The record-union., 1899-12-04


INFECTED NURSERY STOCK.
Los Angeles Herald: The Horti-
cultural Commissioners have been MAX
ing up their books and it appears that
during the months of September and
October, 100000 citrus trees throughout
the country were fumigated. This treat
ment was almost entirely for black and
red SCALE A close watch is being kept
Just now to prevent the importation in
to the State of rejected nursery stock.
The last Legislature, by an amendment
to the general law governing such mat
tiers, empowered the Horticultural Com
missioners of the several counties to
either return to the consignor such re-
Jected nursery stock, or, if deemed more
advisable, destroy it. Arrangements
nave been made with both of the trans
continental lines and Wells, Fargo &.
Company, by which the Commissioners
are notified of nursery stock arriving.
Deciducus stock from the East is re-
celving particular attention.
IRRIGATED FARMS.
Yreka Journal: Irrigated farms
never wear out. 1t may occur to far
mers who are in the habit of apply
ing large quantities of manure and
FERTILIZER to their lands and raising
only moderate crops, that where irriga-
tlon Is practiced and immense crops
grown every season without intermis-
sion, either increased manuring is nee
essary, or in it's absence, the land, from
the increased drain put upon it will
gradually lose fertility This is not
SHOWN to be the case, however. Where
the 1rrigating water is drawn from sur
lace supplies, it itself furnishes an
everlasting source of fertility The
lands irrigated by the Nile floods, are Of
SURPRISING richness and their tillers
never heard of such things as crop ro-
tation, blowing under cover, manuring
or fertilizing. The ancient irrigated
rice fields of the Philippines, which
yield from four to six times the crop
of the dry-farmed sections, have never
known artificial fertilizing, and in the
United States we have the evidence of
New Mexican farms which have been
under cultivation for $50 years and are
to-day as productive as virgin land. r.
rigation water is both drink and food
RAISINS.
Tulare Times: The California Raisin
Association has paid out so far this
season 81, 517, 1884, and as much more
will be received for the crop This
| means genuine prosperity for raisin-
growers and it was brought about by
organization. Prune-growers can ac-
complish the same result if they will
| make a combination to control the sale
of their fruit. The present season is
most promising to date, and if crop
OF prunes is produced in all districts
next year the only hope for profit to
the grower will be through combina-
ton such as the raisin-growers have
shown to be successful.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Humboldt Standard: In the next
Congress there will be a large appro-
priation for rural free delivery. The
report of Perry Heath shows that rural
free delivery is a success, although the
appropriation stilEAAlits it to the ex-
perimental stage. 1t has been demon :
strated that the average cost to the pop
| ulation served in the whole county is
only 81 cents per capita annually,
| whereas in cities of only 5000 having
| free delivery the cost is at least $3.50
| annually for each inhabitant 1t has
proved that where the roads are fairly
good, the houses near together, and the
population reasonably intelligent letters
| can and should be delivered and col
lected at the farm cross roads. The re-
ports of the success Of the system on
selected routes are almost invariably
| enthusiastic, and it is believed Con-
gress will appropriate at least $1,000,
900 for the extension of the service to
the farmers. It has resulted in an in
crease of the circulation of both daily
and weekly papers, while there has been
an immediate addition to the general
postal revenues. Farmers receive and
write more letters when they can have
them delivered and collected. AS fast
as the money is provided new routes
will be laid out On July LIST the routes
extended over $500 miles. covered an
area of 1867 square miles, served a
population of 273,604, and had handled
9,212.S27 pieces of mail.
A QUESTION OF EGGS.
| San Jose Mercury: The Portland
Telegram wants to know why stale,
| imported eggs retail in that State at
| % or 80 cents a dozen. And why" it
continues, should any eggs be i'm
ported at all? Why can't, or why don't,
Oregonians supply the home market
with plenty of fresh eggs? Why can
| the farmers of Missouri and Iowa ex-
port millions of dozens of eggs annual
| ly, and have all they can use besides,
while almost every year Oregon has to
send to those States for eggs, and pay
twice their price there for stale eggs?"
| The "Telegram's' inquiry will apply
| with equal pertinency to California. 1t
| is an old problem, and one which the
State Press takes time occasionally to
discuss, but it's solution appears to be
| as far distant as ever. Shipments Of
Eastern poultry and eggs into this
State are made almost continuously
| during the winter months, and right
here in San Jose they may be found in
! the market at any time between No
vember and March. Yet all the natural
| conditions essential to successful poul-
try raising exist in Santa Clara Valley.
! We have no freezing winter weather.
The climate is mild all the year
round Water is abundant, and all
that is required to make the business
profitable is that special knowledge and
attention which are requisite for sue
cess in any business. Why, then, do
we have to send abroad for poultry
and eggs?
The trouble is. we think, that nine
persons out of ten who undertake to
raise poultry do so with the convic-
ton that all that is needed is yard
and few sacks of wheat. They ex-
pect to make money without any out
| lay, and without devoting their time
and energy to the business They would
not think of opening store, or CT