USA > California > Placer County > History of Placer county, California > Part 57
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HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
cable to each lot, by a large canal from King's River twenty-six miles distant.
This project was designed to give homes for those in moderate circumstances, and has succeeded in placing several hundred persons on the colony, where a prosperous community now exists.
ASSESSOR'S REPORT IN 1870.
The Assessor in 1870, reported the agricultural products of the year as follows: Wheat, 101,802 bushels; barley, 57,400 bushels; oats, 2,590 bushels; rye, 1,457 bushels; corn. 200 bushels; potatoes, 4,071 bushels; sweet potatoes, 3,315 bushels; hay, 6,665 tons; butter, 11,390 pounds; cheese, 938 pounds; wool, 151,420 pounds; honey, 7,609 pounds; wine, 173,128 gallons and of brandy 5,496 gallons. The value of these products was $275,000.
Of grape vines there were 813,514; strawberry vines, 171.600; raspberry, 50,536; apple trees, 55,971, peach, 35,864; pear, 19,871; plum, 11,773; cherry, 5,783; nectarine, 3,410; quince, 2,170; fig, 1,998; mulberry, 4,868; prune, 871; almond, 824; and walnut, 597.
SUCCESSFUL HORTICULTURISTS.
Among the successful horticulturists at that time was Mr. Anton Armbruster, of Neilsburg, whose apple orchard was one of the best in the county. His location was at an altitude of 1,800 feet above the sea, which appeared to be in the favored belt to secure the proper temperature for the perfection of the apple. In his orchard he had about 400 trees in bearing in 1871, from which he gathered 28,000 pounds of apples of the most choice varieties, for market.
Messrs. Silva, Dr. Frey, Michael Bauman, Rev. N. R. Peck and others, of Newcastle, John McGinley, of Rose Spring, George W. Applegate, of Lisbon. J. W. Hulbert, Dr. Crandall and others in and near Auburn whose places are not particularly described, have been distinguished for their enterprise and suceess in fruit culture.
J. W. HULBERT
Was born in Erie County, Pennsylvania, January S, 1818, where he lived until about four years of age. The removal of the family to Brantford, Upper Canada, caused our subject to pass his boy hood days on Canadian soil. At the age of eighteen years he returned to the United States, and settled in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York, where he completed his education by attendance at school for one year. His removal to Pennsylvania, where he lived about three years, gave him an opportunity of learning the ways of the people of that great State. llis next location was near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and he finally settled at Columbus, Columbia County, where he lived until 1861. In the latter year he came to California by way of the plains, and settled in Sutter County, on the Sacramento River; he afterwards lived on the Butte Slough, and at this place had a
fine orchard. His home was in Sutter County until 1875, at which time he came to Auburn, where he resided one and one-half years. He then removed to his present location, situated about three miles northwest of Auburn, on the Marysville road, where he has one of the finest orchards in the county, covering about forty acres, and containing over 6,000 trees. A view of his residence and surround- ings will be found in this volume.
Mr. Hulbert has always taken a great interest in the cultivation of fruit, being a careful and advanced student on the subject, and has done much to advance the business in Placer County.
AN UNUSUAL FROST.
About the middle of April, 1872, a severe frost was experienced throughout the entire State, which inflicted much damage to the fruit. During Feb- ruary preceding the weather had been so mild as to bring vegetation forward, almond trees being in full blossom and peach buds showing their color before the last of the winter mouth, and, as a consequence, the frost in April was more destructive than ordina- rily. In the vineyard of J. R. Nickerson fully 100 acres of vines were blighted, but this did not destroy the crop as the vines put forth new wood, and a two-thirds yield followed, but the almonds, peaches, nectarines, plums, and other tender fruits, were nearly all destroyed through the western section of the county, and on low lands throughout the State. On elevations, however, of 800 feet altitude the frost was not felt, and in many sheltered localities the fruit was saved. The fact was proven, that through a certain belt of elevation there was greater security against loss by frost than in the apparently more fertile and favorable localities in the lower valleys.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
AGRICULTURE. [CONTINUED. ]
Orange Culture-M. Andrews -- Foot-hill Fruits-Sitk Culture- Works and Life of B. Bernhard-Productions of the Granite Hills-Cotton Culture-Alfalfa, or Chili Clover-Angora Goats-Agriculture in the Mountains-William N. Lee- Statistical Report for IS69-Statistics for 1875.
