Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-15
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOR
THE RECORD UNION
Vegetables in the Absence of Chinese
Sorghum Sugar Businsss-A New
Competitor in Wheat-Etc.

State. He is found at the back door of
almost every house, as well in the country
as in the towns, with his baskets of vege-
tables every day. He has fairly sup
planted tie old-fashioned vegetable garden,
not only among town people, but among
farmers in the country. The universal ar
eument and excuse is that 1--WE can buy
vegetables of the Cinnamon cheaper than
we can raise them" That the town peo-
pie should fall into this easy way of getting
rid of little work in the garden, we do
not so much wonder; but that farmers,
who have plenty of land and plenty Of
time to cultivate it, should neglect to raise
vegetables because they can buy them
of the Chinese peddlers, is a scandal upon
the farmers of California. 1t is true that
they can buy vegetables of Cinnamon at a
very low rate but that they can buy them
cheaper than they can raise them is not
true. Every farmer could, if he would,
cultivate vegetable garden, in which he
could raise all the vegetables his family use,
without taking any time of himself or his
men from the real work of the farm, with
out costing anything. There are always
odd spells, mornings and evenings, and
parts OF days, in which the garden can be
cultivated and attended, and in which, if
the time is not put in in the garden, nothing
at all will be done. No equal quantity OF
land on the farm pays so well in proportion
to the time actually spent in its cultiva.
ton as a well. kept vegetable garden. Then
vegetables bought of peddlers are always
more or less wilted and stale, while those
plucked from the gardens near by are fresh
and crispy and much more healthy. Again,
family will eat many more vegetables ii
they can be had at any time by the pick
ing from the garden close by than if they
have to buy them from a peddler. Not
the least of the coed effects to be realized
from keeping the Chinese out of the coun-
try will be to stop the buying of vegetables
of the Chinese vegetable psddlers by the
farmers, and force the farmers to raise
their own vegetables. On this ground
alone, in the absence of all others, all
would support the anti. Chinese immigra'
ton bill. Senator Miller is entitled to the
thanks of the people of California for his
efforts to improve the agricultural practices
of the California farmers in this respect.
There is almost a universal complaint
that the Chinese are supplanting
white labor in every important industry of
the State, and yet there is universal dis
position to forward and help along the
very thing complained Oft not directly
by the employment of Chinese labor in
preference to white labor, then indirectly
by the use and consumption of the pro-
ducts of Chinese labor. 1t is true that the
Chinese gardens that are to be seen IN the
suburbs of every city and in the outskirts
of every town throughout the State at all
times of the year are among the strongest
recommendations of our soil and climate
for horticultural and agricultural enter
prises. but they are at the same time
pointed rebukes of our own people for a
neglect to take advantage of their oppor-
tunities to cultivate and beautify their own
places and especially are they reflection
upon the farmers Of the State who neglect
to cultivate vegetable gardens and buy
all their vegetables of Chinese and other
vegetable peddlers who hawk the vege-
tables raised in these gardens about the
country. How many families allow their
bows to run the streets day and night,
many OF them, perhaps, frequenting Chinese
opium dens, while their back yards grow
up 10 weeds and all the vegetables for the
family are bought of the Chinese gardens
near by. Would it not be good thing to
anticipate the absence of the Chinese a
little and begin to raise our own vegetables,
lust to get accustomed to the change that
is likely to take place soon
The Sorghum Sugar Business and Science.
That there is plenty of sweet in Chi
nese sugar-cane, or sorghum, to render its
cultivation and the manufacture of sugar
from it profitable business, has long been
believed by practical men. The belief has
indeed been so general and sanguine among
the farmers of the West that many have
engaged largely in the business, only to
lose their time and money IN failure
Under favorable circumstances good success:
has attended enterprises in this direction
both in making syrup and sugar from the
cane, but the conditions to insure success!
are not well enough understood to make
the business generally successful or profit
able. That the great corn country of the
Mississippi valley is well adapted to the
growth of the cane in quantity and quality
for sugar making cannot be doubted, fol-
the climate and soil for the cane is identical
with the soil and climate for corn. We
have also in California large breadths Of
country adapted peculiarly to the cultivation
| of this cane, but we have yet to learn how tC
manufacture sugar from it by any process
that will insure remunerative success be-
yond doubt. This process is the thing
needed, and when applied will render the
United States able to supply her people
with sugar. 1t is one OF the most import
ant economic questions of the country, and
one to which the General and State Gov
ernments should address themselves with
zeal and energy. We are glad to notice
that the Commissioner of Agriculture, DR..
Ioring, is awake to this subject, and that
he proposes to solve it in scientific man.
ner. He lately requested the National
Academy Of Sciences to make careful in.
vestigation of the sorghum business, and
| that the request 10 being acted upon by
| that Association. Messrs. Stilliman, Brewer,
| Chandler, johnson, Smith, Grossman and
Moore have been appointed committee OF
investigation. These are gentlemen of great
scientific attainments and large practical
experience, and we may well hope for some
valuable results from their undertaking.
If necessary liberal appropriation should
be IL ade to enable thorough examination
of the subject. We hope that the Com.
missioner will see that nothing shall be
wanting to enable them to go to the bot
tom of the subject. If the committee
shall be able to point out the difficulties
that have heretofore stood in The way of
general success, and to show how those diff
ficulties can be overcome, they will render
almost invaluable services to the whole
country, and will pave the way to the in
PRODUCTION of an industry or industries Sec
ond to none in the country.
New Competitor in Wheat.