46 [APPENDIX 



standing the meagre appearance it presents prior to tillage, and will in 

 a few yeaTs be as successfully and largely cultivated as any other of the 

 valley sections. The saline lands of the interior sections are also of the 

 same character, to a certain extent, and if properly tilled are equally 

 productive. Near ' the rancho San Felipe, Santa Clara County, a simi 

 lar circumstance was met with ; the corn grown upon these lands was 

 being harvested in September and produced* a full and well-formed ear, 

 proving not only adaptation of soil, but' climate' for the production of 

 this staple in California. The latter case, the lands were 225 feet above 

 the sea> and the field on ever}' side except the south-east was covered 

 with a thick growth of the salt grasses and other kindred plants (sam 

 phire) and when free from water the lands were covered with a saline 

 incrustation. 



Under a proper course of treatment these lands will be made availa 

 ble for the purposes of the agriculturalist, and bur already large do 

 main of arable lands thus much increased. The situation of these lands 

 in the interior is such, that they may be easily reclaimed should they 

 ever fall within the jurisdiction of the State, which undoubtedly they 

 will under the law regulating "saline lands." In the counties of San 

 Francisco, Santa Clara and Alameda the wet land that may be made 

 available by drainage is about seventy square miles, exclusive of the 

 " saline lands " at the southern part of the County of Santa Clara. 



Most of the valley sections of this range of country is arable land, 

 and that which' is not can easily be made so when required ; the agents 

 for bringing this about being found in the adjoining hills to the east. 

 The character of -the soil and climate adapts it to all the productions of 

 temperate climates, and where local position modified the climate of any 

 section, it is found capable of producing plants of the tropical latitudes. 



The extreme south-eastern part of this valley would be adapted to 

 the growth of foreign fruits and other products, but it must be beyond 

 the influence of the cold sea- wind that passes inland across the range of 

 lower hills which divide the Salinas, Pajaro, and Santa Clara Valleys, 

 the effect of which would be to blight the fruit, though the plant or 

 tree might continue to thrive. 



The low hills that flank the east side of the valley contain all the ele 

 ments required for the culture of tropical plants and fruits ; the climate 

 and soil will be found adapted, and the only agent that appears in the 

 least to be wanting is water sufficient to supply the demands of those 

 plants. From the appearance of small lagoons and rivulets at different 

 elevations it is presumable that a sufficient quantity of this agent may 

 be found a short distance below the surface. 



As a ,geiieral rule the mountains lying upon ,the east border of the 

 vsdey Santa Clara are covered with a soil superior to that of the plains, 

 and of much greater depth. I have measured the depths of these soils 

 in many places, and where it is well developed have found it varying 

 from four to eleven feet for miles continuous; its extreme fertility pro 

 duces heavy crops of the native grains and grasses which annually con 

 tribute to its increase by their decomposition. 



Although these lands 'are situated within the reach of the sea-breeze 

 from the Bay of San Francisco, they are protected from its cold by the 



