Butte County CA Archives History - Books .....Agriculture 1882 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 16, 2005, 11:50 pm Book Title: History Of Butte County AGRICULTURE. The agricultural portion of Butte county comprises the southern and western parts, covering an area of considerably over one-third. Though the cultivation of the soil is not confined to this section, but extends far into the foot-hills, even to the Sierra themselves, yet it is a tract that owes its rich possessions to agriculture alone. Some of this portion was originally covered by Mexican land grants. They consisted of the Fernandez grant (Moore and Henshaw), four leagues; Llano Seco (Parrott), four leagues, two of which are in Colusa; the Arroyo Chico (Bidwell), five leagues; Agua Frias (Pratt), six leagues; Bosquejon grant (Lassen or Gerke), five leagues, nearly all of which is in Tehama county; Boga (Larkin), five leagues, a large portion in Sutter county; and the Esquon (Neal), five leagues. A Mexican league is computed to contain, in round numbers, 4,444 acres. These were the only grants confirmed in Butte county. The Cambuston grant, of eleven leagues, on the east bank of the Sacramento; the Huber, on the east bank of the Feather, from the Honcut creek north, five leagues; the Hensley grant, of four leagues, between the Chico and Butte creeks; the Nye grant, to the north of Chico grant, and one or two others, were rejected. Many are of opinion that the settlement of the county was retarded by these grants, but it does not seem that the county was much injured by them. Many other causes besides monopolizing the lands were operating against the settlement of the valleys. Nine-tenths of the emigration to California in forty-nine, and for the five or six subsequent years, came here not with the intention of settling or making this state their home, but for the purpose of acquiring a certain amount of gold, and then to return eastward to enjoy it. But the prizes in the mining lottery were not for all, and many there were who drew blanks. Many who had failed to acquire wealth in the mines began to abandon the thought, and even the desire, of returning home. Such wished to build homes for themselves here on the Pacific coast, but, as the mountains and the mining regions were uninviting to would-be husbandmen, the valleys were looked to. It is true that the Mexican grants were located along the water-courses, where there was a rich, sandy, alluvial soil, easy of cultivation and generally well timbered and that settlers first seek such locations for homes; but experience proved that the lands back from the streams were quite as fertile, and oftentimes more valuable, as being less liable to overflow by the winter floods. Much complaint was made against the large land-holders, not because they owned so much, but because they could not or would not till their lands, using them only for grazing purposes. The fact that the adobe lands were equally as desirable was, for a long time, unknown, and the belief prevailed that no crops could be raised on them. For many years, that vast tract of adobe lands lying west of the Oregon railroad, across to the Sacramento, was not considered worth anything. Now, with a knowledge of how to cultivate them, they have become vast producers of grain, even rivaling in production the rich alluvial soils of Chico township, which so long have been the pride and boast of the county. Probably no section of country in the world presents more attractions to the farmer than Chico, Dayton and Hamilton townships. The leading article of product is, of course, wheat, and in this regard Butte county is unsurpassed by any other in the state. Barley is also produced in immense quantities, and vegetables of the rarest and finest character. All the semi-tropical fruits can be produced with ordinary cultivation in almost any portion of the county. Oranges, lemons, peaches, citrons, olives and figs reach perfection, and the product of the vine, next to grain, has long been the most important. The first farming in Butte county was begun after the discovery of gold. By the year 1853, so much wheat was being raised that General Bidwell erected a mill on his ranch to grind a portion of the crop. This was the first flouring-mill in the county. In the year 1854, 3,725 acres of land were put into wheat, and the entire yield of this cereal was 83,812 bushels, being an average of twenty-two and one-half bushels to the acre. In 1855, the acreage was much less for some reason, being only 1,865 acres, and the amount raised was 46,625 bushels, or twenty-five bushels to the acre. In the same year 2,400 acres were sown with barley, producing 72,000 bushels, or thirty bushels to the acre. There were 175 acres of oats, and 5,250 bushels. In the line of fruit, there were 250 peach-trees fruited, and 1,000 in nursery; 100 apple-trees; 25 quince; 100 pear, and one hundred fig-trees fruited; 2,000 grapevines were bearing fruit, and 12,000 growing vigorously in nurseries. The tons of grapes produced in 1855 were only twelve. Six years afterwards the acreage of wheat had increased to 8,000, and the yield to 160,000 bushels; 7,500 acres were put into barley, and the produce amounted to 253,000 bushels; 400 acres were in oats, and 4,000 in hay. During that year, 93,000 pounds of wool were clipped. The total number of acres of land enclosed in 1861, was 68,000, and the number cultivated was 34,500. The assessor's returns for 1861 show that a great deal more attention was being paid to fruit culture. There were 15,560 apple-trees, 105,000 peach-trees, 6,080 peai'-trees, 1,700 plum-trees, 5,000 nectarine-trees, 2,520 apricot-trees, 820 fig-trees, 50 lemon and 30 orange-trees; 260,500 grape-vines were planted, and the yield of grapes was 140 tons. In the year 1867, 240,664 acres of land were enclosed, and 42,966 under cultivation. The yield of wheat that year was 482,470 bushels, being