2S4 From the Ohio to the Pacific. 



At last we reached the mammoth trees — those giants of the vegeta- 

 ble kingdom. The largest are from twenty-five to thirty-two feet in 

 diameter, and three hundred to three hundred and sixty feet high. 

 They are an evergreen {Seqtioia gigantea), with leaves like tlie cedar, 

 and wood of the same color, but without odor. The common Red- 

 wood of the counti-y, so much used in building, is the Sequoia semper- 

 vzrens — usually three to twelve feet in diameter. 



On the return of our several parties to San Francisco, we visited the 

 Mechanic's Fair — a very creditable exhibition. Many articles of furni- 

 niture, made from the native woods, were really beautiful, especially 

 those from the laurel. 



Here also we found the same profusion of fine fruits and vegetables 

 as we saw at Sacramento. The strawberries were of medium size, 

 and not high flavored. This berry may be had every month in the 

 year ; but the main season is April to July. There was a beautiful 

 display of flowers — some of them new to us. In the gardens of the 

 city, we saw fuchsias, geraniums, and other green-house plants east, 

 growing in large bushes, without protection, in winter, and also the 

 broom and the whin of Scotland. In the warm valleys of California, 

 we saw, in the same gardens, the lemon, orange, fig, olive, and pome- 

 granate growing with the apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, and quince 

 — the fruits of the semi-tropical with those of the temperate zone. 



We reached home in six days from Sacramento, — where we had 

 spent a day, — passing by daylight over the road we had travelled by 

 night going out, thus ending a delightful, exhilarating, and instructive 

 journey of six thousand miles, in thirty-three days, without fatigue. 



California is by far the best grape region in the United States, and 

 perhaps in the world. The pure air and equable climate prevent rot. 

 The vines are planted five by six and six by eight feet apart, and, with 

 but little cultivation, produce five hundred to one thousand gallons of 

 wine to the acre. I saw grapes selling at a cent a pound to the wine- 

 houses in Sacramento ; and twelve pounds made a gallon of wine. 

 Their fruit trees are planted closer together than with us, and trained 

 low, to prevent sun-scald of the bark. 



