The Nevada journal., 1858-09-17
WHOLE NUMBER 4O3.

the Annual Address before the Mechan-
les Institute, San Francisco, delivered
by j. A. Banks, Esq, speaking Of the
agricultural resources and the climate of
California, he says: AS our farming
land needs no clearing or other prelimi-
nary preparation (while the mountains
afford plenty of timber and as there is
no danger from rain during the time Of
harvest and thresl1ing the cost of grow
ing grain in less in California than in the
Atlantic States
In France, first rate crop of grapes
is 5000 pounds per acre, and 1000 lbs.
is regarded as fair crop. In the grape
growing districts along the Ohio river
where an inferior grape is produced, s.
600 lbs. is considered as a very large
crop, and 1000 OF 5000 pounds is regar-
ded as good average but in Califorl
MIA, the ordinary crop is from 10000 to
$4,000 pounds per acre, and 15,9O6 lbs
is not unusual. While in the old world
and the Atlantic States, the grape crop
frequently fails on account of frosts and
disease, here is always sure to yield
abundantly. There the vines must gen.
orally be supported by poles here they
stand without artificial aid. There, a
large amount of cultivation is required :
here, comparatively little. There suit
able land is costly here, it can be bad
for almost nothing. There, the rains flei
quently interfere seriously with the III
pening and gathering here, during the
vintage, we have an unclOuded sky.
AS illustrative Of the size of our frdi1s.
| might mention pear weighing four
pounds, bunch of grapes weighing IA
pounds, an apple weighing two pounds
and three ounces, a peach measuring
twelve and one-half and a strawberry
six and one-half inches in circumference.
1t may be supposed that as our fruits
and vegetable grow to such an enormous
size, they are deficient in quality but
! this we do not find to be the case. For
instance, the Gloria Mundi, which in the
Atlantic States is a coarse apple, i, l,ele
delicious.
OrR MINERALs.-Tn speaking of our
Mineral resourcesMr. Banks says:-Pla-
tina, one of the most valuable metals If
widely distributed throughout California,
and might be made a source ofeonsider-
able profit. In addition, we have chro-
MUM, antimony, nickel palladium, sui
phate of Iron, bismuth, tin, arsenic, c.
bait, manganese, borax in pure solid
state, iodine, obsidian, carbonate of soda,
sulphur proclaim, meerschaum, salt of
superior quality and unlimited quantities,
potash, natural soda springs Of unsupassi
cd excellence, limestone, gypsum; aud
marble IF the most beautiful varieties
and in exhaustless quantities, as well as
other valuable products Of the QUARRY
and the mine. Saltpeter in large guam
titles has recently been discovered, and
the other components of gunpowders
willow and alder, and sulphur of the best
quality, exist here in abundance. Even
single one of these numerous mineral
productions has, in many instances, en-
riched country 4; and as they are near;
ly all foundhere plentifally, we can con!
fidently predict that, at no distant peri
cd, the developing hand of industry, aid
ed by enterprising capitalists, will make
them a source of wealth and prosperity
unequallcd by that of any country on
the face of the earth.
About Gop4er and some Go1d-The
San Francisco National tells this story
A miner buried buck-skin bag of Jumps
of gold, for some time, near Car5on's
creek, on the Stanislaus. Upon digging
for it, it was not to be found. Upon exl
amining the place very carefully we dis
covered quite large gopher's hole on
the side of the cavity in which the bag
had been placed. A shovel was obtain
ed. and this "side drift carefully fellow.
ed, and after tracing it about ten or fs~"
feet, we were greatly astonished to find
little anteiroom, or chamber, of about
six inches in depth, made iii the side Of
the main road or hole, with a neatly
pared aoor oflamps ofgold and in the
rear of this extravagantly furnished a.
partment was found portion of the old
mans leather bag! Following the trail
of this subterranean robber little faf.
ther, we came to succession of apart.
ments or inches, and found each one as
regularly and beautifully paved with
gold as though it had been done by the
hand of man; while in each was also
found small piece of the leathern bag,