cultivated that was not absolutely needed for the maintenance of the missions and their immediate neighborhoods. There was no commerce to carry off the excess of production, and no enterprise to create a surplus for the purposes of trade.
At this epoch the whole cereal production of Upper California did not exceed—
| 63,000 | bushels | of wheat. |
|---|---|---|
| 28,000 | " | of corn. |
| 4,200 | " | of frijoles or brown beans. |
| 2,800 | " | of garabanzos or peas. |
| 18,500 | " | barley. |
The Californians, of that period, seem however, to have particularly delighted in the care of cattle. The idle, roving life of herdsmen, who might wander over the plains and mountains in search of their flocks, was peculiarly suited to a population emerging from the nomadic state; and accordingly we find that the region was well stocked, whilst the missions and their dependencies flourished. In 1831, Mr. Forbes tells us, that there were in this province,—
| 216,727 | Horned Cattle, |
|---|---|
| 32,100 | Horses, |
| 2,844 | Mules, |
| 177 | Asses, |
| 153,455 | Sheep, |
| 1,873 | Goats, |
| 839 | Swine. |
In addition to these there were vast numbers, roaming at large, which were not marked or branded, according to California laws, as belonging to any of the jurisdictions, missions, haciendas or towns. These were hunted