AGRICULTURAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 230, 27 June 1872, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL.

AGRICULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. The mainstay of California is its agriculture, and some idea of what has been accomplished may be gathered from the following extracts : —

The Stockton " Independent " of March 11th, in publishing an extract from the Stainislaus " News " giving an estimate of the approximate number of acres cultivated in grain in that county, remarks : — " By this account it is shown that the single county of Stanislaus will this year have 457,000 acres of grain to be harvested, thrashed, and taken to market. Now, it is certainly not extravagant to estimate thie average yield at ten bushels to the acre, which will give a total product of 4,570,000 bushels as the grain yield of a single county, which a few years ago was considered of little value, except as a range for cattle. Few people, however, will realise the enormity of this crop by merely reading the figures which represent the number of bushels. 4,570,000 bushels of wheat are equal to 107,100 tons; would require 13,710 cars to transport it, allowing ten tons — to each car. To. move this crop to market will require 274 trains of 50 cars each, and to move the crop by rail in thethree months will require three such trains a day for ninety days. The aggregate length of all these trains, allowing 30 feet to a car, will be 75 3-5 miles. When it is remembered that the above estimate is for a single county in this valley, and that in addition thereto, Merced and San Joaquin counties will this year probably yield an equal amount, au idea may be formed of the great demand there will be for means of transportation to move this immense quantity of grain to market."

The Sacramento "Record" thus speaks of a great wheat field : — "The traveller over the railroad running south from Lathrop towards Visalia (it will reach the last-named town by the last of June), through the thriving towns of Modesto and Merced, will be struck with wonder at the magnificent broad prospect spread out before him. The road runs through a country as levelas a floor almost, and the passenger has an unobstructed view on either hand of at least fifteen miles. As the traveller rides along a distance of Seventy miles, he passes through one grand wheat field, unseparated by fences, except thqso alqng the rqad,

stretching out on either hand as far as the vision can extend. The grain is growing finely, and the farmers are in high spirits. Tho railroad company is pursuing a liberal .policy with the people of that region, orders having been given to take np and put down passengers and freight at any point desired by them, without reference to regular stations. Hundreds of tons of wheat for' seeding have been carried into the valley by tho road at the very lowest rates, and the crop will be taken out when the time come 3, on equally favor-, able terms. In order to encourage improvements in building, the company has agreed with the county authorities of Stanislaus to liberally commute on freight for materials transported for the erection of public buildings. The people residing iv this vast wheat field are warmly alive to educational interests ; and dotted among the grain are school-houses, in imparting knowledge to the rising generation of agriculturalists. It is estimated that the wheat crop of this region above what is required for home consumption and seeding; purposes, will this year approximate 200,000 tons of grain. It will put the railroad men to their stumps ' to move this vast crop. Suppose, they move 4,000 tons a day, it will take them fifty days to move the whole crop. As for the farmers they are likely to experience a great scarcity of stock to move their grain to the line of the railroad, their horses being either dead or sent away on account of the severe drought of last season. The no-fence law priuciple is established throughout thi3 section. "Without it, it would be impossible to cultivate the soil, as the cost of fenc»ng would be to great. We may here mention the greatest wheat farmer in the United States. His name is Mitchell. He has already planted 30,100 acros of wheat ; is putting in from 140 to 150 acres per day, and will keep it up at this gait until the middle of the present month, by which time he will have in over 40,000 acres. The yield of wheat in this region is from twelve to thirty bushels to the acre — average full fifteen bushels. With this average, Mr. Mitchell's crop will amount to 600,000 bushels, worth GOcents a bushel, or 360,000 dol. at the road, half of which will be clear profit. The great secret of money making in raising wheat in this valley is, that the expense of putting in and taking off a crop averages not over -Idol, per acie. So, even no more than twelve bushels of wheat to the acre, at the low price of 50cents per bushel, would yield a net profit of fully 2dol. per acre. Whoever wishes to enjoy a magnificent sight should get on tho cars about the last of April, and take a rido through this vast wheat field. The trip from Sacramento through and back can be made in a day."