Agriculture in California

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On the 7th of last October, a large agricultural lair was held at Sacramento, which was quite an affair. An address was on that occasion delivered by Dr. John F. Morse, in which he made the following statements relative to farms of different gentlemen. He said that, on the garden of Mr. Bennett, numbering 30 acres, were raised 60 bushels of grain per acre. He employs 10 men, and realizes $595 weekly. The garden of Messrs. Smith and Barber, numbering 30 acres yields $60 a day. Mr. Southwick, on his farm, keeps 125 cows, at a cost of $600 per month. He sells 176 gallons ot milk daily, at $1 per gallon. He realizes $63,000 annually from his dairy alone. General Hutchinson, on 80 acres, realized 50 bushels per acre, which weighed 52 pounds to the bushel, and was W'orth $91,584. William H. Davis, on a farm of 600 acres, keeps 2,000 head of stock. J. M. Horn, of San Rose Valley, has a farm of 200 acres, which produces 80 bushels of barley to the acre; also, 150 acres of potatoes, producing 300 bushels per acre. They are worth $4 per bushel ; besides large crops of wheat and oats. Mr. E. S. Beard, of the same Valley, has 540 acres in barley, wheat and oats, yielding, on an average, 50 bushels per acre. Also, 260 acres of potatoes, yielding 250 bushels per acre. Aggregate amount in value, $260,000. At a late meeting ot the Farmers' Club in this city (N. Y.,) Mr. Shelton, of California, stated that Indian corn did not generally flourish in California. It grew to an enormous height with small crops, from 20 to 25 feet high, at least. The climate is exceedingly changeable. Mr. S. said that he saw some Canada corn four to six feet high, the ears being near the ground. The westerly winds rush in at San Francisco, and rarify the hot air in the valley where stands the city. The branches of trees are all bent to the eastward. Various trees are so injured by wind and sand that they become stuntedjand grow up in a bush form. As soon as the rainy season be gins, clover commences to grow, and grows very bushy and tender. The Indian Squaws gather baskets full, every day, making a kind of beverage of it. The hills and valleys are covered with wild oats and clover. The cattle and stock get very fat on these oats and clover. The clover comprises some filteen or twenty varieties of every hue and color. The grasses are very fine ; the native timothy yields from two to five tons per acre. It is ten feet high. The pin grass is of a very curious growth. An acid clover grows very abundant in the valleys ; the natives make a lemonade of it ; it is very healthy. He gathered one bushel of sour clover weighing 31bs. The Rev. Mr. Filch, of California, stated that vegetation began in November, and dried up in June. Drought continues till November, and generally without dew. The people commence cutting barley about the last of May, and let it lay on the ground over two months, not raked up.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 11This article was published with the title “Agriculture in California” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 11 (), p. 82
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican11271852-82e

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