Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-28
TUE RANCH.
EXPRESSIONS AND FACTS FROM
EXCHANGES,
Cottony Cushion Scale In Southern
California - Hints Upon Peach
Culture Without Irrigation.

a Los Angeles fterGtG reporter has seen
lately working up the insect pest business,
and has just published an intervieT with
the Bug Commissioners from which We
take the following: Mr. Rice showed from
his books that no less than 6,o0a places had
been inspected by the County Commission
ers during the year. This work has cost
$5,976. Many Of these places had been re-
visited during the year. A great number
were small places in this city. All these
places were not infected. 1t is hard to get
the people in the city who have few
orange trees for ornament to clean them.
In the country it is easier, where the trees
are cultivated for profit. But even there it
is often hard. The place where it started,
at San Gabriel, was Il difficult one 10 clean
up. The owner resisted, appealed to his
lawyer, and tried in every way TO retard 1t.
The Commissioners gave him notice that
If he did not move on the bugs by high
noon next day, they would take charge of
his place and 90 the work at his expense.
He went right to work and cut down every
tree and burnt it up. Many other places
in San Gabriel were cleaned up. There
are some places in that valley where it IS
still found, but the orchardists are getting
at work with great vigor to root them out.
Every hope is entertained that it will be
eradicated in that splendid valley.
In Pasadena there were, year ago, tDir
teen places where the scale was found. No
two of them were nearer than one-quarter
of mile to each other. There are now
only four orchards where il is found, and
these viii soon be cleaned.
In the Verdugo country two places were
found infested, and these were at once
cleaned and the spread of the bugs stopped
in that settlement. These places were
alive with the cottony cushion. Above
there in the Cresenta Canada, there was
found one tree, just planted, which was
alive with bugs. Ii belonged to General
Shields, and this gentleman covered the
tree with straw and burned up bugs and
tree
at La BallOna a few trees were effected.
They were radically treated and the plague
stayed At Downey City the pest was
found. The Inspector came saw and con-
quered, IS Cesar did. Near Anaheim one
tree was found, and it was promptly
cleaned and that place saved. At Syca-
more Grove, III the Arroyo Seco, some trees
were covered. Mr.. Rice took hold of the
matter in person. The owner told him to
go ahead and do as he pleased. The ener-
COMMISSIONER
tive-gallon can of 1902 test kerosene and a
spray pump. The bugs died. There are
no more of them in the Arroyo Seco. In
the city there is great difficulty to get the
tracts cleaned up near the center, where
The owners are expected to sub-dlvlde the
land for residence purposes.
In one orchard near the covered bridge
the Inspector found the trees clean, but
the intelligent proprietor was propping up
the over6urdened limbs with poles just
brought from one of the worst orchards in
the city. The Inspector called attention to
the vermin on the poles, but it was hard to
prevent the man from poisoning his own
trees.
PEACH CULTURE.
The Michigan H0rticdturist gives the fol-
lowing as the conditions of failure in peach
growing, concisely stated
l. 4 wet SOIL or one that from any cause
holds water around the roots of the tree;
whether the land is situated high or low.
2. Excessive fertility, while the trees are
young, whether it be secured in the natural
conditions of the soil or by the ingenuity
of man
3. Severe cutting back of the young
growth each year, thus dwarfing the tree
and robbing il Of much natural vitality.
4. Allowing the trees to overbear and
thus exhaust their vitality by single crop
of fruit
3. By deficient and improper cultivation.
On the other hand, the conditions of sue
cess in peach growing are
/. An elevated location that is not sub
ject to late frosts in the spring or early
frosts in the fail.
> A warm and moderately fertile soil
that is well drained By nature. Artificial
may prove successful but its utility has
not vet been fully demonstrated in this
region.
3. Thorough cultivation without manure
until the trees come into bearing. then
combine the two SO as 10 supply all the de-
pletion produced in the soil by the growth
of trees and fruit.
4. Never let tree overbesr.
5. Continue cultivation until the close of
the dry season every summer, even if it
continues until September.
Some of the conditions being different in
California, the same rules would not wholly
apply, but most of the above is worthy of
careful consideration and adoption.
WITHOUT IRRIGATION.
During trip down the valley the first Of
the week, we called at the ranch of w. f.
Estes. and there saw what some Of the land
in this valley will produce without irriga-
ton, even in 4 dry season. Mr.. Estes
ranch is located Oh what is known as Rye
Grass Swale, being a small depression in
the rolling sage brush and juniper-coyered
hills which abound in this valley. The
owner is principally engaged in stock rails
ing, but has undertaken to beautify his
place aud TO garden on a small scale. We
noticed a number of fruit trees which were
set out last year, and which have never
had drop of water save what fell from
h al L. f0va ~ fnll
has been very scarce). that are in
thrifty condition, and bid fair in u
short Gme to be large trees. In the garden
we noticed tomato, squash, melon and
cucumber vines growing luXuriantly, and
with every prospect of bearing politically.
Mr.. Estes has no means whatever of ipFiga-
ting, but accounts for the produciiyeness of
the soil on the ground that water is close TO
the surface, and shat there is therefore
constant moisture. lie informedus that in
digging two wells on his place he, in both
instances, got good supply of water at
depth of about six feet On the ranch of
S. G. Rees, which adjoins that of Mr.. Estes,
there are about thirty acres of grain which,
it is estimated, will yield twenty-five or
thirty bushels to the acre this season. This
also has been raised without irrigation, and
il is doubtless better yield than will be
obtained on some ranches where water is
more abundant,-Modoc Independent.
TO PREVENT HORSES FROM JUMPING.
Perhaps no single habit of an snimai
gives rise to greater annoyance, or is the
cause of more damage ON the farm, than
this trick of jumping fences. in consequence
of which the horses have to be kept in the
stable and loses the benefit of pasturing.
When we consider the ease with which
this vice can be prevented, and the advan-
tage to both horse and owner, it seems
strange that the following simple device is
not more generally utilized. A sursingle
is placed around the body of the horse
with a ring directly under him. 4 strap is
then fastened around each foreleg below
the knee close TO the ankle, and short
strap or rope fastened in the strap around
the oil foreleg, passed through the ring in
the sursingle, drawn moderately tight and
fastened 10 the strap around the nigh fore
foot. When this is on, the horse can move
only one leg al time, yet he can walk, lie
down OF get up, but he cannot put both
legs forward at once, consequently he is
unable 10 run or iump.--Oscrr B. GLEASON.
Egyptian Plague in Rhode Island.
Boston drummers who go down TO Prov
idence nowadays have TO lind some way 10
amuse themselves, and, as the inspiration
of the bar is now lacking, they.employ their
time at the hotel in putting up practical