raised from 20,630 acres; 220,350 bushels of barley were raised from 10,422 acres. The crop of peanuts, in 1867, amounted to 21,700 pounds, and that of tobacco to 3,250 pounds, from an acre and a quarter of land. The yield of wool from 64,000 sheep was 185,800 pounds. In 1875, the number of acres enclosed was 313,275, of which 190,200 were under cultivation. During this year Butte county took the front rank as a wheat-producing county, harvesting no less than 3,170,500 bushels. In 1877, she did even better, raising the figure by several hundred thousand bushels. In 1878 the crop failed; in 1880 it had dropped to 1,527,000 bushels, with an average of nearly thirteen bushels to the acre. The number of grape-vines in 1875 was 558,000. Mulberry, almond and walnut-trees began to be quite numerous, ranging, in round numbers, from six to nine thousand. At present the number of grape-vines in the county is somewhat less than a few years ago, owing to the fact that there has not been a good market for such produce, and the owners of vineyards allowed them to go to waste. The assessor reported 4,000 acres in grapes, which, at a moderate estimate, gives about 350,000 vines. Of late, however, grape culture is becoming more popular, and probably within the next two years the number of vines will have doubled. Other kinds of fruit have held their own in the past ten years, and some have greatly increased. At present the acres of land enclosed are 371,000, and the number under cultivation, 220,000, showing that agriculture is constantly on the increase. The raising of stock has, from the first, been an important industry in Butte county. . For many years the rich lands of the Sacramento valley were used only for grazing purposes, and on several of the early grants vast herds of cattle and horses were kept. It is impossible to obtain accurate data as to the number of domestic animals in the county prior to 1855. At that time there were 1,991 horses and mules; 13,326 head of cattle; 3,636 head of sheep, and 7,550 hogs. In two years, 1857, the number of horses had increased to 3,029, the cattle to 19,236, and the sheep to 11,188, while the swinish population had gone down to 6,097. The succeeding ten years saw a large increase in horses, there being 6,466 of them. The cattle business had greatly deteriorated, the lowing herds numbering but 8,794. On the other hand, the raising of sheep and the production of wool had nearly sextupled, there being no less than 64,000 head of sheep in 1867. The number of hogs was 14,500. In 1880, there were 6,269 horses, 11,024 cattle, 50,412 sheep, and 9,120 swine. Last year the value of horses and mules was $433,640, at the assessment rate; of cattle, $187,350; and of sheep. $151,575. The Butte County Agricultural Association was organized in 1867, and the first fair was given at Chico in October of that year, The officers of the association were as follows: John Bidwell, president; Dr. W. P. Tilden, J. H. Guill and R. M. Cochran, vice-presidents; J. C. Martin and J. C. Noonan, secretaries; George F. Jones, Treasurer; J. C. Mandeville, J. N. Montgomery, Harmen Bay, S. K. Thomas, W. W. Davis, J. Hickok and Charles Ball, board of directors. The ground was the three-cornered piece near the railroad, formerly known as the park. The initial attempt of the society proved very successful. The exhibit of stock and agricultural products was very large, being a fair representation of the resources of the county. The Butte County Jockey Club attended to the races, giving one the first day and two on each of the succeeding four days. The best trotting time was made by Walkataw, who covered a mile in 2:44. A very large attendance was there during the entire fair, and it passed off both pleasantly and profitably. In October of the following year, another fair was given by the association, which proved equally successful. In 1869, the Tipper Sacramento Agricultural Society held a fair at Chico. Since that time, fairs have occurred at Chico nearly every year. By an Act of the legislature, approved April 15, 1880, the state was divided into eleven agricultural districts. The third district comprises the counties of Sutter, Yuba, Butte, Colusa, Tehama, Yolo and Sacramento. The first two fairs of this district have occurred at Chico. The officers in 1880 were A. B. Collins, president; W. S. Eliot, secretary; Charles Faulkner, treasurer—all of Chico. Dr. C. C. Mason is now president, W. J. Blackwell, secretary, and Charles Faulkner, treasurer. The members of the board from Butte county are A. B. Collins, C. C. Mason, O. L. Clark and J. W. B. Montgomery. The receipts at the fair of 1880 were $3,801, and the expenditures, $3,736.94, of which $934 were paid in premiums. The cost of the fair grounds owned by the district was in the neighborhood of $10,000. At the fair of 1881, the general expenses were $3,362.81; amount paid in purses, $3,485; paid in premiums, $1,308; making a total of $8,155.81. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF BUTTE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, IN TWO VOLUMES. I. HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA FROM 1513 TO 1850. BY FRANK T. GILBERT. The Great Fur Companies and their Trapping Expeditions to California. Settlement of the Sacramento Valley. The Discovery of Gold in California. BY HARRY L. WELLS. II. HISTORY OF BUTTE COUNTY, From its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time. BY HARRY L. WELLS AND W. L. CHAMBERS. BOTH VOLUMES ILLUSTRATED WITH VIEWS AND PORTRAITS. HARRY L. WELLS, 517 CLAY STREET, SAN FRANCISCO 1882. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by HARRY L. WELLS, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. FRANCIS, VALENTINE & Co., Engravers & Printers 517 Clay St., San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/butte/history/1882/historyo/agricult52nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 12.1 Kb