The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-24

lows IN peaches was the subject OF valua-
BILE addresses.
"a bill has been introduced into the I'LL
nois Legislature appropriating $4,000 to be
expended in holding farmers institutes
under the direction of the trustees of the
University of Illinois, The appropriation,
while too small to enable the trustees to
do all they might like to do, is very well
for beginning. New York devotes $15,-
600 to these institutes, Wisconsin $4,000,
Minnesota 5000 and other States, like
Missouri and Indiana, smaller sums.
zone of the most beneficial features OF
these Institutes is that they tend to pro-
| mote diversified agriculture, and by ena-
bling farmers to make experiments intelli-
gently they encourage variety in farm prod
ucts. With diversified agriculture the
failure of one crop is not so serious dis
aster to the State as it is when the farmer
expends his whole labor and devotes his
whole farm to single product. Cotton has
kept the South poor, tobacco has made
Virginia far from prosperous, and it is
probable that less corn and more of other
farm produce would have benefited Hi
nois."
There is now comparatively little land in
California suitable for pasturage that is not
owned by private parties, and nearly all of
1t is more valuable than much of the land
in Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona and
Colorado AS rule, cattle may be pur-
chased in most any of the States named
and shipped to this State more cheaply
than they can be raised here. This is not
the case this year, however, extra demands
in the East making cattle higher than
usual. The freight being less from points
east OF the Sierra Nevada most of the
stock called for has been shipped from the
States named. Ordinarily, however, cattle
can be shipped from Arizona to points in
the San joaquin Valley for 81 per head.
Here they may be fattened upon alfalfa
and sold at profit. They should be
brought during the winter months, how
ever Immediately after the first frosts,
and must be placed on dry feed Ito give
them green alfalfa at once is most disas-
trousl, pumpkins, beets, or similar vegeta-
bles that will act as gentle laxative, and
fresh water. The last is particularly essen
tial, as nothing will disease unacclimated
cattle quicker than impure water. After
about two months on dry feed they are in
proper condition for any rich food that can
be provided, and the process of fattening
can begin without delay or fear of disease
or death from any cause. Alfalfa will fat
ten them quickly.
A sheep law was recently passed in Ne
vada compelling parties who engage in
the sheep industry to pay license of
the first, second, third, fourth, fifth,
sixth and seventh classes. A man who
herds 5000 sheep must pay $500 Ii
cense annually; for 1000 or less than
5000 he must pay 5000 license; 5000 or
less than 1000, $3.50; 1000 and less than
5000, 800; 1900 and less than 1000 shall pay
$75; for 1000 and less than 1900, $25; pro-
vlded, that any man owning one acre of
land for every two sheep he has may not
pay any license. The Yerington Nevada
Rustler says the law will kill the sheep
industry of that State.
William Moore of Lakeside, Kings
County, writes to the Hanford Sentinel
that if he could reach the broom manu-
facturers without the intervention of mid
dlemen, and if the freight rates were lower,
the raising of broom-corn would be profit
able. In 1881 he sold broom-corn for 500
per ton. Finally commission men failed
to keep agreements as to prices and he
stored the broom-corn at considerable cost
for storage and insurance. and eventually
sold for from $40 to $50 per ton. He says
there is combination which prevents the
dealer from securing fair prices.
The tendency in wheat is to develop
EdIIutIS III Odl1lOIHid dlDlOSG WILL
out exception bluestone their wheat prior
to planting. Some claim that wheat al
most invariably becomes smutty if the
seed is not questioned. Others never use
it. Those who farm most extensively as a
rule use the bluestone, while some of them
say they do not know whether or not it is
effective. The editor of the agricultural
department of the CALL will be glad to
have readers give their views concerning
the matter.
E. Bartholomew of Kansas writes to the
American Agriculturist concerning the hot
water treatment:
The hot-water treatment of seed grain
recommended in May 16 issue will certainly
prevent smut in wheat and oats to large
extent. This is the result wherever it has
been carefully tried by farmers or at ex-
pertinent stations, and in my own case |
get less than half of per cent of smutted
oats. against 10 to 10 per cent If the seed is
not treated. When you have once
thoroughly treated your seed the process
need not be repeated for a number of years
if care is taken to keep it from being i'm
pregnated again. Dipping seed oats held
in basket or gunny sack, the usual
method, is a tedious job but | treat ten
bushels of seed oats for hours i'll this way:
Bore a 1H-inch hole in the bottom of
kerosene barrel, cover with wire screen
on inside, fit in 4-inch water-tight bung
SO as not to push up screen; punch thirty
or forty quarterback holes in joint of
6-inch stovepipe from top to bottom (by
slipping it over round post or pole); put
put into barrel oats to depth of six inches,
set pipe in center of barrel and fill oats
around it to top of pipe (Which will require
about five bushels) raise barrel about eigh
teen inches from ground-and you are
ready to apply the hot water. Have on
hand twelve or fourteen gallons of water
heated to $50 degrees. Pour this into the
pipe until it rises to the top and covers
the oats. II there is any inclination to
swim, press them down and spread cloth
over the barrel to keep in the heat. Let
stand ten minutes, then draw water off by
spigot at bottom. The temperature will
be found to have fallen to about 100 degrees,
and should be Immediately raised to 1873
degrees by adding boiling water. When
that temperature has been secured, pour
the water again into the pipe, cover as be-
fore, let stand ten or twelve minutes, draw
the water off, and the seed is ready to be
turned out to dry.
Experience OF recent years has shown
conclusively that the American wool-grow-
ers must pay more attention to the man.
ner in which their woods are prepared for
market. The increased importation of for