USA > California > History of the State of California and biographical record of Coast Counties, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 39
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and shortly after the application was made. Mexico rebelled and overthrew Spanish rule in this territory. The grant was given by Mexico in 1833.
The next applicant for land was Manuel Jimeno. In 1823 he received the grant known as Salsipuedes rancho. It extended from Salsi- puedes creek and College lake eastward to Chit- tenden and from Pajaro river to the top of the mountains and contained 31,200 acres.
The same year (1823) Don Luis Antonio Argueleo, who signed himself as "Superior Po- litical and Military Chieftain of Upper Cali- fornia, located at Monterey," granted to Don Jose Amesti the Rancho de los Corralitos. This extended from College lake to the western con- fines of the valley and from Corralitos creek northward well into the mountains. It con- tained four square leagues.
Don José Joaquin Castro acquired the San Andreas rancho in 1833. This tract contained 8,900 acres and was bounded by the ocean, the slough west of town, the Corralitos creek from the MIcNeely place to the bridge on the Santa Cruz road, one mile west of Whiskey Hill. From this point the boundary was a line run- ning due west to the ocean.
Rancho Laguna de las Calabasas was wedged in between the San Andreas and Corralitos ranchos. It was granted to Francisco Hernan- dez and contained 2,300 acres.
In 1834 Don Ignacio Vallejo acquired the grant called Bolsa de San Cayetano. This ex- tended along the south side of Pajaro river from near Vega station to the ocean and contained 8,866 acres.
Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro, on which Watson- ville is located, was granted to Don Sebastian Rodriguez in 1837. This rancho extended from the ocean to Salsipuedes creek and from Pajaro river to the slough west of town. It contained 5.496 acres.
One of the conditions exacted by the Mex- ican Government in giving these grants was that fruit trees should be planted. The pear was the variety most commonly planted in this section, although some apples were planted. The trees, being seedlings, did not produce de-
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
It is interesting to read the formalities re- quired in securing these grants. The profuse wording of the application; the order setting aside the land: the appointment of an army officer and witnesses to go with the grantee for the purpose of installing him in his new pos- sessions; how the official took the owner by the hand, led him around, caused him to pull up weeds and to throw stones and then pro- claim him the owner of the premises. The gov- ernment was very liberal with the public lands, as any applicant was entitled to eleven square leagues.
Pajaro valley at this time was one great meadow, covered with wild oats, clover alfilaria and other grasses. Mustard grew so tall that a man on horseback could not see over the top of it. The mountains from the San José road westward was one unbroken forest, composed principally of giant redwoods, with a sprinkling of fir, tanbark and other oaks, madrone and laurel, while along the streams and scattered here and there were willow, alder, sycamore and cottonwood trees. Wild animals were plentiful. There were elk, deer, antelope, rab- bits, grizzly bear, wolf, coyote, lion, fox, badger, skunk, wildcat, squirrels, etc. The In- dians found in Pajaro were not hostile and gave no trouble.
On each rancho, generally on an eminence, was located the ranch house, made of adobe and covered with tiling. In this lived the Don and his family, while near by were huts for the "peons" (servants). The peons looked after the stock and cultivated the small patches of grain and vegetables. There were no fences between the ranchos and the stock roamed at will. Once or twice a year a "rodeo" was held. All the horses and cattle were rounded up and the young branded. Only enough land was farmed to raise sufficient grain and vegetables for ranch use. Plowing was done with a forked limb pulled by oxen. Grain was cut with a sickle and threshed by running horses over it. Flour was made by grinding wheat between two large flat stones about four feet in diameter, the bottom stone stationary and the top one caused to revolve around horizontally by means of a lever pulled by a horse. The stones used
for this purpose came from the mountains near Gilroy.
Supplies, such as clothing, tobacco, coffee, sugar, etc., were procured at Santa Cruz or Monterey in exchange for hides and tallow.
The only vehicle used was called "carreta." This was a two-wheeled affair. The wheels were solid sections of oak trees, with wooden axle on which a large box was mounted, a pole with cross-bar attached to the end, which cross- bar was fastened with strips of rawhide to horns of two bulls or oxen, completed the outfit. This vehicle was used not only for conveying freight, but it served as carriage as well for the ladies and children .. In this they rode to "la fiesta," the barbecue or to church.
