New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-13
FROM CALIFORNIA.
From Our Special Correspondent
SAN FRAScxCo Cal, March O. rs,

From Our Special Correspondent.
SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. March 2, 1888.
IL may surprise your readers TO be told that
in California peach. apricot nlmoni and plum trees
IN bloom In February-nevertheess IL Ia true when ap
Piled 10 portions Of valleys, and In Southern Caor
MA near weeks ago On the foot hills apple trees
are re- ported In bloom, while In instances the
ground under them is covered with IL Is pecu.
ary Of our location aud climate that may leave
the valleys in the morning where he liz surrounded by
sunshine flowers and green fields, and by the time
night oyertakes him fnd that no Is in the region OF
SHOWS
With us this il the for active farming opera
tons Since December tho time OF the first rain FIR
mers. when tho ground was not 80 wet a. TO enior
blowing impractcabss have been engaged in sowing
wheat and barley ard pretty fair average quantity Of
land has been seeded. Blu, tho extreme high price Of
seed-wheat four to four and half cents. and barley
from three and half to four cents In gold. per pound
has placed cut OF the power Of considerable number
OF farmers to put in more than few acres. In many
instances they have obtained their seed by agreeing TO
pay bali the crop for IT, At the rate currency is
quoted here, wheat would sell at nine cent? pound
and fonr at s2s barrel in Greenbacks.
On the Pacific side the ground becomes so dry that
cannot DO plowed In tho Summer, hence pows are
ened the earth As matter Of necessity. therefore,
grain must generally be put In the ground during the
Winter months. 1t is usually put in by the first OF
March though fair crops have been made on land seed
ed in April after wet Winter.
We have here what 10 termed . volunteer crop"
which is unknown the Atlantic side. II Is raised by
cultivaing narrowing the fields upon which crop
OF wheat barley or oats has been gathered generally
before the Fall rsns-the grain scattered In harvesting
answering for seed In this way thousands Of bushels
OF grain arc annually raised In California, In In
stances have known t'o second volunteer crop pro.
duce a fair average. OF course volunteer does net
equal regular crops II grows without much labor
though pronounced slovenly mode Of farming. The
surcst plan Tor crop Is to plow tho ground II the
SPRING and then put In tho seed before the kaA rains
with the cultivator or harrow.
Within the past ten days q good deal Of snow has
been added 10 the which had before fallen on the
Sierra Nevada, and it IL pronounced deeper and
more extensive than Il has been at this for
number OF years past But notwithstanding the deep
snow. the two daily lines Of stages from Sacramento to
virgina--tbe California Stage Company. via Dutch
Flat and Bonner Lake. and the Pioneer Line. via
Placeryle aud johnson Passhaye made their regular
trips though occasionally little than two days
time has been consumed In keeping up the connection
considerable portion Of the distance on each ronte Is
Travelled ON sleighs with six horses attached and
accompanied by the music Of bells. Last week, the
California Stage Company conveyed passengers from
Dutch Flat TO virginia in seighs. feat which had
never before boon performed since silver discovc
In Washoc The distance is about ninety miles. These
c ompauies have demonstrated that roads over the
si,rrs Nevada ear to teDf In eobU*"o fer trarsl