Tehama County 



People of the Atlantic Coast and Northern States, 

 where there is six months of snow and blizzards, never 

 dream that Tehama County, situated on parallel 40 degrees, 

 north, is blessed with perpetual summer, where the fig and 

 olive, the orange and lemon and the vine grow to perfection. 



The altitude of the valley and foothill lands of Tehama 

 County is from 300 to 700 feet above sea level. We have but 

 two seasons, the wet and the dry. As soon as the rain com- 

 mences in October, the grass begins to grow, and by the 

 first of December the country is covered with a green car])et 

 of vegetation. In October and November most of the plant- 

 ing and sowing is done. The thermometer seldom falls 

 lower than 30 degrees above zero. Snow can be seen on the 

 mountains but seldom falls in the valley. During January 

 vegetation begins to assume the appearance of spring. 

 Trees put forth their bloom and grass and grain grow rap- 

 idly. Grain can be sown in this month and even in March 

 and produce very well. 



THE SOIL 



Tehama County embraces some of the finest soils in 

 the State. They are mainly alluvial and volcanic in origin. 

 The Sacramento River, or its ancient predecessor has de- 

 posited on either bank wide stretches of rich alluvium. 

 On the east side is a dark brown, almost black, sandy loam 

 many feet in depth. On the west bank the plain of tillable 

 land is wider. The soil on this side is, in considerable part, 

 of a reddish tinge. The chief characteristics are the loamy 

 river lands. 



The bottoms along the different creeks that fiow into 

 the river have their several peculiarities; but the usual soil, 

 especially on the west side of the valley, is a yellowish 

 alluvium, the area being generally not very wide and join- 

 ing more elevated benches. The different grades of soil 

 will be viewed by different persons with widelv varving 

 opinions respecting their merits for profitable culture ; yet 

 there is very little doubt that all the soils, from the river 

 bottom to the coarsest gravelly hills, will be found available 

 for some kind of husbandrv. 



