66 FARMING IN THE WESTERN STATES. 



1870, as compared with 1850, was nearly twenty times as large. 

 In the cash value of farms the increase shown is in a nearly 

 similar ratio, the figures being almost thirteen times as large for 

 1870 as for 1860. The increase in the extent of wheat cultiva 

 tion is yet more striking. There was over fourteen times as 

 much wheat raised in 1860 as in 1850; nearly three times as 

 much in 1870 as in 1860, and more than thirty-eight times as 

 much in 1870 as in 1850. As to all kinds of cereals, there was 

 over fifteen times as much produced in 1860 as in 1850, nearly 

 two and one half times as much in 1870 as 1860, and nearly thirty- 

 six times as much in 1870 as in 1850. The amount of cereals 

 produced per head increased nearly seven-fold in the twenty 

 years ending in 1870. The increase in the value of manufac 

 tured products during the same period was considerably more 

 than five-fold. It is hardly necessary to say that no other group 

 of States in the Union makes such an exhibit as this in refer 

 ence to its agriculture. 



In California we have the largest wheat field in the world. On 

 one side of the San Joaquin river it extends for thirty miles, on 

 the other about fifty, with an average width of eighty miles; 

 six hundred and seventy-two square miles, or four hundred and 

 thirty thousand and eighty acres. &quot;With the average yield, in 

 good years, of sixteen bushels to the acre, this field will produce 

 one hundred and six thousand four hundred and thirty-eight 

 tons, and would require a train of cars nearly two hundred miles 

 long to move it away. It is owned and worked by different 

 parties, but is only broken by the river which flows through it. 



The Livermore and San Joaquin valleys raised over twelve 

 million bushels in the year 1872. Three wheat farms in the 

 San Joaquin, with areas respectively of thirty-six thousand, 

 twenty-three thousand, and seventeen thousand acres, averaged 

 nearly forty bushels to the acre, some portions running up to 

 sixty bushels. 



The years 1870 and 1871 had been dry years, and nature had 

 thus provided the wheat lands with a partial Sabbath. In 1872 

 an unusual breadth of land was seeded, but as the season ad 

 vanced the estimates rose to ten, twelve, and finally to twenty 

 millions of centals. 



How could such a crop be disposed of? A prominent grain 

 firm in San Francisco had already some sixteen warehouses 

 in different parts of the State, which would contain from 



