44 



them valuable, for the culture of fruits. They contain all the elements necessary 

 for their healthy and successful propagation, with the advantages of an extensive 

 market, which is immediately surrounding almost the entire section. The advan 

 tages presented by nature are not entirely overlooked by the inhabitants in this part 

 of the State. This is apparent from the fact that flouring mills have already been 

 erected, of capacities much greater for grinding than those which have been seen 

 in other counties. 



The county is as yet but sparsely settled, but an examination of the character of 

 its lands, and of the inducements it will present to the strict agriculturalist, will 

 lead to the most favorable conclusions respecting the future appreciation and settle 

 ment of this district. Its capacities for the production of the cereals and also ex 

 tensive corn crops, were evidenced during the last year, in which we find that the 

 reputation which this district had acquired for the rearing of these products, was 

 fully sustained. 



The lower bottoms of this part of the valley present a somewhat anomalous fea 

 ture in their native productions compared to their equivalents farther to the south. 

 It consists in the forest growths which extend for miles from the banks of the river. 

 On the bottoms below Tehama, the oak, maple and other trees which skirt the banks 

 of the stream usually extend but a very short distance back into the flanks of the 

 valley, never I believe reaching in any instance the foot of the middle terraces. At 

 the distance of about twenty miles south of Tehama we first enter the valley forest 

 (for so it may be called.) which continues to increase both in density and extent as 

 we approach the upper end of the valley, and soon after passing Red Bluffs it is 

 seen to extend from the base of the coast mountains to the Sierra Nevada. The 

 greater part of the trees are situated upon the middle plateau, and extend them 

 selves into the upper tables and thence into the foot-hills of the mountains where they 

 soon become commingled with the pine and other trees of mountain habits. The 

 trees growing upon these lands offer a good criterion to judge of the character and 

 condition of its soils on which they are found. They exhibit to us the fact that the 

 soil possesses those elements which are necessary for the propagation of the cultiva 

 ted trees, and which can be made doubly useful in supplying woods, either for build 

 ing, for fuel or other purposes, and the production of fruits, at present a great desi 

 deratum in the State of California. 



This part of the State has every appearance of possessing superior advantages 

 for the culture of the northern fruits, the apple, peach and pear, either or all of 

 which would find here a soil and climate congenial to their healthy and luxuriant 

 growth. 



Before dismissing the agricultural districts of the upper Sacramento, I would call 

 the attention of the residents of this part of the State, to the means of irrigation 

 which may be advantageously used in this district. All the streams which issue 

 from the mountains, lose a great part of their water beiore they unite with the 

 main river, and in some cases, it has been found that the waters of thpse streams 

 were entirely absent from their beds for miles above their junction. When this is 

 found to be the case, and even but a small district of valley lands intervenes be 

 tween these points where the waters thus disappear from their surface channels, 

 there will usually be found between the main river and the sink, some point at which 

 the waters issue from beneath the surface, which is manifested in these cases by 

 small lagoons, swampy ground, and wet places, none of which are usually of any 

 great extent. This fact has led me to suppose, that a clay bed might probably exist 

 beneath the superficial soils, which is nearly impervious to water. This upon ex 

 amination has been found to be the case. The limited superficial discharge of these 

 waters, is accounted for in a sandy admixture which is found in the clay, and which 

 of course would admit a much freer percolation of water, than the compact clay 

 alone would allow ; the natural inference from which is, that by .far the greatest pro- 



