Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-22
Farm AND ORCHARD.
METHOD OF ADAPTING THE FARM TO
A DIFFERENT CROP.
Food for observation-disclosures Figs
and Raisins-Useful Farming
Notes.

SlOulQ LeaCn Ll6 ldCt, OltSH ONCllOOhCui
that no two farms are alike or yield to the
same conditions. The farmer must not
only contend with the elements overhead
and around him, but he must also learn to
derive the most from the soil under his
feet. Heavy soils, light soils, warm s0ils,
cold soils and fertile soils must all be con-
sidered, and the difficulty of attempting to
adapt the soil to the crop, instead of the
crop to the soil, has been a fruitful cause
of failure and loss on the part of many
who supposed that, by adopting the plans
and methods of fortunate neighbors, they
would incur less liability, when the real
obstacle in the way was in attempting to
grow crop not fitted for the soil.
A plant will thrive best when the con-
ditions of the soil are such as to supply it
with warmth and nourishment, and in a
manner that does not tend to extremes.
Some plants can be grown on cold, heavy
soil that would soon perish on a light,
sandy location, while other plants will not
thrive unless when the soil is dry, light
and warm. In some sections the seasons
are too short to permit of the growth of
slow-matgring crop, even when other con-
ditions are favorable, and, if the farm Is to
pay, it must be done in its own way.
The soil should be put in the best posi-
BILE condition for its kind and climate, and
the crop grown thereon should be one to
which the farm is we'll adapted. Beginners
will find that they will be compelled to
learn something of the soils they cultivate
bymaking experiments for that purpose, and
those who have made farming business for
years never undertake the impossible task
of securing a profit by reaching off for
something new to which their soil has
never before been adapted, or tests made
for that purpose.
Because certain crops cannot be grown
on soils, however, does not imply that soils
cannot be adapted to other crops than
those already grown. The undertaking
of field, the application of lime, the use
of special fertilizers, and change in the
methods of preparation, may render soil
capable of doing what it never before did.
The heavy, cold soil, saturated at all sea-
sons, may become warm and of different
quality, more profitable crops grown there
on, and less labor expended in the process.
The problem of adapting the crop to the
soil is more difficult than to adapt the soil
to the proposed crop, and the importance
of thoroughly understanding the soil is
more important than the kind of a crop
Philadelphia Record.
FOOD FOR EGG PRODUCERS.
1t has again and again been demon,
strated that wheat is the best Of all the
cereals for the production of eggs. But
next to that is milk and especially sour
milk; and if we add 10 these third SUBJ
stance, namely, gravel-produced from
broken granite of suitable size and guam
tity, we have as nearly perfect food as
can be furnished for egg producing fowls
But there are some details which ought to
be attended to in order to obtain the best
results. Thus, in hot weather and in all
weather but that which is very cold, the
grain should be previously soaked for
twenty-four hours and the water sailed,
but only moderately SO. But shrunken
wheat or mill screenings when they are
not musty, and when they do not contain
rotten or unsound grain, are quite as good
as clear wheat and some say they are bet
ter, because shrunken wheat kernels con-
tain more of the egg and flesh making
principles than sound ones.
But we cannot always procure wheat or
wheat screenings, and then we must pro-
cure the best substitute. The following
are good in the order named: Barley, oats,
cracked corn and whole corn, and each and
all should have the preliminary twenty
four hours soaking. Buekwheat and rye
will do very well as compliments to the
other grains but when fed alone they are
unsafe; the former because it is too stimu-
lating and the latter because it is too fat
tening and difficult Of digestion. Meat,
offals and scraps, broken victuals, vegeta-
bles and the like, are valuable additions to
the daily rations bnt they are unsafe if
fed in large quantities, for they not only
iniure the health of the fowls but impair
the quality and flavor of the eggs. One
essential point which must not be forgot
ten in the make up of the daily rations-
in case they are not principally wheat and
sour milk-the constituent element of
bones and egg shells must be furnished in
the shane of burned bones broken small or
ground oyster shells.-Nelo England Home
stead.
CALIFORNIA FIGS.
1t is only a question of time, probably
shorter than generally thought, when the
imported will be a stranger TO the mar
kets in this country. A few philosophical
horticulturists have given much attention
to the successful curing and packing of
figs, and are meeting with the success their
efforts deserve. California figs on this
coast are displacing the foreign, and that,
too, at good prices Considerable have
been taken for the Eastern markets In
writing on the fig at the close of last year,
the following was said, which bears re-
producing now The success attending
the cultivation of the choicer varieties
now grown and packed here has been such
that many have gone into the business
upon quite an extensive scale and many
hundred acres of figs have been planted.
1t has been pretty thoroughly demonstrated
that the lower foothills are the best local..
ties for the production Of choice figs The
fruit from trees of the same variety grown
on the plains and in the foothills is radi-
callv different, and the quality Of the foot
hill product is such as to have given rise
TO the belief among those not fully posted
that they we're two radically distinct vari-
cites. The fig seems to be especially sem
sitive TO climatic influences, and this fact
should be borne IN mind by those who
think of embarking in the cultivation of
This fruit. which seems destined to become
not the least profitable of the many
branches of horticulture carried on in this
State.-Pdcife Rural Press.
CALIFORNIA RAIsINs.
From few Thousand boxes in 1881, the
industry has grown to fully 100000 boxes
this wear. California raisins have forced
the imported from the markets of this
coast, and are fast taking possession of the
Eastern markets to the exclusion of the
foreign. California packers have by ex-
perience been taught many valuable les
sons, lessons that have given them the
whip-handle in their competition with the
nrndnct Of Spain. While each wear wit