140 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



growers of California had rather an ambitious dream 

 of what they could do with the barley which sprang 

 to a surplus production almost as soon as they 

 touched it. In 1866 exports were made from this 

 surplus, chiefly to Australia, of 741,815 bushels which 

 suggested this dream, recorded in that year: 



"What shall we do with our immense barley crops? 

 We are growing hops of the very best quality and 

 within two years the supply will exceed, the local 

 demand. We are annually importing millions of gal- 

 lons of malt liquors for which we are exporting 

 thousands of gold. Overburdened with, barley and 

 hops we should not go abroad for ales- and porters, 

 but should supply our own demand. Thia being 

 accomplished we could save England the trouble and 

 expense of doubling Cape Horn or the Cape of Good 

 Hope to supply the immense quantities used by her 

 colonies in the Indies and make money by the opera- 

 tion. The State offers a liberal premium for the 

 first ale exported and proved to stand sea voyages 

 and changes of climate." 



The State by legislative act did offer $2200 as 

 premiums for the first three considerable shipments of 

 sea-going beer, but there is no record of payment 

 thereof to a local brewer. However, California has 

 contributed largely to the beer of the world, for ex- 

 ports of barley in 1915 reached a total of 26,754,- 

 522 bushels or two-thirds of the total barley product 

 of the State in that year, and this was for malting at 

 foreign points. 



The outlook for barley-growing in California is 



