STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 225 



This 3'ear, tlie crops did look promising, especially those early put in; 

 late crops did not do as well, owing to the absence of late rains. 



Some farmers who last year put in a crop of barle}", whereof scarcely 

 anything came above ground, and who by stress of circumstances could, 

 not purchase seed for this year, left their land untilled. The seed, not 

 having germinated last year, came up and gave a volunteer cro]) superior 

 to that of some of their neighbors who had their soil ploughed up anew 

 and sowed over again. This has been the case in most every similar 

 instance, and has taught a lesson whereof many may avail tliemselves 

 in tlie future. 



Barley does well in Pajaro, Salinas, and Carmelo Valleys, but the 

 heavy fogs prevailing dui-ing spring and summer, while supplying tho 

 want of rain and aiding to tiie growth, gives the grain a brownish color, 

 depreciating it in the market. 



The crop of wheat appeared very satisfactory ; complete absence of 

 smut. This may be accounted for by the dryness of the spring. Wlicat 

 thrives well in Pajaro and Salinas Valleys, the latter n-^eding a wet win- 

 ter, while in the Pajaro Valley too much rain will injure and cause the 

 seed'earlj' put in to rot. 



Tlie crop of corn, beans, peas, etc., is indifferent, for lack of moisture; 

 garden products, vegetables, etc., are below the average this year, owing 

 to the same cause. 



PASTURE 



Was ever3^where abundant; but it Avas remarked that some kinds, and 

 among them the wild oats, did not do very well in comparison with 

 otiiers ; probably the cause thereof is that mucli seed was destroyed. 

 The grass looking most luxuriant was the altileria, or pin grass. Bunch 

 grass, likewise, looked better than it did for many years. This last 

 named is mostly to be found on poor, and even stony soil, and as late 

 pasture it ranks among the best for its nutritious qualities. Much hay 

 having been made of wild grasses, the price of this ariicle has much 

 declined ; at present, barley hay is sold for ten dollars per ton. In the 

 table of statistics I have made no mention of wild grass hay. 



Every year some attempts are made to raise alfalfa, or Peruvian 

 clover, and prove failures, or nearly so, because to alfalfa, ii; a country 

 having a dry season as California, periodical irrigation is indispensable; 

 and when thus irrigated it remains always green, and grows to the 

 height of four feet, as is the case in South America, under a similar cli- 

 mate to ours. When not irrigated, its growth will not exceed much 

 that of the bur clover, and it will dry almost as soon after the rainy 

 season is past; therefore, the opinion is ):)reva]ent that sowing alfalfa, 

 without a system of irrigation amounts to time and labor lost. 



■ FRUIT TREES, ETC. 



1 have made no mention of the product of fruit trees, because T have 

 not been able to ascertain the same. Fruit and vegetables are not laised 

 for exportation, and but little is sent to market. 1 have not given much 

 importance to those ai'ticles. 



Fruit trees do not thrive well on land exposed to the coM sea breeze 

 or fogs, therefore fruit is scarce at Montei-ey and in the vicinity of the 

 sea coast; however, in some sheltered valleys, all kinds of fruit bclong- 



29 



