,one ,thousand ,questions in ,california ,agriculture ,answered ,by ,e4 ,j4 ,wickson ,professor of ,horticulture1 ,university of ,california2 ,editor of ,pacific ,rural ,press2 ,author of ,california ,fruits and ,how to ,grow ,them and ,california ,vegetables in ,garden and ,field1 etc4 ,foreword ,this brochure is not a systematic treatise in catechetical form intended to cover what the writer holds to be most important to know about ,california agricultural practices4 ,it is simply a classified arrangement of a thousand or more questions which have been actually asked1 and to which answers have been undertaken through the columns of the ,pacific ,rural ,press1 a weekly journal of agriculture published in ,san ,francisco4 ,whatever value is claimed for the work is based upon the assumption that information1 which about seven hundred people have actually asked for1 would be also interesting and helpful to thousands of other people4 ,if you do not find in this compilation what you desire to know1 submit your question to the ,pacific ,rural ,press1 ,san ,francisco1 in the columns of which answers to agricultural questions are weekly set forth at the rate of five hundred or more each year4 ,this publication is therefore intended to answer a thousand questions for you and to encourage you to ask a thousand more4 ,e4 ,j4 ,wickson4 ,contents ,part ,i4 ,fruit ,growing ,part ,,ii4 ,vegetable ,growing ,part ,,iii4 ,grain and ,forage ,crops ,part ,,iv4 ,soils1 ,irrigation1 and ,fertilizers ,part ,v4 ,live ,stock and ,dairy ,part ,,vi4 ,feeding ,animals ,part ,,vii4 ,diseases of ,animals ,part ,,viii4 ,poultry ,keeping ,part ,,ix4 ,pests and ,diseases of ,plants ,part ,x4 ,index ,part ,i4 ,fruit ,growing ,depth of ,soil for ,fruit4 ,would four feet of good loose soil be enough for lemons8 ,four feet of good soil1 providing the underlying strata are not charged with alkali1 would give you a good growth of lemon trees if moisture was regularly present in about the right quantity1 neither too much nor too little1 and the temperature conditions were favorable to the success of this tree1 which will not stand as much frost as the orange4 ,temperatures for ,citrus ,fruits4 ,what is the lowest temperature at which grapefruit and lemons will succeed8 ,the grapefruit tree is about as hardy as the orange2 the lemon is much more tender4 ,the fruit of citrus trees will be injured by temperature at the ordinary freezing point if continued for some little time1 and the tree itself is likely to be injured by a temperature of #be or #bg if continued for a few hours4 ,the matter of duration of a low temperature is perhaps quite as important as the degree which is actually reached by the thermometer4 ,the condition of the tree as to being dormant or active also affects injury by freezing temperatures4 ,under certain conditions an orange tree may survive a temperature of #ae ,fahrenheit4 ,roots for ,fruit ,trees4 ,i wish to bud from certain trees that nurseries probably do not carry1 as they came from a seedling4 ,is there more than one variety of myrobalan used1 and if so1 is one as good as another8 ,if ,i take sprouts that come up where the roots have been cut1 will they make good trees8 ,i have tried a few1 now three years old1 and the trees are doing nicely so far1 but the roots sprout up where cut4 ,i am informed that if ,i can raise them from slips they will not sprout up from the root4 ,will apricots and peaches grafted or budded on myrobalan produce fruit as large as they will if grafted on their own stock8 ,experience seems to be clear that from sprouts you will get sprouts4 ,we prefer rooted cuttings to sprouts1 but even these are abandoned for seedling roots of the common deciduous fruits and of citrus fruits also4 ,the apricot does well enough on the myrobalan if the soil needs that root2 they are usually larger on the peach root or on apricot seedlings4 ,the peach is no longer worked on the myrobalan in this ,state4 ,one seedling of the cherry plum is about as good a myrobalan as another4 ,what ,will the ,sucker ,be8 ,i have a ,japanese plum tree which bears choice plums4 ,three years ago a strong young shoot came up from the root of it1 which ,i dug out and planted4 ,will it make a bearing tree in time and be of like quality with the parent8 ,it will certainly bear something when it gets ready4 ,whether it will be like the parent tree depends upon the wood from which the sucker broke out4 ,if the young tree was budded very low1 or if it was planted low1 or if the ground has been shifted so as to bring the wood above the bud in a place to root a sucker1 the fruit will be that of the parent tree4 ,if the shoot came from the root below the bud1 you will get a duplication of whatever stock the plum was budded on in the nursery4 ,it might be a peach or an almond or a cherry plum4 ,of course you can study the foliage and wood growth of the sucker1 and thus get an idea of what you may expect4 ,tree ,planting on ,coast ,sands4 ,i wish to plant fruit trees on a sandy mesa well protected from winds about a mile from the coast4 ,the soil is a light sandy loam4 ,i intend to dig the holes for the trees this fall1 each hole the shape of an inverted cone1 about #d feet deep and #e feet across1 and put a half-load of rotten stable manure in each hole this fall4 ,the winter's rains would wash a large amount of plant food from this manure into the ground4 ,in ,march ,i propose to plant the trees1 shoveling the surrounding soil on top of the manure and giving a copious watering to ensure the compact settling of the soil about and below the roots4 ,the roots would be about a foot above the manure4 ,on such a light sandy soil you can use stable manure more safely than you could elsewhere1 providing you have water handy to use if you should happen to get too much coarse matter under the tree1 which would cause drying out of the soil4 ,if you do get plenty of water to guard against this danger1 you are likely to use too much and cause the trees to grow too fast4 ,be very sure the manure is well rotted and use one load to ten holes instead of two4 ,whether you kill the trees or cause them to grow aright depends upon how you use water after planting4 ,a ,wrong ,idea of ,inter-,planting4 ,what forage plant can ,i grow in a newly planted orchard8 ,the soil is on a gently inclined hillside - red1 decomposed rock1 very deep1 mellow1 fluffy1 and light1 and deep down is clayish in character4 ,it cannot be irrigated1 therefore ,i wish to put out a drought-resisting plant which could be harvested1 say1 in ,june or ,july1 or even later4 ,i find the following plants1 but ,i cannot decide which one is the best3 ,yellow soja bean1 speltz1 ,egyptian corn1 ,jerusalem corn1 yellow ,milo maize1 or one of the millets4 ,what do you think8 ,do not think for a moment about planting any such plant between orchard trees which are to subsist on rainfall without irrigation4 ,your trees will have difficulty enough in making satisfactory growth on rainfall1 and would be prevented from doing so if they had to divide the soil moisture with crops planted between them4 ,the light1 deep soils which you mention1 resulting from decomposed rock1 are not retentive enough1 and1 even with the large rainfall of your region1 may require irrigation to carry trees through the latter summer and early fall growth4 ,what ,slopes for ,fruit8 ,i want to plant some apples and berries4 ,one man says plant them on the east or south slope of the hill and they will be ripe early4 ,another man says not to do that1 for when the sun hits the trees or vines in the morning before the frost is off1 it will kill all the blossoms1 and as they would be on the warm side of the hill they would blossom earlier and there will be more frosts to injure them4 ,i am told to plant them on the north or west side of the hill1 where it is cold1 and they will blossom later and will therefore have less frosts to bother them1 and the frost will be almost off before the sun hits them in the morning4 ,fruit is grown on all slopes in our foothills1 depending on local conditions4 ,on the whole1 we should choose the east and north slopes rather than the east and south1 because there is less danger of injury from too great heat4 ,in some cases what is said to you about the less danger of injury from frosts on the north and west slopes would be true4 ,all these things depend upon local conditions1 because there is so much difference in heat and frost and similar slopes at different elevations and exposures4 ,there can never be a general rule for it in a ,state so endowed with varying conditions as ,california is4 ,trees ,over ,underflow4 ,i have planted fruit trees near the creek1 where they do not have to be irrigated as the ground there holds sufficient moisture for them1 but a neighbor tells me that on account of the moisture being so near the surface the trees will not bear fruit well1 although they will grow and have all the appearances of health4 ,shallow soil above standing water is not good for fruit trees4 ,a shallow soil over moving water or underflow1 such as you might expect from a creek bank1 is better4 ,the effect of water near the surface depends also upon the character of the soil1 being far more dangerous in the case of a heavy clay soil than in the case of a light loam1 through which water moves more readily and does not rise so far or so rapidly by capillary action4 ,if the trees are thrifty they will bear when they attain a sufficient age and stop the riotous growth which is characteristic of young trees with abundant moisture4 ,if trees have too much water for their health1 it will be manifested by the rotting of their roots1 the dying of their branches1 the cropping out of mushroom fungi at the base and other manifestations of distress4 ,so long as the tree is growing well1 maintains good foliage to the tip of the branches and is otherwise apparently strong1 it may be expected to bear fruit in due time4 ,the ,june ,drop4 ,i am sending four peaches which are falling off the trees4 ,can you tell me how to prevent falling of the fruit next year and what causes it8 ,it is impossible to tell from the peaches which you send what caused their falling4 ,where fruit passes the pollination stage successfully1 