USA > California > Yolo County > The Western shore gazetteer and commercial directory for the state of California Yolo County : one volume being devoted to each county of the state, giving a brief history of each county. > Part 9
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The floods which have at times swept over the low lands have never reached the high ground on which the buildings are situated, though portions of the farm have been sub- merged.
The land here, as well as that along the slough, is adapted to stock, and the ranchers in this locality follow this occupa- tion. Babel's Ranch, Ristine's Ranch, and that of the Du Bose Brothers (further up the river), are fine stock farms, and some of the best stock in the county is found there.
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Islands.
In connection with the lands bordering these sloughs, we will give a short description of one of the largest islands in the county, formed by one of the streams which we have named and the river. We refer to
Merritt's Island.
This island, from which Merritt Township takes its name, is formed by Sutter and Elk sloughs and the Sacramento River. It is bounded on the south by Sutter Slough, west and north by Elk Slough, and on the east by the Sacra- mento River. Elk Slough is filled, or partially so, at each end, and has no running water in the summer. Sutter Slough is a large arm of the river, but, owing to snags and other obstructions, is unnavigable.
Merritt's Island may be considered as the extreme south- ern part of the county, some few farms, however, lying on the other side of Sutter Slough. There are a few farms lying west of Elk Slough and on the northwestern bank of Sutter Slough that are as far to the southward as the southern end of Merritt's Island, and one or two extend a little below the southern line. By the river road from the extreme southern end of the island to Woodland is about forty-five miles, owing to the tortuous course of the river, whose banks present the only high ground on which a road could be located.
The island is about eight miles long, with an average width of two miles. Along the river, which has nearly a north and south course at this particular point, the garden, or high land, has an average width of about seventy rods, which is protected by a substantial levee, over which the highest floods have not risen. On Elk Slough the island has a frontage of high land, averaging about thirty rods in width, unprotected by a levee. The intervening land, be- tween the slough and river, is a shallow tule swamp, in which but little water stands during the summer, affording excellent range for stock of all kinds. This land is very
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productive, when cultivated, and were it reclaimed its value could hardly be overestimated. The island contains four thousand nine hundred and fifty-three acres, of which about three thousand are in tule.
During the dry year, when grain crops were almost a total failure through the county, Mr. Green broke a portion of this tule with three horses, and planted it to barley on the twenty-eighth of April. The yield was forty bushels to the acre. A plan is now under consideration by which the island may be reclaimed; and the project is certainly feasible. It is proposed to segregate the island from the district in which it is located, and create of it a separate swamp land district. Then, by leveeing on Elk and Sutter sloughs, joining the river levees at each'end of the island, . the back-water (which now causes the overflow) could be kept out and the whole body of the land be reclaimed. Whether this will be accomplished is probably simply a question. of time, as most of the land-owners are in favor of the measure. The expense would be heavy, but the increased value of the land would more than compensate for the outlay. The island was settled in 1851, by J. B. Green, Mr. Cave and several others-some of whom still remain in their original locations.
While speaking of islands, it may be well to glance at
Grand Island,
The largest island in the county limits, and one of the largest in the Sacramento River. About twelve or fifteen miles in length of this island lies within the county limits, the remainder in Colusa County. It possesses a luxuriant soil, suitable for grain, orchards, gardens or grazing. The more elevated portions of the island are devoted to grain growing, the remainder to stock ranges. Some very fine orchards are on the island -- one within the limits of Co- lusa County, of grand proportions.
Sycamore Slough
Is an arm or branch of the Sacramento River, which leaves
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the main bed in Colusa County, to find it again near Knight's Landing or Grafton. About fifteen miles of its course are within the borders of this county, the larger portion of which lies through tule marshes. During the season of high water, the slough is full and strongly de- fined, but during the summer there is no running water in its course. It does not possess high banks, like Elk or Babel Slough, with the exception of that portion near Knight's Landing, where are some splendid farms along its course.
Cache Creek.
