MOUNTAIN VALLEYS. 19 



son commences. In Long Vallej 7 it is found that stock can be fed on 

 timoth} 7 aftermath without injury to the crop, provided they are taken 

 off when the first rains fall. 



A small quantity of alfalfa hay is produced in Long Valley. In 

 this part of the State there is still a great deal of prejudice against it. 

 It is considered " too soft" for either horses or beef cattle, and is fed 

 only to cows and hogs. Much of the dissatisfaction is undoubtedly 

 due to feeding alfalfa alone. The addition of good straw to the ration 

 (in the proportion of one-half straw to one-half alfalfa) will make a 

 well balanced and highly valuable feed. Moreover, alfalfa is not well 

 adapted for pasturing, bub should be soiled or fed as hay or silage. 

 It is possible that the summer is too short in this region and the 

 temperature not sufficiently high for the profitable cultivation of 

 alfalfa. 



The cool climate, fertile soil, abundant supply of running water 

 and of timber for fuel and fencing, point to these mountain valleys 

 as being ideally adapted to dairying. Nothing is done in this line, 

 however, beyond the supply of the small local demand, on account of 

 the distance from a shipping point and the cost of transportation by 

 rail. From Fort Bragg, the nearest coast port, Sherwood Valley is 

 distant about 20 miles, over an exceedingly rough, mountainous road 

 with a descent of some 2,000 feet. The distance to Ukiah, the nearest 

 railroad depot, is about 35 miles, the road crossing two steep moun- 

 tains. A creamery has recently been started in Sherwood Valley, the 

 output in 1899 being over 20,000 pounds, most of which went to the 

 Mendocino Hospital. A creamery has been established in Potter Val- 

 ley during the past year. 



The wild meadows and pastures. — We can find no record of the con- 

 dition of vegetation in these valleys before farming operations were 

 commenced. An approximate idea of the early native flora can be 

 gained, however, from the present vegetation of Sherwood Valley, 

 where but little cultivation has been practiced, and where manj^ of 

 the meadows appear never to have seen the plow. Nevertheless, it is 

 certain that the quantity of valuable native species has been mate- 

 rially reduced by heavy grazing in the fifty-odd years of occupation by 

 white settlers, thereby increasing the relative abundance of less appre- 

 ciated species. Several weed} T plants have been naturalized within 

 recent 3<ears. Mr. Sherwood, who settled in 1853 in the valley which 

 bears his name, and who was the first white settler there, took the 

 writer to a point some distance from his house to point out danthonia 

 (Danthonia californica) as the grass which was the most abundant on 

 hillside and valley floor and which formed the favorite and most 

 nutritious forage plant when he first brought cattle into the valley. 

 This grass is now scarce in the vicing. 



In Sherwood Valley the three grasses now prevalent are: (1) Brornus 

 racemosus commutatus; (2) B. hordeaceus glabrescens; (3) Holcus 



