STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 29*3 



portions of it that will be planted to orchards and vineyards at no distant 

 day. The yield of wheat in Colusa County furnishes undeniable proof that 

 its soil will liberally respond when planted to vines and trees. 



South of Colusa lies Yolo. There is nothing that can speak in more 

 affirmative language of its prosperity than the fact that Woodland, its 

 county seat, is the wealthiest town of its size in the world. Yolo has some 

 of the best raisin vineyards in the State, and also some of the choicest 

 orchard lands. 



All these sections are tributary to the business of Sacramento City, and 

 that city will grow and prosper with their growth and prosperity. 



There is no portion in California where land is so cheap, measured by its 

 productive capacity, as in Sacramento County. There is no place where 

 the excessive heat of the summer is covered by so few days as at Sacra- 

 mento City. No other place has so many sunny days in a year. No other 

 place in the warm sections of California is so nicely tempered with moisture, 

 which cools the atmosphere without making it either chilly or muggy. 

 There is no other place, where spring and autumn reach so far into the 

 seasons of summer and winter. Northern California is the natural orchard 

 and vineyard section of the world. The home-seeker has but to be judi- 

 cious in his selection of locality and purchase, and then let him plant 

 understandingly, and he is sure to gather an appropriate reward for his 

 toil. 



THE AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY. 



By P. E. Platt, of the firm of W. R Strong & Co. 



There is no spot on earth where fruit culture can be carried on more 

 profitably, where greater variety can be produced, or where crops are surer, 

 than in that portion of the great Sacramento Yalley occupied by the County 

 of Sacramento. At least this is the candid opinion of the writer, who. after 

 having spent fifteen years in the growing, packing, and shipping of fruits, 

 to all the prominent cities of the east, from Sacramento City, claims to 

 know whereof he speaks, and will endeavor to convince the reader of the 

 truth of the broad assertions herein made. This he thinks can be done 

 best by a simple recital of facts, which can easily be verified, and which 

 speak for themselves. 



Soil and Climate. — There are three principal qualities of land in this 

 county; the river bottom land, the deep, rich, sediment deposit; a second 

 bottom, which is a deep, sandy loam; and the red bedrock land of the 

 plains; all of which are especially adapted to fruit of some kinds. It 

 would be very difficult to name any product of the vegetable kingdom that 

 could not be grown without irrigation on the rich river bottoms first men- 

 tioned, or with irrigation on the second named; while the red lands, 

 owing to their shallowness, are not so desirable for tree culture; but berries 

 of all kinds, and every known variety of the finest table grapes, do re- 

 markably well on them. As the term is understood in the east, there is 

 no winter here. The tender calla lily, as well as the olive, lemon, and 

 orange tree, blossom or bears fruit in the open air during the so called 

 winter months. Neither is the heat of summer oppressive. There are 

 no sunstrokes; and the farmer finds no inconvenience by reason of exces- 

 sive heat. This article is not intended as a treatise on climatology, and the 

 subject is mentioned only for the purpose of showing why the fruit grower 

 here has no waste time, but can, if he will, utilize every day of the year: 



