ON THE RIO CHICO.

of success and sometimes of failure, were soon made apparent in a strange mingling of varied vegetable life.

The fig and the olive, the native walnut and its Asiatic relative, flourished in unrestrained luxuriance. But the standard fruits of the orchard were submitted to more rigid discipline, clipped and pruned to check their natural exuberance of growth, to be bowed down by clustered fruit easily reached by the gathering hand, and less exposed to ruthless summer blasts.

There is no other section in which the cherry bears more plentifully or with greater certainty of return. The markets of the north as far as Portland, Oregon, depend upon the product of this region for their early fruit, and each year an enormous quantity finds utilization through the cannery. One cherry tree in this orchard during the past year bore almost a ton of cherries, which sold for an average of ten cents a pound, making a return of almost two hundred dollars for a single tree. In May the apricot

begins to yield its golden fruit, and before. its day is past, apples, pears, peaches, plums, almonds, nectarines, prunes, quinces, and the endless variety of grapes come one after another to fill their places in an endless round. Aside from table grapes, all the vineyard product of the ranch is made up into raisins. There is something in the quality of climate and soil that is peculiarly favorable to the culture of the Malaga, and the finished product is sweeter than the average, and far excels the more famous Fresno brands in the thinness and tenderness of skin.

These comprehensive plans were intended to embrace every department of agricultural industry, carried out by the latest and most approved appliances. The staple wheat product here never failing was converted into the various grades of flour, to which the Chico. Mills with the Bidwell brand gave unquestioned reputation. Hogs almost wild partly secured their own living in the oak groves; and in the nicely shaded pastures were large bands of horses and mules mainly devoted to working uses, the racing stock alone excluded, for which Rancho Chico had no use. An extensive bee ranch utilized the nectar secreted by the flowers of the field, the orchard, or the forest, to which was added a large patch of the white sage of the southern country, to give variety and flavor.

The constantly increasing fruit product called into active requisition every branch of manual labor for gathering and preserving, including Indians, Chinese, and school children during their long summer vacation. One of the pleasantest sights in the height of the fruit season is seen in the hive of industrious workers assembled in the cannery, including both sexes and every available age, each with an appointed task, drones only being shut out. A still more picturesque scene is that presented by a group of Indians under the ample shade of a spreading oak, engaged in separating the husks from the almond, best accomplished by beating and hand-picking, the swarthy, half-clad forms engaged in these various processes, with the rude appliances for cooking and living, troublesome babies strapped to a board hung to the drooping limbs of the tree, all set in a

framework of cultivated fields browned by the summer sun, present a picture better fitted for the artist than the word-painter.

To give a more definite idea of the actual productive capacity of Rancho Chico and its business management, a few statistical facts may be here briefly stated.

Of the entire tract of 25,000 acres, about 7,000 acres are devoted to the ordinary field crops, principally grain and forage. Fruit orchards and vineyards occupy 1.500 acres, while over one-half of the whole is left to the natural growth of forest, copse, wood, and open pasture ground, intersected and made accessible by natural or artificial roads.

matured barley, wheat, or oats, supplemented with alfalfa and some other grasses, is about 1,000 tons, principally consumed on the ranch.

The live stock includes 1,000 cattle, 150 milch cows, 300 head of horses and mules, and 500 hogs.

The annual meat product requires the slaughter of 300 head of cattle and 1,200 sheep. The dairy, supplied from 150 cows, yields a gross income of $12,000 per annum. During last year (1887) the cannery turned out 370,000 two-pound cans of fruit.

sixty Indians are kept busy, and sometimes in the height of the fruit season 500 or more men, women, and children, mostly Americans, are given employ. ment on the ranch.

