AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES 143 



tions and not on geography is shown by the very in- 

 teresting fact that for nearly half a century the two 

 leading corn counties in California were over five 

 hundred miles apart. Los Angeles County has stood 

 first in corn for more than sixty years, excepting two 

 or three dry seasons. Sonoma was nearly always 

 second until 1899, when she stood first, because Los 

 Angeles was dry. Since 1900 Los Angeles has held 

 leadership, several other counties have advanced to 

 rivalry for next in rank, and Sonoma has done less 

 with corn. Every California county grows some corn 

 except Alpine and Plumas, which are too high, and 

 San Francisco. 



There are also some cultural requirements for 

 success with corn which are more necessary than in 

 states with summer rains, and these lead to choice 

 of other crops. The maize plant is, however, greater 

 in value in California than its grain product would 

 indicate. The growth for the silo has increased prob- 

 ably a thousand fold in the last decade, but even 

 for silage maize finds itself rivaled by sorghums and 

 alfalfa, for the latter can either get along better with- 

 out irrigation or make more satisfactory use of it 

 than corn. 



In census years California has produced corn as 

 follows : 



Year Bushels 



1860 510,708 



1870 1,221,222 



1880 1,993,325 



1890 2,381.270 



