Alameda County

History

Past and Present of Alameda County, California - S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1914

CHAPTER XI
FARMING, FRUIT-GROWING, STOCK-RAISING, ETC.

        Alameda county has passed through four stages of soil and animal production: (1) The cattle period ending about 1862; (2) the grain period extending to about 1882 and later; (3) the fruit period reaching up to the present; (4) the intensive or scientific period since about 1892. These periods, of course, are not exact, but overlap more or less during the whole period since the first settlement. At first the live stock of the old Spanish and Mexican residents, mostly cattle and horses, roamed at large over this part of the state and were gathered and divided at annual rodeos. The early American settlers, not believing that the soil generally was fit for the cultivation of field and garden products, imitated the live-stock practices of their predecessors, but at the same time sowed wheat, barley and oats and planted potatoes and onions. Enormous crops of potatoes were grown as early as 1851, and wheat and barley showed wonderful returns soon afterward. Generally speaking the farmers and fruit growers of the '50s were successful. About 1857 the orchards of Messrs. Rhoda, Hopkins, Webster and Schumaker of Brooklyn township were among the finest in the state. As early as 1852 John M. Horner and E. L. Beard received about one hundred thousand dollars for their potato crop—raised on the old Alvarado Ranch. Colonel Vallejo's experience in raising potatoes in 1852 is narrated elsewhere in this volume. Others had similar successes and failures, all depending on the markets.

        In 1854 there were 61,000 acres of land under cultivation in the county, to wit: Barley, 24,000; wheat, 20,000; oats, 6,000; potatoes, 5,000; nursery trees, 1,000; vegetables, 2,000; beans, 3,000. The yield of wheat per acre was 36 bushels. There were in the county 110,000 head of cattle; 6o,000 horses ; 20,000 sheep; 13,000 hogs; 350 goats.

        On July 24, 1858, the Alameda County Agricultural Society was formed, the gentlemen signing the constitution being H. C. Smith, Dr. H. Gibbons, A. H. Myers, Harry Linden, W. W. Moore, J. M. Moore, R. Blacow, Alfred Lewelling, P. J. Campbell, Frank F. Fargo, H. Lewelling, G. W. Fountain, Mark T. Ashley, F. K. Shattuck, S. Shurtleff, Isaac B. Rumford, E. Wilson, Hiram Keeney, J. Blacow, W. H. Davis, John B. Ward, J. L. Wilson, D. E. Hough, E. S. Chipman, C. C. Breyfogle, J. A. Lent. It was decided to hold semi-animal fairs, one in the spring for the display of flowers, early grains and products of the horticulturist, and the other in the autumn for the exhibition of stock, general farming produce, late fruits, and vegetables, and such other articles as could be shown to greater advantage at this season of the year. The first officers were A. H. Myers, president; H. C. Smith, F. K. Shattuck, vice presidents; E. S. Chipman, secretary; Frank F. Fargo, treasurer.

        On October 7, 1862, the Bay District Fair was commenced in Oakland, and was well attended, the exhibit of animals of all kinds, as well as of produce,

being highly creditable. Among the articles on exhibition were a squash weighing ninety pounds, a cabbage, fifty-one pounds, and a sweet potato, nine pounds. The celebrated horses Comet, Hunter, Kentuck, and Owen Dale were shown at the stock parade in the evening as were also certain Clydesdale horses recently imported by J. W. Dougherty and J. W. Martin, of the Amador valley. J. D. Patterson also produced five specimens of celebrated Alderney cows. At the election of officers the following gentlemen were chosen to serve for the ensuing year: J. J. McEwen, president; S. J. Tennent, J. Bowles, vice presidents; William Reynolds, Santa Clara, S. W. Johnson, Contra Costa, R. Blacow, Alameda, D. S. Cook, San Mateo, J. A. McClelland, San Francisco, vice presidents for counties at large; G. P. Loucks, Platt Gregory, R. G. Davis, directors; K. W. Taylor, treasurer; O. Falley, secretary. The annual address was delivered by Rev. Starr King to a large audience.

        In 1868 J. Lusk, who owned a ranch about four miles from Oakland, cultivated fifty acres of raspberries. He sent to market ninety tons of fresh berries and received therefor 10 cents per pound or a total of $18,000. He manufactured twenty tons into jams, jellies, and pie-fruit and realized therefrom about ten thousand dollars. He made 15,000 gallons of wine worth 25 cents per gallon and 10,000 gallons of vinegar worth 20 cents per gallon. The total crop returned him $36,250. The cost of cultivating, picking, canning, barrelling and putting the crop in market was estimated by him at $20,000.

        Late in the '60s and early in the '70s grain growing was conducted on an enormous scale throughout the county, particularly in the Livermore and Sunol valleys. Livermore did a large grain business in 1874. On one day in December thirty carloads were shipped to Reno and over 100 tons of barley were sent to Nevada. A carload of flour was sent to Oakland. In ten days near the close of the year over 1,600 tons of grain were shipped from that town, mostly to San Francisco, yet Edmundson's warehouse was still full and the others also. Farmers stored their grain in the town and shipped when the prices were satisfactory or when they needed the money. In one week in February, 1875, 150 carloads of grain were sent from Livermore to market. On another day forty-two carloads of wood left for Oakland Point. This year the people of Livermore and vicinity prepared a carload of grain and vegetables for the Kansas sufferers, but the railroad company refused to bear the cost of transportation. The Grangers were active in all the farming regions of the county at this date.

