USA > California > Monterey County > History of Monterey County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines : with biiographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 17
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FOOS PREVAIL ON THE COAST.
Fogs are prevalent during the summer season in the line of the north-westerly air-current. These fogs are the effect of a eold current slowly penetrating a warm current of air, or vice versa. The vapor contained in the warmer body of air is con- densed, becoming clouds at or near the surface of the earth. The condensation of this vapor, giving out its heat, usually ren- ders the fog mild in temperature and not unpleasant. This is especially the ease where there are eddying currents. As soon as the temperature of the different bodies of air are equalized, the fog disappears. As we pass south ward from Cape Mendo- cino these fogs become milder, especially as we recede from the main current of air, which begins to spread wider as we approach the Bay of Monterey, on account of the eastward trend of the coast line, and the north equatorial current towards China and Japan.
We may remember, as a rule, that along the Pacific coast, places exposed to the north-west have more fog in the season of north-west winds than places open to the southward. And also that the rain-fall is greater in the latter places than in the foriner, because our rains come with the southerly winds. Of course this applies to places of nearly the same latitude, remem- bering that the rain-fall decreases from north to south. (See meteorological table.) As an illustration of this rule, the rain- fall at San Francisco is 21.79 inches. It should be less at Santa Cruz and Watsonville, because they are situated fifty miles south of San Francisco. But they stand with a southern exposure, and consequently receive 22 to 23 inches. We should expect, if we had any way of measuring fog, that San Francisco, and places of like exposure, would receive proportionately a greater amount than the Monterey region.
RAIN-FALL ALWAYS AMPLE.
The rain-fall along the coast north of Monterey is always sufficient. Taking Watsonville as a representative central point, we may say that so far as agriculture is concerned, there is seldom a deficiency injurious to vegetation. Together with the direct rain-fall and the fogs, there is always enough moist- ure to mature the crops. The summits of the Santa Lucia and Santa Cruz mountains receive almost double the amount of rain that falls near the sea level. This has been demonstrated at the Springvale farm, the home of Mr. D. M. Locke, in the Santa Cruz mountains, who has kept a record of the rain-fall for the last three or four years, showing a total each year of nearly double that of Santa Cruz City. Thus the Santa Encia and the Sauta Cruz mountains become a reservoir for a large amount of water, a good part of which finds its way to the sea in small streams. In fact, almost every mile from the Pajaro to Pescadero is furnished with a perennial stream. The groves of redwoods and other trees, by their dense root fiber-, hoki
EUREKA.
DANDY.
12-112
NATIVIOAD , MONTEREY CO. CALIFORNIA.
STEFFANI.
CASA BLANCA DAIRY RANCH. OF JOSEPH
85
A DESIRABLE AND HEALTHFUL CLIMATE.
this rain-fall like sponges, only giving out as it is required and drawn away by the surrounding dryuess.
FORESTS CONSIDERED INEXHAUSTIBLE.
It may be asked, if these groves of timber in these mountains should be eut away, would not the region beeome as barren as the mountains north and south of them ? I think it would. Possibly the rains would, in a little time, bring into existenee a crop of trees to take the place of the fallen ones. Although the supply of timber is very great in these mountains, it cannot be considered inexhaustible. The rapid increase of population and consequent demand for building material and fuel will in time lead to the denndation of the regions nearest to the large . eities. Consequently a preservative policy should be adopted at an early day, by which a portion of the land should retain, at least, the younger growth for future use. It would indeed be a wise policy to enforce a law to this effect if it cannot be done otherwise. The general future good of our State requires it, aud especially the places in and near the timbered lands.
SALUBRITY OF THE AIR.
Temperature bas much to do with our eomfort and health It is true that man may live in almost any elimate on our globe by the airl of clothing, shelter, food, and other artificial helps. But it is certainly more pleasant and conducive to lon- gevity to live in a elimate where the minimum of such aids are necessary; where it is not required to spend one-half the year in preparations to keep from freezing and starving the other half. Neither is a tropieal elimate the best. It fosters indolence by an excess of heat, and need of an oceasional eold and stimulat- ing air. The tropieal elimates in addition are nsually prolific in diseases, and the atmosphere is rare and humid, produeing and favoring debility.
