STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 235 



LAKE COUNTY. 



Nicholas Phelan County Assessor. 



Assessor's Office, October 3d, 1863. 

 I. N. HoAG, Esq., 



Secretary State Board of Agriculture : 



Sir : — I herewith transmit the statistics you requested me to collect for 

 the Board. I fshall make but few remarks on this count}". We are blessed 

 with a healthy climate. Such a thing as fever and ague is not known 

 here. There are situated in our limits some of the finest medicinal springs 

 in the world. Among them, I may mention the hot springs in Seigler 

 Valley, owned by Dr. J. T. Boone. Also the Harbin Springs, of the same 

 character, some eight miles east of Seigler Valley. We have also some 

 rich ledges of copper, but for the want of capital, we cannot give them 

 a thorough prospecting. Then there is the celebrated quicksilver mine, 

 near the east end of the county. It is said that it produces annually 

 three hundred and twelve thousand dollars worth of silver. It is known 

 as the Knoxville Mine, and employs about forty workmen the year round. 



The celebrated Borax Lake is situated in the centre of the county. I 

 could not learn w^hat amount of borax is taken out annually, but the 

 quantity is constantly on the increase. The beautiful sheet of water 

 known as Clear Lake is some twelve miles wide and thirty miles long, 

 and is surrounded with rich farms. There is one thing more I wish to 

 mention. It is this, that the people of Lake County have never failed to 

 raise good crops since the county was first settled. I have no doubt this 

 county will in time become one of the richest counties, compared to its 

 size, in the State. All we want is capital and labor to develop our mine- 

 ral wealth and to properlj^ cultivate our agricultural lands. The prin- 

 cipal productions of the county are wheat, barley, corn, beef cattle, 

 cheese, butter, and eggs. All the surplus grain is fed to hogs and cattle, 

 and thus driven to market on legs. Very few vegetables more than each 

 family wants to use, are raised* I would also state that this has been 

 an excellent j'ear for the honey bee in this county. 



All of which is respectfully submitted by your obedient servant, 



NICHOLAS PHELAN, 



County Assessor. 



SANTA CLARA COUNTY. 



D. M. Harwood County Assessor. 



Assessor's Office, \ 

 San Jos6, SejDtember 5th, 1855. J 

 I. N. Hoag, Esq., 



Secretary State Board of Agriculture : 



Dear Sir : — Inclosed please find my statistical report for the year 

 eighteen hundred and sixty-five. 



