Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1844-06-07
Timer California.

This is said to be the most fertile spo!
Of earth known. 1t produces spontane-
ously, oats, clover and flax, in great album
dance and of an excellent quality. 1t is
generally covered with sort of short, fine
grass, Of which horses and cattle are very
fond. The oats in many parts of.he coun-
try are found 5 or feet in height. The
clover generally grows about two or three
feet high, and resembles our common red
and white clover. The flax is of excel
len, quality. The soil is generally black
deep vegetable loan; that of the hills and
mountains is usually a light brown loan,
or vegetable earth. The sub-soil is gen.
orally gravel and sand, or unctious clay.
The principle grain grown as yet in Cal
ifornia is wheat, which is raised in great
abundance throughout the country. The
crop ranges LEgE ten ~ and UU ousiTCiS III
the acre, or to bushel Of sowing. AS
high as 1873 fold has been produced the
spontaneous growth of the next year being
81 bushels to the ucre :! The wheat rails
ed in California is of very different kind
from the American; one stalk producing
several stalks or heads. 1t is an excellent
quality and makes very superior flour.
Indian corn, beans, peas. tobacco and all
kinds of vegetables are grown with great
success in all parts of The country. There
is no part of the world, perhaps. more fa-
vorable to the growing of rice, cotton and
cane than California. Apples, pears,
peaches. figs, almonds, olives, dates, Or
anges, lemons, citrons, pomegranates and
grapes, may all be produced in great abun
dance. In fact, all the tropical fruits are,
or may be, produced in this climate.
In many parts of the country timber is
very abrndent, especially on the coast,
where oak, ash, arbutus, arbor vitae and
several species of cedar and pine are found.
In the interior the timber is principally
confined to the streams which are we'll
timbered. Both OIL the coast and in the
interior is found The most admirable TIM
Der for ship-building.
Il has been remarked by some that there
is a great deficiency of timber in this coun'
try, but this assertion later travellers deny
Taking the whole country together, there
is an abundance of timber for all useful
purposes. particularly when the mlldness
of the climate is considered, fuel never
being necessary for purposes of comfort
The climate is-a perpetual spring neither
the heat of the summer or the GOODNESS Of
winter, is experienced. The country is
sufficiently we'll watered, and its CONNER
cial advantages cannot be surpassed. The
Bay of St. Francisco, for extent OF anchor
AGE and extent of harbor, is unparalleled
Besides this, there are several bays affor'
ding very commodious and safe anchorage
those for instance of Monterey, st. Diego
and Bodego. At each of these, towns
have commenced. Monterey is the sea
of Government.
The population Of Upper California il
about seven or eight thousand, about two
thirds of whom are native Indians; tn
other portion is composed of the mongre
species of humanity called Merican, bein!
4 mixture of Indian, Negrosand Spaniard
there being, however, few foreigners
principally Americans. The government
Of course is Mexican. All foreigners ca
obtain lands by becoming citizens. In
number of foreigners at present, Is said
be about FIVE hundred.
/ These particulars we have CLEANED iroi
a letter in the Era, written by gentlema
who has recently returned from the coun
try of which it treats.-St. Louis Gaz.