AGRICULTURE. G37 
ness yielded so large a profit that a dozen men devoted them- 
selves to it exclusively, and some of them, who commenced 
five years ago with only three or four hives, now have com- 
fortable fortunes. The hives have increased so rapidly, how- 
ever, that they have fallen greatly in value, and are now worth 
from ten to thirty dollars each ; and honey, which is worth one 
dollar per pound, will come into the market. The honey made 
in the mountains is very similar in quality to that of the East- 
ern states; that made in the valleys is not so good. Many 
‘swarms have gone off and found homes for themselves in the 
woods, so it is not rare to find “ bee-trees.” Most of the bees 
in the Sacramento basin during 1861, were destroyed by the 
flood of 1862. 
§ 174. Silkworms.—A few silkworms have been hatched in 
California, and have been found to thrive extremely well, but 
the high price of labor has prevented any extensive experi- 
ment in the production of silk. Our climate is very favorable 
to them in three respects, equability of temperature, exemption 
from electrical convulsions, and dryness in summer. The silk- 
worms should be kept at a temperature of about 75° Fahren- 
heit, and this is very near the summer temperature of some of 
the valleys near the coast. Extreme heat and extreme cold 
are both very prejudicial to them. A considerable proportion of 
them will die if the thermometer falls to 45° or rises to 100°; 
thunderstorms kill a large portion of the worms every year 
in France, Italy, and China; in California such storms are un- 
known. In all the countries where silk is now produced ex- 
tensively, there are showers which wet the mulberry leaves, 
and this moisture gives a diarrhcea to the worms whereby 
many are killed. These are important advantages, and may 
enable us to compete soon with Europe and China in the pro- 
duction of silk. 
Notr.—I owe acknowledgments for information about grain to J. W. Os- 
born, of Napa; about fruit to A. A. Cohen, of Alameda; about the grape to 
Charles Kohler; about the orange to Jobn Frohling; and about the quality 
of wheat from different districts to Isaac Friedlander, of San Fiancisco. 