as these fruits have1 the dropping is generally attributed to some conditions affecting the growth of the tree1 which never have been fully determined4 ,it is of such frequent occurrence that it is called the ,june drop1 and it usually takes place in ,may in ,california4 ,as the cause is not understood no rational preventive has been reached4 ,a general treatment which consists in keeping the trees in good growing condition late enough during the previous season1 that is1 by seeing to it that they do not suffer from lack of moisture which causes them to close their growing season too soon before preparation for the following year's crop is made1 is probably the best way to strengthen the tree for its burden4 ,trees ,over a ,gravel ,streak4 ,i have an apricot orchard seven years old4 ,most of the land is a fairly heavy clay with a strip of gravel in the middle running nearly north and south4 ,the trees on the clay bear good crops1 but those on the gravel are usually much lighter in bearing and this year had a very light crop4 ,can you tell me of anything ,i can do to make them bear8 ,the trees are large and healthy looking1 and grow big crops of brush4 ,we should try some water in ,july on the gravel streak1 hoping to continue activity in the tree later to induce formation of strong fruit for the following year4 ,on the clay loam the soil does this by its superior retentiveness4 ,fruit and ,overflow4 ,i have #af acres of rich bottom-land that overflows and is under water from #bd to #dh hours4 ,i would like to set the ground to fruit trees1 either prunes1 pears1 apricots1 or peaches4 ,would it be safe to set them on such land8 ,fruit trees will endure overflowing1 providing the water does not exclude the air too long and providing the soil is free enough so that the soil does not remain full of water after the surface flow disappears4 ,if the soil does not naturally drain itself and the water is forced to escape by surface evaporation1 probably the situation is not satisfactory for any kind of fruit trees4 ,overflow is more likely to be dangerous to fruit trees during the growing season than during the dormant season1 and yet on well-drained soil even a small overflow may not be injurious on a free soil1 if not continued too long4 ,prunes on plum root1 and pears will endure wet soil better than apricots or peaches4 ,fruit ,trees and ,sunburn4 ,how long is it wise to leave protection around young fruit trees set out in ,march in this hot valley8 ,the trees are doing well1 but we could not tell when to take away protection4 ,it is necessary to maintain the protection from sunburn all through the autumn1 for the autumn sun is often very hot1 and as the sap flow lessens1 the danger of burning is apparently greater4 ,the bark also must be protected against the spring sunshine1 even before the leaves appear4 ,so long as the sun has a chance at the bark1 you must protect it from sunburn4 ,replanting in ,orchard4 ,is it considered a good plan to set the tree at once in the place where one has died1 or is it better to wait a year before replacing8 ,it is not necessary to wait a year in making a replanting4 ,get out all the old roots you can by digging a large hole1 fill in with fresh soil1 and your tree will accept the situation4 ,whole ,roots or ,piece ,roots4 ,for commercial apple orchards which is preferable1 trees grafted on piece roots or on whole roots8 ,on behalf of the piece-root trees it is claimed they sprout up less around the tree4 ,on the other hand1 it is claimed they never make a vigorous tree4 ,what is the truth8 ,value depends rather upon what sort of a growth the tree makes afterward than upon what it starts upon4 ,theoretically perhaps a whole-root tree may be demonstrated to be better2 practically1 we cannot see that it becomes so necessarily1 because we have trees planted at a time when the root graft on a piece was the general rule in propagation4 ,after all1 is it not more important to have soil conditions and culture of such character that a great root can grow in the orchard than to have a whole nursery concentrated in the root of the yearling tree8 ,as for the claim that a root graft on a piece-root never makes a vigorous tree1 we know that is nonsense4 ,planting ,deciduous ,fruit ,trees4 ,in order to gain time1 ,i have thought of planting apples and pears this fall1 in the belief ,i would be just that much nearer a crop1 than though ,i waited until next spring4 ,the land is sandy loam2 no irrigation4 ,would you advise fall or spring planting8 ,if fall1 would it be best to plow the land now1 turning in the stubble from hay crop1 or wait until time to plant before plowing8 ,you will not be any nearer a crop1 for next summer's growth will be the first in either case4 ,on land not liable to be too wet in winter1 it is1 however1 best to plant early1 say during the month of ,december1 if the ground is in good condition and sufficiently moist4 ,if the year's rainfall has been scant1 wait until the land is well wet down1 for it is never desirable to plant when the soil is not in the right condition1 no matter what the calendar may say4 ,on a sandy loam early planting is nearly always safe and desirable4 ,on lands which are too wet and liable to be rendered very cold by the heavy ,january rains1 planting had better be deferred until ,february1 or as soon as the ground gets in good condition after these heavy rains4 ,whenever you plant1 it will be desirable to plow the land either in advance of the rains1 if it is workable1 or as soon as rain enough comes to make it break up well4 ,it is very seldom desirable to postpone plowing until the actual time of planting comes4 ,budding ,fruit ,trees4 ,is it better to bud in old bark of an old tree or in younger wood bark8 ,how do you separate old bark without breaking it in lifting the bark8 ,buds may be placed in old bark of fruit trees to a certain extent4 ,the orange and the olive work better that way than do the deciduous trees1 although buds in old bark of the peach have done well4 ,they should1 however1 be inserted early in the season while the sap flow is active and the old bark capable of lifting2 if the bark sticks1 do not try budding4 ,in spite of these facts1 nearly all budding of deciduous trees is done in bark of the current year's growth4 ,starting ,fruit ,trees from ,seed4 ,how shall ,i start1 and when1 the following seeds3 ,peach1 plums1 apricots1 walnuts1 olives and cherries8 ,in the ,east we used to plant them in the fall1 so as to have them freeze2 as it does not freeze enough here1 what do ,i have to do8 ,do just the same4 ,in ,california1 heat and moisture cause the parting of the seed-cover1 more slowly perhaps1 but just as surely as the frost at the ,east4 ,early planting of all fruit pits and nuts is desirable for two reasons4 ,first1 it prevents too great drying and hardening and other changes in the seed1 because the soil moisture prevents it2 second1 it gives plenty of time for the opening and germination first mentioned4 ,but early planting must be in ground which is loamy and light rather than heavy1 because if the soil is so heavy as to become water-logged the kernel is more apt to decay than to grow4 ,where there is danger of this1 the seed can be kept in boxes of sand1 continually moist1 but not wet1 by use of water1 and planted out1 as sprouting seeds1 after the coldest rains are over1 say in ,february4 ,cherry and plum seeds should be kept moist after taking from the fruit2 very little is usually had from dry seeds4 ,the other fruits will stand considerable drying4 ,very few olives are from the seed1 because of reversion to wild types - also because it is so much easier to get just the variety you want by growing trees from cuttings4 ,mailing ,scions4 ,which is the best way to send scions by mail8 ,wax the ends of mature cuttings1 remove the leaves and enclose in a tight tin canister with no wet packing material4 ,nursery ,stock in ,young ,orchard4 ,how will it do to raise1 for two or three years1 a lot of orange seedlings between the rows of young three-year-old orange trees8 ,i see that a nurseryman near me has done this1 and his trees are more flourishing than mine4 ,it can be done all right1 as your own observation affirms4 ,the superior appearance of the trees may be due to the additional water1 and fertilizer probably1 used to push the seedlings2 possibly also to extra cultivation given them4 ,it all depends upon what policy is observed in growing the seedlings2 if something more than usual is done for their sakes1 the trees may get their share and manifest it4 ,if not1 the trees will be robbed by the seedlings1 and there is likely to be loss by both4 ,there is no advantage in the mere fact that both are grown2 there may be in the way they are grown4 ,whether there is money value in the operation or not depends upon how many undertake it4 ,square or ,triangular ,planting4 ,what is your opinion on triangular planting as compared with square planting8 ,planting in squares is the prevailing method4 ,the triangular plan is not a good one when one contemplates removing trees planted as fillers4 ,the orchard should either be planned in the square or quincunx form4 ,in the latter case individual trees can be easily removed2 in the other case rows can be removed - leaving the rows which you wish to keep equidistant from each other4 ,killing ,stumps by ,medication4 ,will boring into green stumps and inserting a handful of saltpeter kill the roots and cause the stump to readily burn up a few months later8 ,we have tried all kinds of prescriptions and have never killed a stump which had a mind to live4 ,many trees can be killed by cutting to stumps when in full growth1 whether they are bored or not4 ,others will sprout in spite of all medicinal insertions we know of when these are placed in the inner wood of the stump4 ,we believe a stump can be killed by sufficient contact with the inner bark layer of arsenic1 bluestone1 gasoline1 and many other things1 but it is not easy to arrange for such sufficient contact1 and it would probably cost more than it would to blow or pull out the stump4 ,one reader1 however1 assures us that he has killed large eucalyptus stumps by boring three holes in the stump with an inch auger1 