        In 1874 there were shipped from Pleasanton 140 tons of hay, 35 tons of straw, 60,200 pounds of oats and 51,118 pounds of wool. The total tonnage shipped from the town and received there was 12,212. The wheat shipments alone amounted to 9,488 tons, of which 7,257 tons went to Oakland wharf, 478 tons to Oakland and 270 tons to Brooklyn. There were shipped 1,325 tons of barley, 754 tons to Oakland wharf. Henry Cartner, who lived near Warm Springs, had forty acres in raisin grapes and was already putting up considerable home-dried raisins for market. He had begun to home-dry almonds also. His ranch was on the San Jose road near the mission. At Sunol in December herds of cattle were sold at an average of $21.50 per head; they were fattened on the grass of the foothills.         Madam Argenti was growing orange and lemon trees there at this date. The Tropical Fruit and Cocoanut Manufacturing Company was organized at Oakland in 1875; the leading spirit was Alexander Ashbourne. They began converting into eatables products from mangoes, pineapples, bananas, yams, ginger, plums, chushon, tamarinds, paw-paws, custard apples, sweet saps, sour saps, neyberries, etc.

        On October 31, 1881, the county board of horticultural commissioners were appointed as follows: A. D. Pryal, A. P. Crane and Martin Mendenhall, who were to receive $4 per day while actually on duty, but no member would be permitted to charge for more than thirty days during the year.

        In order to encourage the cultivation of sugar beets the Standard Sugar Refinery at Alvarado in December, 1881, agreed to pay the following prices for the best beets raised for the company in 1882: For the best 100 acres, $200; best 75 acres, $150; best 50 acres, $100; best 25 acres, $50; best 10 acres, $20; best 5 acres, $10.

        In the spring of 1882 there were planted in the Livermore district 880 acres in grape vines, all being of the wine variety, except thirty acres of table grapes. It was a dry season and about 35 per cent were lost. The next year about 15 per cent of the replant was lost; but in 1884, an excellent season, about five hundred and fifty acres of plants were in good condition. With the exception of the Zinfandel few of the varieties grew much fruit after the third year. The grape crop of the 1883 planting amounted to about one hundred and fifty-five tons of first and twenty-eight tons of second crop. All was sold to C. F. Aguillon's winery in Livermore at $30 per ton for the first and $15 per ton for the second crop. According to agreement the grapes had to have 22 per cent of sugar for the first and not less than 15 per cent for the second crop. Of the 183 tons three-fourths were Zinfandel and one-fourth was composed of Mataro, Folle, Blanche Burger, Grenache, Charboro, Carigane, the different Rieslings and perhaps a dozen other varieties. The profit in the Zinfandel was fully demonstrated. The first load of grapes was delivered to the winery September 22d and the last of the second crop November 22d, the vintage lasting just two months. The rains did not injure the first crop nor the frost the second. At the third annual viticultural convention, which opened November 29th and closed December 6, 1884, Livermore valley was represented by thirty-one samples of different blends of wine of the 1884 vintage. All the samples showed a perfect fermentation, fine color and an excellent fruity and mellow taste. By the last of December, 1884, the valley had 1,975 acres in vines, owned by fifty-eight different persons, thirty-six of whom were newcomers in the valley and twenty-eight of whom built houses and barns and otherwise improved their plantations. Eight lived in San Francisco and hired residents to attend their vineyards.

        Gooseberry growing became very popular and profitable about 1883; many of the bushes were planted near Haywards. C. D. Everett, E. D. Warren, A. Warren, A. W. Schafer, D. S. Amalley and others abandoned their currant bushes for the gooseberry plants. Grape vine planting was all the rage at Livermore at this date. On February 13th the thermometer stood at 25 above zero at Livermore. The Centerville Drying and Packing Company employed eighteen persons in July, and ran day and night during the active season. Their cans were procured in San Francisco. J. A. Johnson near Sunol had a nursery of 20,000 trees for orchards and soon bought 30,000 more.  He had control of 1,400 acres there. In 1883 the price of fruit became so low that hundreds of growers in all parts of the county sun dried their surplus.

        In August Edward F. Dyer, of the Standard Sugar Refinery of Alvarado received $1,200 from the agricultural department of the United States for a statement showing the process and expenses of manufacturing beet sugar for the third year of its existence. The statement showed that the products in sugar and molasses were $150,617.50 and the cost $105,681.65. leaving the profits $44,935.85.

        The Livermore vineyards were famous in 1883. Any gravelly land in that vicinity, that would grow grain, if dry and warm, was suitable. New vineyards were being opened in all parts of Murray township. J. H. Wheeler owned a large orchard and vineyard. H. M. Ames, Almon Weymouth, Albert Weymouth and many others owned vineyards there. Land in the Brookside vineyard tract sold for $65 an acre. Staking the yards began to be common, as the vines grew better and permitted cultivation between the rows. The Fruit Growers' Association of Eden township was organized in 1883, but languished though it remained alive for a year or more.

        The California Nursery Company was organized in 1884 by John Rock, R. D. Fox, James Hutchison, Thomas Mehsiro, W. J. Landers and J. Henri and a tract of about five hundred acres near Niles was purchased and divided into 100-acre sections. The first act was to set out on one of the sections 700,000 stock plants for budding purposes. Over $30,000 was expended before there were any financial returns. Hundreds of orchards in this part of the state were supplied from this nursery. At this time blackleg appeared among several herds of cattle near Livermore and elsewhere in the county; it was found in John Clark's herd on Arroyo Mocho. Grape growers hauled their crops to the Aguillon's winery. It was noted that wild bees injured the grape crop. Mrs. Belle Jordan had an orchard of 1,200 trees in the Arroyo valley near Livermore; it was planted by R. K. Jordan. In the orchard were peach, pear, plum, apple, almond and apricot trees. This was one of the finest orchards in the county. Near were the famous Olivina and Ojo del Monte vineyards. The canyon of the Arroyo valley at this time was often called "The Mountain Fruit Belt of Alameda County." Among those who planted vineyards near Livermore in 1884 were D. Inman, 50 acres; John Crellin, 20 acres; Louis Mel, 20 acres; D. F. Fowler, 20 acres and 7 acres orchard; W. C. Wright, 10 acres; E. Squires, 15 acres and 5 acres orchard; T. E. Knox, 20 acres; Eugene Paris, 15 acres; E. Edwards, 20 acres; Almon Weymouth, 15 acres; W. P. Bartlett, 10 acres; H. A. Arnold, 12 acres, and James Concannon, 20 acres. The Olivina vineyard near Livermore bore 100½ tons of grapes.

