The Georgetown news., 1855-10-04
ADDRESS

ADDRESS
DELIVERED BY HON. HENRY S. FOOTE,
Before the State Agric,ltural Society in Sacra-
mento, September 26th, 1855.
We extract portion from this able and
interesting address as pulished in the Union.
It will be found highly interesting and in
structive:
Who expected, sir, seven
years since, when California became an in
tegral portion of this noble republic, that
in the year 1855, she would be sending
forth from her grand commercial emporium
vast and numerous ship-loads of grain and
-four, all, too, of her own growth and man
ufacture, to relieve sufferings which it is
next to impossible that the thrice fortunate
dwellers in this more than Egypt of the
New World can ever be constrained to ex-
perience? Let me remind you in passing.
Mr.. President, that this extraordinary re-
suit has been accomplished without the alb
straction of either capital or labor from MI
ming enterprises; and that, meanwhile, we
have built up and beaGtified a magnificent
commercial mart upon our sea coast, which
is the wonder and admiration of all who
visit it; we have established large and pros
porous towns in the interior of our State.
along the banks of our noble rivers. and
have caused to spring into vigorous and
healthtul existence, as it were almost by
magic, innumerable lovely viilages-some
Of which are to be found perched on lofty
Alpine submits, while others are mOdestlv
seated amidst glowing golden plains-and
others again are hidden from the view OF
the surrounding world, in deep sequestered
valleys, walled in on all sides apparently by
impossible mountains, where the suns RAYS
shine at midday in summer with an inten-
sity hardly known even in tropical climates
and where in the dead of winter the snow
sometimes falls to the depth Of from thirty
to forty feet.
Bat, to return to the style of interroga-
ton once more: who supposed, MIR. PreSi-
dent, few years since, that California
would now have it in her power truthfully
to proclaim, as she does now, through me-
that she is able, one year with another up
on her agricultural lands, without the aid
either OF irrigation or manure, to raise
larger average crop Of wheat, barley, and
all the other cereal grains than either Eng
land, France, or Germany? IrecOllect, sir,
that some years ago. our ever to be venera-
ted c0untryman, Mr.. Webster. a month or
two after his return from England, {where,
during his sojourn he had visited the best
farming districts, specially with a view to
increasing his own stock Of agricultural
knowledge,) was called upon to deliver an
address on some such occasion as the pres
ent, and that among other interesting de-
tails he stated that the largest average crop
Of wheat that was to be expected in Eng
land upon the most highly improved and
most judiciOusly cultivated lands, was rs
bushels to the acre. You know best, Mir.
President, what our average is here; and |
am sure you will bear me out in the state
ment that on the best farming lands in this
vicinage, and on the San Joaquin river,
from thirty to forty bushels to the acre may
be confidently anticipated, without the aid
Of manuring or irrigation.
But what, | pray you, would our friends
and tellow-cltizens in the Atlantic States
think or say Of me, were / to mention here,
partly, Of course, for their entertainment,
hundredth part of the wonderful things |
have heard and which seemed to me well
atteSted, touching the results of farming in
California? Suppose, for instance, should
say that in the year 1853 one of onr Cali
lornia farmers raised from ninety-nne acres
of land crop of wheat averaging a little
more than one hundred and fortv-nine bush
els to the acre; that six hundred bushels of
potatoes had been frequently produced from
a single acre Of land; that upon another acre
had been raised forty tons of turnips; upon
another an equal quantity Of beets upon
another twenty tons of tomatoes; and upon
yet another that one hundred dozens oc Gu
cumbers per day had been grown through
out the season, amounting in the whole to
nine thousand dozens; should not incur Sc
rious risk Of being charged with gross ex-
aggeration?
Where, beyond the limits of California,
would man be listened to with credence,
who should state, what no one now present
certainly would question, that delicious
peaches had been known here to mature on
trees only two years old from tho pitt That