near the outer rim of the stump1 placing therein a tablespoonful of potassium cyanide and saltpeter mixture 7half and half71 and plugging tightly4 ,another says3 ,give the stumps a liberal application of salt1 say a half-inch all over the top1 and let the fog and rain dissolve and soak down1 and you will not have much trouble with suckers4 ,planting ,fruit ,trees on ,clearings4 ,we wish to plant orchard trees on land cleared this winter3 manzanita and chaparral1 but also some oaks and large pines and groves of small pines4 ,we have been told that trees planted under such conditions1 the ground containing the many small roots that we cannot get out1 would not do well4 ,are the bad effects of the small roots liable to be serious2 also1 would lime or any other common fertilizer counteract the bad effects8 ,proceed with the planting1 as you are ready for it1 and take the chances of root injury4 ,it may be slight2 possibly even absent4 ,carefully throw out all root pieces1 as you dig the hole1 and exclude them from the earth which you use in filling around the roots1 and in the places where large trees stood1 fill the holes with soil from a distance4 ,much depends upon how clean the clearing was4 ,no considerable antiseptic effect could be expected from lime and the soil ought to be strong enough to grow good young trees without enrichment4 ,the pear1 fig and ,california black walnut are some of the most resistant among fruit-bearing trees1 and these may usually be planted with safety4 ,the cherry is the most resistant of the stone fruits4 ,the toadstool disease occasionally affects young apple trees recently set out1 but it is not usually serious on established trees4 ,dipping ,roots of ,fruit ,trees4 ,in planting an almond orchard would it be of any benefit to dip the young trees in a solution of bluestone and lime dissolved8 ,we doubt if it would serve any good purpose4 ,if done at all the dip should be carefully prepared in accordance with the formula for bordeaux mixture1 for excess of bluestone will kill roots4 ,healthy trees do not need such treatment1 and we doubt if unhealthy ones can be rendered safe or desirable by it4 ,preparing for ,fruit ,planting4 ,what effect will a crop of wheat have on new cleared land1 to be planted in fruit trees later on8 ,one crop of wheat or barley will make no particular difference with the cleared land which you expect to plant to fruit later4 ,it would be better to grow a cultivated crop like corn1 potatoes1 beets1 squashes1 etc41 because this crop would require summer cultivation which would kill out many weeds or sprouts and leave your land in better shape for planting4 ,depth in ,planting ,fruit ,trees4 ,i have been advised to plant the bud scar above ground in a wet country4 ,is that right8 ,on ordinary good loam1 plant the tree so that it will stand about the same as it did in the nursery3 a little lower1 perhaps1 but not much4 ,the bud scar should be a little above the surface4 ,it is somewhat less likely to give trouble by decay in the upset tissue4 ,if the soil is heavy and wet1 plant higher1 perhaps1 than the nursery soil-mark1 but not much4 ,in light1 sandy soil1 plant lower - even from four to six inches lower - than in the nursery sometimes4 ,in this case the budscar is below the surface1 but that does not matter in a light1 dry soil which does not retain moisture near the surface4 ,fruit ,trees in a ,wet ,place4 ,one part of my orchard is low and wet1 much scale and old trees loose4 ,will much spraying be a cure and can ,i use posts to hold the old trees firm1 or would you take out and put in ,bartlett pears6 ,spraying would kill the scale but no spraying will make a tree satisfactory in inhospitable soil4 ,as pears will endure wet places better than apples1 it would seem to be wise to make the substitution1 providing the situation is not too bad for any fruit tree4 ,in that case you can use it for a summer vegetable patch4 ,cutting ,back at ,planting4 ,i have planted a lot of one-year-old cherry trees and would like to know if ,i should cut them down the same as the apple tree8 ,i have also planted a lot of walnut trees4 ,shall ,i cut them off8 ,yes for the cherries and no for the walnuts - although we have to admit that some planters hold for cutting back the walnuts also4 ,if you do cut back the walnuts1 let them have about twice the height of stem you give the cherries and cover the exposed pith with wax or paint4 ,branching ,young ,fruit ,trees4 ,it is the practice in this locality to wrap all young trees to a point #bd inches above the bud1 for the purpose of protection against rabbits1 to protect the bark from the sun and to prevent growth of sprouts4 ,these wrappings are kept on indefinitely1 the rule being that no sprouting is to be permitted below the #bd-;inch murk4 ,is there any virtue in this1 and why is it done8 ,the wrapping is desirable both to protect them from rabbits and from sunburn1 and either this or whitewash or some other form of protection should certainly be employed against the latter trouble4 ,it is not desirable to have all the branches emerge at the same point1 either #bd from the ground or at some lower level1 as is preferable in interior situations1 but branches should be distributed up and down and around the trunk so as to give a strong1 well-balanced1 low-headed tree4 ,so far as wrapping interferes with the growth of shoots in this manner it is undesirable4 ,coal ,tar and ,asphaltum on ,trees4 ,what is the effect of coal tar or asphaltum applied to the bark of trees8 ,the application of coal tar to prevent the root borers of the prune which operate near the surface of the ground was found to be not injurious to the trees1 although there was great apprehension that there would be4 ,the application of asphaltum1 what is known as grade ,d1 has been also used to some extent in the ,santa ,clara valley without injury4 ,of course1 in the use of any black material1 you increase the danger of sunburn1 if applied to bark which is reached by the sun's rays4 ,whitewashing ,fruit ,trees4 ,when is the proper time to whitewash walnut trees to prevent sun scald8 ,how high up is it advisable to apply the wash8 ,whitewash after heavy rains are over and before the sun gets very hot2 near the coast see that it is on early in ,april2 in the interior it should be in place in ,march4 ,do not wait until all the rains are over1 because there is a great chance of bark-burning between rains in the spring4 ,whitewash the trunk and the larger limbs - wherever the sun can reach the bark2 being careful to keep the surface white where the #b o'clock sun hits it4 ,be particular to whitewash1 or otherwise protect by protectors or burlap wrappings1 all young trees2 the young tree is more apt to be hurt than an old one1 but bark seems never to get too old to burn if the sun is hot enough4 ,shaping a ,young ,tree4 ,in shortening back long1 slim limbs the side shoots come out1 and one soon has a lot of ugly1 crooked limbs to look at4 ,there are a number of orchards here being spoiled in that way4 ,how is this avoided8 ,you cannot secure a low-heading1 well-shaped tree without cutting back the branches4 ,afterward you can improve the form by selecting shoots which are going in directions which you prefer1 or you can cut back the shoots afterward to a bud which will start in the direction which you desire4 ,in this way the progressive shaping of the tree must be pursued4 ,if you only have a few trees and can afford the time1 you can1 of course1 bend and tie the branches as they grow1 so that they will take directions which seem to you better1 but this is not practicable in orcharding on a commercial scale4 ,there is no disadvantage in crooked branches in a fruit tree1 but they should crook in desirable directions1 and that is where the art in pruning comes in4 ,pruning ,times4 ,what is the best time to prune the ,french prune and most other trees8 ,in ,santa ,clara volley they prune as soon as leaves are off2 in the mountains they prune later1 say in ,february and ,march1 and finish after bloom is started and of course when sap is up4 ,which is right8 ,you can prune ,french prunes and other deciduous trees at any time during the winter that is most convenient to you4 ,it does not make any particular difference to the tree1 nor does it injure the tree at all if you should continue pruning after the bloom has started4 ,in fact1 it is better to make large cuts late in the winter1 because they heal over more readily at the beginning of the growing period than at the beginning of the resting season4 ,it is believed that early pruning may cause the tree or vine to start growth somewhat sooner and this may be undesirable in very frosty places4 ,grafting ,wax4 ,how shall ,i make grafting wax for grafting fruit trees8 ,there are many favorite prescriptions for grafting wax4 ,one which is now being largely used in fruit tree grafting is as follows3 ,resin1 #e lbs42 beeswax1 #a lb42 linseed oil1 #a pint2 flour1 #a pint4 ,the flour is added slowly and stirred in after the other ingredients have been boiled together and the liquid becomes somewhat cooler4 ,some substitute lampblack for flour4 ,this wax is warmed and applied as a liquid4 ,plowing in ,young ,orchard4 ,how near can ,i plow to two-year-old orange trees safely8 ,you can plow young orange orchards as close to the trees as you can approach without injuring the bark1 regulating depth so as not to destroy main roots4 ,destruction of root fibers which have approached too near the surface is not material4 ,it is very desirable that the soil around and near the tree be as carefully worked as possible without injury to the bark of the tree4 ,how far that can be done by horse work and how much must be done by hand must be decided by the individual judgment of the grower4 ,crops ,between ,fruit ,trees4 ,what would be best to grow between fruit trees1 while the trees are growing1 and what to alternate each season1 so as not to use up the soil without putting back into it8 ,where one is bringing along a young orchard1 without irrigation1 it is doubtful whether it is not better policy to give the trees all the advantage of clean cultivation and ample moisture than to undertake intercropping4 ,if you live on the place