        The grain crop of Livermore valley in 1884 was the largest in its history—that of Murray township alone was about fifty-five thousand tons; the largest crop there before was 50,000 tons in 1880.

        The Livermore Valley Agricultural Association was organized early in April, 1885, in two large meetings held at the town hall of Livermore, thirty citizens being present and taking an interested part. Land suitable for the race track and buildings was examined on the John Green and George May farms. The capital of the association was fixed at $10,000. A soliciting committee was as follows: W. W. Mendenhall, C. J. Stevens, George Beck, Wendell Jordan and S. B. Bowen.     Within four years ending in 1885 about four thousand two hundred acres of cereal and hay land in the valley had been turned into orchards and vineyards.     Considerable grafting on native phylloxera proof stock was done in 1885. This year Prof. E. W. Hilgard was elected president of the Viticultural Society at Mission San Jose. It was decided to confine the attention of the society to the grape and the olive.

        On May 20, 1885, the San Lorenzo orchardists shipped a carload of cherries and other small fruit to New York where California cherries were selling at $1 per pound. The car went by fast freight and was due in New York in a week and a half.  Among the shippers were E. Lewelling, E. T. Crane, J. L. Shiman, Henry Smith, H. W. Meek, John and H: Madin, C. S. King, J. B. Madin, E. Hathaway, E. O. Webb, William Roberts, William Knox. There were cherries of the Great Bigarreau, Pontiac and Black Tartarian varieties; several crates of gooseberries and currants were included. The total weight was 20,250 pounds; the cost of shipment was $500 per car. The next day a similar carload was shipped from Haywards to the same destination by Blockwood Owens, C. Winton, C. Everett, Will Knox, C. Kerwin, W. H. Jessup, Joel Russell, Chris. Nicholson, W. Lawrence, Seth Warner, C. S. King, and Manuel Leal. Hixon Justi Company, and Porter Brothers, fruit commission merchants of San Francisco, were largely instrumental in inducing the Alameda county growers to try the experiment of thus shipping perishable fruit to the eastern markets. It was at this time that the important question arose with emphasis where the labor was to come from to harvest the fruit crop. Within a few years fully one hundred thousand acres in the state had been planted in fruit. This required 50,000 extra laborers. At this time there were employed about twenty-five thousand Chinamen on the fruit and vineyard ranches of the state. It was proposed to put the boys and girls at this work.

        Mr. McIver of Livermore had in 1885 a vineyard of 25,000 vines of the Zinfandel, Muscat and Rose of Peru varieties. He added to this yard an orchard of 1,800 plum trees, 2,500 peach, 1,800 pears, 500 olives and 60,000 resistant vines of the California variety; he grafted the latter with the choicest varieties obtainable.

        In November, at a convention of fruit growers in San Francisco, an organization of the Fruit Growers' Union was effected. It was a cooperative society to regulate and operate the fruit shipping business. H. B. Livermore of Alameda county was one of the directors and one of the committee appointed to sell stock. Mr. Livermore was elected the first president of the society, and A. T. Hatch of Solano, secretary. Another object of the association was to reduce the cost of middleman, so that California fruit could be sold in the East at prices which the average citizen there could afford to pay.

        It is literally true that many white farmers were taught valuable lessons in intensive farming by the Chinese who leased land in this county and raised large quantities of vegetables. They were among the first to show the practicability of irrigation, and the first to make asparagus-growing successful. While the white man plowed and sowed and then sat down to wait for rain, the Chinese dug and planted and supplied his vegetation from artificial sources of water.

        In 1885 fully 2,685 carloads of products were shipped from Pleasanton, and in addition there were 500 partly filled cars. The following were the cars and contents: Brick, 852; hay, 1436; wheat, 340; barley, 157; wood, 115; spuds, 61; sheep, 19; cattle, 38; mustard, 3; mixed, 22. Juan Gallegos of Mission San Jose sold his entire wine crop of 130,000 gallons for 30 cents per gallon in the tank—total $39,000. Poster Brothers of Chicago had full control of the California fruit business and shipments, but in 1886 the Fruit Growers' Association assumed charge, with the result that better prices prevailed and quicker and better shipments were made.

        J. S. Shiman of San Lorenzo shipped a carload of cherries to Chicago this year. The shipment embraced twenty-five crates. The gross proceeds were $9,711 and the expenses of shipment and sale were $3,125, leaving net proceeds of $6,586 to the credit of the shipper, or 8 cents net per pound. On July 7, 1885, he shipped a carload of plums and apricots to the same market.

        The report came from Chicago that a carload of cherries shipped from California arrived in bad condition owing to heat and poor ventilation. Only about one-third was in good condition. It was announced that if the fruit was properly packed and shipped, the movement would be a success. It was a few failures like this that in the end taught the Alameda county shippers how to prepare and transport their perishable crops.

        In the 80's California waked to her opportunity and importance as a raiser of fruit for the whole country. It took the people a long time to learn this fact. The agricultural possibilities were for years undreamed of. Hundreds of thousands of acres believed to be worthless made the finest kind of fruit farms. All of a sudden oranges, almonds, walnuts, figs, raisins and berries made the state famous and Alameda county was its garden spot. Thirty years before all thought the county a desert and fit for nothing but mining and grazing. By 1885 its fruit went to all parts of the country.

        In its sixth year of operation the sugar refinery at Alvarado worked 217 days, bought 20,500 tons of beets, of which 16,354 tons were used and out of which 2,167,273 pounds of refined sugar were manufactured. They had 5,000 tons left over which they gave to farmers to feed to their stock. This was not good business, said E. H. Dyer, manager, but was a fact. It was learned that there were in Alameda county 144,000 acres adapted to the production of sugar beets; on this could be grown five times the sugar product of the Hawaiian islands. In 1885 there were lodges of the Grangers in nearly all the towns and villages of the county—Alvarado, Haywards, Oakland, Temescal, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Leandro, etc.

