618 Transactions of the 



I read recently the statement of a disappointed adventurer, who either 

 never saw your fruitful valley, or was so lost to shame and truth as to 

 proclaim the idea a fraud that California was an agricultural State. No 

 other State in the Union proffers equal advantages for the pursuit of a 

 diversified and remunerative agriculture. The rains that moisten the 

 soil make no uncertain appearance. The gang plow performs its office 

 when the prairies of the East are receiving their nutrition from tho 

 Winter's snow. The seed is sown when Eastern farmers seek a cheer- 

 ful fire, and would sooner dream of a journey to the pole, than of at- 

 tempting to prepare and plant the frost-hardened earth for a successful 

 harvest. The pure water causes the seed to germinate at the early ap- 

 proach of Spring, and the full crops to ripen in the rays of a never-fail- 

 ing sun, whose going down is followed by cooling, but not frosty nights. 

 Under these genial influences spring forth the wheat, the barley, tho 

 oats, that portion of which is sown for hay being cut before the grain 

 matures in April or May. The fields thus vacated are planted with corn 

 and other crops, which, when gathered, tho soil is again ready for the 

 plowshare. That which is left to ripen is harvested in the Summer. It 

 is the surplus of this great annual crop that creates our commerce, and 

 contributes to the support of the needy millions of Europe. 



THE CROP OP EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR. 



The year just closed has been more than ordinarily fruitful. Our crop 

 for export is nearly a third larger than in an} r former year of our his- 

 tory. Our farmers have great cause for thankfulness in an assurance 

 so amply corroborated by the long trains, crowded warehouses, and 

 freighted steamers, barges, and schooners. The superiority of our wheat 

 is not alone determined by the size and fullness of the berry. Those of 

 you who were among the pioneers, remember the unfailing tendency of 

 Eastern wheat to ferment in its transit through the tropics, and must 

 be rejoiced to know that this process never affects our California wheat. 

 It retains the same sweetness at Liverpool, after twice crossing the 

 equator, that it possessed on leaving the field. The surplus crop this 

 year will require for transportation one thousand ships of the largest 

 class. 



GARDEN CULTURE. 



But while your attention has been given to the cultivation of wheat, 

 I regret to observe your neglect of the garden. A garden attached to 

 each farm, instead of being a detriment, would prove an economy. It 

 is not encouraging to be told by a cit}' vegetable vender that his business 

 within eighteen miles of Stockton, in the oldest agricultural county in 

 the valley, is as good as in the town. This shows that grain has usurped 

 all. You cultivate flowers to adorn your farmhouses. Why not culti- 

 vate vegetables to supply your table? You may think that you will 

 have more than you can utilize; but if the market is not near at hand, 

 how easy to have a barnyard! There would be customers always ready 

 to receive your surplus and dispose of it profitably. The horned stock 

 would greet you with a low of satisfaction at the appearance of turnips, 

 carrots, and other roots. The melancholy hog. which is willing to com- 

 pel you to pass on both sides of him, and not apprise you of his inten- 

 tions, scorns not to interview potatoes and cabbages, and the gentlemanly 

 chanticleer, with his numerous harem, will crow his thanks for every 



