Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-02
reputation for its superiority. In the
lower portion of this belt is a
VEIN or apTEcrAN wITrp


Upon which are many flowing wells !
Water in inexhaustible quantities can be
obtained anywhere on the lower bench at
a depth of from six 10 ten feet, and on the
upper from twelve to sixteen. Many of
the farmers use windmills, but those who
desire large quantities in a steady flowing
stream employ steam pumps which can
be run so cheaply that it costs them much
less than those who live in other sections
pay for water brought in from running
streams in canals. Taken all together, this
American River valley, extending from the
city of Sacramento to the town of Folsom,
is one of the most productive sections in
the State-free from foods droughts or
blighting frosts, well timbered, wind
storms are a thing unheard of, and the
first failure Of crops has yet to be recorded.
While this article refers specially to the
! south side of the American, yet the north
side is equally as fertile, though perhaps
not quite so extensive in area. On the
north are J. B. Haggin, Cox & Clark and
John I. Cardwell, large landowners,
who it is said now offer their land in lots
to suit small farmers, and at prices which
will make their purchase a good invest
ment.
A DESCRIPTION OF FARMS.
Commencing near the city are number
Of small farms, the best among which is the
orchards of Z. f. Aiken, which for profit
and productiveness cannot be excelled,
Mr.. Aiken being an intelligent and sue
cesSful orchardist, and pioneer in the
fruit business. Adjoining him are C. San
born, P. Burns. J. n. Young, Mrs E.
Waldron and others who own small tracts
cultivated in fruit, hops and vegetables
Beyond these comes Daniel McCarty,
who owns what is known as the "Old
Beet Sugar Ranch" Just south of
! McCarty lies the ranch of G.. c. Me
Mullin, a member of the Board of
! Supervisors. Both of these ranches are
valuable properties. Just beyond is the
town of Perkins, named after pioneer
settler, who is the Postmaster, storekeeper
and general business man of the com1nu-
nifty. Heis an excellent farmer, and makes
annual handsome profits from cultivating
the soil. The town of Florin lies to the
south and is fully described in another
article in this issue. Leaving Perkins,
which by the way is a station on the Sac
ramento Valley Railroad, we find on the
lower bench the following farmers: John
Rooney, 5S5 acres A. Menke, 215; NJ
Bowlers, 1853; NJ. S. Manlove, 2l5; j. F.
Camp, pa; E. Wells, 10. B. U. Stein
man, 159; r. d. Stephens 100. These places
all lie north of the railroad extending from
Perkins to MAYHEM Station. 1t would be
impossible to state the character of all
these places and as one is similar to all
the others, the chief difference being the
| INTELLIGENCE OF THE FARMERS
Themselves, reference will only be made to
one, that of r. d. Stephens, the Sacra-
mento Postmaster, whose farm of 100 acres
includes the site of Mayhem station. Mr..
| Stephens is pioneer fruit-grower, is a
practical and intelligent farmer, who has
| farmed scientifically, has endeavored to get
the choicest and most profitable line of
| fruits, and who has been very successful.
He has seventy acres of orchard and twenty
acres of vineyard. When Mr.. Stephens
was interviewed regarding the profits of
certain kinds of fruits he gave some facts
and figures that staggers our own people
and will seem incredible to those who are
of the opinion that there is little in the
| fruit business in Northern California He
says he has a kind Of plum that is more
profitable than any other fruit in the State
and yields more to the acre than any of the
far-famed orange groves of Riverside. a
have those trees planted" said he, "140 to
the acre. They bear, on an average, 400
! pounds to the tree, and are worth six and
half cents on the ground" A little calcu-
/ lation shows that an acre produces $4,000
pounds of fruit, or IS tons, worth $3.50.
Last season Mr.. Stephens had one acre in
bearing next season he will have several
His vineyard is mostly
TABLE GRAPES,
The principal varieties being Tokay and
Cornichon. In his orchard his principal
varieties are cherry plums peach plums,
purple Duane, Bradshaw, Goes Columbia,
golden drop and yellow egg plums. In
prunes he has Gross Hungarian, German
and French. His cherry trees, many of
them over forty feet in hight, and bearing
a ton of fruit each, are the Black Oregon,
Black Tartarian- and Queen Anne His
best varieties of pears are the Bartlett and
Winter Nellis, He has some excellent
varieties of ounces, choice varieties of
nectarines and apples. His peaches, very
profitable crop, includes early and late
Crawford's, the Salway, Stephens cling,
etc. His peach crop he says, in favorable
oN.hoVic3 pay DO lOliOWS. lHeN
l40 trees to the acre; they bear $50 pounds
OF marketable fruit to the tree, yield of
$4,000 pounds, or III tons, which at 2
cents per pound, returns a revenue Of 500
an acre. Table grapes on an average
yield a profit annually of from $500 to
$500 an acre, and, in some instances much
more
South of Mr.. Stephens place the Sacra-
mento Valley Railroad dividing the farms,
lies the fruit ranch of Weinstock & Lubin,
which consists of $40 acres. This
MODEL FARM
Is on the upper bench and is one of the
best cultivated farms in this section Of the
State. They have an immense apricot
orchard, which presents fine view from
the car windows. They have over 100
acres IN the choicest varieties of table
grapes. and all the choice varieties of de-
ciduous fruits that are grown in this sec
ton of the State. Like Mr.. Stephens.
this firm ships nearly all of their fruit to
the Eastern markets, and it was mainly
through the enterprise of this firm that
the auction plan of selling California
fruits in the East, which proved such
grand success last season, was adopted. As
we continue along the line of railway we
pass a number of farms owned by A.
Jeans, Patrick Hoey, Peter Hoey, Henora
Ferrall, Isabella Boyd and others, when
We come to the splendid place of Hon.
Joseph Reuter-. This is one of the finest
fruit farms in the State 1t contains 200
acres, and is all in bearing fruit trees and
vines, except some thirteen acres. Mr..
Reuter- was
A PIONEER IN FRUIT CULTURE,
And has the oldest bearing orchard in the
county, if not in the State He has up
wards of 100 apricot trees, that the past
season bore on an average LOCO pounds of
fruit each and several of them bore up
wards of ton each. These trees are
nearly 80 years of age, and as fresh and
vigorous as trees thirty years younger.
They grow in dark loamy soil, are thirty
feet in hight, their limbs hanging to the
ground on all sides, and the foliage is
thirty-six feet in diameter. This state
ment, although it may seem incredible to
some, is vouched for by the writer, who
has visited this famous orchard on several
occasions. Mr.. Reuter- raises all kinds of
fruits of the choicest varieties and in great
abundance His almond nrchard io ona &c