Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-14
EASTERN AND WESTERN AGRICULTURE.

Since the first settlements of the Atlantic
seaboard. the pioneer backwoodsman and
the farmer have been travelling west-one
lust behind the other, and all other classes
have followed in the race. From Maine to
the Mississippi valley-to the Rocky noun
tains-the changes in the soil and climate,
though considerable in the aggregate, yet
they were so gradual that the adaptation to
these changes were equally gradual, and the
Eastern farmer and the Western farmer were
but little way apart so far as their modes
of culture were concerned. They each sowed
their winter wheat in September and reaped
it in July. Each planted his corn in May
and husked it in October. Each MIXED his
COWS during the summer and let them go
dry during the winter. Each worked on the
farm during the summer months, and unless
he had some saw-logs to get to the mill and
some lumber to haul home to build barn or
something else with, sat by the fire in winter.
Indeed, the transition from New England to
the Western Reserve, and from the Western
Reserve to Wisconsin, was so gradual that
the practices of the farmer seemed not
to change worth mentioning. But from the
eastern base of the Rocky mountains to the
western base of the Sierras is not only long
distance, but the changes in all climatic in
fuences are very great, and the changes In
the modes of culture, and indeed in all
the practices of the farmer, are necessarily
equally great. The agricultural knowledge
necessary to success in the Mississippi valley
is entirely different from the agricultural
knowledge necessary to success in California.
That knowledge, for each locality, is necessa-
rily practical outgrowth of the climate and
soil and other natural surroundings of the
locality. To illustrate, what would native
California boy, though well up in California
farming science and practice, know about
New England farming, either scientifically or
practically? The reverse of this question is
equally pertinent and significant. The answer
in each case must be, but little or nothing.
It was in view of this great difference of sur
roundings, of this great difference Of neces-
sary practices and the great difference in gen.
eral and specific ideas in reference to agricul-
ture, East and West, that the resolution of
inquiry and suggestion was introduced by
Congressman Davis the other day. The
Commissioner of Agriculture at Washington,
sitting in his office and reading and writing of
California agriculture, in order to teach the
Eastern or European farmers what agricult-
ure is in California is looked upon by the
practical farmers of the Pacific coast as but
little better than burlesque. He may be
very scientific farmer, as things go East, kbut
what he does not know of California farming,
as things go here, would fill bigger book
than it took to tell what the lamented Gree
ley did know about farming 1t is hardly
necessary for the National Government to
spend any more money or time in endeavoring
to improve Pacific coast agriculture in this
way any longer. We want teacher to the
manor bred-one who has been on the
ground and has received his inspirations and
his practical ideas from the natural surround
ings. The suggestion in Mr.. Davis resolu-
ton of a closer relation with agricultural
societies west of the Tooth degree of longi-
tude was practical and important one.