2. LIVE STOCK. There are few States of the Union that are better adapted for the raising of stock than California. The extensive tracts of unoccupied land in almost every section of the State are covered, for the greater part of the year, with abundant crops of wild oats and grass, affording an excellent range for stock of every kind. The raising of sheep and the production of wool, have recently attracted the attention of the stock breeders of the State. The immense tracts of grazing lands, and the hills and mountain sides, furnish a rich pasturage for this description of stock for the entire year. A very laudable spirit exists among the agriculturists of the State to improve the character of their stock, and for that purpose a considerable number of the most approved foreign breeds have been imported; the beneficial effects of such a movement are already to be observed in the appearance of the native stock. TABLE Exhibiting the number of Live Stock and Poultry of the State for 1856. TABLE Exhibiting the number of Live Stock and Poultry of the State for 1857. 137,142 30,178 722,374 298,343 12,743 165,921 553,429 The great increase of stock in this State during the past few years, establishes the fact that in no section of the United States, and perhaps the world, do live stock flourish better than in California. There is no branch of our resources of more importance to the permanent prosperity of the State, than that of stock raising, and every advance made therein not only adds to our present wealth but lays the foundation of our future greatness. The State Census of 1852 exhibits the live stock of the State as follows, viz: horses, 64, 773; mules, 16,578; cattle, 448,796; sheep, 82,867; swine, 38,976; poultry, 96,230. The aggregate number of live stock, exclusive of poultry, in 1856, was 1,272,921; 1857, 1,366,701; and in 1858, 1,576,980. The returns of 1858 exhibit a slight decrease in the number of mules and swine, and a large increase in the horses, cattle and sheep. The number of poultry in 1858, 839,159. TABLE Exhibiting the number of Live Stock and Poultry of the State for 1858. SHEEP.—The number of sheep in the State in 1856 was 253,312; in 1857, 298,343, and in 1858, 417,909. The increase since 1857, is 119,566 or 40 per cent. The accession since the returns of 1858 were made up, will increase this number to over 500,000. The remarkable increase of sheep during the past few years, is the best evidence of the adaptation of the soil and climate of this State to the rearing of this description of stock. A large number of the choicest foreign breeds have been imported, and every effort is being made by our enterprising agriculturists, not only to augment the present stock, but to improve its quality. In speaking of this department of stock-raising, the editor of the California Culturist, says: "There is no branch of our husbandry engaging the attention of our herdsmen, at the present time, that promises better for the future, than the raising of sheep. Large numbers are annually required for the shambles, more, even, than can at present be spared from our own flocks; most of such as * Returns from private sources. pass to the butcher, are supplied from northern Mexico, and not a few are annually driven over the plains from the Western States, at a large profit on their cost. From the latter, are principally made up the flocks of breeders, that here and there throughout the State, at no distant day, will have expanded into herds that would do no discredit to older States than ours. Already we have flocks varying in numbers from 500 to 5,000 choice ewes, kept purposely for breeding, and which money could hardly buy, so highly are they valued. And rightly are they prized, for the proprietor sees in his flock of 100 or 1,000 good ewes, a property that will annually net him 100 per cent. This in any other country than California, would be deemed a valuable property, a satisfactory investment. It is not unusual for 100 ewes, in California, to present their annual increase of 110, 120, and even as high as 130 lambs. This more than doubles the flock in numbers, whilst the wool more than pays all the expenses of care and keeping for the year. The great item in favor of the California sheep raiser, over that of the Eastern, is found in the little comparative cost of feeding, summer and winter. No hay is necessarily prepared for the winter, and the mildness of the climate renders it unnecessary to provide costly shelter for the animals or their food. Nature supplies them both to the fullest extent; all man has to do is to avail himself of her prodigality. There is not a doubt but that the climate of California will prove highly favorable to the growth of the finer grades of wool, and as the size of the animal of all breeds yet introduced is actually increased, either from the influence of food or climate, there seems nothing in the way of making wool one of the great and permanent exports of our State. All who have given their attention to sheep husbandry admit it to be among the best paying of all their attempts at animal raising." TABLE Exhibiting the number of Live Stock, the Wheat, Barley, Oats and Wine, produced by the different States, according to the Census of 1850. Mississippi.. 