146 TRANSACTIONS OP THE 



THE FENCE QUESTION. 



BY WILSON FLINT, 



STOCK GROWING AND PRODUCE FARMING. 



Deeming it to be the duty of the State Agricultural Society to put on 

 record whatever rna}^ come before it concerning the condition and wants, 

 the progress or decline of the great producing interests of the State, the 

 person to whom has been assigned the labor of writing out the history 

 of this year's exhibit of stock finds himself compelled to go somewhat 

 at length into a discussion of the collateral questions which have had a 

 remote or direct bearing in depressing this interest; and while it is a 

 pleasure to transcribe for publication whatever is worthy of commenda- 

 tion betokening improvement, it still is no less a requirement that 

 there shall be plainly stated the causes for any falling off or deteriora- 

 tion discovered in any branch of the industries. Neither can the writer 

 expect, in the brief limits to which this paper must be confined, to give 

 a detailed statement of the causes which have made stock growing in 

 California a precarious and unsatisfactory business. 



When the gold discovery was made there were great herds of cattle, 

 horses, and sheep congregated in vast bands at a comparatively few 

 points, remote from each other, and scattered along the sea coast valle} T s. 

 The number of stock, however, was insignificant, compared to what it 

 is at this date; but throughout the middle districts it has ceased, in a 

 great measure, to be grazed in large bands, it being now scattered over 

 the entire country under a numerous proprietorship. This, while it has 

 had the effect of introducing improved breeds to a gratifying extent, has 

 at the same time made stock raising in the designated localities a more 

 difficult and expensive business. The chief reason of this is that, under 

 the multiplicity of ownership of stock, there necessarily has taken place 

 a greater subdivision of land, so that when set off into small parcels no 

 one proprietor had sufficient to make stock raising aiventire occupation ; 

 hence, he is forced to take such portions of his small tract a*s would grow 

 the cereals for the plough, so that his animals would be turned out upon 

 the hills and less fertile plains to pick up their forage as best they might. 



