Something like a Fakm.— There are three wheat farms in the San Joaquin Valley, California, with areas "respectively of 36,000 acres, 23,000 acres, and 17,000 acres. On tbe largest of these farms tbe wheat crop this year is reported to be equal to an average of 40 bushels to the acre, thevyield running up on some parts of the farm to 60 bushels. The product of this farm for the present year is 1,440,000 bushele. The boundary on one side of this farm is about 17 miles long. At tho season of ploughing 10 four-horsed teams were attached to 10 gnng'ploughs, each gang having four ploughs— or 40 horses with as many ploughs were started at the same time, the teams fpllowing.in close succession. Lunch or dinner was served at a midway station, and supper at the terminus of the field 17 miles distant from the starting point. The team returned on tbe following day. The wheat in this immense field was cut with twenty of the largest reapers, nnd we believe bas now all been put in sacks. It would require over forty ships of medium size to transport the wheat raised on this farm to a foieign market. Even the sacks required would make a large hole in tbe surplus money of most farmers. We have not the figures touching the product of the other two farms, but presume that the average is not much below that of the first. There are thousands of tons of wheat which cannot be taken out of the valley this season, and must remain over as dead capital, or, what is nearly as undesirable, will only command advances, at heavy rates of interest. The Snelling Argus suggests the building of a narrow gauge road from Stocton through Snelling to Merced Falls. Such a road would be of great importance to farmers along the entire line.
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 8 February 1873, Page 4
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313Untitled Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 8 February 1873, Page 4
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