72 IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 



The Honey Lake Basin lies in northeastern California, between the Sierra Nevada 

 Mountains and the State of Nevada. It is in the southern part of Lassen County, 

 and separated only by the oountj' of Modoc from Oregon. Its only railroad com- 

 munication with other parts of California is by way of Reno, Nev.. over the Nevada- 

 California-Oregon Railway (narrow gage), the distance from Reno to the principal 

 station in the valley being 80 miles. Although the extent of fertile soil and of 

 potential water supply would be adequate to the support of a population, in country 

 and in town, of at least 100,000 souls — and the character of surrounding resources 

 and the demand for the natural products of the region would warrant it — the locality 

 is but sparsely peopled, and even those who are there are forced to contend, through 

 ceaseless litigation and neighborhood strife, for the comparatively small amount of 

 water represented hy the perennial flow of the streams. But the present population 

 is decidedly prosperous, perhaps more so, on the whole, and considering the amount 

 of capital invested, than the agriculturists in any other part of the State. For the 

 most part they are engaged in raising haj- and live stock, principalh- cattle and horses. 

 Sheep and hogs are also verj- profitable. Natural hay is raised along moist river 

 bottoms, and in a large district known as "The Tules," on the western border of 

 Hone}^ Lake. On the sagebrush lands reclaimed by irrigation three crops of alfalfa 

 are raised each season, the total j'ield ranging from 3 to 8 tons per acre, with 5 tons 

 as a fair average. On small areas, with skillful irrigation, this average should be 

 increased considerablj-. Wherever small orchards have been established they have 

 brought good returns upon the investment, though years when late frosts injure the 

 fruit are not infrequent. 



CLIMATE AND PRODUCTS. 



The climate of the Honey Lake Basin differentiates it in a marked degree from 

 California as a whole, and resembles the famous climate of New Mexico much more 

 than that of southern California, the great interior valleys, and the coast region. 

 The altitude of Honey Lake is 3,949 feet, and that of the surrounding watershed 

 from 4,500 to 8,000 feet. This elevation, taken in connection with the intercepting 

 barrier of the great mountain range, which cools the atmosphere and condenses the 

 moisture into snow, makes the climate distinctly that of the temperate zone rather 

 than that of the semitropics, which is so closely associated with the name of 

 California. But the climate is extremely healthful, and to many people even more 

 agreeable than that of the lowland or coastal regions. 



The true designation of this locality would be the California highlands. Here 

 the winters are not very cold nor the summers very warm. The climate is rather a 

 mild type of the temperate zone. Frequently plowing can be done during every 

 month of the year, but usualh' farming operations are suspended for about two 

 months, from the middle of December to the middle of February. While exact data 

 is lacking in regard to all the resources of the region, it is distincth' in the land of 

 sunshine, and there are probably not far from 300 clear da3'S in the average year. 

 Ice forms on still water during a brief period in the winter, as a rule, for the thei"- 

 moineter frequently goes far below freezing at night — rareh' below zero — though it is 

 generally above the freezing point in the daytime, and the winter mean is considerably 