and wish to grow vegetables between the rows1 the thorough cultivation to bring the vegetables along satisfactorily would help to preserve moisture enough both for the vegetables and for the trees1 but this is very different from growing a field crop by ordinary methods of cultivation4 ,select a crop which will require summer cultivation1 like corn1 potatoes1 squashes1 and beans1 and never a hay or grain crop which takes up moisture without working the soil for the greater moisture conversation which hoed crops require4 ,in choice of hoed crops be governed by what you can use to advantage1 either for house or the feeding of animals1 or what you can grow that is salable with least loss of moisture in the soil4 ,the choice is governed entirely by local conditions1 except that leguminous plants - peas1 beans1 vetches1 clovers1 etc4 - do take nitrogen from the atmosphere and can thus be grown with least injury and sometimes with a positive benefit to the fertility of the soil4 ,regular ,bearing of ,fruit ,trees4 ,how can trees be induced to bear regularly instead of bearing excessively on alternate years8 ,the most rational view is that in order to bear regularly the tree must be prevented from overbearing by thinning of the fruit2 also that the moisture and plant-food supply must be regularly maintained1 so that the tree may work along regularly and not stop bearing one year in order to accumulate vigor for a following year's crop4 ,there is some reason to believe that some trees which seem to overbear every year can be prolonged in their profitable life and made to produce a moderate amount of fruit of large size and higher value by sharp thinning to prevent overbearing at any time4 ,this is found clearly practicable in the cases of the apricot1 peach1 pear1 apple1 table grape1 shipping plum1 etc41 because the added value of larger fruits is greater than the cost of removing the surplus4 ,scions from ,young ,trees4 ,i have bought some one-year-old apple trees that are certified pedigree trees4 ,would it be practical to take the tops of these trees and graft on one-year seedlings and get the same results as from the trees ,i bought8 ,will they bear just as good1 or is it necessary to take the scions from old bearing trees8 ,they will bear exactly the same fruit as the young trees will1 but you cannot tell how good that will be until you get the fruit4 ,the advantage of scions from bearing trees is that you know exactly what you will get1 for1 presumably1 you have seen and approved it4 ,late ,pruning4 ,will ,i do injury to my peach trees if ,i delay pruning until the last of ,february1 or until the sap begins to run and the buds to swell8 ,it will not do any particular harm to let your peach pruning go until the buds swell or even after the leaves appear4 ,late pruning is not injurious1 but rather more inconvenient4 ,avoiding ,crotches in ,fruit ,trees4 ,how can ,i avoid bad crotches in fruit trees8 ,crotches1 which means branches of equal or nearly equal size1 emerging from a point at a very acute angle1 should be prevented by cutting out one or both of them4 ,the branching of a lateral at a larger angle does not form a crotch and it usually buttresses itself well on the larger branch4 ,that is a desirable form of branching4 ,short distances between such branchings is desirable1 because it makes a stronger and more permanently upright limb1 capable of sustaining much weight of foliage and fruit4 ,build up the young tree by shortening in as it grows1 so as to get such a strong framework4 ,crotch-,splitting of ,fruit ,trees4 ,i have a young fig tree that is splitting at the crotches4 ,i fear that when the foliage appears1 with the force of the winds the limbs will split down entirely4 ,perhaps you have been forcing the trees too much with water and thus secured too much foliage and weak wood4 ,whenever a tree is doing that1 the limbs ought to be supported with bale rope tied to opposite limbs through the head1 or otherwise held up1 to prevent splitting4 ,if splitting has actually occurred1 the weaker limb should be cut away and the other staked if necessary until it gets strength and stiffens4 ,if the limbs are rather large they can be drawn up and a #c_/af inch carriage bolt put through to hold both in place2 but this is a poor way to make a strong tree4 ,we should cut out all splits and do the best we could to make a tree out of what is left4 ,then do not make them grow so fast4 ,strengthening ,fruit ,trees4 ,i have read that some trees are propped by natural braces2 that is1 by inter-twining two opposite branches while the tree is young1 so that in time they grow together4 ,what is your idea regarding the practicability of such an idea in a large commercial orchard8 ,twining branches for the purpose indicated is frequently commended1 but it seems best for the use of ingenious people with plenty of time and not many trees4 ,to prune trees to carry their fruit so far as one can foresee1 and to use props or other supports when a tree manifests need of a particular help which was not foreseen is the most rational way to handle the proposition on a large commercial scale4 ,time for ,pruning4 ,what is the proper time for pruning pear and apricot trees8 ,ordinary deciduous fruit trees can be successfully pruned from the time the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall1 until the new foliage is appearing in the late winter or spring4 ,grape ,planting4 ,what is the proper time for planting grape vines8 ,grape vines are most successfully planted after the heavy rains and low temperatures are over and before the growth starts3 ,this will usually be whenever the soil is in good condition1 during the months of ,february and ,march4 ,covering ,tree ,wounds4 ,what is the best stuff to use on wounds and large cuts on my fruit trees8 ,i have used grafting wax1 but it is expensive and not altogether satisfactory4 ,amputation wounds on trees can be more successfully treated with lead and oil paint than with grafting wax4 ,mixed paint containing benzine would not be so good as pure lead and oil mixed for the purpose and then carefully applied as to amount so as not to run4 ,asphaltum ,grade ,d may also be used in the same way4 ,covering ,sunburned ,bark4 ,would asphaltum do to use an sunburned bark8 ,owing to the attraction of the heat by the black color1 asphaltum would increase the injury by absorption of more heat4 ,some white coating is altogether best for sunburn injuries1 because it will reflect and not absorb heat1 and a durable whitewash applied as may be needed to keep the white covering intact is undoubtedly the best treatment4 ,where the bark has been actually removed1 white paint would be superior to whitewash to keep the wood from checking while the wound was being covered laterally by the growth of new bark4 ,too ,much ,pruning4 ,same peach trees entering the third year were pruned early in the winter very severely4 ,the pruner merely left the trunk and the three or four main laterals1 the latter about one foot in length4 ,a large proportion of these trees have not sprouted as yet1 though alder and better pruned trees are all sprouted in the same vicinity4 ,the bark is green and has considerable sap4 ,will the trees commence to grow8 ,the trees will sprout later1 after they have developed latent buds into active form4 ,the pruning probably removed all the buds of recent growth4 ,after starting they will make irregular growth1 starting too many shoots in the wrong places1 etc41 and considerable effort will be necessary to get well-shaped trees by selection of shoots in the right places and thinning out those which are not desirable4 ,for ,broken ,roots4 ,when the root of an orange or other fruit tree is exposed or brakes by the cultivator1 what is the best way to treat that root8 ,where a root is actually broken it is best to cut it off cleanly above the break4 ,this will induce quick healing over and the sending out of other roots4 ,where there is only a bruise on one side1 all the frayed edges of the wound should be cleanly cut back to sound bark1 which will have a tendency to promote healing and prevent decay4 ,pruning in ,frosty ,places4 ,this appears to be a frosty section4 ,pruners are at work continuously from the time the apricots are harvested until spring arrives4 ,from what is said in ,california ,fruits8 ,i judge late winter pruning would be best far apricots and peaches4 ,am ,i correct8 ,in frosty places it is often desirable to prune rather late1 because the late-pruned tree usually starts later than the early pruned1 and thus may not bloom until after frost is over4 ,low ,growth on ,fruit ,trees4 ,should the little twigs an the lower parts of young fruit trees be removed or shortened8 ,an important function which these small shoots and the foliage which they will carry perform is in the thickening of the larger branches to which they are attached and overcoming the tendency of the tree to become too tall and spindling4 ,this can be done at any time1 even to the pinching of young1 soft shoots as they appear4 ,it must be said1 however1 that in ordinary commercial fruit growing little attention is paid to these fine points1 which are the great enjoyment of the ,european fruit-gardeners and are of questionable value in our standard orcharding4 ,it is1 however1 a great mistake to clear away all low twigs1 for such twigs bring the first fruit on young trees4 ,are ,tap-,roots ,essential8 ,is it better to plant a nut or seed or to plant a grafted root2 also is it better to allow the tap-root to remain or not in event of planting a grafted root8 ,it does not matter at all whether the tree has its original tap-root or not4 ,all tap-roots are more or less destroyed in transplanting and the fact that not one per cent of the walnut trees now bearing crops in ,california consist of trees grown from the nut itself planted in place1 is sufficient demonstration to us that it is perfectly practicable to proceed with transplanting the trees4 ,it is more important that the tree should have the right sort of soil and the right degree of moisture to grow in than that it should retain the root from which the seedling started4 ,the removal of the tap-root does not prevent the tree from sending out