The Georgetown news., 1855-10-04

N"NC III O"IiIOl Hld, VI puilphlDS NclSHlHS
one hundred and twenty-nine pounds? OF
beets seven and half feet in length? of Il
stalk Of indian corn, q feet in height?-
Where, except in California, can it be as
serted and proven, that straw berries ripen
during every month Of the year. and that it
is possible to bring to perfection two thou
sand pounds Of this delicious fruit from an
acre Of ground devoted to their cultivation?
am happy to know, Mr. President, that
our feIlow-citlzens in the mining section of
the State are at this time paying consider
able attention to agriculture in its various
departments. In the progress of a recent
ramble which [ took through that deeply
interesting region, saw wheat, barley and
oats growing in several places most Iuxuri-
antiy. | beheld in other localities bcauti-
ful natural meadows, from which large
quantities CT excellent grass was mOwn du-
ring the season which is now past. | re-
peatedly saw vines and orchard trees OF
different Kinds growing, and promising in a
year or two q most plente0uS supply OF
/ fruit
Allow me here, Mir. President, to call
/ your attention, and the attention aof this
audience, to an extract from the last official
report Of our State Gcologist, Dr. John B.
! irask, whose interchangeable labOrs have de
veloped an amount Of valuable information
In regard to the mineral and agricultural
resources Of California, which should ensure
him the esteem and gratitude Of all who
feel interested in the future growth and
State. What | shall read is from the chap
ter headed "Soils and productions Of Los
Angeles" After expatiating upon the
character Of the soil Of the vicinage which
he is describing, and remarking upon its
capacity as a wine-growing and stock-rais-
ing country, he adds:
| The culture Of grain upon these plains
warrants the most sanguine anticipations.
and so far as the experiment has been made
the yield has been largely above the aver
age crops OF The more northern districts,
and should success attend the experiment
Of the Introduction of water for irrigation,
full thirty per cent. Of these plains may be
/ applied to the rearing of cereal crops. and
leave large margin still for pasturage.
The advantages Of water near or on the
surface in this section Of country is mani
tested in the experimental crops of last year
on the 'M0nte' a few miles east of the city.
The corn crop Of this locality. comprising
about 1900 acres, was immense in its yield
| as in the size Of its stalks; a large proper
tion of it was planted late in the season, but
Notwithstanding this, the ear was full-f0rm-
ed and well filled in the month of October,
and the crop still in the silk. 1t was no
uncommon circumstance to find six full ears
/ on one stalk, and the number Of four was
| much more frequent than any figure below
/ it. think that it may be safely estimated
that the Monte lands will yield an average
crop Of sixty bushels to the acre
These facts are noticed more particularly
as corroborative Of what has been advanced
respecting the fertility Of this line OF plains,
aud with evidences such as have been ad-
| duced Oh so grand scale as a mere eXpcr-
| iment, there seems but little room left to
doubt the high qualities for pradUction
/ which these lands will exhibit, should they
| be tiled with judicious management.
] We come now to the consideration of
the exotic productions Of this part of the
| State. The position of the mountain chains
which separate this part Of the State from
the districts north OF it, their trend and al
tltude, are productive Of far different eli
natal conditions from those noticeable in
any other portion OF the country. After
passing Point Conception upon the coast,
or crossing the last ridge of the San Ber-
nardlno chain, in travelling from the north,
the traveller is ushered into widely differ
ent climate from any with which lie has be-
fore become acquainted. The atmosphere
Is entirely diyested Of that harsh coldness
which is found on the seabOard and to some
distance IN the interior, and at the same
time Is pnaccompanied with that scorching
heat incident to the plains and valleys stu
ated among or lying to the east Of the ridg-
eS comprising the coast mountains or their
spurs and ranges. From these circumstan-
ces it will be seen that different class OF
products would naturally be found, and that
exotics of more southern nativity would
flourish, while their destruction would he
almost certain beyond this chain
First among the exotic growths of Los
Angeles, is the sweet orange; this tree is
found to flourish well without any artificial
protection from the atmosphere, and attains
the height Of forty feet. and in some cases
even more than this; its fruit is fully equal
to any imported article which has yet ar
rived in this country. The tree produces
bountifully, and is in fruit throughout the
whole year. The fruit is generally large
and plump, with the pulp well filled, there
is not the slightest evidence of anything un-
congenial connected with its appearance, it
may be said truly to have become habitua-
ted to our climate, or to have found in 1t
the kindred qualities its own tropical na-
tive home. l have seen the young tree Of
two years from the seed producing full well
matured fruit. During the palmy days of
the old Missions, they were in the habit OF
cultivating somewhat extensive groves Of
these trees, but since their decline, the trees
and their culture have been neglected, and
| the groves in many instances cut down.