The National tribune., 1882-09-16

Station: Oak boxes of one cuhic foot capacity
were made Of half-inch stuff, and thoroughly
soaked with oil. The bottoms being removed,
the frame was forced down into the earth in
the corrl-feld. apd the bottoms Afterwards
put in position. The surface of the earth in
one hox was left updisturbed, while the sur
fares of the two boxes were kept cultivated.
BY WEIGHING these boxes the gain or loss in
weight is assumed to measure the evapora-
tion which bas taken place from each. From
July Goth to August 1st, six days, the cult
waited soil evapoI1.ted at the rate of 906 gall
Ions por acre less than the undiSturbed soil,
or less Isl gallons daily per acre. From
August 1St TO August 10th, nine days, the
cultivated soil evaporated 1867 gallons per
acre less than did the undisturbed soil, or
less 26S gallons daily per acre. During the
whole period from July Goth TO August 10th,
fifteen days, the saving of water effected
through cultivation figured up 2l2 gallons
daily per acre; Or expressing these facts in
another form, the undsturbed soil lost, per
acre, from July 26th TO August 10th, 4,243
gallons, the cultivated soil 1,G00 gallons.
AN OLD VINEYARD.
The oldest vineyard III California is the
San Jose vineyard, situated under the noun
tains, in Santa Barbara county, between
Goleta and San Marcos Pass. 1t was the
property of the Catholic Church until 1853,
when itwa sold by the archbishop of the Los
Angeles diocese to an eccentric old pioneer
named James McCafrey, who, with his two
sons, now manage the old vines, producing
annually about 5000 gallons of the best
vintage. One of the st1angest things to be
mentioned concerning this ancient vineyard
is this: 1t has not been plowed or cultivated
for thirty years. It produces good crop of
wild oats for hay, year after year, but no
plow is permitted to disturb the soil. The
old mon declines to explain how he never
fails to have full crop while his neighbors
have none. Here, upon the sides Of an an
cient adobe building, is a vine, which, start
ing neGr the door, divides and sends a branch
in opposite directions, and, after making a
circuit of the building, more than 100 feet,
both ends have been grated together, forming
complete hoop around the building.
TEA IN FLORIDA.
The Lake City Reporter says: We have been
drinking for week past tea raised by Rev.
Mr. Fife, of our county. 1t was prepared by
that gentleman from this seasons growth. To
say that the beverage is delicious, and very
different from the stuff we buy for tea, is
stating simple fact There is 10 compari-
son between the two; those using the home
tea will never desire to draw tea from the
manipulated mass we purchase for that
article.
SEED WHEAT TO THE ACRE.
Prof McBryde, of the University of Ten
nessee, when he began his experiments to
ascertain the best amount of seed wheat to
the acre, was preiudiced in favor of thin
seeding His careful experiments-the most
careful and intelligently conducted expert
ments of any we are conversant with-show
during the two years they have been con-
ducted that one and three-fourths bushels
produce the heaviest yields. The RwrI Nesc
Yorker, after series of experiments on its
farm, says that from one and one-half to one
and three-fourths bushels per acre will pro-
duce the heaviest yield of grain.