AGRICULTURE AND SOILS OF CALIFORNIA. A491 
at an inordinate cost of money and labor, and sometimes of health. <As 
water for household purposes is almost universally kept under pressure 
from elevated tanks or water-works, the hose and lawn sprinkler are 
probably in more general use here than in any other country; and in- 
umerablie attacks of rheumatism and maiarious fever are traceable to 
their intemperate use, even to the injury of the coveted grass itself. But 
few attempts have as yet been made to find an acceptable substitute for 
the costly blue-grass lawn. Among those which promise best are the 
Italian rye grass, which remains green all summer without irrigation in 
the bay climate; and, with proper treatment, doubtless the Bermuda 
grass could also be used. In either case, fuliy six out of seven weekly 
sprinklings might be dispensed with. This rye grass (Loliwm Fialicum, 
multifiorum) has in some districts become so naturalized as to be cat for 
“volunteer hay,” while at other points it is regularly cultivated with ir- 
rigation, if needed. In the tule lands and other naturally or artificially 
irrigated regions, the soft meadow grass (Holcus lanatus), under the 
singularly inappropriate name of “mezquite,” as well as the orchard 
grass (Dactylis glomerata) have come into use for pasture as well as hay; 
but the latter is not found in market. So of the millets (Panieuwm Itali- 
cum, Germanicum), which are locally in use. Of late various species and 
varieties of sorghum are coming into favor; among these especially the 
Dhoura, or Egyptian corn, and the pearl millet (Penniciliara spicata). 
Other forage plants are under trial in various portions of the state; but 
thus far none can compare in importance with the cereal grasses and 
alfalfa. It is probable that hereafter some of the native grasses and 
clovers, now considered as weeds only, will be found profitable for 
culture. 
STOCK-BREEDING AND DAIRYING. 
Prior to the American occupation, the breeding of sheep, horses, and, 
to a less extent, of neat cattle, roaming in flocks over the extensive 
ranches, was the chief occupation of the inhabitants; and to a great 
extent the remnant of the original Spanish-Mexican population still 
clings to the old pursuit, which affords an easy livelihood, and permits of 
indulgence in that dolce far niente which seems to be impossible to the 
“Americanos,” however varied may be the nationalities that compose 
the population of the United States. It thus happens that even where 
the “ranch” and stock are owned by Americans, the herders are toa 
great extent still the native ‘“‘vaqueros,” who, mounted on their hardy 
mustangs, and with the old-time lasso (more properly ‘“‘lazo”), coiled 
around the horn of their high Mexican saddles, and rarely more than a 
rope to guide their steed, may be seen careering around the steep hill- 
sides with a disregard of all the ordinary precautions against the break- 
ing of necks that is quite straining to the nerves of novice lookers-on. 
As a mitter of fact, accidents very rarely happen to these wild riders; 
and their efficiency in keeping in bounds and “eorralling” the cattle in- 
trusted to their care, on the most rugged ground, is remarkable. It is 
but fair to say, however, that their practice has been quite successfully 
imitated by other nationalities, and that many a swarthy herdsman 
nowadays responds more promptly to the Saxon or Norse salutation 
than to that of the Mexiean-Spanish dialect. 
The purely pastoral method of stock-raising is, of course, gradually 
receding before the advance of agriculture proper to the more thinly 
setiled regions; maintaining itself, however, in some of the large ranches 
owned by parties declining to sell to small farmers. The obvious disad- 
vantage of being entirely at the mercy of the seasons, thus sometimes 
