206 PLANTS USED BY INDIANS OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CAL. 
Round Valley only. Experience proved, however, that these Indians, 
on account of educational facilities and the generally elevating tone of 
reservation life, were more civilized in many ways than the Indians near 
Ukiah; and for this reason, in L898, In addition to five weeks spent in 
May and June in obtaining fresh data at Round Valley, two weeks 
were spent in June and July in making inquiry near the latter place. 
Although 1898 will long be remembered in California for its drought, 
rain fell copiously in Round Valley the last week of May, and snow 
was observed for nearly a week on the tops of the surrounding: hills. 
These particular regions were, indeed, but little disturbed by the 
drought, and the writer was enabled to collect a very considerable 
number of plants which were either not mentioned, or were but 
imperfectly described, by the Indians in 1897. 
The present Indian population of Mendocino County may be 
roughly estimated at from 1,500 to 2,000. It is but a feeble represen- 
tation of the many thousands which at no very remote period covered 
the entire region and lived solely upon its native resources. Food 
was so abundant in any given locality here, and in fact in many other 
parts of California, that it was not necessary for the Indians to wan- 
der long, distances for it, as was the case elsewhere in the United 
States, especially on the Great Plains, where wide areas were inhabited 
by a single tribe. 
In so far as the same plants were to be found in the various districts 
mentioned above, they were, as may be seen by a comparison with 
Powers’ comprehensive report. used in very similar ways; but since 
California has different climates even in closely contiguous areas, the 
native plants vary greatly in these regions, and consequently many 
of those used by one tribe were totally unknown to others. Numer- 
ous tribes were therefore developed, and even in closely adjoining val- 
leys, only 15 to 20 miles apart, it is recorded that people could be 
found with very distinct dialects. A elance at the maps published by 
the United States Bureau of Ethnology readily shows the wide divers- 
ity of peoples in the State of California. Each tribe, accordingly, was 
subject to a certain limited environment. Those nearer the sea were 
extensive flesh caters, but the oil and fats necessary for the animal 
economy Which were thus supplied were replaced in the interior by 
oily acorns and oily seeds of many kinds. Sea salt was in like manner 
replaced by the ash of certain wild plants (2eas/tes and Minn/us spp.) 
which grew in the interior of the county. Each tribe learned its own 
plants most thoroughly. 
At the present time, however, a few tribes only are found in their 
native homes. Among those visited by the writer the Yuki, Pomo, 
and Yokia were so situated, and these tribes were therefore studied 
' Powers, Stephen, Tribes of California. Contributions to North American Eth- 
nology, vol. 3, pp. 635 to 640, 1877. 
