82 
CALIFORNIA. 
cipally to temperature. The Cereus Leeayius, 
being a native of the north of Mexico, needs 
only to be protected during the winter from 
severe frosts : it has been known to bear 
several degrees of frost without injury. As 
spring advances, it should receive someartificial 
heat and moisture, in order to get it into early 
growth, by which to ensure its flowering. 
Towards autumn, it will be benefited by full 
exposure to the sun, with plenty of free air, 
gradually decreasing the supply of water as 
the winter approaches. 
" In respect to soil, we have found, other 
circumstances being fjavourable, that Cactese 
are not very particular, provided it is a soil 
not retentive of moisture, — J. S." 
CALIFORNIA 
ITS CLIMATE, PEODUCTIONS, AND 
The recent golden discoveries in California 
seem to have diverted towards that country a 
stream of immigration, which will no doubt 
materially conduce to people its habitable 
districts. Under these circumstances, it has 
been thought that a brief sketch of its geo- 
graphical characteristics, of its climate, its 
vegetable productions, and of its capacities to 
meet the requirements and circumstances of 
new settlers, will not be entirely devoid of 
interest and utility. Such a sketch may be 
conveniently made under the heads thus 
pointed out. 
Geographical Features. — California, situ- 
ated on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and 
forming part of the north-west coast of the 
American continent, is divided into two parts, 
called Upper and Lower California. The 
latter is a narrow peninsula, extending from 
22° 45', to about S2'' nortli latitude, or from 
Cape St. Lucas to the northern extremity of 
the Gulf of California, by which it is divided 
from the main land. The former extends 
from about 32° to 42° north latitude, or from 
the northern extremity of the gulf northwards, 
in the direction of the Columbia river, in the 
Oregon territory. This district is bounded 
on the east by the Eocky Mountains, and 
extends from north to south about 700 miles, 
and from east to west, from 600 to 800 miles. 
But a small tract of this area is, however, ha- 
bitable and fertile, and this consists of the strip 
of land between the coast range and the Sierra 
Nevada, or Great Snowy Mountains, extend- 
ing 700 miles in length, and varying from 100 
to 150 miles in breadth. The rest of the 
country, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky 
Mountains, is rugged and precipitous, with 
here and there a fertile and well-watered 
valley. It is called the Great Desert basin. 
In this tract there are some extensive salt 
lakes, and a large extent of land surface com- 
pletely encrusted with a saline efflorescence, 
and dry and parched to extreme aridity. The 
high mountains bounding this part of Cali- 
fornia are crowned with perpetual snow. 
The largest river in Upper California is 
the Colorado, or Red River, which, having its 
source in the Rocky Mountains, and following 
ADAPTABILITY FOR COLONIZATION. 
a course of about 1000 miles in length, dis- 
embogues into the Gulf of California at about 
32° north latitude. The Green and the Grand 
rivers are its principal upper tributaries ; 
the Gila is received just above its mouth j 
and the Sevier and Virgin rivers are als» 
tributary. But little is really known of the 
country watered by these streams, although it 
is said to be generally precipitous, arid, and 
barren. Mary's River, a considerable stream^ 
rises in latitude 42° north, and after a course 
of about 400 miles, is finally absorbed hj the 
sands of the desert. 
The fertile valley lying parallel to the 
Pacific, between the coast range and the Great 
Snowy Mountains, is well watered by the 
Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, each 
having a course of from 300 to 400 miles, and 
both running into the Bay of San Francisco, 
the former ilowing from the north and the 
latter from the south. The San Joaquin 
flows through the midst of the valley for about 
half its length, and then diverges towards the 
eastern mountains, where it has its soui'ce. 
The Buena Vista Lake, about 100 miles in 
length, and from ten to twenty wide, con- 
nected with the San Joaquin, is still further 
south, and receives, on its eastern side, about 
a dozen tributaries from the great range of the 
Snowy Mountains ; the largest of these is 
the River Reyes ; many of them flow through 
broad fertile valleys within the mountain 
range. Beyond this, and near the western 
side of the valley, is another smaller lake. 
The Stanislaus, the Tawalomes, and the 
Merced, are the principal tributaries of the 
San Joaquin, all on the eastern side. The 
higher plains in this direction atford good 
pasturage ; and the whole of this region affords 
an inviting field for emigration. The moun- 
tain rivers afford water power to any amount. 
The Sacramento, which rises above 42° north 
latitude, is at all seasons navigable for craft 
of 100 tons burden to a distance of 100 miles 
from its mouth, and in the season of high 
water (January to July), much higher up. 
Some of its tributaries are the Rio de los 
Americanos, the Rio de la Plumas, or Feather 
River, the Mickelemes, and the Cos^umne, 
