Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-11-19
Something Of "a Dilemma.

Something Of Dilemma.
The San Francisco Chronicle,
like other journals ambitious Of
distinction, has an agricultural
editor. This gentleman, In the Is
sue OF that paper Of the 10th inst,
starts out to tells us, not what he
knows about farming, but what he
thinks of the rain prospects of CAL
ifornia. His Vaccinations appear
In the shape of "leader," being
graced in the "make-up" with the
foremost place. The writer had
heard that fears were entertained
of drouth in this State this year.
Thereupon he says:
The past summer and early au.
tumn have supplied less rain in
the Middle and some of the AVIAN
tic seaboard Southern States than
any corresponding season for hall
a century last past. The months of
September, October aud the first
half of Move Der this year have,
like the same months In 1850, 1853,
1882, 1870 and 1875, been com para
lively rainless. Those months of
the past years named each began a
season of drought. From this, and
from the great scarcity OF water
east of the Alleghanies this year, 1t
10 argued by the weather prophets
that 1880 81 will be another dry
season for California. There IL
nothing Ia 1t. Certainly nothing
that ought to discourage the farm
or SO much AS to keep him from
summer-fallowing all the land he
can before the rains set in.
Now what puzzles US is how o
farmer, between the 18th of No
vember and the date at which the
rains may graciously condescend
to set in, can do much Summer faI
lowing. The feat of the athletic
fellow who succeeded in lifting
himself by a vigorous pull at the
straps of his boots would seem to
us as nothing compared to the ex.
ploit Of the farmer who could gel
ia much Summer following be.
tween now and the time when Ju'
piter Pluvius shall begin to distill
his gentle showers.
The rest of the Chronicle article
is so sensible that we are led tt
hope that the statistical replaced
the agricultural editor in its prep.
sration. We quote:
1t Is true that some of our drought
seasons brought little or no rain IL
september aud October, end MOI
much 10 November. 1t Is tru.
that our rainiest years have com
monty brought a. good deal o
heavy wet in October and Novem
Der. But the wettest years are no
the best for the agriculturist; AM
the years Of uverage-say IS to 2
UNDERSTANDABLE, which Away
have been the best, have often sen
down a very small guam
thy of rain before Drcem
Der. In the season of 1854!
we had but 81 inches up to the sec
ond week in January (l855), an(
all through November only the
third of an inch. In 1929 W,
had but half an inch (here in Sal
Francisco, none to speak of in thu
interior) up 10 December, an(
nearly IA inches for the season
With summer fallow that was suf
fcient for average crops, coming
as most Of II did, from the middl,
of December to the end of April. I
did not produce good crops, be
cause we had not learned to farm
In 1S6l-62 there was no rain at vi
till about the middle OF November
but from that time to May, 1862
we had the enormous quantity o
404 inches, literally drowning GU
ali the valley farms. In 1870 Their,
was no rain IN October, but half al
inch in all November, and tina
from the 26th to the Both, and ye
the season gave nearly Is inches
With good farming 1t was enough
to insure average crops. In 1867,
the total rainfall was below II
inches, aud up to the 5th of Janu
airy the total fall was less than /;
inches here, and say half as muci
at Stockton, with but a sprinkle "a
Santa Clara. From 184o to 1879
inclusive, we have had but two OF
three seasons of great drought anC
six OF flood, when the rainfall wa
over "a inches. 1t Ia true thal
November was a wet month in al
these years of food, and October IL
many Of them. But the food year,
have not been as good for tht
farmers as years of average, whel
the rainfall was only from Is to 2;
inches. and in these average year,
October and November have otter
supplied very little rain.
Considering the aim lost unfailina
accuracy of the HERALD's weather
provisions, during a period Of
years, we say, to those who are ap.
prehensive of drouth, be of good
cheer. Pienteous rains and abupd.
ant crops will characterize Califor.
MIA this year, and especially South.
ern California. Never mind sum
mer-fallowing. The Chronicle il
off on that. But SOW broad and
wide, after fair blowing, and be
assured of a good aud full return.