XX KEPORT. 



the information -would be credited, newspapers wonld refer to it, 

 and, with the aid of the reports of our " State Agricultural Soci- 

 ety" (which I was fortunate enough to possess), these authorized 

 statements would be authenticated by the enumerated premiums 

 and descriptions from visiting committees. It excited surprise 

 that a State so young and so isolated should have already such 

 wealth of agriculture and horticulture as I proved ; and this sur- 

 prise among Europeans is not so wonderful, as California was there 

 known principally for its gold. Even our Eastern brethren were 

 astonished when I showed from our reports the extraordinary 

 productiveness of our soil and the salubrity of .our climate. The 

 appropriations made by the Legislature for the printing of the 

 proceedings of the " State Agricultural Society" have, and will 

 continue to bring back many times their amount. It would be 

 well to distribute these evidences of our resources in such a man- 

 ner as would reach more directly the people in the East and in 

 Europe. Books sent to other agricultural societies generallj^ fail 

 to reach the public, being mostly retained in their libraries ; but 

 if they were sent to the editors of prominent newspapers, they 

 would receive a much wider circulation. 



I have purchased in different parts of Europe 100,000 vines, 

 embracing about 1400 varieties ; small lots of choice almonds, 

 olives, oranges, lemons, ligs, pomegranates, and Italian chestnuts 

 — enough to propagate from by grafts. The majority of the 

 grape-vines I have engaged I have seen bearing. From those 

 countries which I was unable to visit I ordered, through our con- 

 suls (to whom I remitted the necessary funds), such products as I 

 thought necessary, and I have no doubt they will be forwarded 

 in time to be dispatched from Havre with the others. My con- 

 tracts were made, in all j^laces, in presence of the United States 

 consul, leaving the money with him to be paid when the vines, 

 etc., were delivered, and instructing the consuls to send them, so 

 as to arrive in Havre on or a few days before the 1st of December, 

 1861. A gardener whom I employed will attend to their proper 

 shipment, take charge of them on the voyage, and repack them in 

 New York, where arrangements have been made with Wells, Far- 

 go, & Co., for their farther transportation to San Francisco, under 

 the care and supervision of the gardener. All necessary precau- 

 tions have been taken, and I am confident they will arrive in the 

 very best order. They are expected to reach San Francisco by 

 the steamer due on the 23d of January, 1862. As I do not know 



