Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-07-20

| blNhblOQ Oh eHcu Vi bHcSb crops.
CULTIVATION OF HOPS. Professor
John Wilson, in his report on the agri-
cultural exhibition held at Vienna last
year, mentions that along with the
samples of Hungarian hops was shown
la plan of the method of cultivation car
ried out at Belley, adapted for all other
districts where wood suitable for hop
poles is scarce. Wooden pegs or short
stakes are driven into the ground, at
such distances apart as is intended to
plant the vines: and at longer distan-
ces-usually about 90 to % yards-light
poles are erected, with a height from
IL to 10 feet above the surface, so that
there are parallel lines all over the
ground of short stakes or pegs placed
at certain distances, and projecting
from s TO ~ inches in height, while
parallel rows of poles, from - to 10
feet high, cross these at right angles,
and at from 20 to % yards distance
apart. A stout wire is stretched hori-
zontally fror pole to pole all over the
ground, while vertical wires or light
rope, made of any suitable material,
are attached to the pegs and carried up
and fastened to the horizontal wires.
thus offering a steady support to the
hop-vines during the period of growth.
At harvest time the ropes are detached
aud carried to- the picking stage with
the vines, and the field cleared for the
usual tillage operations without the ex-
pense of shifting, stacking and reset
ting the poles. This plan has been
carried out during several seasons at
BeIley, and has been introduced into
Nuremberg, Baden, Bavaria and other
| hop producing countries. with satisfac-
| tory results.
How A DRoUTH PROVED A BLESSING.
The San Francisco Alta says the
great drouth of 1862 "a rendered an
incalculable service to Southern Cali
fornia when it destroyed the live stock
in that whole country and ruined the
old grant-hOlders by hundreds. What
was an immense individual loss, proved
far greater gain to the community
and country at large. The ice was
then for the first time fairly broken,
and the work of disintegration has been
going on with an ever increasing rap
idity from that time TO this. The great
estates are now gradually breaking up
into small farms, and with the increase
of population comes increased thrift
aud prosperity. The immense estate
OF Don Abel Stearns, comprising some
362, 900 acres of the finest lands in the
country, is now in the market, Sin
quantities to suit;" and MIR. Temple,
another large landed proprietor, is Of
fering farms of 40 acres of fine cult
waited land, within few miles OF Los
Angeles, at SO per acre. Wheat, corn,
oats, barley, potatoes, and other crops
grow prolifieally, the yield per acre bee
ing larger than anywhere east of the
Rocky Mountains, and the vine, orange,
citron, lemon, fig, lime, peach, almond,
olive, walnut, aud other tropical and
semi tropical fruits, flourish as luxur-
iantly as in Spain. The whole valley
of Los Angeles is being converted into
one vast garden. From the hills back
of the city tile view is wonderfully
beautiful. The product of a bearing
orange tree is worth 800 in coin in the
orchard, and we have heard of instances
as high as $50.
Psychological DIsCovRRY-The sci
ence of fruit culture has taken rapid
strides during the past few years, par
ticularly In this country; but nowhere,
perhaps, is it followed so assiduously
and enthusiastically as in Holland,
and the lower provinces of Rhineland.
The latest, and and certainly the
most curious, discovery in this line has
recently been made by Flemish gard
ner of Client, who, after long and per-
sistent experiment, has actuaily-if we
may believe the authority of Gdhqnani
succeeded in giving to any kind of
fruit the flavor he pleases while it is
still on the tree. Let us take an apple
for instance; he pricks 1T rather deeply
in four or five places with a large
needle, and then let's it dip for n while
in bowl containing liquid possess
ing the flavor he wishes to commune
cate After few seconds this liquid
will have penetrated the pulps; and
this operation being repeated two or
three times, at intervals of eight or ten
days, the apple is left to ripen on the
tree. and will subsequently be found
to have acquired the taste either of
strawberry, raspberry, cloves, &c, ac-
cording TO the liquid employed.
This nay be very extraordinary; but
where is the good, after all, of making
an apple taste like a strawberry, or
rice DerSd?
However, though the Flemish gard
ner's process IS scarcely practical i'm
provement in a gastronOmic sense, yet,
from a scientific point of view, it Is a
very curious and interesting expert
ment.-M r. Paper.
AGRICULTURE IN EaYPT-THE YIELD
OF CoTroN-The British Consul at AL
exandria has made an official report on
the present condition of Egyptian ag-
riculture. He says The agricultural in-
dustry of the country has been so en-
tirely diverted from the rotation of
crops In its normal state that any per-
son now going through the country To
take view of the produce of the soil
would be altogether misled. The enor-
nous profits which were realized by
the growth of cotton during the Ameri-
can war have caused this. When the
Cotton Supply Association sent out
their Secretary, DR.. Forbes, to India,
| those gentlemen were bearers of me-
mortal to the late vieeroy. Said Pacha.
praying his highness to use every pos
sible effort to encourage the cultivation
of cotton. The reply was characteris-
tic, and evinced "a correct impression
aud almost prophetic dread of the
revolution that would be produced by
an immoderately enhanced price for
cotton. He said, Prices alone will
prove a sufficient stimulus without any
effort on my part; but God forbid that
| L should ever see the abandonment of
the ordinary succession of crops for the
production of cotton, to the exclusion
of those products on which awe SUBJ