The herald., 1894-01-01
RESOURCES Of KERN COUNTY,
a Fruitful Portion Of the the San
Joaquin Valley.
Its Location, Soil, Climate and
Advantages.
Great Irrigation Canals and Vast Areas
of Fertile Land-EnterprisiDg
Towns and Progressive
Communities.


800 miles long. lying IN northwesterly
and southeasterly direction, and vary
ing in width from so to 100 miles. On
the sast this valley is bounded by the
lofty Sierra Nevada range and on the
west by the less lofty coast range. On
the north as we'll as the south these
mountains merge into each other under
various local appellations.
The southern portion OF this great
basin is known as the San Joaquin VAL
lev, from the fact that it ie drained in
great part by the river of that name.
In the extreme southern part of the
San joaquin valley lies Kern county,
whose area, however, is about equally
divided between the delta or valley OF
the Kern river and the foothills and
mountains to the east, northeast and
sontn.
The first settlement OF the section was
caueed bv the discovery of rich mines
in the mountmns. There are still de-
positB OF uuarsz and gravel which would
repay working, while silver, antimony
and other vauaDle minerals also exist.
Recent discoveries OF mines on the
desert promise to be Of great import
snce.
In the foothills, too, are vast deposits
OF asphalrum, oil and sulphur, which
are now being developed and will be-
come prominent source OF wealth to
the county.
The mountains also contain forests OF
pine and far which will yield an inn
mense amount OF lumber.
The Kern dslta is the name which
has been given to that portion OF Kern
county which lies in the great valley
contiguous to the Kern river, and is
watered by canals from that stream. The
appellation was bestowed because of the
resemblance in soii climate aud produc-
tions to the famoua delta OF the Nile,
once the granary aud garden OF the
world, The methods of cultivation, the
products and the seasons OF the Milo
delta find their close counterpart in the
Kern delta.
Like the Nile, the waters OF the Kern
river, rising far in the interior, take up
in their course vast quantities OF fertil-
izing material, which are precipitated
wherever these waters ara allowed to
flow, fructifying tine soil and rendering
certain the reward of the labore OF the
husbandman.
Each OF the localities under discussion
has scanty rainfal--so scanty that en-
tire dependence muet De placed upon
the water supply by the great parent
stream for the successful pursuit of all
branches OF agriculture and horticulture.
The productions of the Nile and Kern
deltas show a resemblance that fully
iustifes the comparison. In the one, cot
ton, sugar cane, wheat, corn, rice, figs,
melons, apricots, pomegranates, grapes,
peaches, oranges, sweet potatoes--in q
word, all the long list of sub-tropical
fruits and vegetables thrive in profu-
sion. In the other the eame wide range
of products and luxuriance of growth is
seen.
The eemi-tropical profusion and ra-
pidity of growth of delicate tree, shrub
and flower seen in the gardens of the
Kern delta rival in every detail those
features of the Nile valley which have
been made historical in cong and prose,
and which are today one of the chief de-
lights of travellers in that region. From
vear's end to years end the soil of the
Kern delta stands ready to yield crop
after crop. No season of idleness is
needed no rest is demanded. The i'm
prisoaed fertility of ages stands ready
day and night, without intermission, to
give iteelfup to the use and profit of man,
the tonchatone that calls it forth being
ever enc thiug--irrigstion.
Marvellous as are the accounts OF the
raDidity and extent of growth of grain
vegetable and iruit in the delta of the
Nile, they can all be duplicated in this
Californian prototype of the garden O
tnn cart. There is no exec ption. Actua
experiment has demonstrated the truth
Ut an assumption thsb might sound far
fs'ghed to those who are not aware O
the wonderful results that have beer
accomplished in this wonderfully favored
portion os California. The Yeaults which
have heen obtained in many cases in thl
Kern delta border upon the marvellous
The cii.9ate of tho Kern delta par
takes OF the same general characteristic
found in the whole of the great interio
baein of California.
Oging to ita remoteness from th'
coost. cad tbs presence of intervening
mountain ranges, the rainfall is verl
light, the lightesg, indeed, of any por'
tioa Of the valley. This, however, hs
its com Bensaii5n in the abundant sup
ply OF water Tor irrigation.
Tho rainfalls in the so-called winte
months are distributed over the perios
from November to April. As the entir
precipitation averages only about 81,
inches year, it can be seen that tn
amount at any one time must necessa
rily be very small.
With the first rains vegetation usu
ally pprings up, and with the cessation
in the spring everything dries up, ex
cept where irrigation is practiced o
where there there is seepage tha
nourishes vegetation.
While there are frosts during the win
ter months, the small degree Of frigidit
may be seen from the fact that the cul
tivetion. harvesting and planting c
vegetables goes on every day OF the SO
which make up year. Delicat
growths, such as the orange, thrive il
the open air with little or no protection
In iact. the climate of the winter sessol
ia like that of the. eastern in most re
epects.
Between April and November there i
usually no rainfall; if any, it is inire
ouent, and consists OF but q sprinkle
Il never falls go as to interfere with hal
vesting, haying, or other agriculturs
operations. and grain, after bein
threshed, can lie in the field for week
without damage, while alfalfa remain
uninjured in stacks thatare entirely III
protected for ss long time as is d.
sired.
In the summer time the weather b.
comes very warm, as is essential for til
80 L L l..