Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-05-03
From the San Francisco Bulletin of Frlday.l
Bad Prospects for the Harvest.

The unfayorable condition OF the gram
crops throughout most of the State is giving
rise to considerable uneasiness with some
people, as to the influence it will have on the
prices Of the great staples Of life. The effect
on the grain crops of the long continued spell
Of dry, warm weather, coupled with preva-
lencc Of unusual winds, is reportedtO have,
in almost every section of the State, already
forbade any hope OF even an indifferent years
yield and many persons Of good farming
Judgment, freely state their belief that even
with reasonable rains, which must come
within fortnight to be Of much service, not
over half crop will be gathered, and falling
of the rains, much less.
From Judge Evey, of Napa Valley, we learn
that from extensive personal examination OF
that valley he does not think that one-half
the usual crop can be obtained, even suppo-
sing that all circumstances Of weather should
prove favorable from this time on to harvest.
In Sonoma Valley, with which he includes
Russian River Valley, he states that the
prospects are much better, yet it will take
considerable rain to insure fair crop, al
though up to the present date the grain has
not suffered from lack of moisture. In this
valley, however, an unusually large amount
Of grain was sown this season, which will IN
part offset the falling off in Napa Valley.
He also states that besides the large quanti-
ties Of grain which are now stored along the
shipping points in these districts, the farm
ers generally have considerable quantities
Of their last years crop on hand, which the
unusually dry winter caused them TO hold for
better prices than then prevailed. This grain
in the hands of the farmers he thinks Is
enough for the consumption Of those districts
till the crop of 1865 may be harvested, fifteen
months hence. From Mr.. Thompson, OF
Suscol, we learn that the prospects of the
grain crops in that valley are exceedingly
poor. Under the most favorable circumstan-
ces a scant half-crop is all that can be looked
for, while il the drought continues for
fortnight longer but little over the amount Of
seed put in can be expected to be harvested.
The grass crop proper in this valley Mr..
Thompson reports to be an entire failure,
large quantities of growing grain, however,
will be cut for hay purposes. The main
trouble reported by these gentlemen is, that
the drought has caused all the most advanced
grain to become "curled," the blade of the
stalk curling round the joint out Of which the
head Of grain is to come, thus in some In
stances preventing heading out while in
others the heads of wheat are pinched and
shriveled, producing no good grain.
While these views may prove to be correct,
vet the experience of preceding years when
similar cries about the failure Of crops we're
made, may still give us hope that the result
OF this years crops may prove much better
than now imagined. In 1860, an almost
similar unfavorable prospect raised great
fears among our people, yet those whose
memories are good will remember that heavy
rains came out of season that year, which
ensured a most excellent crop, even after
hopes Of the same had been given up. Be-
sides the chance Of rains 10 come, there is
the positive knowledge that in other grain
growing sections as well as the above, large
quantities of grain remain in the hands OF
the farmers while the crops in Oregon are
reported to be unusually abundant. From
these sources, even if our present crop should
prove an entire failure, we can expect all
that we need to be furnished at fair prices.
In one point, especially, il behoores the peo-
pie OF this State to keep cool and not get ex-
cited as to fears Of a qussi-famine, or the ex-
IRENE high prices for food, which always at
tend such occasions. There Is scarcely Z
doubt in the minds Of those competent 10
Judge, that there is now stored III the State
sufficient grain to keep our population sup.
Piled with food until the harvesting of a crop
in 1865. Besides this, we have Oregon n oar
own doors with its granaries plethoric with
abundance, which will have to seek market
outside Of that State. Our old source OF sup
ply, Chile, is also in a condition to minister
literally to our wants. At the worst, the in
dcations are that in our own State We may
expect a one-third crop. II the good sense
Of the community will only recall the expert
ence Of the wet winter Of 1872, they will
remember that causeleSs panic then tenn
porarily raised the prices Of breadstutis up.
wards Of 100 per cent, which shortly after
wards fell back to nearly their old standard.
Spectators, of course, will look to reap a
rich harvest from the anxieties Of our people,
| but it rests with the latter to defeat them by
keeping free from unusual excitement on this
! subject.