State Agricultural Society. 361 



Many years ago — nearly twent}* — Farmer A. owned and occupied a 

 farm in Santa Clara Valley, near the foothills. The soil was rich, and 

 mere scratching with a plow was sufficient to produce good crops of 

 grain; and not only that, two or three good volunteer crops could be 

 had from once plowing and sowing. The plan was followed for several 

 years. Grain brought a fair price, and Farmer A. was happy; he and 

 his family lived eas} r , and spent their money freely. But, by and by, 

 the land began to fail; weeds and wild oats came so plentifully in the 

 volunteer crops that that way of grain raising had to be given up, and 

 the land was plowed every year; but it was still grain each year, and 

 no rest for the land. Farmer A. found that in a "dry }~ear " his crops 

 failed altogether, and in the best years they were light. These "dry 

 years," as they are called, by the by, have been the salvation of the 

 country, for had it not been for the rest to the land which they afforded, 

 a large portion of it would have ere this been " run " to death. 



Well, Farmer A. said that farming didn't pay, and to save himself 

 from bankruptcy, sold his farm. Mr. B., an intelligent Eastern farmer, 

 was the purchaser. The neighbors smiled when they spoke of him, and 

 said that the farm would soon starve him out. The tract comprised one 

 hundred and fifty acres of valley land of fair quality. Farmer B. di- 

 vided it into four fields. He had but little extra money, but managed 

 to get a few cows and young stock, and reserving one field for a pasture, 

 put them in it. There was a good fall of rain that Winter, and Farmer 

 B. put his plow down in good old Eastern style, and plowed as near a 

 foot in depth as he could, and turned up soil that had not seen the light 

 for centuries. The neighbors politely told him he was a fool, and would 

 get nothing for his pains. After his grain crops were sown, a neighbor 

 found him one day deeply cross plowing a piece of ground near his 

 house. "What are you going to raise here?" he said. "Well," said 

 Farmer B., "there was a large pile of old manure where the old barn 

 used to stand. I have spread the most of it on this piece of land, and 

 am going to try to grow corn and vegetables." " Let me tell you," said 

 the neighbor, "that corn and vegetables won't grow in this soil; it's too 

 gravelly and dry, and the sun will burn them to death." Invariably, 

 when Farmer B. put in practice his system of thorough farming, dis- 

 couraging advice was dealt out to him unsparingly; but he persisted in 

 carrying out his plan, and thanking his neighbors for their kindness, he 

 told them he would try his way of farming one or two years, and if it 

 did not pay, he would adopt theirs. Now, what is the result? It is six 

 years since Farmer B. made his purchase. His first grain crop was only 

 an ordinary one, but all since then have been excellent. His plan of 

 affording some rest to his land by pasturing has proved very beneficial. 

 His vegetable crop has always been a profitable one, and the same 

 neighbors who said they would not grow, have repeatedly bought of 

 him, saying they were much better than any that could be procured in 

 town. Farmer B. has been deservedly prosperous, having something 

 each year to sell in the line of grain, fruit, vegetables, pork, butter, 

 stock, poultry, etc., and the aggregate amount is quite satisfactory. He 

 has lately planted a few acres to almonds and the raisin grape, and will, 

 no doubt, make them a success. But the thrift and prosperity which is 

 everywhere conspicuous upon his farm must not by any means be all 

 credited to him; his worthy wife should come in for an equal share of 

 praise. Without the cheerful cooperation of this lady, the result would 



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