one or several deep running roots which will penetrate as deeply as the soil and moisture conditions favor4 ,this is true not only of the walnut but of other fruit trees4 ,transplanting ,old ,trees4 ,can ,i transplant fruit trees #b to #c inches through the butt1 about one foot from the ground8 ,varieties are oranges1 lemons1 pears1 apples and ,english walnuts nearly #d inches through the butt4 ,i wish to move them nearly a mile4 ,what is the best way and what the best month to do the work1 or are trees too large to do well if moved8 ,the orange and lemon will do better in transplanting than the others4 ,take up the trees when the soil becomes warmed by the sun after the coldest weather is over4 ,this may be in ,february4 ,cut back the branches severely and take up the trees with a good ball of earth1 using suitable lifting tackle to handle it without breaking4 ,settle the earth around the ball in the new place with water1 and keep the soil amply moist but not wet4 ,whitewash all bark exposed to the sun by cutting back4 ,you can handle the walnut the same way1 but it would1 however1 probably get such a setback that it might be better to buy a new tree two or three years old and plant that4 ,the apples and pears we would not try to transplant1 but would rather have good new yearlings than try to coax them along4 ,transplanting deciduous trees should be done earlier in the winter than evergreens4 ,dwarfing a ,fruit ,tree4 ,i am told that by pruning the roots of a young tree after the root system is well started 7say three years old7 that as a result this will produce a tree that is semi-dwarfed or practically a dwarfed fruit tree4 ,yes2 cutting back the roots in the winter and cutting back the new growth in the summer will have a dwarfing effect4 ,the best way to get a dwarfed garden tree is to use a dwarfing root4 ,you can get trees on such roots at the nurseries4 ,seedling ,fruits4 ,i have been growing seedlings from the pits of some extra fine peaches and plums with a view to planting them4 ,a man near ,san ,jose advised me that ,i would get good results1 but since then ,i have met others who say that the fruit trees that spring from planted seeds yield only poor fruit4 ,it is the tendency of nearly all improved fruit to revert to wild types1 more or less1 when grown from the seed4 ,the chances are1 then1 that nine-tenths or more of the seedlings which you grew for fruiting might be worthless4 ,a few might be as good as the fruit from which you took the pits2 possibly one might he better4 ,for these reasons the growing of fruit trees from pits and seeds is only used for the purpose of getting a root from which a chosen variety may be gotten by budding and grafting4 ,grafting4 ,i did a little grafting last spring1 and as it was my first attempt1 about ten per cent of the scions failed to grow4 ,now shall ,i saw the stub off lower down and try again1 or bud into one of the sprouts that have grown around the cut end8 ,the trees are pear and cherry4 ,you did very well as a beginner not to lose more than one-tenth4 ,saw off below and graft again4 ,you might have budded into one of those shoots last ,july1 and if you fail again1 bud into the new shoots next summer4 ,filling ,holes in ,trees4 ,i have a number of trees that1 on account of poor pruning and improper care1 are decaying in the center4 ,many of them are hollow for a foot or more down the trunk4 ,excavate all the decayed wood with a chisel or gouge or whatever cutting tool may work well and fill the cavity with ,portland cement in such a way as to exclude moisture4 ,this will prolong the life and productiveness of the trees for many years if other conditions are favorable4 ,deferring ,bloom of ,fruit ,trees4 ,have any experiments ever been carried on definitely to decide what causes early blossoming of fruit trees8 ,for instance1 have adjacent trees of the same variety been treated definitely by putting a heavy mulch around one to hold the cold temperature late in the spring1 leaving the other tree unmulched so the roots could warm up8 ,it has been definitely determined by the experiments of ,professor ,whidden of the ,missouri ,experiment ,station that the swelling of the buds and starting of the foliage of fruit trees is due to the action of heat upon the aerial parts of the trees2 that is1 growth is not caused by increasing the temperature of the ground and cannot be retarded by cooling the ground4 ,experiments with the use of snow and ice under trees by which the ground has been kept at a low temperature have not prevented the activity of the tree4 ,the only way known to retard activity is to spray the tree with whitewash so that the white color may reflect the heat and prevent the absorption of it by the bark1 which is usually of a dark color and therefore suited to heat absorption4 ,retarding of growth is possible in this way for a period of six to ten days1 which1 of course1 in some cases might be of value1 but the lengthened dormancy is probably too small to constitute it of general value4 ,in whitewashing1 to determine what advantage there is in it in retarding growth1 the tree should be thoroughly sprayed with whitewash so as to cover all the wood some time before the buds swell4 ,in fact1 it is to prevent the early swelling of the buds that the whitewashing is resorted to4 ,it is better to make the application1 therefore1 a little too early than too late4 ,a specific date cannot be given for it that would be right in all localities4 ,repairing ,rabbit ,injuries4 ,your book says in ,pruning young trees for the first time1 about four main branches should be left and these cut back to #aj or #ab inches4 ,now1 where the rabbits have pruned back to #d or #e inches the very ones ,i wanted1 what should be done8 ,some say1 cut these back to the stem1 allowing new shoots to start from the base of branches so removed4 ,cut back to a bud near the stem1 or if you do not see any1 cut back near to the stem1 but not near enough to remove the bark at the base of the shoot1 for there are the latent buds which should give you the growth4 ,this should be watched1 and the best shoot selected from each point to make a strong branch1 pinching back or removing the others4 ,for a ,bark ,wound4 ,what is best to do with an apricot or prune tree when it has been hit with an implement and the bark knocked off8 ,cut around the bark wound with a sharp knife so as to remove all frayed edges4 ,cover the exposed wood with oil and lead paint to prevent cracking1 and the wound will soon be covered with new bark from the sides4 ,bridging ,gopher ,girdles4 ,how shall ,i make the bridge-graft or root-graft over the trunks of trees girdled by gophers8 ,has this method proved successful in saving trees three or four inches in diameter1 and how is it done8 ,the bridging over of injury by mice by grafting has been known to be successful for decades in countries where this trouble is encountered4 ,undoubtedly the same plan would work in the case of all bark injuries which can be bridged4 ,the plan is to take good well-matured shoots which are a little longer than the injury which has to be spanned1 making a sloping cut on both ends1 also a cut into the healthy bark above and below the injury1 and slip the cut ends of the cutting into the cuts in the bark so that the ends go under the bark above and below1 and the cut ends are closely connected with the growing layer of the stock4 ,if the cutting is made a little longer than the distance to be spanned1 the tendency of the cutting by straightening is to hold itself in place4 ,when in place1 the connections should he covered with wax to prevent drying out4 ,soil-,binding ,plant for ,winter4 ,what would be the best to plant in an orchard on ground of a light sandy sediment which1 after plowing1 will move with the strong winds8 ,i would like to plant something that will benefit the ground4 ,the winds are the strongest from ,december to ,april4 ,this is in the irrigated district and ,i need something that will make a sod during that period4 ,we would1 in all the valleys1 advise a fall irrigation 7if the rains are late7 and the sowing of burr clover1 which when started in ,september will have the ground well covered by ,december1 if you keep the moisture right to push it4 ,disking or plowing this under in ,march 7or ,april1 according to locality7 will hold the sand and afterward enrich it4 ,you can do this every year1 but probably you will not need to seed it more than once4 ,bananas in ,california4 ,is there any reason why bananas would not grow and bear in the vicinity of ,merced if they had plenty of water8 ,or would the cool nights at certain seasons keep them from bearing8 ,would they do better in the ,imperial valley8 ,bananas would suffer too severely from frost to be profitable at any point in the interior valleys of ,california4 ,a plant would be killed to the ground at least every year unless under glass or other protection4 ,there are a few places practically frostless where bananas can be grown in this ,state1 but there is no promise in commercial production because they can be so cheaply imported from the tropics4 ,carobs in ,california4 ,will the carob tree 7,st4 ,john's ,bread7 do well in the ,sacramento valley1 and is it a desirable tree for lining a driveway8 ,carobs have been grown in ,california for thirty years or more and they will make a handsome driveway and give a lot of pods for the kids and the pigs - for they are the husks which the swine did eat1 and both like them4 ,they ought to be much more widely planted in ,california because they grow well and are good to look upon4 ,spineless ,cactus ,fruit4 ,i have about two acres of high land in ,fresno county that can't be irrigated4 ,it is red adobe soil and there is hardpan in it4 ,which kind of fruit trees will grow and pay best8 ,how near may the hardpan be to the surface before ,i have to blast it8 ,it is a hard fruit proposition4 ,try spineless cactus1 the fruits of which are delicious4 ,blasting would help if there is a moist substratum below the hardpan and might enable you to grow many fruits4 ,if your land is hard and dry all the way down1 blasting would not help you unless you can get irrigation4 ,presumably your rainfall is too small for fruit unless