Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-17

by our Alabama brethren, they are lor
the day our guests. The word has
sacred magic.
THE PACIFIC SLOPE AND SAND
wICH ISLANDS.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, OREGON AND THE
sAsnWTcH IsLANDs BY Charles Nordhon,
Author of California for Health, Pleasure ana
Residence ETC., etc. New York: Harper &
Brothers, Publishers.
Twenty years ago California was the
worlds wonder for the abundance OF
gold obtained from its auriferous sands
and rocks: nowthe wonder is greatly
increased by the facility with which ex-
traordinary crops of wheat are raised
without blowing or tillage of any kind,
on ..'tule land or low swamps whose
surface is several feet below the Sacra-
meuto River in high water. On page
120 our author says:
cit is but eighteen months ago that
the idea of system of irrigation, to In
clude the whole of the valley of the San
Joaquin Was preached and then the
most sanguineof the projectors thought
that to give their enterprise fair start
would require years, and great num-
Der of shrewd men believed the whole
scheme visionary. But a few expert
ments showed to landholders and CAPT.
talists the enormous advantages of irri-
CATION, and now this scheme has sufi-
Gent capital behind it, and large land
holders are offering subsidies and
mortgaging their lands to hasten the
completion of the canal. Two years
ago the reclamation of the tule lands
though begun, advanced slowly, and ar
guments were required to convince men
that tule land was a safe investment.
But this year 1873 eight hundred
miles of levee viii be completed, and
thousands of acres will bear wheat next
harvest which were overlooked eighteen
months ago."
Our limited space does not permit
extended citations from this very in
teresting and instructive volume. In
the Agricultural department of the
UNION AND AMERICAN the reader
may look for many useful facts derived
from this source, relating to the art of
keeping out water flowing in rivers and
other streams, by embankments; i'm
proving land by extensive irrigation.
and raising wheat on the most un-
promising sw;rmps by their economical
drainage. The wheat harvest of Cali
fornia and Oregon this year viii be
something extraordinary.
Mr.. Nordhof gives no scientific ex-
plantations, but states in plain words
many remarkable facts relating to the
Sandwich Islands and our Pacific
States. Two years ago, he informs us,
the question whether California could
produce good raisins cound not be an
swered; but, last fail, raisins which
sold in the San Francisco market be-
side the best Malagas were cured by
several persons, and it is now certain
that this State can produce, and from
its poorest side-hill lands, raisins
enough to supply the whole Union.
The Chinese perform this labor, as well |
as that of constructing hundreds of |
miles of levees, canals for irrigation, |
and bitches for drainage. Without |
these workers California would be CON-
paratively weak and unproduetive.
Our author discourages wine max
ing because it fosters drunkenness.
On page 122 he remarks: 81 remem-
Der wine cellar cheaply built, but with |
substantial casks, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES |
the vineyard was badly placed-am mean |
thin, fiery wine; and on a pleasant sun
ny afternoon around these casks,a group
of tipsy men-hopeless, irredeemable |
beasts, with nothing much to do ex-
cept to encourage each other to another |
glass, and to wonder at the Eastern |
man who would not drink. There were |
two or three Indians staggering about |
the door; there was swearing and
filthy talk inside; and a little way
off there was house with |
womes and children in it. These |
lad only to look out of the door to |
see the miserable sight of husband,
father, friends, visitors and hired men
spending the afternoon in getting |
drunk
Mr.. Nordhoff furnishes evidence to
prove that the natives of the Sandwich |
Islands, when these gems Of the Pacific |
were discovered by Capt. Cook about a
century ago, were remarkable for their
longevity, strength of body and of
constitution. Sad to relate the white
mans vices have civilized I'VE will not
say christianized). four-ffths of their
numbers into untimely graves. Granl
that the Malay, the American Indian and
negro will be first exterminated, whose
turn comes next?
The labors of missionaries from New
England, converting and educating the
heather islanders, are warmly COM
mended. Their work, however, is too
closely united with deadly blight to
the Hawiians as nation, for any pal
pable separation in the natural mind.
Every tree is to be judged by its fruit.
Casuistry avails little where one vicious
race meets and destroys another race,
which may be a little lower, little
weaker, and little worse.
The volume is profusely illustrated
in the Harpers' admirable style, and
for sale by W. T. Berry & Co., of this