Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-08-12

"a
IL watch chain should happen TO be
broken, the watch must be sent to the
Sandwich Islands to be repaired, and the
owner must wait six or nine months for
his watch, and more than likely, when he
gets il, il will be spoiled forever, re
Nov. l3th.-Having obtained piece
Of quicksilver ore, send it to you, as a
specimen of the quicksilver mine now in
operation in the Northern part Of upper
California. This mine is very rich, as
you will perceive by the piece of ore |
send you, which is by no means select
ed piece, as it was the first took hold Of
from box full.
Notwithstanding the facility with which
this mine may be worked, the owners OF
it have not as yet procured above two
thousand dollars worth Of the metal,
owing TO their slothfnlness, and ignorance
Of everything like labor. AS this mine
has never yel been properly explored, 1t
is not known how far it may extend.
Nature has been bountiful to this coun-
try in many wonderful ways, but her
goodness has been disregarded by those
who have held possession of it for so long
a time. The reproductiveness Of animals
in this country is extraordinary; but In
dolence, carelessness, aud the love OF
luxury, have within the last twelve years
brought it almost into state OF desolation.
A farmer in California who may have
for instance three thousand cows, consid-
ers that he ought to brand and mark dur
ing the season one thousand calves, tho
two-thirds Of the number he ought to
brand, TO be eaten by the wolves and fox
es, which are constantly preying upon
them. They lie about, watching for a
COW to calve, when they Immediate
ately destroy the offspring. All the farm
ers are aware Of this, still they take no
steps to prevent it, except that about once
in two or three years, some OF them will
procure poison, and mix it with the flesh
Of a dead horse or bullock, and scatter il
about the farm. They generally fix it in
such manner that it is certain death TO
any animal that eats Of it.
What have said above, concerning n
farmers branding only one-thlrd as many
calves as he has cows, is general and
established rule amongst all farmers IN
this country, and many of them do not
reach that number r.,
Feb. l9.-There is not perhaps in the
world another country or climate so well
adapted to the breeding ofsheep as Upper
California, The reproduction OF this
most useful animal, and the facility with
which i, is reared here, may appear al
most incredible to those who have not
witnessed what every person who has re-
sided in this country few years knows
TO be the fact. ...,.
A eve in this country never exceeds
year old without breeding; and at the
expiration Of every six months, or within
that time, she will be seen with new
breed, and ohener with two lambs at
birth though amongst the natives the
latter is not considered profitable, because
when sheep has two lambs she is more
likely to lose them both than she would
be to lose one if she had no other to look
after. l have frequently seen a sheep
have three lambs at birth, but never
knew single example Of the dam having
reared the three lambs thus born.
The wood produced in this country is
not Of the finest quality, neither is it by
many degrees the most inferior, but there
is great room for improving the quality,
and it can doubtless be done to con-
siderable extent In almost every large
flock of sheep in California may be seen
four or five different qualities of wool,
from very fine to very coarse. The cause
of this is carelessness and inattention on
the part of the owners many of whom al
low goats TO run with the sheep. Thus
the goat coupling with the sheep spoils
the wool Of the breed Of all such sheep,
and it in very little time becomes
coarse and hairy.
Sheep are not subject to any disease
whatever in California. Although have
known them, when the Missions were in
their opulence, TO run in droves Of
from ten TO fifteen thousand, / never
either saw or heard tell of one solitary
instance Of any malignant disease ever
having been observed among them
Their, is no necessity here for washing
aud salving sheep. In short, there is lit
tie or no expense whatever attending
them. A farmer who is owner Of eight
or ten thousand sheep, will get an Indian
boy, generally wild from the mountains !;
this boy will be sent out with the sheep
about or . O'Clock in the morning, and
the sheep are permitted TO Craze until
four or five IN the afternoon, when they
are brought home and shut up in a pen
formed of a few oak bushes thinly scat
tered around piece Of ground sufficient
10 contain them. In the winter time this
spot is nothing but a complete mud hole /;
and every lamb that happens to be brought
forth in this spot, invariably perishes al
most as soon as II is born.
Such is all the attention that is paid to
this useful animal in California: yet the
increase is surprising. They are often
shorn twice in one year, viz: in April
aud in September, though this is by no
means goo custom, the animal quick
ly becoming old and the wool short but
if they are allowed to be shorn once n
wear they will ayerape alwoys tvo mounds