Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-17

mine that received neither irrigation nor
culture yielded at the rate of 8, 600 TBS. of
clean grain per acre. 1t cost no labor till
1T was gathered, except the dropping of
the seed IN every third furrow while the
ground was being plowed. The most ordi-
nary OF tins grain is now selling in lots for
feed at u cents per h., while choice lots
are selling at cents per ID. for seed.
The cost for harvesting and thrashing is
less than for barley or wheat and besides
it can all be done by mans own labor,
thereby enabling the farmer to turn his
time into money at home during autumn.
OF FORAGE PLANTS,
We have the alfalfa in perfection. But
we also have half dozen better ones.
Years ago learned that the chief forage
plant of not, dry interior India is a millet
of immense growth, bearing the ponderous
botanic name of Pe7niciitariG Spicdta. l
subsequently found that, like wheat, oats
and other grain long under human control,
it consists of many varieties, some Of 81
gantic growth, some dwarf, some suited to
growth under conditions of extreme heat
and drought, and some of a nature the
very opposite. Two years ago | obtained
some seed from the region of greatest dry
ness in that country. planted it, and
but for the fact that thousands who read
this article VIII hereafter see It's growth
and verify my statement, | would not give
statement of its growth. From single
seed bunch grew
SEVENTEEN FEET IN HIGHT.
It contained at time of frost 3O7 heads,
including the ripened ones already cut off
l16 heads matured their seeds. From less
than two ounces of seed raised over 400
pounds of seed that year 1t required IT'S
days, from the time of planting, to mature
the first heads, but from that time on they
Were constantly ripening. A bunch of it
can be grown from a single seed that will
weigh over 100 pounds at the end of its
years growth. Allowing such Il growth
on each square foot of ground-which is
possible, as it is 20 feet in highland you
have the enormous yield of over 1000
tons OF green feed per acre. For hay it
should be cut every thirty days, while yet
in leaf growth, and irrigated if possible
after each cutting. When so treated the
yield is so
ENORMOUS,
Compared with our ideas formed from the
growth of other plants, that mere state
ment of it seems to invite doubt and in
credulity, but with the old stalks which
have produced seed still standing in nv
field, and the certainty of producing a
like crop next year, send this statement
out to the world: Fifty tons of hay, or
1000 tons of green feed can be produced
on an acre OF ground. Perhaps the
amount of hay is given too small, but on
account of the tender juiciness of the
leaves they dry away more than any other
plant ever saw.
Stock eat it with the utmost avidity and
it shows the most valuable qualities as a for
age plant in the production OF flesh, and also
butter and milk of superior quality.
So our small farmer has narrowed his pas
ture, bayfield, and grain-feld, necessary to
keep his farm stock, down to an area of
less than four acres At the same time he
has, doubtless, added to his stock a band
of a half-dozen Angora goats worth here
about the same price as Sheep, these to
supply his family with fresh meat OCCASION
ally, and their hides to make neat and
useful buggy robes and floor mats So he
is now supplied with home, let us hope
residence surrounded by evergreens,
which grow so quickly and beautifully on
our irrigated plains and has his fat farm
animals, and has a constant family supply
of butter and milk and meat, and has not
yet used quarter of his twenty acres.
w. A. SANDERS.