224 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



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[The following Report was awarded the first premium of fifty dollars.] 



MONTEREY COUNTY. 



W. P. McGarvey County Assessor. 



Assessor's Office, \ 



Monterey, Sept. 12, 1865. j 

 J. r. IIoag, Esq., 



Secretatary State Board of Agriculture, Sacramento : 



Sir: — In accordance Avith the request of tlie State Board of Agricul- 

 ture, expressed in your circular of February seventh last, I herewith 

 forward to ^'ou the agricultural statistics of this county, with an csti- 

 niate of the various products for the ])resent year, collected by me \vhen 

 engaged in the performance of my official duties. 



Aware of the value of a correct report on such an important subject, 

 tending to convey useful information and be beneticial to the Stale at 

 large, 1 have used all diligence in collecting every information I believed 

 necessai'y, and have devoted thereto so much of my time as the duties 

 of my otfice did permit, in order to make a return as near coi'rect and 

 reliable as possible. Likewise aware that ni}" limited knowledge of agri- 

 culture did not enable me — using m}' own judgment — to render much 

 service to the society in the accom])!ishment of tiie desired object, I 

 have, in all instances of estimates of products, referred to the judgment 

 of persons most qualified in the matter. 



Tills count}' cannot furnish an interesting report on agriculture. By 

 comparing its su-perficial area to the small portion of land under actual 

 cultivation, it will readily be seen that .Monterey is not an agricultural 

 county, and by its geological nature it is precluded from becoming so. 

 All the arable land not yet inclosed does not amount to twelve thousand 

 acres; besides, a great portion of land alreadj' under fence would not be 

 useful for tilling, and is valueless except for pasture. Outside of the 

 Pajaro Valley, part of the Salinas Valley, a small tract in Carmelo Val- 

 ley, and some isolated spots of small extent, the whole ma}^ be called 

 U'razMiii' land. '^I'hree chains of mountains, runnninof north and south 

 nearly through the whole of the county, leave but narrow stri])s of land 

 Hi for profitable cultivation, although for grazing ])urposes this county 

 is perhaps unequalled by any in the State; hence most attention is paid 

 by its inhabitants to stockraising. My returns will, therefore, be very 

 unimportant as com])ared with those of some other counties, who, ])0S- 

 se-sed of great agricultural resources, ai"c daily making valuable discov- 

 eries and impi'Ovements in all bi'anches of husbandry, the knowlege 

 whereof imparted to the man}-, through the projjcr channels, is jiroduc- 

 tive of i'eal benefits; and although I have cheerfully undertaken to com- 

 ply with your request in giving you all the infoi'ination within m_y reach, 

 I know how deficient of interest the same must unavoidabl}' be for want 

 of material. To m}- said statistical returns 1 will adtl a tew remarks and 

 observations on the resources of this county. 



CROPS. 



Last 3'ear, the country had a most desolate aspect, owing to the 

 drought; the crops, with few exceptions, proved a complete failure; 

 much land remained without ploughitig, for want of sufficient moisture. 



