The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-03
OUR AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITS.

Agricultural fairs have already been
held in one or two of the largest agricul-
tural districts of the State. The Sonoma
district leads off as usual. The Golden
Gate Fair attracted little attention this
year beyond the racetrack. In a few days
the State Fair will open at Sacramento.
This will be the most important agricul-
tural demonstration in the State for the
present year. There will be a succession
of county and district fairs extending
over a period of nearly two months
These fairs have always represented some
of the most important phases of agricul-
ture in California.
The Midwinter Fair made the most ex-
tensive citrus exhibition that had ever
been made either here or in any part of
the country. That cannot be duplicated
at the State and district fairs. A greater
citrus crop is ripening than has ever ma
tured here in any former year. The de-
clduous fruit crops are also larger than
were ever known before. In a season of
business depression California comes TO
the from. with her agricultural products.
There has been no failure of any staple
product. The wheat crop is not as large
as in some former years, but if the present
low prices are TO prevail ii is quite large
enough. The corn crop of the present year
for the whole country will according to
recent estimates be short of the average
product by at least 100000 900 bushels.
Some Of the estimates increase this
shortage.
This apparent shortage of a leading
grain product has not materially stiffened
the price of wheat, although it has in
creased somewhat the market quotations
for corn. There has been fair demand
for -four for expectation TO Asiatic ports
consequent upon the war. The harbor is
now dotted with ships coming from foreign
ports, many of which will be seeking wheat
charters. An increase of even % per cent
in the price of wheat here would brighten
the agricultural outlook of the State ma
teriaIly. For the first time in more than
quarter of cent urv corn has been quoted
in the Eastern markets at higher price
per bushel than wheat. This is due to the
supposed falling off of the corn crop to the
extent of as many bushels as are repre-
sented by the entire wheat crop Of the
country.
II is claimed that the best shipping -four
in the world is now made in California.
There has been no notable addition to the
number of the Touring mills of California,
and more of them are idle than ever be-
fore at this season, for the reason that a
trust is now controlling the manufacture
of -four. If there is to be a Quickened ex-
port market for -four the wheat-growels
ought to share in the benefits. Just now
the advantages appear to be all on the side
of the milling men.
Corn sold at one time in the Chicago
market at 16 cents per bushel above
former rates, and held for some time there
after an advance of 10 cents per bushel.
These circumstances have. at least, a re-
mote bearing upon the prospective price
of wheat in this State. They are canvassed
with interest just now by leading agricu-
turists here. They will furnish matter for
discussion when the producers gather in
force at the State and district fairs. Cali
fOrnia has To do this year with the Ques-
ton of abundance and low prices. 1t has
never been more difficult to turn the pro-
duce at the farm into ready money with
margin OF profit.
The beet-sugar Interests that now repre-
sent in manufactures something more than
$4,000 O0 get a backset from the new
tariff. II the mills are operated after this
year. farmers who have found in some of
the rich valleys the growing of beets one
of the best paving crops will probably suf-
fer reduction in price from halt dollar
to a dollar a ton. When these untoward
circumstances are noted, it is still true
that the agricultural situation in Califor-
MIA is about as good as in most of the
States. Ii is far better than in those West
ern States which have suffered the i'm
mense shrinkage of the corn crop. The
real embarrassment here is rather the
abundance than the shortness of crops.
A feast is always better than a famine.