G6 



€!)c JTavuKi's ittcaitl)!i) biriiior. 



" lie was the best dog lie evcj- saw."— A". K 

 Fitrmer. 



Upper Ciiliforiiia. 



The plimnte is ppi-[ietiial Spriiis, neither the 

 heat orSiimiiier nor tlio i-oKI of Winter is expe- 

 rieni t'd. It is as mild on the Pacific side in lat. 

 45 defirees N. as it is in lat. 35 dej^rees N. on the 

 Atlantic side. Tiie canse of tliis difference of 

 <din)atc in llic same laliinde J sn|i|iose to he the 

 prevailing winds from the North dnring the 

 Snnimcrj and. from the South dining liie Winter. 

 In fact the effect is so jireat, tliat in many places 

 on the coast it is warmer in the Winter tlian in 

 tlie sMmmer, even in lat. 37 and 38 degrees north. 

 Stiindin;.' water lias never heen known to freeze 

 thicker than coiiimoii window }}lass; running 

 water never freezes. No fiies are required in 

 sitting-rooms, otiices, or shops, at any season of 

 the year; consequently fuel is never required for 

 any other than culinary purposes. 



The "rainy season," as it is called, usually 

 commences nliotit the first of Novemher, and 

 continues unli! ahont the first of Fehruary, and 

 sometimes even until the first of lAiarch. During 

 this season there are I'requent sliovvers of rain : 

 the weather is alternately rainy and clear: prob- 

 ahly two thirds of the " rainy season" is raiuy 

 weather, the residue of which is pleasant and de- 

 lightful weather. Wheat is sown in the Fall 

 and (hiring the entire Winter, gardens are 

 made during the Winter, and many kinds ofveg- 

 etahles are to lie ohtaintd at an\ lime during the 

 Winter. There are several kinds of grain, of 

 which two crops can he ohraineil each year ; ma- 

 ny kinds of vegetables are planted and gathered 

 at any season of the year. As soon as the " rainy 

 "season" commences, vegetation puts forth anew, 

 and all naiure p<'ems to wear a new and most en- 

 liv( ning aspe<-t. Jn the monlhs of Decemlierand 

 January, vegetation is in full hinom. It may be 

 truly said of this connlry, that "December is as- 

 pleasant as May." Now the vast herds of lieasts, 

 wild and domestic, instead of roaming over fro- 

 zen and desolate hills, or fields of ice and snow 

 — driven by llie howling tempest tiom side to 

 side, or shivering the chilling cavern or /rozeu 

 stall, bellowing and howling (or protection against 

 Nature's hard fiile— are seen llnonghont this 

 lierbous and delisrhirnl reyioii in herrls innnme- 

 r.-ible, ranL'iiig pronnscuoiisly from river to river 

 and from bill lo liale, cr<'|iping the inexhaustible 

 and sporitaiieoiis vegcialion. and in the loudest 

 strains <d' natmal language, rejoicing in Nature's 

 happy decrees. 



I need not remark that, as n grazing country, 

 it cannot he surpassed ; the fads atxjve stated 

 clearly establish this. The whole country is lit- 

 erally covered with immense herds of cattle and 

 hor.-=es. The fartners have generally from 1,000 

 to 20,000 head of cattle, and usually as many 

 horses. Cattle are usually worth from ] to2dol- 

 lars per head, horses from two to ten dol- 

 lars per head. In many parts of the country, 

 any person who lias no catile, wishing to procure 

 beef, is at liberty to kill as many cattle as he 

 pleases, without regard to owners, provided he 

 delivers the liide to ihe owner. The ownership 

 is determined by the brand or mark which is 

 found upon (hem: if no brand or mark is found, 

 whatever proof may be oflered, it belongs, hide 

 ninl all. to him who killed it, and he cannot be 

 compelled (o compensate the owner. C.illle are 

 generally raised here merely for Ihe hi<les. In 

 riumeroiis instances, lljous.inds of ealde have 

 been killed merely for the hides. They are driv- 

 en latterly in great mimhers, lo Oregon; several 

 thousands were driven last Spring. Many Ihon- 

 eands of horses have, upon various occasions 

 been killed, because of the comid y beiii<; over- 

 stocked. Both the cattle and horses of ihisconn- 

 liy are of an excellent species. Sheep and hogs 

 are also raised in groat numbers in many parts 

 of the country; ihey produce their young twice 

 annually. 



