Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-11-26
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL WONDERS.

SAN FRAScIsco NOVEMBER Is, lSj3.-From lecture
delivered by Dr. GIBBONS few evenings since give the
following:
On entering the room of the Agricultural Fairl you
struck with the tasteful decorations and the profu
sion Of plants many Of which and beautiful On
the table are several varieties Of squashes the largest OF
which weighs III pounds; onions weighing four pounds,
and measuring - and % inches in circumference beets
&c. 40 and 90 pounds-seyera Of the long variety
one of which measures feet and inches to which
ther foot be added for the missing extremity which
appears to have been pulled through by the anpodes;
potatoes from San Jose II and IL inches long,
weighing twenty pounds carrots 8, 8, and 10 pounds,
and tunps raised to order Of any size called for The
striking feature however is the potatoes specimens
Of which weighing pounds and measuring foot
in length have been sent from all direc6ons-San jose
Santa Cruz Alameda Oakland, &C. There are - bush
els 700 pounds the produce of three potatoes raised
at San jose IL is remarkable fact that this vegetable
requires no cultivation in any part Of California The
seed is planted without manure and not plough hoe
touches the field till the crop is gathered These large
potatoes always Of the best quality and hollow
falsehearted In the vicinity Of Santa Cruz the pots
to has been attacked by insect which enters at the
eyes and burrows through the tuber destroying it. The
appearance Of this insect is an evil omen.
Some ten twelve varieties of wheat are exhibited,
the growth Of California and Of Oregon, some Of winch
produce sixty to seventy bushels acre-weght sixty
two to sixty five pounds per bushe One specimen Ok
barley is exhibited part Of crop Of one hundred aud
fortynine bushels to the acre Stalks OF Indan corn.
fourteen feet high and from crop OF one hundred
bushels 10 the acre Oats nine feet four inches high and
one specimen ten feet seven inches
The specimens Of -four are very interesting. They are
from various quarters of California and equal in quality
to the celebrated brands Of Gallego and Haxall.
Among the fruits are grapes common weight OF
the clusters being FIVE and six pounds delicious sugar
pears many which exceed pound cluster of four
on stem weighing seven pounds from San Jose pound
pears the largest weighing two pounds, and Washington
pears Of uncommon size and beauty Apples from Ore
ron and California, Of which is twelve inches in cir
eumfcrence three apples from single graft, year
old from San Jose. Pearmans and seek-no-furthers
from the coast Bonas; trees planted last year and
growing directly the borders Of the in sunny
nook backed by high hills to eeward.
There are many choice specimens Of embroidery and
needle work. she-work, and fruit Also, collec-
ton Of beautiful agae collected and astefuly arranged
by Mrs Boston, Of Monterey Some luxuriant specimens
Of noxious plant called tobacco apparently not very -
teresting to the lecturer quantity Of mustard seed
weighing FIVE and half, the product Of three
Seeds each seed producing by computation seventy thou
sand This is the most troublesome weed in California
growing high to overtop ones head when riding
horse. 1t frequently takes possession Of field and
ruins the crop, the stems growing six inches in circum
ference and eectuay prohibiting the of the scythc
or sickle.