76 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



constituted California the greatest fruit-producing 

 state in the Union a standing which has been con- 

 tinued since that time with a constantly increasing 

 margin of supremacy. At the close of the seventh 

 decade, California, in addition to her advance with 

 fruits of all kinds, has leadership in three of the 

 twenty staple crops (barley, beans and peaches), 

 on which the government relies in the determination 

 of agricultural valuation of all the states, and in 

 1920 was ranked fourth in the Union in value of all 

 crops produced. 



It has already been claimed that in early days 

 accession to California was largely a matter of courage 

 and endurance. Afterwards, and even to the present 

 time, another criterion of selection has prevailed, viz. : 

 mastery of funds and business confidence and enter- 

 prise. Development has been ministered to by people 

 from every civilized state and nation, and has escaped 

 a low average intelligence and ability because remote- 

 ness and cost of travel have discouraged mass move- 

 ment of inferior types. A few specific factors that 

 underlie the advanced and most satisfactory type of 

 country life characteristic of California may be cited: 



First: Broad views of education. The present 

 expansion and profitability of the leading lines of 

 agriculture is largely due to those who came to Cali- 

 fornia in mature life and brought capital and minds 

 well trained in business and professions. Their exam- 

 ple, and their precepts also, are a strong force for 

 breadth in educational efforts for agriculture. Cali- 

 fornia is keenly conscious that common schools which 



