Botany

Concerns descriptions of province of Texas for recommendation as sight of new port and further expansion of settlers due to abundance of land, water and fertile soils; new settlements desired to establish trade with Louisiana and also to keep French and English from expanding further into region; contains descriptions of Flora and fauna and geographic and climatic descriptions; contains eloquent statement by Mesieres against French, English and hostile Indian tribes in region. (K. Hubin, June 1990)

Documents concern information resulting in formal establishment of Santa Barbara. Escandon and others conduct review of residents, Indians, mission, climate, crops and general advantages of area. Includes complete list of all residents and members of Escuadra including names, ages, marital status and property owned. Also, 10 families live around mission with same privileges as those in Villa. Mentions Indian groups in area. Reviewers say Santa Barbara one of most important establishments in Colonia as stop-over place and has most fertile lands and most abundant timber. Provides distances to other Villas. Discussion of moving mission to Alberca which Escandon later approves. Escandon gives instructions for construction of homes and a road to Llera. says gambling and liquor to be outlawed. Contains record of admission of one family to Villa. Provides instructions for administration of both Villa and mission. Contains map, city plan of town including surrounding rivers. (M. Dannemiller, April 1989)

Documents concerning Ortiz Parrilla's expedition against Seris. Includes Correa's physical description of Isla del Tiburon; Ortiz Parrilla's discussion of condition of province, and military plans, indictment of Rodriguez Gallardo's plans vis-a- Vis Seris and Rodriguez Gallardo's rebuttal and countercharges. Also, testimony concerning condition of Seris after expedition. (J. H. Ochs, November 1987)

Concerns summary of Camano's logbook in his exploration trip around San Blas, but is not chronological and is incomplete. He describes physical characteristics, war tools, man and woman physical traits, man and woman adornments, weapons, fish and hunting tools of the Indians. Types of trees, animals, fishes, plants, and metals are also described. Emphasis is given to good looking physical appearance of the Indians as well as to their easy going attitude towards the Espanoles. (R. Gomez, September 1989)

Details of Principal concerns and needs for California establishments. Detailed information on climate, agricultural conditions, pasturing livestock, geographical measurements and features of terrain, arable lands, irrigation, social and safety measures for settlers/recruits, food and other supplies for population, horses and mules. Other documents list family relationships and Vital statistics of colonists requesting land tenure rights, lists of types and numbers of cargo animals for missions, planned distribution of & place purchased of these & smaller domestic food/clothing animals. Description of geography, Flora and potential for irrigation of rivers in region. Founding and contruction of presidio San Joseph (Guadalupe). (J. M. Johnson, January 1989)

O'Conor diary includes detailed notes on: specific engagements; livestock recovered; enemy killed and captured; progress at new presidio sites; tropa veterana in expeditions; supply problems; orders given to field-force commanders; Indian settlements encountered; structures and fields discovered; Indian material culture; vegetation; terrain; daily activity of force; and use of scouts. O'Conor also provides tables of troop composition in campaign and lists of plunder recovered. Includes curious references to an Apache rancheria with a pequeno baluarte de adove, en el ojo de San Luis. (J. Williams, April 1987)

O'conor describes reasons for his final site selection relative to royal regulation of presidios of 1772; includes notes on subjects such as; vegetation; topography; distances; communications between sites; water availability; proposal for presidio at Yuma. O'Conor bases much of argument on Bonilla's earlier report; includes other insights into new routes to California; Lafora map; and missionization. (J. Williams, April 1987)

(J. Tapia, July, 1987).

Series of concise letters between Nava and virrey covering granting of travel allowance to Garibay, inauguration of diputacion de Mineria, retirement of Arce, granting of military escort to Leon for conducting of botanical studies in Sonora, moving of bishopric of Nuevo Leon to Monterrey, establishment of presidio at San Fernando, collection of Alcavala, and transfer of Vial from Nueva Mexico to Luisiana. (A. Tukey, August 1988)

Leon y Perez, commended for excellence in botanical studies by sesse; recommended as director of botanical garden for military Hospital in Santa Rosa. Salary discussed, mention of pharmaceutical value of productive Hospital garden. (S. Gibbs, April 1988)