are located—this being the headquarters for the "Southern District of the Pacific." About a mile north of the landing, are Drum barracks, containing accommodations for ten companies of infantry, or cavalry. Wilmington, in addition to being the principal port for Los Angeles county, is also the shipping port for San Bernardino county, for the Clear Creek mining district, and a considerable part of the territory of Arizona.

A large portion of the Los Angeles plain north of Wilmington promises hereafter to be greatly benefited, for horticultural and vinicultural purposes, by means of a ditch and flume, upwards of twelve miles in length, bringing the water of the San Gabriel river to where it is required.

Anaheim is the name of a village settled by a company of German wine-growers, on a dead-level plain, about twenty-four miles east of Wilmington. The location is twelve miles from the Santiago mountains, eight miles from the sea, and three miles from the Santa Ana river.

The growth of this village, now one of the most important winedistricts in the county, is so illustrative of what may be accomplished by the well directed labors of poor men, that we give the particulars somewhat in detail, for general information.

In 1857, the site where the village stands was a barren, dry, sandy plain, similar to that extending around it, for miles, at the present time. In the summer of that year, a company of Germans, acquainted with the culture of the grape in the "faderland," purchased 1,265 acres of the plain, at $2 per acre, to test its adaptation to the raising of the vine. This land was divided into fifty rectangular lots, of twenty acres each, with streets between them. A town site was laid out in the center, with sixty building lots-one for each shareholder, and ten for public purposes. The lots were all fenced with willows, sycamores and poplars, and about ten acres of each planted with vines. A ditch, seven miles in length was cut to bring water from the Santa Ana river. The land was cultivated for two years, at the expense of the company, by hired labor. At the end of that time the lots were distributed to the shareholders. Those who were so fortunate as to obtain the best, were required to pay a certain sum to those whose lots were inferior in location, or any other quality. After all the expenses were paid, each share of twenty acres fenced, partly planted in vines two years old, with a town lot, 100 by 200 feet, cost $1,400. Each of these shares is worth a small fortune to the owner, at the present time, and will be worth a great deal more a few years hence.

There are nearly

1,000,000 vines growing in this village, about 750,000 of which bear fruit. There are also 10,000 fruit-trees of various kinds, the whole place resembling a forest and flower-garden, divided into squares with fences of willow, poplar, and sycamore, which shelter the fruit from every wind. Nearly every lot contains a comfortable homestead, and the inhabitants of the village number about four hundred, There is a good public school, several stores, and a post-office in the town, but neither a lawyer, doctor, nor minister. There are hundreds of places in the southern counties where such villages might be founded, with equal or even greater advantages.

The town of San Juan Capistrano, from the old mission of that name located here, is in striking contrast to the flourishing village of Anaheim, from which it is distant about thirty miles on the main road, between Los Angeles and San Diego. The valley in which this town is situated, is about nine miles in length by something less than a mile wide. The San Juan, a never-failing stream, passing through its entire length, furnishes an abundant supply of water. The rich grasses, fine timber, and dense underbrush, that cover the whole face of the valley, afford evidence of the richness of the soil, but it is almost wholly uncultivated. The population of the town numbers about six hundred, of whom four hundred are Mexicans and native Californians, and about two hundred Indians. There are not more than half a dozen Americans or Europeans in the place; these are generally thrifty and prosperous. This is the most thoroughly Mexican town in the State, the houses being built of adobe, with low flat roofs, while the streets are laid out without much regard to regularity. The only apparent employment of the men is horse-racing, or practising with the reata. The women are rarely seen, except at the fandango or church. The children literally swarm in the streets, and are of all hues, except that of the lily; they wear little or no clothing.

The San Gabriel township, which embraces upwards of 75,000 acres of the table-lands between Los Angeles and San Bernardino, is extremely well adapted to the growth of the vine and semi-tropical fruits. There are upwards of 800,000 vines under cultivation in this township, besides thousands of orange, lemon, olive, walnut, almond, and other fruit-trees, It is estimated that there were, at the close of 1867, twenty-five thousand acres of unoccupied land in this township, suitable for cultivation, and conveniently located for irrigation.

There is another belt of country east of the above, about ten miles wide by about forty miles in length, extending into San Bernardino county, which is remarkably well adapted for the cultivation of the

vine and semi-tropical fruits. It is warm, and sheltered from the cool sea-breeze; the soil is rich and deep, and could be conveniently irrigated. In this district, about twenty-four miles east from tha city of Los Angeles, connected by good roads, is the valley of San Jose-a very fine agricultural district in the foot-hills, which extends to the plains in El Chino, and into the adjoining county about twenty miles. The Puente district forms a portion of this valley, the soil of which is a red loam on the hill sides, but a nearly black, sandy clay on the bottom. It is watered by the San Gabriel and San José rivers, and by numerous tributaries that have their source among the snow-covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada. This valley produces very fine wheat and barley, as well as grapes, apples, and peaches.

A great many mulberry trees have been planted in this county during the past year, for the purpose of raising silk worms, which thrive in a climate in which the orange, lemon, and fig grow to perfection. Dr. De Witt Franklin raised both the Japanese and Chinese silk worm during 1867, and there is little room to doubt the success of the silk culture here.

