Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-08

same as $50 or possibly S00 in the East.
The reason is simply this: Here, on ac-
count of the extreme dryness of the atmos-
phere, evaporation takes place so rapidly
as 10 remove all sense of oppressiveness
coincident with excessive heat where air
contains moisture. Here the word sultry
is never applicable. But no matter how
hot il gets, there is nearly always re-
freshing breeze, and when night comes it
cools of, and one sleeps with comfort un-
der sheet, blanket and counterpane. The
days Of excessive heat of any season can be
counted on ones fingers, and more often
than not on the fingers of one hand. La
Dor progresses in workshop and open field
without cessation, and sunstroke is un-
known. The same as reg ards mad dogs,
and where lightning strikes.
THE RAINY SEASON.
Winter there is none Simply rainy
season which sets in sometimes in October
or any time later it sees fit. After the
first rains the grass comes out, the wheat
and barley sprout forth from the ground
and all nature smiles and looks green. In
the latter part of December come occa-
sional frosts, and ice sometimes forms in
water -troughs and puddles to the thickness
of window pane. None ever forms on
running water. After the frosts come the
wheat and grasses grow very little till
along from the first till the middle of
February, when new start is taken. and
then, how they do grow Perhaps better
idea can be had of the small amount of
cold, when it is understood that hardy
vegetables like cabbages and radishes
grow all winter, and that certain varieties
of roses and other hardy flowers bloom
through December and January unpro-
tected in the open air.
SEED TIME AND HARVEST.
The seasons consist of seed time and
harvest, and the farmer just about suits
himself as TO when he will have them.
We have seen farmers sowing wheat at
any and all times from the middle of July
to the middle of the following March.
If a crop has been harvested in June.
and farmer, after the first rains, plows his
land, sows it to wheat and raises a crop
the following year, such crop is known
as winter sowing" If he simply culti-
Yates over the ground, trusting to what
was shelled out in harvesting to answer
for seed, such a crop is called 'yolunteer."
This was once a favorite method, but is
now considered as shiftless, and generally
results in the crop being inferior and cut
for hay. If the farmer plows his land
and allows it to lie idle one year before
sowing, such land, of course, is termed
"summer fallow," and which method is
considered the best and only proper man
ner for wheat. The summer fallow is
usually sown before the rains come, or. as
it is usually termed, put in dry
SOMETHING ABOUT HAY.
The haying season commences when
some farmer, or rancher," as he is inva-
riably called, concludes that certain field
of volunteer or winter-sown grain will not
make sufficient grain yield for harvest
ing. He therefore gets ont his mower and
makes hay of it. This is usually cut
when the grain is in the dough, and makes
excellent hay for feeding horses. Timothy,
hungarian, bluegrass, clover and such
grasses are not grown here. If piece of
land is sown for hay, wheat and barley,
and sometimes oats, are mixed and har-
rowed in on winter sowing.
Alfalfa is the only grass grown especially
for hay purposes. 1t is grown only on al
luviai soils, or on land that can be flooded
by irrigation. 1t is the most thrifty of
any known grass. Four and FIVE crops can
be cut annually. The average annual
yield per acre is in excess of eight tons,
and it besides permits the use of the field
for at least four months for pasturage.
When devoted wholly to pasturage, one
acre will Craze from three to four head of
grown stock nine months in the year, and
from one to two head during the months
which give less rapid growth.