For amusement, aside from the "rodeo," they had frequent gatherings at the different ranch houses. The program generally began with a barbecue on Saturday, followed by music and dancing all night and wound up with a bear and bull fight on Sunday. When a wedding occurred the festivities lasted a week. The grizzly bears for the fights were lassoed by the vaqueros along the foothills of our valley. Around Corralitos, and particularly on the land adjacent to the Corralitos school house, it is said that the vaqueros never failed to capture the grizzly. The method was for several vaqueros to surround and lasso the bear, then bind him on to a litter made of poles and with their riatas drag him to the ranch house, some- times a distance of several miles.
Life on the rancho was a lazy, dreamy, happy existence. In a recent interview our friend Don Ricardo Castro, on being asked how time was principally occupied by the rancheros, replied with a shrug of the shoulders, "Oh, talking and smoking cigarettes." In a "land of plenty." with no cares, no ambitions, no annoyances, ex- cept an occasional horse-stealing raid by "los Indios bronchos" from about Lake Tulare and the mountains east of that section, what more could have been desired?
Such, briefly, were the conditions existing when the venturesome "Gringos" began pour- ing into the valley. The scene of calm, peace and happiness was soon swept aside and the great, big-hearted Don, unable to withstand the
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
shrewd Yankee, was shortly robbed of his her- itage and sent 'a wanderer without where to lay his head."
In 1851 J. B. Hill, the first American settler, leased from Manuel Jimeno 1,000 acres of Sal- ·ipuedes ranch. The tract leased extended from the Salsipuedes creek to the little stream run- ning through the Willoughby farm. With Hill came our old friend, Hon. Ed Martin, who at that time was a mere youth. In the autumn of 1851, just fifty years ago, Mr. Martin opened the first furrow ever struck off in Pajaro by an American, and this with the first iron plow brought to the valley. This plowing was done about where the Silliman homestead now stands. As this was his first attempt at plowing, Mr. Martin assures us that the furrow would hardly do to follow in planting a tree row.
In the spring of 1852 IIill planted about 200 acres of potatoes. It is said that the crop raised sold at from 14 cents to 16 cents per pound. The high price of potatoes, the won- dlerful fertility of the soil, and the report that mitich of the district was government land, caused a rush of home-seekers. A large num- ler of these early settlers "squatted" on lands owned by the Mexicans, and caused much trouble before they were evicted. Judge Wat- son, after whom our town was named, was a "squatter." and had no title to the land which he sold. Many of those interested in our val- ley in the early '50s were young, energetic, in- telligent and well educated. Among the list were Gen. W. T. Sherman, Gen. E. D. Baker, Eugene Kelly, W. W. Stowe, William F. White, Charles Ford, J. D. Carr, D. M. Clough, Cooper Brothers and G. M. Bockius.
During the potato excitement following Hill's success, W. W. Stone and Charles Ford formed a partnership and leased a large part of the Amesti bottom. Their camp was located near the little bridge on Lake farm, now owned by Mrs. E. J. Sanborn. The variety most popular was the "Humboldt Red" potato and the yield ran from 200 to 300 sacks per acre.
The first house in Watsonville was built in 1852 by Llewelly Thrift. It was a split lumber affair and stood on the ground now occupied
by the Eagle restaurant. It served as post- office, general merchandise store, saloon and hotel.
In 1853 the first orchard planted by an Amer- ican was set out on the Jesse D. Carr place (now the Silliman homestead). This orchard was about two acres in extent and contained a general mixture of fruit for home use. Some of the trees are still bearing.
The same year (1853) the first school was organized. It was conducted in the South Methodist church and was located about where Gaffey's office now stands. The teacher was a Mr. Dunn and was brought here by J. D. Carr.
It seems a strange coincidence that the found- ing of our orchard industry and of our schools should occur simultaneously, and that both shoukl be brought about by the same man- Jesse D. Carr.
The second orchard planted was by William F. White, in 1854. During the next two or three years several small family orchards were planted. The Coopers and others planted a few trees on their town lots. Scott planted fruit trees on a portion of what is now the plaza. The latter were still standing as late as 1870.
G. M. Bockius was one of the early planters, he having set out fifty-two trees of mixed va- rieties in 1857.
The first commercial orchards were set out by Isaac Williams and Judge R. F. Peckham in 1858. Williams planted thirteen acres, prin- cipally apples, on land now owned by K. F. Redman. Peckham planted six acres on what is now called the Gally place. The Moss peach orchard and the Sanford orchard were planted about this same time.