THE orange in its beauty and delicacy is the fitting crown of Pomona's kingdom. The tree of perfect symmetry of form, a foliage of deep, brilliant, and unchanging green, with flowers so incomparable in their loveliness and fragrance that they have given the distinetive name of "orange blossoms" as the title of perfection, and when studded with fruit in its setting of rich and glossy green, the whole is a picture of unequaled arboreal loveliness. Of this the poets have sung through all the ages of civilization, and with the orange all comparisons are made.
HOTEL OF E GRANT PENRYN PLACER COUNTY, CAL.
RESIDENCE,VINERY AND DISTILLERY OF B.BERNHARDT AUBURN. PLACER CO, CAL.
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Where the orange grows there, it is known, is a genial climate and a fertile soil in a record more sat - isfactory to the ignorant, as well as the educated, than columns of official statistics of temperature, humidity, and analyzation of soils. To people of northern latitudes, the orange is associated with distant tropie elimes.
-"of the land of the ce lar and vine, Where the flowers ever blossom, the leaves ever shine; Where the light wings of Zephyr, oppressed with perfume; Wax faint o'er the gardens of Gul in their bloom; Where the orange and olive are fairest of fruit, And the voice of the nightingale never is mute, Where the tints of the earth and the hnes of the sky, In color though varied, in beauty may vie."
The countries of the Mediterranean, the Indies, and the isles of the Pacific were the lands of the orange. In our own country were the orange groves of Florida and Los Angeles, but no one looked to the higher latitudes for the golden fruit. Like much of the progress in cultivation, the planting of the orange in the northern part of California was more of an accident, or pleasantry, than of intelligent design. The first growth in the mountain region was from a seed planted in 1853 at Bidwell's Bar, in Butte County. This was planted more in playfulness than in the expectation of its growing; but, to the sur- prise of all, it grew and flourished, and, in ten years thereafter, bountifully rewarded the fortunate owner. This was sufficient proof that the foot-hill region in the northern part of the State was adapted to the growth of the royal fruit, but still there were few who had the sagacity to profit by the lesson. The orange tree of Bidwell's Bar has now become cele- brated, and in 1881 yielded a crop of one hundred dozen oranges.
To Mr. Moses Andrews of Auburn is due the honor of first planting oranges in Placer County. In 1860 he followed the example of the experimenter of Bidwell's Bar, and planted some orange seed. These sprouted and grew, taking their chanees among other fruit trees of a more hardy nature, and in due time blossomed and bore the delicious fruit. The tree of Mr. Andrews stood on an exposed ridge, fully 1,300 feet above the level of the sea, and, through all its years from sprouting to bearing, withstood whatever of winter frosts and summer drought prevailed, maturing into a vigorous and fruitful tree, a conclu- sive and satisfactory proof of the adaptability of the region to production of semi-tropical fruits. In 1871 Mr. Andrews saw his first oranges, and from that time they have beeome plentiful.
In the meantime others had planted orange trees in Auburn and vieinity, who a few years after reaped rich reward for their enterprise.
The Herald of May 24, 1873, under the head of " More Oranges," says :--
From Rev. N. R. Peek, who has a most highly cultivated place at Ophir, excelling in beauty and variety of pomological and ornamental trees and plants to be found in most of the larger and noted places in the State, we learn that he has also an orange tree, of which he planted the seed with his
own bands, that came into bearing last season, and is now literally crowded with bloom and young oranges. The fruit of last season from this tree was equal. if not superior, to any raised in southern Cali- fornia, or imported. We note this as we have the trees of Mr. Andrews. in Auburn, and Barkhans. near Gold Hlill, only to say that the people of Placer County, south and west of the American River, live in the garden spot of the world if they only knew it. W. C. Norton and Robert Gordon, in Auburn. the Messrs. Chamberlain, in western Placer, and many others, have thrifty orange trees ready to come into bearing, and the tests of those that have already borne will lend an impetus to this branch of business in Placer, that will make the orange, lemon, and lime groves on our bills and valleys as common in the next ten years as are now the apple, peach, pear. cherry, fig, etc. There has been no instance, even as high up in the foot-hills as Auburn, where the orange has not ripened to perfection in the winter. and they bloom here in May after all danger of frost is over, and from these two demonstrated facts another follows, and that is that the orange tree grown out of doors here is more reliable for a crop every year than either the peach or the apple. There are now growing and bearing in these hills and val- leys apple, pear, plum. cherry, nectarine, almond. fig. English walnut, persimmon, and quince, with all the varieties of berry, and when we add the lime, lemon, and orange, with the other semi-tropical vari- eties, why do we not speak correctly when we say we live in what ought to be the garden spot of the world ?
