Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-12
FRESNO COUNTY.
A MOST PROMISING SECTION OF
THE san JOAQUIN VALLEY.
Location, Area, Natural Features,
Climate, Soil and Productions
"A Great Fruit Region.
San Ioaonin Valley Resonrces.

Joaquin valley, and lies between MERGED
on the north and Tulare on the south It
is third in area among the counties of the
State, embracing within its boundaries
5000 square miles, or $4,000 acres. Of
this amount 800 square miles, or 1910, 400
acres are situated in the valley; and 4,4s0
square miles, or !, SCI, 200 acres are in the
mountains and foothills OF the Coast and
Sierra Nevada ranges. Much of the latter
is suitable for cultivation. and particularly
well adapted 70 the growing Of fruits In
the valley are about $50 square miles, or
2S8, 200 acres, of swamp lands lying along
the San Joaquin river and the sloughs COM
municating with it. a large portion of
this can be reclaimed. OF the re-
mainder of the land in the plain,
all, with the exception Of few mar
row strips where alkaG is prevalent, is
excellent for agriculture. Fifteen years
ago this was one Of the most uninYiting
parts of the great interior valley of Cali
fornia; but to-day, as result Of the use of
water for irrigation, Il ranks among the
most productive, and is by far the best de-
veoped. At that time the distance to
ninety feet; now it is rom six to eighteen.
Then the greatest cost OF conducting
farm was found in supplying the necessary
amount of water TO irrigate growing crops,
the thirsty soil drinking ii like a sponge. In
the Oldest irrigated districts II is not now
necessary to irrigate orchards and viae-
yards more than once in a season in places
not at all. As the substrata Of those lands
nearest the sources Of water supply become
thoroughly saturated large part of that
diverted from the natural channels be
comes available for more distant lands, and
in time every acre Of prairie land may be
irrigated.
WATER SUPPLY.
Fresno county is amply supplied with
water to make the plain blossom IS the
rose, two of the largest rivers of the val
ley as well as the smaller streams, flowing
from the lofty Sierras into the plain
Along the southern boundary Of the county
is Kings river, draining an area OF / 500
square miles in the mountains OF Tulare
and Fresno counties, and supplying num-
Der of large irrigating canals in both coun-
ties. Flowing westward through the couu-
ty Is the San joaquin river draining an
area of 1850 square miles. This stream
turns northward and empties into a tribu-
tary Of the San Francisco bay. Smaller
w
ment area of 260 square miles. and, near
the northern line Of the county, Chowchilla
creek with a drainage area Of BOB square
miles
The present average supply is sufficient to
irTigate 100000 acres Of land, and during
the latter part of spring and first Of sum
mer, when the streams are highest there is
enough to irrigate I, 10000 under the pres
ent system. But with q more perfect one
there is 4 sufficient quantity 10 thoroughly
water all the lands Of the valley portion Of
Fresno county. The largest canal in the
valley is diverted rom the San Joaquin
river and extends in q northwesterly d.
rectiOn through the valley q distance Of
sixty-seven miles, watering large portions
of Fresno and MERGED counties. This ditch
has a carrying capacity of 600 cubic feet of
water per second. \ shorter but larger
one is that of the Fresno Canal and IrriSa-
ton Company, which is one hundred feet
in width on the bottom. There are numer-
Gus small bitches. The precipitation in
the mountains in the form Of rain and
snow, is large, but in the valley is usually
light. However, an annual rainfall Of
eight to ten inches is sufficient to insure
excellent crops.
THE MoUNTAIEs.
Within the lower foothills of the Sierra,
as well as in the warmer valleys of the
Coast Range, are large areas that will ere
long be famous for the cultivation Of citrus
and other fruits, for which no part of the
State is better adapted, the soil being fer
tile, the temperature mild and equable, and
the atmosphere dry. The quality of or
anges, lemons and lines now grown along
the base of the mountains is excellent, and
increased attention is being given to the
industry. Undoubtedly the product of the
citrus orchards will be important within
few years In the foothills is vast area
covered with white oak timber, and higher
in the mountains are extensive forests of
fir, cedar and pine, from which large guam
titles of lumber are cut annually. In these
mountains are also large numbers Of the
famous big redwood trees There is no
valuable timber in the Coast Range. The
Sierra Nevada mountains contain important
mineral deposits, and several gold mines
are being worked at present. Coal and
petroleum exist in the Coast Range, and
in the western part Of the county is the
noted New Idria quicksilver mine. At
present a small part of the population Of
the county is in the mountains, but they
are capable OF sustaining a greater number
of people than now reside in all the cOun-
ties of the San Joaquin valley, and when
the resources of this large area are more
tuiiy developed Will 40 so.
THE VALLEY
Portion of the county was given up al
most wholly to the pasturage Of stock until
the completion of q line of railroad south
ward through the San Joaquin plain from
Stockton, which has since become part of
the Central Pacific system. The first to
plant fruit trees and vines on a large scale
was f. 7. EiSen, and, although his first at
tempt was only partly successful, II estab
lished the fact that yiticulture and fruit
culture were destined to become the lead
ing industries of the county, and that the
less remuneratiye business of wheat-grow-
ing would be superseded by the cultivation
or the vine and fruit tree. The colony sys-
tenn of selling and settling land being
found TO work successfully, was continued,
and is still in operation and being extended
to other parts of Fresno as well as to differ
ent counties IN the valley.
The progress that has been made since
that time, and particularly during the last
ten years is wonderful. A vide dry, tree
less expanse has been converted into the
most thoroughly-tilled portion of the south
ern half Of the great interior basin of Cali
fOTnia. Green alfalfa fields vineyards and
orchards succeed each other as far as the
eye can reach, and give to the land the ap-
pear ance Of perpetual spring. Comforta-
bic and even elegant homes are to be found
in the colonies, fronted by lawns and sur
rounded by native and rare exotic plants,
the latter brought fom all parts of the
world. Flowers are in blossom at all sea-
sons, and bloom in the open air when the
East lies under a mantle of snow In a
single nursery near the city of Fresno are
$50 varieties of the rose, the queen of
flowers.
THE VARIOUS SOILS.
The soils of Fresno, like those of other
San Joaquin valley counties, vary consider
ably Along the base OF the Sierra Nevada
the soil is of clayey nature, reddish in
color and intermixed with fine gravel. and
is well suited either for grain or fruit.
West of this, particularly in the northern
part Of the county, is mainly q rich sandy
loan, readily tillable and very productive.
The surface stratum is usually deep, but g
substratum of "hardpan" underlies it in
large part of the county. Occasionally
t1,iS ornrnacbeS within a few tprl,as Of +l,a