33 



and oysters, and the woods in deer, turkeys, and wild cattle. The win- 

 ters are mild and pleasant. 



California fruit. — The aggregate value of fruit raised in California 

 during the year 1870, as reported by the San Francisco Bulletin, was 

 $2,371,012. The varieties included are apples, apricots, blackberries, 

 cherries, currants, figs, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, 

 raspberries, strawberries, quinces, oranges, lemons, limes, watermelons, 

 cantaloupes, aud citron. Total number of pounds, exclusive of oranges, 

 63,574,150. Number of oranges, 2,400,000. 



It is estimated that five hundred tons of California fruits have been 

 received in New York since the 1st of July last, all of which found 

 ready sale at remunerative prices. The principal fruit shipped is the 

 pear. A considerable quantity of grapes have been received, and a 

 notable instance of the effect of receiving fruit of this kind from Cali- 

 fornia is the low price at which imported Malaga grapes are offered in 

 the market compared with last season. 



Fruit in ALA:\rEDA County, California. — The following is reported 

 as the fruit crop of this county for 1870 : Apples, 2,400 boxes, 50 pounds 

 each ; apricots, 1,950 boxes, 35 pounds each; blackberries, 1,050 chests, 

 100 pounds each; cherries, 9,500 boxes, 35 pounds each ; currants, 2,250- 

 chests, 100 pounds each; figs, tons; grapes, 55 tons; peaches, 5,650' 

 boxes, 40 pounds each ; pears, 12,300 boxes, 00 pounds each ; plums, 

 5,150 boxes, 35 pounds each; prunes, 1,100 boxes, 35 pounds each ;• 

 raspberries, 300 chests, 100 pounds each ; strawberries, 100 chests, 100' 

 pounds each ; quinces, 50 boxes, 50 pounds each. 



In this county, also, the ramie i)lant has done extremely well, throw- 

 ing out an abundance of stalks. The roots planted were brought from 

 New Orleans. 



Palm leaves. — The steamship Crescent City lately took out 50 bales- 

 of palmetto leaves from New" Orleans to Liverpool, where, at the 

 present gold premium, they bring about 10^ cents per pound. These 

 leaves, whicli can be had for the mere gathering in the Florida and, 

 Louisiana forests, thus command almost the i^rice of low ordinary cotton.. 

 If there is any permanent demand for them in Europe it will be the basis 

 of a very profitable new industrv. This first consignment is worth about 

 $1,200, of which at least $1,000 is clear profit. The labor of gathering 

 these leaves could not have occupied a man more than 30 or 40 days. 



Extent of San Joaquin Yalley. — The area of this valley is stated 

 by the Stockton (California) Independent at 32,000 square miles, in 

 round numbers, divided about equally between the level valley, 12,000 

 square miles, and the low foot-hills, 4,000 square miles, on the one hand, 

 and the mountain slopes, 10,000 square miles, on the other hand. This 

 is equivalent to the combined areas of New Hampshire, Yermont, Massa- 

 chusetts, Ehode Island, and Connecticut. The population of the valley 

 is 05,470, while that of the States just named is 2,854,503. 



Grape sugar in Germany.— The journal of Applied Chemistry is 

 authority for the statement that there were in 1808 sixty establishments 

 for the manufacture of grape sugar in Germany. The product for that 

 year was 22,000,000 pounds of sirup, and 8,000,000 pounds of sugar.. 

 Since that time, other and more extensive factories have been estab- 

 lished, and the cultivation of potatoes for the purpose covers a large 

 extent of territory. The process of manufacture does not essentiaily 

 differ from that pursued in the United States. The great increase in the 

 wine growing districts of this country has occasioned an enlarged de- 

 mand for glucose, and the manufacture of this article appears destined' 

 3 