One other word. Our markets furnish the orange, lemon, and lime. These can be purchased, the seed planted and the trees grown out of doors; and why not every man who owns a place plant seeds and raise hisown plants at home ? It would not surprise us if the day was not distant when the lemons and oranges from the foot-hills of Placer would, as now do our mountain fruit and berries, drive the valley. southern, and imported oranges and lemons from the city markets.
MOSES ANDREWS.
Son of Jessie and Sarah (Alvord, Andrews, is a native of the State of Massachusetts, having been born in the town of Montague. Franklin County. on the 6th day of October, 1822. His education was received principally in the common sebooks of bis native town, with the addition of two terms at the Deerfield Academy, in the town of Deerfield After leaving his studies, he apprenticed himself to a watchmaker and jeweler, by the name of C. Chand- ler, in the town of Greenfield, and afterward was with Seth Flag, in the same line of business, at Springfield. Mr. Andrews finally finished his trade with Benjamin E. Cooke, at Northampton, and soon after, in October. 1843, went to the City of New York, and for the succeeding three years Was engaged with the well-known firm of Stebbins & Co., as watchmaker for their establishment. In October, 1846, Mr. Andrews, desiring to see the southern por. tion of the United States, left New York, and, after some travel, was engaged at his trade by L'Homme- dieu Bros., in Mobile, Alabama, until June 1. 1548, at which time he returned to New York, and, in the following October. started a watchmaking business
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HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
of his own, on Courtland Street. This he continued until, inspired by the news of discovery of gold in California, and a desire to behold the wonders of the Pacific Coast, he joined the throng who were press- ing westward. On the 10th of February, 1849, he sailed from New York in the ship Big Cameo, Cap- tain Tibbets Commander, with twenty-three other passengers. and, as he says, "sailed the Horn around;" landing in San Francisco September 28th. of the same year, 232 days being consumed in this trip.
Three days after his arrival in San Francisco, Mr. Andrews took passage on the schooner Sea Witch, and went to Sacramento, where he remained until the 13th of the following November, when he sought the mines in Placer County, and, on the 12th, landed for the first time in Auburn. He remained in the vicinity for two weeks, one of which was spent at Tamaroo Bar, and the remainder at Rich Flat. lle then returned to Sacramento, and engaged in gen- cral merchandising at that place. He was there during the great flood, and suffered heavy losses thereby. January 2, 1850, he returned to Auburn, and remained until the 1st of May. He had in the meantime, in connection with other parties, opened two stores, one at Sacramento, and another at Mur- derer's Bar, in El Dorado County. These stores were in operation until June, 1850, when they were elosed out, and Mr. Andrews became one of the great army of miners and prospectors, being one of the dis- coverers of the famous "Secret Ravine," Placer County. In the month of September, 1850, he built the first house in the ravine, and opened a trading post and boarding-house, which received the name of " Wild Cat House." In the month of October following, he, in connection with his partners, who had been with him up to this time, opened a board- ing house at Salmon Falls, in El Dorado County. They had about fifty men at work for them, whom they boarded, besides as many more outsiders. About one year later the partnership ceased to exist. In the division of the partnership property, the " Wild Cat House," in Secret Ravine, fell to Mr. Andrews as part of his share, and he conducted the business alone until 1855. In 1834 he was elected to the Assembly of the California Legislature, from Placer County, on the Whig ticket, and made a most exemplary record as a legislator. In June, 1855, he sailed for his old home in the East, going by the Nicaragua route, and during his visit was married to Miss Hannah Maria Stephens, a native of Staten Island, New York. This union was at Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio, on the 20th of September, 1855. The last of the following month found him and his bride located at Rattlesnake Bar, on the American River, in Placer County, California, where he engaged in the business of his youth. In 1856 he was elected a Justice of the Peace. In 1857 he located permanently in Auburn, which town has claimed him as a resident to the present time. In
1866 the firm of Hubbard & Andrews, bankers, and agents for Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express, was estab- lished. This firm continued until June 1, 1874, when Mr. Andrews bought the interest of his part- ner, and the present firm of Andrews & Hollenbeck was formed. They are the only banking honse in Auburn, and conduct a regular business with all parts of America and Europe. Wells, Fargo & Co.'s business for Auburn is intrusted to them, and there is also a department in the same building for the watchmaking and jewelry business.
