The San Francisco call., 1895-07-18

q citrus fair, premiums Will be given Tor
deciduous fruits, dried and preserved, as
well as vegetables, etc.
Reports from the Palouse wheat belt, in
the State of Washington, are to the effect
that timely summer rains have insured
bountifuI harvest, and that the crop will
be the heaviest since 1890, which was a
bonanza year in that region.
The great wheat-producing country
known as the Walla Walla Valley, Wash,
has yielded only half crop this season.
One reason for this is that farmers did not
SOW fall wheat last year to the usual ex-
tent on account of money stringency and
low prices.
James Barnes of San Marcos. who has
about one-eighth of an acre in blackberries,
last week sold over $40 worth of berries
and has only begun to pick the crop, says
the Escondido Times. Last year he mar
keted over $120 worth of berries from the
same patch. Who says there is not money
in small fruits if rightly handled?
The Vancouver (Wash.) Columbian de-
ciares that the strawberry shipments OF
that State have met with great success in
returns from the East. 1t states that all
kinds of berries are sent from Washing
ton, but Clark'S seeding seems to have
given the best satisfaction to shippers, al
though the Wilson stood well.
Despite the fact that Western crops in
general are not of the record breaking kind
in point of abundant yield, it is gratifying
to consider that the markets promise good
returns for nearly all agricultural and hor
ticultural products. II is estimated that
the wheat crop of this country is 100000 600
bushels short, and foreign wheat is shorter
than for a number OF years.
The Horticultural Commission of River
side County has fumigated all trees found
infested with red scale The commission
still has faith in the ability of the rhizo-
bius, and $4,000 of these beetles were dis
tributed last month. Spraying for black
scale in the younger orchards, with either
kerosene emulsion or the resin wash, is
recommended. They will kill all black
scale.
The Wisconsin agricultural experiment
station, after years of experiment and in
yes tigation, has established that corn
Yields three TO four more bushels to the
acre when the field is kept level than when
the roots of the corn are kept deep in hills.
The theory is that corn is naturally trop-
ical plant and grows best where there is
much sun and warmth. The experiments
were made in the same field, few rows
being covered deep, the others kept almost
level
Here is a brief sermon on diversified
farming and it comes from Kansas: Ii
we had paid more attention to the cows,
the pigs and chickens, and farmed on
smaller scale, says a writer in the Kansas
Farmer, no one would have had to leave
this country. II we had done more chores
and not run ourselves in debt trying to
farm the whole country, so many would
not feel to-day that life is not worth living
in Western Kansas. Farming is well
enough in the right year but don't neglect
the COWS the pigs and the chickens and
you are sure of good living and the pleas
ure of enjoying life.
We are told, says a writer, that pig at
its birth should weigh about three pounds
and increase in weight month after month
as follows: 10. 80, As, Is, 103, l35, 10, 210,
225 and in the tenth month should weigh
300 pounds. We are also told that the cost
OF pound OF pork is 30 per cent greater il
made the tenth month than on the fifth
month in food consumed. Moral: Young
pork pays best, which is as true and pithy
as anything ever uttered by the immortal
author 1Esop. Maturity IN the pig varies,
the period being modified by climate, the
colder countries extending 1t and the
warmer countries shortening the same.
The raisin-growers of Fresno County
have organized and adopted the plan of
the Fruit-growers' Association in provid-
ing that only one firm of brokers in eacn
city shall handle their product. One reSo-
luton is to the effect that the raisin COM
bination will require each and all packers
handling raisins to place no raisins in the
hands of any other commission firm or
broker than the authorized one; to pack
all raisins under special brands. and that
all raisins shall be strictly graded that
no grade shall be sold and the price equal
lied with any other grade, nor shall raisins
of one community be equalized with those
of any other community"
The bran and arsenic remedy for the
grasshopper pest should be speedily
availed of in the lower San Joaquin Valley
If the situation is so serious as reports in
dicate. The Reediey Exponent says: The
plague of grasshoppers which appeared
about a week ago on the east side OF
Fresno County, in the foothill section, has
spread over the entire district between
Auberry Valley and Pollasily. Many or
chards have been devastated by the grass
hoppers, which in some places are so thick
as almost to daTken the air in their flight.
More than 1000 trees have been covered
with barley sacks in one section in an
lLs
A writer in an exchange gives the fol-
lowing method of dealing with a pulling
horse: For puller, or one that has the
habit of bearing too hard on the bit, start
him slowly with loose rein, talk coax
ingly to him to keep him going slowly as
long as you can. When his pace gets too
fast pull him in gently, whether you have
gone a rod or a mile, but never hold with
heavy hand while driving, for the harder
he is held the more he will pull. If he is
restive and nervous at being hitched up
and in a hurry to go, back him out and
drive in two or three times, then tie and let
him stand an hour or two, then drive to
the door and tie, leaving awhile, then
drive back to the stable and take him out
According TO the Redding Democrat
there are in Shasta County hundreds of
acres OF land now practically useless that
could with the application of water for
irrigating purposes be converted into
highly productive farms, gardens and
orchards. Especially is this so in eastern
Shasta. There is a stretch of land lying
east OF the Sacramento-uphill land-that
could be converted into a veritahle Gland
of sunshine, fruit and flowers" if only
water could be obtained to irrigate it. The
building of an irrigation canal has been
suggested, and it is probable that before