168 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



the Hon. J. T. Doyle, in Santa Clara County. These facts are men- 

 tioned to show that the peculiarities of California more than ordina- 

 rily require special investigation, and careful consideration, and that 

 we have the talent among us requisite for successful experiment. 



The same line of thought may be taken with reference to all the 

 fruits, etc. 



Without pursuing the discussion of the crop problem further, I 

 desire to call your attention to another matter closely related, and of 

 grave importance. 



Great losses occur because of the excess of production in certain 

 lines. Our people are apt to run in one line, producing the same 

 crops, thus reducing the price. And no system of agriculture can be 

 regarded as highly advanced until this evil is remedied. The rem- 

 edy can only be found in intelligent and reliable crop reports. If 

 some competent person could be found who would give his entire 

 time to a consideration of probable and possible production, with 

 careful deductions therefrom, as to the best crops for a given season, 

 he would add immensely to the prosperity of California. And we 

 may feel quite certain that a wisely developed system of agriculture 

 will include tliorough work in this direction. The necessity of this 

 is so obvious that an Association of Fruit Growers has already been 

 formed for this very purpose. 



Other subjects press upon us, but they can only be alluded to. 



Insect pests and fungi are beginning to attack our grain, orchards, 

 and vineyards, and Messrs. Chapin, Cooke, Behr, Harkness, and 

 others, have done good service in studying these subjects. Indeed, I 

 may safely say that in fighting insect pests California already leads 

 the world. But I feel constrained to say that more elaborate work is 

 needed. We must, to meet the wants of a progressive system, employ 

 the best talent the world can produce. We need accurate teaching, 

 not only about the nature and habits of pests of all kinds, but also 

 as to the best, safest, and most economical methods of applying insect- 

 icides. Without profound practical instruction in these matters we 

 will be at the mercy of pests. If we can call on the State to defend 

 our fields against savage tribes of men, why not expect the State to 

 defend us against the pestiferous armies that are even more destruc- 

 tive? 



A true, progressive, comprehensive system of agriculture must 

 include forestry; the introduction of hard woods; the production and 

 preservation of timber for lumber and fuel; the growth of trees as 

 wind breaks, and tannin-bearing trees for manufacturing purposes. 



The subject of forestry must be studied originally in this State. 

 The cutting down of primitive forests does not involve the same 

 consequences as in eastern countries, where denudation is followed 

 by sudden floods and prolonged drought, because our denuded moun- 

 tains rapidly produce a covering that is quite as useful as the forests 

 that they succeed. But the lumber problem is as important here as 

 there. 



In relation to the tannin-bearing trees, I find in the Bulletin of the 

 Professor of Agriculture of the State University, an important begin- 

 ning of this discussion. I find there that there are many trees now 

 successfully grown in California that are rich in tannin. I mention 

 the fact to show you that we are already doing something in the line 

 of that progress that will lead eventually to a comprehensive system of 

 production that will place California at the head of progressive States. 