The greatest abundance of game is found in 

 this country, especially the elk, deer, antelope, 

 bears, wolves, (ijxes, martins, beavers, nuiskrats, 

 seals and raccoons. In travelling through the 

 valleys of this country, I have (rcquendy seen 

 many thnusands ot elk at one view. The ante- 

 lopes are equally numerous. During ihe winter 

 season, ibe lays, rivers, niid even ihe wheat fields 

 and low lauds throughout (he whole country, are 

 literally covered with geese, ducks, and various 



other water fowls. Here they have congregated 

 from the whole Northern countiy,imd their croak- 

 ing, squeaking, and flapping of wings is -Incess- 

 ant, and in many places very annoying. 



There are various rivers of very considevalile 

 iinportauce in the country, the largest of which 

 is the Sacramento. It is probably navigable about 

 •300 miles without ob:^truclion, and may be ren- 

 dered navigable to a much greater extent, with a 

 very little expense. Of the others there are the 

 Russian river, and several others which may be 

 rendered navigable. All the rivers and bays of 

 this country abound with fish of the very best 

 kinds, among which are the salmon. There are 

 several kinds of the salmon, salmon (rout, s(ur- 

 gi'ou, cod, carp, sole, flounilers, herring and ray. 

 Shell fish are also (iiniid in great abundance, such 

 as clams, oysters and muscles. The oysters are 

 excellent kind. 



The commercial advantages of California are 

 not surpassed. The Bay of St. Francisco, tijr 

 extent of anchorage and security of harbor is 

 uni'aralleled. It has been well said, that iu that 

 Bay "all the navies of the world could ride in 

 perfect safety." Besides this, there are several 

 iiavB affording very commodious and safe an- 

 chorage, those fiir instance of .i\lonterey, St. Di- 

 ego and Bodei'o. At each of these bays, towns 

 have been commenced. Monterey is the seat of 

 Government. Verba Bneiui, near the entrance 

 of the Bay of St. Franeisi'o, is a flourishing little 

 town. At some point on that hay is destined to 

 he a great commercial ciiy. 



The population oi' Up' er California is aboiii 

 seven or eight thousand, about two thirds of 

 whom aie native fiidians; the other portion is 

 composed of Spaniards, or Mexicans, (as Ihey 

 call them.«elves) negroes, and mixinre of every 

 color, descriplion and grade. Witb the exeeptioii 

 of the foreigners, the whole populalion is in a 

 deplorable state of ignorance. The only knowl- 

 edge which they fiossess, civil, pol (ical, or religi- 

 ous, (hey derive from lh<! Romao Cailiolic cler- 

 gy, who are generally learned anil inlelliirenl.— 

 There are about four or five hunilred foreigners 

 iu California, who are now very well treated, wiih 

 a verv few exceptions. Formerly they were very 

 illy treated ; 30 or 40 of them were taken prison- 

 ers and sent in irons to the city of Mexico, w here 

 thev were leleased. This occurred in Ihe year 

 ISiO. The only pretence for this treatment v.::y 

 that ihe foreigners v\ei'e suspected of cnterlain- 

 iiig some revolnlioiiary designs. Some of (hem 

 have received reparaiion, oihers have nol. In ref- 

 erence t5 this mailer, our cilizens have lliere 

 considered themselves much neglected by our 

 Government. 



I am informed that there is some doidit enter- 

 tained by our citizens, in rettjrence to loreitners 

 being able to obt.iin lands in Cdiiliruia. All for- 

 eigners can obtain lands in that country by be- 

 coming cllizeu.". It is true that it is opiinnal 

 with ihe Government, to grant lands, or not, (o 

 aiiv person, whether foreigners or naiive horn 

 citizens; but there never has been .•ai iusiaiiee 

 as yet of a Ibreigner having been reflised lands 

 after having liecouie a cili/en. I applied lo the 

 Governor (or lanils ; he informed me that, upon 

 becoming a eilizen, I could oblaiii the tract of 

 land lor which 1 applied. The Governor (iuiher 

 remarked, that the Government was desirous to 

 liohl oiK every iiiduceiueni lo fiireiguers (o emi- 

 L'late to Calilornia, especially men offiimilies: 

 lliat all could obtain lands upon ber(uning citi- 

 zens. Objections ;ue nol made to fiueigiiers la- 

 king possession of whatever lands ihey prelir, 

 williont anv apphcaliou to ihe Governruent. All 

 of those who went lo Califiania with iiie are now 

 .settled iu that manner: they will eventually ap- 

 ply to the Governiiieiil. 



An order was issued by ihe Mexican Gnverii- 

 mi'iit wliii'h required the iiiiuiediate expulsion of 

 all Auierican born citizens Ironi California. The 

 Mexican Government ins sis that that order was 

 intended only to apply lo disorderly persons, ol 

 whatever nation. But whatever Ihe purport o( 

 the oivler may have been, it is now abro:;atpd. — 

 This will he seen by reference to ihe corresiion- 

 dence of our Minister in Mexico. 



In conclusion, I will remark that there is no 

 country in the \U)rld ihat offeis as flaiiering in- 

 dncenieiils lo emiiirauls as Fpper Califoi iii.i : 

 nor is there a country, in my opinion, on the face 

 of the gUdie, so eminently calculated by Naiure 



herself to promotethe prosperity and happiness 

 of civilized and enlightend man. 



A PIONEER. 



For the Farmer's flloiithly 'S'lsitor. 

 To my Ancestor. 

 Thomas Thatkr, ibe progenitor of a nuiner- 

 ons otispring, (of v\bom (he wri(er is one of the 

 latest desc-endanis) came to New England at an 

 inily [leiiod of iis settlement. He was admillcd 

 freeman in IG47, and lived on a farm in Brain- 

 tree, near the Mouotoquoi river, which has been 

 owned and occupied by his descendants to iho 

 present day. The above facts are taken from 

 Dr. Thayer's Book of Genealogies, who is aloO 

 descended Iroiii the .«ai(i Tno.M.iS. 

 A pilgrim le.Tves (.is native shore 

 To view the v;iricd Bcenes nf> more. 

 That clustered ruund Kis coitngc door, 

 la the old world. 



fie meekly bowed and kissed the rod j 

 Then in ihe strength of Israel'a God, 

 Steered IVir the Idiid by red men trod, 

 With Bails unfurled. 



Since then two hundred years have passed, 

 l^Jt nul the name — and now the Ijst 

 Jn that long line, by kindred classed. 

 Essays to sing. 



B.Tck through time's vista now I seem 

 To catch a view, as in a dream 

 or thee, where iiosiiie banners stream 

 And war-whoops nng. 



Worthy proijeiiitor ! thy praise, 

 A poor degenerate son would raise, 

 .And sing ol'thee, who lived in " days 

 That tried men's souls."' 



O. may we aU. thy virtues share 

 With equal sfrength life's ills to hear 

 \V'hile free froin sin's delusive snare, 

 Time onward roll^. 



Conld'st Ihou from death's cold slumbers start, 

 How would thy overflowing heart 

 Rejoice to view the crowded mart 

 By ocean laved. 



To see beneath I^ew England's skies, 

 Proud cities, towns and temples rise 

 Where wolves and owls poured forth their cries. 

 And forests waved I 



All things are changed ! the wigwam bl.ize 

 JXo longer meets the white man's g.izo ; 

 The council tire, that casts its rays 

 Along the coast 



Is all esluiguished — and the plough 

 Has broke the liirt', where thou did'st bow, 

 TSol in liie cushioned church, winch now 

 (■l:.-isl's followers boast. 



Rest, follower of our common Lord, 

 iNow giuie to reap thy great reward 

 J^ew Knghiiui's grateful sons accord 

 To thee and cU 



Ofthot seir-sacrifiring band 

 The tribute ofa grateful land, 

 On whose briglit page thy names shall stand 

 'Till itsliall ('all! 



Oh! when that name no more is heard 

 In this new world, by thee preferred 

 To cringing at a tyrant's word, 

 Where despots roainj 



Then mav we all untied meet 

 Where rolling waves shall never beat ; 

 From tvranny a sure retreat, 

 in raan's great IIOMK, 



Dcdkam, Jl/ass., JUarrh 18, I844-. 



C. T. 



Ashes as MAiXtjnE. — The value of ashes for 

 manme has not been duly apprecia(ed by fiirm- 

 ers generally in this sedioii. On Long Island, 

 as is well known, they are extensively n.sed and 

 highly valued. A'esselsare often sent from there 

 to the seaport towns along (he tasiern coast, for 

 ihe sole purpose o( procuring ashes ;jind many 

 cargos are annually carried away from Boslon 

 and adjacent towns. The leached a^'hes from 

 some of the soap-maunfaeloii.'s iu Roxhnry, we 

 are intormed, are usually sold lo the Long Inland 

 fanners. 1'liese facts should lead our fiirmers 

 who have light soils, lo ascerlain whelher lliey 

 might not reap equal benefit from the use of 

 ashes, as those elsewhere : and instead of per- 

 mitiing this valuable fertalizer lo l>c bought up, 

 as it were, at llieir very doors, and Iraiispnrled 

 to oilier sections, perhaps they would not lessen 

 their repiiliilioii for sagacily, nor do much detri- 

 iiieut lo thi'ir own iiiieresis, should they purchase 

 and use these ashes themselves. 



