14 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



first discerned the fact that it was easier to get gold with 

 the hoe than with the pick, realized market prices as sur- 

 prisingly great as the vegetables they grew. John M. 

 Horner, of Alameda county, is reported to have cleared 

 about $150,000 from his large venture of 800 acres in vege- 

 table growing in 1851, and others gained much more per 

 acre than he, with smaller operations which did not re- 

 quire so much high-priced labor. But the demonstration 

 of their success proved its destruction. Plantations were 

 made out of all proportion to requirements and disastrous 

 overproduction speedily ensued. The second year after 

 the exhibition in San Francisco, to which allusion has been 

 made, there was a collapse. The following account of po- 

 tato growing shows how sharp was the turn in affairs : 



In 1852 Beard & Homer's potato crop at Alvarado av- 

 eraged 200 sacks (about 12 tons) to the acre, and sold for 

 upwards of $100,000. The following year everybody cul- 

 tivated them. In Pajaro valley 20,000 sacks were one day 

 bet on a horse race. Beard & Horner contracted theirs in 

 advance at 2%c. a pound to San Francisco merchants. 

 Garrison took 1,000,000 pounds, which were never re- 

 moved, but were allowed to rot on tlje ground. Saunders 

 & Co. purchased a large quantity, which they stowed away 

 in a hulk in the bay. As warm weather came on the pota- 

 toes commenced growing and threatened to burst the ves- 

 sel open. They commenced dumping the potatoes into the 

 bay, but the harbor master stopped it, and the owners had 

 to pay for their removal to another locality. 



With the first disaster the charm and spirit of pioneer 

 vegetable growing passed away. There was, of course, 

 quick recovery in values and very profitable business dune, 

 but it was not the same grand affair and it did not accord 

 with the adventurous spirit of the day. Small growers 

 near the cities and the mining camps did well, but there 

 was not dash enough about market gardening for Ameri- 

 cans and it was soon given over to immigrants from the 

 south of Europe and China and has never been recovered. 



