AGRICULTURE AND SOILS OF CALIFORNIA. 499 
peculiarities of the climate do not make it as easy to convertit into 
_manure as is the casein countries having summer rains. For in winter 
the temperature is, after all, too low to favor rapid decay, while during 
the summer months, the intense drought soon puts an end to fermenta- 
tion. It therefore takes two seasons to render the straw fit for plowing 
in; and in the mean time, as left by the thresher, it occupies considerable 
ground. As yet, the conviction that straw-burning is penny-wisdom 
and pound-foolishness has not gained sufiicient foothold to induce the 
majority of wheat-growers to take the pains of putting the straw into 
stacks with concave tops, to collect and retain the water. But those 
who have done so report thatthe resulting improvement of the soil pays 
well for the trouble. The practice of burning will, of course, disappear 
so soon as the system of large-scale planting gives way, as it soon must, 
to that of mixed farming on a smaller seale. 
Of the other cereals, Barley and Oats, are the only ones that can as 
yet lay ciaim to general importance; and the methods of culture are 
much the same. Like the wheats, so the barleys of California are of 
exceptionally fine quality, that of the ‘‘Chevalier” variety being so 
eagerly sought for by eastern brewers that but little of it finds its way 
into California-brewed beer. The common (six and four rowed) barleys 
are, however, themselves of such high quality that the absence of the 
highest grade grain is certainly not perceptible in the quality of the 
beers, into which, unlike most of its eastern brethren of Saint Louis 
and Chicago, nothing but barley and hops find their way. The various 
kinds of Oats are produced for home consumption only, the difficulty 
being very commonly that the straw becomes so strong as to interfere 
seriously with its use for forage. Rye is grown to some extent in the 
mountain counties, and yields a splendid grain, called for chiefly by the 
taste of the German population for rye bread, Some Polish wheat 
(Triticum polonicom) is grown under the name of ‘“‘white rye.” Maize is 
thus far grown, but to a small extent compared with wheat, barley, 
and oats; not, however, because of any difficulty in producing corn, 
which, both as to quality, size, and yield per acre, can compete with 
any in the Mississippi Valley. The large foreign element in the popu- 
lation limits the demand for corn-meal, and, as before remarked, on ac- 
count of the mild winters, hog-raising on a large scale is not likely to 
become important in the State. A good deal, however, is planted for 
green-soiling purposes in connection with dairies. The planting is gen- 
erally done very late in April, and in May after everything else has been 
attended to, since in the coast climate a crop of corn is often made 
without a drop of rain from the time of planting, when the season has 
been one of abundant moisture. Of late, several millets, and among 
them especially the Dhoura or Egyptian corn, are coming into favor. 
The Dhoura, though not as much relished by cattle as maize fodder, 
will admit of three cuttings each season, when irrigated, and the meal 
made from its grain is by many preferred to corn-meal, while as a 
chicken-feed it is, apparently, superior to anything else. 
MISCELLANEOUS FIELD CROPS. 
Of other field crops, the “beans” that formed the chief solace of the 
Argonauts of early days are still prominent, especially where the Mex- 
ican element is somewhat strong. To them “ frijoles” are still the stait 
of life, supplemented by the * tamales,” the native preparation of the 
“roasting-ears” of green corn, 
The Lrish potatoes grown in California are not, as a rule, of first qual- 
