Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-31

and in the East, and in such manner
| that the farmer there can make his COM
putation as to whether it is more desirable
for him to remain where he is or cast his
lot in a section such as this, climatic adj
vantages being ignored.
wHEAT-GRowING.
Farms devoted to this industry range
from 100 acres up to 10000. A favorite
way of farming is known as summer fall
lowing, whereby crop is taken from the
ground but once in two years, half the
land farmer owns being cropped one
year, the other half plowed and allowed
to thus remain the following year. On
the summer fallow the wheat is sown be-
fore the fall rains set Unusually in Sep
tember-and with early rains 70 start its
growth insures green fields all winter, and
such start in the spring as to mature the
growth before the surface moisture of the
soil, from the natural rainfall. has become
exhausted.
Another method, tina. of winter sowing.
produces crop every year, but the Weld
is generally much less than the summer
fallow, and the expenses comparatively
greater. The grain is cut with headers.
piled in square ricks and shelled by steam
thrashers.
On large farms combined harvesters are
used, which heads, thrashes, cleans and
sacks the grain for market as they pass
over the ground. California wheat not
mllled at home finds market in Liver
pool, whence it is shipped in sacks.
The average wheat yield of this section
Is trifle over fifteen bushels to the acre,
good and poor land, good and bad wears,
summer fallow and winter sown grain all
taken into consideration.
The cost of production as given By one
OF the most successful wheat growers is as
follows: For blowing: per acre, 60 cents;
seeding, 40 cents harvesting and thrash
ing, 81 10; sacking, As cents hauling to
market, 679 cents; or S. 904 per acre to
grow and market the crop. This is the
bare cash outlay, and does not include the
interest on the investment or his own time
as overseer. When such expenses are in
Guided the cost of producing wheat might
be legitimately increased to s. per acre.
Should one own no stock and hire every-
thing done, the cost of production would
be about 81 per acre.
OTHER CEREALS.
Next to wheat, barley constitutes the
chief cereal, and is farmed after the man
ner of wlnter-sown wheat. 1t constitutes
the principal food for horses, corn and oats
being but little grown or used. The yield
averages from one-half to one-third more
per acre than wheat. Barley, wheat and
oats mixed, sown and cut in the dough
and cured for hay makes the strongest and
best hay for work stock known. Egyptian
corn is another plant food for stock, although
the word corn is apt to be misleading. It
grows similarly to corn, but has no ears,
the seed being in the top, which is cut off
and thrashed like wheat, the berry being
similar to what is known as
pearled barley. 1t produces on an average
about fifty bushels to the acre, and one
sack of corn mixed with two of barley
and ground, makes horse feed not to be ex-
celled.
ALFALFA
For pasturage purposes and hay for
meat stock, alfalfa stands at the head of
grasses, and yields quicker and larger
returns on capital invested than any crop
grown. 1t bears a close resemblance to
clover, and is raised by irrigation. When
raised for hay the growth is such that
crop Is cut every six weeks, four to five
crops being cut each season. The first
crop, on the rich lands of this county, will
go about three tons to the acre; the second
two tons, and the remaining crops one and
a half tons each. After the crops for hay
have been cut the land is use3 for pastur-
age for from three to FIVE months, and will
feed two horses or COWS to the acre during
that time. The total expense, including
water for irrigation of each hay crop,
amounts to 81 per acre. The ground is
flooded for each crop. If sown in Nav,
two crops can be cut the same year. and
the next season it is in its prime and will
remain so indefinitely. Year in and year
out it will average eight tons to the acre,
and the price will average So per ton, or a
net profit of over $50 per acre, besides the
pasturage
For stock purposes an acre of alfalfa Will
pasture five head of horses or cows nine
months in the year, and two head the re-
of the time.
VEGETABLE GROWTH.
All kinds of vegetables are grown most
Potatoes, sweet potatoes,
oeets, turnips, radishes, cabbage, cauli-
lower, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, spinach,
peas, beans, etc, and the like are pro-
iuced in such quantities as to surprise even
he producer, who, it seems, would eventu-
lily get beyond surprises. Watermelons
md canteloupes grow to enormous size and
% perfection.
A gentleman living one mile east of
own planted one-fourth of an acre to
last year between his prune
rees and gave them thorough cultivation
'ut no irrigation. Besides what were
Ised by large family there were hauled
o town nine wagon-loads that netted over
40. Two Of these melons, picked from
me vine, weighed forty-fve pounds each.
Peanuts take kindly to the warm, sandy
oil and produce splendid yield.
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