Among the earliest social problems claiming attention in connection with the development of Rancho Chico, was the disposition and treatment of the Indians originally attached to its soil. To the ordinary pioneer the readiest solution offered was a prompt extermination, or at the best allowing natural causes to work out more slowly the same result; but to one who regarded personal proprietorship as a trust, to be administered according to the strict rules of justice and right, such a view could not for a moment be entertained. Accordingly, from the first the almost

hopeless task of elevating this degraded race to a higher civilized plane was taken up. By kind and considerate treatment, not rudely interfering with their natural habits, but encouraging those of cleanliness, sobriety, and thrift, by placing within their reach means for bettering their condition, and protecting them from lawless aggression, the noble task has been carried on. Later on he was efficiently aided in this work by Mrs. Bidwell, who took up the work of attempting to rescue this small remnant of a doomed race from utter extinction.

The problem has been solved so far as in Jividual effort can accomplish it. Faithful, honest, industrious men and women, living in their own homes, and "acting just like white people," are what one sees in their village. They try as hard as they can to be good, to save their money, to take care of their families, to help each other, and to obey the laws. Some of them go to churches in Chico, evening lectures, and political meetings, in their neat Sunday clothes. They also have a chapel of their own, and attend regularly.

Their feeling towards General Bidwell is one of strong reverence; his house is always called by them "The Mansion." Towards Mrs. Bidwell, who has taken care of them when they were sick, taught and governed them, they show absolute devotion. She is their "white sister." They not only come to her in all troubles, but if any of them wish to leave the village for a few days, to fish in the river or camp in the hills, they come to her to tell her so; and if any one went away without doing this, the rest would consider it contemptible behavior. The slightest suggestion she makes is binding as law. Yielding such perfect obedience, they make the most

in the orchard and fields, making what men called "waste," in order to care for the poor Indians. And, a little later, a great wind-storm leveled one of the General's large wheat fields. The laborers began the difficult task of cutting the fallen grain. Up came an anxious delegation of Indians to Mrs. Bid. well, saying that the men were cutting the wheat that was meant for them. But, they were told, how can the General keep his flour mills going? Shall we stop the mills, and give you all the wheat field? No, they understood, it would not do, the great storms were not to be counted, perfectly satisfied.

- and so went away

The Indian village, Mechoopka, is about ten minutes' walk from the mansion, beyond the orchard to the west. It lies in a group of cottonwoods, and is pretty and healthy. There is a school taught by a refined young American girl; the houses are plain wooden ones, quite as neat as ordinary Portuguese laborers' houses. When one enters, a few pictures, decent furniture, curtains, in some cases sewing machines, and musical instruments are seen. They show great dignity and simplicity in their intercouse with strangers. When better acquainted they are happy hearted and childlike; they enjoy

PLOWING-FEBRUARY.

English; and so the parents follow. It is a pretty sight to watch the older children, after school, telling to their parents all they have

TREE DIGGING.

learned, or playing with the babies, in the village streets, like any other Californian girls and boys, healthy, happy and busy. The very great affection that the Indians have for each other keeps them from ever becoming rich as individuals; for in all misfortunes

No

they always take care of each other. such thing as an Indian beggar was ever seen in the region, nor ever will be. They take sick Indians from elsewhere and care for them. It is part of their religion. And they have done more than this,― they have cared for sick white people, and once brought up a white baby deserted by its unnatural mother.

As we said, the social side of the problem is fast being settled. Not so with the political side. These honest, faithful people have no rights that any white man is bound to respect. Until recently, their oath was not taken in evidence under any circumstances. They cannot vote, nor hold land. Of the seventy-five men, women, and children in the village, all are deeply troubled over their situation. They have no homes; they cannot have any, under the laws. General Bidwell wishes to deed each family a piece of land in fee simple. Mrs. Bidwell, while in Washington, interviewed Attorney General Garland, but could get no decision. Senator Dawes and the friends of the Indians are working to secure laws that will permit them to hold land. Mrs. Bidwell says "the strict construction of the United States laws, recently passed, allowing Indians upon certain conditions to hold real estate is that it applies only to indians on reservations, considered as wards of the government, and does not apply to the still more deserving class mainly or entirely self-supporting, as represented in California." It all turns on citizenship, and a test case will