The record-union., 1897-02-02

AT the annual meeting of the State
Board of Agriculture yesterday Secre-
tary Smith read the following report of
that body to the Governor for the year
1896:
Office of the State Board of Agricult-
ure, Sacramento, February l, 1891.
Hon. James H. Budd, Governor of
CalifOrnia-Sir: In accordance with law
we have the honor to herewith submit
our annual report for the fiscal year
ending January 81, 1897.
We embody in this volume the usual
statistical tables of the agricultural
products of California for the year
1896, also several practical papers upon
and reviews Of many of our prominent
resources, and suggestions that to our
mind, will promote those that are TO
a certain degree dormant, with a pur-
pose Of improving the condition Of the
people of this commonwealth.
California possesses varied agricult-
ural capabilities of interest to many
classes, and we have in a. limited way
touched upon her productive advant-
time.
THE SEASON OF 1896
The season, from an agricultural
standpoint, opened most favorable for
seeding Of cereals, and the results show
an increase of about 10 per cent. in
grain acreage over the preceding year.
With an average rainfall of about ten
inches up to January 25th. in the grain
advanced most acceptably. The month
Of February gave us extreme spring
sunshine that forced early growth Of
grain and swelled the fruit buds. March
interviewed with cold and rainy wealth
er doing much damage to early fruit,
after which followed three weeks Of
most favorable growing weather, with
a temperature that promised early ma
tUrity Of fruit. But during the month
of April California. experienced an un-
pTecedented cold spell, accompanied by
killing fr0sts on the 18th, 10Th and 10th
Of that month, and at time when fruit
was in full bloom or had partially
formed, and when warm pleasant
spring temperature usually prevails
The result Of this cold spell was untold
loss to the grower and greatly i'm
paired fruit crop for 1S96.
The conditions for grain growing con-
tinued favorable throughout the year
and the yield of wheat exceeded that Of
1895 by about 100000 bushels. Our
estimate of crop, as shown in tabulated
reports herein published. is about %
100000 bushels, as against about 20
oOU.0O0 for the year previous. Prices
for 1893 improved over 1894, while the
great advance Of 1886 showed a tenden-
cy 10 place the vocation Of wheat grow
ing upon the paying basis Of the '1Vs
At the close Of 1894 the price OF wheat
was IS cents per Genital; at the close
Of 1895, 81 021a per GENITAL, and at the
close Of 1896 81 52l2 per GENITAL, at
San Francisco, the latter price being
from . to > cents lower than it had
sold IN the same market during the
three months previous
There are several causes for this ad-
vance in prices. The United States
crop turned out no better than 1898
Russia and Australia reported de-
creased yields. The latter country in
dicated she would again be obliged to
import for home requirements. Fol
lowing this came news Of failure Of
crops in India, thereby removing that
country from the list OF exporters and
listing her as an importer to feed her
famishing millions. Calirornia's geo
graphical location caused her to first
feel the stimulus Of this unusual de-
nand and rapid rise in prices. The
result is that exports have about alb
sorbed all the wheat we can spare.
1t is 70 BE- regretted that the Id
vanced prices that prevailed for wheat
during the last three months did not
come until after very large propor-
tion had left the farmers hands. they
selling readily during the early part
Of the season for the going prices Of
from % cents to 81 per Genital
We are indebted to T. c. Friedlander.
Secretary Of the san Francisco Produce
Exchange, for his annual wheat, flour
and barley review. with export tables
especially prepared for this Office. and
which win as usual be found In this
volume We find the shipments 10 Aus
tralia for the past twelve months TO
have been 2776.6G6 bushels OF wheat
and pa. .425 barrels of -four. equal to
nearly another million bushels. while
India took from our port 500. 600 bush
els Of wheat. The present tonnage now
listed for the port Of san Francisco is
ample 10 handle n shipment of over
100000 registered tons, which insures
good rates for the crop Of 1897; $50 900
bushels Of wheat was. during the s@a-
son. received at san Francisco for eX-
port from Idaho and Utah. an unusual
event. Indicating that the United stat $
is being drained Of all surplus. there
remaining in California barely suai-
cient seed wheat for coming seasons
crop. some Of which sold as high as
81 60 per GENITAL for seeding.
our export Of -four shows an increase
Of 100000 barrels over 1895. which is
an Indication that the milling trade has
been more satisfactory during this Set
son than for a number Of years pas.
Barley seems to have been fun crop.
occasioned by an increased acreage and
a favorable growing season, prices have
stiffened somewhat since harvest Ne.
shipping bringing from 92l2 cents 20
81 per GENITAL. at San Francisco. Chev-
alier barley is in good demand. our
surplus having readily been absorbed.
WHEAT GROWING.
one wear has brought about a marked
change in the prospects Of the wheat
grower. At the beginning of 1896 his
future looked extremely dark. and his