436 ' MENDOCINO COUNTY 



genial climate with satisfaction, and being satisfied of the advantages 

 of our county, purchase land and settle among us. 



Our farming land is of the richest; the cereals are all grown in 

 profusion, and, in short, there is nothing known to agriculture that 

 our soil does not produce. Every variety of fruit is grown, and of a 

 quality that defies the criticism of the dantiest epicure. Our hops 

 are the best in the world; England and Germany do not excel them. 

 Our hop crops never fail; and even now, owing to some natural 

 reason, the hop crop of Europe being a failure, the extensive 

 European markets are dependent upon Russian River Valley for 

 their necessary supply of this useful commodity. I say Russian 

 River Valley, for the reason that four-fifths of the hops grown in 

 California are grown in that valley, at least one-half of which is in 

 Mendocino County. Our hops command a higher price than any 

 others grown in the State, excepting only those grown in Sonoma 

 County. Their passport through the market is their brand, " Russian 

 River Hops," it being a rule among hop dealers to thus designate the 

 product of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. 



There are many other industries peculiar to our people which com- 

 pare favorably with other portions of the State. Upon this branch 

 suffice it to say that, as a people, we are and have been singularly 

 blessed; and as we contemplate and view the advantages we have, and 

 daily experience over other portions of the State, we can but be satis- 

 fied. We should be thankful that we, as a people, have been so 

 favored ; and it is fitting that we should assemble together, and bring 

 with us the consummation of our skill, the products of our soil, our 

 handiwork, and our fine bred stock, and hold sweet communion with 

 one another upon this gala day, the first meeting of the Mendocino 

 County Agricultural Association, as was the wont of olden times, and 

 as has been the custom from time out of mind. 



It is an honored custom for the people to thus meet on stated occa- 

 sions — one that even goes so far back as to be almost traditionary. 

 In the palmy days of the Roman Empire, in the middle ages and at 

 other remote periods, fairs were not held for the same purposes as now. 

 They were first great gatherings of the j^eople for the yjurchase and 

 sale of goods or the hiring of servants, and were occasionally asso- 

 ciated with religious festivals and popular entertainments. They yet 

 partake greatly of that nature in European countries, while through- 

 out the United States they are more for competitive exhibition than 

 for general traffic. 



The ancient Greeks held fairs in conjunction with popular assem- 

 blies for political purposes. The Roman fora, though properly per- 

 manent market-places, attracted great multitudes at times of festiv- 

 ity and important judicial and political gatherings; and on such 

 occasions the special facilities for selling goods, as well as the special 

 provisions for popular entertainment, gave them somewhat the char- 

 acter of fairs, as they were then considered. As far back as the fifth 

 century fairs were established in France and Italy. Alfred the Great 

 introduced them in England in 886, and they were established in 

 Flanders in 960. In Europe they were of great value during the 

 middle ages, and they were especially serviceable in rude, inland 

 countries. They had numerous privileges annexed to them, and 

 afforded special facilities for the disposal of merchandise. While 

 commerce was burdened with all kinds of taxes and tolls, and travel 

 was not only difficult, but frequently unsafe, the fairs had generally 



