The St. Johns herald., 1898-10-08
FARM AND ORCHARD Some Interesting News for the
 RuraliSt
SPOKEN OF IN THIS COLUMN.
| Few Sensible Hints to Suit the Busy Agriculturist.-Items That May
 Benefit Our Readers.
PROCESS OF AGRICULTURE.

PROCESS OF FLORICULTURE.
 A census bulletin, recently issued, affords an interesting exhibit of the statistics of commercial Horticulture. That Horticulture as an industry was in the last census for the first time made a subject of investigation is not sur prising, when it's late development is considered. With the beginning of the lcentury there was in all the country but one commercial florist Gin New York; and from that time until 1S2O but three were added; in 1880 there were but twelve in all; in 1840 but thirty-seven; in 1860 the whole country contained hut IFS. Yet within the last ten years 1900 new concerns have been estab- Iished. and 2SOO since 1870, the census counting in 1890 a total of 1859 of these enterprises 312 of which are owned ! and managed by women. The value of l the total sales reported exceeds SIP 0O0 GOO for plants, and $14,000,00o for , cat EUwGIz. ~7NeW York 5S lar n the l lead with sales of nearly six millions, 1 and Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, IOhiO and Massachusetts follow in order at long distance More than 21, 900, 900 catalogues are issued annually. There is certainly room for great extension of this industry in California, which has shown itself to be so well adapted to the growing of flowers, and especial | ly of garden seeds.
 At present quotations French wal | down | New York about 6% cents for NOyettes. Grenobles will cost considerably more. The honey industry has suffered from the drought with the horticultural in terests. Bee men declare that the pro- ceeds of this years crop will have to be expended very largely in feeding the bees until next spring.
 Hogs are being shipped from Ne braska to Seattle. This looks bad for the growing enterprise of the Pacific states. This coast should be an exporter of all kinds of meat products, cured, canned and on foot.
 The Arrowhead Water company has succeeded in rounding up another 2OOO sheep found trespasSing upon its prop erty in the San Bernardino mountains. The sheep are owned by Lewis Motion of Fl 1'uro, who also owned the other large flock the water company gathered in last week.
 Dr. A. B. Wise, San Bernardino county's veterinarian, has returned from an investigation of cattle diseases in the Mojave river ranch country. and reports that in many instances whole herds of cattle have died of Texas fever. Heroic quarantine remedies will be put in operation.
 Considerable interest is being taken in the possibilities of orange culture Tn the Fresno raisin district. Many ralsln growers have come to the conclusion that there Is more money in growing choice varieties of oranges than raISlns and it is likely that a considerable acreage of young orange plantations will be set out next season.
 Al expert says the government esti- mate of the Canadian wheat crop will be exceeded by over 100000 bushels. He estimated the crop of wheat for Manitoba this year at 32,OOO,OOO Dush- els. and allowing 6,000,0O0 bushels TOT tne northwestern territories, will gi'r total crop nearly double that or last year, and the greatest in the history or the west.
 The horticultural commissioners or San Diego, San Bernardino, Los An geles. Riverside and Orange counties have formed themselves into South- ern California Horticultural commits
 
 Ana, attended by the full board rom Los Angeles and a constitution ana Dy- laws were adopted. Oflcers were elected as follows: E. H. Rust of Pasa- dena, president; McGinnis of San Der nardino, vice-president; Robert I. Cur tis of San Bernardino, secretary ana treasurer. Although the organization will be kept up to give mutual help Ill general horticultural matters, the real object of the new organization Is to combine forces to import a certain parasite from Hawaii, known to be on unfriendly terms with the dreaded purple and red scale. The project or sending a representative Of the or chardists has been discussed for some time and now takes definite shape. The commissioners from the different counties will endeavor to get the tinan- cial support of the boards of super visors, and if they fail in this will try to raise private subscriptions among the orchardists. How the other boards stand in the matter is not known, but the Los Angeles county supervisors rather favor the idea. The ambassador of the scale bugs has not been chosen as yet. Each county will undoubtedly offer a candidate for the position, and the newly-formed commission will be obliged to choose. Inspector COmpere VIII be nominated by Los Angeles. This representative will go to Hawaii in any ! ease. and possibly further. It is be- ieved that the parasite which now fOurishes in Hawaii originally came from China. IT, on investigation. that is found to be the case, the investiga- ton will undoubtedly be carried on to l China. Both the orchardists ana the commissioners are very enthusiastic over the project, and are anxious TOT | the appointment of thoroughly com petent representative.
 THE CALIFORNIA STATE SCHOOL
 BOOK SYSTEn.
 Its Enemies and Its Defenders.