No. 129.] 433 



less impregnated with gold of every conceivable form and size, 

 from dust up to lumps weighing 30 pounds. 



But let us cast our eyes around this hall, and what do we 

 see — even from this hasty collection and casual contribution — an 

 agricultural, botanical, geological, mineral, and floral exhibition, 

 embracing nearly 1000 varieties of pressed flowers, of every hue, 

 and of surpassing brilliancy, nearly 200 varieties of which are 

 illustrated by truthful and beautiful drawings ; seeds of more 

 than 300 varieties of native flowers ; 20 varieties of lily and other 

 bulbous roots, embracing the remarkable soap plant, rivalling 

 the finest boast of the toilet, and adding to it healing qualities, 

 as if provided by nature for the double purpose of sanitary and 

 abluent properties for the native sons of the forest ; specimens of 

 1000 varieties of the principal quartz and soils of the State; about 

 20 varieties of the principal grapes and clovers, many of the spe- 

 cimens pressed, embracing the burr clover, that feeds to fatness 

 " the cattle of a thousand hills," when all other sustenance is 

 parched and withered ; Shelton's mammoth clover, whose stalks 

 from one root covered an area of 81 square feet, some of the 

 stalks six feet long, a half inch in diameter, and the clover head 

 five inches in circumference ; single stalks of the white lily pro- 

 ducing 100 flowers of indescribable delicacy and beauty ; beauti- 

 ful specimens of minerals and pressed flowers from H. Prattea, 

 Esq., of Nevada; stalks of the oat, gathered by Mr. Shelton, 13 

 feet high; specimens of wheat and barley, having 150 and 200 

 mammoth stalks springing from one root, the produce of a single 

 seed ; the red sugar beet, grown by Mr. L. M. Eeard, of San Jose, 

 28 inches in circumference, and weighing 47 lbs ; some from the 

 luxuriant gardens of Alderman Green, of this city, of only two 

 months' growth, weighing 6 and 7 lbs ; cucumbers raised by the 

 same, 18 inches in length; onions cultivated by Messrs Smith 

 k Broden, and contributed by Messrs Chamberlain & Musses, 5, 

 6 and 7 inches in diameter, and weighing 3 and 4 lbs each, nearly 

 70,000 lbs to an acre, and the whole number from the acre sup- 

 posed to average 1 lb each; potatoes, from H. Speel, of Santa 

 Cruz, 120 lbs from 5 vines of a single hill ; one from Mr. B. J. 

 Stevens, of Santa Clara, 13 inches in length, 27 in circumference, 

 and weighing 7i lbs ; the Russian bald barley, grown by Mr. 

 [Assembly No. 129.] 28 



