California Horticulturist and Live Stock Journal. 



EDITOEIAL CORRESPONDENCE. 



HoLLisTER, April 19th. 



SAN JOSE TO HOLLISTEK. 



For our own gratification and information, 

 as well as to gather up fresh inspiration from 

 the country for our pen, we have taken a trip 

 southward through the Santa Clara and San 

 Benito valleys; one grand extension of valley 

 lands lyiug between the coast and Diablo, or 

 Gabilan, ranges of mountains, that join a few 

 miles south of HoUister into broken, rugged, 

 rounded hills, valleys and peaks extending 

 for many miles further south. From San .Jose 

 to HoUister the valley is almost continuous — 

 occasionally interrupted by hills stretching 

 out across the level lands to add variety to 

 the incomparable scenery. On either hand 

 are beautiful farms where the laud is not mo- 

 nopolized by the Murphy and other grants. 

 Whore it is, are broad acres, inviting only to 

 mock the immigrant who would settle; it is 

 virtually fenced against civUization and im- 

 provement. What a shame that such vested 

 rights are superior to the rights of man, to 

 the earth as to the air we breathe. 



The x\.pril frosts, together with winds and 

 drouth, gives 



VEGETATION 



a brown appearance quite discouraging to 

 fanners. But the few warm days lately have 

 given a fresher green, and although a fuU 

 crop is not possible without rain soon, yet 

 there will be only a partial failure. 



GILROT. 



Gilroy is a very pretty town indeed, 

 but does not present the appearance of a 

 very flourishing town. There are too few 

 small farms, too much land and property 

 monopoly, and not enough encouragement 

 for enterprise in competition with Chinese 

 labor which the tobacco business has brought 

 into the place. And, by the way, we are 

 crediby assured that this tobacco business is 

 a curse to Gilroy as a town, and of no benefit 

 to the country around; that the tobacco is not 

 of as good quality as it is reputed to be by 

 the influential company that controlls it. The 

 leaves grow eummy in our (h'y climate, and 

 the flavor is too strong. We are no tobacco 

 man in any sense, but have been observing 

 the movement until we are satisfied we can 

 say no good of it. 



SA^ BENITO VALLEY. 



From Gilroy to Hollistcr is a fine farming 

 country wher(!ver the land is divided up into 

 farms; but we can never ride through unoc- 

 cupied tracts held by monopolists without 

 feeling rebellious against a system that will 

 permit such a thing. The crops about Hol- 

 lister look even better than in the Santa Clara 

 valley. It is evidently not the dry and un- 

 inviting place that some have represented it 

 to be. 



We had not seen the place in four years, 

 and although we expected to see improve- 

 ments, were surprised at such evident signs 

 of prosperity. The town itself shows not so 

 much of acquired wealth in expensive build- 

 ings as of business enterprise which is the 

 foundation of wealth. The residences are 

 narly all pretty, one-story, painted houses, 

 with front yards neatly fenced and set out 

 with trees, shrubbcn-y, vines and flowers, jiist 

 such houses as well-paid mechanics, trades- 



men and laborers can own, and which are the 

 best indication of prosperity and comfort. 



Years ago, while the valley was still a sheep 

 range. Col. HoUister planted some pepper 

 trees around his residence. These are now 

 fine, large trees, and from them seeds have 

 been planted everywhere, and HoUister is 

 consequently beautified from one end of the 

 town to the other with this magnificent ever- 

 green. There is no finer street or ornamental 

 tree than the graceful {Schinus molle) South 

 American pepper tree. It will grow in the 

 dryest places without irrigation but is suscep- 

 tible to moisture, and in rich soil makes 

 large trees. The old trees here are splendid 

 specimens, and the young ones grow remark- 

 ably rapid, as does everything else which is 

 cultivated in this fertile valley. 



While this whole region was occupied as a 

 sheep ranch it was thought fit for nothing 

 else. It was not supposed that a crop of 

 gi-ain could be grown in any season, or that 

 it could ever be covered with farms, circhng 

 about so flourishing a town. The exj^erience 

 of old Californians who had seen the country 

 settled up in other sections, where it was pre- 

 viously thought to be equally as ill adapted to 

 cultivation, gave a few confidence in this 

 place, but the majority of persons who saw 

 the big sheep ranch were incredulous. The 

 associating who bought it up, divided it into 

 farms 170 acres, with a town laid off into 

 squares and lots, have proven their wisdom, 

 and not only made homes, but in the rise of 

 property have acquired more wealth than 

 years of labor could accumulate. Finer farms 

 cannot be found in the State than some of 

 those about HoUister, so far as good soil, 

 facilities for mai-ket and beautiful sun-ouud- 

 ings are concerned. A few are well improved 

 and many are being improved as fast as the 

 means of the owners wiU admit. The best 

 assurance of an advancing civilization is that 

 the land is owned in small tracts by actual 

 settlers. On the richest soil near town there 

 are many five and ten acres places cultivated 

 as gardens, orchards, etc., where wind-mills 

 are being ei-ected and homes built. Fine 

 schools, pubUc and private, several and other 

 public enterprises, speak well for the place. 

