Year: 1859

The following remarks are made on this
interesting subject by the San Andreas Inde-
pendent


1t is often the case that parties interested
in recommending any scheme exercise them
selves to make it appear that no view is right
except that which they favor. The result, in
too many instances, is an entire absence of
anything like fair exposition of the real
merits of the subject upon which they treat.
Whether it is political, rural or domestic econ
omy, rash manner of plunging into this or
that side of the question, is more apt to arouse
the pugnacity Of debatants than to elicit
truth or information Among all the pur.
suits bearing important interests to the hu-
man family, agriculture is the chief Wher
ever an empire begins to grow, its strength
increases in proportion with the esteem in
which agriculture is held and the attention
it receives


While differences of opinion exist as to the
best manner of planting either tree or an
artehoke or digging up beet or parsnep,
there can be, We think, but one opinion in re.
gard to the eventual greatness and extent of
agricultural resources in California. Our re-
sources are only beginning to be probed and
to attract attention. A fair development of
them will excite the wonder of the world, to
still greater extent than her gold mines
Whatever the amount of the knowledge of
agricultural science may be in possession of
our people, is a question for time to unfold !;
but were that knowledge even very limited,
land we do not believe it is) the climate is
so genial and accommodating, that success
will attend the efforts of industry aided by
the skill almost anywhere within the limits
of the State


Viewed in all its details, there is no sub
ject at once SO importantly connected with
our interests and upon which so great a di.
versity Of opinion exists. We, in the noun
tains, are in sense, rdculed by the Solons
of the strictly agricultural counties, when We
advance the opinion that We have prospec
tive chance to equal, if not excel them in the
production of vines and fruits Let us be
liberal towards one another Even allowing
that we can raise sufficient for our own con.
sumption, when our territory shall attain five
times its present population this happy cir
cumstance would not in the least interfere
with our valley neighbors or detract from
.he Importance of their occupation. Not
only as to fruits and the vine do We believe
ourselves eqGal to what we have set forth,
but the great body Of land, whether on hill
side or valley is found to produce fair crops of
cereals


In grape-gro owing though what has been
done is but an experiment towards what is
yet in contemplation, we have succeeded in
an unexampled degree. 1t was recently stated
in an otherwise well written view of the ag-
ricultural capabilities of California, publish
ed in first class San Francisco paper, that
the county of Calaveras contains but 24.OOO
grape vines. What will that gentleman think
of his statistics when informed in the gardens
and vineyards of Murphys camp alone, there
are more than haf as many vines as he has
assigned to the whole county? it will be
safe to put the figure at four times the mum.
Der estimated by that journal: and yet, it is
to be borne in mind that up to the present
season, our people have manifested no gener
alinterest on the subject


We are of opinion that more young fruit
trees and grape vines have been planted since
the middle of last mon h, in this county, than
in any two years previous.


We are glad to see so strong a tendency on
the part of the press, lately to encourage
and counsel those engaged in that pursuit,
which more than all others, is calculated to
make people permanent, prosperous and
happy.