56 STOCK RANGES OF NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. 



whitewash and filtered from a cart tank, as is commonly done in Holland. It 

 should not be allowed to air slake, as in that case it loses some of its efficacy, and its 

 action becomes slower. Of course it should be understood that quicklime will injure 

 seeds and plants with which it conies in direct contact. It should be applied on 

 the bare soil, and is especially useful if put on top of a green manure crop or sod 

 turned under. After a few weeks it becomes sufficiently mild to be innocuous to 

 seeds unless applied in very large amounts. In the case of orchards or vineyards 

 small successive doses — say half a ton to the acre — are preferable to heavy appli- 

 cations. 



Complaint is also made that it is difficult to get a good stand 

 of red clover on newly plowed land. This difficulty can be largely 

 overcome by sowing Italian ray grass and red clover together. The 

 grass serves as a nurse crop for the clover, increases the yield of hay 

 during the first two years, and gradually "runs out," leaving a good 

 stand of clover. 



Land values. — While upland grazing lands in large tracts vary in 

 price from 84 to $15 per acre, according to location, carrying capacity, 

 etc. , the ricli bottom lands of the Lower Eel River Valley, near Areata, 

 and at Salmon Creek, Elk River, and Jacoby Creek are held at from 

 875 to 6300 per acre, according to location and state of improvements 

 Well-improved farms, fully seeded to red clover, pay good interest on 

 the latter sum. The best farm lands near Ferndale are said to 

 command 8500 per acre, and are hard to obtain at the price. 



SAND DUNES. 



Dunes of drift sand of greater or less extent are found throughout 

 the California coast. Wherever they occur they prove detrimental 

 to agricultural interests, not only representing so much waste land 

 which might otherwise be utilized, but surely, even if slowly, spread- 

 ing, and sometimes completely ruining what might have been the best 

 of farm lands. On account of the slowness of their encroachment, 

 however, farmers and landowners are often indifferent to the damage 

 being done. 



The principal sand dunes of the coast of northwestern California 

 occur at the following points : 



At the mouth of the Garcia River at Point Arena, on the Sheppard 

 Ranch. Though not extensive at this point, they are steadily 

 encroaching on the limited area of rich river-bottom land, and have 

 already done no little damage. 



Between Pudding Creek near Fort Bragg and the mouth of the Ten- 

 mile River, some 10 miles north, occur the worst cases on the whole 

 of the coast area which came under our observation. At Inglenook it 

 is said that th«^ dunes have encroached on good farm land to the 

 extent of 500 feet in two years. At Cleone a half acre of orchard has 

 been ruined, the trees having been almost wholly covered with sand 

 in four years' time. A ranch house has had to be moved and the 



8 Resources of California. San Francisco. September. 1900. 



