State Agricultural Society. 353 



OUR AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK. 



Since the late rains the farmers all over the State have been actively- 

 engaged in plowing and preparing their grounds for seeding. Thus far 

 the rains and fair weather have been exactly in accordance with their 

 wishes, and they are evidently making the most of it. From the best 

 information we have been able to get within the last week or two, we 

 are of the opinion that the area of wheat sown this Fall and Winter in 

 the State will be considerably in excess of that of last j< r ear. It may be 

 considered rather early to begin to canvass our agricultural prospects for 

 the coming year to any great extent, but it may be safely said that at no 

 previous year in. the history of the State has the outlook been more prom- 

 ising at the end of November. Far-seeing farmers are beginning to realize 

 that the present year has more than ever demonstrated the fact that their 

 true policy is to mix the crops. There never was a time when the agricul- 

 turists of California could appreciate the necessity of having a variety 

 of products to rely upon more than just now, when the wheat market 

 is only a nominal matter, and our great staple is almost a lifeless com- 

 modity upon their hands. We hoj)e for better things, but we cannot 

 depend upon any improvement; and we realize that we are liable any 

 year to meet with the same stagnation that is upon us at the present 

 time. And now comes the question: What shall constitute the crop of 

 the future? In old and well regulated farming countries, where a good 

 system of rotating, or alternating, has been adopted and practiced for a 

 long time, it is customary for each farmer to follow his own judgment 

 upon such matters, and the aggregate of the farm products generally 

 comes out all right. But such farmers always take a careful and 

 thoughtful survey of the outlook, canvassing every circumstance that 

 may have a bearing on the productions of his farm, as well as the prob- 

 abilities of a profitable market for those productions. We are aware of 

 the difficulties in the way of making any radical change in a newly set- 

 tled country like that of our own. The farmer who has grown nothing 

 but wheat for years, with good success, is very apt to think that he can- 

 not cultivate any other product on his land that will be equally as 

 remunerative. We are sincerely of the opinion that diversified farming, 

 ■when intelligently engaged in, will, in the long run, be found more profit- 

 able than wheat growing exclusively. It is certain that cotton growing 

 in California can be made, by careful and proper management, as suc- 

 cessful at least as that of wheat. There is no doubt but tobacco of the 

 very best quality can be raised here; and the profit of this production 

 is an immense percentage over that of wheat. The ramie will grow 

 luxuriantly, and as the proper machinery has recently been invented by 

 which this textile can be utilized, we see no reason why it should not be 

 cultivated on a largo scale, and placed among our leading exports. Flax 



