176 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



our shores, and that the variety of our products is unparalleled in any other 

 country. And yet, strange as it may appear, until within a comparatively 

 few years, we have produced for export but the one staple commodity, 

 namely, wheat. According to the census of 1880 only twenty-one per cent 

 of our whole population was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1880 we 

 produced about thirty bushels of wheat to each individual, old and young, 

 in this State; while throughout the whole of the Union less than ten bush- 

 els were raised to each inhabitant, although in man}'- States as high as fifty 

 to sixty per cent of the entire population were engaged in agriculture. 



In Europe the average amount of wheat raised is three bushels to each 

 inhabitant. In Russia, which hitherto has been our chief competitor in 

 the wheat markets of the world, only two bushels of wheat to each indi- 

 vidual are produced. There they eat rye and sell their wheat. The pro- 

 duction of wheat in California has possibly reached its high-water mark. 

 This may be true, first, because wheat is low in Europe, and it is more than 

 probable that in the future it will continue low, and we may have to look 

 for another market; second, because our people are commencing to pro- 

 duce other things, and to produce them in large and abundant quantity, 

 and the wheat lands are thus being used for other purposes; and third, 

 because India can raise wheat for the European market in vast quantities, 

 and it is claimed can do it cheaper than we can. 



From a report made by J. A. Leonard, Consul-General at Calcutta, as 

 late as February 21, 1885, it appears that for the years 1883-4, India 

 exported over 30,000,000 bushels of wheat annually, while last year the 

 whole of Europe only required 50,000,000 centals more than it raised. In 

 this report Mr. Leonard says: "The question as to what extent wheat 

 growing will increase in India is one that cannot be answered accurately 

 and definitely. It is certain that the wheat area in India has increased, 

 and there can be no doubt but that the wheat fields of India will yield 

 abundantly. Wheat is and will be raised cheaper in India than in Amer- 

 ica. Our improved machinery cannot compete with labor that works for 

 seven to ten cents per day." 



This report is official, and was made by Mr. Leonard to his Government 

 to warn the people of this country of the certain competition of India in 

 this peculiar branch of industry. If this report is correct, and wheat can 

 be more cheaply raised in India than it can be in California, and if it can 

 be raised there in great abundance, and can be transported through the 

 Suez Canal to Liverpool as cheaply as we can transport it from San Fran- 

 cisco to Liverpool, the wheat raisers of California will either have to seek 

 another market, or raise something else, for in the future we will have to 

 compete with the producers of India. There will always be a very large 

 home market for California wheat, and there will always be a very large 

 amount of wheat raised in California for some foreign market, but it is 

 exceedingly doubtful whether there will be a continuous good market at 

 prices hitherto paid, and especially if we should continue to raise, for the 

 next ten years, the same amount of wheat we have raised the last ten. 



It would seem, then, to be a matter of ordinary business prudence for the 

 great wheat growers of California to gradually introduce other productions 

 as well as wheat, and that they may do this successfully they should 

 inquire as to what is the most profitable use to which they can apply their 

 land. This is a subject I propose very briefly to address you upon. 