This beautiful stream has its source in Clear Lake, Lake County. From Thence it flows southeast, through Cache Creek Cañon for twenty miles, until it reaches the head of Capay Valley. Continuing its southeast course for about fifteen miles, it then turns to the eastward, and five miles from this point leaves Capay Valley and debouches on the plains. From Lang's its course is south of east for a few miles, or to the east end of the Gordon Grant, where it turns to the northward and, following a general northeast course, enters the tule swamps near Laugenour's Ranch, the "sink" being about twenty miles from where it left Capay Valley.
For the first twenty miles, through Cache Creek Canon, the scenery is quite grand and impressive. Flowing through a rugged range of mountains, cleft asunder, as it were, from top to bottom, it presents precipitous walls of solid slate and granite bare of verdure, while, on either hand, the gulches and ravines which occasionally force their way through the solid walls, dark and gloomy in their wild grandness, are lined with a dense growth of chapar- ral. This is a favorite haunt for deer, bear and other game, who roam free and undisturbed in this wild region. The hunter rarely troubles them with his presence, and the cañon is as free from the settler's influence to-day as it was when Mr. Gordon first ascended its rocky bed, thirty years ago. The stream is well supplied with fish of excellent varieties, but we note the absence of the mountain trout.
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There is an abundance of water-power, which at some day will be turned to good account in driving machinery.
Through Capay Valley the stream winds among giant oaks, which dot vast fields of grain in inviting groves and pleasant retreats from the summer's scorching sun.
Without doubt the loveliest part of Yolo County is Capay Valley, when clothed with the verdure of spring and enliv- ened by the murmuring waters of Cache Creek, which meanders through it- at this time of the year a formidable river.
At the mouth of Capay Valley, or at Lang's, is the Hun- gry Hollow Ford, which is considered safe at most seasons of the year. Below this place are several fords at intervals, and at Cacheville and Nelson's Ranch are substantial bridges.
During the season of drought the creek bed is dry at intervals on the plains, owing to the water ditches which deploy the main volume of water from its natural bed, and to the general sinkage of the water in the sands. Still there is enough for stock purposes, standing in pools or springs. It also supplies the following
Agricultural Ditches.
There are three ditches located on Cache Creek, two of which are completed and in use:
The Cacheville Agricultural Ditch heads on the north side of the creek, about five miles above Cacheville. This ditch is used for irrigation and also as the motive power of the Cacheville flour mills. Value, five thousand dollars.
The Woodland Agricultural Ditch, or Moore's Ditch, taps the creek on the south side, about ten miles from Woodland. This ditch is used solely for irrigation, cover- ing that section of the county around Woodland and lying between that point and the creek. Value, ten thousand dollars.
Stephens' Ditch, which taps the creek on the south side, well up in Capay Valley, would afford water for a large
7
atri
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scope of country around Cottonwood. This ditch has been partially completed, but, owing to the loss of the dam by floods, it is at present unused and unvalued.
Putah Creek.
This stream rises in Big Canon, Lake County, about twelve miles from the source of Cache Creek, and follows in a southerly direction for several miles, when it turns to the eastward, and, after traversing a portion of Napa County, forms the southern boundary of Yolo County for about thirty miles, when it sinks in the tule marshes at Montgomery's Ranch, in Putah Township, about eighty miles from its source.
The headwaters of Putah Creek, in Big Cañon, rise in one large spring, which gushes out from the mountain side about fifty feet above the bed of the gulch, clear, cold and sparkling as the waters of the Sierras. The volume of water measures two hundred and fifty inches, and is secured in ponds, ditches and reservoirs, forming Roberts' Trout Farm.
The cañon is alive with mountain trout, the larger of which reach a weight of three pounds. From this spring, through Big Canon, the scenery is grand, wild and rugged. The mountains are covered with pine and oak, and a favor- ite resort for various kinds of wild animals, deer and bear predominating. After entering Putah Cañon the stream is increased in volume by the addition of several minor creeks, though at no time does it average in size with Cache Creek.
