86 
CALIFORNIA. 
are in some respects neglected, though lard 
enters largely into Californian cookery. 
For the purposes of the agriculturist the 
climate and soil of this region is well suited. 
Naturally fertile, and abundantly watered by 
navigable rivers, the germs of prosperity are 
surely present, though, like all other germs, 
they must be carefully tended, if they are to 
grow up to a mature and flourishing condition. 
The ipccidiarities of the climate must more- 
over be regarded. There is a dry season, 
and there is a rainy season. For field culture, 
the latter must be made the growing period, 
and the former that of ripening the crops. 
With such an abundant supply of water in 
the rivers, something might be done in the 
way of irrigation, but this must be a work of 
time. 
Of what may be called farm crops, it ap- 
pears that wheat, barley, maize, and frijoles, 
important articles of subsistence, are exten- 
sively cultivated and highly productive. The 
frijoles are a small kind of bean in universal 
use over what may be called Spanish America ; 
they form a pleasant food, and are cooked in 
the ripe state, usually fried with lard. (Forbes.) 
Dr. Marsh, who resides at the foot of a 
mountain range, near the Bay of San Fran- 
cisco and the San Joaquin, states that his 
lands produced an hundred-fold of wheat, 
without irrigation. The season for grow- 
ing wheat commences as soon as the ground 
is sufficiently moistened by rain, and con- 
tinues until March or April. The Pueblo 
valley, fifteen miles south of the Bay of San 
Francisco, well watered by the Rio Santa 
Clara, would alone, if properly cultivated, 
produce breadstuff to supply millions of popu- 
lation. Wild oats are abundant, even to the 
summits of the hills, the stalks growing from 
three to five feet high ; and the grasses and 
clovers are very nutritious and fattening 
especially when in seed. Forbes, however, 
states that oats are not known. The wild 
oats alluded to are probably some heavy- 
seeded grass resembling the oat. Mustard 
grows spontaneously, so rank as to become 
a nuisance. The grains, with hemp, flax, 
and tobacco, may be grown in all the valleys 
without irrigation. (Bryant.) Summing up 
the capabilities of California as a corn -pro- 
ducing country, Forbes remarks, that Upper 
California ought to be, and one day must 
be, the granary of all South America. 
The sowing of maize, as of other grains, in 
Upper California, commences in November, 
or as near the commencement of the rains as 
possible. The harvest is in the months of 
July and August. 
In the plain of the San Joaquin, and near 
the Bay of San Francisco, are several marshes 
covered with a tall kind of reed, called tule, 
which in the distance resembles immense fields 
of corn. These marshes appear to become 
nearly dry in summer, and would in all pro- 
bability make fine rice plantations. If properly 
drained, which Mr. Bryant speaks of as being 
practicable, they would probably produce the 
sugar-cane. Mr. Bryant, however, thinks that 
rice, sugar, and cotton could not be generally 
cultivated to advantage. 
The climate of California is admirably 
suited to the vine, already extensively culti- 
vated, and which might be spread over the 
hill sides, wherever the surface could be 
thrown into terraces, of even inconsiderable 
width. The produce of the vine in California 
will undoubtedly, in a short time, form an 
important item in its exports and commerce 
— that is, if cultivation be not paralysed by 
" golden" dreams or realities. In the southern 
portion of the country, especially, the soil and 
climate are peculiarly adapted to the vine. 
The grapes, cultivated in the vineyards, are 
not indigenous, but acquire in the dry genial 
climate a remarkable excellence and delicacy 
of flavour. Whether the varieties originally 
introduced have undergone any improvement 
does not appear very evident ; but the pro- 
bability is that their excellence is rather owing 
to the climate, than to any cultural improve- 
ment. Large quantities of wine and aguar- 
diente, or brandy distilled from the grape, 
are made, especially in the neighbourhood of 
Los Angeles. One vineyard in this neigh- 
bourhood covers forty acres, and contains from 
4,000 to 5,000 vines, from which, though 
young, in 1846, 180 casks (sixteen gallons) 
of wine, and the same quantity of aguardiente 
were manufactured. The quantity produced 
in California, Bryant estimates at 1,600,000 
gallons, which might by culture be increased 
indefinitely. 
The prickly pear (Opuntia) which grows to 
a large size, is in many cases used for fences, 
and forms an impenetrable barrier. The 
stalks sometimes equal in thickness a man's 
body, and attain a height of fifteen feet. From 
the juicy blood-red fruit of the Opuntia Tuna 
a pleasant beverage called calinche is made. 
From the Agave americana a saccharine 
liquor called pulque is obtained. 
Of the cultivated fruits, there are apples, 
pears, peaches, figs, oranges, grapes, olive3 
and palms grown in different parts of the 
country ; and of vegetables, pumpkins and 
other gourds, frijoles, potatoes, onions, and 
chillies, which latter are largely consumed in 
Californian cookery. The potato thrives well 
in California. (Forbes.) 
The water-power of California is ample for 
any required mill purposes. Timber is not 
so convenient as is desirable, but nevertheless 
there is an abundance of it, which will gradu- 
