The Placer herald., 1858-02-13
Soil and Products of California.

visited most of the Agricultural and mining
districts of the State, during the past season,
thus speakes of their soil and productive
capacity in letter to the San Andreas
Independent:
In the mountains (Sierra Nevada,) from
the extreme north to south, or the leng 9Th of
the State, 800 miles, are thousands of rich
and pretty valleys, nurtured by never failing
springs, which gush from the mountains and
hill sides, and are romanticaly and quietly
situated, waiting only for the husbandman
and plow, to produce every variety of north
ern and tropical vegetable productions, in
quantities and qualities to suit the most
fastidious.
The adaptability of these valleys and hill
sides for fruit growing, is just being found
out. The monstrous pears, peaches, apples
and grapes, in all varieties raised this sea-
son, surpass those grown elsewhere. From
80 to 100 foreign varieties of grapes are now
growing in this State, and doing as we'll as
in their native soil and cline, and some
much better. France contains some 5,OOO,-
900 acres of vineyards and annually pro-
duces 80,OO0,000 barrels of wine, worth
6OO,O0O,oOO francs-an immense product.
The capacity of these valleys and hill-sdes
for producing similar amount of wine and
revenue, is undoubted. Already, the culture
of many varieties of the grape and the manu-
facture of wine, is rapidly becoming large
and profitable business. Germans, French
and Others, coming from wine producing
countries, who have had large and full ex-
perience in the culture of the grape, pro.
nounce this to be the best section of the
world for its growth and perfect maturity.
Rising 3,0OO,O 900 grapevines are now growing
in the State, and increasing annually hun
dreds of thousands; and in few years we
will export millions of gallons of superior
wines. Our plains will be dotted with the
wine-press, and the vintage time" will be-
come an important yearly epoch.
The capacity Of the soil of California was
unknown until recently, or some few years
since, and that all cereals, fruits, cotton,
hemp, hops, tobacco, tropical fruits and trees,
could be raised to perfection and with profit.
The State contains, of land adapted to agri
culture, about AZ 100000 acres, and 5.OOO,-
600 Of swamp land. most of it susceptible of
being reclaimed. The amount of grazing
land is 30,0oo,o0o, making total of II,
100000 acres. Amount under cultivation
$4,000 acres; enclosed 100000 acres. Sugar
beet and China sugar cane have been cult
waited in several sections of the State the
past year, in quantities and qualities to fully
test the praclicablity of raising them for
syrup and sugar. Already there is an exten-
sve mandatory Of beet sugar, in all its
grades-tor which premium was awarded
by the State Agricultural Society. Thou
sands of tons of beets have been raised this
year, for the purpose of making sugar.
Messrs. Smith & Wiuchel, of San Jose,
raised SO tons to the acre. Soon we shall
become exporters of sugar.
The culture of hemp in San Jose, by Dr.
Cobb and others, fully confirms the practica-
bility of raising it to as good quality and
average as the Russian; and this is another
sure and profitable product that can and will
be raised for expectation.
The raising of sheep in the mountains has
been perfectly tested, and in no part Of the
world do they thrive better. Wool is now
exported in large quantities, and with fine
profit, and there is no reason why we should
not, in few years, compete with the coun-
tries bordering on the Mediterranean, from
which 100000 pounds are annually ex-
ported to the Atlantic cities-or with Austria
liza, the largest wool growing country in the
world
Figs and grapes, in all varieties, grow and
mature with all their native luxuriance and
perfection. Cotton, hemp, tobacco, Chinese
sugar cane, in short, hardly an agricultural
product can be named, which will not reach
its highest perfection in the mountain valleys
and plains, and in very few years undoubt-
ediy, will produce such quantities for expor-
tation, as will make our state rich, and turn
part or the whole of the Mediterranean
fleet of 643 vessels, which annually leave
for the Atlantic ports, loaded with figs, lem
ons, oranges, alnons, and also the products
of the grape, currant, rasins and nuts, to the
amount Of seven and one fourth millions of
dollars. Italy and the countries bordering
on the Mediterranean, produce annually over
$2OO,OOO,OOO of wool and fruit products,
$lOO,OO0,00O of which is sent to foreign
markets. California has a soil and climate
very similar, and with the we'll known perse-
verance, Industry and indomintable energy
of her inhabitants, and the 100000 Of
acres OF easily cultivated land, suitable for
raising fruit products, should also, in due
time, freight to foreign markets her 64a yes
sells. The mountains abound in inexhaustible
quantities Of timber trees. Several varieties
of pine equal to the eastern or Maine pine,
for lumber; redwood, the true live oak
(quercuS virens) said to be superior to the
southern, has recently come into notice, and
is found in large quantities in Napa county.
In the same neighborhood l observed the
chesnut oak, black oak, white oak, (called in
this country, the evergreen oak,) ash, willow,
flbert or hazel, manzanita, buckeye, maple,
Virginia dogwood. alder, ,nadrom, laurel, fir,
spruce, and large variety Of evergreen