During the winter rains the creek rises very suddenly, often overflowing its banks and sweeping everything before it; but these floods last but for a few days, and often but for a few hours. The water-shed of this creek is much less than that of Cache Creek, which drains the whole of the Clear Lake country.
Gardens of Putah Creek.
On Putah Creek are the famed early gardens of the
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State. These gardens are in both Yolo and Solano coun- ties, and justly rank among the most valuable in the State. The produce from this section generally reaches San Fran- cisco in advance of any other, and at a time when enor- mous prices are realized for fruit and vegetables. Peaches, grapes, pears, etc., ripen here from six to ten days in advance of any part of the State accessible to San Fran- cisco, with the exception of Edgar's Garden, in Yolo County, which possesses the same advantages though situ- ated in another part of the foothills. These gardens now afford profitable employment to a number of men, and they will doubtless be increased in size as fast as practicable, until the garden land of the foothills shall all be under cultivation.
·Buckeye Creek.
This stream rises in the foothills of Buckeye Township, formed by Pine Canon and Salt Arroyos. It is dry in sum- mer, but in winter,it has a channel of several miles in length, which traverses the plains in a westerly direction, its waters passing off through Deep Arroyo and Willow Slough to the tule marshes about fifteen miles from its source. Deep Arroyo is probably the old bed of Buckeye Creek, through which its waters found an uninterrupted channel to the slough in the olden time, when there was more water in these channels than has been known within the memory of the "oldest settler."
Cottonwood Creek.
This stream rises from a spring on Scott's Mountain Ranch, about seven miles from the plains, and follows a northeast course until it approaches the south corner of the Cañada de Capay Grant, when it turns to the southeast and is lost in the cottonwood plains. During the winter, when the channel is full, the waters of Cottonwood find their outlet in Willow Slough, twelve miles from where it enters the plains, nineteen or twenty miles from its source.
This stream is dry during the summer, with the excep-
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tion of the main mountain spring and an occasional spring or pond-hole along its course, until it reaches the plains, where these disappear.
Dry Creek.
Dry Creek is formed by numerous arroyos and gulches, which, leaving the foothills in the northwestern part of the county, unite and form this stream near the base of the range. The general course of the stream is west north- west, for about fifteen miles from its source, where it dis- charges its winter floods in the tule marshes near Dunigan's Ranch. This stream is dry in the summer, as its name de- notes, with the exception of a few springs in its mountain gulches; but during the winter rains, quite a large volume of water reaches the tules through its channel.
Water.
Yolo County is very well watered by the streams enumer- ated, sufficiently so to render it a good stock country; but, aside from that, it would be considered rather deficient in this necessary element. It is true that springs are rare on the plains, but water is readily obtained by boring in any locality. Around Woodland the water is hard, and strongly impregnated with mineral. The average depth at which water is obtained is about eighteen feet. The Court-house well is sunk one hundred and thirty feet, for the purpose of testing whether a flowing well could be obtained here as well as in other valleys, but the projectors quit their labors before the question was decided. At that depth a stream was struck which produces excellent water, though no colder than some other wells near by, of much less depth. In the section bordering the tules the water is from six to ten feet below the surface, but the wells are generally bored through the first stream and into the under channels, from twenty to thirty feet below the surface. In the vicinity of Putah Creek the wells average from twelve to fifteen feet, and the quality of the water is good, though hard. In the gravel- belt spoken of, the wells range from thirty feet downward,
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the well at Webster's Blacksmith shop being but eight feet deep, and the water rising within four feet of the surface. Around Cottonwood the wells average about twenty-two feet, and around Buckeye they are from two to five feet less in depth. Skirting the foothills the wells are deeper, in some cases the wells being tubed one hundred and fifty feet, the water rising within forty and forty-five feet of the surface. This is the case on Scott's Farm, where two wells but a mile apart present this difference. One is sunk one hundred and fifty feet, the water being within forty-five feet of the sur- face, while the other is sunk but forty-five feet and the wa- ter rises within thirty-five feet of the top. A mile from the latter well is one on the same ranch, twenty-five feet deep, and supplied with pure, soft water. We note another well about two miles from the latter, also soft water, and about the same depth. With but few exceptions the well water is hard throughout the county, and in some sections salt and brackish. Such is the case along a strip of land lying back of Knight's Landing and bordering on the tule marshes. The coldest well water obtained in the county is along the Sac- ramento River, where many wells are found whose waters resemble in taste those of the mountain springs. The aver- age depth of water, as reached throughout the county, might be put at twenty feet; the general quality hard and slightly mineral.
