104 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



The large population which had suddenly — almost simultaneously — 

 occupied this territory, were men of enterprise, energy, and fore- 

 thought. For such men the capacities of the soil and climate of 

 California could not long remain hidden. They saw in the fertility 

 of the soil and the salubrity of the climate the highest possibilities 

 of reward to intelligent agriculture. They saw in the well watered 

 slopes of the mountains reservoirs of mechanical power, and oppor- 

 tunities for irrigation. They wisely concluded that the one thing 

 necessary to develop these resources was, first, a knowledge of their 

 existence, and, second, a knowledge of the processes necessary to 

 their development and adapted to the peculiarities of the soils and 

 the seasons. With these objects in view, these annual comparisons 

 of the products of the soil, and of the mines, and of mechanical 

 skill, were instituted. Once in each year during these twenty-six 

 years the best results of agricultural industry have been brought 

 together in this place for comparison. Once in each year the best 

 specimens of the herds have been congregated for comparison and 

 contrast. Annually the most enterprising and the most public- 

 spirited of the agriculturists, the herdsmen, the fruit growers, the 

 miners, and the mechanics have met to exchange ideas and to com- 

 pare the results of their industry. In this way, unaided by the 

 experience of the centuries of which our sister States may avail 

 themselves, in the literature of agriculture and stock raising — in this 

 way, I say, we have developed a special science of agriculture. We 

 have had much to learn and have much still to learn, but what we 

 know we have taught each other. I repeat, intelligence is the great 

 producer, and I believe that the annual exhibitions of your Society 

 have, more than any other instrumentality, contributed to the intelli- 

 gence of our people; and judged from this standpoint these annual 

 exhibitions have conferred a wealth upon the State of California ris- 

 ing into millions, and in comparison with which their cost to indi- 

 viduals or to the State sinks into the utmost insignificance. When 

 you educate a man, you educate all that belongs to him; even his 

 gates, his fences, and his whole farm become an exponent of his 

 intelligence and of his mind. Some fears have been entertained 

 that certain provisions of the lately-ratified organic law of this State 

 will operate injuriously upon the interests of this Society. I fully 

 believe these fears to be groundless. The practical and economic 

 value of these annual exhibitions is too fully appreciated by the 

 intelligent and public-spirited people of this State to justify the sim- 

 ple doubt of their continuance. I do not believe that the bounty of 

 the State, so generously bestowed in former years, will be withheld, 

 because I believe that the endowment was not the result of caprice, 

 but was bestowed with intelligent purpose and for well-considered 

 reasons. These objects and reasons were not in any way affected by 

 the change in the organic law. 



It is also my pleasant duty to congratulate you upon the bounteous 

 harvest of this year and the continued evidence of the growth and 

 the prosperity of our State. The surplus of the wheat crop for 

 export this year will exceed in value $20,000,000, while the wine and 

 the wool and the fruit crops have kept pace with the growth of the 

 cereals. It is not the place, in this opening address of welcome and 

 congratulation, to deal with statistics, but we may refer to the general 

 prosperity of our people with patriotic and sincere gratitude to the 

 Giver of all good. 



