Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-07
Farm and ORCHARD.
INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST
CATTLE IMPORTED.
Extracted or Comb Honey-California
Prunes-Feeding Farm Horses
General Farm Notes.


Udtor says: "The first cattle brought to
America from Europe were imported by
Columbus on his second voyage, in 1893.
He left Spain as Admiral of seventeen
ships, bringing collection of trees, plants
and seeds of various kinds, a number of
horses, bull and several COWS. The first
cattle introduced into the Plymouth col
ony were imported by Edward Winslow in
the ship Charity, in 1924, consisting of
three heifers and a bull. From other ac-
counts they came in the ship Ann, which
made her first voyage in 1923. In 1926
twelve cows were sent to Cape Ann, and
thirty more in 1929. In 1927 the cattle
and goats of the plymouth Company were
divided among the colonists in a manner
to remain for ten years, the old stock to be
kept for common, and the new animals to
be appropriated to their own use. Among
them are mentioned black heifers,' black
cows red cows and white backed cow
In 1920, 100 animals were imported under
the direction of Francis Higginson, for
merlv of Liecestershire, for the Governor
and Company of the Massachusetts, Bay, in
New England among which were sixty or
seventy oxen and COWS. Most of the latter
arrived safe. Owing to the loss of cattle
by the Indians and wolves, and the ex-
penses of importation and keeping, the
price was at first so high as to put them
beyond the reach of many of the colonists.
A red calf, however, soon became cheaper
than black one on account of the greater
probability of its being mistaken for
a deer and killed by the wolves. In
1886, when COWS were so high as to be
sold at from % to 80 pounds sterling each,
and oxen for 40 pounds sterling pair,
quart of new milk or four eggs could be
bought for a penny, pound of butter for
Sd and a pound OF Cheshire cheese for 3D.
The first cattle introduced into New
Hampshire were from Denmark, imported
by Capt. John Mason and his associates,
in about the year 1881 or 1852. to stock
their plantations, and to be employed in
drawing lumber. These cattle were of
large size and of yellowish color The
calves were allowed to run with their dams
at pleasure. Their owners were ambi-
tious to be distinguished by the strength
and size of their oxen, on which bets and
prizes were often made. This breed Of
cattle remained pure and unmixed near
Agamenticus, in Maine, down to about
the year 1920 In 1915 they had so
multiplied that 100 oxen belonging to
Mason's plantation, near Portsmouth,
were driven to Charlestown, Mass, and
there sold for 20 pounds sterling head.
In 1862 the number of cattle in Charles
town was 400. In 1886, 165 were driven
from Newton, Mass, to Hartford, Conn,
the emigrants feeding on their milk on
the way"
EXTRACTED OR COMB HONEY.
The greatest yield of honey can be OBJ
tanned by extracting, as it can be extracted
from the combs without awaiting their
sealing up. 1t seems to take the bees
about as long TO se;l over the combs as to
fill them with honey. We can, therefore,
get double the number of pounds of ex-
tracted honey that we can of comb. Be-
sides keeping the combs emptied of their
contents, there is the additional advantage
of keeping the bees working right along
filling the combs. Bees thus treated are
not so liable to swarm, as they have at all
times abundance of room for storing honey.
1t is true we may give them large surplus
room, but when this is filled with comb
honey it is not completed. Several DAYS
are necessary to ripen the honey and seal
the cells. With limited storage room thev
make preparations to swarm, and then
plentiful storage room will not prevent it.
OF the two methods of producing honey,
comb and extracted, the latter does not re-
quire more than half the labor. 1t has
been said that extracted honey does not
bring as high price. But in the majority
of cases the apiarist is making more money
from extracted honey, because he is pro-
ducing three or more pounds to one. True,
there are few specialists who make the
raising of comb honey study, and those
probably receive the greatest profits. But
the masses find much difficulty in produc-
ing comb honey, when they can easily
produce large crops of extracted. To sue
ceed properly in raising profitable crops of
comb honey requires the greatest skill and
study of anything connected with the
apiary. 1t is beginning at the wrong end
to raise comb honey first, instead of the
more simple method of using the extractor.
AgrieuItu'ist.
CALIFORNIA PRUNEs.
The Fruit Dealer, the leading paper de-
voted to the fruit industry in the East,
says California prunes have sold in large
quantities from the hands Of commission I
merchants for shipment during early Sep
tember at y cents for the four sizes and |
re-sales of small lots have been made at
74@7& cents. These figures sound rather |
high in comparison with values quoted for |
the new crop of French, but the trade is |
impressed with the belief that the popu-
larity of California prunes gained during |
the past two years will stand by the fruit |
and that even with difference of a cent |
or more per pound in favor of imported |
goods, the former will be given the prefer |
ence by large class of consumers.
From indications already noticed French |
growers have determined to take up the |
gauntlet that the Pacific coast has thrown |
down, and propose to do battle as they |
never had occasion to do before. Several |
weeks ago price of % francs c. and F.,
or say l-16@6s cents, was named for |
four sizes for early shipment, but they |
have gone below even the money mark of |
g cents, and are prepared for business.
Naturally those whose interests lie with |
the French product are jubilant over the
prospects for the trade this fall, and do
not hesitate to pin their faith upon the
success of the French against California
The difference in the cost of these two
products is certainly wide, and it must be
said that the French starts off with pos
tive advantage, but whether the difference
can be maintained is a question that only
time can solve. The California product
has certainly made phenomenal progress
during the last three years, and has sue
ceeded in gaining popular favor, but
whether it can retain this popularity is
question that can only be decided when
the two are placed side by side upon the
market and their merits tested.
FEEDING FARM HORSES.
A veterinary surgeon recommends that