As these early orchards were entirely experi- mental, it was the rule to plant many varieties. With apples the popular varieties were Smith ('ider, Rhode Island Greening, Rambo, Graven- stein, Jonathan. Newtown Pippin and Bellefleur.
The favorite plums were the Egg plum, Wash- ington, Jefferson and Green Gage.
In cherries, Governor Wood, Napoleon Big- errean, Blackheart and Black Tartarian.
The Crawford was the favorite peach.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In apricots the Royal and Moorpark were planted, but the Moorpark proved a failure, as it flourishes only in warm climates.
With pears the favorites were Winter Nellis and Bartlett.
Most of the trees were procured from San José nurseries and were hauled in wagons, there being no other means of transportation. These trees cost at the nurseries from $i to $1.50 each.
In 1860 the total amount planted to fruit trees in our valley did not exceed fifty acres. By this time it had been demonstrated that our soil and climate were well adapted to the production of a great variety of fruits. Our apples particu- larly showed the highest perfection. High prices stimulated the planting of quite an acre- age of apples during the next five years, or be- tween 1860 and 1865. People began to plant on a larger scale-some planting as much as twenty acres.
In the winter of 1861-2 Jacob Blackburn planted an apple orchard of twelve acres. This was for many years the model orchard of the valley. This orchard still stands, and with proper pruning, spraying and cultivation could be made to yield a fair profit for many years to come.
Uncle Jake Blackburn might well be called the father of the apple industry in Pajaro. He, above all others, through the experiments which he conducted, demonstrated the most profitable varieties to plant. Being a man of kcen obser- vation and rare judgment, thorough in all that pertained to the management of his orchard and enthusiastic in the industry, his advice, al- ways cheerfully given, was much sought, and his orchard methods widely adopted.
The same winter, that of 1861-2, James Waters planted 1,900 apple trees on the bottom land now owned by William Birlem and the adjoining piece belonging to the orphanage. After the abatement of the renowned flood of '62 not one tree was left. All were either cov- ered with debris or were washed away. Some pear trees which he planted on the hillside near by still stand.
Louis Martinelli, Daniel Tuttle, Lum Smith, Thomas Beck, Mike Gagnon, Dunlap and others followed with their plantings within the
next year or two. In 1863 G. M. Bockius planted a pear orchard of ten acres.
As this valley was so isolated on account of such poor shipping facilities, and as other sec- tions more favorably situated were raising enough to supply the markets, prices ruled low, and few trees were planted during the period between 1865 and 1875.
To illustrate of how little consequence apples were considered during this time: When J. M. Rodgers planted an orchard of four acres in 1868 he was derided by some of his friends and neighbors for planting so much. They said that he would have more than enough for family use and that he could not sell the bal- ance. Their prediction proved true for a time. for during the next few years orchardists were glad to get 25 or 30 cents per box for their apples.
This was not the case with pears at this time, however, for Judge Bockius informs us that in 1868 Porter Bros. of Chicago came here and paid him $2.50 per box for his pears, and they furnished boxes and did the packing. The price of pears did not remain high many years. At present very few are raised and there is only a slight demand for them.
Jacob Blackburn and James Waters planted the first nursery in 1867. After the death of Mr. Blackburn the business was carried on by Mr. Waters, and has increased in extent until upward of a quarter of a million trees are raised annually.
In about 1867 the first shipment of apples from Pajaro valley was made by Isaac Williams. They were shipped by way of Hudson's land- ing to San Francisco. Charles Williams, a merchant of Watsonville, was the first to buy fruit on the tree and handle it after the man- ner of our present system. This was in 1860.
In 1870 the space devoted to fruit trees in Pajaro valley did not exceed 250 acres.
The handling of our fruit was greatly facili- tated on the completion of the railroad into our valley in 1870, but this did not stimulate tree planting.
The first strong, lasting demand for Pajaro apples dates back to the decline of the industry in Santa Clara valley and other apple produc-
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ing districts. Through gross neglect on the part of the growers in those sections, the per- nicious, or San José, scale and the codling moth had caused such inroads upon the apple orch- ards that by 1877 a shortage occurred, and buy- ers began to search for apples in outside ter- ritory.
