Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-13
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOR
FHR "REcoRD UNION"
The North Wind and It's Damaging Effects
on Ag1iculture-1he Dangers OF
Late season-Etc.

the coast tier of counties and dries up the
grass upon which the dairy interests of that
section depend for successful outcome each
year. 1t drives along the Sierra foothills and
carries with it the moisture of the shallow
soil upon which rests the only hope OF the
orchsriist, the small fruit-grower and
the cultivator of grains and vegetables on
the small farms of that elevated portion OF
the State. But it is felt with the greatest
force and the most damaging effects in the
broad valleys of the Sacramento and the San
JOAQUIN, where 10 single hour it sometimes
takes from the farmers OF these valleys from
ffty to An hundred millions in value, and re-
duces the industrial and financial condition
of the State from ope OF universal abundance
and prosperity to that Of general scarcity ard
stAgnation. The north wind is to California
what the siroccs from the Lybian deserts
is to southern Italy and the is
lands of Malta and Sicily. IL re-
lakes the physical energies of nature
alike in the vegetable and animal kingdom.
The north wind OF California is paradox
cal natural phenomena, 1t bears with it the
blasting influences of an atmosphere from the
heated sands of tropical desert, or Of air
mace, but ia fact it comes from the direction
of eternal snow fields and everlasting ice
berps aud passes over an intervening country
of perennial rains, covered with dense
and almost boundless forests. 1t Is
the unsolved enigma in theological science.
Theorists have asserted that it comes from
the desert east of the Sierra mountains, but
facts are wanting to substantiste this theory.
Others assert that the north wind is simply the
effect of deficiency of air in the southern
portions of the State and dense atmosphere
in the northern portions, causing rush OF air
from north to south to restore the natural
equilibrium, and that the heated condition of
the wind or air in motion depends on the
condition OF the country over which the wind
passes. But some acknowledged facts seem
to contradict, or, at least, raise o
question SIS to the correctness of
this theory. One Of these facts is
that some times north wind of three
or feur days is cold at tie beginning
and becomes warm before its close, and vice
versa, while the lands or soils over which it
blows and to which this theory attributes its
condition Of heat or the want of it, remain
unchanged, or II changed at all seem to
become warmer or colder by contact and alb
sorption from the passing winds. In other
words, the wind gives to tho country over
which it passes its temperature. rather than
taking its own temperature from the coun-
try. Another fact universally observed is
that, as rule, when warm north wind
strikes the northern portion of the Sacrs-
mento valley it has q higher temperature
and has more damaging Influence on vege-
taton than the same vino has after it has
reached the central and southern portions of
the State The same fact is observed in the
small valleys of the foothills of the Sierra
-. NJ 3
the Sacramento valley suffers more from the
heating and blasting characteristics of the
north wind than the plains of Colusa and
northern Yolo /; and the northern extIemities
of Capay and other small valleys in Yo'o
county, and OF Napa valley, in Nspa county,
are more generally injuriously affected by
the blasting effects of the north wind than
are the southern portions of these valleys.
The same is true of the small>salleys OF the
Sierras.
Whatever the north wind il, or wherever it
comes from-whether from the deserts of the
center IF the continent, climbing the snow
capped Sierrss, or from the Pacific ocean,
lesping over the coast range, fringed with
evergreen forests-one thing is certain, that
it is the most damaging feature of the Pacific
coast climate to the Pacific coast agriculture.
1t is the eyer-present menace and the con-
slant dread of every class of farmers in Cali
fornia. The wheat crop is liable to be in
jured by it from the day its new and tender
blades make the fields green In the fall, to the
time its golden berry is in the sack and care
fully slowed away within the wind-stayiug
and sun protecting walls of the warehouse.
The butter and cheese product of the State
depends mere upon the prevalence or nom
existence of the north winds than upon the
amount of rains that have fallen during
the continuance of the rainy season.
The fruit crops of all kinds are at all times
liable to the scorcbing, baking and poisonous
blasts of the north winds, and are never safe
from its menace till severed from all connec-
ton with the soil by being picked from the
vine or tree. The most damaging influence
the north wind seems to have upon crops of
all kinds is undoubtedly caused by its rapid
absorption of moisture from the soil. Its
thirst for and consumption of water is bound
ed only by the period of its continu ance. 1t
sucks moisture from every living thing that
it touches and goes away with Its thirst seem.
ingly undated. 1t opens up every pore or
capillary artery of the earth and pumps the
moisture to the surface, from which 1t ticks
it up with force and rspidity simply aston
ishipg. But the absorption of moisture is
not the only way in which the north wind
Injuries or destroys vegetation. There seems
to be an actual poisoning influence accom-
son in this State. Its very touch seems
poisonous. We have seen heads of wheat
blasted on the north side and the
kernels entirely lacking or shrunken
and shriveled on the side in imme-
date contact with the wind, while the
kernels on the south side Of the head or
ear would be comparatively perfect. The
same of fruit. The fruit on the north side
of the tree was ruined, or nearly so, while
that on the south side was comparatively
uninjured. And the same way with individ-
ual specimens of fruit, the north side OF an
apple or pear or peach or other fruit turning
black and drying up, while the south side
wishstood the killing influence.
The north wind seems to be not only dis.
turbance of the atmosphere, but it seems al
ways to be accompanied with a greater or
less electrical disturbance. This fact has not
escaped the notice of the most careless OBJ
server. What this disturbance is or how
caused seems yet almost as much puzzle
TO science as the north wind itself. But one
thing seems quite evident that the electrical
condition during the north wind is, SO far as the
earth and its products are concerned, neg
alive one or, in other words, during that time
electricity escapes from the section in which
the wind prevails The fact of this electrical
disturbances suggests the question whether
electricity may not have something to do with
the origin of, or may act be to some extent
the cause of, the peculiar north winds of this
coast. The su1denness with which they
sometimes come upon US seems hardly ex-
plainsble upon the theory Of a gradual oc-
currance of rarity Of air in one section, and
q gradual accumulation of air or a density of
atmosphere in another section. These winds
sometimes commence with a gust almost as
sudden IS the explosion of gunpowder or q
clap of thunder, The latter is the effect of
an electrical dis jurbance and sudden change
of the electrical condition, and is frequently
followed very suddenly by fall of rain
and change of temperature. It is true
our hot sunmer north winds, and indeed
most of our north winds, occur with clear
sky, but they are as surely accompanied by
electrical disturbances as are the thunder
storms of this or other sections of the earth.
However the deleterious effect of the north
winds on vegetation may be brought about,
it is certain that the most sure and effectual
preventive of the damage is moisture in
the soil Hence it is that in the moist
coils, or in soils well pulyerized and planted