148 THE CALIFORNIA 



larity that insures to us in the future good crops, and 

 no loss or failure to be apprehended ; all those living in 

 California can see that this is the truth. 



Fourth The climate that is so favorable to silkworms 

 is also, in the same proportion, as favorable to the 

 growth of the mulberry tree ; and this is very important, 

 because we cannot expect to raise silk without the mul- 

 berry tree, for it is the foundation of that culture ; and 

 the more we grow the more silk we can raise. The 

 mulberry tree grows almost everywhere in California, 

 but when it happens to be in the soil that suits it best 

 its growth is extraordinary ;- there is no other tree to 

 compare with it : you can hardly believe when you see 

 it. The bottom lands of the Sacramento Valley are 

 about the best that I know of for the mulberry to grow 

 rapidly. Our valley has some favorable spots also, and 

 I started a few weeks ago to see two mulberry trees 

 that I heard of, and was very much surprised at finding 

 them so large ; being, I suppose, the largest in the 

 State. The proprietor assured me that he planted them 

 only about seven years ago. This is also a positive 

 evidence that in the growing of mulberry trees we sur- 

 pass all other countries. 



Fifth In the silk countries referred to above, the 

 land has been cultivated so many years that it is ex- 

 hausted. They have to buy manure, which sells there 

 very high ; they have then to cart it, and sometimes from 

 a great distance ; they have the work of spreading it on 

 the ground and putting it in ; and the labor ; and the 



