40 
RAINFALL IN CALIFORNIA.—The crops of California depend, as 
nowhere else in this country, upon the comparative amount of rain-fall 
of the winter or rainy season. If the amount is above an aver- 
age of a series of years, a good crop of grain is assured. As 
the rain-fall of different seasons is exceedingly variable, the rain- 
gauge is consulted carefully, and rain prospects, are canvassed 
with much solicitude. Nearly all the rain of the year falls be- 
tween October and April, and a large proportion within ninety days 
from December 1. Yet there is no invariable law regarding it. There 
is much interest felt regarding the probable rain-fall of January, Feb- 
ruary, and March, with small data for accurate prognostication, as a 
study of the record of former years will show. If any weather bureau 
could deduce from these or any other facts a law governing rain-fall, it 
would prove of immense benefit to agriculture. The record is as follows: 
| 
lial aa = Sa a5 | gag 
| Be | Bee | ca | EBay 
| Bil est Be Cat 
Piss (| Bye, | so) RES 
Years | 2 Piece Wediotenle Years. 2 | SOS a beieeeee te 
| or | fy te | oF | a ee 
ae | sae | em. | sub eienl 
soe Resa. | 35 |) ae ae 
co) 5 | o) | 
| . | 
Inches. | I] Tiches 
A BHOI IO gd: i. 5.38 9.38 | 14.76 || 1867 | 16. 66 15. 82 32. 48 
Tah. Zoe 10. 81 29,92 | 33.73 || 1868.. 3.39 | 12. 60 15. 99 
TRG eye cee 2. 68 8.54 | 11.32 || 1869.. 1.93 | 8. 37 13. 30 
TSGS A esses Ve 3. 30 3. 64 6.94 || 1870-.: 1.58 | 6.13 7.71 
ake a 14. 70 7.34 |. 22.04 || 1871.. 11,20 | 11. 30 22, 50 
TGS stastsite,. Ut s. NCEA) 12. 19 15:46 || Denes esas | 7. UBg |. 2.8 a eee 
ASG Gee <i he 11. 94 13.36 | 25.30 | 
* To December 26. 
VHEAT CROP IN DoDGE County, WISCONSIN.—This is one of the 
largest wheat-growing counties in the State. Its product in 1869, as 
reported for the census, was 2,294,538 bushels; au estimate deemed 
accurate, places the crop of 1872 at 2,100,000 bushels; a falling off from 
1869 of a little over 8 per cent. 
PRODUCT OF SEEDS FROM THIS DEPARTMENT.—Our correspondent 
in McLennan County, Texas, reports that from one quart of corn, planted 
one month later than his other corn, the product was at the rate of 105 
bushels to the acre; that from half a peck of wheat the yield was 123 
bushels, one hundred fold; that he raised short-stemmed Brunswick 
cabbages, weighing 9$ pounds each, and italian red onions, weighing 
11 ounces each; and that he put in market, last spring, tomatoes and 
beets of superior quality, ten days in advance of any other; all of which 
were from seeds sent out by the Department of Agriculture. 
AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT.—A _ correspondent in Davidson 
County, North Carolina, reports that the farmers in the county are 
manifesting a new interest in improving their lands and dwellings: 
Improved methods of cultivation are being adopted; some are putting 
up new buildings, others are repairing old ones, and the spirit of prog- 
ress and thrift appears to be leavening the county. 
FRUITFULNESS IN NEBRASKA.—A correspondent in Gage County, 
represents that hay and grain are very abundant in that section. Corn 
and oats selk at 15 cents per bushel; good barley at 20, and wheat at 
85. He recommends the region’for sheep-husbandry. He sold his last 
clip of wool, unwashed and unsorted, at Beatrice, the county-seat, for 
46 cents per pound, and goes into winter quarters with over 700 sheep, 