you strike underflow below the hardpan4 ,cleaning ,fruit ,trays4 ,what do you advise for killing and removing the whitish mold that forms on trays used for drying prunes8 ,would sunning the trays be effective1 or washing in hot water1 or is there some suitable fungicide8 ,good hot sun and dry wind will kill the mold4 ,the spores of such a common mold are waiting everywhere1 so that your fruit would mold anyway if conditions were right4 ,still1 scalding the trays for cleanliness and a short trip through the sulphur box for fungus-killing is commended4 ,killing ,moss on ,old ,trees4 ,i have some ,bartlett pear trees that are covered with moss and mold1 and the bark is rough and checked4 ,i have used potash 7#ih71 #a pound to #f gallons spray4 ,it kills the long moss1 but the green mold it does not seem to affect4 ,the trees have been sprayed about one week4 ,some trees have been sprayed with a #a pound to #aj gallons solution by mistake4 ,shall ,i spray these again with full strength1 and when8 ,you have done enough for the moss at present4 ,even the weaker solution ought to be strong enough to clean the bark4 ,wait and see how the bark looks when the potash gets through biting2 it will keep at it for some time1 taking a fresh hold probably with each new moisture supply from shower or damp air4 ,the spray should have been shot onto the bark with considerable force - not simply sprinkled on4 ,shy-,bearing ,apples4 ,i have some apple trees #aj and #ab years old that do not bear satisfactorily1 but persist in making #e to #f feet of new wood each year4 ,if not cut back this winter1 will they be more likely to make fruit buds8 ,yes1 probably4 ,certainly you should try it4 ,you should also cultivate less and slow down the growth4 ,if they then take to bearing1 you can resume moderate pruning and better cultivation4 ,this is on the assumption that your trees are in too rich or too moist a place4 ,but you should satisfy yourself by inquiry and observation as to whether the same varieties do bear well in your vicinity when conditions are such that slower growth is made4 ,if the variety is naturally shy in bearing1 or if it requires cross-pollination1 the proposed repressive treatment might not avail anything4 ,in that case you can graft over the tree to some variety which does bear well or graft part of the trees to another variety for cross-pollination4 ,no ,apples on ,quince4 ,how large a tree will the ,yellow ,bellefleur apple make if grafted or budded on quince root at the age of #ae years8 ,i have been trying to get some information about dwarf fruit trees1 but it is difficult to get4 ,no wonder the information is hard to get4 ,the ,yellow ,bellefleur will not grow upon the quince at all1 or at least not for long4 ,in growing dwarf apples the ,paradise stock is used1 while the quince is used for dwarfing the pear1 and many varieties of pears will accept the quince root which the apple rejects4 ,stock for ,apples4 ,do you recommend ,french seedling stock as greatly to be preferred to that grown in this country8 ,french seedling stock is generally used because it is graded and furnished in uniform sizes2 also1 because it can usually be purchased for less than seedlings can be grown under our labor conditions4 ,locally grown apple seedlings are apt to be irregular in size and1 as already stated1 cost more than the properly graded imported stock4 ,apples and ,alfalfa4 ,i have recently come across a proposition to sow apple orchards in the interior of southern ,california with alfalfa4 ,the apples are said to be superior and the crop heavier1 to say nothing of a half or two-thirds of an alfalfa crop in addition to the crop of apples4 ,what do you know about it8 ,is alfalfa being used by others in this way8 ,it is perfectly rational to grow alfalfa in fruit orchards if the water supply is ample for both the trees and the intercrop and the owner will not yield to the temptation to waterlog his trees for the sake of getting more alfalfa4 ,it is even more desirable in the interior than near the coast1 probably4 ,in ,arizona some growers have for a number of years practiced growing alfalfa in orchards1 cutting the alfalfa without removing it1 counting that clippings are worth more to them through their decay and the increase of the humus content of the soil4 ,even where this is not done1 the alfalfa will add to the humus of the soil by its own wastes both from root and stem4 ,the presence of an alfalfa cover reduces the danger of leaf and bark burning either by reflected or radiated heat from a smooth ground surface1 and some trees are very much benefited by this protection in regions of high temperature4 ,this might be expected to be the case with the apple1 which is somewhat subject to leaf burning in our interior valleys4 ,top ,grafting4 ,in grafting over apple and pear trees to some other variety1 is it advisable to cut off and graft the entire tree the first year where the trees are from #g to #ae years old1 or would it be better to cut off only a part of the top the first year and the rest the following year8 ,in the coast region it is a good practice to graft over the whole tree at one time1 cutting1 however1 above the forks and not into the main stem below the forking4 ,this gives many scions which seem able to take care of the sap successfully4 ,in the interior valleys1 it is rather better practice to leave a branch or two1 cutting them out at the following winter's pruning1 for probably the first year's grafts will give you branches enough4 ,this has the effect of preventing the drowning out of the scions from too strong sap-flow4 ,cutting back and regrafting of old trees should be done rather early1 before the most active sap-flow begins4 ,the later in the season the grafting is done1 and the warmer the locality1 the more desirable it seems to be to leave a branch or two when grafting4 ,apple ,budding4 ,what is the best time to bud apples8 ,apples are budded in ,july and ,august and remain dormant until the following spring4 ,mildew on ,apple ,seedlings4 ,why do young apple plants in the seed bed became mildewed8 ,they are in a lath house4 ,because too much moisture was associated with too much shade4 ,more sunshine would have prevented mildew1 and if they had enjoyed it the seedlings could have made better use of the water probably4 ,pruning ,apples4 ,young apple trees set two years ago were cut back to #ad to #ah inches and cared for as to low branching1 proper spacing1 etc41 but the desired branches were allowed to make full growth to the present time4 ,they have mode great growth and if allowed to continue will make too tall trees4 ,we understand that your trees have made two summers' growth since pruning4 ,we should cut back to a good lateral wherever you can find one running at the right direction at about three to four feet from the last cut1 and shorten the lateral more or less according to the best judgment we could form on sight of the tree4 ,in this way you can take out the branches which are running too high and make the framework for a lower growth4 ,do not remove the small twigs and spurs unless you have too many such shoots4 ,cutting ,back ,apples and ,pears4 ,california ,fruits says the apple does not relish cutting back1 nor is it desirable to shorten in the branches4 ,but when a three-year-old tree gets above #ab feet high1 as many of mine are doing1 what are you going to do8 ,i cut these back same last year1 but up they go again with more branches than ever4 ,the pears are getting too tall1 also4 ,should not both apple and pear trees be kept down to about ten feet8 ,the quotation you make refers to old bearing trees1 and indicates that their pruning is not like that of the peach1 which is continually shortened in to keep plenty of new wood low down4 ,of course1 in securing low and satisfactory branching on young apples1 pears1 etc41 there must be cutting back1 and this must be continued while you are forming the tree4 ,if you mean that these trees are to be permanently kept at ten feet high1 you should have planted trees worked on dwarfing stocks4 ,such a height does not allow a standard tree freedom enough for thrift2 as they become older they will require from twice to thrice the altitude you assign to them1 probably4 ,pears can be more successfully kept down than apples1 but not to ten feet except as dwarfs4 ,pruning ,old ,apple ,trees4 ,how would you prune apple trees eight or nine years old that have not been cut back8 ,there are a great many that have run up #bj feet high with twelve or fifteen main limbs and very few being more than two or three inches in diameter4 ,remove cross branches which are interfering with others and thin out branches which seem to be crowding each other at their attachments to the trunk1 by removing some of them at the starting point4 ,having removed these carefully so as not to knock off spurs from other branches1 study the tree as it is thus somewhat opened up and see where remaining branches can be shortened to overcome the tendency to run too high4 ,do not shear off branches leaving a lot of stubs in the upper part of the tree1 but always cut back a main branch to a lateral and shorten the lateral higher up if desirable4 ,this will keep away from having a lot of brush in the top of the tree4 ,study each tree by itself for symmetry and balance of branches and proceed by judgment rather than by rules anyone can give you4 ,top-,grafting ,apples4 ,can ,i graft over a few ,ben ,davis apple trees #be years old or thereabouts1 but thrifty and vigorous8 ,it is certainly possible1 by the old top-grafting method which has been used everywhere with apples for centuries4 ,graft during the winter4 ,work on the limbs above the head so as to preserve the advantage of the old forking1 using a cleft graft and waxing well4 ,it is usually best to graft over a part of the limbs and the balance a year later4 ,will the ,apples ,be the ,same ,kind8 ,i have a mixed orchard1 mostly ,gravensteins1 and ,i want to graft all the other trees into a ,gravenstein top if ,i can do so and at the same time get the early ,gravenstein bloom and the fruit would be as satisfactory as though on other roots4 ,the new tree grown from the grafts will behave just like the tree from which