the winter of 1862-'63 to consider the situation. (These were the pioneer conventions of this character.) The results of these deliberations were a determination to erect slaughter-houses in both the north and the south, where cattle should be killed for their hides and tallow in such numbers as would consume the surplus of production. Each ranch man was to contribute to these slaughtering pens in proportion to the number of his herd, so that the losses should be on an equitable basis.

But just as the arrangements for the carrying out of this plan were being shaped, drought set in and the year 1864 witnessed the death of so many cattle from starvation that the equilibrium between production and consumption was more than restored; hence the plan was abandoned.

The discovery of gold in eastern Oregon and Washington Territory (now Idaho) in the autumn of 1862 caused a great influx of people into that previously unoccupied country. These had to be fed, and a few enterprising ranch men from California hastened hither with large herds of beef steers. These were wintered on the white sage and tall rye grass of the Snake River country, and it was thus demonstrated that cattle would live during winter in all that northern region with small loss. Here, then, was an outlet for the starving herds of California when the great drought was so rapidly and repeatedly decimating them.

Thousands upon thousands died on the plains while their owners were hoping and praying for rain, and thousands more died on the trail leading to pastures new.

With the return of the seasons to their normal conditions, and the adjustment of the herds to their somewhat changed relations, a new trouble arose. The State legislature passed a herd or no-fence law. This required the owners of cattle to fence them in or herd them off the land of others, while at the same time it permitted settlers to plant crops on the open prairies and made cattle owners responsible for damage done to growing crops on unfenced lands. lands.

The result of the passage of this law was the driving of most of the cattle men out of the State, for the reason that the expense of close herding and the trespass suits consumed all the profits in the business. A few men, who had grown rich, succeeding in purchasing large tracts of land from the holders of Spanish grants that had been confirmed, and were thus enabled to fence in their herds and remain in the State. The majority of their herds, however, were taken to Nevada, eastern Oregon, and Idaho. Since that time the beef supply of the State has been largely drawn from the range herds of Oregon and Nevada, those two States supplying annually from 25 to 30 per cent. of all the cattle killed. Recently, since the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Arizona has become a small factor in the beef supply of the Pacific, and as the result prices in the San Francisco market have materially declined. Another result of this influx of Southern cattle has been the forcing of a portion of the Oregon and Nevada cattle upon the Eastern market. As a rule the Southern cattle are greatly inferior in size and quality to the California, Oregon, and Nevada steers, but their cheapness enables wholesale butchers to buy them in large lots to be placed on alfalfa pastures, and held as a club with which to knock down the price of beef cattle on the market.

THE BEEF PRODUCT NOT INCREASING.

From the most reliable sources the information is to the effect that the beef supply of the State is not increasing. This is no doubt largely due to the fact of the existence of the herd law on the statute book. Wheat is the staple product of the farmers, and millions of acres are seeded on the plains without fencing. The aftermath is lost to the farmer because he can not afford to herd the small bunch of cattle his means would enable him to buy. Were the wheat-fields fenced into suitable lots every tenant would keep more or less cattle, and the stubble would thus be utilized to such an extent as to greatly increase the beef output of the State. The grain is all cut by heading machines and a growth of straw from 15 to 24 inches tall is left standing on the ground. The long, dry summers cure both grain and grass so thoroughly that this grain stubble is sweet and nutritious, making the choicest of feed for all kinds of stock. Large owners of cattle and sheep frequently rent these stubble areas in the fall and herd their stock upon them. But the proportion so rented is small as compared with the total area.

STOCK FEEDING.

Contrary to the generally received opinion, California is not a desirable place to feed cattle in winter. Feed is abundant and reasonably cheap. All kinds of grain grow luxuriantly, and wheat, oats, and barley, cut just before reaching maturity, make the choicest of hay, and on most of the cultivated lands yield 2 to 3 tons to the acre. Alfalfa is largely cultivated and 5 tons to the acre is a low estimate for the three crops usually cut. Farmers assure me that they frequently get a yield of 7 tons to the acre, and sometimes as high as 8 or 9 tons. There is little or no trouble to properly cure and save alfalfa or other kinds of hay, and the amount put up is astonishingly large. The wonder is what becomes of it all. The explanation comes from seeing the vast quantities baled and loaded on the vessels leaving San Francisco for southern ports, where no hay is made.