Sulphur Springs.
In Cottonwood Cañon, Salt Arroyo and in several locali- ties among the foothills are several springs strongly impreg- nated with sulphur. None have been turned to any purpose as yet, the water not being in sufficient quantities to make them of much note. Their medicinal qualities have never been tested, except by thirsty wanderers, and the stock which frequent the watering-places. The latter having never expressed an opinion regarding the merits of these waters, and as we have no other reliable authority on this point, we are compelled to remain silent.
Timber.
The county is comparatively well wooded, though large
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portions of it are bare of trees, especially portions of the plains. The foothills and mountains produce several varie- ties of timber, including oak and willow or nut-pine. Of shrubs, the manzanita, spice or nutmeg tree, wild plum and elder are in the ascendency, though there are other varieties of less note. Among the oak family are the post or white oak, pin oak, shrub oak, red oak, black or moun- tain oak, burr oak and water oak. Two varieties-the black and red oak-furnish a very good substitute for Eastern oak in departments of manufacture. The post oak, both in the mountains and on the plains, furnishes material for excel- lent posts, preferred by many to ordinary or brash red- wood.
The willow pine is little used, it being valueless for any building purposes, where exposed to the weather or resting on the ground. There are large bodies of this timber which would eventually find a ready market were there means of cheap transportation between the cañon and points near the mining counties, where this wood is used extensively in the form of blocks or riffles, for the lining of the flumes and tail-races of the mining claims. In the mining sections this timber has been exhausted, and these blocks are now hauled on wagons for many miles, rendering them very expensive.
The laurel is occasionally found in the hills of this county, but not in quantities, or of size sufficient to render it of any interest or value. Yolo County may be said to possess no building or fencing timber within her limits, the quality and character of her timber rendering it suitable for wood alone. With proper care, the supply of wood is sufficient for all the county for many years to come, but in many parts this care is not exercised, and the county is fast being de- nuded of its chief beauty-its noble groves of oaks, which are cut into cord-wood and sent to other localities. Wood- land, once surrounded by beautiful groves, is almost strip- ped of its chief ornament. The traveler who visited this county fifteen years ago could not fail of being favorably impressed with its well-wooded streams and the tracts of oak timber which marked the old water courses. Should he return now, he would find but a small portion of this
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peculiar beauty remaining. The Americans have justly been called the exterminators of timber. In no civilized country are the laws regarding the wanton waste of timber so loosely framed or so little regarded as in our own. And with the lessons of the past before us, we have not ceased in our insane efforts to destroy the only real beauty to be found on these plains. Thousands of cords of oak have been destroyed in this county by the timber being felled for brush fences and rotting in that position. Thousands of cords are annually wasted by the careless, wasteful manner in which the trees are worked into wood. And year by year the noble oaks are felled, long before their prime, that the money realized from their sales may be drawing interest for their former owners. A few years hence and the effect of this wanton destruction of timber will be felt, when Cache Creek and the plains shall be stripped of their groves and left bare and dreary.