In Mr. Andrews one finds a sentiment peculiar to the old pioneer, and coming as he did to this Coast at such an early date in the history of the State, has a stock of knowledge of the useful kind. His mem- ory of dates is remarkable, and the stories, of which he has an inexhaustible supply, he can tell of " early times," is simply astonishing. He is a genial, whole- souled man, and is well and favorably known throughout this scetion of the State.
FOOT-I11LL FRUIT.
In December, 1881, the Sacramento Bee published the following as showing the condition and progress of fruit culture in the foot-hills of Placer County :-
Robert Williamson, of the fruit firm of Williamson & Co., and one of the firm of W. R. Strong & Co., of this city, called at the Bee office on Saturday, with an armful of tropical fruits grown on his place near Penryn, Placer County-the Orange Hill Fruit Raneb. The special fruit to which he directed attention was the orange, with its many varieties, which is, indeed, a phenomenon of the prodnetive qualities of our foot-hill soil for the tropical fruits and flowers-products that have long been supposed indigenous alone to the Italian and Sicilian climate, or that on the south borders of our own continent. But the gentlemen named are proving by their untiring industry that far up in our Sierra pied- monts nature has supplied a garden plat capable of producing in unlimited abundance fruits and flowers of every variety intended to gratify the palate or fascinate the vision of man. Just three years ago this month, Williamson & Co. took up their land in that spot and begun to grub out the brush and stumps; to-day they have 1,400 orange trees grow- ing, and the most of them producing that fruit that was one of the refections of the gods. This season they will add 600 more trees to the plantation. Fig trees-a variety unknown, but closely allied to the favorite white fig of Smyrna-is also a capital fruit in their garden, and thrives like the mountain pine surrounding it on all sides. Among the varieties of orange productions left at this office five are especially worthy of note, viz: The Navel, a large, elear, golden-hued fruit, sweet and juicy, as luscious as the choicest imported; the Mediterranean Sweet, some- what smaller than the Navel, but likewise sugary and toothsome as a table fruit; then the Davis Golden Excelsior, which, while yet smaller than the two preceding. lacks none of their agreeable flavor and general excellence. Then there is the Myrtle Leaf Orange, having a leaf like the myrtle, henee its name; it is about the size of the Manderine and is strictly ornamental. It is said to be the only vari- ety-indeed, the only fruit of the kind in Califor- nia -- perhaps in existence. The Occidental Seedling
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is another ornamental orange, smaller in size, but variegated in hue, like Joseph's coat of many colors, and must prove a pretty tree in ornamented yards and flower gardens. Messrs. Williamson & Co. have, as already said, also a variety of figs, but principal among which is a white variety assimilated nearly to the White Smyrna of commerce, and which is held in such high esteem by after dinner connoissenrs. The aroma, the saccharine taste, the delicacy of this fig, has no superior, and all that may detract from its superlative qualities beyond all its fellows of the orchard is a slight elasticity of the skin, but which objection can be easily remedied by a process in pack- ing. The beauty of this delicate fruit for marketing is that after maturing, and being allowed to remain on the trees, it accommodates itself to man's desire and dries on the limb, and is ready to pack as soon as plucked. The truth is, the near mountain base, for hundreds of miles in a circnit, is a grand fruit plateau when our moneyed men will throw a modi- cum of their capital into the industry of developing the resources and putting to work the idle labor that stalks the State.
SILK CULTURE.
From the earliest date of California history the opinion has been expressed of its favorable condi- tion of soil, climate and seasons for the successful growth of the mulberry tree, and the health and productiveness of the silk-worm. Other branches of business, however, were so attractive that none were induced to undertake the care and patience of experimenting in the culture. Newspapers, lecturers and individuals advocated the subject, and the public mind was brought to believe that by proper encour- agement silk culture could be established as a leading industry; profitable to the small landholder, giving employment at light labor to the families of farmers and the youth of the cities, and whose manufacture would afford rich returns to the investment of the capitalist. The many pleasant little valleys, ravines and gentle slopes of the foot-hills were specially referred to where the mulberry would grow most thriftily, and was the most desirable home of the silk-worm, and these, exhausted of the gold that once enriched them, would be re-enriched with a perpetual wealth many times more valuable, reaped with less toil, and providing greater happiness than did the golden grains for which they were torn and rent by the destructive methods of the miner. In these warm ravines the willow, the alder, the buckeye, the manzanita, and other shrubs and trees delighting in a rich, moist and warm soil, had flourished spontaneously and luxuriantly, and there would grow the most perfect leaves for the silk culturist's purpose. Many years have passed since the subject was agitated, and the occupants of these choice places have struggled with corn, barley, beans, and other garden and farm products, some profiting with vines, peaches and other fruits, leaving the culture of the royal fabric to bolder enterprise and intelligent experiment.
