38 



the seeds of its indigenous productions alone .scattered broadcast upon the plains 

 are capable of supplying- with nutriment ever 100,000 head of neat cattle and 

 20,000 head of horses, with sufficient to keep them in the best marketable con 

 dition for months without resort to other subsistence. The stock of these plains 

 at the present time, is not over twenty-live per centum of that which they prob 

 ably maintained some six or ten years since, and for which there was always an 

 abundant supply. Those only who arc familiar with this part of the State can 

 fully appreciate its productive capacities, and they can be realized only by vis 

 iting and subjecting its natural resources to the strictest scrutiny; this done, and 

 J have no fears but the above remarks will be fully endorsed by all who make 

 the investigation. 



The culture of grain upon these plains warrants the most sanguine anticipa 

 tions, and so far as the experiment has been made, the yield has been largely 

 above the average crops of the more northern districts, and should success at 

 tend the experiment of the introduction of water for irrigation, full thirty per 

 (cut of these plains may be applied to the rearing of cereal crops, and leave a 

 large margin still for pasturage. 



The advantages of water near or on the surface in this section of country is 

 manifested in the experimental crops of last year on the " Monte. " a few miles 

 east of the City. The corn crop of this locality, comprising about 1800 acres, was 

 immense in its yield as in the size of its stalks ; a large proportion of it was planted 

 late in the season, but notwithstanding this, the car was full-formed and well tilled 

 in the month of October, and the crop still in the silk. It was no uncommon cir 

 cumstance to find six full ears on one stalk, and the number of four was much more 

 frequent than any figure below it. I think that it may be safely estimated that the 

 Monte lauds will yield an average crop of sixty bushels to the acre. 



These facts are noticed more particularly as corroborative of what has been ad 

 vanced respecting the fertility of this line of plains, and with evidences such as 

 have been adduced on so grand a scale as a mere experiment, there seems but little 

 room left to doubt the high qualities for production which these lands will exhibit, 

 should they be tilled with judicious management. 



We conic now to the consideration of the exotic productions of this part of the 

 State. The position of the mountain chains which separate this part of the Stats 

 from the districts north of it, their trend and altitude are productive of far different 

 elimatal conditions from those noticable in any other portion of the- country. After 

 passing Point Conception upon the coast, or crossing the last ridge of the San Ber 

 nardino chain, in traveling from the north, the traveler is ushered into a widely dif 

 ferent climate from any with which he has before become acquainted. The atmos 

 phere is entirely divested of that harsh coldness which is found on the seaboard and 

 to some distance in the interior, and at the same time is unaccompanied with that 

 scorching heat incident to the plains and valleys situated among or lying to the east 

 of the ridges comprising the coast mountains or their spurs and ranges. From 

 these circumstances it will be seen that a different class of products would naturally 

 be found, and that exotics of a more southern nativity would flourish while their 

 destruction woYild be almost certain .beyond this chain. First among the exotic 

 growths of Los Angeles, is the sweet orange ; this tree is found to flourish well 

 without any artificial protection from the atmosphere, and attains the height of forty 

 feet, and in some cases even more than this ; its fruit is fully equal to any imported 

 article which has yet arrived in this country. The tree produces bountifully, and is 

 in fruit throughout the whole year. The fruit is generally large and plump, with 

 the pulp well tilled, there is not the slightest evidence of anvthing uncongenial con 

 nected with its appearance, it may be said truly to have become habituated to our 

 climate, or to have found in it the kindred qualities of its own tropical native home. 

 I have seen the young tree of two years from the seed producing full, well matured 

 fruit. During the palmy days of the old Missions, they were in the habit of culti- 



