Year: 1872

For number of years past the agri-
cultural counties have steadily gained on
the mining counties in wealth and popu
lation. The yield of gold dust from the
mining counties has largely decreased it
is true, but it is the surface that has been
skinned. We read in the reports of the
State Agricultural Society that it Is the
same with some of the principal Agricul-
tural counties. The Society says that
farmers have been eXhausting the best
farming land in the State by raising the
same crop on the same soil for fifteen or
twenty years in succession. The result to
which they call attention is marked fall
ing off in the yield and consequent dopre-
citation in value of the land. Naturally
enough it is recommended that the un
wise farmers referred to turn their atten
ton to the production ofother crops besides
wheat. SO far as their recommendations
to the Southern and Middle counties are
concerned don't interest us. Referring
to the section including Trinity county,
the Society says that climate, soil and
location are peculiarly favorable to the
production of tea, wine and silk. These
are staple articles with which the market
has never been glutted. We will accept
this judgment and, with the Society's
leave, will add one more, the article of
wool. The branches Of industry referred
to as adapted to this county can at all
times be prosecuted without fear of loss
from over production. Each and every
article has the world for market. Leav-
ing the mines out of the question, this is
the position occupied by Trinity county
with its 2,4OO square miles Of territory, in
purely agricultural point of view, 50 far
as staple articles of production are con-
cerned. In addition we might state that
for potatoes and apples of superior quail
ity, Trinity asks odds Of no county in the
State.


1t isa foolish fashion in certain quarters
to disparage the mines, chiefly among
those who know not whereof they speak
The great State of California is at least
one hundred years in advance Of what it
would have been had not gold been dis
covered within its limits. California to-
day ranks as the most progressive, enter
prising and cosmopolitan State in the
Union and, although one Of the youngest,
ranks with the foremost i'm importance
and substantial prosperity among the
sisterhood Of States. The mines Of Cali
iorna naugurated and mainly contributed
to this result. Those who sneer at the
mining counties, no matter why they do
so, err previously. Especially is this true
when commiseration is wasted on Trinity
county. We have briefly referred to our
Agricultural resources. In addition our
faclitie. for making butter and cheese,
and raising cattle and hogs, are such that
our entire population could be supported
from purely agricultural pursuits.


In these days when agriculture is ex-
alted above everything else, we desire to
put in word and say that while Trinity
county is pre-eminently adapted to lead
ing agricultural intersests-they are sub
ordinate in Importance to others. What
ever may be urged to the contrary, the
mines Of Trinity county cannot be over
estimated. They are not even prospect
ed, much less worked out. After genera
tions will attest the truth of this state
ment. San Francisco is Il great city and
Trinity has contributed largely towards
building it up. From San Francisco the
corresponding returns are accurately rep
resented by a cipher. Under these cir
cumstances, secluded from the world and
"the rest of mankind" the credit Of Trim
ity county has always been A. No. in
San Francisco. Was it because it was n
mining county? Not much. II o0s be-
cause its merchants pad promptly.
That's what's the matter"


There is another thing to which we be-
lieve our people have not given any at
tention and that is the timber in Trinity
county. Every now and then we see ar
tcles in magazines and newspapers re-
pletc with figures: relating to the amount
of timber in the United States and show
ing the necessity Of its growth for future
demands. Taking the facts and figures
applying to California, we find that there
are but five or six counties in the State
having n superabundance of timber, and
that while Humboldt ranks first Trinity
occupies the second place. Indeed it is
doubtful which is really first as the class
ilication is made. Humboldt is credited
with an ineXhaustible supply of redwood
and Trinity comes in ditto with fir tim
bor, 1t is apparently nip and tuck, and
it don't matter for our argument which
has the best Of it. The traveller, hunt
er, or prospectOr, heretofore wandering
through the forests studding the mount
ain ranges of Trinity county, has never
yet dreampt that TO enforce the smiles Of
fortune he need only become "monarch
of all he surveyed" Such will be found
to be the frozen truth" The Sacra-
mento Valley and San Francisco require
fuel and lumber for building purposes.
They must go to the mountains. Already
lumber is hauled thirty miles, dumped
into the Sacramento river, RATED to San
Francisco and there sold.


AWAKE, YE ! AWAkE.--GreAtc chnnpes