CALIFORNIA, a State in the Western Division of the North American Union, bounded by Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Lower California, and the Pacific Ocean; land area, 155,980 square miles; admitted to the Union Sept. 9, 1850; number of counties, 58; pop. (1890) 1,208,130; (1900) 1,486,053; (1910) 2,577,549; (1920) 3,426,861; capital, Sacramento.
Topography.—The surface of the State is very mountainous, being traversed by two ranges extending in a N. W. and S. E. direction. The Coast Range, consisting of a number of broken ridges, has an average width at the base of 65 miles, and varies from 1,000 to 8,000 feet in height. The highest peaks are Mt. Ripley, 7,500 feet, and Mt. Downie, 5,675 feet. The Sierra Nevada Mountains join the Coast Range and extend along the E. border of the State for about 450 miles, with nearly 100 peaks exceeding 10,000 feet in height, the highest being Mt. Whitney, 14,898 feet, Mt. Tyndall, 14,386 feet, and Mt. Shasta, 14,350 feet. Between these ranges is a basin, at some early time the bed of a lake, about 450 miles in length, the N. section known as the Sacramento Valley, and the S. section as the San Joaquin Valley. This valley contains Tulare Lake, and is drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. The coast line is irregular, with numerous capes and bays, affording many good harbors. San Francisco Bay is the largest and best harbor on the Pacific coast.
Geology.—The mountainous parts of California consist almost entirely of volcanic rocks, with many extinct craters. Tertiary and cretaceous sandstones are found in the foothills and along the coast range, while the central mass of the Sierras and their highest peaks are of granite. Metamorphic formations are found in the N. W., and extend along the Sierra and San Bernardino mountains and the detached triassic and Jurassic fields bordering the Sierras are known as the auriferous, or gold belt.
Mineralogy.—California was for many years the first State in the Union in the production of gold, but it has now dropped to second place. As early as 1841 gold was obtained by washing near the San Fernando Mission. In 1848, the discovery at Coloma of large gold deposits started the up-building of California. At first mining was carried on by washing the river gravel, and in 1851 sluices were built through which the water was passed. These sluices were filled with blocks of wood or stones, which collected the gold as it sank. Digging was carried on also, and in 1852 a hydraulic system was introduced, by which great streams of water were turned against the gravel banks. This process was successful, but by it the banks were rapidly swept away and the detritus threatened to choke the rivers, so that its use was soon prohibited by law. Gold is found in the metallic state, often associated with silver and other metals, on the slopes of the Sierras. It is also found in streams and alluvial deposits in coarse grains, and quartz deposits where it is extracted by amalgamation. A very rich quality of silver occurs in small quantities, and magnetic iron and cinnabar abound in the Sierras. Pyrites of iron and copper are found in gold-bearing quartz, and a rich variety of argentiferous galena occurs in San Bernardino county. Other valuable mineral products are: tin, plumbago, cobalt, granites, marbles, sandstones, hydraulic limestones and bituminous coal.
Mineral Production.—The combined output of gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead mines for 1918 was valued at $32,223,500. The iron ore output was 25,000 gross tons. The yield of silver was 1,533,000 ounces, of copper 48,538,000 pounds, of lead 14,655,800 pounds, and of zinc 4,697,900 pounds. The gold production was valued at $16,528,953. The estimate for 1919 was of gold $17,320,250, silver $1,244,386, copper $4,236,934, lead $253,944, and zinc $68,533. The most notable development in the mineral production of California has been the extraordinary increase in the production of petroleum. The production in 1899 reached scarcely 2,000,000 barrels. This has increased in 1906 to 34,500,000 barrels, in 1914 to 86,450,797 barrels, and in 1918 to 97,531,997 barrels. In the production of petroleum California was exceeded in 1918 only by Oklahoma. The total value of the production of 1918 was $118,770,790. This development resulted from the discovery of oil-bearing fields in various parts of the State.
Soil.—The soil varies with the surface conditions of the State. In the elevated portions it is rich, mellow, and easily worked, and timber land abounds. In the lower portions the soil varies from a rich loam to a heavy clay or adobe. What was formerly considered desert land can now, under irrigation, be turned into valuable agricultural districts.
Agriculture.—The State is very rich in its agricultural interests. The acreage, production and value of the principal crops in 1919 was as follows: corn, 87,000 acres, with a production of 2,871,000 bushels, valued at $5,139,000; oats, 175,000 acres, with a production of 5,250,000 bushels, valued at
