148 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



potentialities of extension or in spite of them, rice- 

 growing may not be advancing toward a tragedy for 

 itself or for other interests, agricultural, municipal 

 and commercial, from which it may detract river wa- 

 ter supplies which are indispensable to them. On 

 the other hand, rice-growing may hasten great move- 

 ments for river improvement and flood water stor- 

 age which are essential to the greatest development 

 of California both in production and navigation. 



California is only one of seven states to secure 

 place in the list of large growers of the sorghum 

 group noted by the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, and stands fifth. Pioneer Californians 

 had an ambition to produce sugar, induced by the 

 sight of true sugar-cane growing in the vicinity of 

 Los Angeles. There was in 1885 a large introduc- 

 tion by the United States Patent Office of sorghum 

 seed from China under the name "Chinese sugar- 

 cane/' Wide distribution was made in California. 

 Its desirability as a forage plant was early discerned. 

 In 1857, in the midst of the sweetest anticipations, 

 in his State Fair address, Henry Eno of Campo Seco, 

 Calaveras County, voiced this foresight: 



"If Chinese sugar cane cannot be successfully 

 cultivated for the making of sugar and molasses it is 

 believed it will prove of immense value for forage. 

 At least two crops can be raised in a year. I have 

 known it this year, planted May 10, to have reached 

 a height of 10 \ feet by August. It was then cut 

 down and a second growth started which was six 

 feet high in September. It was irrigated." 



