Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-20

took the grand prize of 81, 100. Other pIiza
crops last year were-l35 bushels OF oats on
| one acre, so bushels of wheat and 255
bushels of shelled corn. 1t appears from
the forthcoming issue of the american Agri-
/ cult,rist in which the results of the contest
| are to appear, that the average Western
| potato crop on virgin soil is hardly up to
| that under ordinary culture in the East,
while intelligent fertilization seems equally
profitable in both sections. The wonder
| ful operation OF the mysterious laboratory
| of the soil is emphasized by the evidence in
| this competition that crops were increased
| so to 100 per cent. by the application OF
actually pure plant food at the rate OF only
| one pound to 100 or 200 square feet of land
The superiority of fertilizers or chemical
| manures over stable manures for potatoes
is also emphasized by the two years con-
| test.
CURING GREEN OLIVES.
c. F. Loop, in the Rural Californian,
| recommends the following: Prepare a
quantity of lime water in an oak barrel by
dissolving fresh quicklime in water. Add
water when Stacking so that you will have
plenty of the clear solution after Stacking
and settling. This solution must be tested
by dropping olives into it after it becomes
cold and clear. If the olives float the
strength is all right.
1.-THE olives to be traeted must be placed
in glass or earthern vessel, covered with
this solution and closed stirring every
hour gently, five or six times. Let the
olives remain closed twenty. four hours.
Begin the process in the morning and on
the following morning draw off the bitter
lime water and replace or cover fruit with
fresh water. After twelve hours drain off
the water and again apply lime water.
Continue this alternate use of lime and
fresh water daily until the bitterness
| IS discharged from the olives. When the
fruit is cut to the pit and no bitterness, or
only trace is found, and the water when
drawn of is fiat and tasteless apply brine
as in former directions. This method is
used in districts where the olive contains q
low per cent. of bitterness. If the Mission
olive required twenty one days to extract
the bitterness from tie pulp, the Columella
would require only seven days. Olives
can be treated by this method when they
are colored and still firm, but not after
they become black and ripe"
LARGEST FARM IN THE WORLD.
In the extreme southwest corner of
Louisiana, says Spare Moments lies the
largest farm in the world, measuring 100
miles north and south and twenty five
iuilCS Cusb anu WCots IL 10 OWHSu anu nD-
Grated by syndicate of Northern capt.
talists. The 100000 acres of the tract
were purchased in 1888, from the State of
Louisiana and from the United States
Government. At that time it was a vast
grazing land for the cattle of the few
dealers of the neighborhood. over 80 600
head of half-wild horses and cattle being
thereon. Now this immense tract is d.
vided into convenient pasture stations, or
ranches, existing every six miles. Tbe
fencing alone cost in the neighborhood of
| $4,000. The land is best adapted for
rice, sugar, corn and cotton. All cult
waiting, ditching. ETC., is done by steam
power. A tract, say half mile wide, is
taken and an engine is placed on each
side. The engines are portable, and oper-
ate cable attached to four plows, and
under this arrangement thirty acres day
are gone over with only the labor of three
men. Narrowing, planting and other cul.
tivation is done in like manner. There
is not single draught horse on the en-
tire place. OF course, horses are used for
the herders of cattle, of which there are
10000 head. The Southern Pacific Rail-
way runs for thisty-six miles through the
farm. The company have three steam
boats operating on the waters of their es-
tates, of which there are 800 miles navi.
gable. They have also an ice.h house, a
bank, shipyard and a rice mill.
STRAWBERRY PLANTS SET IN AUTUMN.