The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-20


former cultivation is The fertile valleys
grown with wild mustard; vineyards and olive orchards,
decayed and neglected among the remaining vestges
only places do the evidences of what the
country is capable. AT San BuenavenuTa found the
olive trees, in January, bending under the weight OF
elected fruit and the mission San Luis Obspo latitude
500 is still distinguished Tor the excellence OF ITS olives,
considered finer and larger than those OF the Mederra
The productions of the south differ from those of the
north and of the middle Grapes, olives Indian corn,
have been its staples, with many assimated fruits and
grains Tobacco has been recently introduced; and the
uniform summer heat which follows the wet season, and
uninterrupted by rain, would make the southern
Try well adapted cotton Wheat is the first product OF
the NORTH where railways constituted the principal cult
walton OF the missions This promises TO be the gram
growing region OF California The moisture OF the coast
particularly suited TO the potato and to the vegea
bes common To the United States, which grow to AN ex-
tTaordinary size
Perhaps few parts of the world produce in such
perfection great variety OF fruits and grains as the
large and various region enclosing the bay OF San Fran
cisco and drained by lis waters view OF the map will
show that region and It's great extent compehendng The
entire valleys of the Sacramento and San joaquin, and
the whole western slope of the Sierra Nevada General
phrases fail TO give precise IDEAS and have recourse to
the notes in my journal 10 show its climate and produc
tons by the test OF the thermometer and the state OF the
vegetable kingdom.
Western slope of tie Sierra Neuadd-The western
flank of this Sierra belongs 10 the maritime region OF
California and is capable OF adding greatly to ITS value
is long, wide slope, tmbered and grassy with inter-
walls of arabic land, copousy watered with numerous
and bold streams, and without the cold which its
and altitude might imply In length il is the whole eX-
tent OF the long valley It's base, five hundred miles In
breadth, it is from forty TO seventy miles from the sum
nit of the mountain to the termination of the foot hills
in the edge of the valleys below and almost the whole OF
it available for useful purpose-tmber pasturage,
arabic land, mills quarriaand so situated as to
be convenient for use, the wide slope OF the mountain
being of easy and practicable descent Timber holds
the first place in the advantages OF this slope, the
whole being heavily wooded, first with oaks, which
predominant to about half the elevation Of the noun
pines predominaling; and hence called the pine re-
gon that below is called the oak region though mix
ed with other trees The highest submits OF the Sierra
sheltered places all the year round The oaks
eraI varieties of white and black oak, and evergreens
some OF them resembling live oak or the white oak
there new species, attaining handsome eleva
tion upon stem SIX feet In diameter Acoms oil UNI
common size, and not bad taste, used regularly for food
by the Indians, abound these trees, and will be of
great value for stock The cypress pine, and cedar
between apd $50 feet high, and five to twelve feet in
diameter, with clean solid stems. Grass abounds al
SUBMITS and fresh and green ali the year round, being
neither killed by cold IN the winter nor dried by want of
rain in the The foothills of the slope are
sufficiently fertile and gentle to admit OF good settlements
while valleys, coves beaches, and meadows of arabic
land are found throughout Many OF the numerous
streams, of them amounting to considerable rivers,
which flow down the mountain side, make handsome,
fertile valleys. All these streams furnish good water
power The climate in the lower part of the slopeis that
of constant spring; while above the cold is not in proper
ton to the elevation. Such is the general view of the
western slope of the great Sierra; but deeming that all
general views should rest upon positive data add some
notes taken from actual observations made in different
ascents and descents in the winter and spring of lS454,
and in different degrees of latitude from $50 to 40
December 4, Descent from the pass, at the head
of Salmon Trout river, latitude 800 ~, elevation 1900
feet AT in the afternoon the temperature at 46o at
sunset 3lo at sunrise next morning 22o; the sky per-
fecty clear in the pass, but much the
tain tops Here the present emgrant road now crosses
fork of Bear river Ga considerable stream tributary 10
Feather river, which falls into the Sacamento leads
from the pass and the road follows it but finding this
rugged way, turned to the south, and encamped in
mountain meadow OF good green grass yellow moss
very abundant on the north sides of the pines.
Bayo San Francisco and dependent counry-The
bay of San Francisco has been celebrated from the time
and is Justly entitled to that character under the
seamen's view of mere harbor. But when all the
cessory advantages which belong to itfere ana pctu
rescue dependent country; mdness and salubrty of eli
mate connexlon with the great interior valley of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin its vast for ship
TIMBER grain, and cae;-when these advantages are
taken into the account with its geographical position
the line OF communication with Asia, it rises into
importance far above that Of harbor and deserves
Its atitudina position is that of Lisbon its eli
mate is that of southern Italy; settlements upon it for
more than half century attest its healthiness; bold
shores and mountains give it grandeur the extent and
fertility of its dependent country give it great resources
for agriculture, commerce, and populat on.
The bay OF San francisco IS separated from the sea
by low mountain ranges Looking from the peaks of the
Sierra Nevada, the coast mountains present an appa.
renty continuous line with only single gap, resembling
mountain pass This is the entrance to the great bay
and is the only water communication from the coast
TO the interior country. Approaching from the sea
the coast presents bold outline. On the SOUTH the
bordering mountains come down in a narrow ridge of
broken hills terminating in precpitous point against
which the sea breaks heavily. On the northern side, the
mountain presents bold promontory, rising in a few
miles to height of two or three thousand feet Between
these points the srait-about mile broad, in the
naTowest part, and five miles long from the sea to
the bay Passing through this gate' the bay opens to
the right and left, extending each direction about
35 miles, having total length of than 10, and
coast of about 275 miles Ii is divided, by straits and
projecting points, into three separate bays, of which the
northern two are called San Pablo and Susoon BAYS
Within, the view presented is of mountainous country
the bay resembling interior lake of deep water lying
between parallel ranges of mountains. Islands, which
have the bold character of the shoes-sone mere masses
OF rock, and others grass covered rising the height of
three and eight hundred eetbreak its surface and add
10 It's picturesque appearance. Directly fronting the
| entrance, mountains few miles from the shore
rise about 1900 feet above the water, crowned by
forest OF the lofty cypress, which is visible from
the sea, and makes conspicuous landmark for
vessels entering the bay. Behind, the rugged peak
Of Mount DidUoio nearly 1000 feet high, (2,770) over
looks the surrounding country OF the bay and San oa
quin The immediate shore OF the bay derives from its
contra costa Counter coast opposite coast) 1t pre-
sents varied character OF rugged and broken hills,
rolling and undulaung land, and rich alluval shores
backed by fertile and wooded ranges suitable for towns
villages, and farms, with which it beginning to be
dotted low aluvia bottom land several miles in
BREADTH with occasional open woods of oak, borders
the foot OF the mountains around the southern of
the bay, terminating breadth of twenty miles in the
fertile valley of St. Joseph narrow plain of rich SOIL