The Placer herald., 1858-11-13
NUMBER 10.
The Culture of Alfalfa in California.

our California farmers should turn their wits
to the cultivation of grasses more reliable as
summer and fall pasturaye for cattle than
the wild growth Of the plains and the noun
tains. When the seasons chance to be very
favorable to the wild growth, stock does we'll
enough; but if there is lack of late rains in
the spring, and early ones in the fall, the
focks and herds langush and die, from San
Diego to the Clear Lake settlements This
drouth has been the standing complaint of
stockholders since the year of 1853; and
we may now regard it as fixed fact that
the winters and falls of 40 and '53 were
not the rule but the exceptions of our eli
mate. Generally the first substantial rains
fall in the month of December, and the dry
season sets in in the month of May. Now
as long as there were but few wild native
herds roaming on the wide plains, or nipping
the luxuriant pastures that here and there,
in favored spots, show perpetual verdure in
the valleys, there was no necessity to artif-
cial resorts to maintain the stock of the
country. That day, however, is past. Cat
tie are no longer bred for the profits accru-
ing from hides and horns. We must hus-
band eur stock, AMI search out the best
means to promote rapid increase. The
vast numbers that everywhere on the plains
are bred keep the old pasture grounds in
constant state of sterity. The mountains
for cattle and horses-are but little better,
from August to December A friend from
the San Joaquin Valley informs us that many
of his stock raising neighbors, despairing,
this summer, of having the requisite amount
of grasses, in their range to sustain their
numerous herds. drove them over into the
region of country north of the Sacramento
river, and aong the eastern slope of the
Coast Range. They were disappointed
The grazing was onl y seeming y good, and
resulted in permanent in ury to their stock.
The perpetual fogs which envelope that Sec
ton during the fall and late in the summer
months, rot the grass and leave no substance
in it for nourishment. He says most of
those who experimental in this way have re-
turned to the San Joaquin with their cattle
decimated and damaged He informed US
that last year he procured enough alfalfa
seed to SOW five acres of his land-land that
is subject to the most extreme drouth-and
that it yielded him larger quantity Of hay
to the acre than anything else he could have
sown; that his cattle are extremely fond of it;
two crops il a season. He is now preparing
to sow down some twenty acres or more,
and from the success of his experiments,
many of his neighbors have determined to
cultivate them.
The alfalfa is indigenous to warm, dry
climate-we believe native of Chile and
Peru, where it never rains. Its roots pene-
trate to an immense depth in the earth
searching instnctively for that moisture
which is necessary to preserve its verdure.
A root of this plant was exhibited, not long
since, which measured sixteen feet, and ran
into the earth perpendcularly. There are
few spots either in the San Joaquin, Calave-
ras, Mokelumne or Sacramento valleys, where
such a species of grass would not succeed
well, for, at the depth of four or five feet, in
any sandy formations, moisture is invariably
obtained in our valleys. AS to the noun
it equally well adapted to successful culture
there. The ranches there are, for the most
part, situated in small valleys or in bottoms
composed of alluvial or pure sand, which re-
tain perpetual moisture two feet below the
surtace On the hills, it would, perhaps,
never succeed very generally Experiments,
however, may be tried by bottom-land far
mers next February and March.
INTERESTING TO NEWSPAPER PaopR1EroRs.
One of the Courts Of the State of Indiana
recently made decision, which is of interest
to all newspaper proprietors throughout the
Union. A controversy existed relative to
the charge for advertising, between the Com
missioners of Hamilton county and the Pa
trot newspaper. 1t was held by the Judge
that ''the published terms of newspapers con-
stitute contract. If work is given to news
paper publishers without a special contract
contravening the published terms, the pub
Usher can charge and receive according to
the terms so published. 1t is not necessary
to prove what the work cost or was worth;
the publishers have right to fix the estimate
value of their columns, and if so fixed no
other question need be asked, but the price
thus charged can be recovered.
A Minister'S Walk and Conversation.
terian, who is at the Virginia Springs, has
heard a good story of Speaker Orr and the
Rev. DR.. W, of Lexington. Not long
since, the story goes, they were both at the
Warm Springs and met in the public room
of the hotel. They had been sitting with
other company, and after a while the Doctor
rose and walked across the room, with the
usual limp of his gait. Mr.. Orr Immediately
recognized him, and asked him if he was not
the Chaplain of the University Of Virginia
at such time, naming the year. The Doc.
tor replied that he was.
81 was there" said Mr.. Orr "a student at
the University, and knew you by your limp"
WELL" said the Doctor, ''it seems my