Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-11-07
THE WEEKLY UNION
FARM AND FRUIT.

the settlement is safe In the sweat houses
and few days longer will see nearly the
whole crop safe from the danger incident
to rainy, damp weather. Santa Ana Her
aid.
Cattle, writer says, are maliciously de.
stroyed in India by wounding them with a
spike nodded from the seeds of the ArbHS
precGtonios. Death ensues on the second
day, but the powdered seeds have little or
no bad effect when taken internally.
The woolIy aphis EIlwood Cooper, of
Santa Barbara, has apparently banished
by the use of caustic soda in solution Of
one pound to the gallon of water, washing
the trunk and crown of the tree, and barring
the large roots and drenchiug them with
the solution.
The Downey Signal says Mr.. Hutch
ings, who owns small farm in the suburbp
of our town, has had like satisfactory re-
suits from the few fig trees of his place.
From FIVE trees he has sold this season S35
worth OF figs. at that rate an acre of figs
would yield about 500.
The demand for figs at the Southern
California canneries is steadily on the in
crease. Large quantities of the fruit which
has heretofore been permitted to rot be-
meath the trees, are being made into de-
licious jam which finds ready market in
the East and Europe. -[San Diego Union.
A preparation to prevent iron and steel
from rusting is thus formed Tallow, four
ounces, and resin two ounces melt and
strain while hot. Apply lightly with
brush. Ten cents worth of this simple
preparation used in the fall as preventive
would save dollars in labor securing plows
in the spring.
The Ontario Fruit Gro1er states that the
Horticultural and Agricultural Depart
ments of the Los Angeles Fair were not
altogether creditable to the association.
The exhibits were few, as compared with
what they might have been, had as much
energy been expended upon them as was
devoted to the horse-racing feature. Old
fashioned people will find fault with this
condition of things, but what is the use?
The term Agricultural Fair is nov used
simply as an alias by horse. racers. Its use
assures them larger attendance than they
would have if they advertised it under its
proper name, and it lends sort of quasi
respectakHity to a conVocstion of thievish
knaves.-[ California Gamer and Grocer.
G. GrGzinger, of Yountville, says the
st. Helena Star, had this year on one small
tract the largest yield of grapes we have
ever heard of. 1t is a triangular piece,
containing 1859 vines, off which was
picked, by correct account, SO tons of
grapes, reserving 50 vines for family use,
and besides, also, about ton destroyed by
chickens. Seventy tons are 10000
pounds, which, divided by 1859 the mum.
Der of the vines makes nearly 80 pounds
to the vine. We do not know how many
acres these particular vines make, but as
the range is from 500 to l 200 per acre,
there is probably Al acres. which would
make a yield of over Isl tons per acre.
The variety is the Frontignan, and the
value of the acre crop about g. 100.
The fruit trade from the Hudson-river
fruit district at the present time is i'm
mense and surpasses all previous years.
OF course, there are large quantities going
north to Montreal, west to Buffalo and
east to Boston, Springfield, Providence,
Hartford and other places but the great
bulk OF the fruit finds its way to New
York as heretofore. A careful estimate of
the amount of grapes alone that is now
being shipped from the Hudson.river
valley, taking both sides of the river, is
between five hundred and six hundred
(nearer the latter than the fOrmer) tons
each day. Of these there are numerous
varieties, but the Concord is the principal
grape produced. This variety has had
vigorous growth this year. 1t is full and
ripens well, and, although not considered
the choicest, is a splendid fruit. The sea-
son will continue for two weeks yet, and
the daily shipments during that time will
not vary much from that stated above
New York Herald, October 9th.
A savsnt who has for many years watched
the soil and climate of Utah gives it as his
opinion that if the farmers would in the au-
tumn plow and subson plow their lands
and plant early on four-hfths of the land,
no irrigation would be required for the
raising of full crops of cereals. His the
ory is that where land is ploved only five
or six inches deep and planted, when the
hot and dry season comes on all the moist
ure to the depth of the furrow is In few
days evaporated and there is nothing to
support the life OF the plant. But If the
upper furrow could be plowed to a depth
of ten inches, and this could be followed
with a subsoil plow six inches deeper, not
only would much more water be absorbed
by the soil, but the evaporation would be
correspoudingly slower, and time would be
gained for the roots OF the plant to burrow
themselves into the soil to depth where
there would be sufficient moisture to feed
them through the weeks intervening be-
tween sprouting and blooming, The phil
osopny OF the reasoning seems to be en-
tireiy sound, and the experiment is one
which should be tried. Every acre of
ground which can be made to grow crop
without irrigation is an acre gained. .-lSalt
Lake Tribune.
Among the most valuable means of in
struction to children are the fairs-State.
city, county and town, mechanical. indus.
trial, sgricultural-whatever they nav be.
at which are displayed the samples Of our
industries, and the fruit. cereal, vegetable
and mineral products of the earth. They
are great object-schools Of observation and
information, to which the children should
be encouraged to go to study the real
things which make the happiness, the
peace and the prosperity of our land. so
pre.eminent and peculiar. From these
exhibitions children may draw the most
practical lessons Of life, as relating to the
wealth of our soil, the excellence of our
climate, and above sll, the grand results
of labor. It will be easy for child to be
made to understand that the school will
help him to become a more intelligent pro-
ducer of any and all the rich displays
which are brought to his notice, and he
will appreciate the fact, if never before,
that the more knowledge he has the better
he will be able to compete with his fellows
in the great work to which the worlds in
dustries call hin. The dignity and i'm
pOrtance Of educated, skilled labor may be