202 CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST The Hot Sulphur Springs are situated about ten miles west of the station and have been quite a noted resort for invalids. Crude sulphur is also found here in large quantities. Colusa county productions are princi- pally wheat and barley. In 1876, there was 242,609 acres in wheat, which yielded 4,600,000 bushels; of barley there was 34.,- 802 acres, which yielded 806,495 bushels. Returning to DAVISVILLE JUNCTION we start again for the south, through as beau- tiful a farming country as one could wish to see. Just after crossing Putah Creek we come to the great vineyard belonging to a Mr. Briggs. It contains 500 acres, the greater portion of which is devoted to raisin grapes, the balance is in almonds, figs, apricots and other fruits. Fremont—is the first station on the pills, 3.79 miles from Davis, but here trains seldom stop. Drxon—is 4.26 miles from Fremont, and is quite a thrifty town, situated in the midst of a fine agricultural section of So- lanocounty. It has several hotels, a num- ber of stores and one weekly paper—the Tribune. Passing on, 3.3 miles further, BatTavia—appears; a side-track, and shipping point for grain. The country is broad and mostly under cultivation. Eiurra—is 4.84 miles further; popula- tion about 300, most of whom are agricul- turalists. Wheat fields continue. - Here | the Vaca Valley railroad branches off to | the north, through Yolo, the great wheat country, 17 miles to Winters. Cannon—is a flag station, 4.04 miles from Elmira, and 6.47 miles from FarrFieELD—This town is the county '| seat of Solano county, situated on a broad plain, with a population of 1,000, and rapidly increasing. Small schooners come up the slough from the Sacramento River, and a rail-track is completed, south, to Benecia, 17 miles, where it is proposed to cross the river, by ferry, until a bridge can be built, and connect with the railroad from Oakland to Martinez—which is now completed. When this new line is opened it will be only 88 miles from Sacramento to San Francisco—with no grades—a sav- ing over the Livermore Pass route of 52 miles, and only two miles longer than by the Vallejo route, 26 miles of which is by steamboat. From Fairfield, it is 5.38 miles to BripGEPorRT—Just before reaching the station, a short tunnel is passed, through a spur of the western range, which is thrown out to the south, as though to bar our prog- ress, or to shut in the beautiful little valley in the center of which is located the sta- tion. The grade now begins to increase, as our train is climbing the Suscol Hills, which border San Pablo Bay. These hills are very productive, the soil being adobe. To the tops of the highest and steepest hills the grain fields extend, even where machinery cannot be used in harvesting. In the valley through which we have | passed are several thriving towns, but the railroad does not go near enough for us to see them. From Bridgeport, 3.83 miles brings the train to CreEston—but it will not stop, but roll down through the hills bordering the bay, 3.7 miles to Napa JuncTrion—Here we are in Napa Valley, which is on the west; beyond are | the Sonoma hills, over which is the So- noma Valley; to the southward San Pablo Bay. At this junction, we meet the Napa Valley branch, which runs north to Calis- toga, 35 miles. (For-adescription of this branch, see page 220.) Continuing, our route 1s now south, along the base of the hill we have just crossed, which also runs south to the Straits of Carquinez, the outlet of the Sacramento River, which flows into San Pablo Bay. The Farr Grounps of the counties of Napa and Sonoma are passed, on the right, 3.2 miles, and three. miles further appears North Vallejo, and 1.1 miles more, South Vallejo, where the steamboat lays, which conveys passengers over San Pablo and San Francisco Bays, 26.25 miles to the City of San Francisco.