        In 1885 there were shipped from Haywards fruit in the following quantities: In May, 1,818,360 pounds; June, 1,495,605 pounds; July, 833,800 pounds; also 899,910 pounds of hay and grain.

        The law required that fruit trees infested with injurious insects or germs should be cleaned or disinfected before April 1, 1885, and on or before that month every year thereafter. It was a misdemeanor to fail in this duty. It was common to find in the vineyards many tarantulas and much care was necessary to prevent being poisoned by them. A large one was found under the book-case in the Presbyterian church at Pleasanton. Formerly they were numerous at the schoolhouse on the hill, but the boys soon killed the last one there.

        The raisin crop of 1885 was the largest thus far raised in Alameda county; the almond yield was also heavy, while crops of pears, peaches, plums, apricots

and walnuts were fair. By the last of September there were six wineries in operation in the Livermore district—Olivina, Pioneer, Bocquerez & Paris, Mortimer, Bowles and Crellin. In 1884 there was but one. They paid about twenty dollars a ton for grapes.

        In June the Commissioner of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., requested the officers of the Ladies' Silk Culture Society of California to nominate persons for the office of director of the United States experiment station at Piedmont. At this time the experiment building there was nearly completed. The ladies named the following for the position of director: Prof. George Davidson, Mrs. Henry B. Williams, Mrs. L. E. Pratt, Mrs. J. E. Flint and Mrs. T. H. Hittell.

        In 1886 the members of the Farmers' Union of Livermore Valley were Daniel Juman, president; J. F. Black, vice president; J. L. Mitchell, cashier; Daniel Juman, J. F. Black, J. L. Mitchell, G. C. Stanley, John Callighan, G. E. Kennedy and John Beck, directors. Their building and other property originally cost about twenty-eight thousand dollars and had a mortgage thereon of $12,500. The building itself cost $13,000 in October, and $6,000 additional was spent on the structure for internal improvements.

        In 1886 the wine dealers of San Francisco formed a combination that boy-cotted every wine maker who would not sell to them at their terms. The Livermore district was the first in this county to take up the fight against this monopoly.

        In April the Livermore Valley Wine and Vineyard Company was organized at Livermore with a capitalization of $2,000,000. They secured the Black vineyard of 200 acres as a nucleus. The directors were J. F. Black, Pierre Bocquerez, Edwin Goodall, Isaac Upham, S. Osterhout, Howard Black and August Waterman. It was suggested that when the fruit picking season should arrive, the public schools should be closed in order to give the children an opportunity to assist in the work. If this were done the children, it was stated, would in a large measure settle the Chinese question.

        By 1886 farming operations in many parts of the county had assumed gigantic proportions. In February H. W. Meek of San Lorenzo had from sixty to seventy-five horses in a single field at one time. Henry Martin had fifteen teams in his seventy-five acre field which he plowed, sowed and harrowed in three days. H. Smyth kept eight or ten teams busy on sixty-five acres for several days. Scores of others in all parts of the county farmed on a scale equally as large or larger.

        Over four hundred mulberry trees were planted in the experiment station at Piedmont in 1885-86. Nearly twenty thousand cuttings were set out. The university had donated 200 of the trees and P. J. Burner, fifty. The Ladies' Silk Culture Society of this county was interested in these proceedings. It became well known that nine-tenths of orchard failures in California were due to the planting of the wrong varieties of fruit. Nurseries carried all varieties and—it was the duty of orchardists, it was claimed, to know the possibilities of their soils.

        In 1888 the Daniel Best Agricultural Works at San Leandro were in a flourishing condition. In February they had just completed sixteen of the Best and Driver improved combined harvesters.

        At a meeting of the grape growers of Livermore valley late in July, 1888, a resolution was passed that growers should thereafter demand $20 per ton for grapes sold to wine makers, should not take a less sum, and that in the event of refusal, they should dispose of their grapes elsewhere or convert them into raisins. The latter step was not practical, it was shown, because the best wine grapes made the poorest raisins. This meeting appointed a committee to investigate the methods of drying grapes. This year the sixth annual state viticultural convention gave more than one-third of all the awards to Alameda county wine makers. Of the 143 awards on red and white wines Alameda county received fifty-five. C. C. McIver of Mission San Jose headed the list, but was closely followed by C. A. Wetmore, J. P. Smith, Wallace Everson, estate of Joseph Black, Josiah Stanford, Beard & Putnam, A. G. Chanche, J. H. Wheeler and H. R. Waggoner of the Livermore and Mission San Jose districts. Alameda county did not make more wine than several other counties, but the quality averaged higher. Before 1880 better wine was made in this county, and with the exception of the Warm Springs vineyard, all vines were planted after that year. Starting after many of the others this county's growers had the advantage of their experiences, failures and successes.

        In March, 1889, the farmers' union of Livermore failed and made an assignment for the benefit of creditors. It had been one of the largest mercantile establishments in the state and had handled nearly all the grain and produce of Livermore valley, did a banking business and operated in real estate and railroad investments. The business was worth several million dollars and the stock was held mainly by residents of Livermore valley. Haywards and San Leandro fruit growers, established a home organization to assume charge of fruit shipments and all marketing questions. Up to this time the shipments had been handled by two Sacramento concerns at too great a cost. The cherry market in particular was improved by this action. Immense quantities of peas were raised near Irvington, Haywards, San Leandro and elsewhere west of the hills.

