Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-24

large topic Of discussion Of late, that 1t
would be superGuous to dwell upon it here.
Suffice to say that to do ell the work need |
full to be done, and elsewhere expected Of
station, would alone require
my entire time and appliances greatly
superior to those now at command And
yet the growing Importance of this indus
try should command nothing less, ct least,
than what is done at each of the numerous
stations of France and Germany, where
the main features of the making and mar
keting Of wines have long ago been formed
into rules-of-thumb that are generally I'm
derstood, while here ali is yet to be learned
anew. In the pursuit of this needed knoEl-
edge, some ninety odd samples Of single
wines and blends were fermented at the
yiticultural laboratory during the vintage
season of 1881, and analyses of these. as
well as OF numerous samples sent in by
winemakers, have been made and partly
published in bulletin form. A connected
report OF the viticnltural work done during
the years 1888 and 1884 is ROW in course Of
preparation and will be published before
Christmas.
THE PROPAGATION GROUNDS.
The garden of economic plants; the
standard orchard. with its 500 varieties of
fruit the experimental field; the propa-
eating beds and greenhouses, which serve
partly for the illustration of botanical in
structon, but most largely for the growing
OF plants intended for experimental culture
and distribution, form another department
of considerable extent and importance, to
which additions are continually being made
from all countries of the world likely to
furnish culture plants that might be of use
in this State. Our plan is generally to pro-
cure seeds or plants and propagate them
until sufficient supply is obtained for dis
tribution to the several portions of the
State where it is likely that the culture
would be successful. Such distributions
have been made for several years past, from
700 10 800 packages, partly seeds. partly
living plants, being sent out each year.
Circulars requesting reports of results have
been lately issued, and answers are now
coming in. Among the
SEEDS AND PLANTS DISTRIBUTED
Is large number of cereals imported from
Europe, and Of which several give great
promise of usefulness, the Carob tree, Eu-
ropean oak, camphor tree, black waffle
(AcGotG DeoaTrerlS, important for its tan
bark, cinchona, Pistachio nut, Sicilian and
Venetian sumachs, Spanish olives, caper
plant, New Zealand fax, ramie, Chinese
buckwheat, Esparto grass q number of
grasses, clovers and other forage plants.
some adapted to alkai Soils the insect
powder or buhach plants, several varieties
OF bamboos, etc. Other economically useful
plants, now growing on the grounds. have
not as yet been propagated sufficiently to
Justify distribution; while OF a num-
Der of others, the culture has been
shown to be hopeless or valueless within
the State. From the standard orchard scions
are sent out to all who desire them, and
new varieties are secured for trial. Resist
ant grape vines have also in the past been
distributed to phylloxera-infested districts
for trial, after testing both their grating
qualities and their resistance at the infested
plot on the grounds. But the presence of
the phylloxera has rendered it inexpedient
to attempt any general distribution of grape
varieties, the more rs nurserymen take in
hand actively almost all that is of value.
Cuttings Of the Huasco raisin grape, of
Chile, carefully disinfected. although unin-
tested, has been the only vine sent out gen
orally.
WORK OF CORR 8sPoNDENCB.
Not the least laborious part of the work
is the extensive correspondence involved,
which, during the planting season, often
assumes such proportions as to render it
impossible to give it prompt attention,
since in many cases the answers wanted in
volye considerable reflection and research.
Over 400 such letters have been written BY
myself, personally, during the past year, and
probably half as many more by assistants.
Sometimes the information asked can be
furnished IN print, by sending bulletins"
already issued; but notwithstanding this
expedient; there is steady increase in the
hnr nf lattarss raCtirai ~, In
each year. The
PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
And discussions has within the last two
years been made moro prompt and effect
nal by the issue of frequent bulletins"
lof which No. IS has just been issued),
short enough, as q rule, for insertion in the
columns OF dailies and weeklies, and Civ
ing the substance of the matter which Is
ultimately embodied in the annual reports
OF the College of Architecture. The latter
thereby lose considerably in novelty, but
their chiefly important points are much
more widely disseminated than would be
feasible through the limited number of
copies q 300 which is allowed for distri-
button by the State law. Some of these
reports are now out of print. OF three
1879, 1882 and 1854, number of copies
IS still on hand, and are mailed free on ap-
plANil4Ol as dEG dtSO Inc bulletins ana
other publications of the department.
PRESENT IMPORTANT SERVICE
In closing this cursory statement, I
should not omit to say that necessary dis
cretion is exercised in regard to what may
and may not be properly considered as
being Of sufficient general interest to en-
title it TO the tgratuitous) attention of the
experiment station in the way of analysis
or other labor. As the result of the neces-
sary exercise of this discretion, complaints
sometimes arise; but it is self evident that
the line of our work should be drawn where
that of the nurseryman and commercial
chemist begins. We deal with matters of
more or less general interest, the investiga-
ton OF which, though it may materially
interest many individuals, yet would
not usually be undertaken by them,
thus retarding industrial development.
TO stimulate the latter by suggestions and
intelligent help at critical points l consider
as being, at this time, the most important
service the Agricultural College can render
to the people of California.
e. W HILdARD.
Berkeley, October %, 1885.
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Medical Men of Distinction