The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-09-27
Agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY AIBRRT CHAPMAN.
The Pacific Coast.

men COuuecteu Win tuo o8iN"''ui"'
press. We make the following extract
from his interesting report published in
the Rural:
California is estimated to contain
within its boundaries $4,000 square
miles. About $4,000 square miles are
supposed to cover the entire range of
ooast.valleys and mountains. Most of
the Government land along the coast, or
at least the most fertile portion, the level
bottom lands and those nearest to market,
have been taken up. The land in the
valleys is of remarkable fertility, and we
saw everywhere sufficient evidence Of pro-
ductiveness in grain, in fruits, in vegeta-
bles, and in the vine to convince us that
the soil is 'teeming with fatness,' and nu-
der judicious culture has capacity tor
growing immense crops.
The present season has been unusually
dry, and although the wheat crop will
fall short of an average in quantity, still
the superior quality Of the grain, it is be-
lieved, will make up all deficiency in
quantity.
There are large tracts of country on
the coast range adapted to grazing and
the dairy, though. taking the whole State
together, we were told the dairy lands
are of comparatively limited extent.
One great advantage which the coast
lands possess is low, even temperature
"A temperature averaging about 6O0
Fahrenheit during summer and winter,and
subject to no extremes of heat and cold,
like that prevailing in the middle and
north Atlantic States. The winters are
so mild that the cattle do not require to
be housed, and during most of the time
can procure sufficient sustenance in the
field. Indeed, cattle are often wintered
without particle of food other than that
which they pick for themselves over the
ranches-though it is not generally con-
sidered good economy to allow the herds
to thus shift for themselves during the
first part of the rainy season, since the
rains wash out the nutritive elements OF
the old grasses, while the new vegetation
springing up, is fushy, or too immature
to afford the requisite nourishment for
the thrift and well-being Of the animal.
Hence in November and December it is
considered good economy to exc out the
pastures by giving the herds daily al
lowance of fodder.
To understand fully how stock is fed
in California some explanation Of the sea
sons and the character of heritage found
upon the ranches will be required. II
we except the higher mountainous rang.
es, the California year may be divided
into two seasons onl y-the wet and dry
The rain begins to fall during the latter
part of October and continue during No
vember and December. The moisture Ii
sufficient to start vegetation into vigor
Gus growth. Green pasturage is abund
ant in January, February, March, April
and up to about the first of June and Ju
ly. Then comes the dry season, during
which no rain falls until the latter par
of October or first of November an(
sometimes it holds off until December.
Most Of the native grasses are ANNALS
The wild oat grass and bunch grass ar
regarded of most value. The Gramma
or bunch grass is exceedingly nutritious
Stock thrive upon it at all seasons, except
perhaps, at the beginning of the rain.
season, when, for few weeks its nutri
which have been previously explained.
In July and August, it, as well as al
others becomes dry and brown, and til
fields present hardly vestige of green
Indeed, the fields are so devoid of an
green or growing plant, and the tufts Q
grass are SO brown and dried up that tn
Eastern stock.grower can hardly rid him
self Of the impression that the Who'll
country is of little, if any, value for graz
ing, and would supply only meagre sus
tenance for few goats; and yet i'm
mense herds are seen cropping this with
cred, dead, or perfectly dry, crisp hert
age, and the animals look sleek and fat
and fit for the shambles. Nothing as
tonished us more than this seemingly in
congruous state of things for to an east
ern farmer, fat cattle at pasture are a.
ways associated with luxurious vegeta
ton and an abundance of succulent foot
1t is true, along the borders of streams
in the narrow valleys or deep gorges,
fringe of green breaks the monotony {
the dead and apparently worthless vegt
tation, covering the hills and stretchin
away to the distance on the plains; bu
these are scarcely sufficient to accorr
for the uniformly fine condition Of stocl
1t becomes evident, therefore, tha
from the popularity Of the climate, an
perhaps from the nature of the plant
themselves, their nutritive elements al
retained and that the standing grass
the field is cured as perfectly for food i
natural way as farmers at the east do
by artificial means. And this is nor
readily explained from the entire absenc
of rains. the dryness of the atmosphere
and the uniform temperature of the CT
mate. Evidently, in case of the bunc
grass which grows in dense tufts, the DR.
weather coming on arrests the furtht
growth of mass of foliage, thorough
curing it upon the root before its muir
tive elements have been lost or change
into woody fiber, while large proportio
Of those stalks bearing seed have also bee
checked in growth and dried in time
retain large proportion of nutrition.
In comparing California. as dairy r.
gion, with grazing lands on the Atlant
slope, the winter and spring months co
respond with our best grazing @aso
From the first of January to June Il
grasses show in great (uxuriance. Jul
August and September, correspond wi
our fall and early winter, while Mover
Der and December, when stock require
little feed, may be set against our S
months of cold and snowy weather. 1t
evident. so far as climate is concerned
so far as the storing Of cattle food al
the necessary breadth of land for grown
such food, the advantages are all in fav
Of the Pacific. But, on the other han