115,460 54,547 225,319 41,667 733,970 304,929 1,582,734 137,990 5,278,079 10,563 N. Hampshire 34,233 19 267,910 384,756 New Jersey.. 63,955 4,089 211,261 160,488 New York Ohio... Rhode Island 6,168 1 36,262 44,296 19,509 S. Carolina... 63,487 185,658 70,256 973,381 344 250,370 1,601,190 6,492 3,378,063 1,811 447,014 963 1,877.639 3,453,241 1.018,252 13,121,498 3,585,059 26,552,814 9,172 N. Carolina.. 148,693 25,259 693,510 595,249 1,812,813 2,130,102 2.735 4,052,078 11,058 463,397 3,423 1,358,947 3,942,929 1,964,770 14,487,351 354,358 13,472,742 48,207 Pennsylvania 350,398 2,259 1,153,946 1,822,357 1,040,366 15,367,691 Tennessee Texas. Vermont Virginia Wisconsin... Totals. 97,171 37,483 777,686 285,551 1,065,503 1,066,277 270,636 75,303 76,760 12,463 42,150 2,307,734 750,762 811,591 3,104,800 1,619,386 930,114 100,530 692,022 41,729 61,057 218 348,848 1,014,122 66,296 535,955 272,403 21,483 1,076,269 1,310,004 1,829,843 11.212,616 30,179 156 183,433 124,896 159,276 4,286,131 209,692 3,414,672 113 4,319,481 549,861 18,288,543 21,327,055 30,313,381 99,950,912 5,163,920 146,473,344 218,026 165,584 21,538,156 25,590 49 659 25,437 10,179,144 5,408 HORSES.-The number of horses, 1858, is 160,804, an increase over 1857 of 23,662, or 18 per cent. CATTLE. The number of cattle in this State in 1858, as reported by the returns of 1858, is 814,642,* an increase over 1857 of 92,268, or 12 per cent. The most extensive cattle-raising districts in the State are the counties of Santa Barbara, Monterey, Alameda, Los Angeles and Sonoma. WOOL.-The returns from twenty-seven counties, for 1858, exhibit a product of 957,823 pounds of wool; the remainder of the State will increase this amount to 1,250,000 pounds. HIDES.-The number of hides exported during the present year, is estimated at 150,000, of which about one-third are received from the Mexican ports and Oregon. A large number of hides are annually manufactured into leather in this State, which render it difficult to obtain even an approximation to the actual yield. The State of California, throughout its entire length and breadth, abounds in mineral wealth. The developments daily made, prove that the treasures of its soil are as yet unrevealed; and that industry and well directed efforts alone are necessary to bring them forth from their hidden depths. 1. GOLD. THE GOLD REGION AND ITS EXTENT. The gold region' of California extends from the Oregon line, north, to Kern River, south, a distance of four hundred and sixty miles in length, by from ten to one hundred and fifty miles in width. Mining, at the present time, is successfully prosecuted in twenty-five counties of the State. The aggregate area in which gold is known to exist, is variously estimated at from eleven to fifteen thousand square miles. Dr. Trask, State Geologist, in his report of the mineral districts of the State, classifies the gold region into three distinct ranges. The Upper, or Eastern Range; the Middle Placers and the Valley Mines. "EASTERN RANGE.-This district extends from near the summit ridge of the mountains to within about twenty-five miles of the edge of the plains. It maintains a very uniform breadth of about twenty miles, and a length of one hundred and thirty, as far as known. It covers an area equal to about three thousand square miles, a large proportion of which is available as mining grounds. In this district is situated the major part of what is known as 'Dry Dig gings,' which include the towns of Forest City on the north, and Placerville * Compiled from the Assessors' Returns of thirty-six counties, and seven estimated. From our correspondents in several of the heaviest cattle raising districts, we are satisfied that these figures are too low and that the aggregate of the State is not less than 920,000 head.-[ED. + In the preparation of these descriptions, much important information has been extracted from the valuable reports upon the geology of the State, made to the State Legislature in 1853-'56, by Dr. Trask, State Geologist.-[ED. |