The record-union., 1899-05-25
Agriculture
and
Horticulture.

The following news of agricultural
and horticultural matters will doubtless
interest those who care for what is
going on in the growing belt:
A FREAK CHICKEN.
Oroville Mercury: Mrs E. j. Pierson
of Oroville discovered recently among
new batch, a dead chicken, which, as
a freak, seems to be in advance Of any
thing yet reported. Four legged chick
ems, wingless chickens and double
headed chicks are tame beside this one,
which, while perfectly formed in every
other respect, has but one eye and that
III its mouth. The eyeball, which is ap-
parently we'll formed, is situated in
what should be the chickens throat,
between the upper and lower bills. The
lower part of the bill is perfectly
formed, but the upper portion is cut
short. ,fhe position of the eyeball
causes the mouth to remain open. Inc
chick is also minus ears, but aside from
the deformed head it was apparently
fine chick
CATTLE INSTEAD OF SHEEP.
Lassen Advocate: We have been in
formed by men who have recently
passed over the intervening country,
that there are now on the way, being
driven from Butte and Tehama Coun-
ties large droveS Of cattle to be placed
on the open northern ranges. Inc
papers in those sections have been pub
fishing accounts of the purchase by
Doug. Cone, principally, of large bands
of cattle and it seems as if some little
danger might be expected to result to
the stock interests of Lassen. We
don't know where these cattle came
from. 1t is presumed they are free from
infection, although the presumption
may not be justified; and in view of the
possibilities, it certainly seems to US
more danger to our stock industry is
, to be apprehended from outside cattle
>than from the annual influx of sheep.
1t>~seems, also just as certain that
stock of all kinds should be licensed,
as that one kind should be made to pay
for the privilege of eating off our
ranges. The Advocate has favored
a general stock license, and still thinks
it the only just and proper system.
ADVANTAGE OF ALFALFA.
Biggs Argus: The information i'm
parted to the farmers at the Farmers
Institute, held in Biggs on the 10th
instant. by Professor Douglas T. Fow-
ler regarding the superiority of alfalfa
as food for stock is of great value, and
yetwe doubt if many who were present
will be benefited by it, simply because
they have become welded to old habits
and old ideas until nothing but the fall
of the foreclosure hammer of the Sheriff
will divorce them from d-fashioned
notions. It has been, established be-
V0nd ClJpction that alfalfa 6aV mixed
with wheat straw possesses all the
properties combined in the best wheat,
oat or barley hay, including the cereal
itself usually fed to work stock. Hence
the farmer who feeds his stock nothing
but straw and alfalfa hay mixed gives
to that stock the same quality of bone
and sinew, fat and life-sustaining food
as the man who feeds both ordinary
hay and ground barley, wheat or oats,
and at less than half the cost. Alfalfa
ehslage when fed to mileh cows, COM
bines the succulent qualities of green
grass, the bone. muscle and butter fat
making properties of bran, ground
barley or other grain. and hence it is
the best food that can be used. Another
advantage of alfalfa is the fact that it
requires a hot climate to produce it,
such as we have in Butte County. The
most progressive farmers in Butte
County are those who have found that
1t does not pay to compete with foreign
competitors in wheat growing, and they
are now taking up diversified farming
and devoting more study to the cultiva-
tion of alfalfa and classified products.
A CLEAR MARKET.
The Calistogan: The Pacific Tree
and Vine reports that last seasons
cured apricots and peaches are prac-
tfcally all gone and that prunes are we'll