Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-12
Farm AND ORCHARD.
s UGGEsTIoNs IN REGARD TO CULTIvAT-
ING FoRTY-AcRE FARMS.
treatment of Fruit Trees and Vines Sub
ject to Fungus Disease-United Ac-
tion Necessary-Farm Notes.

George W. Newell OF New York makes
some suggestions in the american Agricuit-
urdlist in regard to cultivating small farms,
which can be adopted with profit by Cali
fornians. He says:
l tried farming on a forty-acre tract for
eight years, and was well pleased with the
results. In Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana
and some other States the system of small
farming is enlarging in scope, Iwent into
the venture a little skeptical of the out
come, having always regarded forty acres
as merely big lot on fair-sized farm.
After the experience mentioned, | am
convinced that there are advantages that
a sixteenth OF land section possesses over
a quarter. Regarding the average of
farmers, there are few who till more than
forty acres, unless they are extensive grain
raisers. 4 dairyman requires more land
for pasturage and meadow, but in nine
cases out of ter his cultivated area would
not exceed the space mentioned. 1t takes
only mile of fence to inclose forty acres,
including one on the highway border,
which might be dispensed with AS the
erection and maintenance OF the other $40
rods of line-fence falls only half on the
owner Of the premises, great expense is
saved If the forty acres are reasonably
level, and the dwelling and barns are
near the highway, run line parallel with
the road, clear across the farm. Then di-
vide the fields so that all have a frontage
on the lane. The length of the fields give
a long furrow, with its consequent advan-
tages. The house and farm are near to
every field. The front, cut in twain by
the buildings and yards, can be utilized for
orchard and small fruit culture. 1t is a
mistake 10 suppose that forty acres afford
only enough space for truck patch. OF
course, if near good city market, truck
raising viii pay above anything else, but
must needs depend on the cultivation of
the common staple crops.
Do not neglect the orchard, for that is
the best financial auxiliary of the farm
The market is never overstocked with
choice pears and fine varieties of apples
On a small farm it is best to adhere to
mixed production, and not follow special
cropping, unless it is clearly to advantage.
There are instances as of raising corn aud
vegetables for local canning, or sweet DO
tatoes and melons for shipping, where a
specially OF production is desirable. We
will suppose there are forty acres. On
this one can advantageously keep three or
four cows, and good heavy draught-
horse, the latter to constitute "the team"
OF course, more COWS could be kept, but
we are not talking of an exclusive dairy
farm. The manure from the stock should
all be carefully saved, and applied Judi
ciously to the land. The cows will yield
calves every year, which may be vealed or
i-pyt 10 soil ~, tho foil ,,o~a ,e e,,b
stituted for the horse, with care colt
could be raised each year A hennery is
indispensable to small place. 1t would
not dc TO let the fowls run abroad and de-
stroy the crops, so il would be necessary
to provide ample yard accommodations
and well arranged hen-house The gar
den is an important auxiliary also. Not
little patch, but broad tract of an acre
or two, where one can raise crisp celery in
quantities 10 dispose of at wholesale, Gu
cumbers 10 put down into pickles, and
numberless varieties of vegetables FULLY as
profitable. When one gets right down to
1t and farms forty acres as it can and
should be cultivated, he will find all of
his time engaged from one years end to
another, and last, but not least, will be his
own master at all times.
TREATMENT OF. FRUIT TREES.
Such diseases as black knot, grape rot,
etc, are due to the presence of a vegetable
parasite a fungus growth). which is the
product of millions OF invisible seeds.
known as spores, which ripen on the trees
and are blown in every direction by the
winds. The difficulty of preventing the
disease is the danger in using adequate
remedies, some of which are injurious to
the trees. The plum must battle not only
wl'h the parasitic enemy, but with the
carculio as well, and these two difficulties
have rendered plum growing very unprotit-
ahe in some sections. 1t is claimed that
the outer texture of the bark of the Ger
man prune, Ponds seeding and Imperial
gage plu.ns render those varieties some
what exempt from the attempts of black
knot, but the well-known Damson. one of
The most valuable of plums is nearly
always attacked
While the farmer and fruit grower
should use all precautions to prevent the
spread of black knot vet lie can do but
little alone. To make plum-growlng
profitable there must be united action on
the part Of all fruit-growers in neighbor-
hood. Not only must all diseased wood
be cut away, but every portion Of it
should be consigned to the flames and
careful watch kept over the trees to guard
against temperance of the parasite, the
spores Of which can only lie destroyed by
an entire seasons work. Experienced
fruit-growers claim that tie black knot
can be etteetually destroyed in two years
If the fruit-growers will unite for that pur-
pose.
The spores are in the soil, and can be
destroyed early in the season with the use
of germicides. The experiments made on
The black rot of grapes demonstrate that
where measures have been taken TO pre-
vent the loss OF the crop, they have been
effective, and the first work performed is
the sprinkhng of the soil with Bordeaux
mixture, which is repeated every two
weeks throughout the season. Treatment
of trees and vines must be made also. but
the beginning is with the soil, where the
spores have spent the winter. Nor should
the precautions cease on the harvesting of
the crop, for the use of germicjdes should
continue late in the season. while all dis
eased wood and fruit should be consumed.
The liberal application Of lime TO the soil
also largely assists in destroying the spores,
but such remedy should not be wholly
relied upon.-P Philadelphia Record.
FARM NOTES.
Red pepper freely sprinkled over the
leaves Of house plants and on the surface
of the soil keeps off many Of the insect
pests.
To prevent smut in corn or oats steep The
seed in solution of four ounces ofsulphate
of copper blue vitriol) in gallon of water
for every six bushels Of seed.
It IS Of no more use to feed cows on poor
feed than It is to put poor wheat into
good mill. The machinery in both cases
viii turn out poor and improbable pro-
duct.