Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-19
CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIES.
ADDRESS OF WIN. q. MILLS BEFORE
THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
An Able Paper, Full of Facts and Figures
Which Will be Read With Interest
by Everybody.

William H. Mills of San Francisco de-
siveredet ethe annual address before the State
Agricultural Society at the Pavilion last
night. before a large and deply interested
audience. The address had evidently been
prepared with great deal of care, as it was
filled with statistics of the most interesting
character. 1t was delivered in Mr.. Mills
best style, and he was frequently inter-
rupted by hearty applause. Following is
the full text of the address
Mr.. President. and Gentlemen of the State
Board of agriculture: The invitation to
deliver the annual address before your
honorable body, received at the hands of
your honored President, plainly indicated
the questions you desired should be dis
cussed before you. In addition to the in
dication of the letter of invitation, your
President has taken the very proper pre-
caution of discussing with me personally
the matters to which your attention should
be called and the general theme to which
the modest merit of this effort should be
addressed.
The annual exhibitions of the State Ag-
ricultural Society are designed to be illus
trative of the progress of agriculture, hor-
ticulture and the mechanic arts in our
State. These eXhibtionS&re in the highest
sense an epitome of State progress. The
inventions of the mind, the work of the
hands and the intelligent direction of ma
ture 10 the production of the objects of hui
man desire, are presented annually for the
instruction and the thoughtful considera-
ton of our people This is the theater of
the pride of industry. Here useful toll is
crowned with honor, and by that crowniug
labor is dignitied and ennobled. For
thirty EIGHT years these exhibitions have
been held. each exhibition leaf in the his
tory of the progress of our State. But
thirty EIGHT years is scarcely yesterday in
the history of States and nations. More
than this it is scarcely a noon to the morn
ing of to-day. But, notwithstanding the
brevity of time which has elapsed since the
foundations of our State were laid, startling
contrasts and gratifying comparisons would
be disclosed if only the first annual exhibit
ton OF this society could be placed side by
side with that of to-day.
You need not be told that the American
settlement of California was induced by an
ardent and eXpectant search for gold, but
when measuring the progress California has
made in field culture, you do need TO be
reminded that its first occupants and inhab-
itants had no faith in its agricultural
resources. Men are naturally intolerant as
to the differences they encounter between
the countries with which they are familiar
and those they casually visit. Moreover,
men in seeking new homes, seek those
where the industries they have pursued in
the old are the standards of industry in the
new. OF the truth of this, every individ-
ual has witness in his own mind. We
are not attracted to the countries whose
objects of culture are wholly unfamiliar to
u.s. When an exhibition is spread out for
a spectator, that portion of it with which
he is familiar and the result of that indus
try in which he is engaged, will be most
attractive, because it will be under the most
intelligent and familiar observation. The
people of the Temperate Zone, and skilled
in the field culture possible in the latitudes
of their nativity, find strangely unfamiliar
objects of cultivation unattractive, when
the proposition to engage in the unfamiliar
object is under consideration. 1t is for this
reason that men migrate upon the latitude
of their nativity. They seek new homes
with more favorable environment for per-
sonal prosperity, but they do not seek
change of industry, which involves the
abandonment with that with which they
are familiar for the adoption of that which
is new They feel confidence in the skill
and Judgment which observation and ex-
perience have ripened in their minds. so
long as the question of engaging in indus
tries already familiar is presented, but they
naturally lose that confidence when meth
DDS of agriculture and horticulture, relating
to unfamiliar productions, are a part of the
problem involved in the change of resi-
dence.
The agricultural and horticultural posi-
bilities of California were a sealed book to
the pioneer population of this State. The
seasons for seed time and harvest were new
and strange. The art of agriculture, as it
was known and praeticed by themselves
and their fathers, was inapplicable here.
This is not to be wondered at. The time
of growth and verdure, as known to them,
was from the spring month of April to the
October of autumn. Then followed q win
ter of death to vegetation, period OF slum-
Der in which all growth was bound in icy
chains and laid to sleep in the cradle of
winter. To them spring with its seed time,
summer with its sripening suns, ar ID autumn
with its golden harvests meant certain spe-
cific months of the calendar They found
these months of the old calendar the win
ter of suspended animation in California.
Instead of the June of verdure and bios
SONS, they found one of russell brown hills
and sun-parched plains, with all the un-
mistakable conditions of the aridity of
death. But on the other hand, they found
a later autumn and longer winter of YER
dure. Finally the suggestion came that
the old almanac was as inapplieable TO the
seasons of California as the old art of agri-
cultufGhad proven. Instead of the winter
Of former experience, they found spring
time to follow harvest, verdure TO come
with the rains of heaven, growth and vege-
tation belonging to the months relegated
TO the rigid bonds of winter in the homes
they had left. Slowly the true meaning OF
the new environment began TO be under
stood. The new art of agriculture followed
the suggestion of new vicissitudss in ma
ture, until to-day the art of horticulture
and agriculture, as practiced in California.
is not known elsewhere in the world, and
il is to the material and moral results of
this new adoption Of industry TO a new en-
yironment that your attention is to be
called
You have indicated to nae that you desire
the matters herein presented for publics-
ton. Therefore, what is said herein will
go forth with your Endorsement. | earn
estly ask that before this Endorsement is
accorded, the matter herein presented shall
receive your candid consideration, and its
publication to the world shall receive your
become your statement, and with this in
dorsement of your honorable body, ii will
be received by those who accord it an ex-
animation as authentic. II cannot be your
purpose to place it before our people only :;
aud since il is to go forth to the world, to
the more denseiy populated portions of our
common country, from whose boIders we
are seeking a reinforcement of our popula.
ton, an augmentation of its industrial ca
pscity, and additions TO the capital available
for the development of our diversified in
dustries let rs place ourselves at once in
the mental altitude of addressing those who
are unfamiliar with the resources of our
State. Let us, if you please, imagine our
selves before an audience of those who de-
sire to change their place of residence, and
leave the older and more finished ciYiliza-
tions of our common country, for those
wherein the conditions of primitiveness
eth obtain With the earnest 1,urposo of