Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-04-28
CALIFORN1A

We give btloN an interesting postscript
OF II letter received 10y gentleman of this
city from his friend now on business TO
! California. 1t gives a clear and striking
view of the golden State, and presents
many interesting facts concerning its soil,
climate and mineral wealth. that we have
not heretofore met with.
Semi Weekly Uiaon.
-NoteS, Observations and Queries co.'s
/ agreed to give yop briefly my impress
sions of this portion Of our country, the
characteristic. Of its people, its present
and prospective condition, productions,
! &c. s.- rarU
The climate. This has surprised me We
ry much, was prepared to find it mild
er by far than in the corresponding lati-
tudes in the Atlantic States This is clear
! ly correct, but the climate of San Francis
co is an exception to that Of any portion
Of the world, so far as am informed. In
this opinion think youwill concur, ifnot
already fully informed upon the subject,
upon an examination of the annexed
statement. .rra..l
have before me an authentic table,
| from which ! am enable to determine and
give you the mean temperature in that CT
ty at sunrise and noon, and the mean and
extremes for each year, from 1851 to s57,
inclusive. During that period the mean
temperature for each month at sunrise
ranged from forty one TO fifty FIVE, and at
noon from ttty two to seventy one de-
grees. The greatest degree of cold in the
six years was twenty five degrees, or sew
en- below the freezing point. This may be
set down as nearly the extreme OF cold ev-
er felt here. in three of the years the
mercury did not fall to the freezing point
In 1853 the lowest point was above free.
zng-Ihe extreme of heat was ninety
eight degrees. This occurred in Septem-
Der, 1852, with which exception it has not
risen above ninety degrees, and is very
unusual temperature for San Francisco,
though much below the gaeatest heat in
the interior. In 1851, the highest tempe
nature was eighty-four degrees; and in
1856, the Thermometer did not rise above
eighty-fye degrees.
The rainy season.--This commences in
December, and may be said to terminate
in March. During the first morerain usp.
ally falls thav in any subsequent month.
A marked abatement. is observable from
the middle Of January to the middle of
February. One third Of the average year
y rain falls before the first Of January one
third in JANUARY and February and the
remaining third subsequent to the first of
March. No rain falls usually from the
first Of May to the first Of December. This
will eil you a slight idea Of 'the rainy
season. but think there is scarcely any
expression which conveys to the people of
the Atlantic States such an erronious i'm.
preston. During this season it is believ-
ed generally to rain most Of the time, the
balance to be gloomy, dark and cold-the
sun obscured and the horizon overcast
with impenetrable clouds, mists, and dark
vapors, accompanied with chilling and
piercing winds. This, however is very far
from being correct. The wind at this sea.
son of tie year seldom blows strong
enough to become annoying, and is nev.
er chilling. Whe temperature as will have
been seen, is extremely equable, and with
reasonable protection, persons feet new
er get cold, although for heurs engaged IN
passing over damp pavements and muddy
streets. Twice only during the last ten
years has snow fallen in the streets of San
Francisco in sufficient quantities to be yis-
ible upon the streets The sun is unob.
scured and the sky clear great portion Of
the time. During the year 1856 the sun
shone brightly Is days in December, ff-
teen days in January, twenty three days
in February, twenty one days in March,
and twenty days in April. During the
same months it raincd twelve days in De.
.cember, eleven days in December, eleven
days in January, two in February, five in
March, and eight in April. During tho
balance of those months there was mora
or less Of those mist or clonds overhanging
the horizon. The weather when clear du.
ring this season is indeed delightful, re.
sembling more closely the Indian sum-
mers in the District of Columbia, Eas ern
Pennsyl ania, Maryland andVirginia,than
any other portion of the year in the Al,
lantic States. From this cause alone tb;s
city will be made the winter Jesidenoa ~
a vast number from the eastern Statos
when ITS climate becomes better under.
stood by our people, and the facilities of
reaching here improved by the construc-
ton of o railroad, and of better class of
steamers upon this important line of com.
munication.
The productions Of this State. not less
than its climate, are by far the most ra.
markable although but in their in.
fancy, any OF the great States of this con-
federacy. ItpIoduces in abundance and
in great perfection, all the cereal grains.
fruits and vegetables of the temperate lat.
itudes. Grains are produced in MANY mS
stances. crop after crop, without resolving
1t is fact clearly authenticated, that
the fifth crop Of barley, taken from field
fifty acres, from single sowing, five
years previous. in the county of Santa Cla,
aN
ra, IN the year OF 1886, averaged yield
per acre offorty-three bushels. Roots and
vegetables generally, grow during the
winter months in the open air. New 90.
tatoes, beets, carrots, cabbages, green peas.
tomatoes, ,turrips, sqaashes, salads, SC. &c
are now abundant in this market In a
large section Of the southern portion Of
the state, cotton rice, tobacco, and sugar
are cultivated with success and profit
while the iig, the almond, the olive and the
orange are produced-the latter in Great.
and of n ounI;ty ,,,,.,,u.s go