STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 11 



pany, and from information received we are pleased to know that 

 these exhibits outrank any made in the Agricultural Department at 

 New Orleans. 



The interest thus created by reason of tlic important step taken by 

 the State Board of Agriculture in encouraging exhibits of this char- 

 acter, has been manifested by the action of the State Grange at their 

 last State Convention, when they petitioned the Board to continue its 

 efforts in this line, and increase the premiums to $5,000 for county 

 exhibits at the State Fair of 1885. While the Board are anxious to 

 develop the resources of the State in every possible way, they must 

 first look to their resources. The amount of money appropriated by 

 the State for the aid of this society during the year just ended, does 

 not amount to one tenth of the money expended by the Board. Con- 

 sequently if the people want the society to advance faster than they 

 can upon their own resoarces, more money must be appropriated. 

 The sum we do receive is given with reluctance by the Legislature 

 each session; while nothing is said of the time given by the Directors 

 of this Board, who receive naught in return for their arduous labors 

 in assisting in every imaginable way in promoting the agricultural 

 resources of the State. This is an important institution, as the 

 encouragement of immigration depends generally upon the manner 

 in which our resources are brought out. No cheaper or more effectual 

 mode can be devised than by seconding the efforts of this Board. The 

 State Legislature now in session are asked to appropriate $15,000 

 annually for the aid of this institution, and no appropriation can be 

 made that will aid the State more than this one. The management 

 of the society is economical in every respect. But we believe that the 

 society can be made more useful and effective if the necessary funds 

 are available, and we would here state tliat the money ajjprojyriated by 

 the State is used for nothing else than the encouragement of agricidture 

 and mechanical industries. 



CROP REPORTS. 



We are pleased to know that your Excellency has recommended, in 

 your biennial message to the Legislature, the establishment of a sys- 

 tem of crop reports to issue under the direction of this Board. No 

 greater step towards promoting the agricultural interest of California 

 could be made. The efforts of the Board in collecting the statistics 

 on cereals during the several years past, have met with great encour- 

 agement from the press. The reports furnished are known to be 

 from a fair estimate, and made with no other intention than that of 

 furnishing those interested in agricultural pursuits with reliable 

 figures. The yield of wheat in the year 1884, was unprecedented, 

 both in quantity and quality. The favorable weather of last Spring, 

 during the last stages of maturity of the grain, permitted the heads 

 to fill to their utmost capacity; from that time until harvested, no 

 set-back was had, and the yield was large. In consequence of this 

 vast yield the prices were lower than ever. First class milling wheat 

 sold as low as $1 20 per cental. The low prices and meager facilities 

 for shipping our large product resulted in there being on hand at this 

 time about 25,000,000 bushels of wheat. In consequence of the unusual 

 yield and low prices, taken in consideration with the vast yield abroad, 

 wheat raising has not been as remunerative to the producer as for- 

 merly. The effect will be a shortage in acreage for the present season. 

 You will find herewith in tabulated form the statistics collected by 