the scions were taken if similarly thrifty4 ,places for ,apples4 ,what quality is it in the soil in the vicinity of ,watsonville that makes that country peculiarly adapted to the culture of apples8 ,are there not other portions of the ,state where apples could be produced on a commercial basis8 ,it is not alone quality in the soil1 but character of the climate that underlie success in the ,watsonville district4 ,apples can be and are grown on a commercial scale through the coast district of ,sonoma1 ,mendocino1 and ,humboldt counties2 also in suitable situations in the coast counties south of ,santa ,cruz county4 ,along the coast1 as far as deep retentive soil and the cool air of the ocean extend1 one may expect to get apples similar to those produced in the ,watsonville district4 ,in the interior valleys1 on suitable soils with adequate moisture1 early apples are profitably grown1 while in the higher foothill and mountain valleys in all parts of the ,state1 where moisture is sufficient1 late keeping apples of high quality are produced4 ,summer-pruning ,apples4 ,will summer pruning cause apple trees to bear fruit instead of growing so much new wood8 ,over-growth can be repressed by summer pruning1 and if done just at the right time bearing is increased and late new growth is avoided1 but it is not easy to determine exactly the right time1 and it has to be fixed according to local conditions of length of growing season and growth condition of the tree itself also4 ,it is better for some varieties than others1 and1 in fact1 has to be done wisely4 ,a summer slashing of apple trees1 simply because some one says so1 is not only expensive1 but may do more harm than good4 ,therefore1 those inclined to it1 should try a few trees at first and note results4 ,grafting ,apple ,seedlings in ,place4 ,i want to plant apple trees for home use4 ,i have an idea to plant apple seeds instead of trees3 planting three or four seeds for each hill1 right in the place where ,i would grow the trees1 and select the best one to graft on4 ,i will take seed of ,bellefleurs1 which are vigorous growers4 ,what do you think8 ,will the seed germinate readily and when is the right time to plant8 ,select plump1 well ripened seed1 keep them in damp sand until the ground begins to get warm in ,january or ,february1 according to location4 ,but such an undertaking will cost you vastly more in time1 in labor1 and waste of land than it would to buy well-grown nursery trees budded with the variety which you desire4 ,such trees would give you practically a uniform lot of trees in your orchard while planting seedlings and grafting afterward would give you very irregular and for the most part unsatisfactory results - providing you get any seeds to grow at all in the open ground1 which is doubtful4 ,resistant ,apple ,roots4 ,a few apple trees which are almost dead from ravages of the woolly aphis4 ,i am going to dig them out and plant in their places other apple trees on woolly aphis-proof root4 ,will it be necessary to use measures to exterminate the woolly aphis in the old roots or their places in the ground before planting new trees in the places of the removed trees8 ,it is not necessary to undertake to kill aphis in the ground when you are planting apple trees on resistant roots4 ,it will give your trees a better start to dig large holes1 throw out the old soil1 and fill in with some new soil from another part of the land to be planted1 but it has been demonstrated that these roots are resistant1 no matter if planted in the midst of infestation4 ,apples and ,cherries for a ,hot ,place4 ,what kind of apple do you think would do best in a dry1 hot climate8 ,what do you think of the ,early ,richmond cherry in such a place8 ,apples most likely to succeed in a dry situation are those which ripen their fruit very early4 ,the ,red ,astrachan is on the whole the most satisfactory1 but there are many places which are altogether too dry and hot for any kind of apple4 ,whether cherries would succeed or not you can only tell by trying4 ,possibly the trees would not live through the summer if your soil becomes very dry4 ,the most hardy cherries are the sour or pie cherries and the ,early ,richmond is one of this group4 ,die-back of ,apple ,trees4 ,what causes the death of the top shoots in apple trees8 ,new wood is sometimes diseased by mildew1 but die-back is usually due to two different causes3 ,one1 the accumulation of water in the soil during the excessive rains of mid-winter2 second1 the occurrence of low temperatures1 including frosts1 after the sap has risen4 ,which of these causes operate in a certain case depends1 of course1 upon whether the soil was heavy and inclined to retain standing water too long1 or whether there were such frosts at about the time when the leaves should start4 ,sometimes1 of course1 both of these conditions worked in the same place2 sometimes one and sometimes the other1 but certainly both of them are capable of causing the trouble4 ,there seems to be no specific disease2 it is rather a matter of unfavorable conditions for growth4 ,storage of ,apples4 ,we desire to store two or three thousand boxes of apples for three or four months and propose to do it in this way3 ,make an excavation in dry earth1 putting at the bottom of the excavation straw4 ,upon this straw place the apples1 then dry straw over the apples1 and upon the top of this two or three feet of dry earth4 ,will it be a good plan to pour on water from time to time over the top of this to keep the apples and all wet1 or should the apples be kept dry8 ,putting down loose apples in a straw-lined pit would be very expensive4 ,it would invite decay by bruising the fruit1 and the result would probably be a worthless mixture of rotten fruit and straw4 ,the fruit should be stored in boxes or shallow trays to reduce pressure and promote ventilation1 and not in bins or large piles4 ,apples will keep for a long time in good condition if the boxes are put in piles in the shade1 covered with straw1 which should be slightly moistened from time to time2 but in that case there would not be such an accumulation of moisture and there would be ventilation at all times4 ,apples should be kept dry1 but they will shrivel and become unmarketable unless the air in which they are stored is kept reasonably moist4 ,this is generally accomplished by making apple houses with double walls and roof to exclude heat and with an earth or concrete floor which can be sprinkled from time to time with a hose4 ,apple ,root-grafts4 ,i have an old apple orchard and would like to have two or three of the best varieties positively identified1 so that ,i can order these kinds from the nursery for next year's planting4 ,old ,california apple orchards have many varieties no longer propagated largely4 ,if you greatly desire to have a few trees of exactly the varieties which you are now growing1 you run some risk of mistake in ordering by name1 but if you make some root-grafts by taking a piece of the smaller roots of the tree1 which you can dig out1 say about the size of a pencil1 and graft scions upon them1 you can secure root-grafts for planting in nursery this year and in that way be sure to have trees of exactly the same kind4 ,root-grafts can be made in the winter1 placed in sand which is kept moist and not wet1 planted out as soon as the ground warms up1 and you will get immediate and very satisfactory growth in that way4 ,pruning ,old ,apple ,trees4 ,i have an old orchard containing some apple trees about #dj years old - trees well shaped but with plenty of main branches and limbs all very long4 ,the trees bear profusely in alternate years but the fruit is small4 ,in pruning would you advise cutting out some main limbs where there are over three or four and thus making a big wood reduction 7where sunburn protection can still be guarded7 or would you only shorten in the branches and thin the fruit severely8 ,do not remove main branches unless they are clearly too numerous or have been allowed to grow to interference with each other or have become weakened or feeble in some way4 ,in such cases the space is worth more than the branch4 ,if the tree has a fair framework do not disturb it in order to get down to an arbitrary limit of three or four main branches2 sometimes the tree can carry more4 ,if the tree is too thick1 thin it out by removing side branches of more or less size - saving the best1 judging by both vigor and position4 ,work through the whole top in this way until you reach the best judgment you can form of enough space and light for good interior foliage and fruit4 ,apple branches should seldom be shortened1 and when this seems desirable1 cut to a side branch and not to a stub which will make a lot of weak shoots or brush in the top of the tree4 ,pruning ,apple ,trees4 ,there is a great difference of opinion here regarding the pruning of three-year or older apple trees4 ,many people cut back three1 four and five-year-old trees half the season's growth2 others only cut back six inches4 ,apple trees are cut back during their early life to cause branching and to secure short distances between the larger laterals on the main branches4 ,this secures a lower1 stronger tree4 ,cutting back twice or three times should secure a good framework of this kind1 and then the apple should not be regularly and systematically cut back as the peach and apricot are4 ,it is not possible to prescribe definite inches1 because cutting back is a matter of judgment and depends upon how thick the growth is1 what its position and relation to other shoots1 etc4 ,the chief point in cutting back is to know where you wish the next laterals to come on the shortened shoot1 and if you do not wish more laterals at once2 do not cut back at all4 ,treatment1 of laterals which come of themselves is another matter4 ,do not clip the ends of shoots unless laterals are desired4 ,if you keep clipping the ends of apple twigs1 you will get no fruit from some varieties4 ,grafting ,almond on ,peach4 ,i had good success with the peach trees which ,i grafted to almond last spring1 getting about #ie per cent of a stand1 and many of the grafts now are one and one-half inches diameter4 ,in each of the trees ,i left about a quarter of the