The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-04
THE DROUGHT AND THE CROPS.
Interesting Letters from California and
New Mexico.
-e~>~~~~~-,~.~~->-s---eet~
FIRST PREMIUM FOR CALIFORNIA.
Eighty-two and Half Bushels of Wheat
to the Acre.
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falaakie Exhibit Of the Agricultural Re.
sources Of n Dorado,
&C., &C.. 10.
THE DROUGHT AND THE CROPS.
FIRST PREMIUM FOR CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA
LITTER OF GOVERNOR B;aLEs.


LRTTER OF GOVERNOR BlGLEs
70 THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD
SACRAMENTO, CAL, Oct. "a, 1854
SIR-Your Communication, bearing date Nag
York, September A. 1854, asking for information
in relation to the crops in this State, reached mo
On the 10th inst.
In reply, it gives M. pleasure TO assure you that
In California the crops OF the present year have
boon exceedingly abundant. The yield Of wheat
and barley to the re has been extraordinarily
large, and the number OF acres cultivated moro
than double that Of last year. have NO doubt that
the quantity Of wheat raised will be more than
sufficient for home consumption; and though unable
70 estimate with accuracy ths entire amount, pre-
sume il will exceed three millions OF bushels In
fact, an assured thai heavy shipments Of wheat
are about to be made to your city. This enter.
prise, IL is true, IL carried out, may prove unproda
he, and the projectors gain more notorety than
secuniary recompense. But il it prove failure,
twill not be owing to the price here, or the cost Of
transportation, bu: 10 the fact that it cannot be pre-
eived from moulding whilst IN transifu.
BY reference to market reports, you viii SEQ tia.
wheat q. this date, js selling in California at 1t
cents per pound, averaging sl.36 per bushel. Mar
ket report in the Nsn Fork Herald of Sept. Is,
quotes Michigan white wheat at 5? per bushel:
Southern red at $ls5 and $780,
You viii thus perceive that the difference bet xesn
the New York and. California markets, averages
about Aftyfve cents per bushel-- amounting to moro
than the cost Of transportation. But, leaving to
time to determinine whether the enterprise above
referred will compensate the projectors not,
will now proceed to give the additional information
you desire, as fully and Is accurately as can Of
the present time.
At the State Agricultural Exhibition. which
closed q few days since, the premium on wheat was
awarded to the cuitlvAtor Of field which yielded
eighty two and o half bushels to tho acre. ten
acre fed, within few miles Of this city produced
six huadred and seventy bushels, or sixty seven
bushela to the acre.
Throughout the estare State the average yield Of
wheat PEI acre, the present year, will not
Tall short offorsy bushels; and the barley crop will
average over fifty bushels to the acre. This latter
grain. would state, 10 extensively used In CAlifor.
ola, and forms the principal food for horses and
N ules.
The potato crop 10 go0d-more than IN average
and have no doubs that the quantity raised will.
as last year, greatly exceed the requirement for
home consumption.
But small quantity Of corn is raised in Ca;ifor.
ala 1t does not yisld nearly so we'll as other graiu
and bat little Is cultivated. Although the soil here
is quite as rich as the bottom lands ths illinois
and Mississippi rivers, yet, owing TO tho fact that
but little or no rain falls during the summer months
Ind the nights being quite cool, the cultivation OF
ora il but little encouraged, and the crop Ia oonse
Iueoay small.
1t is believed by thoe competent OF Judging thai
tur tsle, or lands subisst to overflow, will yield
abundant crops OF rice, and some are equally ooaf.
dent Of their adaptation to the cultivation
Of cotton. For my own part. | have no
doubt that rice be proftsby cultivated on these
lands in this State but to cotton, actu u expsi
meat will perhaps, be necessary before q correct
opinion can be formed. The latter, il have been
correctly informed, ike corn, requires warm nights,
occasional rains and heavy dews In California the
nights are cool, no rain during the summer months,
and the dew, If any, very light.
In the cultivation Of tobacco, exceedingly satsta:
factory experiments have been male, and have no
doubt that in few years it will be prohtably cu.
tivated on the river bottom lands. Wild oats are
found in the Creates abundance in the valleys and on
the hill to1s, apparently Indigenous to the soil; in
eo0se guence Of which, comparatively little Of this
grain Ia cultivated in California.
The grape crop has been unusually large this.
season, and for TIE past three ,nths our markets
have been bountifully supplied, at cheap rates, with
this delicious fruit This cultivation Of the giaps is
engaging the attention of many Of our agri.
cultulists. especially in the southern portion Of
the State, where Gourshing vineyards, covering
many acres are 70 be found yielding rpit in al.
most unbounded luxurisnce. The county OF L3s
Angeles alone pro iucss millions Of pounds Of thus
fruit. After selling all that be disposed of in
clusters, the balance are gathered aud wine Of de.
Icious favor manufactured from them.
But little Of this wine has, a. yet, found Its way
to mafkes. but it is pronounced by those who have
used ii ~ being equal, not superior to that pro-
duoed in France in analogous attitudes. The day is
not tar distant when the culture OF the grape aud
the manufacture OF wine win engage almost exclu-
svey the attention Of agrculturs.s in the southern
part Of this State
Pears OF the most delicious flavor are abuudaut;
and peaches equal to any grown in the world have
been in our markets, but in less abundance thai
esr. Apples are scarce, the trees generally being
90 young to bear plentfuly. Oregon apples are
,rought to this market, superior in size and flavor
oany have seek in the Atlantic States, and thsre
.sno reason Why they cannot be produced, especial
in the northern part Of Callfornis, abundsntly
and Of A. good quality as in oregon. have nov in
my nVus0 "a oieSon apple ucesurinS h''ceh inc"os
in circumference and weighing two aud . half
pounds.
The crops Of melons, including the water melon,
nutmeg, muck melon, and Central American melon,
has beea immense and they are still to be found ia
or markets in great abundance and of unsqualled
size and flavor. Pumpkins, squsshes and toma-
toes, are exceedingly plentiful. are also onions,
beets, tarnips and cabbage. In the southern por.
tion Of the State, sweet potatoes oranges and dgs
are produced in greater or less abundance. Qaite
large crop Of figs was grown, during the present
year, near the coast range, in Yolo county, on
rauche owned by Mr.. Wolfskill. These figs are
large, and believe, equal to any produced Ia more
southern latituees.