Marco Rabasa came first, and was shortly followed by L. G. Sresovich. Up to this time we had no fruit pests. Codling moth was brought into our valley in old boxes shipped in by these men. San José scale made its appear- ance in about 1880, and probably originated from nursery stock brought from San José.
The continued decrease in the output from San José, with consequent increase in demand and prices, greatly stimulated the planting of trees, and yearly from that period there has been a constantly increasing acreage planted.
These early buyers paid the orchardist from $100 to $150 per acre for the fruit on the tree, and in turn sold it at from $2.50 to $4 per box in San Francisco. It is said that one season in the late 'zos Rabasa secured the fruit on the Blackburn orchard for $1,800. After selling enough to pay for the fruit he sold the balance to L. G. Sresovich for $8,000.
The acreage planted to trees in 1880 did not exceed 500 acres.
Another factor which figured in the in- creased acreage during this period was the strawberry industry. The completion of the Corralitos water system in 1878 afforded water for irrigation purposes, and in the early '8os large acreages were planted to strawberries. As trees planted among the berries grew vig- orously and required no special care, and as berries could be profitably grown until the trees attained bearing age, the thrifty berry grower made it a rule to plant out all berry fields to apple trees.
J. M. Rodgers in 1882 planted the first prune orchard. Its size was four and one-half acres. In 1887 when the trees were five years old, the prunes in this orchard sold on the tree for $1,800. This sale was the primary cause of such a large acreage being planted during the next seven years. In 1894 there were close to 1.500 acres planted to Petit prunes. Prices were so
low by 1896 that most of the prunes in the val- ley proper were dug up and replaced by ap- ples.
To give an idea of the extent of the industry when at its height, the reports for 1896 from the different drying plants in our valley give the total of 2,269,800 pounds green. The Pajaro Valley Fruit Exchange handled about one-half of these.
With the decline of the prune the apricot came to the front in the foothill sections and is proving a profitable crop. Some portions of the district raise a very large, handsome canning apricot. The Royal is the favorite. By 1890 the area devoted to fruit trees was about 2,500 acres.
While there was a steady increase in the acreage yearly planted to apples during the de- cade succeeding 1880, the most extensive plant- ing in the history of the industry began about 1890.
By this time those who had hesitated, fearing that the business would be overdone, now gained confidence in the stability of the apple market. The chief factor, however, in bring- ing about this accelerated planting of trees was the establishment of the sugar factory in 1888. The farmer soon learned that he could raise trees and at the same time make the land yield a good profit by raising beets between the trees. To such an extent was this plan carried out that about 1895 the sugar factory officials, becom- ing alarmed lest no beet acreage would be left, and to discourage tree planting, refused to give out contracts for planting beets in orchards, stating, it is said, among other reasons, that they did not propose to ruin their own business by encouraging fruit tree planting. This, how- ever, did not deter the farmer in the least, as he could raise other crops-beans, potatoes and corn-between the trees.
While it was demonstrated in the 'Gos that the Newtown and Bellefleur attained their high- est perfection here, and while, as time wore on, they continually gained in public favor, and were mainly planted, yet there were those who, thinking these two varieties would be overdone, planted other varieties, their preference running to red apples.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Between 1885 and 1895 considerable acreages were planted to Missouri Pippin, Red Pear- main, Lawyer and Langford Seedling. As these had to come in sharp competition with the eastern red apple, and as our Newtown Pippins and Bellefleurs were more in demand and commanded higher prices, the two last named varieties have been almost exclusively planted since 1895.
With our Newtown Pippins and Bellefleurs we challenge the world for size, flavor and keep- ing quality.
We have seen the yield of apples increase from about 150,000 boxes in 1890 to 1,500,000 boxes in 1901. Of course this number of boxes are not all sent out of the valley. There is con- siderable waste through decay and windfalls, and much of the poorer quality is converted into the dried product and into cider and vine- gar.
The beginning of the twentieth century finds Pajaro valley fruit district to contain:
Apples 790.800 trees or . . .12,150 *acres
. Prunes 120,600 trees or . . 1,200 acres
Apricots 69,600 trees or . . 995 acres
Cherries 15.300 trees or . . 218 acres
Pears 7,200 trees or. 102 acres
Peaches
6,700 trees or . . . . 96
acres
Trees 1,010,200 Acres. . 14,761
Add to this 170 acres of grapes and 1,000 acres of berries and it will be seen that Pajaro fruit district contains 15.931 acres planted to fruit.
