STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 19 



More fruit was, in consequence, dried and canned. Heretofore prices 

 for this character of fruit have been low, but from later advices we believe 

 better prices will prevail, and a corresponding increase in shipments will 

 result. 



From the Mississippi River eastward they have not experienced up to 

 January, so mild and pleasant a winter for years, a fact which enabled 

 shipments of green fruit, such as apples, etc., to be made in barrels long 

 after it had been customary, and also created a desire for fresh fruit which 

 is not natural when the thermometer is down below zero and the snow 

 many feet deep; consequently, there has not been the call for dried fruits 

 we usually have and expect during the early winter months. But now the 

 green supply has about ceased, and we expect to soon see an upward ten- 

 dency in dried fruit prices. 



Those who grow wine grapes have this year made a decided change in 

 programme, and many instead of selling their grapes for little or nothing, 

 have dried them, and from newspaper reports, the prices offered for this 

 article are much more satisfactory and remunerative than selling them at 

 prices offered in their green state. 



The winter so far has been very propitious for an abundant crop of fruit 

 for the coming season, and, barring accidents, with the increased acreage 

 coming into bearing, we should certainly have at a low estimate two thou- 

 sand cars of deciduous fruits leaving our well favored State. 



THE WHEAT CROP. 



The year of 1888 opened exceedingly bright for the cereal production of 

 California. The acreage sown to wheat was in the neighborhood of three 

 million two hundred and fifty thousand. Up to April first, the crops, 

 although late, promised well, but the month of April failed to give the 

 desired rainfall that is so much needed by growing grain at that particular 

 time. Instead of rain, the old enemy of the wheat crops — the hot, dry 

 north winds — prevailed most of the entire month. This proved disastrous 

 to young grain, and cost the growers at least one quarter of the acreage 

 seeded. More favorable weather was had in May and June, and in fact 

 up to harvest, that assisted very materially in the maturing of early sown 

 grain. The estimated outcome of wheat in 1888 is about twenty-seven 

 million seven hundred and fifty thousand bushels, as against a yield of 

 nearly twenty-eight million in 1887. 



The year of 1888 can be considered as fairly prosperous for our millers, 

 although our trade with China and Japan has been quite seriously cut into 

 by Oregon. As nearly as can be estimated two million barrels of flour 

 were turned out by the mills of this State during the year. The exports 

 show a slight increase over those of 1887, but are considerably below those 

 of 1886. Tables will be found farther on giving the highest, lowest, and 

 average prices during each month of the year for No. 1 white wheat, spot; 

 also, tables giving the highest and lowest prices of No. 1 feed barley during 

 each month of the various options dealt in at the San Francisco Produce 

 Exchange Call Board Association, for which, with other data connect' d 

 therewith, we are indebted to Mr. T. C.Friedlander, the obliging Secretary. 



METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 



This society has from its own resources, ably assisted by Sergeant James 

 A. Barwick, United States Signal Service Observer at Sacramento, issued 

 a report in pamphlet form for the years 1884, 1885, 1886, and 1887, and 