In 1866 the Legislature of California passed an Act authorizing the payment of bounties for the
cultivation of mulberry trees and the production of silk. This enactment was prepared so indefinitely, and with such little knowledge of the question, that when in 1868 the planters of the trees began to ask for their awards the bankruptcy of the State was threatened and the law quickly repealed. Many thousand mulberries were planted in various parts of the State, particularly in Sacramento and Yolo Counties, and every sprout of riding-whip size was called a tree. The attempted silk culture of that period was more of a " grab " at the public treasury than legitimate enterprise, and, as the business did not long survive, the proof of the inutility of State bounties in leading a people into great and perma- nent industry was made apparent.
The pioneers of silk culture in California were Mr. Prevost and the brothers Neumann, of Santa Clara; Mr. IFaynie, of Sacramento; Mr. lloag, of Yolo; Mr. Edward Muller, of Nevada, and Mr. Bern- hard, of Placer. The reports of some of these, as a matter of history and as arguments, are interest- ing. Mr. Ilaynie reported that in 1868 he fed the leaves from three and a half acres of land covered with two-year-old morus multicaulis trees grown where they stood from cuttings. They had been cut back the preceding winter and spring, close to the ground, and the tops used for cuttings, so they did not furnish mueh over half the foliage they would have done had they been pruned with an eye to that purpose. The result was 486 ounces and 13} pen- nyweights of eggs, sold at 84.00 an ounce-$1,946.70; value of eggs retained. $1,897.50; perforated cocoons sold at 875.00, or a total value of $3,920. The expense for labor, etc., was $472, leaving a profit of $3,448. The feeding commenced on the Ist of June and on the 25th of July the eggs were all made. This gave a net return of $1,000 per acre from the second year of planting the trees, and not two months time occupied in feeding the silk-worms and gather- ing the harvest.
This, however, was at an exceptional period, when the demand for eggs in France was great and the price high, but it nevertheless demonstrated the adaptability of the country for the culture. But the season's labor was not closed with the first crop of eggs. During the month of August the same gen- tleman, from the same trees, fed a like number of worms of the Japanese trivoltine variety, and pro- dued a large quantity of cocoons.
The experiments of Mr. Iloag, in Yolo, and Mr. Muller, in Nevada, were equally successful, the profits being from $1,000 to $1,500 per acre of trees. In 1868 and 1869, when these trials were made, the value of eggs was from 84.00 to $6.00 an ounce, and of perforated cocoons 75 cents per pound.
The principal efforts of the silk culturists were in the production of eggs to supply the ravages of disease in Europe. The demand at high rates did not con- tinue, the bounty was withdrawn, the excitement
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HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
declined and the fine promise of silk culture disap- pointed.
The art of reeling silk is a necessary adjunet to the successful culture, and in silk-producing coun- tries is the work of women and children, evincing the fact that it is not difficult to acquire. Light labor attends the whole process, from the picking of the leaves to the reeling of the cocoons, making it a most inviting industry on small farms with small capital-the labor that of the family, the market unlimited, and the produet imperishable.
WORKS AND LIFE OF B. BERNHARD.
While the excitement and the "grab" for bounties in 1867 and '68 prevailed, most in sight of the Capi- tol. there were others who were most earnest in their efforts to produce silk as a legitimate business. Among these were Mr. Edward Muller, of Nevada. and Mr. B. Bernhard of Placer. The latter's work belongs to the history of Placer County. Mr. Bernhard is an experienced, intelligent, industrious and very determined experimenter. He is a native of the Old World. having been born at Foldah, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Cassel, Germany, Sep- tember 9. 1833, remaining in his native land until he grew to manhood, when, at the age of twenty-two years, he emigrated to the United States. In 1846 he was married to Miss Rosa How, in Pennsylvania, also a native of Germany. He lived in different parts of the Atlantic States until 1852. when he came to California, arriving in San Francisco Jate in March of that year. but did not tarry in the metrop- olis, at once coming to Placer County, which has since been bis home.
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