North of Cape Mendocino the rain-fall begins to be un- pleasantly abundant, although the temperature is not unfavor- able.
One would therefore prefer a elimate medinm in these respects. It should be warm enough and dry enough to require but little eonfinement in-doors. There should be range enough in temperature to give variety, and not enough to shock the human system by sudden changes of heat or eold, humidity or dryness.
These the conditions generally agreed upon by the best authorities, not only for the well-being of invalids suffering from the principal diseases that flesh is heir to, but for those in robust health that they may remain well. Any elimate, there- fore, characterized by sudden and violent changes of temperature, eold and humid; or even dry aud irregular, with extremes of heat and cold, is not favorable to good health ; especially is it eondneive to diseases of the lungs. A climate where people
must remain in-doors a large portion of the time on account of its inelemeney, must engender disease.
It would seem, then, that so far as temperature is eoneerned, the eentral and sonthein region of the California eoast, when sheltered from the north-west winds and free from the siroccos of the east, within the flow of the mild cddying eurrents of air that have just arrived from the broad expanse of water and been warmed by the sunshine and heat of the land, would be of all places the most healthful. In these localities the thermom- eter seldom rises above eighty degrees, and rarely comes down to the freezing point. Out-door life is practicable at all seasons and almost every day in the year. Oppressive heat is seldom felt, and nothing colder than a slight frost during the coldest mornings of winter. During all the summer months, from April to November, there is a steady temperature of air a few miles out from the land. At the Farallones, forty-five degrees is about the summer standard-near the mean annual temper- atnre of Sitka, near twenty degrees farther north. This is cold, especially when aeeompanied, as it nearly always is, with a strong wind. But near the coast, the water and air are rapidly modified, as is illustrated by the following table, for which I am indebted to the Rev. Dr. Willey,* of Santa Cruz, at least for the Santa Cruz observation. 1 have added for comparison the water temperature at a place on the Atlantic coast near New- port, Rhode Island, taken by Captain R. J. Edwards; and also the air and water temperature at Santa Monica, Los Angeles county. All these observations were made in the year 1876.
TABLE SHOWING TEMPERATURE OF AIR AND WATER.
1876.
Jan.
Feb.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
Sept.
October.
Nov.
Dec.
SANTA CRUZ ..
Air. . Water
54.4 54.9,52.2 58.6 59.2 60.2 6I.S 63.0 61.3 59.4 52.8 55.2 52.1 52.7| 52.2 57.2 57.2 58.2 60.4 60.2 60.0 56.3 54.7 53.3
SANTA MONICA. Air.
68.0 GS.0 65.5 65.2 69.0 69.5 68.0 65.5
Water.
NEWPORT, R. I. Water
32.0 30.7 34.4 43.0 52.5 61.7 69.5 70.4 65.3 58.3 43.7 36.2
The observations for Santa Cruz and Newport were taken at from 9 to 11 o'clock, A. M., in water eight to ten feet deep. The air temperature was taken in the shade of the powder-mill wharf, just over the water. At Santa Cruz and Monterey, sea- bathing is not uncommon in the winter season, and the tempera- turc quite endurable. At Santa Monica the water tempera- ture of the four summer months seems to stand above air tem - perature. The water where the temperature was tiken must have been distant from the ocean eurreuts, to attain such a high degree of heat. I find them in the Fourth Report of the State Board of Health, of California.
* llev. Dr. Willey was a pioneer minister of Monterey, and preachoil his first surmon there February 23, 1849.
86
A FAVORABLE CLIMATE FOR INVALIDS.
