The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-08-04
The wheat crop in California.
From the scientific American.

Cultivation OF WneaI III Saiiioi' Vs."
lone continue to be one of the greatest
sources of wealth to that surprisingly fer
tile State The history of the industry Is
perfectly well defined. Introduced by the
fathers of the missions, in 1863, from
seed brought from Mexico, the adaptable
ity of the country for the growth OF eere-
ais was quickly demonstrated, and the OBJ
iect accomplished of rendering the country
independent of Mexico for its breadstuifs.
During the supremacy of the missions
enough wheat was raised to more than
supply the scanty population of the period,
and this condition of affairs continued
until the ocnfscation of church property
in 1924, after which the cultivation of
wheat declined. In 1947y but little wheat
was produced and that of very inferior
quality. The era of gold mining inter
rupted agricultural pursuits for several
years, but, by 1854, the local crop began
to appear upon the market in increasing
quantities and to gradually displace i'm
portations from South America and the
East.
The expectation of California wheat to
English ports, probably as ballast has been
followed by ever increasing shipments until
now hundred of the finest sailing vessels
of the worlds feet are employed in the
traffic.
The new era, beginning with the Amer
lean occupation of the country, was due to
the great influx of highly intelligent
class who came in search of gold. Pro-
badly not five per cent. of these people
contemplated a permanent stay. They
knew little about the agricultural POSSIBLE
tiles of this new land, and never suspected
that the riches of the gulches were actual
ly secondary to the wealth that lay dor
mant in the soil Unsuccessful in the
quest of gold, and with resources greatly
impaired, these men were Obliged to re-
turn to their familiar occupations as agri-
culturists and of necessity to the cultiva-
ton of crops requiring the least labor to
mature, and to such as would find the
promptest market at remunerative prices.
Hence, the early attention given to rails
ing wheat. The bay and river system Of
the country gave access to the most fer
tile valleys of the world in every direction.
Acres and acres of virgin land only re-
quired the scratch of the pillow to yield
abundantly. In six months crops could
be gathered and brought to market and
sold at prices that meant riches. Hence,
in 1854, the crop of wheat amounted to
enough to supply the country and allow
small quantity for export.
The acreage devoted to wheat continued
to increase until 1899, wheE it amounted
to 3, 800, 900, with a crop of Is, 1913, $50
centals. Since then the acreage has grad
ually become less. In 1S99-1900 there
was (estimated) 2,750,0 acres III wheat
with crop (estimatedo) of 20, 900, 900
centala
The conditions insuring a large wheat
crop in California cannot be said to depend
upon the quantity so much as the timeli-
ness of the rainfall The great crop Of
1880 was produced with a rainfall of but
1914 inches Gin San Francisco), at least
10 inches below the annual average.
Lands devoted to wheat in California
include those reclaimed from the beds Of
rivers by embellishments, which have been
under water for ages and never produced
anything but rank growths of vegetation.
Once protected from overfows, the crops
of fruit, vegetables or cereals, grown upon
these lands are surprising. Instances of
40 sacks of wheat, averaging 100 pounds,
as the product per acre of reclaimed
farm, multiply; and knowing their exceed
ing fertility and witnessing the rank, pow
erful growths of the stalk before harvest
time, such a yield ceases to astonish.
Wheat grown upon these soils, however,
does not rank in quality with the best.
Lands which are protected from over
flow by artificial levees, of which there are
hundreds of thousands of acres along the
banks of the Sacramento and San Joaquin
Rivers, are the finest wheat lands of the
State, and the most valuable. Lying low,
they are independent of drought, and their
natural fertility has been augmented by
deposits brought down by overhows before
the leyees were constructed. The Yalo
basin on the Sacramento River, in time of
harvest, is a sight beyond description.
The wide, level valley, stretching on both
sides of the river, is golden sea of vege-
tation. The great Glenn ranch of 60, 900
acres, all in wheat, is situated here. The
high lands, located above the influence of
river floods, and dependent upon rainfall
for moisture, extend in these valleys to
where the foothills begin. They are of
vast extent, and produce the finest, deep
est and weightiest wheat grown in the
world. They average, perhaps, six sacks,
of $50 pounds each, per acre.
After persistent cultivation the reclaimed
and leveed lands show no signs of exhaus
ton. No fertilizers have ever been add
ed to these fields other than the charred
straw burned after each harvest. The
high lands, some after fifty years of con-
tinuous planting to wheat, upon which no
fertilizers have ever been spread, do show
the effects of wear, though these lands are
quickly restored TO their old fertility by
deep blowing and change of crops. AL
falfa substituted for wheat for few years,
and then change back to wheat, has
shown as fine crops on these soils as were
ever raised.
These high lands are all capable of irri-
CATION. In MERGED county, where thous
ands Of acres of wheat are planted under
the superb irrigating system there estab
lished, crops never fail and are always of
huge dimensions.
The fortunes so rapidly acquired by the
early wheat growers naturally influenced
others to follow their example; but the
scarcity of laborers became serious prob
lem when the wheat area increased to hun
dreds of thousands of acres. Then it was
that mechanical ingenuity supplied the
means for blowing, cultivating, seeding,
and harvesting the enormous wheat crops.
To California mechanics is due the dis
tinction of instituting steam for hand labor