The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-08
AGRICULTURAL,
Agriealsure OF California.

| EDS. CULFIvAToR-The following extracts are
from letter received by me from my bfo;ket-in-
law, Joseph AIam, who removed to California with
his family. IN 1916 The portion OF the letter which
relates TO the agricultural resources Of that eoun-
/ try, thought might not be undressing 10 MANY
Of the readers Of Re CHlti5Gt0T. The letter IS
dated aue6Ia de San Jose, uRPeI California, March
CASTLE, Wyoming County, " v
"Can crops be raised in California without ini-
gatioul"
Wheat, barley, com and Oa.s need no irrigation.
they do well on the PTaires; but vegetables need
water, though on low damp ground they DO well.
''What do grains yield per sersi''
Wheat from % 20 IS bushel. per acre; barley the
same, com from 10 10 - bushels; oats grow spon-
/ tlneously over great portion of the country;-l
have frequently seen those that would yield rom
GU to 10 bushels per acre. All kinds Of grain are
scarce and dear.
| Flowing for wheat commences in Dscembe:,
and We SOW from that time Ill the hrst Of March:
/ Farming has been neglected on account of the
| mines. Wheat is worth 81 bushel com % 81.
eggs per dozen 81; horses each ESQ 70 500; mules
| 500 to SSU. American oxen, yoke, $40; Cal
| iOrnia oxen, 500; beef cattle, each, IS TO So;
wagons $40 to slOO0. The scarcity makes the
price. There is nothing cheap but beef cattle.
Lumber is worth S75 per thousand feet; veY
scarce at that; Il sold for more. Nails 10 cts
/ per ID, by the ksg.
MOniery has about 5000 inhabitants; Puebls.
2 600; San Francisco, ,OOO
4 FOrry-six vessels came into the port Of Monte
rev. and eghty-four into San Francisco, during the
past year, but whaiers,-thsy are afraid 70 come
1 IN, for their hands would run away 20 the mines.
The extent Ofthe bay of Monterey Is considerable
/ il is 10 miles across ne mOuth;-the haIoOT is 8
narrow neck running into the main land; il is
I properly an arm Of the sea. san Francisco has
taken the lead the Past year. being better situated
| for the mines.
The spanisTds depend on selling horses and cat
4 u. 49,
| living by skiaziHg The SpaniaIds, and many have
grown rich at that The latter veiy indoieag,
and much given 10 garabling.
We have a variety OF Tuit,-peaEs, the best thai
| ever saw; apples rather poor iualiIy-need graft
/ ing, peaches, very good; ounces, most excellent;
grapes are good apricots, necIsEines and hgs, but
/ not good.
| The changes of the season are as follows: The
rains commence about the frsr Of December, and
| We have occasional showers from that time until
| the month of March; the balance OF the year has
| no rain. But vegetation does not suffer As much
es you might imagine; NE son seems adapted 10
| the climate.
4 The Spaniards build altogether with do5iss or
nburnt bricks; most the Americans build frame
houses. But those doboies make most excel
lent house.
Grain is always threshed immediately after il Is
i cut--trod out BY horses.
There il some very good water, and considerable
very bad-ihe springs are good, but many Of the
wells are poor.
bilious diseases are the most common.
The face Of the country 10 mountainous with
valleys between. For agricultural purposes, the
valleys are generally good; the hills and mountains
are only valuable for grazing.
The people transport theif produce m carts
drawn BY oxen, from the interior TO the towns on
the coast
"Whst is land WORTH
The price Of land is rising fast | have piece
of land containing betwehn three and four hundred
acres, for which ! pad, two years since, S1OD
. now il would bring 100 Lots in Monterey are
worth from 500 TO q, 600, without buildings.
Wagon timber is scarce near The coast, but Ia
the vicinity Of the mines, there "a al abundance
We have plenty OF saw mills, but they are stand
! ing idle, those that tended them having gone %
the mines.
The forest trees are, oak, pine, red-woos, ma
drone, cedar, Eve-oak, white and red hr. The TIM
Der is confined 70 the hills;-the plains are senef
, ally open. have seen abundance Of redwood
timber three hundred feet high, AID HON II 70 IL
, feet in diameter At the base.
The streams overflow in June and July, vhei
|. the snow melts on the high mountains Ihe rain
during winter raise The streal2s, put not 70 over
= flow.
II 10 about 200 miles from the coass 70 where III
gold is found; the gold mines run north aad south
parallel with the coast.
We have plenty Of FISH, but lew fishermen
Also, deer, elk, antelope, grizzly bear, and vii
! horses and cattle. But no one stops 10 hunt now
], except the Spsniards, who go out nov and then =
= catch wild horses, which are becoming 50 yalua
: bic that il Is quite object 20 catch them. Ca'
!, tie and hogs are a. fine here as ever saw. W
= Spanish cows cannot be beat b. your DuIhamz
!. konly they will kick.
y This would Be fine country for bees. If The
4 could be got here, Int il b somewhat singula
4 hess are none TO be fpznd = Csitssassr.