The temperature of the water is not constant each year. In the months of June, July, August and September in 1876, the water temperature stood at about sixty degrees. Probably at Monterey City it was about the same. Observations taken in these months during 1880 show the temperature to be sixty- five degrees, although the air was colder than in 1876. The rapid and profuse growth of sea-wecds in certain years and seasons also indicates the advent of warm currents of water from the north. The summer heat, favored in the north Pacific by long days of sunshine, is evidenced in the water currents that flow along our coast, bringing that heat with them.
SEA BATHING AT ALL TIMES.
The general experience is that water at a temperature between seventy and ninety degrees is, for bathing purposes, rather too relaxing in its effect. It does not bring about a tonic and stimulating feeling so necessary to secure the benefit of a sea bath. When invalids and persons of rather feeble constitu- tions can gradually become accustomed to the lower temperatures in the open warm air, say fifty to sixty degrees water, and seventy to eighty degrees air, they are invigorated. The experiments should at first, however, be carefully made, so as not to bring about injurious congestions of the internal orgaus. Only a few minutes' time in the water, then allowing the blood to return to the surface. Otherwise, such persons would do better to use the hot bath, ninety-five to one hundred and five degrees. But persons, young and of a robust constitution, may be still further strengthened by even the wiuter sea bathing, which is often enjoyed in this bay.
DEGREES OF HUMIDITY.
A word in regard to humidity. In this respect the coast region is very accommodating. Humidity is not indicated by the rain-fall. It is the amount of watery vapor contained in the air. This can be measured pretty well with the wet and dry bulb thermometers. At the beach, and near the surface of the water, the air is ahnost or quite full of watery vapor at nearly all times. As we recede from the shore toward the sum- mits of the mountains, the air becomes dryer. We may find almost any degree of humidity required within fifteen or twenty miles of the coast.
MALARIA NOT PREVALENT.
There is very little malaria. Possibly in some of the mount- ain and forest closed basins, during the latter part of autumn, malaria may be generated. But generally the air is pure, be- cause these valleys are regularly swept, almost every day, by the sca-breeze, coming with its ozone as a disinfectant. The sweeping is so gentle that the inhabitants are not disturbed, and yet poisonous gases are dispersed.
Influence of Climate on Pulmonary and Other Diseases.
IT may be well to say a few words additional in regard to the influence of climate on pulmonary and other diseases tending towards consumption. There are certain conditions of climate where the physician can do but little good, owing to relapses from climatie causes; and with each relapse the hope of recov- ery becomes less. A change should carly be made to a climate, the first requisite of which should be pure air. Temperature, elevation and humidity should next be taken into the account, according to the requirements of the case.
For a long time the southern part of France has had a repu- tation as a favorable resort for consumptive patients. The little town of Cannes, and other places bordering on the Mediterra- nean, where a row of hills rises within a short distance of the sea-side, there have been erected, at various altitudes, villas and hotels, to accommodate the numerous persons who resort there for recuperation from disease. Many cases have been cured, and in others the disease has been stayed by moving np into these hills.
Many of those who are suffering with pulmonie fever, obtain almost certain relief by moving from three hundred to five hundred feet higher than where they may be living. This benefit comes not only to those suffering with consumption, but as a rule to all cases of disease accompanied by a quick pulse, high temperature, debility, and deficient state of nutrition.
A RESORT FOR INVALIDS.
Around the Bay of Monterey the elevations rise gradually, with terraces and plateans, so that almost auy desirable eleva- tion up to nearly four thousand feet, can be obtained within a distance of ten or fifteen miles.
Furthermore, invalids must have some physical and mental employment to the extent of their strength. In this region there is ample scope. Within a comparatively small area there presents a great variety of resources. And the person who will not make an effort, by some active pursuit, to overcome all physical debility, is beyond the help of this or any other climate. These mountains, brooks, forests and fiells: the hidden, unex- plored and undeveloped wealth; the sea-shore, with its exhiler- ating air and bathing facilities; mineral springs of uudoubted good qualities, tried and untried; scenery that in all its beauty of earth, sky and water, is unsurpassed; all these, and many more, must stimulate and inspire the most despondent with fresh and bright idens of life, and a resolution to overcome and break the fetters caused by disease.
