Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-02-05
From the Sonora (Cal.) Herald.
THE VALLEY OF SAN JOSE.

of the southern part of the Bay of Sar
Francisco. In many parts il is wooded
with evergreen and white oak timber
The trees, standing a, short distance
from each other, have the appearance o
an English Park; or, of an extensive or
chard of fruit trees. The soil is clay.
ey loan, generally of blackish color
and of several feet depth; and from three
or four feet down il is usually a pure
clay--but in some places it is gravel
The surface is level plain, with gentle
undulations, for an extent of about eish
ty miles by ten to twenty wice. The
soil is generally very rich, and of thai
unctuous nature, that, during the rainy
season, to walk on il is much like walk
ing in grease. In favorable seasons il
yields large crops-that is, when there
is sufficient rain. Farmers say they can
raise as high as so to 100 bushels Of
wheat, barley, &C., TO an acre, when
they have rain enough. The ground is
SO strong that they sow large quantity
of seed to the acre, to keep it from run
ming to straw, and thus obtain large
yield. Rain never falling after April, the
farmer can gather his crop when he
pleases, and always in the finest condi-
lion; and sometimes farmers leave wheat
and barley, which are ripe in July, stand
uncut ill September, without shelling
out; but, Of course, they loose by birds
and animals feeding upon it. Wild ami
mails are not numerous the cay ote, or
prairie wolf. and grey squirrel being the
mos, injurious to the farmer; the former
killing calves, sheep. chickens, &C., and
the latter ealing up every kind of crop
the farmer puts in the ground. Here
they live in holes in the earth, and in
some places and some seasons are so nu-
merous and so destructive, that hey leave
no green thing in field that u b plant
ed in the Spring. On gram, which
should always be sown as soon in the
Fall as tie rains fall, they are not SO des-
iructive, only attacking it as it ripens and
after it is ripe. This they do by nearly
eating off the straw near the root; the
head then falls down and they consume
the grain. Farmers feel the necessity
Of destroying them, and during the rainy
season intend to exterminate them by
drowning them in their holes.
. Many parts of the valley are covered
with will. oats, which furnish rich feed
for cattle. The valley is bounded on
each side by hills, which gradually rise
in gentle slopes and terminate in the
mountains Of the Coast Range. These
hills are generally covered with wild oats.
which begin to grow as soon as the Fall
rains descend-usually about the lst OF
December--and furnishes green feed Cor
stock by January. Eight varieties of
clover are also produced, all of them ex-
ceIlent food, and il grows so luxuriantly
in favorable seasons, that it is very labo-
rous to walk through it even where vast
herds of cattle are feeding upon it,
One species, the bur clover, furnishes a
seed (ihe bur) said to be almost equal TO
grain for feed. Animals are fond of it.,
and where it grows the ground is covered
with The seed. Grass to any amount can
be cut for hay, and no rain falling. there
is no labor in making it. Cutting, press
ing. and sending to market, are the only
items Of expense. The Bay and the
river San Jose are navigable TO within
eight miles Of the city of San Jose; and
also. from this city to San Francisco a
railroad is contemplated, and survey
is now being made by competent Engin-
eers.
California and Oregon possess pc
culiariiy of production in their soil un-
known in any other of The States of the
Union. Wheat, barley and oats grow
for years from one sowing, and produce
heavy crops. Ihave seen good crop
of barley growing near San Jose. which
had been cut for two or more years; the
fence was then removed in running the
streets o: the city, and the field was a
common pasture of abundance of green
barley. How long the ground would
continue TO yield crops from one sowing,
| am not prepared to say. An American
farmer, who ,hought nothing was righ,
which was not done as ga, home,'
ploughed down his green field Of grow
ing barley and sowed again; by the ad-
vice and entreaty, however, Of some Of
his better informed neigbors, he left par,
of the field unploughed, and tha. par,
yielded hlm double the crop he cut from
the other. Some suppose that this re.
production of crops is caused by the fall
ing or shelling out of grain; but the
grain, not being subject to moisture, does
not shell out; and the case have men
toned, where the field Of barley laid oul
one year as commons, and was pastu.
red down by the town catile-not being
permitted to come to ear--proyes 20 my
satisfaction that it is the root which pro-
duces the crop. How great this advan-
tage is, farmers can judge.
The soil and climate Of San Jose val
lev are well calculated to produce oil the
grains and fruits of the temperate zone
Grapes are peculiarly abundant and fins
here, and some figs are also produced
Vegetables, flourish exceedingly where
they have suitable supply of moisture
cabbages of 90 to 40 pounds each are no
uncommon; onions Of the finest quality
/ ~ uasUh;nu from npa IN tw0 pnundS arr