Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-21
TIE RANCH.
REFORMATION UPON AGRICULT-
URE AND HORTICULTURE.
The Glorious Rain-Renewing the
Soil-Requirements for the Grape
Industry-General Notes.

Industry-GeneralN Notes.
The copious rains of the past two weeks
have furnished sufficient moisture in all
parts of the State to enable blowing any
and all kinds of SOIL unless it be that some
lands are too wet. The effect upon grain
ALREADY sown cannot be but most favorable,
as the moisture is sufficient to last many
weeks, and an early stand is thereby
assured, unless the weather becomes so
cold as 10 prevent growth. Grain and
grass are now growing very rapidlyin every
part of the State, and if the weather should
continue favorable, the abundance of feed
which will soon be afforded upon grazing
lands will largely stop the present demand
for hay, and those who have laid in large
amount TO get the benefit of anticipated
rise and high prices later in the season. will
be fortunate if they save themselves from
loss. The prospect has been during the
fall that hay and all kinds of feed would
be very high by January. and in many
localities every ton of hay had been pur-
chased that could possibly be had, and
even straw had brought better price, in
many instances, than hay does in ordinary
seasons. If the high price of hay shall
thus bring about more the use of straw for
feed and demonstrate the fact that many
classes of stock can be nearly as well kept
upon it, as upon hay, and thus lessen the
present criminally wasteful practice of
burning it in the field, at least one good
lesson, born of necessity, will have been
successfully taught, through the effects of
the dry season of 1885. The time is not
far distant when the reduction of the area
of grain fields, brought about by the subdi-
vision of large holdings, and increased
acreage of orchards, vineyards, etc, will
cause the saving and use of such coarser
food for stock, and instead of being re-
garded as an incumbrance, which can only
be got rid of by burning, ii will enter into
quite general consumption, for cut feed and
otherwise, and be husbanded as an article
of value.
NECESSITY FOR REPLENIsHING THE SOIL.
The lack of attention in California, to re-
plenishing the soil with those elements
upon which growing crops constantly sub
sist, has been frequently referred to in the
columns of the RECoRD-UNIoN, and the
necessity urged of an early change in this
regard. The Rural NeW- Yorker has the
following timely remarks upon the sub
iect No country was ever blessed by
nature with more productive soil. She
made the best possible use of the long ages
prior to the settlement of this country by
white men, in forcing the most luxuriant
growth of vegetation. and by its decay and
that of the annual crop of foliage, had
filled the soil with an amount of fertility
that seemed exbaustless. SO thought our
fathers and so think now many of the oc-
cupiers of the great fertile West. But
continual taking out and putting nothing
back would exhaust even the ocean 1t has
exhausted the millions of acres of the older
East, and it will exhaust the most fertile
fields of the West. A study of the census
must convince any searcher that the pro-
duction of all our crops is year by year
tributed to change of seasons for series
of years, but can be only to one cause, the
gradual exhaustion of the plant
food by our unthinking and IN
wise course. This subject of husband
ing the resources of our acres, and
of returning to our starving fields those
elements of plant growth quite or nearly
exhausted, is yearly forcing itself more
prominently upon the attention of the
farmers of at least the eastern half of our
country, and the line is very rapidly ex-
tending westward. Millions of acres that
once produced magnificent crops of the
various grains, even west of the great lakes,
are now lying vacant, or barely paving for
the most shiftless cultivation. This ques-
ton cannot be seriously considered too
soon, even by the farmers on the now rich
and productive prairieS west of the great
rivers. Every train that passes eastward
Is loaded with a portion of their fertility,
much of il in the crude and barely remu-
nerative state of BRAN oil meal, and the
coarser grains, and, to the shame of the
farmers even in the bones of their animals
while the returning trains carry back moth
ing in the nature of plant food. Though
Western farmers may think they have no
need of such knowledge, they should not
fail to thoroughly post themselves, and
those farmers who do so and take advantage
of this knowledge will, by and by be
looked upon as the lucky ones who have
the richest farms in the vicinity in which
they live.
THE SUCCESSFUL FARMER.
He is the one who attains the greatest
economy III the use of the soil makes his
farm yield certain definite income who
thinks and plans and does not wait for
greatness to be thrust upon him who holds
the plow gives back to the soil its strength,
though he robs it of its fruits; who keeps
his cash account and scrap-book; who
raises everything possible for home con-
sumption; sells all he can takes care of
all that he has. Such an one is sure to
have enough to rear and educate his chill
dren respectfully; to adorn home with some
of the comforts and luxuries and amuse-
ments most desirable to make it attractive
to both young and old to equip study
and library and family carriage; enough to
make old age the happiest period of exist
ence-a victory, triumphal march, after
the hard-fought battle of life in which the
heroes and heroineS will be crowned with
ease and dignity and independence.-[I In
dependent Calistogian.
WHAT THE GRAPE MEN ASK.
At the recent special meeting of the State
Viticultural Commission several hours were
spent formulating expression of the needs
and wishes of the vine growers of Califor-
MIA. The deliberation resulted in unani-
mously adopting the following, which the
California Congressional delegation has
been urged TO aid in securing:
1. That the import duty on all fermented
drinks be rated according to alcoholic
strength.
,. That pure grape spirits may be used
by our winemakers in fortifying sweet
wines to preserve them, without tax, this
privilege not to be extended to the use of
other spirits. Wines so fortified not to ex-
coed % per cent. of alcohol.
8. That the internal revenue tax on spir-
its should be based on taxation on con-
sumption, not on production that if any
limit be placed on the time for which
brandy may be kept in bond, it be SO ex-
tended as to give producers ample time
after their goods are fully matured to seek
purchasers; and that it is the duty of the
Government 10 protect customers against
unwholesome new spirits by granting a
rebate of at least 10 per cent. on the tax for
each year, not exceeding five, that brandy
is kept in bond.
4. That further facilities be granted in
bond for refilling packages under distiller's
stamps.
5. That the existing law providing for
the taxation of spurious and adulterated
wines shall be enforced, or, if found de-
fective, shall be amended so as to prove an
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