The record-union., 1899-09-18

There is just now great interest IN
Pacific Coast agriculture and horlcull-
ure, for which reason the following VIII
be of intereset:
FRUIT FOR MANILA.
San Jose Mercury: 1t is only right
that the fruit-growers of California
should be given an opportunity to sup
ply to the Government certain kinds or
dried fruits that are nutritious ana
healthful and that would be deslr-
able addition to the dietary of the army
in the Philippines. The War Depart
ment has an agent in San Francisco,
and he has invited bids for supplies OF
cured prunes and other dried fruit, but
the conditions required of the bidder
are so unreasonable that it is unsafe
to bid. The successful bidder, as the
California Fruit-Grower' explains, is
asked to pack and ship the fruit under
certain instructions to be furnished
him, subject to inspection and accept
ance in Manila after a trying ocean
voyage and in a tropical port Nor is
this all, for the successful bidder must
not only take all chances of his having
his goods rejected by the Government
inspectors in far-off country, remote
from other markets, but he must wait
for his money, if the fruit is finally ac-
cepted, until the shipment is heard
from, and passed upon at Washington,
d. C.
It certainly seems, as that journal
says, "as though the Government
should have official purveyors in San
Francisco competent to inspect and ac-
cept cured fruits, thus minimizing the
hardships that are inseparable from an
inspection and acceptance in the Phil
ippines and the red tape methods that
must be observed before coin is forth
coming for the goods"
CATTLE IN DEMAND.
Redding Searchlight: The ends of
the earth are being secured for cattle.
The Corvallis Times says that re-
cent phase in the search was the ar
rival at Yaquina Bay of a small steam
er from Humboldt with several hum
dred head of calves, destined for the
Montana ranges. The buyer passed
through Corvallis the other day en-
route to Albany and Portland to make
arrangements to carry his calves to
their destination by rail. If suitable
terms cannot be secured, he will drive.
The calves came from the dairy region
in the western slopes of the Coast
Range of Northern California
KILLING TREES
Willows Record: A correspondent of
the Country Gentleman" tells how to
get rid of undesirable trees. For the
last twenty years / have applied COM
mon fine salt to every stump of tree
or shrub as soon as cut that [ wish to
destroy, without failure. My first
experience was with ailanhus and
lilacs: next was twelve acres of land
covered with a second growth of all the
varieties of the northern oaks and hick-
ory, soft maple, white thorn and noun
tain willow, using twelve barrels OF
salt. I have also applied it to stumps
of Lombary poplar, which is very te-
nacious Of life, and / have not fall
ure to report.
I apply about one-half teaspoon
ful to a small shrub and half peck
on a stump measuring two feet In
diameter, varying according to size.
recommend late summer or early fall
as the best season for cutting and salt
ing for the reason that the downward
flow of sap at that season will carry the
dissolved salt. which is poison to all tree
growth, to the extremity of the out
reaching roots.
THE APPLE OUTLOOK.
New York Produce Record: In no
previous season has the apple situa-
tion been so perplexing to buyers and
dealers as it has been this year. While
the yield promises to more than double
that of last year, it is scattered
throughout the apple-bearing States.
and no section has a full crop. 1t has
been difficult therefore to convince
growers that there will be a much
larger crop than last year, and that