The morning call., 1894-01-24
THE RAINFALL.

This seasons rainfall has varied in the
different localities. Here at San Fran cisco,
where the precipitation is of value merely
as a means of flushing the sewers, il has
been slightly heavier than last yesr, and
something above the normal average. We
have had about Is inches of rain since
July. and if in the two months and a
quarter which remain of the rainy season
we get inches more we shall reach our
normal average of 20 inches. But the in
terror has not been SO lucky.
Along the Sacramento Valley the supply
is still short. Sacramento has done we'll.
with an inch more than last year. and
Vacaville and Suisun are both ahead, but
Elmira is 2 inches behind last year,
Davis 21a inches, Knights Landing 5
inches, Chico 2b inches. Vina Z inches,
Red Bluff "a inches. The San Joaquin
Valley. however, has Jared somewhat
better. Modesto is about the same as last
year, MERGED is half an inch ahead, Tnlare
a quarter of an inch. Goshen an inch and
half short, Porteryills an inch short.
But all through the valley the totals are
small, and justify uneasiness among
rancbeTs whose lands are not irrigated.
The Alameda Valley has been fortunate
All places show an increase except Mar
tineZ. which is behind last year. The
northern valleys west of the river have
had fine sprinkling Napa and Calistoga
are up to the liberal figures of last year,
and Santa Rosa aud Glen Ellen are ahead
In all these cases the comparisons are
made between the precipitation TO date
and the precipitation TO same date last
year.
II February and March do as well as
may be expected there will be no crop fail
ure this year by reason of drought. Ag-
riculture which depends on the natural
rainfall in the more arid sections of the
State is at best precarious: it is trusting to
Providence for what man should do for
himself. But such as it is we must be
thankful tor 1t, and be grateful for the
scientific fact that settlement and culture
promote rainfall. We shall probably
never again witness the crop failures from
drought which in the early days led to the
adage that a San Joaquin Valley farmer
was lucky when he harvested two crops in
three years.
1G must always be remembered. too, that
people are finding out how mucn less wa
ter will fertillze land than they have imag.
ined. The Spaniards are discovering that
ten inches of water are ample for the
plains which were so productive under the
Moors and became deserts when the irriga-
ton systems of that ingenious people were
allowed to fall into decay. More than ten
inches involves waste and does not help
the SOIL The truth of the proposition is
being curiously demonstrated in this State.
In parts Of the San Joaquin Valley where
land fell into the hands Of enterprislng
men vast systems Of irrigation were es-
tablished, and every drop of water which
could be drawn from the Sierras was con-
Quoted to the orchards and vineyards. 1t
is now being found out that the thing has
been overdoDe, that much of the valley
land is waterlogged and that some of the
fruit produced is of low quality. Totting
soon after 1t ripens. It contains too much
water and too little saccharine.
The lesson should not be thrown away
upon landowners in Kern, Tulare and
San Bernardino. These counties are still
in the stage when they need an artificial
supply of water. They are getting it
gradually, and while it is coming, the
wheat fields are yielding regular crops,
which would be larger under a more intel
ligent system OF agriculture. The exam
pie of neighbor should teach the farmers
of these sections that in farming as in
everything else it is possible to have too
much Of good thing.