State Agricultural Society. 11 



embankments, destroying; a great amount of valiial)]o property, and 

 depriving the owners from raising their usual crops this season ; yet, 

 with the usual tenacity of Californians, they have rebuilt and repaired 

 mih?s upon miles of levees the past summer — building tiiem larger, 

 higlier, and on more scientific principles than those destroyed — and 

 have one and all learned valuable lessons that will prove beneficial 

 to them in the future. 



The jiroduct of the cereals during the i)ast season has been satis- 

 factory when taken as a whole. TJie most important one of all is 

 wheat, the yield of which was much greater than in eighteen hun- 

 dred and seventy-seven. Some portions of the State showed a 

 decrease, while other portions had a largely increased yield. 



The quality of wheat raised during the season was far above the 

 average, as compared with our own productions in years gone by. 

 There is no question but our State can and will raise more wheat 

 each year. The experiment of rotation in cereal crops is being tried 

 by many of our farmers. The new or wild lands that are being 

 brought under cultivation are invariably sown to wheat, the first 

 and second seasons at least, and, as a consequence, the yield of this, 

 our greatest article of export, is being annually increased. The yield 

 or product of barley, oats, and rye was more than for many years. 

 They each and all commanded fair figures, remunerating well the 

 raisers for their time and labor. It is estimated by good authority 

 that there is grain enough, at the present time, in store-houses in Cal- 

 ifornia to suppl}'' the wants and demands of our own people for the 

 next three years, even though there was not a bushel of any kind 

 produced during that time. 



The shipments during the first nine months of the year eighteen 

 hundred and seventy-eight from San Francisco to the East, Europe, 

 Asia, the isUmds of the Pacific, Mexico, South America, and Aus- 

 tralia, were five million one hundred and seventy-two thousand four 

 hundred and sixteen centals of wheat, ninety-six thousand seven 

 hundred and eighty-two centals of barley, and fourteen thousand 

 four hundred and fifty-six centals of oats. Not only was California 

 blessed with abundance of wheat, but the Commissioner of Agricult- 

 ure reports that the yield of the United States was by far the largest 

 ever recorded from statistics. 



According to the annual wool report of E. Grisar & Company of San 

 Francisco, tlic ])roduct of eighteen hundred and seventy-eight was 

 forty million eight hundred and sixty-two thousand and sixty-one 

 pounds, a decrease of twelve million two hundred and forty-eight 

 thousand six hundred and eighty pounds. For the various causes 

 that lead to this falling ott' see their report, which we herewith \n\h- 

 lish. 



The vintage of eighteen hundred and seventy-eight surpassed, in 

 quantity and quality, that of previous years, amounting to ten mil- 

 lion gallons, clearly demonstrating that the manufacture of wine is 

 destined to rank as one of the leading industries of our State. 



Those engaged in the culture of the grape are constantly improv- 

 ing their vineyards, and cultivating only the very best varieties for 

 wine or raisins. Our wines are l>eing introduced into all the Euro- 

 pean countries, and are received witii favor, being only mentioned 

 by competent judges to be praised. They command a good figure in 

 the Eastern States, being eagerly sought by those who appreciate the 

 pure unadulterated wines. 



