The San Francisco call., 1898-12-20
GRAIN AND GRASS MUCH BENEFITED Showers Fall Through out the State. IMPETUS TO GROWING CROPS FARMERS ENCOURAGED BY THE
 OUTLOOK. Reports From Many Sections of Cali fornia Indicate That the
 Storm Has Not Yet
 Spent Itself.
specla pispatch to The oaIl.

STOCKTON, Dec. 19.-Rain began falling about o'clock this morning and continued steadily for about three hours. During the day there were oc- casional showers. Up to II o'clock this morning the gauge showed the rainfall to be Al of an inch. The weather is quite threatening, however, and more rain is looked for before the storm ceases Farmers are much pleased with the prospects for a big crop. Their confidence Is shown in the way they are making purchasec for Christ mas gifts. Since the rain of last We'd nesday there has been no sunshine. Fog prevailed from Wednesday until yesterday, when clouds settled over the valley. With Wednesdays rain the dampness of the fog and to-day's rain the grain in the valley will get a good start.
 SACRAMENTO, Dec. 19.-Last night the Sacramento Valley had another generous downpour of rain and farmers will have no cause for the blues at Christmas time. The fall of rain in this city from 12 o'clock last night to 9:3O this morning amounted to 50 of an inch The rainfall for this month so far is 1.20 inches, making for this season PSI inches as against 4.3S inches 10 an equal date last year. The aver age rainfall for December during the past fifty years was about 4.50 inches. Sacramento has not yet had half as much as the usual average rainfall. The greatest amount ever known to have fallen in December was 1340 inches, in 1852. No rain fell in Decem- Der, 1S76
 LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19.-Rain has not yet fallen here, though the weather conditions to-day are unsettled and showers are predicted for tonight. In this county ranchers are unable to do anything toward seeding for next years crop until rain comes, though other counties of Southern California have been more fortunate; and while there has not been rain enough for every purpose, the fields have been pre- pared on many places and seed put in. Fruit trees are suffering for water.
 MODESTO, Dec. 19.-Rain began to fall early this morning and .32 of an inch feli to-day. The sky is still cloudy and the wind from the rainy quarter. Since the rain of last week the weather has been foggy and all the moisture has been retained in the ground. The total for the weeks rain has been .65 of an inch and the total for the season 1.83 inches. The rain was general in Stanislaus County.
 SONOMA, Dec. 19.-The second in- sstallment of rain was given to this val ley last night and it has continued to fall all day. This rainfall will do a vast amount of good to farmers and dairymen: It insures plenty of feed for stocK ana a prosperous season for every one in Sonoma Valley.
 SANTA ROSA, Dec. 1s.-Sonoma county has been thoroughly drenched by splendid rain It Commenced shortly before midnight and continues. II will start grain and feed and enable farmers to blow Cloverdale, HeaIds burg, Sonoma, Petaluma, GuerneviIle Seoastopol and Windsor districts re, port a heavy fall.
 EVANSVILLE, Dec. 19.-The most oenef1cial rain of the season visited Tuba and Sutter counties last nieh, and to-day. The precipitation to this evening was 30 of an inch. The pros