Year: 1866

A few wears ago agricultural writers spoke of the
soil of California as being thin and easily exhausted
IL was stated that the wheat crop had rapidly
decreased owing to the want of heat in the soil
and to poor farming. We understood that nothing
could be raised there without irrigation, aud that
neither pork or beef would take salt. More than this
it was country without natural grass, except q
species of burr clover which only thrved In the wet
season. Flax, hemp. and cotton promised well, but
when the wet season came the glue in their stalks was
dissolved. aud they sunk into jelly.


Now We are hearing different accounts. The wheat
crop this year is as good in the early days The
new process of sailing meat, recently discovered ID
Buffalo, will give the CalifonanS provisions IT has
been discovered that fax, if Sown early, so that 1t
can be harvested O month in advance Of the usual
time will be profitable crop, and we presume tho
same is the case with hemp. 1t strue that California
ia not so favorable TO grass "a the New-England
States; but we hear Of darymen with many COWS
making money and, in short, that the soil produces
every variety of grass with moro or less luxurance'
The State in its capacities for frutgrowing IS con
ceded TO excel any other aud for silk culture it is
unriysed. One thing about California certainly is
refreshing One can live there far cheaper than III
the States and on q great variety of good iood'
This should be great indictment to immigrants Tor
there are plenty of men here who pay as much to sup
port their families year as would buy good farm IN
California.


Recently, we learn that lake of boTax has been
discovered in California, and that it is producing
largely All the boraI hitherto used in the world has
been obtained from lake in Thibet. in Asia (Which
is in the hands of an English monopoly, and some'
though not much, from Northern Italy The last
California Farmer also speaks of the successful culture
of the orange The tree requires only slight protec'
ton of canvas or loose boards and it yields remark
ably fine fruit.


But another fruit recently introduced or at least
brought to notice. is justly attracting great attention.
and such is its Importance that it is of the greatest
interest 10 the mining region territory nearly as
vast as the whole of Europe We refer to the olve'
1t has been proved beyond doubt that the olive -four
ishes in South California. When, in the course Of
destiny, we acquire the territory south of II, we shall
have large region every way fit for its cultivation
For several years it has been that it will be inn
possible to supply even the majority of our people
with butter or other dairy products. The only sub
stitute is the olive and il is universally used by the
people of all warm climates. When the olive shal
be cultivated on the Pacific slope, the mountain and
mining regions can be supplied with pure olive OIL
which viii take the place not only of butter but o
lard. Housekeepers well know how largely these
items enter into their supplies.


We have spoken of the cultivation OF the olive
before. Let the people Of the Gulf States emu
late the enterprise of the Yankee Caliiomsns' who
after getting familiar with their strange land, are
making the soil as valuable as their gold