 The place is only about six years old, and of 

 course everything is new— in fact, in town 

 and out, it is not half grown yet; but is like a 

 jjromising child. 



The Ijranch of the Southern Pacific Kail- 

 road that terminates at Tres Pinos, six miles 

 south, runs through HoUister, and over it is 

 transported the wheat and other products that 

 seek San Francisco for a market. A narrow 

 gauge railroad will be built to connect with 

 the Salinas and Monterey road and with the 

 road that wiU run to Santa Cruz and up the 

 coast. 



Not only docs an immense section of stock 

 and agricultural lands center upon HoUister 

 as a trading post, but there is lying to 

 the east and south a large mining country, 

 rich in quicksilver and other metals. Its 

 prosperity is not only assured by present de- 

 velopments, but the prospe<:ts are all flatter- 

 ing. IloUister's location must always bo in 

 its favor. We might give an array of statis- 

 tics that would be interesting, but these can 

 bo obtained elsewhere. 



All arrangements have been perfected, and 

 pipe purchased, for bringing water from Pi- 

 cacho creek, about eight miles distant, pure 

 mountain water, to supply the town. The 

 weU water is not bad, only a Uttle hard. 

 Upon the top of a bluff'-like hill at the north 

 of the town, which commands a view of the 

 surrounding counti-y, vdU. be placed a reser- 

 voir. 



To-day we have taken a ride among the 

 farms over a portion of the San Benito and 

 Santa Anna valleys. The latter is a small, 

 beautiful valley, nestled among hills, six to 

 eight miles east of HoUister, and covered by 

 some twenty farms — a perfect gem of a valley, 

 such as can be found nowhere else on earth 

 but along our Pacific slope. Here are line 

 farms of level land, well fenced, and pastures 

 on either side reaching into and over the hills. 

 Grand oak trees, in clusters, aflbrd shaae and 

 protection for farm houses and stock, and 

 add much to the loveUness of the scene. In 

 the center of the valley is a school house, the 

 seal that stamps our country to independence 

 and freedom forever. Here are fine fields of 

 gram and flax. 



FLAX GBOAVDfO 



appears to be quite an important matter in 

 this section, and even about HoUister, in 

 every direction. Notwithstanding the dry 

 season, full crops of flax wiU be grown on 

 many farms. On the farm of John A. Eeed 

 is a large field of as fine flax as can be seen 

 in any season in any country. It is the vari- 

 ety known here by the name "California 

 Coast," or "Monterey" flax. It is a tall- 

 growing sort, with fine seeds. Another kind, 

 known by the name of ChiU flax, a shorter- 

 growing kind, with plump, large seeds, does 

 not look as well this dry year, but is said to 

 be a fine kind in wet seasons. The best field 

 of flax we saw was sown just after the last 

 heavy rains. But it is the opinion of experi- 

 enced farmers that, one year with another, it 

 is best to sow as early as possible; the same 

 as with grain, the early sown averages the 

 best. Mr. M. Pomeroy, who has a very fine 

 field of flax, says that some fields will average 

 twelve to fifteen hundred jiounds to the acre 

 this season. The late sown wiU be light, but 

 it is thought the whole average yield in this 

 section will not be less than eight hundred 

 pounds to the acre. There are many fine 

 fields of 



WHEAT AND BARLEY 



in spite of the dry weather. The extremely 

 cold spell that did so much damage through- 

 out the State had a serious effect here. But, 

 notwithstanding the reputation of HolUster as 

 a di-y place, the crops wiU average very good 

 without more raiu, wherever the crops were 

 weU put in early in the season, or before the 

 last rains. 



The finest field of barley we saw was on the 

 W. P. Phillips farm, sown early on light but 

 rich, well-oiltivated soil. The best wheat was 

 on heavier soU that was not plowed over 

 three inches daep, but was very thoroughly 

 plowed with narrow plows and finely har- 

 rowed. We find but few adherents to the 

 deep plowing theory. The most of old Cali- 

 fornians know bettei from experience; but 

 none can plow or cultivate too thoroughly or 

 too much when the soil is in suitable coudi- 



