360 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



cedar and pine, while on the hillsides and around the lake is an abundant 

 growth of mid plums. On the western side of the lake there is a narrow 

 strip of valley, devoted mostly to dairying. Big or Round Valley, on Pitt 

 River, in the southwestern part of the county, and reaching into Lassen 

 County, is 30 miles long and 18 wide, and is mostly covered with sage- 

 brush. Its soils are varied in character, from red clays to dark loam and 

 gravelly lands, and spotted with alkali tracts. Surrounding the valley are 

 several creeks, whose rich bottom lands are to some extent under cultiva- 

 tion. According to reliable information, it sells upward of 20,000 head of 

 beef cattle, and as many head of horses, to say nothing of the sheep, 

 poultry, and products of the soil. With a good railroad, these sales would 

 be largely increased, for the neighboring mountain sides give a boundless 

 range rich in nutritious grasses, while the valleys furnish a well nigh in- 

 exhaustible supply of the best of hay. Given a railroad, Modoc County 

 would soon become one of the wealthiest in California. Its trade should go 

 to San Francisco, and a railroad giving it communication with that city, 

 would pay from the beginning. The tillable land of Modoc County is 

 equal to any in productiveness and is easily cultivated. Thousands of 

 bushels of potatoes are raised here, and tubers weighing over four pounds 

 are not uncommon. Modoc's potatoes have a State reputation. Other 

 crops do as well, but want of a market causes but little more wheat and 

 barley than is needed for home consumption to be raised. With a good 

 market, Modoc County would raise millions of bushels of grain. Surprise 

 Valley, 25 miles northeast of Alturas, abounds in orchards, and raises large 

 quantities of apples, said to be the best produced in the mountain districts 

 of the State. The county has many young orchards which will come into 

 bearing in a few years, when Modoc will assume no inferior position as a 

 fruit-producing county. In addition to apples, an abundance of peaches, 

 pears, cherries, strawberries, and other small fruits are grown. 



But little irrigation is necessary, as the county is well watered by the 

 Pitt River, which has its source within the confines of the county, and 

 numerous other streams which come down from the mountain sides. Good 

 water is obtained at a depth of from six to thirty feet, while good springs 

 are numerous. Modoc County has several hot springs, said to possess won- 

 derful medicinal properties, curing rheumatism and skin diseases with 

 marvelous rapidity. As yet, however, these hot springs are but little 

 resorted to, owing to the lack of suitable improvements and accommoda- 

 tions. When they are fitted up and put in proper shape, we may look for 

 an influx of invalids, gouty and rheumatic cripples, and pleasure seekers. 

 The mountains are clothed in timber of various kinds, enough to furnish 

 the inhabitants of the county with wood and lumber for hundreds of years 

 to come, and though there are no mines in the county, pieces of rich ore 

 have been picked up in many of the watercourses, and prospectors are 

 endeavoring to find out where they came from. Should their home be 

 discovered, look out for a mining boom, for the chunks aforementioned 

 assayed very big, one of them to the tune of $25,000 to the ton. The land 

 known as sage-brush land is being taken up by homesteaders, and where 

 properly cleared, irrigated, and cultivated, raises enormous crops of timo- 

 thy and grain hay, or potatoes. In fact, Modoc County seems to be the 

 natural habitat of this useful vegetable. Think of five tons from four 

 sacks, and the crop not cultivated — just planted and left to take care of 

 itself. There are still thousands of acres untaken that are capable of this. 

 The man who comes here with a small capital, and a willingness and 

 expectation to do some hard work before he reaps a harvest of $20 gold 



