The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-02
REVIEW OF THE YEAR JUST PASSED.


over half a million, with Eastern i'm
portations aggregating GAG, 40 pounds
We, of California, bellows in the flu
ture of the dairy, and with our extern
sive alfalfa lands, and an abundance
of other nutritious milkg giving food
dairy products should be one of our
leading exports.
The State Agricultural Society has
always been firm advocate of this n
dustry, and each season goes to con-
siderable expense in providing for A
competitive milk test of dairy COWS,
and IN displaying a working dairy and
the butter making process, for the pur
pose Of showing what advancement has
been made in the breeding and care OF
cows, as Well as the improvements in
dairy machinery where the saving oe
time and labor reduces the expenses of
butter and cheese making to a mimi
mum, besides making a market for
milk in the organization of creamery
plants. There are now over two hun
dred creameries in the State, and
room for two hundred more. We say
to the farmer, raise the cows and milk
them. Capital is ever ready for invest
chlnery for the product
The highest scores made at the State
Fair dairy exhibit for 1897 were 9S.34
for butter, and 991a for cheese, showing
degree of purity equal to any.
CATTLE AND SHEEP.
The superiority of California's climate
which causes plants of the vegetable
kingdom to thrive so luxuriantly, there
by making small holdings profitable-and
the proximity Of great free range"
States and Territories, are cogent rea
sons for the non-extension of the cattle
and sheep industry during the past few
years. Cattle are SO easily brought from
Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico
Where native grasses and forage plants
abound, and lands are not cultivated to
any extent for other uses that we have
found it Improbable to compete with
breeders in those districts; but during
the past season the demand from States
East of the Rocky Mountains, on these
same localities, has reduced the supply
for the coast, and created a market for
good home-raised steers, at a profitable
figure, which will result, we nope. in a
system of cattle raising unlike that of
extensive ranges were wholly neces
sary and the business exclusive.
We hope the wheat farmer will be
warranted by prices to raise each year,
a limited number of cattle for the local
market, thereby increasing his annual
income more or less as he may have
feed. Should every farmer in California
follow this system we are convinced that
the nutritious early grasses, the stubble
field, and what hay they may raise
would make superior returns in the sale
of a few head of cattle, sheep and swine
each year.
The extension of the dairy business
promises permanent market for the
sale Of good mich COWS, as we'll as war
rants the progressive farmer, who may
be located near creamery, to increase
the number Of cows in milking at home,
as market for their product is there
by assured. In conjunction with all this
will come the increase of our hog pro-
ducts, that should cut off the one thou
sand or more tons of imports into this
market each season.
The increased values placed upon our
lands by reason of extension of other
ton with the low price Of wool dur
ing the past few years, greatly retarded
the sheep industry in this State. But
as the price of wool has doubled during
the year by reason of the tariff laws
we hope to see quite movement in re-
facilitating this once great industry OF
California. There are many large tracts
of land-from ten thousand to one hun
dred thousand acres-yet available in
this State, and which would, under the
prospective prices for wool, pay better
in this than any other pursuit we now
know of. Besides, the mountain ranges
stubble fields, and low marshy lands are
numerous, and offer opportunities for
feed that would insure good returns in
the ownership of flocks without land in
vestment.
The advantages Of the Territories of
the Northwest and adjacent States for
free range are very inviting, but these
lands have already shown signs of ex-
haustion by reason of being over
stocked. so much so that the Depart
ment Of Agriculture has begun a series
of Investigations for the restoration of
the grazing qualities thereof
We have in this State only about
3, coo. 600 sheep. The wool product for
1897 amounted to 3, 500 900 pounds. at
an average price Of about II cents,
eGualing nearly 100000 for this out
put. The prices for spring clip opened
up at cents, but soon went to 10 and II
cents; fall woods were worth from II to
II cents, and at this writing the price
of all have advanced very preceptibly.
NA u ax-sva
information upon this subject as to To-
calities and possibilities for investment.
The principal WOOL producing counties
OF the State are divided as follows:
Humboldt. Mendocino Tehama. Butte.
Colusa and Sonoma of the northern see
ton, produce the lighter and cleaner
woods; Fresno, MERGED. Kings, Tulare
and Kern of the central section. produce
the heavier and earthier woods: Los An
geles, San Diego, Orange and San Ber-
nardino, Of the southern section, pro-
duce a good article. but somewhat
tkurry' tso-calIed in trade).
Wool securing is quite a business in
itself. In San Francisco no less than
1888. 800 pounds in the grease were
handled in 1891 Wool loses from so
to 50 per cent. in weight in securing,
but readily finds sale at from 40 to
- cents per pound.
The outlook for sheep raising is good.
and there is an opening for investment
of capital in this industry in California
The publicity given this and kindred
subjects by the State Beard of Agri-
culture from time to time has. IN more
than one instance. caused extension in
profitable agricultural pursuits. and
we will continue along the same lines
until California produces not only a