Wants and Advantages of California [pp. 338-347]

1872.] WANTS AND ADVANTAGES OF CALIFORNIA.
ers imported into the United States, for
the growth of which the soil and climate
of California are well adapted. More
butter and bacon should be raised for
our own consumption. Doubtless, many
parts of the State are suitable to the
growth of rice. During the last fiscal
year, this article was imported into the
United States to the amount of $1i,876,786. A duty of 2J4 cents per pound
gives an advantage to the home over the
foreign producer. Most persons would
be astonished to learn that we imported
$9,602,630 worth of fruit last year. A
great part of this consisted of oranges,
lemons, nuts, and raisins, all of which
can be grown here with profit. Of olive
oil, another article to the production of
which the southern part of the State is
more than commonly well adapted, we
imported $375,988 worth. The duty on
this is $I per gallon. We import raw
silk, as wound off the cocoon, to the
amount of $5,739,592; of opium, $1,926,915; of raw flax, $649,832; of raw hemp,
$3,918, I29; of chiccory, $57,946; and of
tobacco-leaf, $3,433,669. On nearly all
of these articles there is a heavy import
duty. During the last year, we imported
$2, I65,557 worth of spices, ginger, pepper, mustard, etc. Mustard has already
been cultivated in this State, and proved
to be a very profitable crop. While we
have thousands of acres of the best grape
land lying idle, we imported, last year,
$5,814,232 worth of wine. The poorest
of this had to pay a duty of twenty- five
cents per gallon, and the best fifty cents
per bottle.
Among the articles that might be grown
with profit for exportation, I shall mention, as deserving particular attention,
apples for drying and hops. Hundreds
of tons of apples rot in the orchards of
California yearly, and the time most suitable for drying them, coming after harvest and before the plowing season, is
one of the most inactive in the year.
The work is light, and could be per
formed by the farmer's children, as well
as by grown men. Preserving fruits of
all kinds should receive more attention
from the farmer.
The cultivation of hops has advanced
rapidly in the United States. The use
of malt liquors has increased, owing chiefly to the large influx of German immigrants. In the year I87I, the Internal
Revenue tax upon fermented liquors in
California amounted to $152,818. Since
the tax is $ I on each barrel of thirty gallons, the large quantity of 4,584,540 gallons was manufactured in this State last
year. California hops are considered too
strong for the kind of beer made in this
State; but they are considered superior
for many purposes in the East and in
Europe. This crop is one of the most
precarious grown, a full crop being seldom obtained more than once in every
four or five years. It suffers from several kinds of lice, mold, high winds; and
summer rain is fatal to it. However,
one good year pays for several bad ones.
Growers say that this State is more than
usually favorable to the growth of hops;
and, while the average yield per acre in
the East and in England amounts to only
seven or eight hundred pounds, here it
reaches fromt twelve to fifteen hundred
pounds. Mr. Smith, a farmer near Watsonville, has cultivated a field of hops
with profit during the last three years.
The land is a rich alluvial loam, and,
before planted with hops, was worth
about $Io00 per acre. The first outlay,
then, was land, twenty acres, at $ioo
per acre, $2,000; I3,6oo00 poles, at $30
per thousand, $408; press, $300; twine,
$300; kiln for drying the hops, $i,ooo;
cuttings, at $io per thousand, $275-total, $4,283. The hills are eight feet apart,
ind two cuttings were set out in each
hill. These cuttings send out a great
many vines, but not more than three or
four to each hill are allowed to grow.
In some hop-yards, the vine is allowed
to attain its full growth in a vertical po
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