        The Pacific Coast Sugar Company took possession of Alvarado creek for the use of the Spring Valley Water Company of San Francisco. For the past nineteen years the sugar company had been engaged there, with several lapses, in manufacturing sugar from beets, and had its plant, valued at $250,000, on the banks of that creek. Without the use of the creek water the factory could not continue unless other water could be secured at no greater expense. The only other way for the factory to get the necessary water was from artesian wells, with the chances, it was thought, much against success. The water company brought condemnation suits. If successful it meant the ruin of the sugar company. Years before this time the farmers in the vicinity of Niles had depended upon their wells for water, but after the Spring Valley Water Company tapped Alameda creek, their wells dried up and in some cases they were compelled to haul their water for many miles. Twelve farmers under the leadership of J. E. Thane combined in a demand that the company should dig artesian wells for them. This demand was at first refused, but finally was acceded to by Charles W. Howard of the company and about a dozen wells were sunk for them near Niles.

        In the eastern car trip of "California on Wheels," one car devoted exclusively to native wines was partly filled with samples from the Livermore valley wineries. In the fall of this year Livermore valley received the gold medal prize at the Paris exposition for the best grape wines. This victory was duly celebrated at Livermore on October 5th. Charles A. Wetmore, secretary of the viticultural association, received the grand prize for his wine and A. G. Chauche received the gold medal; both lived in the valley. It was admitted that J. W. Kottinger was the pioneer grape grower of the valley. As early as 1874 he made over one thousand gallons of wine from his four acres of vines. At the celebration Mr. Wetmore, Julius P. Smith and Mr. Kottinger delivered addresses. A series of congratulatory resolutions was adopted. A large meeting of fruit growers from Haywards, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Niles, Sunol and Danville was held at Haywards in December, 1889, for the purpose of perfecting drying and shipping methods. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Haywards Fruit Growers' Association. The meeting agreed that cooperation was the only means to properly dispose of the fruit of this section. At this time the extra charge on refrigerator cars to New York was $250.

        Early in December the county board ordained that ground squirrels "infesting the lands in the County of Alameda" were a public nuisance and required all owners and occupants of lands within this county to exterminate and destroy them within ninety days after the ordinance should take effect and thereafter keep the lands free from the pests.

        The annual rodeos of the cattle of the Livermore mountains occurred in May. Work was usually begun on L. B. Clark's ranch on Cedar mountain and every stock owner was visited from that point west to Alameda and south to San Antonio valley and Mount Hamilton. As many as fifty stockmen and vaqueros were engaged at times in riding the ranges and bunching, holding and branding the cattle. Rodeos were held daily, an average of about eight hundred head of cattle being gathered in each. The principal owners to participate were John Hayes, L. B. Clark, Frank Hubbard, R. T. Pope, Ed. Wilson, De Forest Brothers, Doughty Brothers, Parks, Maxey, John Rogie, and John Green, Charles Beverson, D. F. Bernal, Wade, R. F. Morrow and E. F. Rea. All stock owners of the Livermore cattle district agreed among themselves to prosecute every hunter they found killing bucks out of season and does and spotted fawns at any time. This action was caused by the destruction of those animals in the mountain regions near Livermore. Messrs. Hayes, Clark, Rogge, Mansir, Green and Ladd headed this movement.

        Alameda county florists and amateur gardeners made many interesting exhibits at the State Floral Society's display in San Francisco in May. Among the residents of this county who took prizes were E. Gill with hybrid perpetual roses; California Nursery Company, tea roses; Fruit Vale Nursery Company, climbing roses; Mrs. T. L. Walker, climbing roses; Peter Thiesen, cut roses; G. W. Dunn, wild flowers; Mrs. D. E. Harris, pelargoniums; Mrs. R. D. Sage, pansy blooms; F. A. Miller, roses in pots; Charles Abraham, flowering plants; Mrs. L. O. Hodgkins, ferns and others. In 1890 the horticultural committee for the county board made persistent efforts to rid the county of the apricot scale that had done and was doing so much damage. William Barry was in charge of this movement. In March Horticultural Commissioner Barry reported that out of nearly thirty orchards, which he had recently visited, only a few were free from scale. Spraying was general at Niles, Haywards, Centerville, San Leandro, Livermore, Pleasanton, etc.

        In February, 1890, 2,675 tons of hay were shipped from Livermore. Much of it went in a hurry to the starving Nevada cattle. There was a large demand on this county for oat and wheat hay under wire, the former worth about six dollars per ton and the latter about nine dollars. Mr. Seller of Livermore, by July 6th, bought 2,000 tons at these figures.

        The Silk Culture Society by 1890 had made such extensive and important experiments and advances that they sent a memorial to the Pacific coast delegation in Congress of what they had accomplished and what they desired. It was the opinion that the McKinley tariff bill, if made a law, would interfere with their operations and usefulness.

        The Alameda county branch of the farmers institute was organized at Haywards on August 7, 1891, by Prof. E. J. Wickson, of the University of California. An interesting session was held. The farmers discussed grain, hay, stock, horses and viticulture.

        The Olivina vineyard in Livermore valley was the largest in the county in 1890-91. It comprised 660 acres of vines, of which 475 acres were bearing. The crop of 1890 was 1,300 tons. In 1885 this vineyard comprised 400 acres and produced 100½ tons. In 1891 there were eighty acres in high type varieties —Medocs and Sauternes. Sanvignon Vert comprised eighty acres. Zinfandel occupied fifty-five acres. On the tract were thirty-two varieties, all wine grapes of European origin, eighteen of black, and fourteen of white grapes. Much grafting had been done with Charbono, seedless Sultana, Muscatel, Feher, Zagos and Large Bloom in order to obtain resistants and to introduce better varieties. Colored and high type varieties were substituted.

        Livermore hay was famous for its good qualities and sold readily not only in San Francisco, but in San Jose and all other coast points where fine horses were bred, raised and trained. Steady orders of from 10 to 300 tons were received by the Liverpool dealers weekly. In October the California State Grange was entertained at Haywards in Native Sons hall. The town was beautifully decorated for the occasion. A castle made of gigantic pumpkins was one of the "sights." The Paso Robles agricultural experiment station had a splendid exhibit E. W. David, ex-worthy master, occupied the chair. This was the nineteenth annual session of the state organization. While in the town the members were tendered a formal and brilliant reception by the citizens. Over five hundred leading grangers of the state were present. The Pomona feast was the leading feature of the session.

