The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-05

The following news pertaining to ag-
ricultural and horticultural matters on
the Pacific cast should be Of general in
terest:
sPINEAPPLES IN DIPHTHERIA.
California Fruit Grower: Pineapple is
said to be an excellent remedy for diph-
liberia. The pineapples are compressed
and the juice is. used as drink. The
juice cuts or burns out the membrane
Of diphtheria rapidly. Constitutional
medicines are always necessary. The
juice is local remedy only and taken
in teaspoonful doses every two hour,
undiluted. Certain journals assert that
pineapple juice acts so promptly that
few if any cases of diphtheria perish.
1t is harmless and agreeable and eff
cacious.
Pineapple juice by analysis contains
sugar, water, alburnen, citric acid, malic-
acid, tannin and cellulose. Citric acid
is found in lemons, oranges and plums,
and has been used in malignant throat
diseases for many years. Any mild acid
acts we'll in diphtheria, especially when
found combined, as in the pineapple.
MILLIONS OF ORANGES.
Pasadena Star: Twenty thousand
carloads Of oranges is the Santa FEES
estimate Of the coming seasons Eastern
shipment. That is big figure, and
sounds too large, but it ought to be
correct, for the company has taken the
trouble to gather the data piecemeal,
through its local agents in the various
sections, and many Of these representa-
t1ves are, besides, experienced freight
agents who know how to get informa-
ton and are not likely to be deceived.
How big these would look in trains is
surprising to contemplate A train of
twenty cars is a big one, and takes a
level country for one engine to haul it.
Take a thousand such trains and they
would cover a good part of the distance
across the plains; yet that is the size
Of the proposition.
The grain and hay crops, while not
exceptional, will be fair, grain espec-
tally being in excellent shape in the
northern part Of the State, while a
good crop will be harvested south of
Tehachapi- Lemons will harvest large,
and deciduous fruits are promising
we'll. The railroad officials take no
stock in the calamity bowls which have
gone abroad about hard times in South
fern California of late, and say that all
such reports are exaggerated and not
warranted by the facts.
WESTERN FLAX.
Fresno Watchman: The subject of
dax-growing is attracting attention in
California at this time, along with other
branches of the fiber industry Good
hemp is grown in this State, and there
seems to be no reason why fax should
not succeed as Well. In Oregon flax
culture has proved profitable, and ex-'
periments at the State Penitentiary
have proved that good bags may be
made from it. As early as 1869 fax
was successfully grown at Tomales,
Cal, by the late John Keys, who sent
SAMPLES of his crop to Ireland, where
experts said it was equal to any grown
in the island. For some reason not ex-
plained-perhaps the death of Mr..
KeyS-his experiment was not followed
up. 1t may be that at the time ne
planted fax the markets were not as
favorable as they are now for the sale
of the fiber.
KILLING SQUIRRELS.
Tulare Times: A number of men in
this part Of the country are making
| good wages poisoning squirrels for the
bounty paid by the county. From two
to five hundred day is not considered
heavy catch, and as the tails are
worth 3 cents each it will be seen that
the business beats pitching hay at at
$3.50 a day. But the business will be
short-lived, as the best territory-that
is, where squirrels most abound-has
been worked or is claimed. OF course,
| those who work for profit hunt the
thickest colonies. They do not go far
- cd e
and where these are left in out-of-the-
way corners there will be enough to
soon raise population to possess the
land. If ranchers would take the trou-
bic to clean out the corners the squirrel
nuisance would be abated for some
time.
AMBITIOUS POTATO ROOTS.
Farmers Voice: An interesting ex-
pertinent was once made by Professor
Sturtevant to ascertain the depth to
which the potato sends its root after
food Early in August he selected a
potato to plant which was growing on
a high ridge, the seed having been
| planted six inches deep. BY digging
trench alongside, SO as to expose a; sec
| ton of the soil, and then washing out
| the roots with a stream of water. he
found one root reaching thirty-four
inches below the tubers, or twenty-five
inches below the surface of the ground
between the ridges. The deeper roots
appeared more fibrous than those that
We're near the surface, and they dimin-
| ished very little in size after attaining
a distance of six inches from the stem.
| Very few roots We're found above the
| tubers, and such as were found were
short and thick.
CHEAP IRRIGATION.
Red Bluff News: Through the kind
| ness of r. w. Coates the .'News'' re-
porter was given an opportunity to see
! General N. r. Chipmans new pumping
plant ON the bank of the Sacramento
River, about two miles north OF Red
Bluff. 1t comprises an iron shed which
protects a boiler and engine used in
pumping water direct from the river,
which flows by the side The engine is
of twenty-five horse power and operates
a pump located lower down on the river
bank which draws from 900 to 800 gall
Ions a minute, which is forced through
| water pipe, varying from ten to
eleven inches, along a line for about a
quarter OF a mile to rise Of forty feet,
from which point 1T is conveyed in
bitches over large acreage. There is
besides the above line two seven inch
lines of pipe for about one-half the first
distance, and the bitches are SO con-
structed that the water can be con-
veyed to a reservoir on the lands of
about seven acres. but which is fed at
present by water from the lumber COM
pany's fume By these two means the
~