The record-union., 1891-09-18
ANNUAL ADDRESS.
Mr.. Arthur Rogers Talks Eloquently
About California.

ANNUAL ADDRESS.
Mr.. Arthur Rogers Talks EIoquently
About California.
At 9 o'clock last evening the Board of
Directors escorted Arthur Rogers of San
Francisco to the stand in the large tent
adjoining the Pavilion, where he deliv-
cred the following address to large au-
dience:
Mr.. President, Directors Of the State
Board Of agriculture, Ladies' and Gen
tJemen5 A vOyager sent out on the Pacific
by CorteZ discovered the California
Peninsula and soon a Spanish story de-
scribed the land as an "Island of Califor-
mia, very near the Terrestrial Paradise"
Thus the name of our State was given in
romance. And since then the discovery
of this nearby land, its history, its reve-
Iation of resources, its settlement, con-
quest and civil history, its unity and iso-
lation, its dominant products discovered
and developed succeSsively by the herds
man, the miner, the lumberman, the ag-
riculturist, have all been inspiring stages
OF political and industrial romance. And
these eraS OF development have been
chiefly crowded into the lifetime of this
society and under the observation and
struggles of many of its members seated
in this hall tonight. For a few days past
agriculture and the arts have DISPLAYED
in this capital richer and more varied eX-
hibits gathered from the Klamath to the
Colorado than probably can be exhibited
in any commonwealth of this continent.
The epochal periods of a peoples history
are those of greatest and untrammeled ef-
fort and consequent expansion and oi
boundleSS aspiration and confidence in
the future. 1t is then that they are young
and in in their aggressive vigor fear no
failure
Although the topics may be familiar,
still there are some general considerations
affecting the entire State agriculture which
it seems well to recall occasionally. There
are some conditions and lines of develop
ment which should be embraced in a
wise plan of such agriculture. / there
fore ask your attention to some of these
distinctive features of soil and air, moist
ure and temperature and trade.
First, let US recall the fact that nature
isolated this land by the surrounding
Sierras, the desert and the ocean, and
that for periods OF time, marked only by
the traditionary floods which first
opened the Golden Gate and the earth
quakes which lifted the mountain seas
and sunk the mountain wales, not plow
turned the earth of California in tillage.
The hundreds of thousands of aborigi-
MES fed from the uncultivated seeds and
II lAlNS' i lIO 1LdllIlS anu CdlIle ranged
our broad valleys; so that when the
American came the virgin soil was first
disturbed from its primeval sleep.
AN AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF THE
STATE.
1t would seem reasonable to learn what
we may of that soil in order to its best
cultivation and use. While some of the
possibilities of some portions of the land
are known, there Is no systematic knowl-
edge OF 1t. II an agriculturist would
best cultivate his farm he must know the
qualities and capacities of the soil OF
every garden, orchard and field of the
farm. So nature has spread out this
whole State as one farm, whose entire
survey wise agriculture seems TO COM
mand. This soil has been formed under
peculiar conditions and in several geo
logic ages. The soil of the Sierras, of the
Coast Range, of the valleys differ essen
TALLY, not only mechanically bat also in
composition. These soils are capable OF
classification and Of mapping. Such an
agricultural survey of the State is not
only feasible, but, when we consider It's
aid not only in indicating what crops
would grow best, but also what products
TO avoid in extended districts, it seems a
necessity.
WEATHER REPORTS.
From the knowlege of the soil we
naturally turn TO the conditions of growth
the relative moisture and heat in the at
mosphere and the amount and regularity
of the rainfall and of the winds, to the
climate and weather. The Importance oi
q reliable climatic chart of California is
only equal TO that of a soil survey of the
State. / know of no way to account for
its neglect except the universal assump-
ton of the glorious climate of Califor-
MIA" But it would be well to map out
the different kinds and degrees of its
glory" The climates of this State are
singularly uniform and their classified
ton not difficult. But here, as in all
other lands and ages, the temporary
changes in the weather chiefly excite the
interest and the anxiety OF the agricult-
urist. The inclination of the earths
axis, the changes of the moon, the habits
of birds and insects, and other signs more
or less remote, reasonable or absurd. arc
consulted to guess the weather. Our
boasted progress in the sciences is idle
unless IL can make more certain the
guesses of a hundred generations oi
farmers. When we consider that moist
ure is borne from the sea by winds, and
that winds shift with changing tenn
perature, we see that weather must hC
dependent on the condition of the at
mosphere not only in California but foI
considerable distances over the neighbor-
ing lands and the Pacific. AS telegraphiC
notice of changes can reach given point
some time before the coming winds, lis
importance 10 the agriculturistis evident.
The Federal Government maintains Z
signal service of this kind. It would be
practical and not burdensome to extend
the Government work TO great efficiency
on this coast, and by cooperation of ag-
Ticulturists To distribute promptly the
weather indications to every community
IN this State.
FOREST MANAGEMENT.
Agriculture and nations, with one ol
two accountable exceptions, have faded
away with their forests, and it would be
profitable to trace their parallel deca-
1lence. But when we remember that
storms wash away the naked hills into
the plains, and winds dry up unwooded
fountains and water supplies, and sweer
the land with unobstructed fury, we be-
gin 10 appreciate the necessity of mount
ain forests to the agriculturist. Cali
fASnian mountains were enriched with