The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-31
AMADOR COUNTY.
Successful! Orchards ON Land Worth
less for Grain,
What Can be Done by the Intelligent
Use of Opportu-
mites.

Travelling Correspondent REcoRD-UNIoN.l
CLEMENTS, May &c. L. Tubbs of
Buena Vista, Amador County, had a
piece of land in Jackson Valley that had
been oyerflowed in UGH away as to leave
deposit of sand nearly two feet deep, in
which he found it impossible to raise
paying crop Of grain. AS the original
soil was a very rich black loan he con-
ceived the idea that some plant that
would root low enough to draw its sup
port from that soil would thrive there.
He prepared the ground for an orchard
by digging holes upwards of two feet
square and throwing out the dirt to the
original black soil. Then he drew from
one-fourth to half a load of the black dirt
to plant his 'reeS in and succeeded in get
ting an orchard that is admired by all
who pass. Lack of fertility in the sur
face is partly compensated for by ease in
keeping it clear from weeds.
Mr.. Tubbs believes in thorough culti-
walton. He says that there are many
more neighbors who admire the orchard
from across the fence than who try to
learn what were the conditions of success.
Those who think they have done all their
care for itself wonder why others have so
much better luck. In like manner those
who are careless in packing their fruit
think that it is all through prejudice and
injustice that neighbors who are more
careful and better statesmen should realize
better prices.
THE VASE SYSTEM OF PRUNING COM
AIENDED.
Mr.. Tubbs says that he started his
orchard on the pyramidal system and Sc
cured an orchard that was better to look
at than to produce. He has changed il to
the vase system and now finds that it
produces good fruit all over the tree. He
is thoroughly convinced from eXperie ce
with both methods that it will not do for
the peach or apricot to have the center OF
the tree crowded.
USEFUL DEVICES FOR IRRIGATING.
On the Mokelumne River, just below
Jancha Plana, are several fine orchards.
bitches were brought in To cover the
original paintings, but it became desira-
BILE after a while to plant some land above
the bitches. To DO this they devised
current wheels of simple home consJruc-
ton. These We're. placed III the ditch
wherever there was a little fall, and so
planned that the current running against
floats two feet square kept the wheel
turning with enough force to fill the
buckets or halt-gallon cups that were
attached to the rim of the wheel. As this
was eight feet in diameter the cups We're
easily made to discharge into a trough
some six feet above the level of the water
in the ditch. By this means they carry
q part Of the water to ditch high enough
TO cover other land and permit an extern
sion of the orchard.
FOR IRRIGATING KEoLLS.
In some places where the land was i'm
perfectly leveled John Northrup was
running water on the knobs OF his alfalfa
field by using an elevated trough and a
cotton hose. This he made at a cost of
about cents yard by stitching bolt OF
common sheeing on the sewing ma
chine. He was using such hose for the
third season, and it does good service
to-day. Just tack the end to the trough
wherever the water is to be taken out.
stretch the hose 50 as to discharge on the
summit of knoll or ridge, and let the
water in when the hose is in place. 1t
is an awkward thing to move when con-
Veylng q ten-inch stream Of water but
by moving it when empty. Mr.. Northrup
has very handy, flexible ditch. and II
he waters the knobs the hoIloWs will take
care of themselves.
A GASOLINE ENGINE.
He has a four-horse power machine of
this kind attached TO a centrifugal pump
that throws very good stream of water
and works to his entire satisfaction. The
thorough care bestowed upon this or
chard has done much to secure for Anna
dor her enviable record III competition
with other counties at the State Fair.
FRANK - EtrTArTN