The morning call., 1894-12-10
ALAMEDA COUNTY.
The Early Rains Affected
the Almonds.
Pruning and Spraying-Busy Alva-
radcliffe Sugar Refinery.
Football Notes.

The almond crop which has just been har-
vested is larger than usual in most orchards,
but generally is not of so good quality as in
previous years. Growers complain that the
early rains stained the nuts by soaking the
drupe or pod. and bleaching does not take the
stain out. The nut itself is not hurt, but as all
dried fruits and nuts are sold by looks the
prices will doubtless be affected. carload
lot OF almonds was shipped 10 Denver some
weeks ago, and Geographic reports. not yet
confirmed by letter. say sales were made for IL
cents, which means a net profit OF about 10
cents. When the nuts are so dark the tempta.
ton Is 10 sulphur them too much, thus running
the flavor OF the nut.
IT is interesting to notice how growers ideas
are changing as regards pruning. The old way
of trimming back each twIg I'm I'll the whole
tree is of shapely bushy appearance Is now
only practiced by very few. The beS prun-
ers are cutting out the larger limbs to Tour or
five main ONES, opening the tree to the sur
light. making stockier, stronger tree 10 bear
the crop saving vast amount OF work In
thinning the fruit and making IL much easier TO
pick the ripe fruit II has not been four wears
since it was generally believed that prune and
almond trees should not pruned; just where
the Old-fashloned mistaken idea arose 1t would
be hard TO say. Prune them well and the crop
shows an immediate Improvement In quality
and quantity. II is very good Idea 10 cut The
trees out every three years on an average and
trim them back the intervening years.
Every year about this time the subject of
sprays agiates the farmer, and although
half.doZen different kinds are used no one
orchard is cleaner than another OF smut or
scale. Speaking of scale, one does not say
scales any more than one says quails.
The fruit industry Is so important in this
county that il Is with little surprise that Ii Is
learned that he wiDemakers of this county
have agreed to pledge 100000 gallons 10 form
a corporation for lettering prices. Mana and
Sonoma counties, the two great wine counties,
have pledged respectively only 100000
md 6all Of ha
great possibilities OF the varieties OF the
climate and soils of this county.
Alvarado is without doub the busiest little
town in the county. 1t is there that the sugar
factory and refinery are, employing very
large force OF men during good half of the
year, and 1t is there also hat he water works
which will supply Oakland with water are
| situated.
| 1t will be remembered that some three years
| ago Mr.. Dingee of Oakland purchased the
| artesian wells of Alvarado and some 600 acres
| of land on which the wells are situated. He
| has but just finished most complete system
of water supply for Oakland and Alameda,
! the water being turned into the mains for use
| for The first time last Friday. The actual worn
| has taken little less than year and half.
In that time sixteen miles OF piping have been
! laid and all elaborate system OF resel volrs, re-
| ceivers, pumps, ETC., has beenbuilt. The NAM
| moth engines are all LAID upon the ftmest
| granite foundations. When it is known that
| these wells are located on a marsh within a
very short distance OF the bay the difficulties to
| be overcome IN building solid reservoirs and
| foundations 1Or pumps anu engines can De ap-
| precated
Thesr wells have been a source of interest to
| the people of this township ever since they
were first bored. some twenty years ago. There
| are more than q half dozen wells connected
| with the Oakland water-mans, and the amount
! pumped daily Is 100000 gallons wi hOut
| perceptibly decreasing he flow OF the wells
| The wells vary IN depth from $50 to $50
| feet, but he water is all from the same source,
The gravel lake underlying the marsh evidently
| having an uudulatng surface and foundation.
| There are a large number of artesian wells
within a radius of a few miles OF the town, and
| he owners thereof are fearful thai the taking
| of such a constant supply daily will injure the
| flow of their wells. The artesian belt evidently
| extends quite under the bay, and a curious
| thing is 10 see some miles out in the bay an
artesian well supplying the purest of water to
| the deDots of a large oyster company located
| there.
| The successes of the Union High School
| football team have placed it on level with the
| spouse TO a challenge from the Union High
| School boys will probably play match game
| sometime this month for the champion ship.
| Several of our players are showing such good
| form that they will stand fair show of enter.
| ing the Varsity teams next year. The fact
| that in The several great games played Within
| the week no serious injuries have been sus-
| tanned by any of the players has done much to
| do away with the prejudice which very many
| have had against the game.
MRS. j. E. THANE.
| Niles, December S. 1894.