Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-16
q of Agriculture Exhibit.

this State Is the collection rom lne oil-
yersitv of California, College of Agriculture,
located at the north end of the northern
wing of the Pavilion. Of cereals there are
exhibited about 100 varieties, most of which
were imported from Europe several years
ago. and. to enable the comparison sam
pies of the original importation are placed
alongside of the present growth, showing
the marked Improvement that they have
undergone OF the wheatS there are no
less than fifty-seven varieties, showing the
great variations in the head and stalk.
There are the tall, harsh-bearded Greek
wheats. with nearly solid stalk and exceed
ingly large kernels of very glutinous char
acter, contrasting strongly with some OF the
very Starchy varieties grown IN the state
for longer period of time. Among the
most striking ones the Egyptian, or Num-
my wheat, the black-bearded Centennial
wheat, Volo wheat, Greek variety, Sibley's
No. 1. an American variety, sent by H.
Siblev. Chicago; Red Club wheat, w. Aller-
ton wheat. OF the less, conspicuous kinds,
but having proved good producers the Whit
tinrten wheat an old English variety was
pointed out also Pains Defiance and the
comparatively rust resistant Odessa wheat
OF Spelts and Emmers wheat variety, to
which the chaff adhereS very closely, five
varieties are shown The Spelt furnish the
best flour for pastry, and for this purpose
are always preferred in Germany.
The samples of barley are numerous, EN-
bracing twenty-SeVen varieties. Here are
smooth and naked. bearded and naked;
two as well as four-rowei. (Of these, black
barlevs are commended for hotter parts OF
the State.) 4 large number of two-rowed
barley, embracing the Cheyalier variety; OF
| these, the Scotch twO-rowed, has proved the
most productive. Seven varieties OF oats
| are represented by samples The rye eX-
| hibited shows great vigor, being all over
| six feet high with good, large ears and
! kernels.
Leaving the cereals, we turn to 4 collec-
| ton of grapevines All the principal wild
| stocks of the world, American, Asiatic,
| etc. are to be seen. Six species OF Wild
! American grapes, raised from cuttings,
planted under the same conditions, illus
! trate forcibly the different root systems
| and vigor of the vines. Among these six,
all of which are more or less resistant, the
native Californian proves the most yigor
Gus grower but its roots are not nearly as
| tough and wiry as its near neighbors from
! Arizona. The experiment has proved that
! all these varieties will strike from cuttings
more or less readily, say from 70 to 100
| per cent, the Arizona riparia grow
| ING most surely. Beside these there
are various seedlings Of wild vines from
| Kashmir and Caucasus, which represent
| the original of our cultivated grapevine,
! j. gjaiPerG From China We have two
very distinct species, that may also prove
| resistant. They show great vlgOr Of growth
| and have proved entirely free from any
| disease, to which all other varieties, in
| Guiding our natives, are subject. An i'm
| perfectly developed bunch of the famous
| Chilean Huasco raiSin grape shows its
muscat-li6e character
OF fiber plants there are several, the
! raaie or China grass, 4 species of nettle
| Welding the famous fiber that so largely
! enters into the manufacture Of Chinese and
| japanese silks. As this plant will thrive
| and yield enormous crops almost all over
! California, it is to be hoped that American
! ingenuity will soon solve the problem by
| inventing machinery that will remove the
! yum and enable to profitably compete with
| Chinese labor. Grown simply for the
rough fiber, it might probably be used for
! coarse bagging. 1t is also an excellent
| Irvine material.
For this purpose the New Zealand fax
! lily (PhOsmiltu tdrar) is also highly recon-
! mended 1t will grow in land overfiowed
| for part of the year, and will prove a most
| excellent material for binding or tying
The leaves torn in strips serve for the pur-
pose without preparation. Specimens of
| the common European fax show the length
of fiber that can be obtained with the right
varieties even in this climate.
OF tubcrous-rooted plants is shown a
| vigorous climber, Puedia Su Coidtl, Of
Japan, belonging to the pea tribe. Its
thick roots yield very superior starch for
culinary purposes. The plant thriyes well
in the climate of the bay Of San Francisco
There are also specimens of yam, taro
and ground almonds. Among the exhibits
represented one branch of growing trees
may be mentioned, the camphor tree of
Japan, which, thriving admirably in our
coast climate, has proved fast grower at
Berkeley.
The carol. or St. Johns bread tree, is one
of the most important that can he added to
our large and varied list OF fruit trees. The
beans OF the tree are said to be the husks Of
which the PrOdigal Son partoOk with the
swine. 1t is The chief food of horses and
cattle in many Of the Mediterranean cOun-
tries and 900 tons Of it are annually inn
ported into England. The tree has proved
itself adapted to several parts of this State.
and the College Of Agriculture, approaching
its importance, has propagated a number of
plants, which Will be ready for distribution
the coming season.
The different kinds Of insect powder
plants are also in the collection, both dried
heads and living specimens. \ branch Of
japanese tea is also shown In the CON
Servatorv is collection of plants in pots,
most OF which are duplicates Of plants Of
economic or medicinal value and are grown
out Of doors. In the botanical garden at
Berkeley We find how the cinnamon tree
ofJapan, the lemon grass of India, alligator
pear OF Central America, the custard apple
of Guatemala, chiuchOna, or Peruvian bark
tree, raised from seed imported from India.
and great many others more or less in
tereStiug. These sooner or later will no
doubt, find c0ngcnial homes in various
localities of our State. Close TO the collec-
ton are some Chinese bamboo canes fully
thirty feet long They are grown at the
residence Of General Kirkham, of Oakland.
vino kindly permitted W. g. kiee who is
in charge of the experimental grounds in
Berkeley, to bring them to Sacramento for
The purpose of better illustrating the
smaller specimens sent from the Uniyer-
Sity. Besides these are found collections
exhibited by J Rock, the well known San
Jose nursery man, who has large quanti-
ties Of The useful plants at his nursery. !
Perhaps the most interesting collection of
these baubOos is that from \. Chabot of
the Oakland Water Works, who has fur
nished some specimens to Mr. Kiee for the
purpose of increasing the exhibit We |
have here the giant bamboo the black
sIcmmed and striped varieties. all being
grown this year without irrigation The |
rapid Development of these canes is almost
marvellous, the entire growth being made
in less than TWO months. The canes from
General kirkhan's grew eighteen inches |
in twenty four hours
In fruits, a collection of 26 varieties Of