Daily Alta California, Volume 11, Number 274, 3 October 1859 — Tit* Slate of A|Jrl. nllillr In lulr>ll> [ARTICLE]

Tit* Slate of A|Jrl. nllillr In lulr>ll>

The Melbourne Argus, of the 17th June last, giving a summary of the agriculture of the Colony of Victoria, during the previous year — June is mid-winter there — sayi:

The past season has been most unfavorable to the farmers, and the correctness of the prevalent opinion that the crops were much below the usual average is fully borne out by the figures before us. The breadth of land under wheat last year was also less than the extent sown with this grain in the year previous by 9fii& acres, and in the total produce there was a decrease of 357,434 bushels, the average yield having been scarcely 20 bushels to the acre, or less than that of the year before by more than three bushels. Amongst the cereals the great increase has been in oats, the quantity of land sown having nearly been doublet! in the one season, and the total produce increased by 881,355 bushels. An unfortunate year was chosen for extending so much the cultivation of this grain, for never before were the importations so large. The relative value between outs and wheat has thus been altered from what it was so long, and the former grain has been falling in price, while wheat has risen. Barley is grown to such a limited extent, in comparison with the other species of grain, that a fulling-off in the yield is of but minor importance to the public, except in so far as it may tend to prevent the borne production of the malt, and all the preparations therefrom, now so largely imported and consumed among us. Only 112 acres less than in the previous year were sown with barley, but the total yield was reduced by as much v 42,026 bushels. This crop has never been a favorite with farmers here, from the uncertainty attending the growth of the varieties most valuable to the maltster; and the experience of this year will not tend to remove the bad feeling towards it. Of all the cereals, this is the most liable to injury from grubs and caterpillars of different kinds, and these were more numerous last summer than for several years past, in some districts destroying entire fields of barly, in a very few days, and thus by their depredations reducing the general average yield of the whole colony U the low rat* of 2\ } bushels to the acre. Of maiie, which is not much cultivated as yet, there has been a small increase — .1,1 I<\ bushels. The bay crop has been deficient, the total yield being 25,198 tons leas than the quantity saved the year before, although 9,957 acres more were subjected to the scythe. The ouiy remarkable increase in any article of hu-

man food was in potatoes, and these are unusually fine this year. The total quantity grown has been more than doubled, although considerably less than onethird more land was planted with this root. Never before, probably, since tbe plough was first introduced, did so much rain fall during summer, and the effect of this is shown in the greater yield of potatoes. Turnips, mangolds and beets are grown here, but to such a comparatively moderate extent that the alterations and changes in regard to these crops scarcely cull for special remark. Although the entire quantity of land under permanent pasture and fodder crops is only 7,284 acres as yet, these figures show a large increase during tbe twelve-, mouth, and will be constantly added to, for many of the iariners are turning their attention more and more each year to stock, finding that in some parts of the country meat and dairy produce are more profitable to raise than grain. Among the miscellaneous crops specified in the retnrn, we find a column forvines, showing that the number of acres so planted has increased from 401 to 530. Much of the greater part of the produce of our vineyards is still sold as fruit, but 1,889 gallons of wine and 132 gallons of brandy were made this lost year.