Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-29
UNWARRA NFED GLOOMY APPREHEN
SIONS.

II has been suggested that in this State
we are given to OVERRIDING the matter of
prognostcating evils and woes to follow a
drought-.hat, by our dismal prophecies,
we impress intending immigrants with a
false idea OF instability in our climate and
the factors upon which depends the annual
yield of the soil. This is true. We over
estimate the probabilities of dry season,
precisely as we are overjoyed when the
skies are suddenly after a period of
drought-overcast by rain-clouds. We
take altogether too serious counsel Of our
fears. We are too easily depressed and
too readily ela.ed by the fluctuations of the
weather
Now, in reason we should not expect
continued seasons OF maximum pgoduc-
ton; there must come times of low aver
age, and periods when the earth will take
its rest and yield us little We have read
our own history and studied meteorology
to little purpose if We have not learned
these facts. Just now we are all overjoyed
at tie copious rainfall, and the people are
quite as jubilsnt to-day as last week they
were depressed. Yet the situation has
not greatly changed For there has not
yet been enough precipitation of moisture
to dissipate all probability OF drought.
There are before us yet two full months,
in either Of which lack of rain will mean
failure Of average cereal growth. True,
the present is one of promise, Just as the
recent past has been one of menace; but
neither the one nor the other should be
made so much OF. The impression made
abroad by our moaning is bad The press
OF the State, in drought season, sings in
one key-a dolsful monotone of sorrow
and foreboding; and the echoes sound
along the wires, and are heard throughout
the East to our disadvantage
We protest that this gives our State an
unenviable reputation. What should be
known at the East are these facts That
once in about six or seven years we have,
from the testimony of the past, reason to
expect shortage of rainfall in the great
valleys that OF the remaining years. fully
four give US extraordinarily large returns,
one large, and one fair average that in
many counties Sacramento, for instance
there is never, in any season, total fail
urs Of crops that our agriculture is dis
tributed throughout 90 broad an area that
no drought can seriously retard the Stat,
though it may reduce materially our an
nual products and compel us to observe a
season Of close economy. It should be
understood that We expect seasons Of
drought and of but partial rainfall,
just as we expect seasons OF too copi-
GUS precipi alton, but that these are, after
all, minor obstacles to our progress. They
are less serious by far, vastly less frequent,
snd much less liable = occur than the
drawbacks to agriculture in the rigor.
Gus seasons OF the North, the variable eli.
mate of the West, or the constant menace
to agriculture in the Middle States by evils
to which California is comparative strsn-
ger, In short. we here encounter the min
imum OF obstacles to soil cultivation, en-.
JOY the maximum Of advantages, and have
the highest general average OF successful
results
In view Of these undenisble facts, we are
not warranted in working up the az
onies as we DO. We know what we have
to expect and we should arrange cur bust.
ness systems accordingly. Those who con.
duct their af'irs upon the expectation Of
a neyer-vsrying food tide OF prosperity
are as undeserving Of sympathy in the
hour OF trial consequent upon their want
of caution, as were the foolish virgins Of
the parable.