STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 9 



a warm sun in the morning induced an attack of rust in many locali- 

 ties, and the result was a decreased product and a low average 

 quality. 



Then the farmers, as usual in this State, allowed the grain to stand 

 till too ripe before cutting, and an additional loss was the result. 

 The vintage of wine was below the average, but the quality was good. 

 The wool clip did not come up in weight to the average of the past 

 few years, but showed a continued improvement in quality. The 

 fruit crop was below the average in quantity, and owing to the ravages 

 of the codling moth, which has been introduced in our State quite 

 recently, was much injured in quality. In fact, the year was but a 

 medium one for production all round; but as the harvest time 

 advanced, and autumn was succeeding summer, the dark cloud of 

 depression and uncertainty that had hung over the country so long 

 begun to break away in the east, and the rays of hope and sunshine 

 inspired hope in the minds of men. The financial affairs of the 

 country assumed a more stable and promising aspect, and hope 

 inspired confidence brought a revival of business and a general 

 advance of prices. 



Wheat ap])reciated in a short time from about %\ 60 to $2 10 per 

 cental. Wool, from 10 to 15 cents a pound, to 25 and 30 cents. Grapes 

 for wine, that had been dull and hardly salable at $10 and $12 per 

 ton, commanded $15 and $25 per ton. Hops, that could not be sold 

 at 10 cents a pound, were in demand at 20 and 25 cents; and all other 

 agricultural products advanced in i^roportion. Iron, lumber, coal, 

 general hardware, and all manufactured articles felt the general 

 imi)ulse and advanced in like ratio. General life and business suc- 

 ceeded general stagnation ; and the year that begun with the tide of 

 business at the lowest ebb, closed at flood tide, w^hich promises to 

 continue to flow on, bearing the business of the country on its crest 

 for at least some time to come. Our wheat crop turned out about 

 20,000,000 centals, worth at current advanced rates at least $40,000,000; 

 of whicli we had exported by sea on the first of January — the end of 

 the first half of the harvest year — of flour, 234,881 barrels, worth 

 $1,238,230; of wheat, 7,669,993 centals, worth $13,467,340; combined 

 value of export, $14,645,574. 



Of barley w^e produced from six to seven million centals, and 

 though this crop is principally used at home, we had exported on 

 January first, 411,145 centals, of a value of $594,252. 



Of wool, we sheared in the year 46,137,720 pounds, and, including re- 

 ceipts from Oregon, we have exported 50,705,078 pounds, at a value 

 of $9,000,000. 



Of wine, we have made from six to seven million gallons, worth in 

 our own markets to-day, $2,000,000. 



Of butter, we have produced considerably above the needs for 

 home consumption, and there was during the year received, at the 

 City of San Francisco alone, 8,337,100 pounds. We also produce 

 cheese in excess of home consumption; the receipts at San Francisco 

 for the past year were 4,218,400 pounds. 



Of hops, we had exported by sea on January first, 133,963 pounds, 

 at a value of $20,139. The overland export was considerably larger. 

 The production of raisins in our State is a rapidly growing and a 

 satisfactorily paying industry — the quality of the fruit produced by 

 those best skilled in the business being equal to the best imported. 

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