Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-27
COTTON RAISING.
IT'S PRODUCTION IS An INDUS
TRY IN CALIFORNIA.
Interesting and Successful Expert
ments-IIarger Yield Obtained
Than in Southern States
The Future.

The subject of cotton-growing in Caiifor-
MIA, as Il prominent State industry, bids
fair to receive leading attention at an early
day The success which has attended ex-
pcriments thus far made, and especially
those at present in progress in the San Joa-
quin valley, give prominence to the sub
ject, and already a company of capitalists,
in anticipation of what they believe will
soon be an accomplished fact in this direc-
ton, have inaug,iratcd movement TO
build cotton factory q, Oakland, which
will soon be entered upon. The possibili-
ties in relation to cotton-growirg in this
State, the adaptability of soil and climate,
together with statements as to rate of pro-
duction, value of product, etc, are very
fully and Interestingly set forth by Pro-
fessor L. w. Hilgard, in the United States
census report recently issued, he having
been employed as a special agent by the
Government, on account of long expert
ence in the Southern States, to report upon
the subject. Professor Hilgard says:
Cotton culture began to attract consider
able attention in California in 1856, ut
which time premium of ST5 was offered
by the State Agricultural Society for the
best acre of cotton. How long previous to
that time its culture was engaged in "a any
extent is not known, but it was doubtless
made the subject of experiment in very
small tracts for Il year or two. At the an
nual meeting Of the society that year no
award seems to have been made, ana the
visiting committee reported that in their
visits to different parts Of the State they
had seen patch of cotton of extra quality
at Monte, Los Angeles county, containing
less than an acre; they thus leave the infer
ence that no other growing cotton was seen
by them. The President Of the society, in
his address at the same meeting, casually
spoke of cotton culture as a successful eX-
pertinent.
REPORT MADE IN 1897.
In the next year. 1857, the following re-
port was made to the society By its COM
mittee of awards on sugar-cane, tobacco
and cotton
1.-THE committee also examined the sew
eral specimens Of cotton, and, as with cane,
we have TO report the successful growth OF
this great staple We also examined in
contrast Georgia upland cotton, and the
growth in this State from seed taken from
the same parcel, and the improvement in
fineness in fiber of the native growth over
the imported or Georga-grown was mani
fest and striking; and in this we have the
concurrence of experienced SpinEers from
the East. But the staple of the native is
moi quite SO long, though fully as strong as
the Georgia cotton. This we attribute al
together to the lack Of moisture in the
earth where it grew.
=
Several other samples examined ratesas
fair upland. The one from Slocuns Bridge
has the advantage of staple and texture
over any of the others. The samples grown
in Los Angeles county are equal, if not SUI
peri0r, to the best Mississippi or Louisiana
cotton, and of course superior 10 all others.
and one grade below sea-iSland cotton
This sample is not Of the Sea-island weed.
but of the gray Petit Gulf kind, proving
conclusiyely the perfect adaptation of our
climate and soil to the production of the
very finest staple
This last sample was grown on loose sol,
and was probably some of that seen grow
ing the year previous by the committee
Samples Of cotton grown in Shasta county
this year we're on exhibition also in San
Francisco.
LEGISLATIVE AID.
In the following years, although pre-
miums were offered by the society. no
awards seem to have been made, and only
slight mention is made of cotton. until 1862
Except in Kern and Sacramento in 1881,
when the Legislature, under the initiative
Of Robert Strong, of MERGED, offered the
following premiums: For the first 100 bales
OF cotton Of 300 pounds each, 5000; for
the same quantity produced in the first,
second and third succeeding years, s., 900,
81 600 and $500. respectively. Other pre-
miums were offered for cotton cloth.
At the next meeting of the Legislature a
supplemental Act provided that one-half OF
One-quartcr of these premiums should be
paid to any person producing one-half OF
one-quarter of any Of the quantities named
in the original Act No awards seem to
have been made, or even applied for, until
1865, when Mathew Keller, of Los Angeles
planted and raised los acres of cotton, and
received, on the 22d OF December the State
premium of s., 900. In the same year there
were number of other cotton farms in
the southern part Of the State, one of 13O
acres on Kern lake. in Kern county The
acreage for this and Los Angeles county
was estimated at 40 acres, the average
yield being one-third of a bale per acre In
Fresno county farm of 100 acres was re-
ported on Upper Kings river, in MERGED
county, ut Smelling; another Of 100 acres
on Upper Kings river, in Fresno county.
-. ,s,.
NO. " ''''. ~ low"
In 1850 the report OF the Agricultural
Society reviews the subject OF cotton cult
ure rs follows: The history OF the cult
yation OF cotton has also been an anona-
lous one IN tins State, Experiments on 4
small scale had been made for number of
years IN different sections with gratifying
success. Encouraged III part 10y these re-
suits, ana IN part 10y the very liberal bounty
offered 10y the state Tor the first production
In large quaint AeS, several parties IN the
southern counties planted quite extensively
III looi- 1hey az labored under adverse
circumstances Iheir seed was, IN great
proportion OF lD9Sc Nuleue5 not adapted
,,ar;oti,, and ~ -. l,,,i;.,, -,
replanting to a great eylqht necessary As
the parties referred 10 were connections far
the State bounty ON 100 acro, thh,- strained
every nerve. but more to secure ibc nun.
Der OF acres specified to he planted than IN
insure u proper cultivation of the crop
after il was planted. But. notwithstanding
all these uniavorablc circumstances. thew
all produced 4 more or lcss credifahln Gro,
those portions of their fields which were
planted with the Tennessee upland and
Petit Gulf seed making excellent crops.
both in respect 90 quantity and quaIitv.
One of the parties alluded to. in a letter to
the Secretary Of this Board, says: The
sum Of our experience may be considered
10 be: First-That the Petit Gulf and fhc
Tennessee may b. considered the safest
and most profitable, and should be planted