Stock and fruit-raising, manufacturing and utilizing the abundant natural resources of this region, would give employ- ment to a very large population. And any taste, disposition or
87
A VERY DESIRABLE LOCATION FOR HOMES.
skill persons might have, would find congenial openings for their use.
We do not speak of this region as a place only for invalids, as a place for summer or winter resort, although, in many cases, invalids may be benefited by a short sojourn here; but it is a place to make a permanent home-to recover health and to retain it. There are many persons who have accumulated for- tunes in other lands-perhaps at the expense of health. Dis- abled in that respect, they cannot enjoy their homes. A change of climate becomes necessary. A few weeks or months might do grod; but a permanent change in many cases must be deter- mined upon. There are many places with sunshine and a genial climate.
But these alone are not all that is needed. Employment and contentment generally mean the same thing, and good health is often their attendant.
A PLACE FOR HOMES.
Persons with ordinary intelligence to guide willing and indus- trious hands, with or without capital, would scarcely fail to find somewhere in the region thus imperfectly outlined, remunera- tive investments, bodily restoration if needed, and most assuredly comfortable and happy bomes.
The following table, compiled from the reports of the State Board of Health, will show the mortality in twelve of the prin- cipal cities and towns of California, having a population of three thousand and over. The record is for 1874, a year of average health throughout the State; except San Jose, which is for 1870-71-twelve months-as no record for 1874 was within my reach.
TABLE SHOWING MORTALITY OF TWELVE CITIES AND TOWNS OF CALIFORNIA.
Deaths per 1,000.
CITIES.
20.14
San Francisco
21,600
14.90
Sacramento.
20,000
12.65
Oakland
15,000
Los Angeles
12,000
11.30
Stockton ..
5,000
Marysville
5,000
24.00
Santa Barbara
4,500
12.60
Petaluma. .
5,000
Napa City
10,000
San Jose. .
3,000
Redwood City.
3,500
Santa Cruz.
16.37
Total mean .
By comparison with other years, I find that the results would scarcely be changed from those given, were it possible to present the average for a larger number of years. The table shows Santa Cruz as a place favorable for health, having the lowest
per cent of mortality. It also shows Santa Barbara with the highest per cent, but not necessarily unhealthy, because it is the chief resort for invalids in, perhaps, the last stages of con- sumption, and other diseases that no climate can enre, and dying there, have been included in her mortality list.
HEALTHFULNESS OF THIS SECTION.
Of Monterey City, situated so nearly like Santa Cruz, I have no statistics. But there is scarcely a doubt that it would pre- sent figures no less favorable than Santa Cruz.
While the mean annual mortality of fourteen Eastern cities of the United States is set at twenty-five per one thousand inhabitants, the mean of these twelve cities and towns of California, representing a eity population of over three hundred thousand persons, is only sixteen to one thousand population.
Of course the mortality of large cities is much greater than that of towns and rural districts. In great Britain the average of twenty-one large cities is twenty-five in one thousand, while the average of the country population hardly exceeds twelve. and in many localities will go much lower, even down to eight or seven. The average of town, city and country of the east- ern United States, or what is called the "normal death rate,' is fixed at seventeen. The limit of deaths, considered unavoid- able by statisticians, is fixed at eleven to one thousand. All above this they hold to be preventable in healthy countries. But this limit of healthfulness is seldom reached. City mortal- ity, when under twenty, shows a high standard of health; but when it reaches thirty and thirty-six, as it does in some years, owing to epidemics, the degree is alarmning.
TEMPERATURE AND RAIN-FALL FROM SITKA TO SAN DIEGO. COMPILED BY C. L. ANDERSON, M. D.
REMARKS.
PLACES.
eb.
Mar.
May.
July.
