Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-13
Farm AND ORCHARD.
EFFECTS OF THE EXCLUSION ACT on
FARM LABOR.
tivation of Peach orchards-Mat-
tiers of Interest to Farmers.


A Sacramento county farmer, who has
evidently given some study to the subject,
writes as follows:
Colonel Forsythe fears the Scott Ex-
clusion Act will leave California with an
insufficient supply of labor We hope his
fears may IN a measure prove true So
long as Chinese labor is obtainable, so long
will the old wasteful methods of the past
prevail; so long will the girls and boys of
our cities and towns grow up in hoodum-
ism and crime so long will the roads be
lined with men carrying blankets and
begging for something to eat, living off
the products of others labor; so long will
the progress and prosperity of California
be retarded so long will the question of
what our children are to do in the future
remain an unsolved one Between the
Trades Unions, composed mostly of for
eigners, and the insidious advances of
Chinese into the various mechanical arts
and trades, the outlook for our youth is
indeed gloomy one. With the Chinese
incubus removed, however, the evil is at
least paliated and on the road to redress
With regards to the complaints concern
ing white labor, much Is to be said ON
both sides of the question. While wheat
farming was the prevailing industry of the
State, and the requirements of that branch
of agriculture involved the need of extra
help for only few days two or three times
year, the majority of farm laborers could
find only temporary employment, and, the
necessity for the help being over, nothing
remains for them but to take up their
blankets and walk
"While at work, the farmer, needing
only temporary help, feels that he cannot
afford to build comfortable quarters and
furnish beds for from one to ten men whom
he only employs for few days, and there
fore requires them to provide their own
blankets, and hay making them the most
comfortable bed, they naturally gravitate
to the barn as a sleeping apartment.
Without place that they can call home,
they naturally drift to the deadfall and the
saloon, congregate together for company
to drive away the feeling of loneliness.
contract habits of idleness and dissipation
which unfit them for work and make them
unreliable, acquire knowledge of evil that
makes them bad citizens, and finally de-
generate into the genuine tramp, who will
not work to earn a meal if he can get it in
any other way. These are the effects of
the large wheat farms on the laborng
class. There is much to be said on the
farmers side of this question, but the era
of small farms now dawning on California
will effect great change for the better in
our laboring classes, and we hope soon to
see the day when the blanket brigade
will be thing of the past, aud the deserv-
ing and reliable workingman find more
permanent and comfortable home"
FALSE ECONOMY IN HORSE BREEDING.
If those who are afraid of oyer-produc-
ton in good horses would open a CORE
sisOndence upon this subject with some of
the farmers and breeders in sections of
country where they raise the best horses
they might get some light upon the sub
Ject. In certain districts IN Ohio, Indiana
Illinois and other Western States where
draft horses are raised in greater numbers
than elsewhere, the supply is never equal
to the demand, and although prices are
not what they were several years ago, nor
as good as breeders would like to see them.
still there Is more clear money in produc-
ing this class of live stock than any other
kind. The amount of cool cash that is
carried into some sections of the above
named States by Eastern buyers would
make the poCket-books Of the farmers of
other districts that could produce Just as
good stock have "bloated" appearance in
stead Of the contracted appearance which
too many of them have now. Still we find
farmers who think that any kind of
stallion will do to breed to, and any kind
of mare that viii bring colt will do as
a breeder. 1t is no wonder that some
farmers are always hard up They raise
the kind of stock, horses especially, that no
one wants badly enough to pay the price
for them that will justify raising them.
As partial cure for hard times, at least.
if you are one Of that class, suppose YOU
let your better judgement predominant
over your saving disposition, and invest a
few dollars more for the service of a stall
lion that is bred in such a way that he is
almost sure to reproduce himself in his of
spring, thus assuring you a superior colt
that will grow up into valuable and sal
able horse. 1t is that economical turn of
mind that prevents you this spring from
paying the difference in the service fee of
few dollars that viii rob you of the
profit of fifty or hundred-probably
more-dollars few years hence This is
fact which no sane man can deny.
CULTIVATION OF PEACH ORCHARDS.
1t has been our experience that the best
cultivated orchards pay the best The trees
thrive admirably under the severest cult
walton. Il might seem that the mutilation
of the roots of tree while in growing
state, and SO near the surface as are those
OF the peach, would enfeeble or kill it out
right. But it is not so. The aerating and
pulyerizing of the soil more than compen-
safes for the injury TO the roots. A lead
ing and successful peach grower in Michi-
gan says; 1t puts me out of patience to
hear any one whose opinion has any
weight deprecate or discourage in any way
the most thorough cultivation. have an
orchard which for eighteen years has been
plowed annually, 10 the depth of five or
six inches, sometime in April or Nav:
then in about two weeks, when the weeds
have sprung up, heavy harrow has been
passed over both ways. After this, when
the weeds are stronger and larger, a two
horse cultiyator set to run four inches in
depth has been passed over from three to
five times during the season. This is each
seasons cultivation, and suppose, accord
ing TO many writers views, that nv trees
ought TO have been dead long ago; and yet
/ believe there are more peaches of the
best quality grown on the same number of
trees than in any other orchard in the
State. Trees eighteen years old have made
a growth of from one to three feet in one
season while bearing 4 heavy crop"
The cultivation required by the peach is
simply to keep the surface mellow and free
of weeds. In making the annual ployinc
an spring it is well to use light plow,
blowing very shallow. In after culture.
and keeping the surface clean and mellow.
there is nothing better for performing the
work rapidly and thoroughly than the har-
row.-Orchdrd and Garden.
LINsEED-oIL CAKE.
The Ontario Agricultural College make: