CONCLUSION. 439 



The natural scenery of California is varied and grand. The 

 Yosemite Valley is a chasm ten miles long, a mile wide, and 

 three thousand feet deep, in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, 

 without its equal in the world for sublime and picturesque 

 scenery. It has a dozen great cascades, the highest of which 

 has a fall of thirteen hundred feet. The Mammoth Trees 

 are the largest growths of the vegetable kingdom. There 

 are likewise in the State mud-volcanoes, natural bridges, 

 many caves, and numerous hot and mineral springs, some of 

 which throw out great columns of steam. The Californian 

 Alps have a hundred peaks that rise to an elevation of more 

 than 10,000 feet, and contain much scenery equaling, if not 

 surpassing, any in Switzerland. Mt. Shasta is grandest of 

 all the high, snow-covered volcanic peaks conveniently acces- 

 sible to travel ; and it has a great glacier. The view from 

 Mt. Diablo is unparalleled for the richness and beauty of the 

 country distinctly visible. 



The animals and plants of California are peculiar to our 

 coast. The finest group of coniferous trees in the world is 

 that of this State. The mammoth tree, the redwood, the 

 sugar-pine, the red fir, the yellow fir, and the arbor vitce, all 

 reach the wonderful height of three hundred feet ; the mam- 

 moth tree grows to be thirty feet in diameter, the redwood 

 twenty, and the others from eight to twelve. 



The grizzly bear is the largest and strongest indigenous 

 animal of the continent ; and the Californian vulture is, next 

 to the condor, the largest bird that flies. The sea near our 

 coast teems with halibut, turbot, mackerel, herring, sardines, 

 anchovies, and smelts ; while sturgeon and salmon are abun- 

 dant in our rivers. 



Farmers in California have many advantages over men of 

 the same occupation in other parts of the United States. The 

 winter is never so cold as to interrupt their work, and there 

 are no storms of rain and hail to destroy their grain and ruin 

 their hay. They need no barns. Barley thrives better than 



