10 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



During the earl}^ part of the year estimates of the probable yield 

 of wheat in this State were asked for by numerous eastern corre- 

 spondents. In response thereto the Secretary of this Board, after 

 correspondence with practical farmers of each county, placed the 

 approximate yield at thirty million bushels. Much comment was 

 then made upon this estimate. The operators cried it down, and 

 made estimates far in advance of this. A prominent evening journal 

 of San Francisco went so far as to say that the "operators" never 

 placed much confidence in the State Agricultural Society. The rea- 

 son probably is that this Society obtains and gives the opinions of 

 practical farmers, in whose interests it works, while the " operators " 

 work wholly in the interests of themselves. Were we " operators," 

 and desired to obtain as much grain as possible early in the season, 

 knowing that the crop would not be more than an average one, would 

 it not be advisable for us to circulate reports that a greater abundance 

 of grain would be grown that year, and enlist influential newspapers 

 in our way of thinking, and encourage the farmer to dispose of his 

 products immediately after harvest, while we would be purchasing 

 the very grain we had urged him to sell; after which it would be 

 found that we were mistaken(?) ; that wheat had advanced ten or 

 twenty per cent. Would not the mistake be beneficial to the 

 "operators"? Whereas, had the grower the correct information at 

 all times, they could be their own judges as to the supply and demand. 

 The object of "operators" is to make the producer believe the sup- 

 ply will exceed the demand, while the facts may be entirely opposite. 

 The State Board of Agriculture is desirous of doing all in their power 

 to protect and assist the agriculturist. If the grower obtains reliable 

 information, respecting "the state of all crops, he can then protect 

 himself, and take advantage of the market in the disposition of his 

 products, and not be placed at the mercy of those who desire to either 

 "bull" OT "bear" the market. 



You will find herewith, in tabulated form, such statistics that have 

 been collected from reliable sources by the system above referred to, 

 and it will be seen that instead of the wheat yield exceeding fifty 

 inillion bushels we had but thirty-two million six hundred and fifty- 

 nine thousand eight hundred and seventy bushels. Had the " oper- 

 ators" more confidence in the reports of this Society an over-abundance 

 of shipping would not have been engaged, and the large commercial 

 failure of a prominent grain-buying firm possibly been prevented. 



THE FAIR OF 1883. 



The annual Fair, given under the auspices of this Board in 

 September last, was a success in every particular, giving entire satis- 

 faction to exhibitors, visitors, and the management. The exhibits 

 are increasing each year, and the interest taken by all engaged indi- 

 cates the necessity of this feature. The live stock exhibition of this 

 year was more varied than at any preceding Fair. The interest taken 

 in the breeding and raising of improved live stock is steadily increas- 

 ing in tliis State, making the demand for fine stock more than equal 

 to the supply, thereby causing an increase of importations each year. 

 We contend that the Speed Programme is an essential auxiliary to 

 our exhibition. It not only aids in developing the speed and endur- 

 ance of the different strains of blood, but is a source of revenue 

 without which our premiums for other classes would be materially 

 reduced. 



