148 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



There are several large orange groves, which produce fine fruit. Last year 

 this county was awarded the first prize at the Sacramento Citrus Fair.. 

 Orange and lemon tree planting is being made each year, and at no dis- 

 tant date Placer County will be one of the famous citrus-producing regions 

 of the coast. Figs, raisins, olives, and olive oil were also on exhibition. 

 There are wide areas in the Placer foothills awaiting more settlers, which 

 will give a golden return for their labor, and make them beautiful homes.. 

 The mineral exhibits of this county attracted attention. They consisted 

 of specimens of gold, silver, coal, iron, copper, chromium, asbestos, and 

 manganese. The specimens of gold ore were especially fine. In the past,, 

 the lodes of gold which rib and seam the whole of the Sierras have been 

 neglected for the more easily worked placers'. Now, the attention of the 

 miners of the coast is being turned to these rich lode deposits, and the 

 country is being prospected by experienced men. The result will be a won- 

 derful development of lode mining and a largely increased output of gold. 

 This will give the orchardist, viney ardist, and vegetable farmer an increased 

 market at his own door. The specimens of granite, marble, and limestone- 

 were noticeable. These form the more durable building materials, and 

 where they are abundant and cheap, the best buildings are possible. 

 Placer County has some of the largest and best granite quarries on the 

 coast, which are largely worked, and give employment to large forces of 

 skilled laborers. The location of Placer County, astride of the overland 

 highway, so near, comparatively, to the trans-Missouri and eastern mar- 

 kets; her rich soils; her timber and water; her mild, equable climate; and 

 her picturesque valleys and hillsides for homes, will insure her a rapid 

 growth. 



COLUSA COUNTY. 



This is one of the largest counties in the State, her area being about 

 three thousand square miles, or nearly two million acres. Her location is 

 in the Sacramento Valley, and the Sacramento River flows along the whole 

 of her eastern portion, furnishing cheap water transportation. Her great 

 area is composed of nine hundred thousand acres of valley lands; five hun- 

 dred thousand acres of foothill lands, and six hundred thousand acres of 

 coast range lands. This is a small empire in itself, and is capable of sus- 

 taining a great population. If her population was as dense as that of cold, 

 bleak New England, she would have a quarter of a million people; if as 

 dense as Massachusetts, she would have half a million people^ if she had 

 as dense a population as Belgium, she would have a million people. Now„ 

 Colusa County has only six and one half people to the square mile, while 

 Massachusetts has two hundred and twenty-one, and Belgium four hun- 

 dred and forty-five. 



The soil of the valley portion of the county, and of the foothills, is of 

 remarkable fertility. Before it was occupied by the plow it was covered 

 with wild oats as high as a horse's back, or by thick growths of bunch 

 grass, or tangled masses of native clovers. Since the wheat-growing era it 

 has been devoted to producing cereals. For years it has been known as 

 the banner wheat county of the Union. It is claimed by her people that 

 in favorable years she has produced as high as twelve million bushels of 

 wheat and two million bushels of barley. There are only twelve of the 

 States or Territories which produce as much wheat as this county, and 

 there are only four States or Territories which produce as much barley. 

 Her wheat product is seven hundred and twenty million pounds. This is 

 three hundred thousand tons, or thirty-six thousand carloads, or two thou- 

 sand two hundred and fifty trainloads of sixteen cars each. The wheat of 



