328 Notes from Foreign Office Reports. [July, 



a high gluten content which will not deteriorate in the climate of 

 California. The gradually increasing price of wheat is encouraging 

 owners of suitable land to return to wheat growing, and a favourable 

 year would doubtless see a decided increase in the acreage and yield. 

 There has been a small beginning in California of raising wheat under 

 irrigation, and as farmers become familiar with irrigation the output 

 of wheat is expected to increase. The crop of 1908 is estimated at 

 14,125,000 bushels, against 18,055,550 bushels in 1907. 



The yield of barley in California has not only held its own, but is 

 steadily increasing. There are two reasons for this. In the first place, 

 barley requires less time to mature, and can be grown with less rainfall 

 than is required to produce wheat. It can be sown later and harvested 

 earlier. In any ordinary year the rainfall is adequate, even on soil 

 which has very little humus, to mature a good crop of barley ; conse- 

 quently, grain-growers who find wheat unprofitable are turning to 

 barley. California produces barley with excellent brewing qualities, 

 and there is a demand in Europe at remunerative prices for all barley 

 of that variety which can be produced. The most important reason 

 for the increase in the barley crop is, however, that it is an absolute 

 necessity. It is the main crop for stock feed, and grows better here 

 than either maize or oats. The production of barley in 1908 is esti- 

 mated at 19,750,000 bushels. 



The year 1908 was a very unsatisfactory one for hop-growers on the 

 Pacific coast. Over-production for several years had left a large accu- 

 mulated carry-over, and the brewers allege that the prohibition agitation 

 has lessened the demand for hops. An effort was made early in the 

 year to organise the hop-growers of Washington, Oregon, and Cali- 

 fornia, into an association to control the price and production, but the 

 plans did not mature. 



The situation facing the growers at the beginning, of the year appar- 

 ently had some effect, however, and there was a considerable reduction 

 of the acreage cultivated this year in all these States. The production 

 of California is placed at from 65,000 to 68,000 bales, and for the coast 

 171,500 bales. It will be noted that the decrease in production is very 

 great, the total for the Pacific coast in 1907 having been 255,000 bales. 

 Prices for Californian hops towards the end of the year ruled from 7 c 

 (3§d.) to 8 c. (4<2.) per lb. to the grower. 



The Report above mentioned also gives information as to the fruit 

 crop and the production of wine, honey, and wool. 



Lectures to Farmers. — An example of the efforts made in the United 

 States to bring instruction to the farmer's door is given in the same 

 Report, which states that a special train, supplied without charge by 

 the Southern Pacific Railroad Co., made a tour of the northern part 

 of the State of California in November, 1908, carrying a body of horti- 

 cultural and agricultural instructors for the purpose of disseminating 

 scientific information to farmers in all branches of agriculture. 



The University of California and the State Horticultural Commission 

 are jointly interested with the railroad company, and are lending their 

 services in the enterprise. They equipped a car with exhibits, which 

 was attached to the train carrying the instructors, in order that the 



