GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TERRITOEIES. 271 



set on the open wild-oat prairie grounds, and they require no under- 

 draining, staking, or irrigation. 



Mr. Quimby, ex-mayor of San Jose, informed me that south of that 

 city artesian borings had not been free-flowing, the water not coming to 

 the surface; that the most powerful fountains are near the bay at the 

 north end of the valley, where, also, they are obliged to bore the deepest 

 in order to reach the main gravel bed or water stratum. His own well 

 at San Jose had never ceased to flo\7 freely, and to furnish both his 

 own gardens and several neighboring families with an abundant supply 

 of water. Mr. Quimby thinks that it is desirable, if possible, to water 

 the larger fruit-trees in the dry season, for else the roots will penetrate 

 the ground so deeply in search of moisture that afterward, in the rainy 

 season, when the ground is saturated with water, they will be drowned 

 out, having no surface roots. This he mentioned as an inference from 

 his own experience in the cultivation of fruit-trees, referring more 

 especially to apple and peach rather than to pear trees. He thinks also 

 that strawberries should be watered occasionally after the last 5)icking, 

 and that in some soils, at certain seasons, grape-vines should be simi- 

 larly treated. In San Jos6 Valley some irrigate for the raising of garden 

 or kitchen vegetables, but none for the wheat crop. 

 Very respectfully, , 



G. K ALLEN. 



SPIORT DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME OF THE VALLEYS OF NEVADA. 



By Mr. Haskill, of Reno, Nevada, 



[On behalf of Mr. Haskill I should state that this short sketch was 

 hastily drawn up by him in answer to a request made through Mr. G. W. 

 Meecham, of Humboldt. I l6arn that, if desired, he will, by the time 

 your next report is to be published, prepare a more thorough account of 

 the agricultural resources of this young mountain State ; but on account 

 of the valuable information contained in these short notes, 1 have 

 thought it best that they should be placed on record, and have therefore 

 referred them to you. 



C. THOMAS.] 



Truckee valley extends from a point a short distance below Verde, a 

 station on the Central Pacific Eailroad, to Pyramid Lake, distant about 

 sixty miles. It contains some very fine agricultural land. Ics width 

 varies from a few rods to several miles ; at Truckee Meadows it widens 

 out in circular form, and at this point contains over 10,000 acres of 

 arable land. Elevation at the head of the valley 5,138 feet, gradually- 

 descending to 3,933 feet at the foot. 



The Truckee Eiver, which courses its entire length, is a beautiful 

 stream of pure water, abounding in trout. Lake Tahoe, its source, is 

 famed for the clearness and transparency of its water. 



Washoe Valley, also, in Washoe County, lying mainly ten miles to the 

 south of Truckee Meadows, contains some three or four thousand acres 

 of land which can be rendered tillable by irrigation. Washoe Lake, at 

 the head of this valley, is a sheet of clear water from six to eight miles 



