Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-01-04

& 81. ~ ~
4 FEES 10Th NAYsroA1I.
FORNLA CONsIDRRRB Com
! MRRC1ALLY = AGRIOVLEU-
RAJ AND FINANCIAL HE
VIRw FOR 1870, WITH PROS.
PKCTs FOR 1871.
SAN FnuNe1sco, January 2, ls7E
APeep Both ways.
The year that has just closed has
been one of the hardest, commercially
and financially. yet experienced In
California history. IL opened under
most depressing circumstances. The
Overland Railroad had diverted from
Us nearly the euirs trade Of the coun!
try between the Sierra Nevada and the
Rocky Mountains without giving our
merchants the compromising benefit OF
new markets, The inadequate rainfall
of early Spring threatened great loss
to the farmsrs' and jeopardized the
safety of the wheat crop. The specu-
latiye imitation Of real estate during
the previous year had been followed by
a severe reaction, with Its consequent
money stringency and arrangement OF
business. And worst Of all, unprlnci-
pied demagoguss had so taken advan-
t,ge of the hard times as to array labor
in open hostility to capital, and by
riotous demonstrations against the Chi
nese, coercive trade-union measures,
strikes and eight-hour' laws, prevented
the introduction Of many new indus
trial and manufacturing enterprises
that would have added greatly to the
prosperity Of the State and developed
some of our untouched natural re-
sources, Under these circumstances,
It was notexpected that the year would
DO a prosperous one, and many said
they would be satisfied If 1t passed
without any serious financial disaster
so, If in striking our annual balance
the result Is not so favorable rs could
be wished, it Is certainly more salts
factory than way anticipated last
Spring, and gives Setter promise Of a
prosperous futurSf than any other bal
auoe yet exhibitfd during the. twenty
years of the SITES existence.
Nrieuttural Prozress.
Recognizing that agriculture Is now
the prominent industry (mining having
taken a secondary place. the record OF
our agricultural progress will indicate
in a general manner the progress Of
the State, and that progress has been
more clearly defined than ever before.
In the first place, there has been o item
dency to depart from the old system Of
relying altogether on cereal crops
When it Is remembered that another
week of hot weather In the early Sum.
mer, or two inches less of rainfall last
Winter. would have paupsrized the
State By running grain Of the prospcc-
tive value Of $2l,0O0,OO00, the mitiga,
ton Of such a possible calamity by
more diversified agricultural industries
becomes a matter Of such paramount
importance that all other things con-
corning Il material welfare sink into
insignifcance beside 1t, 1t Is therefore
a proof of material advancement that
the number of OUT products has'been
greatly enlarged during the twelve
month, and Of cheering Significance
that whether these were experiments
or of assured adaptation to our climate
and soil, there has been tic single IN
stance of any Of them proving even q
| partial failure. The production OF SIN
| and of beet sugar, the culture. Of flax,
| the castor bean, canary seed, poppy
| seed, millet, hops, tea, cotton, tobacco,
rice, the ramie plant and semi-tropical
fruits, las either been successfully in
augurated or successfully continued,
| while more attention than eve has
been paid to the improvement Of stock,
| the extension Of dairy farming, and
the adoption of a less exhaustive and
more scientific system of cereal cul-
ture. The shipment of the first bale
| of homemade silk, tho raising Of the
first successful crop Of cotton, and the
| manufacture of the first barrel Of beet
sucar-articles that are alone sufficient
| to Insure an industrial future equal To
! that of any other country In the. world
would be considered great event,
anywhere, but so many other notable
beginnings have been made that here
| they only attract passing attention.
The wine product Of the State for
| 1870 is estimated Mt 1000, 900 gallons
an increase of 5000, 900 over the pre-.
| ceding year. There are now 10000
QUO invested IN this interest, and 1t Is
| not hazarding u rash prediction to say
that In ten years 1t will surpass even
gold mining in Importance. The East
ern States can hold no rivalry with us
In this industry, and as soon as expo
| rience enables our producers to give
their wares the delicacy and flavor OF
the French and German vlntages, they
will prove formidable competitors to
the foreign article In the worlds mar
kets, and OH this continent may sup
plant them nearly altogether. The
European war has not lad such an
immediate effect In increasing the de-
mand for our native juices as was IN
ticipated. But It has greatly stimulated
the wine makers and caused them to
make redoubled efforts to improve the
quality of that article. Even now
they can challenge comparison with
the best brands of sparkling wine, not
even excepting those Of Rheims or
Chalons. Last year our exports Of this
product Appropriated to 800, 900 gal
Ions, valued at $3.50, 900, In addition to
$3.50, 900 worth Of brandy.
Amongst the future industrial devel-
opments Of California-many Of which
will probably be commenced this year
is the culture of cranberries; the
drying of ~raisins, figs, and the preser-
vation of fruits generally; the pro-
duction of olive oil; the cultivation Of
the einchona tree, of ginger, ~liquorlce,
saffron and mustard, with many other
arfiplas of nerexlity-an