The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-06-27

Between Stockton and Merced lie abou,
SIX hundred square miles of wheat. The
railroad train runs through what appears
to be an lnterminable wheat field, with
small houses and barns at great instances
apart, and no fepces, except those by
which the company has guarded its trains
against the cattle, which are turned into
the fields after harvest to CLEAN the grain
and consume the stubble. Wheat, wheat,
wheat, and nothing but wheat is what
you see on your journey, as far as the eve
can reach over the plain in every direc,
ton. Fields of two, three and four thou.
sand acres make but small farms here is
man who "has in" 10000 acres here
one with 10000 acres, and another with
some still more preposterous amount-all
10 wheat. Of course, the crop is in aud
and up, and from six inches to foot
hight; it is not so fine sight as it will
be two months hence, when the whole
plain will be an ocean of waving tassels
Yet, as you look out aud see mile after
mile, without a division fence, SO or 60
miles apparently in one field, it makes its
impression. The Valley of the San Joa-
quln differs from an Illinois prairie in
that 1T has two magnificent mountain
ranges for its boundaries, the Sierra Ne
vada on the east, and the Coast Range
on the west. The mouth of the Valley
is to the north, as that of the great Val.
ley of Virginia the San Joaquin river
joins the Sacramento and flows into the
sea, and this has been, until this year, the
chief avenue for freight transport from
the country through which it runs. Now
the railroad is in operation as far as Mer-
ced it will reach Visala in May, and
Baker6eld in July, and Los Angeles or
San Bernardino perhaps in October; and
the great rich valley, which has so long
lain asleep, given up to horses and cattle,
is waking up.
MARVELLOUS CROP AT HAND.
1t is singular piece of good fortune
to the farmers and land owners that they
get remarkably fue season and and the
railroad in the same year. They have
known how to avail themselves of their
good luck, for they have put in enormous
III
Stockton assured me that the San j oa
quin Valley will send to tide water this
year $50, 900 tuns of wheat. Mr. Fried
lander, the great grain buyer of this State,
is reported to me to have estimated the
probable export of the whole State this
year at zoe, ,000 tuns. This means that
700 ships of 1000 tuns each will be need
ed to carry CALIFORNIA; crop to its far
away markets; aud it means that Is 900
cars, each carrying 10 tons of grain, will
be needed to move the surplus wheat of
he San Joaquin Valley to San Francis
20 ; or $50 trains of 80 cars each or
single train more than 100 miles long
There will be ships needed to market the
grain crop; and there will be men need
I'd to harvest it; aud as the harvest here
asts three months, and as harvesters will |
bis year get at least So day and food,
many thrifty man will no doubt earn a
mall farm by his labors in the wheat
ields. 1t will surprise you perhaps, as is
lid me. to hear that much OF this great |
wheat field, of which | have spoken, does
lot bear, even in such agood year as this
ere. A large part of the plain between
Stockton and Merced is light and sandy.
Some of it looks like mere collection of |
# white sand and the wind when it |
,lows strongly, as it often does, blows
mans farm about great deal. There is
goodly quantity of heavier sofia sandy
oam, the best of which yields in good
l., |
er acre and at the western side of the
San joaquin there it yet heavier land,
dobe, which will bear, when it is not too
yet, still heavier crops. A great deal of
his land is owned in large tracts Of from
@, 600 to 10000, and from that 100, 900
cres. The holders of these tracts do not
sually farm them, but lease or rent them;
nd this is a vast business in itself, as you
lay understand. But | must first re
ind you that if it were not for the pecu
ar climate of this State, wheat raising
n such scale would be impossible. =
hey sow the wheat here from the lst of
Der to the lst of March, and they
ave the other three months to harvest it
!, with certainty that no rain will dis
lrb them during their long harvest.
CIV THE CALIFORNIA FIELDS ARE PLOW-
ED.
The fields are powed with what are
allied gang plows. which are simply four,
* or eight plcwshares fastened to stout
anne of wood. On the lighter soils eight
orses draw seven gang plow, and one
lch team is counted on to mt in 61O
cres of wheat in the sowing season or
'om 8 to 10 acres per day. Capt. Gray,
ear Merced, has put in this season 1000
cres with FIVE such teams-his own land
nd his own teams. a seed sower is fas.
med in front of the pillow. 1t seatters the
,eds the plows cover it-and the work is
one. The plow has no handles, and the
low man is, in fact, only a driver; he
uides the team the plows do their own