Cattle grow exceedingly fat in the early spring on the natural pasture or alfalfa fields, and ripen into solid, choice beef on the natural grasses during the summer. But when the winter begins the heavy, damp atmosphere seems to destroy the bovine appetite, and animals put up for fattening are as dainty as spoiled children. Fat steers put up in the late autumn and fed on alfalfa will not shrink, but they will not put on additional flesh. To increase their weight ground feed must be given them, and great care taken not to overfeed. The reverse of this is true just over the State line in Nevada, where the winter climate is cold but dry. For this reason nearly all the wholesale butchers of San Francisco buy cattle in Oregon or Nevada and hold them in the Humboldt Valley during winter, where they are fed on alfalfa or native blue-stem hay. The feeding yards are convenient to the Central Pacific Railroad, so that on a few hours' notice shipments can be made as required to supply the needs of the trade. Well-authenticated statistics show that steers from two to four years old, put up in the fall at any of the Humboldt Valley stations and fed hay for four or five months in open lots, will fatten at the average rate of 2 pounds gross per day. It is also demonstrated that under reasonably fair conditions a long ton of alfalfa will lay on 100 pounds of meat and growth.

S. Mis. 156-16

The California alfalfa undoubtedly contains as much of the fatproducing element as does that grown across the Sierra Nevadas, but the different results are due to climatic conditions. The dry, bracing air of the Humboldt Valley gives a continuous appetite, while the damp, warm weather in the valleys of California weakens or destroys the appetite. It may be, too, that the moisture-laden atmosphere west of the mountains, coming in contact with the cured hay, overcomes the crystallization of the solids of the sap that was produced by the curing process, thus causing partial fermentation or decay, and thereby lowering its fat-producing capabilities. It is true that the sugar, starch, gluten, etc., contained in the sap of the grasses are the main sources of fat production, and it is equally true that liquefaction of those substances after crystallization is rapidly followed by fermentation, which is only another name for decay, or burning, and every feeder of cattle knows they will not fatten on rotten food. We do not wish to be understood as saying that California alfalfa becomes rotten when winter sets in, for such is not the case. But the crystallized matter of the sap is so sensitive to the action of water that it is difficult to determine just how much depreciation is brought about by contact with continually moist air during the winter season. Hence it seems reasonable to attribute a part of the cause or reason why cattle on the coast do not fatten on hay to the partially destroyed elements that hay contains.

In searching for the direct cause of rapidly fattening herds in summer, and the strong tendency to a reverse condition in winter, we find it in the trade or prevailing winds. From spring to autumn the winds blow down the coast from the north, and their breath is a healing balm. The air is dry, and to breathe it seems life everlasting. From autumn to spring the winds blow continually from the equator, and with them come the evaporations caused by a tropical summer. The air is continually charged with moisture, and breathing in consequence seems heavy and unsatisfactory. Hence the tendency to a loss of appetite,

CATTLE IN CALIFORNIA.

The report of the secretary of the State board of equalization shows about 400,000 head of cattle in the State. This report is made up from the returns of county assessors and is very unsatisfactory, in fact, far from correct. In the absence of reliable statistics our only source of information is the butchers. After making deductions for beeves brought in from other States there remains about 300,000 head furnished by the State. This estimate is above that made by some who ought to know, but in harmony with the views of others who have equal facilities for learning the facts. So we give the State the benefit of the doubt. It is a good range herd that turns off 8 per cent. of its cattle for beef each year of steers and old cows. Of course, when the range is fully stocked and the entire increase has to be gotten rid of the beef product should be double this per cent. Giving California the credit for turning off many heifers and cows to the local butchers, and her crop of steers largely at two years old, as farmers will generally do, still the beef yield could not well be over 25 per cent. of the herds. On this basis there are to-day 1,200,000 cattle in the State. Taking the lowest estimate of persons who are in a position to form a reasonably correct opinion of the number of home

cattle killed, which estimate is 250,000 head, we still have 1,000,000 cattle in the State. There is no doubt that this is below rather than above the actual holdings, and as the herds are generally well graded up the wealth of cattle is away up in the millions. Ordinary herds are selling at about $25 all round, which would place the total valuation at $25,000,000. Besides these there is close to $1,000,000 worth of fine cattle in the State, a number of breeders having the very best that are to be seen in the United States.

DAIRYING.

