Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-08-28
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS OF IN
TEREST HERE AND ABROAD.


! TEREsT HERE AND. ABROAD.
Exports Of California Fruits-Shor'
Crops All Around-lrrisation in the
Rainbelt States-Preservins Cali
fornia Forests.
Another American invasion has
! landed in Europe. This time II
started way off in California In the
Sacramento valley, and proceeded on
special cars to New York where II
was hurried into waiting steamer 70
be transported to the British capitol
on the Thames. 1t is big undertake
| ing to send perishable fruits, 60OO
miles from home, and place whole
trainload of the product on the market
in the face of competitors who have
supplied that particular market for
years. California fruit has been sold
| in England before this, but up till now
no effort has been made literally 10
capture the market from the Latin
race along the shores of the Med1ter-
ranean. The fact that the California
fruit reached London within two weeks
from the date of it's being picked, and
was placed on the market in good con-
dition and brought a fair price, is most
encouraging and 1t is expected that
further ventures of this kind will soon
be made In the meantime, would 1t
not be well for the southern and east
ern fruit growers to study the situa-
ton and make plans to reach out and
sell their products at further dist
ance from home than the back gate?
The time is rapidly approaching
when the crop results for the season
can be accurately forecast. The sea-
son for extremely hot weather Is prac-
tically over and the likelihood of
further damaging rains grows less
every day as summer merges into
autumn. The principal weather
factors to be consideded now are the
amount of sunshine needed and dam
ger of frost. From September list in
the northern states until the corn is
quite ripe there is much uneasiness
as to the outcome. Taken as a whole
the crops this year are certain to be
below the average yield, but in no case
marked failure, with the exception of
peaches. The will be a deficiency in
cotton, corn, oats and wheat, amount
ing to perhaps or 5 per cent The
apple crop is generally good and pota-
toes are plentiful. Prices for farm
products continue good and promise to
go higher. Only the other day wheat
sold at 800 a bushel in Minneapolis.
The outlook seems to be for gener-
ally prosperous year. even though Wall
street stocks go down to next to
nothing.
The matter of irrigation at critical
times In the humid districts of the
middle and New England states is one
that Is receiving considerable atten-
ton and investigation. 1t Is well
known fact that there are times when
water artificially applied would be of
great assistance to some crops. especf-
ally of the market garden variety,
small fruits, etc. In the case OF
fruits a drouth just at the time they |
are nearing maturity is often sufficient
to injure the crops greatly. while a |
little opportune precipitation would |
bring an immense yield. The case of
strawberries is cited in this connec- |
ton. One thorough irrigation at a |
wisconsin farm of crop just begin
ming to ripen. and on which no rain
had fallen for the preceding IS days, |
almost doubled the yield. The fruit
from the irrigated rows was much |
arger and its market value conse-
|uently much increased because Of the
irrigation. Unirrigated crops in the
were almost failure.
IN Connecticut irrigation increased the
otal yield in one case III per cent,
md In another case 1855 per cent. The
irrigated berries were larger but a lit
lie later than the non-irrigated ones,
nut they brought two cents more
quart in the open market. Where
irrigation is practiced, the water
hould be applied in the burrows about
he fruiting time, and allowed slowly
o flow down them rather than by
ooding.
Out in California the wisdom of :
aking precautions to protect and pre- |
erve the trees is beginning to be I
ppreciated. The need of systematic ,
teps along this line is so urgently felt :
hat the last legislature made an ap- ,
ropriation of $4,000 to be expended .
n this work, provided the Bureau of
'orestry of the U. S. Agricultural
department would expend like sum {
nd CO operate in the work. This 1
he latter has agreed to do and work |
about to begin. A study will be
lade of all the lands owned by the G
tate in order to determine the uses y
D which they can best be put, who 6
hould administer them, and what .
ort of administration they should :
ave- A forest map of California will .
e made. showing the location of all II
,rest areas and distinguishing be- b
yeen the different kinds of forest. L
1 connection with the forest map will a
e study of important trees in order a
learn with exactness the CONNER
al range of the valuable species. An a
lvestigation will be made of the eff
cts of numbering on the forest in or
ar to determine what ought to be 3
Dne to cut-over lands. 1t is of great II
nportance to know what happens to u
lie land in different parts of the tim &c
cred regions after 1t is cut over by s.
e lumberman, whether it comes up
rain in timber or whether it becomes q,
aste land. The effects of fire on the ~
rest, especially after numbering and :.
hat may be done by the state to pre- y, -
mt fire are subjects that will take III
ng time to work out. A study of LII
e chaparral lands of Southern Cali tn
rnia will be undertaken in order to fe
arm whether it will pay to plant them re
It'll timber trees. A very interesting Pa
estion has been raised as to whether 80
aparral-which includes a great va 70
,ty of scrub trees, such as manzanita, -,
rub oak, valley mahogany, and scrub :"
erry-will retain the moisture in the
IL as well as timber trees. The re- UT
Its of these separate investigations OF
II he yatbara5 fapatbar apd pal