Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-19

February. Let US hope that our early April
showers are not deceptive, and that our
spring has fairly opened, and that the recent
" overlooked districts may have a favorable
season and good crops.
Oxen on the Farm.
Forty years ago the OK was considered in
dispensable as draft animal on the farm
Very much of the cultivation OF the soil was
at that period done by oxen. Breaking up
for summer fallow was almost universally
d me by the use of oxen, using from three to
four yoke on a single pillow. This was the
favorite place to break in young steers. A
good heavy yoke was placed next the plow,
then before them was placed one or
two, and some times three yoke of
steers, and quick hand yoke of
cattle in the lead. One or two boys to drive
and a man to hold the plow handles, and tie
summer-fallowing rig was complete. When the
breaking up" was finished the team was
broken up, placing ore yoke of steers on a
drag with yoke of cxen in the lead, and the
boys commenced the work of the fallow land
for the season, while the men attended the
corn and potatoes and prepared for haying
and harvest. With these OK and steer teams
the summer-falow was cross-plowed
once before harvest, and generally once,
some times twice after harvest, and
sown and dragged in in the fall. In this old
way of using oxen and steers in the farm
work there was great economy and saving Of
expense. The yoke only cost from two to
three dollars, and not unfrequently was made
on the farm from timber cut thereon, costing
only little time of employment on rainy
days. In this way the young steers were
made gentle, and made to pay for their keep
ing from the age of two years till they were
four or FIVE years old, when they were turned
off to the butcher, and the money they
brought was clear gain to the farmer. In the
clearing off of woodland oxen were neces-
sity. Hence in new countries the OK was al
ways among the pioneer choppers and loggers.
In the early days of California great many
immigrants came across the plains to the
State with ORLEANS, and oxen were used here
a great deal up to about 1858 and 1860 in
teaming to the mines. but as there was but
little of our California farming lands covered
with heavy timber, their use for clearing up
these lands was not necessary, and they have
never been used much in the State for plow-
ing or other farm work. In the numbering
districts Of the Sierra Nevada, and among
ths redwood sections of the Coast Range,
oxen are used great deal to the present day,
but their use on the farm is with rare excep-
tions entirely dispensed with throughout the
State. We doubt if farmers have consulted
the economical management of their farms in
thus giving the OK the go-by on their farms.
Agricultural Intelligence.
The Game and Fish Commissioners of
Maine advise the farmers to make war on
cats.
Hiram Sibley, of Rochester. N. Y, owns
r. l.
and Illinois.
Mr.. Gladstone. in consequence of the sgri-
cultural depression, has given his tenants %
per cent. remission on their yearly rental.
Over 1000 hogs died with what is called
cholera in the neighborhood of Genesee,
Henry county, Ill. within ten days.
Ten millions of cattle are annually slaugh-
tered in this country to supply the home de-
ma1d for meat, which is valued at about
S400, 000,00
Our exports OF corn to foreign countries
during 1880 were about SO 900, 600 bushels,
against 7S.0000 600 bushels for the preceding
year.
A good deal of stock has frozen to death in
Morgan county, Illinois, during the recent
cold spell, thus showing that our farmers are
no better providers of shelter than their En-
glish brethren.
William f. Dalrymple, of the famous
grain farm in Dakota, says that the clear
profit for 1880 was over $3.50, 600. He raised
more than 800, 600 bushels of wheat on "a, COO
acres, and sold it in Buffalo at profit of so
cents per bushel.
The champion womsn farmer of Maine is
probably woman at Minot Center, who has
herself cut and yarded ten cords Of sled
length wood this winter. She is a strong
Scotch woman, about 80 years of age. Her
husband is living, but past hard work, being
over 20 years of age. She carries on success
fully large farm, doing nearly all the work
herself.
Some unsophisticased purchasers OF honey
imagine that by buying honey in the comb
they are sure of getting an unadulterated ar
ticle. A great mistake. There is an estsb-
lishment in Boston where artificial combs
not foundations merely, but combs-are made
in such perfection that it would require an
expert to detect the fraud. Paraffine, not
wax, is the material used. When the combs
made from glucose, worth three or four cents
per pound. and favored to the taste. A hot
iron is then passed ever, the cells are sealed,
and the ''comb honey is ready for sale.
All live stock should be kept clean. They
should not be exposed to severe weather of
winter, not only because it is cruel, but be-
cause it does not pay. It costs money for an
animal to keep itself warm, for it must be
done at the expense of the food it gets or the
flesh it has already gained. An animal is in
many respects an engine, and its food is the
fuel. Any shelter given to farm stock saves
in food, just as covering to boiler saves
fuel. Another kind of exposure is especially
injurious, that is of horses that have had
active exercise by driving. If horse is
brought in wet with sweat, he should be first
rubbed down and then blanketed, if the
weather is cold, otherwise he will be chilled
and very likely to take cold.