Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-12
ANNUAL ADDRESS
URAL ASSOCIATION.
Delivered by President p. A. Fini-
gan, at the Pavilion. Thursday,
September IL. 1854.

at the outset of my remarks, to contem-
plate this new and splendid building in
which we now hold our S1st annual fair.
1t is pleasing duty for me TO have the
honor, as is customary, of inaugurating
this building for the first time. For the
purpose for which it has been erected this
building has a floor space of ia, 600 square
feet-cOmfortable standing room for the
entire population of many of our larger
towns
In erecting this grand palace of industry
Sacramento has contributed $4,000 and
the State 1000, and the State Agricult-
ural Society has erected a State building
for $4,000 that cannot be duplicated for
100000.
We had a large outlay in furnishing this
building and at the Park we have made
improvements that are equal in every way
to the best on the other side of the Rockies.
1t cost this society $4,000 for permanent
improvements this last year, and no honest
minded citizen can say that IL was not
needed nor that the money was not judi
ciously spent. We point to the completed
work with pride. The grandeSt results
have been achieved with great economy of
time and means.
parts, useful in all its departments beauti-
full both in detail and general effect this
grand achievement suggests the subject
of an annual address AS we have builded
here so must we build our system of agri-
culture We must and will establish in
this State a comprehensive system that will
embrace every variety of soil and climate,
every interest; system that will be per
meated by intelligence, and conducted with
skill a system so complete in its parts that
each VIII add strength TO all the rest; sys-
TEN that will give wealth and happiness to
our people; a system that will continue to
be progressive in development for all time
to come.
But must address myself TO the matter
in hand, with directness and plainness of
speech, for we are here with a purpose.
How are we to accomplish the grand re-
suits already indicated What are the diff
ticulties to be surmounted? In answering
these questions | can do little more than
offer suggestions and | beg you to under
stand, at the outset, that my aim is to
stimulate the thoughts of those who are
more competent to treat of these great sub
iects than am. If | succeed in doing this
| shall be more than satisfied. You will
pardon me, therefore, if my address seems
fragmentary and incomplete.
Let Us begin with the soil. The soil of
California is naturally rich and it possesses
remarkable reCuperative powers. Hereto
fore we have gathered from the virgin soil
great crops without the exercise of much
intelligence or forethought. But already
we see signs of decreasing vigor in the over
taxed soil. and that means without timely
aid the speedy decay of agriculture Human
greed may destroy, but alone, it will not
lead to intelligent success. Farmers may
conceal the fact of soil impoverishment:
that they may sell and move to fresher
lands, there to repeat their efforts at de-
structions but such men cannot build up
agriculture and they are enemies of the
human race.
To the patriotic man, who has brains
enough to scOrn present success at the cost
of future rum, and who desires prolonged
prosperity for himself and others, comes
the question, How can | so use the soil
that / may gain subsistence and yet pre-
vent its mpoverishment?
Do we consider this matter? Do we I'M
derstand the subject? We know in gen
eral way that to preserve the vigOr of soil,
we must give it rest: comparative rest by
alienation of crops and positive rest By
following. But do our people fully appre-
ciate the fact that this matter of soil rest
lies at the base of all permanent prosperity?
If we are to have rest by rotation of crops,
what change of crops can we have that
will not impoverish the owner, while i'm
povcrishment of soil is prevented?
The answer involves the further subject
of markets, and to whom can we go for
practical information? The general Gov
eminent does something in this direction
in q vague way, by showing some Of the
probabilities as TO marketable crops, but
does not help us in this matter.
The University Of California has pub
lished important information relative to
the preservation of soils, but the informa-
ton reaches but few people. But whether
we are ignorant or wise, the fact remains,
that there can be no brilliant or even pros
porous future To a State that does not prac
tice soil rest Systematically.
Again. it is admitted that shallow till
age leads to heavy washing and quilted
fields; that deep blowing prevents this
ruinous evil 1t is also true that much of
our soil is not productive for one or two
years after deep blowing.
! do not state the reason, but the fact
and call your attention to the further fact
that the subject OF deep blowing has not
received lust attention. Ought not some
competent person to be charged with the
duty of giving these points exhaustive con-
sideration? Can we reasonably expect to
develop a true system of agriculture while
we ignore these grave matters?
Again, how are we to recuperate the
millions of acres already Impoverished?
We cannot do it by concealing or denying
the facts We have had enough of conceal |
ment, and now we must face facts. Our
business is to build up, and we cannot do |
it by a wretChed subtertuge.
The impoverished soil must have rest |
and if we do not give it the soil itself will |
take the needed rest by refusing to weld |
crops. As an aid to rest comes in the |
practice of fertilization. But what do we
know about fertilization, and where can we |
get manures? These questions have been |
considered somewhat at the State Uni |
versity and that body has given valuable |
hints They have told us how TO use the |
ash of spent tan bark, and the lime refuse |
from sugar works, but these manures are |
not within the reach of many. We must |
settle down to the conviction that millions |
of acres of California land must be ma |
nured. And we must see to it that some !
one be found to discover the proper ma |
nureS, and to tell us what manure is best |
adapted to the particular soils that need it. |
This is not an easy matter III State that |
has so many varieties of soil. But the |
work must be done, else we cannot recu-
perate the impoverished soil, and without |
recuperated soil we cannot establish a fully |
developed system of agriculture. The dit
ticulty is of serious nature, but 1t must |
and will be surmounted.
Again: we have large tracts of alkali |
lands, which are in main non-productiSe, |
that cannot be tolerated by civ
ilized people, who aim TO establish pro-
gressive system of agriculture.
At the University the College IF Agricult-
ture has done much to show as how TO re-
cover these soils, and the University papers
on this subject should be in the hands of
every farmer. Considerable alkali land has
been recovered by following University sug-
gestions, but unfortunately, little effort has
been made TO recover the larger tracts or
even the small spots that occur on almost
every farm. The knowledge now available |
on this subject, is perhaps sufficient, but |
who will undertake the grand work of sub
iugating the vast tracts of alkali lands? | |
answer that thousands will engage in this |
work when they discover that it can be |
done Unfortunately in this as in every
thing else, our accumulated store of knowl- |
edge is not brought home to those who |
need it.
Again: aside from that which is alkaline, |
we have large tracts of desert, so called. |
And yet a few trifiing experiments have |
been sufficiently successful TO convince the |
and intelligent agriculturist |
that every acre of that so-called desert |
land can be put to profitable uses. Few |
know anything about those experiments |
the actual facts are practically inaccessible,
like million other facts that everybody |
L,,t IL II foot