The walnut thrives well here. and although there are no large acreages figures show a total of 7,000 trees. The chestnut also thrives in our valley. The warmer foothill sections pro- duce oranges, very choice lemons, and figs.
About one-third of the apple acreage is lo- cated on the Monterey side of the valley.
To illustrate the extent of tree planting in the valley at present, it may be said that. during the year 1901, 58,400 apple trees were planted on the Santa Cruz side and about 48,800 on the Monterey side, or a total of 107,200, COV- ering an area of 1.786 acres.
It is not generally known that the largest
* About one third of which are in inlt bearing.
orchards in our valley are owned by women. Women of intelligence, energy and business ability, who can manage their farms success- fully, and yet they have no voice in the control of our government. Women who are paying thousands in taxes into our treasury, and yet they have no voice in selecting those who con- trol this money, while the most miserable "dago," illiterate, knowing nothing about, and caring less, for our American institutions, may dictate the policy of our government or vote away her property. Is this "equal rights and justice to all?"
Our apples are handled principally by Sla- vonian packers, there being twenty-two of these. four American and one Chinese, or a total of twenty-seven firms engaged in the business. The fruit is mainly bought on the tree, the orchardist receiving from SIoo to $200 per acre yearly for orchards in full bearing. As failure of the apple crop is unknown in our valley, these buyers often contract for orchards for terms extending four years in advance.
This method of handling fruit, while bringing to the grower and packer good returns, is not adding to our reputation abroad.
We have a few firmis who are doing good work and deserve credit for the choice pack sent out. The present system has a tendency to make the grower careless and indifferent in the management of his orchard. while most of the packers, having no permanent interest at stake, propose to "make hay while the sun shines," and consequently push onto the mar- ket everything possible. If the present system of handling apples continues it will, within a few years, bring a hardship upon our leading in- dustry, and the producer. as is always the case. will suffer the loss.
The only method by which we can hope to build up and maintain a high reputation is for the orchardist to pack his own fruit; to handle through a fruit exchange, or to encourage the distributers of our apples to establish packing houses and buy apples by weight or box from the grower. In the event of either it would be materially to the interest of the orchardist to carefully prune and spray the trees, thin the fruit and cultivate The soil. thus producing
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
nothing but choice apples. The pack, if left to the exchange or to the distributer, would be the best, as nothing would be accepted by either except the best. This method of handling would build up a higher reputation for our fruit, in- crease demand, and our product would com- mand higher prices than ever.
To illustrate what profits may be made in handling apples under our present system, a few figures are herewith submitted:
Average number boxes on one acre apples, full bearing 1,000
Allowing for waste 25 per cent. 250
Number of boxes of salable apples 750
Gross returns on 750 boxes at 75 cents per box $ Amount paid to orchardist for one acre, full bearing 175
562
Expenses, including picking. packing, 262
boxes, etc., 35c box
Total expense to packer. $
437 Net return to packer for one acre, full bearing . 125
With the high prices prevailing this season the profit to the packer would be close to $250 on this one acre. Most of our apples are sold f. o. b. cars Watsonville, and are bought by agents sent here by eastern and foreign estab- lishments. As the output is growing beyond the capacity of our packers, a splendid oppor- tunity is now open in this line to those who have a reasonable capital to invest.
Though our crop of 1.500,000 seems large, we raise only I per cent of the apples grown in the United States. The returns received by the orchardist for his apples has materially ad- vanced prices of land. And this fact is made quite obvious to the fruit grower when the tax collector favors our end of the county with his presence. Aside from a high valuation placed on the land, some of our fruit trees are as- sessed as high as $1.25 a piece.
As to insect pests, we have quite a num- ber. Although they have caused consider- able loss to the orchardist, through neglect on his part, our climatic conditions are such that they do not multiply as rapidly as in warmer
climates. We have also many beneficial in- sects which aid in holding these pests in check. Our worst pests are the codling moth, wooly aphis and several kinds of scale insects. Most of the orchardists have joined in a crusade against these pests, and by another year it is hoped the worst will be reduced to the mini- mum. It is the duty of the orchardist to pro- duce good, clean fruit, and then to see that it is put upon the market in the proper shape.
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