126 Ex. Doc. No. 41. ' - 



1 to 20 or 30 miles. The surface covered \rith vegetation, thougt 

 small is difficult to estimate; and perhaps it is unimportant that 

 an estimate should be made, since the productiveness of these re- 

 gions depends on other considerations than smoothness of surface, 

 ' and chafacter of soil. The rains cannot be relied upon, and the 

 tiller of the earth depends upon irrigation from the mountain 

 streams for his crops. The extent of ground, capable of Ullage, 

 is thus reduced to very narrow limits, easy of computation. A 

 knowledtre of the water courses, their fall, volume and extent, and 

 the quantity of lands on their margin, within the level of these 

 waters, are the data upon which the computation must be based. 



Taking this as a guide, an inspection of the accompanpng map 

 will sive a general idea of the extent of arable ground, sufficiently 

 correct for all practical purposes; but, in candor it should be said, 

 that many streams laid down in it disappear in the sand, while the 

 Tockv cliffs, forming the banks of others, render irrigation im- 

 practicable. The scale upon which the map is projected is too small 



to represent these accidents of the ground. a . nf the 



Where irrigation can be had in this country, the produce of the 



soil is abundant beyond description. All the grains and fruits of 



the temperate zones, and many of those of the tropical, flounsh 



'Xlcendbg from the heights of San Barnardo to the Pacific, o^e 

 meets every degree of temperature. Near the coast, the winds 

 prevailfng7rom tL southwest in winter, and from the" northwest m 

 summer, produce a great uniformity of temperature, and the clunate 

 nXps unsurpasled in salubrity. With the exception of a jerj 

 feJ casefof ague and fever of a mild type, sickness is unknown. 

 The season of the year at which we visited the country was.^n 

 favorable to'obtainin J a knowledge of its botany. The vegetation 

 mistly deciduous, had gone to decay,_and no flowers nor seeds ^ere 

 ToUec^ted. The 'country generally, is entirely destitute o trees_ 

 Along the principal range of mountains are a few live o^^^^l^^ 

 moref and pine; now and then, but very rarely, the sycamore an^^ 

 cotton wood occur in the champaign country, immediately oa 



margins of the streams. , , ,j^ -e 



Wild oats every where cover the surface of the hills, and th ^ 



^^ith the wild mustard and carrots, furnish good pasturage to 



.immense herds of cattle, which form the staple ^f Cahfornia 



Of the many fruits capable of being produced ^^^h succesy 



culture and irrigation, the grape is perhaps that which is Dro g 



nearest to perfection. «„ mi nee the 



Men experienced in growing it, and Europeans, pronounce 



soil and climate of this portion of California, unequalled lor 

 ' nnalitv of the grape and the wine expressed from it. , 



*^W? sailed Li San Diego on the 25th of January, and coaste^^ 

 along the rocky 'and barren shores of Lower California. -Jfl ^^ 

 formation in reference to this country, which it was m ray P^^; 

 obtain, is not so precise as that which might be derived from an ac . 

 tual survey, and I have therefore embodied it in the appendix. 

 I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your^, ^^q^X. 