All are aware, or should be, of the great influence exerted on the atmosphere, the water and the health of a community by the timber. Take, for example, the changes that have occurred, compare the present with the past of those lands once heavily timbered but now stripped of their forests. A scarcity of water, warmer summers, colder winters, and diseases before unknown are among the results plainly at- tributed to the destruction of the forests. There is an excuse for the total removal of timber from fields in countries where the necessities of agriculture demand it. But that excuse is not valid when urged in extenuation of the crime-for we can call it by no milder name-by which these plains are being shorn of their most valuable ornament. And we make this plea for the preservation of these grand old oaks from wanton destruction, in hopes that some lovers of na- ture may be induced to spare the timber as much and as long as possible, that the coming generations may partake of the natural beauties and advantages so lavishly bestowed on their ancestors. If this suicidal course is continued, and no timber planted, Yolo County will be compelled to import fire-wood ere fifty years shall elapse. And when the groves of oaks are no more, the changes in climate, health
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and fertility will attest the folly of those who thus wantonly transgress the laws of nature and of reason. Plant timber; rather plant an acre than destroy a tree without just cause. If farmers would plant say ten or twenty acres of their one hundred and sixty, to timber of rapid growth, within ten, at the farthest fifteen, years these plains would become the loveliest part of the State. Aside from the advantages of health, comfort and beauty, these bodies of timber would become sources of great and lasting wealth. The locust, walnut, black walnut, white walnut or butternut, the pecan, and other valuable woods, grow readily and rapidly in this climate, and in a few years, by additional plantings to meet the expected cuttings, the large and constantly-increasing trade in Eastern hard lumber would be transferred to our own State, and millions of money annually expended abroad would be kept at home. The love of gain, which has caused the wholesale destruction of the timber, should induce men to plant more, even if no other inducement were offered. Remember that the large timber of California sprouts not when felled; that a grove once felled has passed away for- ever.
We propose now to consider some of the various produc- tions of this county, that are not generally raised elsewhere.
Peanuts.
In 1853, Dr. Joshua S. Curtis brought fifty pounds of peanuts from New Orleans and planted them in his garden, on the Sacramento River, one and a half miles below Wash- ington. This was the first experiment of raising peanuts in this State. This effort proving successful, the Doctor fol- lowed it up the succeeding year on a more enlarged scale, and has continued in the business since. During the first few years the experiment proved very remunerative, and several others engaged in the enterprise.
As the product became larger the price decreased, until a much smaller margin for profit was left the producer; but still the amount planted increases annually. This year there are about forty acres planted on the ranches of the Doctor
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and his son. The first lot shipped to San Francisco brought twenty-five cents per pound, at that price yielding an income of five hundred dollars per acre. Gradually the price has decreased, the lowest point reached being eight cents per pound. Last year's crop brought ten cents, though a few Chinamen gardeners sold for eight cents.
The average yield on favorable soil is one ton per acre, though the crop sometimes is heavier. The nuts are planted in hills like potatoes, and cultivated in much the same man- ner. The vines are covered twice, leaving but the ends above the surface. This causes a new setting of nuts at each covering. It is supposed that the crop is sure, as no failure has been known where the vines were properly cul- tivated and planted in congenial soil.
The soil required for successful cultivation is a loose, sandy loam, such as is suitable for sweet potatoes. When planted in this kind of soil and properly attended, the result has, so far, been very flattering.
It is not likely that the demand for this article will induce the raising of the nut for export. The home market will constitute the demand, and that is in a measure quite lim- ited. Owing to the facility with which they are grown (one man can take care of from five to seven acres, except during harvest), the home market has been already closed to importers and fully supplied with the State product. There was none imported last year, and probably will not be during the present season. The sales in San Francisco alone reached over fifty thousand dollars last season, and the main part of the nuts thus sold were raised in Yolo County.
From the small beginning of fifty pounds, planted by Dr. Curtis in 1853, has sprung up an annual trade of about three hundred tons, grown in this county. If it were not probable that the market would be easily over- crowded, many more acres would be planted annually, for there is a deal of land along the river and creeks suit- able for this plant. Owing to the price of labor, it will not be found profitable to grow them for export.
There is one peculiarity about the peanut culture, noted
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by those who have followed the business for years. It does not seem to injure the land, or detract from the natu- ral strength of soil in the least, but, on the contrary, seems to keep the soil loose and lively, leaving it enhanced in value by the thorough cultivation necessary to eradicate the weeds and keep it in a healthy condition.
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