214 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



MODESTO AND TURLOCK IRRIGATION DIS- 

 TRICTS OF STANISLAUS COUNTY, CAL- 

 IFORNIA. 



The County of Stanislaus presents the homeseek- 

 er's opportunity. Situated in the center of California, 

 comprising the outlet of the San Joaquin Valley, Stan- 

 islaus possess exceptional advantages of location and 

 climate. Modesto, her county seat, is but 115 miles 

 southeast of San Francisco, 92 miles north of Fresno, 

 77 miles south of Sacramento (the state capital), and 

 30 miles south of Stockton, the figures denoting dis- 

 tance by rail. Her area is 800,000 acres, nearly seven- 

 eighths of which is arable lands. The Southern Pacific 

 and the Santa Fe transcontinental railroads traverse 

 the center of the county. A branch of the Southern 

 Pacific skirts her eastern and another her western foot- 

 hills. The Sierra Railway, starting from the eastern 

 branch, at Oakdale, places the markets of the rich 

 mining Counties of Tuolumne and Mariposa; and a 

 portion of Calaveras and the wonders of the famed 

 Yosemite Valley, at her door. 



The Stanislaus, Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers, 

 the two latter navigable for six months of the year, run 

 through her acres, affording irrigation and drainage 

 and serving to regulate transportation charges. Stan- 

 islaus presents the typical California climate, about 

 the same weight of clothes being comfortable all the 

 year. The climate is at all seasons of the year pleasant, 

 healthful and invigorating, and is especially suitable 

 to the advantageous cultivation and rapid growth of 

 the varied products of its soil. The winter is short 

 and mild. Snow unknown, frost infrequent and rarely 

 damaging even to tender plants and the susceptible 

 orange blossom. Roses bloom in the open air as late 

 as December and January and in March resume bloom- 

 ing. 



In this gem of California counties a completed 

 irrigation system owned by the land embraces 258,000 

 acres of immensely fertile and productive soil. The 

 system has now been in successful operation but three 

 or four years and over 75,000 acres have already been 

 sold in small lots, most of it within the past two years, 

 probably 45,000 to 50,000 acres of this land is now 

 cultivated to alfalfa, fruits, vines and garden products. 

 No one can foresee possibilities of this section of 

 California, under its present successful public system 

 of irrigation. 



The soil in these districts is a sandy loam, vary- 

 ing in density, but all rich and especially adapted to 

 irrigation. It is highly productive, and as it varies 

 in density is adapted to almost every crop that can be 

 produced in the temperate and semi-tropic zones. This 

 naturally causes diversified crops and every man can be 

 suited. The man who prefers the dairy business, or the 

 man who prefers the tree and the vine, the berry, 

 sweet potato or the cantaloupe, can take his choice 

 with the assurance of splendid returns. Here the 

 oranges, choice fruit that to see is to covet, are ready 

 for the Thanksgiving market ; here lemons leave nothing 

 to be desired: olives, almonds, prunes, vines and figs 

 yield prolifically; pomelos (grape fruit), and pome- 

 granate attain perfection; choice peaches, apricots and 

 nectarines afford profitable crops ; table and wine grapes 

 meet every desire ; while apples, pears and, in fact, all 

 the deciduous fruits and garden and field products of 



every description are prolific in yield and from excellent 

 to choice in quality. 



The demonstrated profits of the products en- 

 numerated, and of dairying, alfalfa under irrigation, 

 affording green feed all the year around, led the land 

 owners of the central portion of the county to co- 

 operate to render irrigation available to all. Two 

 hundred and fifty-eight thousand acres lying between 

 the Stanislaus and the San Joaquin Rivers, and bi- 

 sected by the Tuolumne River, comprise one great 

 paradise of beauty and comfort. 



The Tuolumne River is the source of water sup- 

 ply for both the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Dis- 

 tricts. This stream has a watershed second only to 

 that of one other river of the state, carries a vast 

 volume of water and is never failing, being fed by the 

 perennial snows of the Sierra. The water rights of 

 the districts take precedence over all others, save that 

 of a mining company, possessing a very limited appro- 

 priation. Here, under legislative enactment, the water 

 inalienably belongs to the land. The water belongs 

 to the people as does a public highway or school house. 

 People who do not understand ask "What does a water 

 right cost?" To which answer is made, "No more 

 than you pay for the right to use the county road, the 

 court house or the district school house." 'The dis- 

 tricts were bonded to raise the money necessary to 

 construct the irrigation works, and a valuation is each 

 year placed upon* the land for the purpose of levying 

 a sufficient assessment to pay the cost of the main- 

 tenance of the system, the cost of the distribution of 

 the water, and to pay the yearly accruing interest on 

 outstanding bonds. This method of raising money is 

 practically the same as that employed in counties to 

 raise money to conduct county affairs. 



The sandy loam of which the greater portion of 

 the great body of 258,000 acres of land is composed 

 affords every advantage for diversified farming. 



Alfalfa, the king of forage plants, finds its home 

 here, yielding five crops of one and one-half tons to the 

 acre annually, and affording pasturage after the curing 

 season. 



Dairying has become a very prominent industry, 

 because of the favorable conditions and excellent profits. 

 Each acre will support a cow, and one man at $40 

 per month will milk and care for thirty cows. Butter 

 fat has been bringing at the creameries this year from 

 $7 to $15 a month per cow, according to the grade of 

 the cows. The skimmed milk fed to calves and hogs 

 will afford an income sufficient to meet expenses, leav- 

 ing the returns from the creamery net profit. 



Poultry is also becoming general and has already 

 proven very profitable in these districts. This results 

 from the mildness of the climate, the prevalence of 

 green feed at all times, and the good local and San 

 Francisco markets, eggs averaging about 20 cents the 

 year around. 



The grape industry in a short time will probably 

 lead all other industries, even dairying, which has be- 

 come and is now so profitable. Over ten thousand 

 acres have been planted to vines since the completion 

 of the irrigation systems, a portion of which came into 

 bearing last year, producing from seven to ten tons to 

 the acre and bringing prices ranging from $14 to $18 

 per ton. 



Schools have had a phenomenal growth in the last 



