482 surgeons' reports — California — northern district. 



Golil, silver, copper, platinum, iridium, quicksilver, petroleum, aud coal, are the principal 

 mineral productions. A quarry of marble has lately been opened near Benicia, in Solano County ; 

 also several quarries of a superior quality of granite and freestone in Sierra, Yuba. Sutter, Butte, 

 aud Solano Counties. 



The Shasta Butte stands about the center of this district, and is said to be the loftiest peak 

 in the United States. Its height is 14^,400 feet, being 1,000 feet higher than Mount Hood in Oregon, 

 which stands next in altitude. 



Before the acquisition of California by the United States, grazing was the staple business ; 

 since then more attention has been paid to the cultivation of the cereals, but the climate and indig- 

 enous productions of the country render it peculiarly adapted to herding. Already much has been 

 accomplished in the way of improvement of stock, and the choicest breeds of Europe aud the 

 Atlantic States have been imported and are uow bred from by our farmers. The Cashmere goat 

 has also recently been imported, and has thus far thriven finely. 



Meteorology of the district. — There can be no subject appertaining to the medical history of a 

 country of more interest than this, and I have it in my power to exhibit the results of a series of 

 observations extending through a period of five years. I believe them to be sufBciently accurate 

 to afford a just appreciation of the climatic features of this portion of the valley of the Sacramento. 



The observations quoted were made by Dr. Logan, at Sacramento City, forty miles south of 

 this place, on the easterly line of the district, and not far from the longitudinal center, and may be 

 regarded as a fair average for the valley portion of it. The results which have been obtained are 

 derived from three daily observations, made for the most part, under the system adopted by the 

 Smithsonian Institution, at 7 a. m., 2 p. m., and 9 p. ni., of each day. * * * 



The mean difference of successi\'e months above or below the annual average of five years, does 

 not amount to more than one-sixteenth of an inch. 



Between the highest mensal mean and the lowest, a fraction of over one-fifth of an inch is 

 found. The extreme range observed during the month is also limited. * * * 



The extreme annual range is also small. During 18o3 the maximum height of the barometer 

 occurred in November and December, and read 28.980; the extreme annual range being 1.4C0 

 inches. 



The maximum for the year VS5o reached 30.410. The lowest reading for the same year was 

 29.509 on the 19th September. The extreme annual range was, therefore, 1.050 inches. 



The extreme range for 1854 was only 0.850, and that of 1857 but 0.783 inch. 



During the rainy season the northerly winds always determine the greatest elevation, and the 

 southerly the greatest depression, of the mercurial column. 



The mean annual atmospheric pressure is put down at 30.006 inches. The diurnal mean, cal- 

 culated from the hourly observations, presents a result from which may be deduced the absolute 

 mean for each month. ■ 



Barometer. — The following table, from observations taken once a month during 1857, gives the 

 mean successive hourly range for the year. The signs + and — denote the range of each hour 

 above or below the mean of 24 hours. 



