The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-03-22
SENATOR STANFORD
And Hls wonderful Ranch In California
atlanta Constitution.

1oAOo eao 01'tS0 ". S1'AS b .SS'
and has been in his employ ever since.
Mr.. Shackelford talks Interestingly
about his experiences in California. He
tells someswonderful but true stories of
the mammoth farms, vineyards and ram
:ches owned by his distinguished employ.
'er. "Sepstor Stanford" said he, "owns
the largest ranch in the world. 1t con-
tains $4,000 acres, through which run
one hundred miles of ditching. Some
$500 acres are planted in grape vines,
and 1000 acres are devoted to alfalfa,
which makes the best sort of hay for cat.
tie. In this vineyard were raised countless
tons ofgrapes, which pressed, made one
million gallons of wine. We have q
wine cellar which holds 100000 gallons,
in two thousand gallons packages. The
crushing machine can mash four hundred
tons day. In one bonded warehouse we
now have about 10000 gallons ofbraDdy.
This is the product of the vineyard for
this year. The wine is not for sale yet;
is not old enough"
"What about fruit Z"
1--WE are not in the fruit businese ex-
tensively, for we have only some 10000
fruit trees planted. These are mostly
peach and plum"
"Any other ranches 2"
"South of the ranch I have described
lies another one, Immediately on the line
of the railroad. This is comparatively
small one, containing 10000 acres wholly
planted in wheat. This wheat is ofsu.
perior quality, and extraordinary crops
are made. This is shipped in bulk"
& "What about the stock farm Z"
"This stock ranch is known all over
the world. It is known as Palo Alto, and
is situated thirty miles south of San Fran.
cisco. Here are to be found horses of
the finest blood; in fact all are blooded.
This collection of horses is worth one
million dollars. Just to think of that!
Here are some of the must valuable racers
in the world. The fastest two year.old,
three.year.old, and four.year-old horses
are here. This ranch contains 10000
acres. The cattle is, of course, of the
finest strains, and is worth nearly quar-
ter ola million"
"Tell me something about the owner of
these vast estates. What manner of man
is he ~
LELAND Stanford, as everybody knows,
is United States senator from California.
How much money he is worth it is i'm.
possible to state. he is rated anywhere
from s5O,OOO,0OO to s1O0,0O0,00O. I do
not think this is an extravagant estimate.
he is a man, every inch of him. A ben.
efactor, he is always racking his brain to
devise some new plan for helping the
people. He has given to the state OF
California these ranches I have described,
and his university, which cost several
million dollars. His home is in San
Francisco, but he has residences at each
ofhis ranches. He is always giving to
charitable institutions, and I can truth
fully say that he is one of the best men
I every knew. lam his psymaster and
civil engineer. Togive you some idea
of the expenses he has to meet in running
his mammoth concerns, I will state that
he employs about four hundred men. /
paid out in January on his vineyard ranch
$4,000"
California must be great coun-
"Itis. The climate in some parts of
the state is not unlike that of Georgia.
In San francisco you find the most
equable climate in the world. In the
northern section of the state it is pretty
cold, and in the southern part pretty
warm. The immense tracts of land are
very productive, and their owners amass
fortunes in few years. But do you
know the key of the situation, the one
thing to which may be ascribed the sue
cess of farming in California"
"No; what is it 2"
Irrigation. But:for irrigation many
of the farms which now BLOSSOM as sthe
rose would be dreary, sterile wastes.
Take the San Joaquin valley for example.
Much of this land was unproductive and
given over as worthless: When the mod.
.ern system of irrigation was introduced
Sit was applied to vast tracts of this terri
tory. What was the result? Why, the
transformation was phenomenal? These
barren stretches were atonce converted to
fruitful ranches, yielding plenteous crops
of grain and hay. Irrigation is regarded
as necessity in California. The truth
is, it would not pay4to farm but for this
mode Of artificial watering. And it has
been reduced to an art. Now, I will tell
you something else about its value. Land
which q few years ago was untitled because
it would not pay to cultivate it, now is
planted in alfalfa. This is sort of grass
which has been found to make the very
best kind of hay. Here we raise five
crops year. -Four tons to the acre is
not infrequently cut, and this sells for
ten dollars ton. What farming land in
the south yields 80 profitable crop as
this? The hay is in request by the ranch
men, who prefer it to other kinds for cat.
tie. It. great milk. producing feed
"What'sthe matter with raising alfalfa
in Georgia.? Would it not pay 2"
'There is nothing the matter with
raising it in Georgia, and most assuredly
it would pay. But, to do this successful
ly, we must irrigate the land upon which
it is planted. This would ensure q crop
regardless of the seasons. Irrigation
makes us Independent of the caprices o.
nature. fit rains, we are all right. II
drouth come, we are all right, for We
can supply all the moisture we need
Even should we have exceptionally ia.
vorable seasons we can increase the yield
of almost any crop by irrigation. This
is my pet hobby and I know all about
it, for I have long experience. | can
speak authoritatively as one who has
given it practical test. l tell you that
if Irrigation should be tried in Georgia
it would revolutionize the agricultural
methods now in vogue. Several promi.
nent gentlemen of Atlanta, to whom
have talked on the subject, are interest
ed and will co operate in an effort to in'
duce the farmers of Georgia to give irri.
CATION trial."
"Did you meet many southerners
in California;"
ga great many, especially Alabamiaus
About fifteen years ago a colony went
from Alabama to California. Most Of
the members of this party have done
we'll; some of them are rich. have
noticed that most of the southerners who
have gone to California are prosper
ous."
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