The record-union., 1895-09-10
Her Incompatible Facilities in the Way
Of Transportation.

Sacramento Is the rich foothill region,
famed far and wide for its excellent pro-
ducts.
Every agricultural product that can be
grown in the valleys. including the semi
tropical fruits, can be grown with equal
facility in these foothills. Ordinarily the
land has to be cleared Of the trees found
upon it, and cultivation must be continu-
Gus, for on the whole western face OF the
Sierra the native trees, when cut or
burned down. are rapidly replaced by a
new growth OF the same kinds.
These lands are found to have all of the
requisites for the successful growth Of Or
chards. Fruit trees thrive better upon
them than on the lands of the valley.
None of the many theories advanced az
to the cause of the treeless condition Of
many plains and prairies having ample
rainfall seem to be entirely satisfactory,
but experience has demonstrated that or
chards grow best and thrive with less ar
tlficlal aid on lands that In natural con-
dition are covered with trees.
The increasing exports of small fruits,
such as straw wberries, black berries and
raspberries, from the vicinity of New
castle and Auburn, and their size and
quality. prove that this region is better
adapted to their culture than any place
yet found on the level lands of the valley.
The peaches of Coloma have q State repu-
tation for flavor aud size. The apples Of
Nevada and Georgetown are equal in size,
taste and keeping qualities to the best
imported from Oregon. The Oroville
oranges have been pronounced equal to
the best Los Angeles. The vine grows
with luxuriance and bears abundansly
wherever it has been planted throughout
all this region.
The wines of Coloma have more than a
local reputation. Persons competent to
Judge, assert that wine from grapes grown
in the foothills is free from the earthly
taste that characteriZes much Of the wine
of the fiat land Of the valleys. They also
express the belief that if ever wine is to
be made in California as light as that
from the Rhine, and as free from alcohol,
the grapes will be grown in the higher
elevations of the foothills, where snow
falls and remains on the ground few
weeks each season. 1t is said that the
long summers and heat of the valleys de-
velop the saccharine matter in the grape,
which by fermentation is converted into
alcohol. The character of the country,
being of rolling and rounded hills, pre-
vents the possibility of very large farms.
Experiments have shown that the soil is
more productive than the dry plains of
the valley, but OF course it doss not yield
crops as largely as the deltss and bottom
lands OF the rivers. 1t is certainly better
and more productive than lands similarly
situated in France, Switzerland and
Italy, which now sustain population of
millions. Wood is everywhere to be
found, aud in this region north of Oro-
vile there is an abundance of water in
the streams and springs not yet appropri-
ated. These lands have remained open
for settlement because. up TO the present
time, sufficient Government land could
be found in the valleys. There are
million acres of these lands on which
there is no mineral reservation, and
which can be obtained by homestead and
pre-emption as oheaply as were the lands
in the valley.
There are more than million acres of
these Sacramento Valley foothill lands
open to settlement-fallow from the flood
waiting for occupants; capable Of sup
porting population of hundred thou
sand people. if they will but cultivate
them. Situated in semi-tropical
climate. and in all the higher regions free
from miasma one need not be prophet,
nor the son OF a prophet. to foretell that
before many years the agriculture of Cal.
ifornia will become varied. and cultiva-
ton will not be confined to one cereal.
Then the foothill region Of the Sierra will
be occupied by prosperous and happy
rural population.