31 



and of other Pacific States and Territories, to justify a constant notice of 

 their ag-riculture in these reports. Their climate differs so much from that 

 of the Atlantic States, and their agriculture in so many particulars is unlike 

 theirs, that such notice could not be otherwise than interesting to all. 



From various sources we gather the following agricultural information of 

 California. No rain of any consequence has fallen during the past winter 

 and this spring. The winter rains usually commence falling in the last of 

 November, and the crops are sown chiefly in December and January. Our 

 correspondent in Los Angelos county writes that wheat and bai'ley are not 

 sown there yet, for want of rain, and that a large quantity of stock had per- 

 ished. The Mercantile Gazette of San Francisco, of March 11, says : 



" Since our last report no rain has fallen in this vicinity, nor elsewhere in 

 the State, so far as we are advised, and apprehensions on account of the 

 drought have assumed a very serious complexion. From all agricultural 

 districts the same complaint reaches us, and in.nearly all the prospects of 

 the growing crops are felt to be dubious." 



Prices of flour had advanced, in consequence, from $2 to $3 per barrel, 

 and wheat from 30 to 45 cents per bushel. But the crop of last year's wheat 

 was unusually large, both in store in the cities and on the farms. " We have 

 good reason," says the Gazette, " to believe that Oregon still retains a very 

 considerable portion of last year's wheat crop, of which free sales have re- 

 cently been made at 50 cents per bushel, and at this writing round parcels 

 are offering at Albany, and other interior towns, at 90 cents to $1 per bushel." 



The Marysville Express says : 



" From all parts of the State there come serious forebodings of evil, grow- 

 ing out of the continued and, we may say, remarkable drought. So far no 

 rain worth mentioning has fallen in the valleys, and but little snow has ac- 

 cumulated in the mountains. The roads are getting dusty, sprinklers are 

 used .in many of the cities, and communication is open across the Sierra 

 Nevada at every point travelled during the summer months, while on the 

 main travelled thoroughfares the stage and other vehicles make excellent 

 time. The valleys and foot-hills, that at this season of the year are usually 

 clad in verdure and floral colors, look brown and parched for the want of 

 rain. Even at points near the seacoast, where the moisture from the ocean 

 has hitherto been considered a protection against drought, the complaints 

 are as loud as elsewhere of a dried up soil and blasted prospects. In the 

 extreme southern counties cattle are dying by thousands for want of suste- 

 nance, many old rancheros having already lost more than half their stock. 

 The grazing portion of the Sacramento valley is almost entirely destitute of 

 grass, and herds of stock are compelled to travel as far as possible into the 

 foot-hills, gathering from the shaded sides of the mountains a scanty subsist- 

 ence. In Colusa and Tehama counties there are many localities where large 

 herds of cattle travel from fifteen to twenty miles in order to procure water 

 to drink, making regular trips from their pasture grounds to these watering 

 places once or twice a week. Hundreds famish on the way and die on the 

 waterless plain." 



This is a sad picture ; but to avoid these misfortunes some winter food 

 should be prepared. The wheat and other straws should be saved, and some 

 hay provided. But copious rains may have fallen — we hope so — for from the 

 following tables it will be seen that the average fall in March is compara- 

 tively great. 



The following tables of the fall of rain in inches, omitting fractions, for 

 thirteen yea;rs, are taken from the observations of Thomas M. Logan, M. D., 

 at Sacramento, and show the average fall in each of the months : 



