370 
FARMING IN CALIFORNIA. 
of a crop of twentyffive acres. Some of the heads 
of this wheat are seven inches long, and the 
grains are much larger than any we ever saw 
grow on the Atlantic coast. If our readers are 
skeptical on this one point, they can call at our 
office and see for themselves. 
Mr. John M. Horner, from Monmouth county, 
New-Jersey, arrived in California in August 
1846, and settled at San Jose Mission, in the val¬ 
ley of Santa Clara. Mr. Tyler sends us the fol¬ 
lowing five years results of his farming—but re¬ 
collect in these calculations, that he now grows 
two or three crops a year. 
“ First year , I farmed sixty^acres in various 
kinds of produce, but gathered nothing but dear 
experience. 
Second year. I was thrown into confusion on 
account of the gold mines. Laborers could not 
be hired at any price, and I am credibly in¬ 
formed, that the Governor himself had to cook 
his own meals. I farmed but very little, and 
finally I caught the gold fever and went to the 
mines; and there I caught the fe'ver and ague, 
and returned to my farm. I gathered nothing 
the second year. 
Third year , I made further preparations for 
farming. I was determined not to be disap¬ 
pointed, but farm I would. I could not hire 
hands for $16 per day. I tried to enter into co¬ 
partnership, but could not effect it; all had 
rather go to the mines. None of my brothers 
were yet in the country. But I would not be 
disappointed. I got the assistance of three In¬ 
dians, and we went to the mountains, twenty- 
five miles distant, and there we worked at the 
red-wood (cedars of Lebanon, for some of them 
are 300 feet high,) until we got rails and posts 
sufficient to secure fifteen acres, which I plant¬ 
ed principally in potatoes. The produce gather¬ 
ed was worth about $16,000; but unfortunately 
I lost one half, on account of heavy rains set¬ 
ting in, and the scarcity of help. Thus ended 
the third year. 
Fourth year. My younger brother arrived in 
January. We managed to fence some 400 acres 
and farm 150, principally in potatoes; and our 
crops yielded about as follows: 
Potatoes.. 1,760,000 lbs. Pumpkins. .80,000 lbs. 
Onions.... 40,000 “ Barley.20,000 “ 
Tomatoes.. 50,000 “ Wheat.40,000 “ 
Beets. 6,000 “ Chickens... 100 
Solid head- Eggs. 300 doz. 
ed cabbages 60,000 “ 
Fifth year , 1851. We have fenced about 1,300 
acres, and have farmed 800. We want no 
rain until December, and we will be sure to 
gather, of 
Potatoes_120,000 bush. Solid-headed 
Onions. 
6,000 
(6 
cabbages 
108,000 
Table beets. 
4,000 
ii 
Chickens. 
600 
Turnips.... 
1,000 
tc 
Eggs. 
1,200 doz. 
Carrots .... 
1,000 
(C 
Onion seed 
800 lbs. 
Tomatoes .. 
1,200 
6C 
Beet.. 
200 “ 
Barley. 
5,000 
(C 
Cab’ge “ 
100 “ 
Pumpkins .. 30 tons. 
To most of the Eastern world who are unac¬ 
quainted with our soil and climate, the above 
account will look almost impossible. But, con¬ 
sidering that we have nine months out of twelve 
in which we can sow, and nine in which we can 
gather, it is not doubtful. And if there ever was 
a country in which theplowman overtook 
the reaper,” California is that one. A large 
amount of produce will be raised in California 
this year for market. This valley alone will 
yield about 
600,000 bush. Potatoes. 
32,000 “ 
10,200 “ 
5,000 “ 
100,000 “ 
15,000 “ 
Onions, 
Table Beets, 
Tomatoes, 
Barley, 
Wheat, 
6,000 bush. Pears, 
1,400 “ Apples, 
400 tons Pumpkins, 
195 “ Grapes, 
3,000 “ Hay, 
550,000 Solid head¬ 
ed Cabbages. 
Besides the above there will be a great quan¬ 
tity of beans, peas, melons, and finer garden 
sauce; and some 4,000 sheep and hogs, besides 
cattle almost as numerous as the acres of land 
over which they feed. This valley, if its resour¬ 
ces were fully developed, would supply more 
than a million of population. I write from a 
knowledge of the facts, having spent five years 
in the valley. There are 600,000 acres of good 
tillable land within its borders. The poorest 
will yield 2,000 pounds of wheat or barley, and 
the best 70,000 pounds of onions, per acre. 
Notwithstanding the present prices of labor, 
which are about $70 per month, my calcula¬ 
tions, based upon experimental knowledge, are 
such as to warrant me in stating that California 
can supply her own market in beef, pork, flour, 
barley, and all kinds of vegetables, as cheap, and 
of a better quality, than she can be supplied 
from any quarter of the world. Vegetables will 
be very cheap this year. After the first of 
August, 1852, California wiil supply her own 
market with barley ; but when she can supply 
herself with flour, is doubtful, as tnere are no 
mills in the country, and farmers will not raise 
wheat without some prospect of a market.” 
