Nearly all the gold mines are on the western slope of the Sierra Ncvadas, in a belt of country about 220 by 40 in., or nearly 9000 sq.m., extending n. to Oregon. The richest section is in the middle of this auriferous belt. The gold is in a metallic condition, and mixed with silver and other metals. In the stream and alluvial deposits the metal is in fine scales, with occasional lumps; in rock it is in veins or quartz lodes. The gold in the soil is gotten out by washing, and the process is called "placer mining," from " placer," i.e., " place of deposit." Rock mining is more expensive, and requires heavy and costly machinery for crushing or grinding the quartz, from which the metal is extracted by amalgamation with quicksilver. From a single quartz mill in 1851, the number rose to 421 in 1870. 3Iereury is found in O. intim form of ..sulphuret, or cinnabar, which is plentiful in the coast range in the s. part of the state, particularly at New Alma den. In separating gold by cma]gamation, the crushed ore is put with the mercury into a revolving drum, and whirled around for a time. When the drum is opened there is found a fluid mass, which is the mercury, appearing half congealed, and containing all the gold. The mixture is poured into a retort and. heat is applied, when the mercury distills over, leaving the gold in the retort. The mercury is then ready for future use. Silver has been found in many places in C., but not much attention has been given to it. There are silver and copper ores in combination in the s.e. part of the state, and very superior magnetic iron ores in the coast range and other parts. Copper and man ganese have also been found, and the valuable platinum is plentiful in the valley of the Klamath. Tin, lead, zinc, plumbago, and antimony are found, and there are asphaltum and petroleum in some places. There are hot. springs impregnated with alum; and buhr stone, alabaster, granite, and marble, some of the latter finely variegated. Gypsum, bismuth, brick and porcelain clay, and hydraulic limestone are found. There is bitumi nous coal in Mt. Diablo and the neighboring hills, and salt in several places. Very rich deposits of sulphur have been worked in one locality. One of C.'s mineral novelties is biborate of soda, or borax, found in Clear lake, the water of which is impregnated with the mineral, the borax being crystallized in the mud that forms the bottom of the lake; and near another borax lake there are a number of boiling springs, the water of which is impregnated with soda, chlorine, and boracic acid.
The state possesses some valuable advantages of climate, the leading feature being the remarkable uniformity of temperature. Comparing San Francisco with Washington, we find the mean of the year to be about the same; but the summer mean is 60' in San Francisco and 76.3° in Washington, while the winter mean is 31° in San Francisco and 36.0° in Washington. On the Pacific coast the isothermal lines run much farther n. than on the Atlantic. The line that passes through New York touches the Pacific near Van couver island; that of Halifax, N. S., reaches n. of Sitka, in Alaska; and if we go s. down the sea-coast we find San Diego 6 or 7 degrees cooler than Charleston and Vicks burg, which are in nearly the same latitude. There are but two seasons in C., the dry, and the rainy; the winds are remarkably uniform, and in the hot months there is invari ably a strong cool breeze from the ocean. Some of the valleys shut from the wind endure very high temperature, often as much as 120° in the shade; but even there at night the radiation is so intense that bed-blankets are needed. In the s.e., C. is intoler ably hot; at fort Yuma the range is often above 90° day and night for weeks together; but this is an exceptional place.
The volcanic character of C. is manifested by the mountain formations, and, as in all such regions, there are occasional earthquakes. There was one in afar., 1872, of great violence, giving one tremendous and many lesser shocks, upheaving and cracking the ground, and causing the destruction of 30 lives and a vast amount of property. In 1861, there were heavy floods in the same parts of the state, whereby property to the value of millions of dollars was destroyed. To these calamities fire added enormously, especially in San Francisco.
Agriculture in C. is dependent upon the amount of rain. If there is plenty, excel lent crops are the result; if rain fails, the crops are inferior or worthless. Only a small portion of C.'s 120,000,000 acres are available for farming, and the census of 1870 returned only 6,200,000 so used. Sowing is done in Nov., and June and July are harvest months. Machinery is largely employed in agriculture. Fniits are important and abundant. Grapes and wines from C. are always in the eastern markets. As early as 1861, a million gallons of wine were made in C. (see AMERICAN WixEs). Apples, pears. plums, apricots, oranges, lemons, figs, pomegranates, olives, and almonds are raised. Cotton and the sugar-beetgrow well. Wool-growing is a large industry, the hilly parts of the state being well adapted to the raising of sheep, which need neither fodder nor shelter, even in winter.
C. is not remarkable for manufacturing industries, though they are increasing. Flour and grist mills and lumber-mills are in great number. Boots and shoes, cigars, wagons, woolen goods, gunpowder, tanneries, chemicals, and iron may be mentioned. The branch mint in San Francisco turns out a large coinage.
The heterogeneousness of the population of C. is noticeable. The gold excitement brought people from the ends of the earth, and every slumbering clime awoke and sent onward her legions. Of 560,247 inhabitants in 1870, 209,848 were horn in the following countries: Africa, 48; Asia (not including China and Japan), 56; Atlantic islands, 943; .Australia, 1593; Austria, 1078; Belgium, 291; Bohemia, 90; British America, 10,670; Central America, 126; China, 48,826; Cuba, 45; Denmark, 1837; France, 8068; Ger many, 29,701; England, 17,699; Ireland, 54,421; Scotland, 4949; Wales, 1517 (total of British subjects, 90,926); Greece, 97; Greenland, 1; Holland, 472; Italy, 4660; Japan, 33; Luxembourg, 11; Mexico (the native Californians were naturalized by the treaty), 9339; Norway, 1000; Pacific islands, 93; Poland, 804; Portugal, 2508; Ibisqia, 540; Sandwich islands, 278; South America, 1956; Spain, 405; Sweden, 1944; Switzerland, 2927; Turkey, 17; West Indies (except Cuba), 350; at sea, 142. Every one of the United States and territories was represented. The largest numbers were from New York, 33,766; Illinois, 10,095; Maine, 11,261; 3Iassachtisetts, 15,334; Missouri, 16,050; Pennsylvania, 11,201; others ranging, from 10,000 down to 7 for Dakota, while 23 came from Alaska. The natives of C. were 163,653, not quite 30 per cent of all natives. Of the entire population only 26,909 were natives of the United States born of native parents, or less than 5 per cent. Males largely exceeded females, being 349,479 to 210,768. The Chinese arc the cause of much annoyance to many of the people, who urge against them that they unduly cheapen labor, and that they bring demoralization; and strong efforts have been made, both by legislation and by popular violence or threat, to keep them out, but hitherto without effect. The problem is complex and dif ficult; and its solution cannot be said to have been yet reached. In 1870, there were 11,703 Chinese in San Francisco, about 8 per cent of the total population.