SOIL SURVEY OF THE RED BLUFF AREA, CALIFORNIA. 13 



interesting to note that the first steamer on the upper Sacramento 

 was the Lady Washington^ in 1849-50, and that several small steam- 

 ers navigated the canyon above Red Bhitf in these early days. An 

 influx of population, due in part to a movement of mine seekers, 

 led to the development of various industries, with which agriculture 

 kept j)ace. Wheat growing received most attention. It was at first 

 confined to the deep alluvial soils along the streams, but gradually 

 extended over the uplands until all tillable land of the area was sown 

 to grain under extensive systems. Profits were good and enormous 

 quantities of grain were shipped into the world markets b}^ railroad 

 and river steamers. The usual methods applicable to an extensive 

 system of agriculture, embracing the use of the gang plow and the 

 combined harvester, were employed. Even with such labor-saving 

 machinery, enabling large tracts to be farmed, the industry declined 

 in the face of decreased yields and lower j^rices. A gradual shrink- 

 age in the area devoted to grain has followed, until at this time the 

 grain belt is practically confined to the bottom lands. The upland 

 types, as noted in their descriptions, are now devoted mainly to 

 grazing. Such parts of the latter sections as produce grain do so 

 only by practicing summer fallowing. The principal part of this 

 abandoned upland section is very sparsely settled, and while land 

 values are lower than in the best grain-producing days they are not 

 yet at a low ebb because of irrigation possibilities. About 1,500,000 

 bushels of grain are annually produced. 



There are many small holdings of land in the Red Bluff area, but 

 some of the great land grants and subsequently acquired tracts remain 

 nearly intact, extending over hundreds and in some cases thousands 

 of acres. They retard the development of the section, but sub- 

 division is hardly possible without irrigation. A large body of land 

 near Corning has been gradually sold in small tracts since the early 

 nineties. A tract around Los Molinos has recently been watered and 

 is now being disposed of in small farms. Some of the alluvial bot 

 toms of the Sacramento and the soils along Thomas and Elder 

 Creeks are held in moderate-sized tracts, but great holdings cover the 

 most of the area. Among these may be mentioned the great Finnell 

 and Cone ranches near Red Bluff, the Stanford ranch near Vina, and 

 others. 



At about the time when grain growing began to decline m this 

 area, fruit growing was tried with increasing success. (See PI. I, fig. 

 1.) The more friable alluvial soils of good water-holding qualities 

 were selected, and by careful methods quite a fruit industry has been 

 built up on a dry-farming basis. Irrigation is practiced in certain 

 sections, as noted further on in this report under the proper head, 

 but the greater part of the fruit is produced without it. In 1907 

 Tehama County produced $1,281,531 worth of deciduous fruits, with 



