The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-01

lure. "A tfLe tXvtTlt Will mOuIy these
II Is soon ascrrained that the soil will produce
abundan,ly without manure; that hocks and herds
sustain themselves through the winter without be-
ING ted at the farmysrd, and: consequently, la
Dor s Ne cessary 10 provide forage Tor them; that
bitches are EASILY dug, which present very good
barriers Tor The projection ut crops until live fem
CO can he planted, aud have time to grow Forest
'ret may be planted with hut lutte labor, and In
very few years attain sufficient size for building
aid fencing purposes. Time may be usefully en-
poy ed In sowing various grain and root crops, du
rlDg The wet or WINTER seasOn. There is weather
cello enough To destroy root crops, and therefore
il Is not necessary to gather them. They can be
utsd or sold from The field where they grow. The
labor therefore. required in most Of the old States
Ia IL II The forests clear the land OF rubbish, and
prepare II for seed, may here be applied 10 other
objects.
AL these things. together with the perfect secu-
ray of III crcps, harvest time. from injury by wet
weather. are probably sufficient to meet any ex.-
p'nse which may be incurred in irrigation, OF
caused, Tor a time, by scauty supply OF lumber.
In The northern part al the territory, above latl-
tude - deg, and on the hIils which rise from the
great plain at The Sacram. and San joaquin, to
The foot of be Sierra N.v.da the forests Of timber
are beautiful and extensive, and would, If brought
mo use, be sufficiently prod active to supply the
wants oi The southern and western portions Of the
State.
have spoken Of the agricultural products and
resources OF the country, without reference to the
rna ksble state OF ,hings caused by the discovery
of colo, which II is probable will postpone for an
md, tnite Tune all Efforts To improve the soil. As,
opg as laborers can earn fifteen dollars or more
PER day, IN collecting gold. they can very well af-
tord 10 impor' their supplies from countries where
the wages OF labor are not more than from fifty
cents 10 one dollar per day. IL is not, therefore,
"a be supposed that The soil will be cultivated more
Than the pfndrciiop Ot vegetables fruits, and other
articles perishable in their nature that they can
Lot be brought from great distance, will require
10 secure This important market for the products
ard manufactures o The States east vt the Rocky
M Il
Importance. II will be considered In Its proper
place.
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The extent and value of the public lands, suitable
tor agricultural purposes, in California, cannot be
asctrtained with any degree Of accurac, until some
vt1y important preliminary questions shall have
been settled.
1t is not known whether the Jesuits who founded
the Mission or their successors, the Franciscans.
everold, ar do now hold any ttle from the Spanish
crown 10 the lands which they occupied. Nor has
any investigation been made 10 ascertain how far
those li,es. II they ever existed, have been invall-
dated by the acts Of the priests, or the DEGREES OF
The Mexican government.
A sueeificial vie Of the matter would be very
APT 10 esd 10 the supposlt'on that the Jesults,
celebrated tor wisdom aud cunning, would not fail
10 secure that which. at that time, would probably
have been obfaine by merely asking for ia royal
decree, granting 10 Them all the lands they might
require IN that remote country for ecclesiastical
purposes. There have been some intimatiOns to
missions embrace within their limits some OF the
most valuable lands in the territory, and it Is very
important mat II should be asceraued whether
ih'y belong to the government, or may be justly
claimed by individuals.
Most OF IN. land, 1T for cultivation, south of Ia
uude 81. and west OF the valley of the Sacramento.
and San Joaquin, IL claimed under, what purports
10 be, grants from the Mexican government.
On most OF these grants The numerals and metals
are reserved 10 the gDvernment-conditioosw were
coupltd with many at them which have not been
complied with. In Others, the boundaries described
embrace two or three times as much land as the
giant conveys.
The Mexican law required all grants made by
the provisional government, with few exceptions,
"a be confirmed by the supreme government. The
great distance which separated them, and the UNI
frequent or difficult means OF communication,
made a compliance with the law so expensive and
IaIdy, that n came 10 be almost disregarded
There were other causes which led to this
neglect.
Previous TO the treaty with Mexico. and the I'm.
migration Of American citizens 10 that country,
lsLd WIS not regarded as OF much value, except
Tor grazing purposes. There was room ea ougn for
all Therefore, The claimants or proprietors did not
modest each other, or inquire into the validity oil
tIilss.
These extensive grants are described by natural
such rs noun aims, bays, and promon-
torres, which, In many instances, might allow OF a
variation Of several miles in the establishment of a
corner with cham and compass
BY The treaty OF Guadalupe Hldalgo, the United
States purchased all the rights and interests of
n, xco to and ia California. TINS purchase not
only embraced all the lands which had not been
granted by Mexico, bat all The reserved minerals
ARD msials, and also reversionary rights which
might accrue TO Mexico from want OF compliance
IN the paIt az the grantees with the conditions Of
heir ernnts, or a want OF perfection in the grants
IL VIII be perceived that this 10 a subec, OF very
cr' al Importance. NOT only 10 the pes,le OF CALI
ioTDis, but To the United States, and calls for
pi,upt and efficient action on the part of the
government. IL is believed that the appointment
" competent commissioners, fully empowered to
investigate these tiles. in splrit ut Kindness to-
wsids the claimants, with power to confirm such
tules a. JnsIice may seem To demand, or with In-
sunc,ons 10 report their proceedings and awards
~ Congress. Ter confirmation or REJECTION, VIII be
he beet snd PERHAPS the only satisfactory mode OF
adjusting ihis complex and difficult question.
The lsBds IN the northern part Of the territory.
above the 10Th deg, have not been explored or
granted. They are supposed TO embrace an area
a about twenty millions Of acres, a large portion
" " hich is, doubtless, valuable for ITS timber and
sell
Comparatively few grants have been obtained In
he er et valley OF the sacramento and san Joa-
gum. This vast tract, therefore, containing, az 10
ttnEaied, from twelve 10 ftteeB millions Of acres,
belongs mostly to the government South OF this
valley, and west of the Colorado. within the limits
n lCslIicrnla, rs indicated IN her constitution,
here are ssd TO be extensive tracts of valuable
land, and ON invs stigation IL will
IfUbably rppear that there are many of them In
detached bodies, which have no, been granted.
] GO not spesk of the gold region, embracing the
entire foothills Of the Sierra Nevada, some five
hundred miles long and sixty miles broad, ia con
n. otion with the public domain, which may be en-
brace IN the general land system for sale and set
Y meni, Tor reasons which will be hereafter
signed.
The survey Of the public lands on a system SUIT.
I'd to the interests the country IL matter Of very
rteat importance. la the inhabited portions Of the
Territory. the boundaries OF Mexican grants, run
ning, they DO IN all directions, will render tbs
'ysiem Of surveys by parallels of Latitude and lon-
riuoe. quite impracticable.
10 all psrts of the country irrgation 10 desirable,
nd lie bene hfs should be secured, far as poss-
DE, by suitable surveys and legal regulations.
Meet Of the valleys are watered by streams sufi-
,renily large to be rendered very useful II would,
therefore,, srtm vice to lay off the land IN coz
ormiiy 10 the course OF the hills and streams
which bound and drain the valleys.
A system ri drainage, which would also SECURE
rriraion, 10 absolutely necessary tn give value to
ne gre al plain oi the Sacramento and San Joaquin
This Wiley 10 go extensive and level, that n the
iyers passing threugh Il were never 10 overflow
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