52 [ 



assumed the solid state, as no instance of change in the structure of any 

 of these rocks is. apparent at the points of contact. The under-lying 

 rock is primitive and of the granite class, and this continues for eight 

 een miles north of Santa Cruz. In this valley and also in the vicinity 

 of Santa Cruz the soils are made up of a mixture of the primitive and 

 sedimentary formations, thus rendering them fertile and easily tilled. In 

 the lower lands the soils are much better developed, yet the hilly lands 

 are capable of producing abundant root crops and grains. The cause 

 that 'render these hill-sides adapted to agriculture is the same as that 

 found on the high terrace of the Santa Clara, viz.: a quantity of sulphate 

 of lime acting as an absorbent, and retaining sufficient moisture to sup 

 port a healthy nutrition in the plant. 



The entire range of hills lying between the Pajaro and south part of 

 the Santa Clara, and also a large portion of that range between the Sa 

 linas and Pajaro are well adapted to cropping, particularly for winter 

 grains, and in some instances they are preferable to the valley lands, 

 and would, if brought under cultivation, produce better crops than the 

 plains ; they are also much/ better adapted to the culture of fruit-trees 

 than valley sections, possessing all the elements of which the valleys are 

 composed, and which render them fertile, they possess the advantage of 

 sheltering the young tree from the effects of the strong winds that pass 

 over these sections from the sea, and also its chilling effects on the young 

 blossoms and fruit. 



There is no part of this State that I have visited, which possesses the 

 same natural advantages for fruit culture as are to be found in the dis 

 trict above alluded to ; while artificial irrigation is necessary in other 

 parts of the State, in order to sustain the vitality of the tree ; this is fur 

 nished regularly each night by aqueous exhalation from .the ocean, and 

 extending some thirty miles into the interior ; during the months of 

 July and August, last summer, an opportunity to observe this part was 

 offered, and I found that over this entire section a sufficient amount of 

 moisture was deposited each night to wet the leaves of plants very sen 

 sibly, and during the heavier fogs, a quantity sufficient to keep the 

 ground wet under medium sized trees until near mid-day ; a person en 

 tering this section of country in the morning would suppose from the 

 appearance of the ground that a light rain had occurred during the 

 night, and it was not unfrequent that I was obliged to dry my blankets 

 in the morning previous to saddling my horse. 



The soil is equally Adapted to their propagation being of texture that 

 will permit the expansion of the roots oelow the surface without the ne 

 cessity of sinking deep into the earth, as is the case in many parts o fthe 

 country, where even the most hardy indigenous trees are found to send 

 their roots to great depths in order to obtain nourishment and support 

 for the trunk. It is surprising that with the advantages presented for 

 the cultivation of American fruit-trees in this section of the State, that 

 so little attention has been given to this subject in this vicinity; heavy 

 losses have been sustained by individuals in attempting to rear trees in 

 many parts of the country, and this has, in a great measure, prevented 

 others from embarking in this enterprize ; but in most of those cases 

 where failures have followed the attempt, it has been from a soil ill- 



