New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-08
Cvsrs Of various kinds are found in the valleys and

Cytre oil VARIOUS KIDS arc Ounu IN the Fheys shi
On the mountains, and they are very nutritious.
The wild CAT, though not indigenous, does not be-
long to the cultivated grains, and occupies so large
q space in the State that il deserves mention here.
The 0at was introduced into California by the Mex
leans about 100, and gradually spread being sown
in a natural way by horses and cattle, until now 1t
covers nearly all the uncultivated hills and daes OF
the coast and the Sacramento valley. Twenty years
ago i WAS scarcely 10 be seen north Of the bay OF
San Francisco: now il has killed out all the grasses
in large districts east and west Of the Sacramento.
In the valley of that river the wild oats grow as
denstly as they can in any cultivated field, and to
hieht Of six feet; but the seed Is light, and there
fore the growth is lot valuable as the cultivated
grain. The oats rpen in June; IN the Autumn the
seeds fall into cracks in the earth caused by the ex-
IRENE drought and there they remain until the ralhs
Of Winter come, when they are covered py tue
swelling Of the wet ground.
The wild mustard, which has also sprung from
imported seed. covers thousands upon thousands OF
acres in the coast counties south of the bay OF San
Francisco, and has become great curse to the
farmers
TIE tule pronounced today is reed which
covers all the large tracts OF swamp land IN tue
State. II has no leaf, but plain, round stalk va
ryipr from half an inch TO an inch and halt at the
bntt and ,aperpg 10 quarter of to inch at the top.
II ia usually not more than feet HIGH but az the
Tuare Lake it grows TO Is and 20 feet.
OF wild flowers, there are q great variety ana
abundance in California; and they have their dliler
ent seasons for blooming, so that IN the canons'
where the soil is always moist, flowers are 10 DC
seen in every month. In the SpriDg-tlme the nill.
sides are frequently covered with flowers. so that
their red blue or yellow color can alone be seen
There is such variety that have counted ~ dill
erent kinds on spot not more than 20 feet square.
This was in the month Of May, in Sonora valley.
Many are beautiful and others have sweet perfumes,
but none can take any high position IN the garden.
Indeed, there is no noteworthy plant Indigenous 10
the State cultivated in our gardens, save the econ
othus, which may be trimmed into any shape. Az
the Mechanics Fair, in San Francisco for lSS,
there was ceonothus cut in the shape of an arm
chair. 1t is covered with blue blossoms from March
TILL July.
The appearance of vegetation at different seasons
of the wear as well ts general character, depends
greatly upon the climatic influences. The drought
and heat of the California Summer and Autumn dry
up all the grasses and heritage upon the hills and
open plains, except where the land ls swampy OF
moistened by springs. About the middle OF june
the country begins 70 turn brown, and month la.
ter not one acre of grass or wild oats in thousand
can show the smallest touch of green color; and
brown the heritage stays until the coming of the
Winter rains which are at once followed by the
new birth of the annual heritage, and the whole
State is again dressed in bright green. This regen-
GRAFTON sometimes comes as early as the LIST OF De-
cember and usually before the middle OF January.
The Winter is never so cold, unless III the ex-
IRENE northern part of the State as to freeze the
ground, or to prevent the growth OF grass.