CALIFORNIA. 169 



standard price for the former is two dollars, while the latter is worth 

 one dollar and fifty cents the arroba. A few beaver skins are obtained, 

 which do not exceed two thousand, and are valued at two dollars 

 apiece. From four to five hundred sea-otter skins are brought in 

 by the American hunters, which are valued at thirty dollars each. 

 Wheat has been exported to the Russian posts, to the amount of 

 twelve thousand bushels, of which the average price is about fifty 

 cents a bushel. Of late, however, it has risen to two dollars and 

 fifty cents, in consequence of the great drought that has prevailed. 

 Among the exports may be also enumerated about three thousand 

 elk and deer skins, which are valued at from fifty cents to a dollar 

 each. The whole merchantable products may be estimated at less 

 than a million of dollars. 



The yield of wheat is remarkable, and in some places, where the 

 land is well situated, very large returns are received. Mr. Spears, of 

 Yerba Buena, informed me that he had delivered to an active Ameri- 

 can farmer thirty bushels of wheat for seed, at a time when it was 

 difficult to procure it, under an agreement that he should have the 

 refusal of the crop at the market price. In the July following, he 

 delivered him three thousand bushels, and on its delivery, he found 

 that the farmer had reserved six hundred bushels for himself; and 

 this, without estimating the loss from bad reaping and treading out 

 with horses, would give one hundred and twenty for one. This is 

 not considered a fair criterion or average, as the land was remarkable 

 for its richness and was well attended to; but Mr. Spears and several 

 others assured me that the average would be as high as eighty 

 bushels yielded for one planted. 



Indian corn yields well, as also potatoes, beans, and peas. The 

 cultivation of vegetables is increasing rapidly, and supplies in these 

 latter articles may be had in abundance and of the finest quality. 



The country appears to be well adapted for grapes. Those that 

 have been tried at the missions yield most abundantly ; and about 

 two hundred casks, each of eighteen gallons, of brandy, and the 

 same quantity of wine, are made. The cultivation of the grape 

 increases yearly, but is not sufficient for the supply of the country, 

 as large quantities of foreign wines and liquors are imported, which 

 pay an enormous duty; and although California may not boast of its 

 dense population, every intelligent person I met with agreed that it 

 consumed more spirits in proportion than any other part of the 

 world. Brandy sells for sixty to seventy dollai's the cask, or four 



vol. v. 43 



