safe to say that the fair general average
of the gTain-groW1ng section OF ColuSa county is
INGllN-ilNG DuSiElS 10 the acre. Among the
many different places have visited in my trips
to these northern counties is the home OF MIR.
Abbott. at Mormon Station on the line of the
railroad and about the center of the county.
Mr.. Abbott has one OF the thrifteSt young vine
yaristhat have ever seen, where rooted cuttings
and vines were placed in the ground, and, with
proper care and cultivation il is demonstrated
that this section Of California is well adapted
10 the growth of s3G1i-tropic fruits as any other
portion of the State. Here grows in luxuriance,
entirely without irrigation, the grape, currant
and garden vegetable, and the apricot, peach,
pear plum. apple and other varieties Of fruit.
The place of Mr.. Abbott comprises but small
portion of the immense holding of n. y. Ride
out, composed at this place of some 12,000 20
1900 acres OF the fair average iaud of Colusa
county from the grayelly soil to the dark black
alluviai and the aShy soil. Here has been Cul-
tivated the last season about 5000 acres. As a
production Of these lands there is now stacked
Up warehouses 81. Qs sacks OF barley. thrashed
'from 1000 acres, volunteer wheat having pro
duced inlly twenty bushels to the acre. This
grain is now worth at the warehouse 81 % per
GENITAL for barley and 81 TO for wheat.
WATER.
In the valley, some distance from the river
people have To depend on wells for water. The
average depth of wells is perhaps twenty feet.
All along the river water is found in the wells
when the level in the river is reached Very
good water can be found by digging, all over
the valley. Bored wells are deeper and better
and are in general use. The Sacramento river
and Butte creek are the eastern boundaries o.
the county. The river in the future will serve
&fn0.T>+aan ole -ppIp9Se, being now an . I'M
! taxed highway" 10 the sea, " serves as n re
straint on eXtortiOnate freighS, which III Itself
is a blessing aud renders the railwiry~a public
servant. Flowing between the banks nlghel
than the surrounding country, it affords facfA'
ties for Irrigation Several local bitches being
put in operation. demonstrates beyond douG
the system and the results arising therefroIn
Several e1terpriSing citizens conceived the
idea of constructing an immense canal from
the northern portion Of the county above
Stony creek, skirting the foothills on the wes
side Of fhc county and continuing south int6
Yolo thence into Solano. finding an outlet il
SuisHn Bay. competent engineer, having
made surveys. found Il feasible to construct I
length. This system OF irrigation viii in TIT
near future form an important factor in The
counties | have named. Ample water can bl
! obtained to maintain the whole system with az
! immense profit to the individuals interested
and JlntO0Dted stis aiftage ami Dfoft ~ tiI,
smaller farmers along the line. l have visited
the important canals in the state, and the SyS
TEN outlined by the projectors OF this enterprise
is 10 my mind one OF the most important in The
State. The question of :" riparian rights would
not arise here and underline state law the com.
pany can secure a valuable and important
franchise.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
The transportation facilities Of Colusa county
are certainly excellent The main northern
road 10 Oregon traverSes the country from north
10 south about the center, and with the compete
ton of traffic on the Sacramento river. fares and
freights viii always be maintained at "a mini
mum rate. This is the main through route for
the overland railroad in the future, as il i:
pretty well settled that road cannot be built
from san Francisco up the coast to Humboldt
Bay but il is evident that from some point in
this northern railroad near the north end o.
aHr.NI 10