The morning call., 1893-01-07
PRODUCTION IN 1892.

Returns from the various centers OF pro-
duction reveal the comfortable fact that the
year 1892 was one Of the most prosperous
on reeord-so far as production was con-
cerned. The wheat crop of the year is now
returned by the Agricultural Department
al SIS 953. 600 bushels, or. as we should say
on this coast, 15.6oo,0O0 tons. This yield
was exceeded in 1891, 1884 ard 1882. but IS
above that OF other recent years. 1t did not
yield as much money TO the farmer as for
mer crops, the average value on the farm
being 60 cents, hut this was the consumers
gain, and as nearly four-fths of the wheat
grown is consumed al home, the low prices
Of 1892 are not an unmxed disaster.
The yield Of wool was $50. 600. 600 pounds,
and the Importation about $50, 900. 900
pounds, showing a consumption of $780,
COO 600 pounds. which the trade considers TO
have been the largest on record. Our own
wool production in this State shows mod
crate increase over 1891. 1t is hardly to be
expected that California will maintain its
rank among the wool-pr0ducing States !;
land is too valuable to be used for sheep
pasture; but considerable increase in the
production of wool may be expected in
Nevada, Utah. Oregon, Arizona and New
Mexico, so that the West will probably
more than hold its own in the future with
0hio. Michigan and Texas. What is chiefly
wanted a. present is rather an improvement
In the quality than an increase in the guam
tily Of our woods, End especially an improve
ment in our dyeing processes.
From Pittsburg the report comes that the
product Of pig iron in 1892 was 9, 13O, coo tons.
an increase of nearly million tons over
1891, aud stocks on hand are light, showing
that the iron made has gone into consump-
ton. As the increased railroad mileage
during the year was small. it must be in
ferred that the consumption of iron for
uses other than rails is largely Increasing.
Increased production was accompanied In
1892 by increased exchanges with foreign
countries. The total movement of foreign
trade was the largest on record. amounting
in round numbers, with December partly
estimated. to 81, ,OO0 OF this sum
$3.50, 000 were exports and $780, 600
imports Nor has the domestic trade failed
to share in the improvement. An increase
of about 10 per cent in the bank elearings
OF the leading cities and of about 5h per
cent in railroad traffic indicates that home
commerce was as active in proportion as
foreign commerce.
When production increases commerce swells,
and prosperity results. OF all the great
articles of production In this country only
UNCONVENTIONAL adiminution in yield last
year. OF ell the others there was an In
crease, and those who produce them, who
handle them, who exchanged them and who
converted them into finished products must
have made money We know how it is in
this State. 1t is only about thirty years
since California began to grow wheat on a
large scale for export: ten years since 1t
began to grow marketable raislns; more re-
Gently it substituted high grade for Mission
wine, and successfully tried the experiment
If shipping to the East green fruit; but see
10 these years how many people have grown
rich out of these various pursuits and how
enormously land has risen In value. BY the
side of the stray Englishman or fastener
who walls that he cane here to raise fruit and
has failed In the attempt and lost his money.
there are scores of people who have acquired
a competency by few years OF intelligent
labor and Of whom no one hears word.