The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-19
NOTES FROM NILES.
A Proposition TO Advertise the
County of Alameda.

1
chanics' institute in Alameda County. 1t
certainly seems that it is the thing that
should be done Immediately. The Worlds
Fair Commissioners are endeaV0ring to get
on good working basis, and an institute
would prove a great assistance in many
ways. There is no general knowledge of
the various valuable interests in the ty,
The writer remembers locking for the Ala
media County exhibit in the old Board of
Trade rooms in the Grand Hotel, and find
ing huge map OF the county in relief aud
a pyramid of some polish only. With a
mechanics institute the Worlds Fair COM
mitteeS would be able to do the work of the
next two years in half the time and twice az
well as otherwise. 1t would be hard to find
another county in the State with such
varied and valuable ntereSts-a WOODEN and
cotton mill, jute-mill, powder-mill, nail fac
tory cannerieS, a beet-sugar factory (the
first successful one in the United States,
car shops, the largest winery on the Coast,
salt works, the most extensive on the Coast,
artesian wells with eatpdt enough &c sS{}-
ply city the SIZE of Oakland, gas WELL
grand gravel bed, two or three successful
QuaTrieS. coal mines, gold mine In en-
bTyO, famous stock ranches, The largest
seminary and only wOman's college on the
Coast, and last, but not least, its floral,
agricultural, viticultural and horticultural
intereSts-the half has not been told. As
Alameda County heads the list when writ
ten in alphabetical order, let her lead in
point OF worth and merit In the Worlds
Fair, and to do so she must be up and doing.
1t is source OF establishment to city peO-
pie to see tile orchardlSt knock Off good
twO-thrds of all the fruit on the trees; it is
most laborlous, expensive aud thankless
task. So full are some varieties of the
peach and apricot that one man cannot
thin more than ten or twelve ordinary sized
trees a day. No other fruits require thin
ming in this vicinity. The necessity of thiu-
ming brings a man into closer communion,
as it were, with his trees. good half
dozen varieties Of scale are infeSting the
trees orchards that seemed to be pretty
clear after spraying are in as bad a condi-
ton as ever. A Ealf dozen or more varie-
ties too, of lady bug are found buSiy at
work. 1t almost seems a mooted question
whether IL Is better to spray and kill part
of the scale and all of the lady bugs, or not
to spray at all, and give the bugs a chance.
Certainly it Is a matter Of the gravest inn
pOrtance, and should be more carefully and
thoroughly studied than has been done
heretofore. And, by the way, when giving
information for the benefit of the general
public, why not use good plain English
Latin names and technical terms are all
matter how well educated he is, does not go
about with dictionary under his arm. and
so. much, perhaps, valuable Interrogation is
lost
Pear men are spraying. The codliu-moth
is as troublesome on pear trees as upon APP
pies. and it is necessary to spray about
twice in The season 70 secure a clean crop.
A wash is made of Paris green and several
other subs tances. Acres of corn for table
use and for stock are being planted. 1t looks
queer to see corn planted in perfectly dry
earth, and queerer still to see 1t grow and
flourish from week to week without enc
drop OF rain and without irrigation.
Orange and lemon trees are covered with
fragrant blossoms. Cherries are ripe, and
within two weeks shipping viii commence
and the seasons rush, work, worry and
business will have begun, to last until late
in September
Every week fruit men are around, and
the season pro misses well, not only as
regards quality and quantity of fruit, but
the quality and quantity of the prices.
Mir. anu Mrs G. E Chittenden gave a
very enjoyable whist party last "Wednesday
evening. There were thirteen tables Of
players. Mr.. Overacker and Mrs South
wick won the first prizes, and Mrs. Clarke
and her partner the BOBBY prizes The
house was t9SteTully decorated with pro-
fusion of choice roses and the refreshments
were delicious. Mrs. Barb sang two bal
lads Charmingiy.
Friday evening the church social was held
at j. L. Thames. About fifty guests were
present and several tableauX were success
fully given; Mr. and Mrs. Maar gave sew
eral musical selections, and Mrs. Bart sang
a solo c'ITuSung'O with fine effect. The
fun of the evening, however, was smelling
contest. Eighteen or twenty bottles, filled
with different smelling liquids, from spray
ing compounds or coal oil to pure water or
milk, were spread upon table, the guests
being allowed to smell Of each in turn Just
once, and passing into another room, noted
the name OF the contents as they could re-
member them. A bottle of choice perfume
was given to the best guesser, Mrs. IL.
Tyson. A good deal of merriment was
caused by the wild gueSses and grimaces of
the Smellers.
The school census for 1891 has just been
completed. The total number of children
in the district is 204 there being l43 be-
tween the ages of and II, an increase Of
AZ over last year; the number attending
school Is 1913, an increase of 50 over last
year. One hundred and sixty or over will
next year one OF the upper rooms will need
to be finished off anu a third teacher en-
ployed.
School closes next Friday for a couple of
months vacation. The boys find employ
ment in the orchards; hence the long vaca-
tons in summer. The Ladies' Guild met
last Wednesday at Mrs. Sanborn's. Ar
rangements were made to purchase piano
to be the exclusive property of the church
and attendant societies.
Three new cottages are being built. and
three more are to be commenced immed-
alely. MRS. l.. T.. THANE.