No. 133.] U9 



. Mr. Sheltou : Wheat and barley grow there to the height ot six 

 to twelve feet, I measured a redwood tree, found it three hundred 

 feet in length, and at the ground fifty feet round. 



Mr. Dey : The grapes there reminded me of our best catawbas, 

 as to llavor. 



Rev. Mr. Fitch : They are not indigenous ; all have originally 

 been brought from Europe. 



Messrs. Dey and Shelton concur in this statement. 



Rev. Mr. Fitch : One general crop can be had in the period 

 from November to June, always, and several crops where irigation 

 can he had. 



Mr. Shelton: Wild oats cover in some places valleys and hills. 

 They grow from two feet to six feet high, and occasionally ten 

 feet. Men have tied the heads of these oats over their own heads, 

 while they were on horseback. It grows so thick in some places 

 that it is extremely difficult for horse or man to get through it. 



Mr. Dey : I have rode for miles through the wild oats, and 

 they were difficult to get through ; they were generally as high 

 as my saddle-lop. 



Rev. Mr. Fitch : The growth of wild mustard in the valley of 

 San Jose is extraordinary ; it was higher than my head as I sat 

 on horseback. One cannot get through it ; you must keep the 

 path beaten by the horses. The plant yields a great abundance 

 of seed of a dark color. I discovered that the caterpillars there 

 are almost all silkworms ; they feed on the leaves of the oak, 

 make cocoons about one-third the size of those of China and Ita- 

 ly, and the silk is of a cream color and very strong. I have no 

 doubt that if they had mulberry to feed on, they would make 

 cocoons as large as any silkworms do. The Chinese of California 

 say that the silk is finer than that of China. 



Mr. Sheltou : The Chinese there say that tea will flourish in 

 California. 



Rev. Mr. Fitch : California is a most admirable region for 

 sheep, which feed and fatten on the inexhaustibla fodder of the 