2 | Aug.
g | Sept.
Oct.
1 Nov
3 | Dec
33 42.06 95.00
Sitka.
35 40 4
41 42
Humboldt Bay.
49 43
San Francisco.
Benicia ..
40 51 54 00
62 64 54 66 57|
52 40 55 58 01 03 09 66 65 5; 56 45 65.90 22.05 Two years.
Watsonville
16 51 53 55 64 72 77 78 74 68 50 45 00.09 12.06 1872.'
San Jonquin Valley ..
62 50 61 53 50 57
58 5
959 58 54 50 55.00 18.27
Monterey ..
53 55 55 59 63 00 68 08 06 63 59 54 61.08 14-71 Eight years.
Santa Barbara
3 71 79 63 G8 01 52 01.76 14.00 One or two years.
Wilmingtont
52 55 68 01 65 73 76 75 76 60 59 60 62.10 13.06 Two years.
Los Angeles.
51 53 56 00,02 67 72 53 70 65 60 61 62.11 10.00 Twenty-one years.
San Diego.
160 50 04153 50 61 67 06 60 62 50 45 61.401
Hollister.
1 Port of Los Angeles.
* A good average year in central part of valley.
The foregoing table is compiled from various sources, and shows only approximately the temperature and rain-fall at some points. Many years are required to obtain a correct mean. It gives the average monthly and yearly means of tem- perature. It shows the gradual decrease of rain and increase of temperature as we go south from Sitka, and will prove interesting as a comparison.
Yea'ly
Mean.
Rain.
5.39 50.00 08.00
Stellacoom
160 81 57 52 45 44 45,00 $6.35
Astoria
58 57 57 53 18 45 57.00 34.00
57.55 55 57 64 51 65.29 21.19 Twenty-seven years.
49 51 6
67 08 64 62 54 47 58.00 19.43
47 62 53|57
54 52 60 63 54 47 60.25 20.08
Sacramento.
61 63 02 59 58|50 59.50 23.00 Patts of ten years.
Santa Cruz.
April.
El June.
455 54 50 44 35
31 32 40 43
3 64 03 57,52
200,000
21.60
23,60
55 57 50 58 62
10.40
21.20
15.60
8.50
Population.
88
THE RAINY SEASON AND AVERAGE RAIN-FALL.
THE RAINY SEASON.
The season of rain in this section may be said to commence in October and end in May, though it sometimes rains in June' It is rare that it rains longer than two or three days at a time' an l the intervals between rains vary from a few days to a month or six weeks. Old Californians cousider the winter the most pleasant part of the year. As soon as the rain com- menzes in October, the grass grows, and by the middle of November the hills anl pastures are green. So soon as the grond is in condition to plough, after the first rains, the farmers sow their grain. December is usually a stormy month, with now and then a fall of snow in the mountains, but it is rare that the snow falls in the valleys, and never lies on the ground.
The thermometer seldom goes as low as thirty-seven degrees above zero; occasionally there is a tbin coat of ice over the pools of standing water.
THE MONTH OF HEAVY RAIN.
December is usually the month of heaviest rain-fall. In January we begin to recognize an indescribable feeling of spring in the air; the almond trees blossom and the robins come. During this month grass aud early-sown grain grow rapidly. If the early season has not been favorable for seeding, grain muy be sown in January, February, or March, and it will produce well. In this county it is ofteu sown as late as the mildle of April, produeing a fair crop. As a rule, the bulk of the planting is done either in the fall, or in January, February, and the first half of Marcb.
February is a growing montb, and is one of the most pleas- ant in the year. It is like the month of May in the Eastern States. Peach and cherry trees bloom in this month. March is a stormy month; we are liable to have either heavy south- east storms or a dry north wind.
A MONTH OF SUNSHINE AND SHOWERS.