        In 1892 William Barry was horticultural commissioner from this county to the fruit growers' convention at San Jose. One of the principal topics was how to destroy or prevent insect pests. A permanent organization of the wine growers and wine makers was effected at Livermore the year before, with W. P. Bartlett as president. Charles A. Wetmore was present and assisted with practical suggestions. The greatest pests in the Livermore valley in 1892-98 were the ground squirrels which cost more to poison on 160 acres than to clothe the farmer's family. A demand was made in the fall of 1897 that the county board pay a duty of 2 cents for each squirrel tail, as was done in Monterey county.

        In April the famous Gallegos winery at Mission San Jose passed from its founder, Juan Gallegos, to Montealegre & Company 1,000 acres for a nominal sum. Montealegre & Company immediately sold to the Palmdale Company, the consideration being 4,000 shares of their capital stock valued at $200,000. Gallegos was compelled to sell owing to his enormous debts. At this date fruit lands near Centerville were worth from $200 to $400 per acre. In this vicinity it was estimated that there were ten Portuguese residents to one American. Near Haywards ten acre tracts sold at from $250 to $400 per acre. Near Irvington the Roberts tract was cut up in 1889 and sold in subdivisions at from $150 to $400 per acre. The fruit crop of 1892 was medium in quantity, but commanded high prices. Cherries, figs, apricots, peaches, pears, almonds, plums and apples brought unusually satisfactory prices. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, sweet peas, early potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions and carrots were not raised in large quantities, but brought good prices. As a whole the fruit and berry crop was satisfactory. The Alameda county exhibit at the World's Fair, Chicago, filled five cars. The members of the association in March were as follows: M. J. Laymance (president), W. H. Loomis, F. Soule, J. A. Colquhoun, H. T. Smith, E. W. Woodward, C. A. Wetmore, R. S. Farrelly, J. C. Whipple, George Schmidt, J. L. Lyon and A. P. Crance. There was a board of lady managers.

        In 1893 the most important grape growing districts in Alameda county were those at Livermore, Pleasanton, Sunol, Vallecitos, Mission San Jose, Warm Springs, Niles and Haywards. At this time the dreaded phylloxera had not made its appearance generally in this county, although many of the vineyards were started in 1881, but great precautions had been taken with cuttings and roots from other districts. At Mission San Jose the pest had appeared, but was being held in check by the  county horticultural commission and the agricultural experts at the university and experiment station. During 1891-93 the number of vines planted was comparatively small. There were in the whole county at this date 214 vineyards with a total acreage of 7,083, of which 6,879 were bearing. There were 5,690 acres of wine grapes, 295 acres of table grapes and 98 acres of raisin grapes. The acreage of resistants was 688. The crop of 1892 amounted to 12,060 tons. The stock of wine on hand was 2,034,550 gallons and the total cooperage, 4,147,150 gallons.

        Ruby Hill vineyard near Pleasanton, owned by John Crellin & Sons, consisted in 1894 of 250 acres of vines mostly of wine varieties. The vineyard was divided into sections by rows of olive trees, numbering in all about one thousand. On the place, also, were almonds, pecans, chestnuts, English walnuts, oranges, figs, pomegranates, apricots, cherries, prunes, plums, apples, etc. The wine cellar was built in 1877 and its capacity was later increased to 300,000 gallons of sauternes and clarets. The big distillery was a feature in 1894. This year the agricultural department issued a special bulletin setting forth the dangerous and damaging nature of the San Jose scale.

        The state meeting of the farmers' alliance assembled in Odd Fellows hall, Oakland, December 4th. There were present about fifty delegates, many of whom were ladies. J. L. Gilbert, of Fresno, presided. They were formally welcomed to the city by Mayor Pardee in a program at Germania hall.

        In 1896 the county horticultural commissioners reported that, owing to the efforts that had been made, the pests which had threatened the destruction of the orchards and fields were under control and near extinction. Beneficial or parasitic insects had been introduced and had notably thinned out the pests. All the farmers and fruit growers had cooperated in the movement. The fruit growers of the county were generally prosperous and contented. In ten years fruit bearing trees had increased ten fold. It was recognized that all fruit growers who stuck to business and owned their lands were sure to become independent. Early in September the farmers of Pleasanton and vicinity assembled and decided to establish a large creamery at once. It was thought best to erect the creamery building proper at Sunol, but to operate separators at Pleasanton, Irvington and Haywards. The cost was estimated at $9,000.

        The Alameda county stockyards were early established and maintained by the wholesale butchers midway between West Berkeley and Emeryville along the shore line. By 1896 they employed 100 men and annually transacted business valued at $2,000,000. Grayson, Herald, Lyons and Phillips began in 1876; T. W. Corder, John Stewart and M. M. Samson about the same time. Boyle, Lacaste & Company; in 1880; James Hall about 1886; Millen & Lux about the same time. Other prominent concerns were the California and Nevada Meat Company, the Oakland Meat Company and P. Loustalat.

        In 1897 the hop crop at Pleasanton was the largest ever harvested. The total weight of green hops picked was 1,711,800 pounds. It cost $20,000 to harvest this crop. The bales averaged 200 pounds each. The crop was picked mostly by women and children in three or four weeks' time. The State Farmers' Institute was held at Livermore in January with a large attendance. Many interesting and instructive papers were read and addresses delivered. Early this year the beet sugar factory at Alvarado erected additional buildings, employed more men and doubled its capacity. Growers were asked to increase their productions. A floral society was organized in Berkeley with the object of beautifying the city with beds of flowers, desirable shade trees and ornamental shrubs. A committee consisting of C. R. Greenleaf, Warring Wilkinson, John Hinkie, William C. Jones, J. B. Hume, W. T. Barrett and A. S. Blake was placed in charge of the movement. The announced aim was to make the university town the most attractive place for residence in the state.

