CALIFORNIA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 105, 21 April 1876, Page 4

CALIFORNIA.

r From the annual report of the President of the State Agricultural Society, we learn that agriculture in California is making rapid strides. The report opens with an account of the pastoral interest:— •• It may be safely asserted " (says the president), " that the breeding of thoroughbred and graded stock, in all its branches, and of every species, is on the firmest footing throughout California, and ,that our great natural advantages of almost unlimited pasturage, and' matchless climate, have been worthily supplemented by the energy and judgment of those of our citizens who have engaged in raising horses, cattle, and lesser quadrupeds." Allusion is then made to the success of the late State - fair, where the stock of the State figured to great advantage. . The wool product of the State during the past year is computed at 44,000,000 lbs., an increase of 5,000,000 lbs. on the return of 1875, and in quality the staple is reported to have been up to the quality of the past six sis years. Most of this wool has been shipped in New York and Boston. A table of exports from the State shows that, in 1856, 600,0000 lbs. were forwarded ; in 1875, the trade reached 47, 1 83,000 lbs. ; som& foreign wool is included in the last-mentioned quantity. The total value of this export of staple: is given as 8,450,000 dollars. ...: ?. An enormous yield of cereals is looked forward to in 1876, an increased area having been sown and the rainfall being bonntiful. The cotton, crops of the. State are reported a failure, and there is a probability of the culture being entirely abandoned. A bill is before the Legislature, the purpose of which is to secure to any person producing a new variety of fruit an exclusive right to propagate and sell the same for a term of five years. The just'ee of the principle involved in this measure is obvious, but still to us it smacks rather strongly of protection. The results of a glance at the Sab Francisco retail market report may not be wearisome to our readers. We will draw no comparisons, being, convinced that the every-day transactions of our readers will enable them to supply that deficiency. We may mention but a few items; the date is January 28th, and for the sake of convenience we give the prices in our own currency :— Butter is quoted — fresh, Is 2d to Is 7d par lb, salt Is to Is 3d ; cheese,:, 7d to Is 2d.per lb; eggs, 2s per dozen r potatoes, Id to lgd per lb ; onions, Id to 2J ; cabbages, 5d to 7<i each; cauliflowers, 5d to 7d each ; orahgeß, 2$ to 4s per dozen ; lemons, 2a to 4s. per dozen ; chicken's, 3a to 4s each ; geese, 6s to 8s each ; ducks, 5s each ; oysters, 3s per 100 ; fresh salmon, Is 2d per lb j cod fish, Is 41 per lb! choice beef, 9J per lb ; eirioin steak, 7d to 10lb per lb ; mutton, 4i to 7d ; veal, 91 per lb ; pork, 7d to 91 per lb.