Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-24

might be supposed to be represented by
the central station at Berkeley, but it is
notorious that this is not at all the case.
The Berkeley climate represents only
very limited area, directly influenced by
the togs that pour in through the Golden
Gate at the time when the maximum
heat prevails elsewhere. AS a culture
station 1t is not happily located, and the
Coast Range should be otherwise repre-
sented. la view of the considerations
already set forth above, it appears to
me that the extensive and important region
lately opened ue to settlement by the ex-
tention of the Southern Pacific Railroad
towards San Lais Obispo, along the largest
river of the Coast Range, the Salinas, is
emInently entitled to consideration, it
being new and apparently most promis-
ing field fer varied cultures. / submit
herewith proposition looking toward the
establishment of station, on the general
basis as above outlined, by donation of
land in trust and the raising of a sum suf-
ficient for the erection of buildings on the
part of j.. v. Webster, of Creston, San Luis
Obispo county. The land offered is stu
within Il few miles of the town of Paso
Robes, and in my view viii be as fairly
representative of the culture conditions of
the fine agricultural region of the Upper
Salinas as could be readily chosen. /
therefore respectfully recommend the for
NAL acceptance of Mr.. Webster's PROPOSE
ton at the coming meeting of the BOARD
OF Regents, and that the expenditure need
full for farther equipment and such work as
the season will permit, be authorized.
Another most acce ptable offer of SINH
lar tenor comes from Senator A. Can't
nett and others, offering a tract of land
within few miles the exact location vet
to be determined upon Of Jackson, Anna
dor county. As that county is very nearly
centrally located within the foothill region
as above defined, and as personal examina-
ticn has satisfied me that the soil and eli
mate of the locations of which the choice
is offered is as fairly representative of the
foothlll region at large as any one location
that could be selected, | also recommend
the acceptance Of this offer. it being the
only one that has come from that region,
and being IN every respect a fair one, be-
sides being situated in a community
anxious for information as to untried cult
ures.
am in receipt of suggestions and offers
of cooperation from various other points,
notably from Tulare county, fon Santa
Barbara, 1.-THE same as formerly commune
Gated to you), and from the county of Los
Angeles. None of these suggestions have
as yet taken so definite form as to call
for recommendation on my part at this
time. But In view of the lateness of the
season and of the short time remaining
within which the appropriation for the
present fiscal year can be expended. | ur-
gently recommend that the power to accept
appropriate donations for culture stations.
and to take proper action thereon, be dele
gated to committee that can be easily
called together; since the necessity of
awaiting the action of a regular meeting
of the Board of Regents would defeat all
further progress in the establishment of
stations for this season.
| have In view one other station, the es-
Enlistment of which will involve but lit
tie initial or current expense, and which
would adequately represent the higher
portion of the middle coast ranges. re-
fer to Mount Hamilton, the native vegeta-
ton of which shows unexpected possIbiIi-
ties in the way of cultivation at the hight
of 1000 feet. ! have found at this alti-
tude the native grapevine and a growth of
oaks and other plants rivaling that of MANY
interior valleys. Apart from the desira-
bleness of thus facilitating the supply of
life's necessaries to the personnel on the
mountain, the success of cultures at that
elevation would go far to show the latent
possibilities of the lower ridges, now mere
pasture grounds. | therefore suggest that
so soon as the Mount Hamilton domain
shall have been turned over to the Re-
gents, operations looking toward at least n
small culture plot be at once begun. so as.
II possible, to gain years time in actual
experience
1t should not he forgotten that besides
these new stations and the che at Berke-
ley, three special viticultural stations.
based entirely on private munifcence, are
already in operation. Two of these are
located on opposite sides of Santa Clara
valley lat Cupertino and Mission San JOSEF.
and one at Fresno If these are main
tanned and the plans above outlined are
carried out, we will have ten stations in
all to look after. This is very respecta-
BILE number, and it is obvious that it can
not be much increased without special
strong reasons, or, perhaps, additional
| pecunlary means. | estimate the current
expense of maintenance of general cult
ure station, of fifteen to twenty acres. once
established and equipped, at between
$1,000 and s., 500 per annum. And it is
thus easily seen that the limits of the
Congressional fund will very nearly have
been reached when the present plans are
| carried into effect.