Northerly from the city of Los Angeles about seventy miles, on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, bordering on Kern county, there are a number of valleys and many broad, fertile cañons, equal in beauty to any portion of the State. The valley in which Fort Tejon is located is one of such. Sheltered from the hot winds of the desert by mountains four thousand to five thousand feet high, nothing can exceed it in picturesque and rural beauty. Huge old oaks cast their shadows upon the greensward, and miles of the rich foliage of the wild vine drape the banks of the stream of clear water that courses through the Cañada de las Uvas.

The first gold known to have been found in the State, was obtained, in 1833, in the valley of Santa Clara, on the western border of this county. Other gold mines of some importance have been discovered at various points in the Sierra Madre mountains, particularly on the eastern border of the county. Silver mines are in course of development in the Santa Susana mountains, about twenty miles north from San Fernando, and in the Soledad pass. Copper mines have been partially explored in the Soledad mountains and pass, about fifty miles north of Los Angeles. Near Anaheim, marble and coal are known to exist.

About seven miles west of Los Angeles there are immense deposits of petroleum and asphaltum. Over a space of twenty acres, in this locality, petroleum, of the consistency and color of coal tar, issues

through a number of holes from three to eight inches in diameter, and forms pools of tar in which the gas generated at the same time creates great bladders, that burst with a loud noise. It soon hardens, on exposure, when it forms asphaltum, or brea, as it is called here, or maltha, as it is termed by men of science. There are a great many other places in this county where these materials are found in abundance. In the Cañada de la Brea, about twenty miles east from Los Angeles, the petroleum oozes from the hill side, and has formed immense deposits of asphaltum in the cañon. At several places around the estero of San Pedro, the same material flows through the banks near the sea beach. Considerable oil has been made from petroleum obtained in the San Fernando district. Asphaltum is shipped in large quantities to San Francisco from deposits near the coast, and experiments are being made to test its adaptability for fuel.

There are good roads in nearly all parts of Los Angeles, which connect it with the adjoining counties. With railroad facilities, and a larger population, its resources will be immensely increased.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

Santa Barbara county embraces the angle of the coast at Point Concepcion, whence it trends nearly north forty miles, and easterly one hundred and twenty miles. It is the only county in the State having so large a coast line facing towards the south. This peculiarity in its topography exerts a great influence over the climate and productions of this county, and those south and east of it. North of Point Concepcion the coast, during the summer is swept by cold fog bearing winds from the northwest, and by violent rain storms from the south during the winter. South of that point there is scarcely any fog, and it is both drier and warmer than to the north. Snow rarely falls on the highest mountains-frost is almost unknown-and it seldom rains from May to November.

The whole county, which is about one hundred and twenty miles in length, and about forty miles in average breadth, lies on the west of the main divide of the coast range. It contains about 1,500,000 acres, nearly one half of which are mountainous, and unfit for cultivation, but well adapted for cattle and sheep raising.

The Santa Inez branch of the coast mountains is entirely in this county, traversing it from east to west, terminating at Point Concepcion. The Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains divide it from Los Angeles county on the southeast. Between these ranges, and at their base along the coast, there are a number of exceedingly beauti

ful and fertile valleys, most of them being under cultivation where water can be obtained for irrigation, but no ditches or reservoirs have been made to obtain an additional supply of this element, although sufficient to irrigate the entire county runs to waste.

The Santa Inez river traverses the county from east to west upwards of one hundred miles, emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Jesus Maria, in this county. It has more the character of a creek than a river, for about ten miles from the sea. The San Buenaventura rises near the junction of the San Rafael and Santa Inez mountains, in the central part of the county, and flows nearly due south into the Santa Barbara channel, at the old Mission of San Buenaventura. The Santa Clara has its source in Los Angeles, but flows nearly west, across Santa Barbara county, entering the sea three miles southeast of San Buenaventura. The Cuyama, or Santa Maria, is quite a stream, having its source. near the Cañada de las Uvas in the Sierra Nevada. It forms the northern boundary line of the county for more than one hundred miles, extending a few miles north of Point Sal to near Fort Tejon. There are a great many tributaries to each of these streams, which contain water during the year. The main river sinks into the sand in several places near its mouth. Extending east from Point Concepcion a hundred miles along the sea shore, on the south side of the Santa Inez mountains, there is a belt of land about three miles wide, the climate of which is almost tropical and unsurpassed by that of any other portion. of the State.

There is but little timber in any part of the county, except oak, willow, and sycamore, which grow on the plains or in the valleys. The highest mountains being covered with grass or wild oats during the winter and spring, furnish nutritious pasturage for sheep and cattle during the entire year. In the western portion of the county, the mountains are much lower than they are on the east, where the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range unite. The culminating peak at the junction, Mount Pinos, is nearly seven thousand five hundred feet high. In this vicinity there are forests of pine and redwood.

The Santa Inez valley, in which the old mission of that name is located, is very beautiful and fertile. The old mission buildings remain in good preservation, the bells still hanging in the belfry, calling the worshippers to service. This valley, like all the others on this part of the coast, has a series of terraces formed by successive elevations of the land within the present geological era. The lowest of these three terraces, in the Santa Inez valley, is about twenty-five feet above the level of the river; the second is forty-five feet, and the third is ninety-five