April, as in the East, is often all smiles and tears, sunshine alternating with showers. Nature pushes her work in April, and vegetation grows astonishingly. The turning-point of the crop comes in the long, warm days of this month; the rainy season is about over, and from that time until it matures the crop is sustained by the moisture already in the soil. In June grain matures, and by the middle of July it is ready for harvest.
In April a last shower occurs, and then begins the dry sea- son. From that time until November there is no rain; every- thing is dry and parched; the grass cures aud becomes hay as it stands in the fields, and the dumb brutes fatten and grow sleek on it. Persons camping out require no tents.
The amount of rain-fall differs in almost every locality. The min-fall of Monterey, Salinas, and Hollister. will be found
under description of those places. No rain-fall tables have been kept for a succession of years in any valley, except at Sacramento, where records have been kept for thirty years, as well as the number of rainy days.
The following diagram shows at a glance the amount of rain-fall for any one year as compared with another :-
DIAGRAM AND RAINFALL TABLE.
Arranged for ELLIOTT & MOORE'S COUNTY HISTORY, showing the amount of rain in inches for each rainy season during thirty years, from records kept by the late Dr. T. M. Logan, and Dr. F. M. Hatch, of Sacramento. These tables are generally taken as representative of the whole State.
ESCALE ONE-NINTH OF AN INCH TO AN INOH OF RAIN.] Rainfall-Inches. 36.00.
Rainy Days. 53
1850-51.
4.71.
46.
1851-52.
17.98.
48.
1852-53.
36.15.
70
1853-54.
20.06.
76.
1854-55.
18.62.
71.
1855-56.
13.77.
54.
1856-57.
10.44.
61.
1857-58.
18.99.
56.
1858-59.
16.04.
58.
1859-60.
22.62.
73.
1860-61.
15.54.
70.
1861-62.
35.54.
83.
1862-63.
11.57.
62.
1863-64.
8.86.
37.
1864-65.
22.51.
59
1865-66.
17.92
69.
1866-67.
25.30.
71.
1867-68.
32.76.
88
1868-69.
16.64.
58.
1869-70.
13,57.
47
1870-71.
8.47.
37.
1871-72.
24.05.
69.
1872-73.
14.20.
39.
1873-74.
22.89.
SO.
1874-75.
23.04.
76
IS75-76.
25.67.
6S
1876-77.
9.32
45.
1877-78.
21.24.
66.
1878-79.
16.77.
64.
1879-80.
26.65.
75.
.
F
Year.
1849-50.
İmtrip
SAN JUSTO RANCHO, FLINT, BIXBY &CO.P. "
W. W. ELLIOTTALITH. 106 LEIDSDORFF ST. S.F.
PROPRIETORS, SAN JUAN, SAN BENITO CO. CAL.
89
LIST OF THE TREES, FLOWERS, AND PLANTS.
The Botany of the County.
ASIDE from rain-gauges, hygrometers. thermometers and such things, all useful in their way, and helps to a correet knowledge of climate, we have a single and more certain test. It can be read and applied at a glanec. It is the flora of a country. If we know the plants, we may be able to describe the elimate. The botany of this region tells, with peculiar emphasis, the qualities of the elimate.
The number of plants is so great that to make a full catalogue of them would only be of interest to the professional botanist. I shall not attempt much more than a general description, except to give a list of the trees. They will indicate somewhat the character of the smaller plants. They will also indicate to the horticulturist the kind of plants that may be successfully grown here for fruit, ornament or other uses.
FOREST TREES OF THE COUNTY.
In making this list, it has been a question sometimes where to draw the line between trees and shrubs. Some of what might be ealled shrubs in less favored climates, grow to be trees here. There is quite a list of shrubs not included in this list but several shrubs, properly so called, will be found here.
BUCKTHORN FAMILY.
RHAMMUS CALIFORNICA-Alder Buckthorn-Ten to twenty feet high, forming thiekets; wood soft, like Alder. The fruit contains a seed like the coffee grain, hence it is called " Wild Coffee." and the seeds have been used as eoffee, but the plant is quite distinct from the Coffee plant.
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