With the present system of gathering statistics in California it is impossible to give figures as to the dairy products of the State. The leading commission men who handle the product say that the production is about equal to the demand, or rather consumption. There is still a limited amount of Eastern butter brought in, but as much, if not more, California butter is shipped beyond the State lines than is imported from the States east and from Oregon. Point Reyes is the most noted dairy district in the State, and the butter therefrom is the very best. Generally throughout the dairy districts, which are usually bordering the coast on account of the sea air keeping the grass green later into the season, the lands and cows are owned by rich men and corporations, and leased out in numbers to tenants at so much a cow. The price varies from $15 to $25, owing to local conditions and character of cows. Most of the cows are a cross between the Jersey and Shorthorn, though of late a good many Holstein cows have been introduced on some of the ranches. dairymen are largely made up of Swiss and Italians, especially on the large dairies. The average product of a cow is 175 pounds of butter

a year.

The

December calves are the rule, because the grasses are better from March to June, thus aiding to keep up a generous flow at a time when it would otherwise be light. Butter made during the dry season-July to December-is white and requires a large amount of artificial coloring matter, if the cows are not to be fed on roots. The export trade is small but growing, Hong-Kong and Honolulu being the principal points, with some orders from the southern coast towns.

SAN FRANCISCO AS A MARKET.

San Francisco has always been a very satisfactory market for beef steers, but it is somewhat limited in its capacity. It has no refrigerated meat or canning establishments to speak of, and only aims to supply the local demand for meats, and such outlying points as can be reached within a few hours' time. There are no great stock-yards, like our eastern cities have, where buyer and seller meet. As a rule each wholesale butcher has a man on the road who visits the ranches and farms and buys the cattle before they leave home. They are there held and shipped on order as needed. Cattle are universally bought at so much a pound net weight, figured on a shrinkage of one-half. Ranchmen with large herds sometimes visit the city in advance and sell their cattle, but no one thinks of shipping in train loads on the open market and taking what buyers may offer. Such a course would be suicidal, for the reason that butchers are always supplied ahead by their country purchases, and there are no facilities for holding cattle in the city without heavy expense.

EXTENSION OF THE BUSINESS.

Cattle raising in California may be said to have reached its maximum. With the exception of one or two open ranges in the extreme south and well up in the mountains, the ranges are fully stocked. Of course the ranges are all fenced, save a very few in the mountain valleys near the borders of the State, and when a pasture is once stocked to its capacity the increase must stop. You can not turn out to rustle on the outside, for there is no outside open to the cattle.

Many of the pastures are located on lands worth $20 to $30 an acre for agricultural purposes, and these will soon be turned over to the farmer, for the reason that it will not pay to graze cattle on such high-priced land. The interest on the money value of the land and the sum invested in cattle is greater than the profits on the herds. There is comparatively little mixed husbandry in the State. Men either have fruit farms or wheat farms. The fruit raisers pay little or no attention to stock, and the great wheat farms are generally unfenced and rented out in parcels to men who have only a team and rarely stay on a place the second year. In fact, the majority of renters are only on the place from the time the plowing season begins, in December usually, until the harvest is over, in May or June. This leaves the only hope of the extension in cattle produc tion to the small homesteaders, who are located along the foot-hills of the mountains and trying to build homes for themselves and fam ilies. These must engage in mixed husbandry. They must have a cow or two, and raise something for them to eat. These small oper ators will in time contribute something to the beef supply of the State, but the process is slow and will not neutralize the decrease caused by the conversion of grazing lands into wheat fields.

There will be no material increase in the beef product of the State until the present pernicious system of special farming, that so gen. erally prevails in the State, shall have been changed into the more rational one of mixed husbandry.

CATTLE DISEASES.

The general impression abroad, and even among many cattlemen in the State, has been that little, if any, disease prevailed among the California herds. The fact is, however, that the Golden State has suffered to the extent of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the prevalence of diseases of various kinds among its cattle during the past fifteen years. In the early history of the cattle business there seems to have been very little trouble of this kind, if we can believe the statements of the pioneers. But judging from the recent experience of the cattle growers, there is ground for suspecting that in the olden time the ranchmen valued their cattle so lightly that they gave little thought to the condition surrounding them, and the loss of a small percentage from disease was looked upon as a natural consequence, and not thought of as being caused by disease at all-a natural loss, if you please, that was common to the business. In the course of interviews with perhaps a hundred of the leading stockmen of the State, 1868 is about as far back as we could learn of any disease. The same causes that now make sick cattle existed from the beginning of cattle growing in the country, and why there should have been an exemption in the early days does not appear. The above inference, that the diseases really did exist but were unnoted, is certainly confirmed by all the facts one can now discover.