There are two hundred and thirty-eight different newspapers and periodicals published in California, of which twenty-eight are issued daily; two, tri-weekly; five, semi-weekly; ninety-two, weekly; one, trimonthly; one, semi-monthly; eight, monthly, and one, bi-monthly; besides which, five of the dailies issue steamer editions, and twelve issue weekly editions. Seven of these newspapers are published in foreign languages, two being in German, two in French, and one each in Spanish, Italian and Chinese. There are fifty-three different publications issued in San Francisco, five in Sacramento, and several other towns in the interior have two or more. From the foregoing it will be seen that California contains a large number of newspapers in proportion to its population, the tastes and habits of the people inclining them to indulge in this style of reading more than any other. The liberal support bestowed upon this class of publications, and the lively interest evinced by their patrons in public affairs, have tended to impart to journalism in this State a high character for enterprise and ability; several of the leading dailies, both in San Francisco and in two or three of the interior towns, being conducted with a degree of energy, tact and talent that would do no discredit to the ablest journals in the metropolitan cities of the Atlantic States or Europe. Indeed, it may be justly said that some of these San Francisco papers are scarcely inferior in this respect to any published in these great centers of wealth and enlightenment. While many meritorious and popular works have been produced by California authors, it can hardly be claimed that anything like a distinctive literature has yet been eliminated from the product of their labors, nor have their merits always met with that ready recognition even at home that is generally so freely accorded everything indigenous to the State. The reason of this is found in the fact that so large a share of reading matter is imported from the East, to a want of permanent homes among the people, and to an absolute lack of population, and not so much to the absence of a fair proportion of appreciative readers; though California, no doubt, contains a large element which prefer the sensational and overwraught style of modern current literature to that of a more solid and useful kind. Still, several California writers have acquired more than a mere local reputation, not only in the walks of humor, poetry, and fiction, but also in jurisprudence, science, history, mathematics, etc., some of whose works have been accorded very honorable recognition in the world of letters. The leading publishing houses in California are those of H. H. Bancroft & Co., and A. Roman & Co. The following bibliographical table contains a list of the principal books issued from the press of this State, besides which there have been published great numbers of pamphlets on various topics, political, religious, economical, educational, etc., together with more than one hundred maps, all of more or less local, and some of general interest: HISTORY-History of California; by Franklin Tuthill. Colonial History of California; by J. W. Dwinelle. A Youth's History of California; by Lucia Norman. AGRICULTURE-Theory and Practice of Bee Culture; by J. S. Harbison. California Silk FICTION-In Bonds; by Laura Preston. The Greek Slave; by Ianthe. Leah's Confessions. RELIGIOUS-The California Pilgrim; by Rev. J. A. Benton. Esther: the Hebrew Queen; MISCELLANEOUS Geological Survey of California; by J. D. Whitney. Confucius, and the Chinese Classics; edited by Rev. A. W. Loomis. Financial Economy; by J. A. Ferris. Bayerische Bays-Tomales, 74, 85. Half Moon, 74, 85. Santa Cruz, 74, 83, 84, 85. San Luis Obispo, 74, 82. Humboldt, 74, 87, 197. Crescent City, 74, 87. Light, 87. Pelican, 87. San Diego, 80. San Pedro, 80. San Pablo, 154, 156. Bees, 372. Begart, Father, 8. Big Trees, 505. of Calaveras, 265. Billiard tables, manufactory of, 635. Scansores, (Climbers), 449. Natatores, (Swimming), 474. Blackbirds, 463. Black Rock Mines, 224. Bleau, Jean, 10. Blue gravel, 302, 542. Claims, 302, 585. Lead, 542. Bodega Bay, 86. Botany-Cedars, 514. Miscellaneous trees, 516. Flowering plants, 525. Branciforte, Pueblo of, 47, 126. Breweries and distilleries, 635. Brooms and broom corn, 635. Brush Creek Mine, 231. Burnett, Governor Peter H., 59. Boiler Works, 615. Canals. (See Ditches.) Candle factories, 628. Cañon de los Osas, 139. Carp, 495. Carpenteria, 113. Carriage manufactures, 634. Carson Hill, 264, 423. Carson, Kit, 27. Castle Peak, 280. 333, 336. Contra Costa County, 154. Copper City, 291. Cordage factory, 618, Corral Hollow Coal Mines, 154. Corte Madera Water Company, 145 Copperopolis, 264. Cotton manufactures, 605. Culture of, 357. Oakland mills, 151, 605. Harbor, 87. Crescent Mine, 227. Croix, Marquis de, 7. Crown Lead Mine, 275. Tables exhibiting mean temperature, Crystal Springs, 144. |