        In March, 1898, Horticultural Commissioner Barry reported as follows: "I am sorry to say that after going over the whole ground I find that the destruction of the apricot and almond crops is nearly complete. On the south of Alameda creek from Irvington to Alvarado, with the exception of the orchards of Shinn, Ellsworth Ford and my own, every apricot and almond is killed. On the north bank of the Alameda creek from Niles to Decoto, with the exception of Snyder's orchard, they are in the same condition."

        In April the Livermore creamery closed down owing to lack of grass for cows. During that month in 1897 the average daily receipts of milk were 3,500 pounds, but in 1898 the average was only about one thousand seven hundred pounds. At this time 230,000 gallons of wine were shipped from Livermore valley in a few days. The Ruby Hill vineyard alone sent south four carloads in a short time. C. H. Wente sold 100,000 gallons in San Francisco and James Concannon and H. B. Waggoner sold each about thirty thousand gallons.

        In the 80's and 90's Professor Koebele of Alameda distinguished himself in devising ways and means to exterminate insects injurious to vegetation. He brought to the state parasites which saved the orange trees and deciduous fruit orchards from destruction. He had formerly been connected with the department of agriculture. He made a special study of the products of the Islands of Hawaii. At this time the bulletins of the state experiment station were doing a vast amount of good to the farmers of Alameda county. In April Pleasanton shipped 5,880,300 pounds of brick, hay, barley, wheat, wine and merchandise. Blooded horses were shipped by Crellin & Keating, Andrew McDowell, and Mr. Robinson.

        The farmers' institute met at Niles on April 15, 1899, with W. H. Tyson in the chair. There was a large attendance. Many topics were considered, among them being irrigation, grape culture, canners and dryers, orchard fertilization, fruits and flowers, and experiment stations. The agricultural department of the university was represented at this session.

        In the fall of 1899, as never before, Alameda county felt the thrill of good times. From one end of the county to the other old industries revived and new ones sprang into life and rapid prosperity. The fruit and fruit products were never more satisfactory. All cereals were produced in such liberal quantities per acre that large returns were realized. The same was true of vegetables. Prices advanced so that higher profits than ever were the result. The grape crop was enormous and much of it was turned into the famous brands of wine so well known in all the cities of the world. Daily the coal mines of the county, notably at Tesla, put on the market hundreds of tons. Secretary Wilson visited California and warned the farmers that they should begin the practice of rotation instead of growing the same crop continuously year after year, as wheat for instance. He also warned them against the evils of over-irrigation. The newspapers thought the farmers would laugh at the suggestions.

        By 1900 it was well recognized that the county was divided by soil, water and other surroundings into three natural districts—cherry, apricot and grape. The stretch of country from Oakland to Haywards is the home of the cherry; the tract from Haywards south and east to the county line with Niles as a center is the region devoted to apricot growing, and the Livermore valley is the natural habitat of the grape. At this date the annual county cherry crop was worth about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The apricots of the Niles region are famous for their size, color and flavor, and good apricot land is worth from $500 to $1,000 per acre. As a matter of fact cherries and apricots are the king and the queen of Alameda county fruits. Other fruits that do well are the pear, plum, peach and prune. Perhaps the great grape and wine region is around Livermore and Pleasanton, though large quantities are also produced in Washington township.

        The amount of nursery stock, fruit and ornamental, handled annually in Washington township in 1901-02 was over eight hundred thousand. Thanks to the Alameda county board of horticultural commissioners the orchards were clean and thrifty. Commissioner Barry had distributed large numbers of beneficial insects which had checked and nearly obliterated the scale. He had just begun to distribute the parasite of the black scale of the orange and olive. There had been no spraying done since 1893, yet the orchards were in good condition and the fruit was sound. Mr. Barry estimated the saving for nine years at $172,368 on the 1,996 acres of commercial orchards in the district. This saving was credited to the parasitic insects which had rendered spraying unnecessary. Before their introduction it had cost, for instance, Mr. McIver of Mission San Jose, $800 a year to keep in subjection his orange, lemon, olive and ornamental tree insects. The fruit crop of Washington township in 1902 was worth $135,850. The floral industry was increasing rapidly, many new gardens and greenhouses having been started. All shipments were inspected, cars, barrels and packing boxes were fumigated, and all disused product was destroyed. There were in Berkeley ten floral establishments, in Oakland eight, in Alameda six, and in Fruitvale eight. Many lady bugs were set free in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and Fruitvale. A. D. Pryal was the commissioner in the city district.

        The report of the state dairy bureau in 1900-01 was highly complimentary to the dairy products of Alameda county. There were produced in 1900, 148,400 pounds of butter by the creamery method and 170,050 pounds by the dairy method. The county furnished San Francisco with 243,080 gallons of milk that year. In the county were the following creameries: Livermore, Jersey of Alameda city, and Central and Oakland Cream Depot of Oakland.

        In 1901 there were shipped from Haywards about forty carloads of dried fruit—mostly apricots, prunes and pears. The valuation was $79,500. Belgian hares were bred in large numbers at the Palace Rabbitry on East Twelfth street near Twenty-third avenue, Oakland.

