18 Transactions of the 



consequently liable to bear a portion of the expenses of the State Gov- 

 ernment, as well as any outlay for the encouragement of immigration to 

 settle up and bring additional wealth and capital into the State? 



If it be objected that these lands are not honestly or proportionally 

 assessed and taxed, this is another and separate question, and one that 

 may be remedied. Let the State remedy the objection, and see to it that 

 they are properly and proportionally assessed and compelled to pay 

 taxes on every dollar of their "full cash value," the same as other 

 property. Nor should their owners complain at this, or even at a pro- 

 portionally high assessment and taxation, while a portion of the funds 

 realized from such taxation is appropriated to encourage immigration, 

 and thus bring to them a greater than an equal share of the benefits of 

 such immigration by furnishing them customers for their lands and 

 enhancing their value. It is true that these lands are held at higher 

 rates than Government lands in other States, and that it will cost immi- 

 grants more to obtain lands here than where they can buy at the Govern- 

 ment prices. But we would remind the intelligent immigrant that the 

 lowest priced article, even in land, is not always the cheapest. The 

 agricultural lands of California, as a general thing, are all ready for the 

 plow. No clearing of heavy timber is required, no obstruction whatever 

 to immediate cultivation is presented. And, as we have shown, Califor- 

 nia is one of the most favorable countries in the world for the poor 

 farmer to get a start in. We have proved by official statistics that the 

 average product of all the land under cultivation in eighteen hundred 

 and seventy, a year of drought, brought to the producers the handsome 

 sum of twenty-three dollars and ten cents per acre. Well may we ask, 

 where can the industrious immigrant, rich or poor, do better? Where 

 can he do half as well? There is no difficulty here in obtaining an}' 

 quantity of land on most favorable terms as to time. With the proceeds 

 of the first crop produced and sold within a year from the time of pur- 

 chase, many a man has paid for his farm and bought as much more land, 

 or built a comfortable farm house and barn; and the opportunities for 

 doing just as well by any enterprising farmer are almost without num- 

 ber in all portions of the State. It is true that a considerable portion of 

 the lands now for sale at very low rates, say two dollars per acre, are 

 not considered of the best quality for the production of cereals, but are 

 well adapted to vineyards, silk and fruit culture of all kinds, and when 

 brought under cultivation in these specialties, never fail of a crop. In 

 this connection we will state it as a historical fact, that since the first 

 introduction of the vine into the State, at the first settlement of our old 

 Missions, there never has been a failure in the grape crop, nor has the 

 fruit crop ever failed in the State. These very lands that can now be 

 had at two dollars per acre will return a greater profit to the skillful 

 and economical manager than lands in France or Italy, or other Eu- 

 ropean countries, or in any of the Atlantic States, held at from one 

 hundred dollars to three hundred dollars per acre, if devoted to wine, 

 silk, raisin, or general fruit and nut culture. 



It is also equally true that much of this land that can be had at from 

 five to ten dollars per acre is equally as valuable for the production of 

 the cereals as lands now under cultivation in these grains, and from 

 which the owners realized this season from thirty dollars to forty 

 dollars per acre. Again, there are already railroads projected and being- 

 built through almost every section of the State in which any of 

 these lands are located, so that markets for everything produced will 

 soon be or are now within easy distance. General plans for irrigation 



