Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-29
FARM AND FRUIT.
TIE FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE AMONG
CATTLE Fully EXPLAINED.
The Encroacbments of Indian wheat
Tariff Affecting the Grape Industry
Methods of Tree 9lanting-Etc

also from other information received upon
the subject, that the foot and mouth dis
ease, which, not without apparent good
reason, caused much alarm two weeks ago
in the Western States, has been fully
proven to be not a contagious disease, and
but only resulting from local causes. a
consultation was held few days since
upon the subject at Neosha Falls, Kansas,
where the greatest number of cattle were
affected with the ma!ady. There partici-
pated in the consultation and Investigation
such eminent veterinary surgeons as DR..
Beattie, Chicago; DR.. D. E Salmon,
Veterinary for the Department of Agri-
culture, Washington DR.. NJ. tTrumbower,
Sterling, Ill; Dr. Geo. C. Faville, Colorado
State Agricultural College Dr. E E
Hazard, an old Scotch surgeon, now of
Lexington Ky; DIR. Harris, Lexington,
Ky, and DR.. Ssocker, of Iowa. After
| full and quite lengthy investigation and
consideration it VS. aestablished beyond all
doubt that it was the eating of ergos in the
food which caused toe so.called foot and
mouth disease. DR., Salmon, az soon as he
saw the cattle, thought it was ergot,
! and proceeded to examine the hay. This
! had not been done before. II was found
to contain a large amount Of rye, which
was full of ergot. The surgeons sl stated
| that they never saw one twentieth part as
much ergot in the same quantity ef feed.
The theory is that the ergo5, by contract.
| ing the blood vessels and otherwise retard-
/ ing the circulation in the extremities,
caused the feet to freeze. This will prob.
ably end the excitement over the present
disease. Although it proves now not to
have been q contagious malady, the people
affected by the apparent danger did right
in taking prompt and effective measures to
know the truth. Upon finding a disease
among their cattle which they did not
understand, they reported it to the Gov.
ernor aud he applied to the general Govern
ment for the best skill they could furnish.
| The Department of Missouri sent an expert
whom they fully recommended. The
| Agricultural Department at Washington
sent another, and these, with the others
named, have quickly solved the mystery
which apparently held very threatening
hand over the cattle interests of the West
and the country.
A prominent gentleman who resides at
| Vacaville, referring TO the article published
in the RECoRD.UNIoN upon culture of
wheat in India. sends the following letter
written from Paris recently TO him by a
man of great observation and experience
in both the old and new worlds: The
writer says &" 1t begins to look now as if
| the wheat interests would not pay much
/ To- TpIi 70, he
great wheat country, and the general cost
of labor and living there is so very low
that it may drive California clear out of
the wheat-exporting business. Ten years
ago India made her first shipment to Eu.
rope, exporting 1900 900 bushels Last
year it had grown to $4,000, 600 bushels
There are common stocks of wheat at all
the centers, and with a fair crop in Europe
next year wheat must be very low.
So take my advice and engage in nothing
upon wheat basis. 1t is strange, too,
| that here ia England there is less wheat
raised every year and less persons engaged
in agriculture. Last year there were but
! !, 1888 900 persons engaged in it IN Egg
land, being but one in twenty of the popu.
lation, and 81 per cent. less than twenty
years ago." This bears out the view which
/
while the effect of the increased cultiva-
ton of wheat in India may not speedily
! bring about marked change in the profits
| heretofore made by wheat. growers in Cal.
ifornia, the tendency will be in that direc-
ton, and the part of wisdom is to thought
| fully consider the situation, and as time
and changes render one industry less re.
munerative, to turn to more varied meth
DDS of husbandry, and in all cases gradu.
ally adopting such new products or indus.
| tries as shall be best suited to soil, locality
and market demands
| In the official report of L. B. Blowers,
of the Viticul.ural Commission he gives
| the following information concerning the
tariff upon the grape industry. He says
% wish to call your attention to the un-
| fortunate condition of the rsisin industry
in reference to the tariff. The duty on i'm
ported raisins, owing probably to a want
of information On the part of our legis-
| lators, was reduced to 2 cents per pound.
Formerly the industry was inadequately
protected by a duty of p cents per pound
on rsisins, and ! cent per pound on seed
! less RAISING. The unjust determination
against the raisin interest can be better
seen in comparison with more favorably
protected viticultural pursuits. The fo.-
lowing comparisons which | make are not
to antsgonize interests, but rather that
all viticulturists should recognize the
injustice of our inadequate protec
ton, and assist IN removing the same.
One ton of grapes made into raisius is
protected by duty of Sl3 SO one ton of
grapes made into seedless rasins is pro.
tegted by duty of less than Sc one ton
of grapes made into still wines in casks is
protected by duty of SO; one ton of
grapes made into sparkling wine ia pro-
tec5ed by duty of 1926 62; or one ton
OF grapes made into sparkling wine is pro.
tected by duty nearly twenty-five times
greater than if made into raisins. Daring
the past few weeks petitions have been
circulated throughout the State, numer.
ously signed, and sent to our representa-
tives at Washington, explaining the ne
cessities OF the raisin-gr0wer. The move
ment has met with the appreciation of the
entire commercial as we'll as yiticultural
classes, and the we'll. wishes of those who
delight in the prosperity of the whole
State.
The best fertilizer in use In setting fruit
trees Of all kinds is partially or thoroughly
! decomposed emp DIRT. we made use OF
the material for the first time some twenty
years ago in planting an apple orchard, and
it was wonder to those not in the secret
what caused the trees to make such fine
growth the first season, and afterwards,
too, for that matter. This experiment was
so satisfactory that when we set our new
orchard we made a LIBERAL use of this ma.
terial with the same satisfactory result.
These trials have proved to our satisfaction
that chip dirt is the very best material to
mix in the soil as you plant the tree that
can possibly be used, for the reason that it
holds moisture and is full Of the elements
of plant food therefore, it promotes the
most luxuriant, natural and healthy
growth. Repeated trials have satisfied me
that a tree is not only more sure to live, but
will make double the growth the fret year
Especially if dry season. if some bushels
Of chip dirt are properly used in its setting
than it would without II. A single trial
will convince the most skeptiosl that the
best possible use which can be made of this
valuable material is to apply 1t to soil in
planting trees, in order to push forward the