        The nursery business was important in Alameda county at a very early date—in fact long before the producers realized the value of fruit farming. The California Nursery Company, the leader in the industry and the largest in the state, was established at Niles by John Rock. It sent out millions of trees and vines, and its importation of varieties and experiments were invaluable to the whole central part of the state. It devoted nearly four hundred acres to trees, vines and other plants. Another large nursery was conducted in West Berkeley by Edward Gill, who planted 200 acres to nursery stock. A dozen others conducted nurseries on a smaller scale and every variety of plant life suitable to the soil and climate received attention, culture and dissemination. The culture of rhubarb expanded rapidly as soon as it was learned, about 1893, how best to ship it to eastern markets. Tomatoes, potatoes, peas, beans, asparagus, etc., were also grown in large quantities. The canned and dried fruit products reached enormous proportions. In 1902 there were five large canneries in operation: Hunt Brothers at Haywards; Oakland Preserving Company of Oakland; Hickmot cannery; San Leandro cannery, and Hood cannery of Emeryville. At this time the five packed nearly five hundred thousand cases per annum. At the same time there was a vegetable pack of about one hundred thousand cases per year. During the busy season one or more of the canneries employed nearly a thousand persons—men, women, boys and girls, and where whites could not be secured Chinese and Japanese were set at work. The pack consisted largely of cherries, peaches, apricots, pears, plums, tomatoes, peas and many small fruits, berries, etc.

        In 1908 the county agricultural and horticultural products were worth about two million dollars more than those of any previous year, aggregating about four­teen million dollars.

        At Pleasanton were the famous hop fields of the Pleasanton Hop Yards Company, owned by the Lilienthals of San Francisco, in all about five hundred acres
of hops in a single field. Grapes and wines are also produced in large quantities.
        Livermore valley hay is the best in the world and is sent in immense quantities by rail and vessel to distant points. This hay was the reason that the valley has become famous for its blooded horses. Up to 1910 over ninety horses foaled and raised at Pleasanton had trotted 2 :10 or better. The famous Direct stock originated here. Flying Jib, Anaconda, Searchlight and Lou Dillon were raised here. About four hundred horses are brought to Pleasanton to be wintered each year.

        Within the last ten years Livermore valley has come to be known as the gold medal section of the state, owing to the many medals it has taken for its numerous products. Up to 1889 the valley had been content to produce good wine grapes, hay, grain, some fruit, fast horses, barley, olives, almonds, walnuts, but after that date the gold medals began to advertise the valley and the county. First came into prominence the wines, then the superior wheat, olive oil, barley, hops and hay. Five gold medals were taken at the St. Louis fair and three at the Portland fair.

        In order to prevent the spread of insect pests and plant diseases the laws of California require an annual inspection of all nurseries by an expert. In 1913 Fred Seulberger, horticultural commissioner of the county, thus inspected fifty-five nurseries and all owners with infested stock were directed to spray and otherwise clean up. During the year nearly half of his time was spent by the inspector in examining nurseries, because through them any plant disease or pest could be spread over the whole Pacific slope. Growers were instructed and told how to combat the irregularities. Undoubtedly these inspections saved the agriculturists and horticulturists of the county many thousands of dollars annually by prevention which is always better than cure. Much more spraying was done than ever before, under the eye of the commissioner. Every tree or plant imported was rigidly inspected before being permitted to enter the county. Under definite restrictions some infested stock was allowed to enter, while others were wholly and positively prohibited. Careful watch was maintained against peach borer, mealy bug, crown gall and white fly. Alfalfa hay from the weavil areas of Utah was prohibited entrance; the same was true of Nevada potatoes infested with the eel worm and all peach and apricot trees with yellows and rosette. No plants or seeds were taken by the postoffice department unless accompanied with a certificate of inspection. A national quarantine act stopped importations until inspected. In this county the commissioner enforced these regulations. In all the county commission inspected over 476,000 ornamental and over 857,000 fruit trees in 1913. The excellent work of the county commission was shown by the fact that 60,000 ornamental and over 3,300 fruit trees imported bore clean certificates, but were found to be infested. About two per cent of the nursery trees inspected were eaten by borers and were ordered destroyed.

        About four per cent of the nursery stock was infested with crown gall and root knot and was destroyed. Twenty carloads of potatoes from Nevada containing the eel worm were refused admission into the county. The leading fruit crops of the county in 1913 were apricots, cherries, plums and the principal farm or garden crops, hay, peas, tomatoes, rhubarb, green corn and celery. In the county were 4,048 acres of apricots—Moorpark, Royal and Blenheim being the best commercial varieties. The green apricot crop was 6,970 tons, worth from $52.50 to $60 per ton. The leading cherry sections are San Leandro and Haywards; the best varieties are Royal Ann, Black Tartarian and Black Republican.

        In the county were 1,936 acres planted to cherries, with a crop of 2,778 tons. The Bartlett pear is the leading variety and the acreage about five hundred and sixty-five, with a crop of about three thousand two hundred tons. Prunes occupy 116 acres. All varieties of small fruit and berries do well in this county—strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, Loganberries. About three hundred acres were planted to celery—San Leandro being the center of this crop. In 1913 there were planted in sugar beets 1,556 acres, which yielded about ten tons per acre. The Alvarado factory has a daily capacity of 900 tons. In the county are from 300 to 500 sugar beet growers. About one thousand acres were planted to peas and the product was about three thousand tons, worth $35 per ton at the canneries. The tomato crop occupied 1,400 acres; product 16,800 tons, worth from $7 to $8.50 per ton. In the Livermore district wine grapes occupied 4,232 acres. In the county are sixty-five nurseries growing cut flowers for market —roses, violets, carnations, orchids, chrysanthemums, lilium harrisii and lilium longiflora and ferns. The Bride, Bridesmaid and American Beauty are the leading rare varieties. All successful growers know how to rid their plants of pests particularly by spraying methods. All have a full knowledge of insecticides and fungicides.

        The flower show of the Alameda County Floral Society was held in the Oakland Chamber of Commerce building in October, 1913, and was the most successful and beautiful exhibition of the kind ever shown here. Many exhibits from all parts of the county were displayed. There were shown roses, begonias, pelargoniums, lilies, coleus, amaryllis, chrysanthemums, salpiglosses, scabrosia, cyclamen, ricinus, celosia, plumosa, native oaks, dahlias, gladioli, home grown cotton and tobacco plants, orchids, salvia, ferns and scores of others.

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.