Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-02


quire, and at the proper time.
Irrigation is accomplished generally by
taking water from the rivers. This is done
by canal companies with heavy capital,
who distribute the water through bitches
to the consumers. Water is run upon the
land usually in trenches, and this is done
once a yesr-in the late winter or spring,
when the streams are full from the rains
or melting SHOWS in the mountains.
Another means of irrigation is artesian
wells. An abundant flow of water under
good pressure may be found in any OF the
valleys by boring from rs to 200 feet. The
San Joaquin valley requires irrigation, as
does generally the southern part of the
State. In the coast counties north of Santa
Barbara, and generally in the smaller val
leys in the central and northern part of the
State, none is needed. The principal
reason for this is that the rainfall in the
mountains bordering the valleys is caught
and held by the wooded mountain slopes
and gradually given out 10 the valley by
gravity and percolation. Certain crops re-
quire more water than others. Berries and
vegetables require much, fruit and nut
trees less, vines hardly any at all and gen.
orally none. The question here is one of
length of root. While berries have roots
foot or two long, grape will send down
root seventy. five feet, if necessary, TO find
water.
The failure of fruit, grape and wine crops
is exceedingly rare, and very interesting
fact is thai one member of a family may
prove refractory and all the others tracta-
BILE. In the same orchard one kind of april
cot may bear meagerly and another sbund-
antly, and this may be reversed the follow
ing year. These alterations OF conduct are
very rare and are not to be expected, but
the wise man will, if he can. plant suffi-
GENTLY wide range Of fruits to render failure
of the entire crop impossible, for no general
condition is likely to prevail in any local
ity that will interfere with the normal
tendency to abundant crops. The sporadic
cases of partial failure which occur are due
sometimes to obscure causes, sometimes
TO the fact that certain trees bore too heav
lily the year before, and feel the need of
rest; but the average good crop is thus
secured.
A little may here be said of the kinds of
sOil, although this is subject OF so infinite
detail that remarks of general character
must lack in that element of precision so
necessary in the selection of home.
As the amount OF rainfall largely deter
mines the extent of natural vegetation, and
as the rainfall is comparatively heavy in
the northern END Of the State and grad
uslly decreases to very small precipita-
ton at the southern end, We find reason
for the heavy forests of northern Califor-
MIA and the barren mountains of the soulh.
Similarly do we md an explanation for
the need of irrigation in the south and
none in the north. This is important in
determining what best may be grown IN
the various sections but this leaves out of
sight local variations produced by local
causes. The timbered mountain and foot
hill lands, of course, have deeper soil
than the barren slopes, which frequently
are unfit for cultivation. The cleared
mountain lands of the north show soil of
rich mold everything clays, shales, states,
etc which in turn rest upon granite. The
foothill lands are modification and par
tial combination of the conditions attach
ing both to mountain and 10 valley lands.
The valleys are alluylal, and the soil
ranges from light sandy loan TO heavy
adobe. The loans are warm and easily
titled and require more water than the
adobes and clays. These latter are cold
and stiff, spoDgy when wet and very hard
when dry, opening into large assures when
not cultivated. These are probably the
richest lands in the State, with a soil Of
great depth and suited to a wide range of
valuable products. AS they hold tena-
ciously all the water they receive, losing
little by evaporation, the artificial irrigation
of them is unnecessary.
There is also an abundance of lands i'm
pregnated with alkali. Although wonder
fully fertile, these lands produce badly, and
can generally be bought at low prices. As
the salts which they contain are easily So
luble, they may be washed out in one or
two years by ditching and sometimes with
the aid of irrigation.
Still another valuable class of lands that
usually bring a low price is the marsh
lands bordering the lower ends of the
streams emptying into the Bay of San
Francisco. These are peat lands, made up
from the deeayed roots of tules, and when
dyked and drained produce with marvellous
fecundity.
The foothills are well adapted for grapes,
which grow also in valleys with loamy
soils. Fruits grown in the valleys gener-
ally take kindly to a wide range OF soils,
but there are numerous details of results
which cannot here be entered into.
There are so many ways OF getting to
California that no information on that sub
ject is necessary.
1t is important, however, to know where
particular information of all the best parts
of the State is to be secured. There is a
State Board of Trade, and, besides, many of
the best counties have Boards of Trade of
their own. All these may be applied to by
mail or otherwise for information of what
ever kind pertaining to industrial, social
and other matters. a list of these Boards
with the addresses of the Secretaries, is ap-
pended hereto.
Government lands are also available, but
the best lands in easily accessible localities
now are principally the timber lands in the
northern part of the State. These are
highly valuable, not only for the timber
which is on them, which is of prime mill
ing quality. but also for horticultural pur-
poses after they shall have been cleared.
This is not to say that no agricultural
lands belonging to the Government may
be obtained in many choice paris of the
State, but it may be surmised that the best
lands contiguous to lines of travel have
been taken up. As new railroads are con-
stantly being built in all directions, many
of the districts now of small value by rea-
son of lack of transportation facilities will
be brought into demand by the extension
of lines Of travel The various Boards of
Trade hereinafter enumerated will be able
to give information on all such matters.
There were organized few years ago in
the various parts of the State immigration
societies, but their functions have been
largely assumed by the several county
Boards of Trade. The following list of
county Boards of Trade embraces those
which are in utilization with the State
Board of Trade The State Board has its
headquarters in San Francisco and in
auiries addressed to the General Manager,
John @. Brown. will receive intelligent at
tenton. Ifinformation is desired concern
ing counties which are not represented in
the sy1hioinpd list il is suggested that let
tiers addressed to the Clerks of the Boards
of Supervisors in those counties will be
placed in the proper hands. Letters adj
dressed to the Secretary of the Board of
Trade" or to the Secretary of whatever
board or association is named, in any in
stance in the following list, will bring
satisfactory results
Alameda County Board OF Trade, Oak
land, Cal.
Contra Costa County Board of Trade,
Martinez Cal.