Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-16
FARM AND FRUIT.
IMPORTANT RESULTS OBTAINED FROM
sUBsoL PLoWEG.
Sacramento Valley Fruit Lands-Yalue Of
suHfower Seed Grasses for Dry
soils-Riscsllaneous Items.

Inc benenclal results 70 DC astelAtu
by subsoil blowing received quite an ex-
tended consideration by us in these col
umns some time since. 1t was then shown
that in many parts Of the East subsoil
blowing and thorough cultivation had re.
suited in securing good crops, while ad-
Joining fields, treated IN the ordinary meth
od-with shallow blowing and imperfect
cultivasion-had utterly failed in seasons
of drougats. An instance was also given
where a man in San joaquin county had
found ike result from similar methods,
while his ueighbors, who had only surface
plowed in PR pairing their fields, we're pro-
portionately slighted by nature in its
bounty. TGe writer, while 10 the San
Josquin valley LAST week, m ade considera-
bic inquiry and investigation with view
to learning the cause Of fine grain pros
poets in some fields, while there was very
much less in others, and the result was all IN
support O! the theory above stated.
The Importance Of this subject may be
readily comprehended by all az first sight,
but upon reflection It will be seen TO be Of
vast concern TO the people Of the State
and the very keystone to new and grand
success IN such sections as have only had
crops at such irregular intervals Of seasons
as the uncertain rains Of winter seemed to
permit. Ii tais uncertainty can be over.
come, and in its place the fertile lands
which have thus far held fast to nearly all
their virgin power, because of the uncer.
tainty of rains to make them produce, can
be rendered as certain through any new
method as they have heretofore been other
wise, it will not only be doubling the pro.
du5tive value Of many vast sections in va.
rious parts of the State, but in the San
joaquin valley alone will bring into an.
nual succession profitable crops over an
empire in extent of territory which has
heretofore only given uncertain returns in
about one year Ia four or five. If such a
transition as this In the grain reproducing
status of the State can in any manner be
be brought about, it would virtually be re.
garded as certain evidence OF lack of sanity
for any person whose interests could be IA
vorabiy etfeosed by 1T, not to take the nee
essary steps aud use the required energy to
avail themselves OF such permanent tiuan-
cial advantages. Unfortunately, so little
attention has been paid in California to
deep blowing, and especially to subsoiling
that the instances wherein demonstration
Is possible az to these results are exceed
ingly rare. a sufficient number OF cases,
however, can even now be found in scat
tered localities of the State to establish
the theory and fact stated, that by subsoil
blowing and thorough cultivation good
crops may be rendered generally sure in the
dryer and now uncertain sections, and
thereby removing the uncertainty now ex-
isting from dependence upon favorable
winter rains. a convincing example of
this fact can now be seen upon the ranch
OF W. l.. Ashe, between Atwater and Mer-
ced. Here are several hundred acres in
wheat Just rpenlng, which stands nearly
as high as the head Of a man very thick
upon the ground, and with heads of grain
ranging from four to giX inches in length.
Some heads were found which exceeded
the latter figure. This was admitted to be
no better ground than other fields about
1t, and while there Is much good grain in
the vicinity, there is none that will com.
pare with this The neighbors are con.
WINGED and well understand the reason, and
remarked, It's the way he cultivated the
land"
This ground in this case was first plowed
to a uniform depth of twelve inches, as
summer fallow, and Immediately after
wards cross plo we'd eight inches deep. In
the fall or winter, at sowing time, it was
plowed again, but not as deep as the Sec
ond time, and the wheat very thoroughly
put IN. The result is as above stated.
Now here was combined deep blowing and
thorough cultivation, although the blowing
was not sufficiently deep to be what is
properly termed subsoil blowing
1t is said that the work and seed had
cost s. per acre, when the seeding was
completed, This amount, to those who are
in the habit of merely scratching over the
ground, and call that putting in wheat,
would seem an exorbitant outlay but
when three OF four fold return is produced
upon the same area, and with only the
same amount of capital invested in land,
the great profit and advantage of the sys-
tenn is at once apparent.
IT then the result gwen above can be OBJ
tanned from merely deep blowing, and that
because the moisture is better retained in
dry seasons, or on dry lands, subsoiling to
a depth Of from fourteen to sixteen inches
viii render the operation or system still
more sure and successful, and substantially
solve the problem Of overcoming failures
from lack OF rain. Most of the soil in the
San joaquin valley can be subsoil-plowed
with but the least effect, as the earth is
loose and can be turned up deep with
only light draft of pl0w. Nearly the en-
tire valley, where not irrigated, suffers
by far the majority of seasons for want Of
rain, and failure Of crops result. Other
portions OF the State also suffer frequent
failure from the same cause. Let the fact
become estabhshed-or rather known, be-
cause it Is already established-that in
subsoil blowing aud thorough cultivation
these failures and losses of crops can, as a
rule. be overcome, and the value Of Cali
fornia farms az well as the wealth from
products, will be proportionately increased.
THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY.
The Concord Sun Of recent date says
Having had occasion to travel through one
OF the most prolific aud beautiful valleys of
the State-the Sacramento-we could not
help but compare 1t with our favored eoun-
ty of Contra Costa From Homestead
Station to the dourishing town Of Folsom,
is one continuous vista of fruit, vine and
grain land. Passing through Reuters
vineyard and orchard-which we remem.
Der ten years ago as being partly cult
waited - we find that the senator has
evinccd considerable enterprise, and really
made it ole of the most charming, as we'll
az profitable, pieces Of property in that
county. Next in view came the enormous
vineyard aud orchard of 500 acres set out
last spring by the Natoma Water and Min
ing Company. This company has not
spared any expense in procuring the finest
qualities Of grape cuttings from Italy, Ger.
many, Spain and France. The cuttings,
with but few exceptions, are growing very
finely.
Fruit land in Sacramento county brings
as high a price IS 500 per acre, and even
higher. And yes IN our county-Contra
Costa The same quality Of land, fully as
contiguous to market, can be secured at
one-half the price This may sound
sArarnn 10 the Extraordinarily BOT n IL