trees, now about five years old from the seed, average 50 feet high and 10 inches in diameter, though they are planted 8 feet apart, or about 600 on an acre. This timber, although of such rapid growth, is a very hard wood, and is equal in strength to oak or ash, and many varieties are very durable, and will be invaluable for purposes where strength and durability are required; and as nearly every member of the family of Eucalyptus delights in a dry soil and on elevated lands unsuited to the culture of the usual farming crops, and as the success of the principal venture above referred to is now assured, many large land-owners are now planting these trees extensively, and it is certain that not many decades will pass before this State will not only be able to fully meet the home consumption of hard woods hitherto wholly imported, but will also be able to supply the demands for these materials from her less-favored sisters. I have no doubt that the Eucalyptus will thrive in any of the Gulf States of the Union, and in any locality where the thermometer does not fall below 30° F.

COLORADO DESERT.

It is a fact not generally known that there is a large extent of country in the southern and southeastern portion of this State, that is generally below the level of the sea, now an arid desert; and a survey has been made under the auspices of some capitalists of this city to determine the feasibility of restoring this depression to its original condition-that of a sea or a continuation of the Gulf of California-by renewing the connection with the gulf by excavating a canal through the low intervening sandy barrier. I am informed that they propose to give the information thus obtained to our Government and ask congressional aid; and, should this plan be fully carried out, it is expected that a district of country extending about two hundred miles northerly from the head of the Gulf of California and one hundred miles in width will be made an inland archipelago, and it is expected that very important meteorological changes will result. The summer rains of Northern Mexico reach only to this region, when, in their northerly course, they are dissipated by the hot air from the burning sands of the desert; and should that region be converted into a sea, it is expected that the southerly moist vinds which prevail south of the desert will extend across it, and thus materially lower the temperature of the southerly central portion of our State, and proportionately lessen the severity of the sea-winds which are now the result of the natural demand of this interior region to supply the loss on account of the rarefaction of its atmosphere. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. S. S. BURDETT,

JAS. T. STRATTON, United States Surveyor-General for California.

Commissioner of the General Land-Office, Washington, D. C.

A.-Statement of contracts entered into by the United States survegor-general for California, with deputy surveyors for surveys of public lands during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, and payable out of the public appropriation of $90,000 for that year.

Nov. 1, 1873 Survey all lines necessary to subdivide township ....do
25 north, ranges 14 and 15 east; township 26
north, ranges 14 and 15 east; township 24 north,
range 15 east; township 34 north, range 12 east;
township 35 north, range 15 east; township 36
north, range 15 east.

Nov. 4, 1873 Subdivide all lands in townships 10 and 11 south,
range 3 west; bounded by the rancho San Vi
cente on the west, the rancho Refugio on the
southeast, and the Pacific Ocean on the south.
Nov. 5, 1873 Survey all lines necessary to subdivide township
9 south, range 19 east; township 10 south, ranges
20 and 21 east; township 11 south, ranges 20 and
21 east; township 12 south, ranges 19 and 20 east;
township 14 south, ranges 25 and 26 east; town-
ship 15 south, ranges 25, 26, and 27 east.

...do

1,000

Notes returned and platted.

.do

7,500

Do.

Name of deputy.

A.-Statement of contracts entered into by the United States surveyor-general for California with deputy surveyor, &c.-Continued.

Date of con-
tract.

Location of field-work.

Meridian.

Amount of Returned contract. amount.

Remarks.

George B. Tolman.
Jesse Applegate
S. W. Foreman

Jan. 3, 1874

Survey the unsurveyed portion of township 5 Mount Diable...
north, range 15 east.

$600 00

Survey returned and being advertised.

Apr. 6, 1874

Complete the subdivision of township 46 north,....do

500 00

Deputy in the field.

May 4, 1874

Complete the exterior and subdivision of town- Humboldt ship 5 north, range 2 east; township 5 north,

4,500 00

Do.

May 6, 1874 Complete the subdivision of township 23 north, Mount Diablo...
range 6 west; township 24 north, range 6 west;
township 25 north, range 6 west.

May 27, 1874 Survey the range-line from the northwest corner
of township No. 23 north, of range 12 west,
along the west line of range 12 west, to the
sixth standard parallel north of the Mount
Diablo base and meridian; also the sixth stand-
ard parallel north of the Mount Diablo base
and meridian, through ranges 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and
12 west; also the fifth standard parallel north,
of the Mount Diablo base and meridian, through
ranges 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 west; also the Hum-
boldt base-line through ranges 6, 7, and 8 east,
to the said west line of range 12 west, Mount
Diablo meridian; also the south boundaries of
township 5 south of the Humboldt meridian
and base, through ranges 7 and 8 east, to the
said west line of range 12 west, of the Mount
Diablo meridian.

June 24, 1874 Complete the exterior boundaries and subdivide Humboldt
township 3 south, ranges 1 and 2 west; town-
ship 3 south, range 1 east; township 4 south,
ranges 1 and 2 west; township 3 south, range
east; township 3 south, range 3 east; township
4 south, range 3 east; township 5 south, range
3 east.

S. W. Foreman

Remarks.

B.-Statement of contracts entered into by the United States surveyor-general for California, with deputy surveyors, for survey of public lands during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, and payable out of private deposits made in conformity with the act of March 3, 1871.