The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-06
1,lIlrnRNIA WHEAT.

uf ~ - - ~
The Harvest Prospeet-A Prob.
{ able Yield OF Forty Million
From ths sla Franelseo Chronicle i,s2-
From The beginning Of agriculture as
A staple industry in California to the
presen, year there have been four yeara
copspIcuOus above the average for heavy
crops Of wheat. These were 1872, 1873,
1874, and 1876. The exports OF wheat
and Elour reduced TO wheat for those years
from July TO Jan. J., were about as
follows: -. '''' = .
Bushsls,I Bushels.
Il SsS - 49, ''iSS SSs ~ "a
The most prolific year was the frat Of
the series, for the average OF wheat In
1872 was much less than that Of 1874 or
1875. Last year was 4 failure but not
In the sense Of that Of the starvation year
Of 1864, when the total receipts Of wheat Of
this port were but 4 little over 100000
cent ais, though the receipts Of the preced:
ing year 1869 were nearly 100000
centals, and 2,202, 900 centals in 1855.
The prospect at this time Is that the
present year will be by millions Of cen,
tails the most productive Of wheat and
other cereals ever experienced by the far.
mers Of California. The acreage in wheat
Ia probably 50 TO 40 per cent greater
than was planted In 1879, when our ex-i
ports were II $50, l40 bushels, leaving a
home supply OF not less than $500, 600
bushels for seed and bread. 1t 10 also
probable that the yield per acre this year
will average above that Of 1872.
II these premises hold good land re-
ports from every wheat. growing county.
encourage belief in them), the aggregate
wheat crop OF 1878 will not fall much
short OF 100000 TO &c, 100000 bushels.
II has been reckoned that Colusa and
Butte alone will produce 10000, 900 bush
els. In 1874 they produced 6,l73,000
bushels. That year Napa, sonoma, and
Mendocino were credited with no more
than 100000 bushels. This year they
will certainly harvest twice as much.
But IL Is In the comparatively new ag-
ricultural counties, like San Benito,
Fresno, MERGED, San Diego, and Tulare
that The greatest increase will be realized
in the harvest this year. The area planted
in those countries must be nearly twice as
extensive as that OF 1872, and the season
could not have been more favorable for
the fullest yield per acre. In 1874 the
five counties last above named, together
with Stamslaus, San Bernardine, and Los
Angeles, produced, according to the re-
port Of the surveyor general, as follows
Bu.helLI Bushels.
San Benlto 900 i026 Ga
Fresno 1854 ll5 San Bernndlne. 800
MERGED ............ $40 $50 Los Angelica" 1890
TIiais........"-2Si, iS0 TOsll........-4 sss. se7
This year II will not be surprise II
MERGED and Fresno produce more bushels
Of wheat thanStanislaus did In 1874, nor
| II the eight counties, which that year
yielded less than FIVE million bushels,
shall this year yield ten million to twelve
million. While the crop reports are very
favorable from every part Of the state. II
is in the San Joaquin and Tulare valleys
that, by common consent, the prospect Is
best.
The wheat crop is the criterion by
which all other crops may be safely gaus.
ed. Fit is good go will the barley crop
be and pasture and hay. Root crops are
the exception, because most OF our pota-
toes, turnips, carrots. beets, etc, are rails
ed along the overlooked lands Of the Sac
ramento and San Joaquin, where dry
winter Is favorable to good yield. II ID
on this account that potatoes last year
we're drug ia the market. But 1t will
be still time to plant all sorts Of root crops
after the 10Th OF June, when the waters
shall have receded from these bottom
lands.
Upon the whole the agricultural indus
try Of the state never looked as encour.
aging as il does now; and II there should
happen such thing a. general war in
Europe, or even war confined to Eng
land and Russia, which would close the
Baltic and Black sea ports Of the Gar
against commerce., the prices oil our staple
export would be worth not less than $50.
900, 600 to the producers. In any even
the prospect iorshadows revival Of in
duatry and better times than we have hat
for some years. 20