The record-union., 1898-02-02

Shasta County .................... 10000
Tulare County ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5000
Total 81. Bal ,5I5
VITICULTURE.
With the organization of the Cali
fornia Wine makers Corporation game
a new life in the business of wine-nlak-
ing and selling of the product at such
prices as will warrant extension in
acreage and insure advantages in mark
citing. The estimated vintage of dry
wines for 1897 is 25.150,W19 gallons. OF
which nearly two-thirds is controlled
by the corporation, besides considera-
bic proportion of the 1896 vintage.
This organize ton proposes to SYSTEM
at1cally market the wine product, and
has made advances to growers that en-
ahled them to increase their cooperage
sufficient to hold their wines and pre-
vent the dumping of the immature ar
ticle upon the market to break prices.
Ii this organization can accomplish its
desire, We believe much will result in
the selling of our wines at remunerative
prices. Certainly nothing can be &c
complished by competition with an in
ferior article, and it is to be hoped that
all wine-makers will find it to their
interest to cooperate with the corpor-
alton 1t means much for the future
of viticulture in our State.
HOP CULTURE.
The outlook for the hop industry IS
beginning to give encouragement TO the
growers, who have been sufferers by
the low prices during the past three or
four years The crop CT California for
1897 was about 1000 bales, as against
35,347 bales in 1896, and with prices
doubled gave the growers very con
siderable increase in return.
This industry looks healthy. as out of
the entire $4,000 bales for the TWO
years, less than 2,G03 remain in the
growers hands. This would indicate
that buyers look for rise III prices.
and are loading up to supply their trade
al profit We hope this view is cor
rect, as our hop crop is of great value
and an important article of commerce
for this State.
We will publish the usual tables OF
consumption and export Of this product.
OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST.
AS shown by the United States report
for the fiscal year ending June 81, 1891,
the United States paid S3S2o00,C0o 10
foreign countries for sugar, hides,
fruits, wines, animals, rice, flax, hemp,
cheese, wheat, barley, beans. eggs, tea,
etc. $6,000n00 for chicory. castor
beans, lavender, licorice, opium poppy
etc; and $2,O00,000 for bulbs; nearly
all of which can be grown and prepared
for use at home. Recent experiments
gave good results from many of these
products, and why the American farm
er does not try a variety of crops is
beyond conjecture.
The growing of hemp is peculiarly
adapted to California; there are thou
sands of acres that viii produce a good
article. Practical tests have shown
that on our rich bottom lands it is
very successful crop; the plant grows
vigorously and attained a hight of
twenty-five feet. and measuring at the
base of the plant, twelve inches in cir
conference. This immense growth
was made in Butte County, where the
hemp was planted thinly for seed; but
where sown thicker for fiber it aver
aged sixteen feet in hight, and one and
a half inches in circumference. This
crop was grown without rain or irriga-
ton. and produced about one and half
TONS to the acre. The test was made
on tract of 200 acres, and the yield
was about 300 tons. We received sam
pies OF this fiber, and it was pronounced
bv experts TO be superior to any grown
in the world
The success attained by the Butte
Couaty farmer in the growth of this
profitable commercial article should
encourage farmers throughout the
III -, t-ft
seems 10 us that profitable plantations
could be made on the Sacramento Riv-
er ISLANDS. where the drainage canals
could he used for decaying the stalks,
a process that is ordinarily done by tbs
rains of winter.
GOOD ROADS.
We natice with commentator the
action taken in Sacramento County by
the issuance of 1900 in bonds for
road Improvement The bond Plaza
was first suggested, we believe, by this
board, when we advised in one CT our
reports the formation of road districts.
to raise funds for the building of per-
manent :oadways. We predict that
every county in the State Will follow
the example set by Sacramento wnen
the road is completed. thereby hcwin3
the farming community what 4 aertrla-
nent roadway means to the prosperity
of those living adjacent thereto.
An object lesson is the most ferciDlc
argument that can be used. lloney
thus extended, even if a deot is loadc6
on US, Will improve the facilities of n
section thus favored to an extent that
cannot be readily estimated. We hope
for more bond issues for road .; riding.
THE STATE FAIR OF 1887
Win ii somewhat continuous stagna-
ton OF trade in all lines If agYicultur-
al products. whereby -ow prices and
little demand prevailed, as has been
the case IL California for the four years
previous to 1897, it is a labor ef love
10 at.stnpt encouragement of agricuit-
ural pursuits The annual exhibitions
! given uuGer the management Of this
/ board have a purpose in bringing to-
! gether the producers of the State. that
| they may be better informed as TO tae
/ advancement made in Their respective
eallinge. il both an agricu tural .HG u
/ mechanical sense. The display Of soil
I produces this year occupied space OF
/ about l3,WD square feet in the Agli-
| cultural Pavilion, and contained u
/ representative exhibit of specimens of