Daily national Democrat., 1858-12-08
Letter from Ex-Governor Blgler.

from the U. S. Minister to Chill, addressed
to the editor of the California Farmer. is
published in the last number of that journal :
Your favor of July 18th, is before me, and
would if other engagements had not preven
ted it, have received immediate attention.
You are right in your conectures. have
been endeayoring to obtain correct and re-
liable information in relation to the cultiva-
tion of Alfalfa in Chill, but certainly have
not been entirely successful.
l have visited several of the most exten
sive and carefully cultivated haciendas in
Chill, with view of obtaining information in
relation to the subject of agriculture.
The Alfalfa is the only grass cultivated in
Chilli, and IS here regarded as the best food
attainable for horses mules, cattle, &c In
the neighborhood of this city it is cultivated
extensively for pasturage, as well as for sale
green. | have seen it for sale in this mrrket
every week since my arrival here on the 23d
of September, S57. | have the assurance
of Americans who have resided many years
in Chill that the Alfalfa, well cared for, will
produce five times the quantity per acre that
can be obtained by sowing the red clover
The Alfalfa is, moreover. more nutritious
than the clover. and less liable to be injured
by the heat of the sun.
The objections urged to its cultivation in
California, and to which YOU invited NV at
tention, | have also heard suggested bv sew
eral gentlemen residing here. But the agri.
culturists residing near this city, and who
have given its cultivation attention, assure
me that with good strong plow, such as is
in general use in the United States, its roots
can be cut and the sod turned under, like the
red clover or blue grass in the United States.
An experienced hdceHdado with whom con
versed few days since, assured me that he
had for more than twenty years cultivated
the Alfalfa on his grounds. He stated that
the Alfalfa should be sown in the fall with
wheat or barley, and that it will thrive best
on low land, or land that can be irrigated
After the wheat or barley crop has been
gathered, as the case may be, the Alfalfa will
grow very rapidly, and in a very short time
will be of sufficient hight to cut for use He
usually permits the Alfalfa to grow for four
years, using part of the ground for pasturage
and emitting the grass off the other for sale.
lie believes with proper care and attention
in regulating the Alfalfa crop, he could have
it for sale nearly every day in the year In
order to have it for sale throughout the year,
it would only be necessary for him to divide
the ground cultivated into six or eight sep
arate lots, so as to protect and give it room
for second growth, as soon as the first crop
is removed
If germitted to grow for three Or four
years, the roots of the Alfalfa will penetrate
as much as three feet unless the ground is
very ha!d but with a good pow the roots
can be cut aud the sod turned down, rs the
farmers in the United States do their fields of
blue grass and clover. The plow will cut
the roots five or six inches below the surface
leaving the lower ends in the ground These
roots, he assures me, tain vitality after the
sod has been turned under with the plow.-
In the fall of 1916 he turned down, with an
American plow, about ten acres, which had
been used for the four years previous a a
pasturage. He first sowed wheat, which
yielded largely; he had itagain plowed with
the pillow generally used in Chill, and sowed
it in barley. Whilst engaged in harvesting
the barley crop, he discovered that the ground
was covered with n thrifty growth of Alfal-
fa AS no seed had been sown. he believes
that the roots left in the ground had lived
and produced the young growth upon the
ground
| have since convcrsed with several other
experienced agriculturists and by all Of them
been assured that the statements made to me
in relation to the roots of the Alfalfa, were
unquestionabIy correct
The Alfalfa like the red clover, is here re-
gaI ded as fertilizer and that the sod,
turned down with the plow, is equal if not
superior to a heavy coat of manure
In sending for Alfalfa seed the farmers of
California should instruct their agents here to
be careful in making purchases of seed, 50 as
to secure the best quality The tall Alfalfa
(by some called Spanish) is questonably
far superior in every respect to the other
kinds the seed of which are also for sale in
the markets of Chill There is one species
of Alfalfa which | am assured is like the
white clover of the Atlantic States, never at
tanning a hight exceeding three or four inch
es. The tall Alfalfa here is often found very
thick on the ground, and over two feet and
a half IN hight
In note addressed to G. W. Ryckman, in
the month of March last, | stated upon au-
thority regarded as reliable, that smut was
unknown to the farmers Of Chill; but | have
since been assured that this bIigM made its
appearance two years ago for the first time
in of one the southern provinces of this Repub-
lie, and that last year several fields of wheat
in the neighborhood of this city were injured
to some extent by it.
On the 22d of September an Agricultural
Exhibition took place at the Botanical Gar
dens, in this city The products. animals,
etc, exhibited, | have been assured were
very creditable to the people of Chill.
A few days since | was shown what is here
known 10y the name of Musk Flies. These
insects are less in size than the common house
fly, and have an odor of the musk quite as
strong as the liquid kept for sale by druggists
and dealers in perfumery The insects are
found in the summer season in the neighbor-
hood Of Talcahuana (Conception.) They are
caught by holding wet handkerchief or
other wet cloths, in the open air in the even
ing. Immediately after sunset. They, have
been assured, are not numerous. and more,
over are only to be obtained during the sum
mer months, and after the prevalence Of a
strong southwest wind for several days
have been promised by the L. 5. Consul at
Talcahuana, a number of these insects, and
will send you part of them by next mail il
received in time.
| regret that business engagements not
only render it necessary for me to be brief
but to prepare this note in great haste.
have the honor to remain, very respect
fully, yours, DC, JONI BteLER.
Santiago de Chill, Sept. 80, 1858,
FATAL ACCIDENT On Wednesday, ID inst
about 10 o'clock. A. NJ, fatal accident hap