HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE 107 



ships of good repute have been launched from ship- 

 yards in San Francisco Bay; during the World War 

 these yards won some distinction for speed in con- 

 struction, but greatness in this manufacture has not 

 yet been attained. 



Of machinery for agricultural uses, the anticipa- 

 tions of earlier days have never been realized. 

 Although California inventors and manufacturers 

 have recently achieved notably in design and construc- 

 tion of tractors, not only revolutionizing tillage to a 

 considerable extent but also showing European armies 

 a new way to make war ; and although many tools and 

 implements for special uses are largely made in 

 California, nevertheless the appliances for common 

 agricultural uses are furnished by manufacturers in 

 other states. The most distinctively Californian 

 machine is the "combined harvester," which cuts, 

 threshes, cleans and sacks (or pours into a bin- 

 wagon) as it traverses the field. However, the 

 decrease of grain-growing has set bounds on its 

 service and distinction. 



California manufacturing was handicapped by the 

 absence of a coal supply until the abundance of fuel- 

 oil and of hydro-electric power was demonstrated. 

 Formerly there was a discouraging difference in the 

 supply of factory labor and the rate of wages but 

 these factors of general discouragement in manu- 

 facturing are disappearing. Prophets in industrial 

 lines are predicting that the advantages of mild 

 climate and its incidental gains both to employers 

 and workmen will tend to advance general manufac- 