branches1 to keep up the growing process of the tree4 ,the universal practice around here in grafting is to cut the whole top off the tree at the time of grafting1 but the increased growth and vigor of the grafts ,i have has proved to me and other growers around1 that much better results are obtained by leaving part of the top on the tree at the time of grafting4 ,you did exceedingly well with your grafting4 ,it seems a more rational way to proceed than by a total amputation1 and yet ample success is often attained by grafting for a whole new top at once4 ,pruning ,almonds4 ,should the main branches be shortened in a three-year-old almond tree8 ,of course1 ,i intend to thin out the branches4 ,some growers here advise me to shorten the main branches2 others say do not shorten them1 as it tends to give the trees a brushy top4 ,although some growers are contending for regular shortening - in of the almond as is practiced on the peach1 it is not usual to cut back almond trees after they have reached three years of age and have assumed good form4 ,of course1 if cutting back is done1 the shoots coming from near the amputation must be thinned out to prevent the brushiness your adviser properly objected to4 ,budding and ,grafting ,almonds4 ,is it better to bud or graft bitter almond seedlings of one year's growth1 and1 as they must be transplanted1 would it be proper to do the work this season or defer it for another year's growth8 ,your almond seedlings should have been budded in ,july or ,august after starting from the nut1 which would have fitted them for planting in orchard the following winter as dormant buds1 as they cannot stay where they are another season4 ,now you can transplant to nursery rows in another place3 cut back and graft as the buds are swelling1 allowing a good single shoot to grow from below on those which do not start the grafts into which you can bud in ,june1 and cut back the stock to force growth as soon as the buds have taken4 ,in this way you will get the whole stock into trees for planting out next winter4 ,some will be large and some small1 but all will come through if planted in good soil and cared for properly4 ,of course1 you can plant out the seedlings and graft and bud in the orchard1 but it will be a lot of trouble and you will get very irregular results4 ,cutting ,back ,almonds4 ,i have some nice thrifty two-year-old almond trees which ,i did not top this spring4 ,the limbs are from about four to seven or eight feet long4 ,would it not be best to top them yet8 ,cut them back to a shoot of this year's growth1 removing about a third of last year's growth1 perhaps4 ,this will give you lower and better branching4 ,almond ,planting4 ,i am contemplating the planting of about five to eight acres of almonds3 what variety is best to plant8 ,before planting so many almonds1 you should determine how satisfactory the almond is in bearing in your location4 ,unless you can find satisfactory demonstration of this fact1 it is hazardous to plant such an acreage4 ,on the other hand1 if you find that almonds are bearing satisfactorily1 the kinds which are perhaps most satisfactory to plant are ,nonpareil1 ,texas ,prolific1 ,ne ,plus ,ultra and ,drake's ,seedling4 ,the ,texas ,prolific and ,drake's ,seedling are abundant bearers and profitable because of the size of the crop1 although the price is lower than the soft-shelled varieties1 ,nonpareil and ,ne ,plus ,ultra4 ,these two varieties are such energetic pollinizers that they not only bear well themselves1 but force the bearing of the larger varieties mentioned4 ,every third row in your plantation should be either ,texas ,prolific or ,drakes' ,seedlings1 which would give you two-thirds of the larger varieties and one-third of the smaller4 ,there are1 of course1 other soft-shelled almonds which are worth planting and are being considerably planted in localities where they do well4 ,this you can ascertain by inquiry among local growers and nurserymen4 ,the planting of a good proportion of active pollinizers is the most important point4 ,almond ,pollination4 ,my almond trees look healthy but the fruit seems to be diseased4 ,is it necessary to have male and female trees1 and how can one distinguish them8 ,the almond is monoecious and has perfect blossoms1 therefore1 there is no such thing as male and female trees in the case of the almond1 but most of the best soft-shelled almonds are self-sterile and need cross-pollination from another variety4 ,this is discussed elsewhere in answer to another question4 ,roots for the ,almond4 ,which is the best root to have the almond grafted on1 peach or bitter almond8 ,the soil is sandy4 ,the bitter almond and the hard-shelled sweet almond are both used and we are not aware that any particular advantage has been demonstrated for either of them4 ,the almond does well on peach roots also1 but the almond is a better root where the soil conditions suit it4 ,longevity of ,almond and ,peach4 ,what is difference in life of peach and almond in ,california8 ,the almond is the longer-lived1 but we have seen both assuming the aspect of forest trees in abandoned pioneer places4 ,both are apt to live longer than their planters1 if soil and moisture conditions favor4 ,almond ,seedlings4 ,i have been told that almond trees raised from seed1 no matter what kind of seed planted1 will produce bitter almonds4 ,is this a fact8 ,it is not a fact4 ,the majority will probably be hard-shell1 sweet and bitter1 but others will be soft-shell1 medium-shell1 paper-shell1 and everything else you ever heard of in the almond line4 ,the almond has the sportiest kind of seedlings4 ,do ,not ,plant ,almonds in ,place4 ,i have #cj acres which ,i intend to plant to almonds and peaches1 and ,i thought of planting the sprouted nuts and pits where ,i wanted my trees1 and budding the same there in orchard form4 ,as one or two years' use of the land is not considered1 what is your advice8 ,my idea is to plant in orchard at start so as not to disturb roots1 as when grown in nursery and transplanted in orchard4 ,would it not progress as rapidly8 ,would you advise budding peaches on almond roots2 if not1 why8 ,my idea is that it would give a longer-lived tree4 ,we would do nothing of the kind4 ,if we decided it better to grow trees than to buy them1 we would grow and bud the seedlings in nursery and not in the field4 ,field budding is open to all kinds of injuries and growth from it1 when saved from cultivation and all kinds of intruders1 is irregular and uncertain4 ,as for starting the roots from the nut in plate1 it is largely a fanciful consideration4 ,we count it no gain for the walnut which makes a tap root1 and still less gainful for the almond and peach1 which1 usually make spreading roots4 ,to cut off a tap root does not prevent the tree from rooting deeply if the soil is favorable4 ,as to use of the land1 you lose time by growing the seedlings in place4 ,the peach does well on the almond root if soil conditions favor the almond4 ,perhaps it gives longer life to the peach1 but the profitable life of the peach tree in a proper soil does not depend on the root2 it depends upon the treatment of the top in pruning for renewal of branches4 ,almond and ,peach4 ,with water-table at #ah feet1 which root is best for almond trees8 ,the experience around here is that the peach root starts best4 ,which root is most durable8 ,what is the life of the peach root and of the almond8 ,it is not merely a question of depth to water1 but of character of the soil above the water4 ,neither of the roots will stand heavy soil which holds water too long1 and both enjoy a free loam which drains readily down to the water-table or bottom water4 ,if the soil is rather sandy1 letting the water down very quickly1 the almond is better in getting to it than the peach4 ,if it is finer and still well drained the peach will do well1 and the almond enjoys that also4 ,the almond probably can be counted on to stand coarser soil and greater drouth than the peach and under such conditions will outlive the peach1 probably1 but both of them will live twenty to thirty years or more if pruned in the head to get enough new wood and the trunk is kept from sunburn4 ,aside from this choose the almond root for the almond4 ,pollination of ,almonds4 ,i have ,drake's ,seedling almonds4 ,some people have told me that ,i must plant some hardshell variety between them1 otherwise they will not bear4 ,it is not necessary to plant hardshell almonds near ,drake's ,seedling trees in order to have them bear4 ,some varieties of almonds will set few nuts unless they are cross-pollinated1 but these are the paper-shell varieties1 as a rule - the ,nonpareil1 ,,ixl and ,ne ,plus ,ultra - and for these the ,drake's ,seedling or ,texas ,prolific is planted as a pollenizer4 ,the highest-priced nut of all is the ,nonpareil1 and it is also a good bearer when in a good location and planted with ,drake's or ,texas ,prolific4 ,stick-tight ,almonds4 ,i have leased seven acres of bearing almond trees which have the appearance of being reasonably well cared for4 ,i notice a few trees that still have almonds on 7stick-tights74 ,what is the cause and remedy8 ,the occurrence of stick-tights is generally due to lack of moisture and thrifty growth1 although some trees may be weak from some other cause and therefore deficient in sap-flow1 which manifests itself in that way4 ,single nuts may also fall into that condition of malnutrition4 ,we know no remedy except to keep the trees in good thrift by cultivation or by the use of irrigation if necessary4 ,shy-bearing ,apricots4 ,why do my apricot trees not bring fruit8 ,they seem healthy and are vigorous-looking trees4 ,five large trees have not borne #ajj pounds of fruit in three years4 ,the trees are not over six years old4 ,you may have a shy-bearing kind of apricot1 of which there are many1 or the trees may have grown too fast to hold the fruit1 or the frost or north wind may have blasted the bloom4 ,stop winter pruning1 and summer prune to prevent excessive growth2 reduce irrigation2 try to convince the apricot that it is not a green bay tree and see what will happen4 ,pruning ,apricots4 ,in pruning apricots1 if there should be a hollow center of a big branch in center of a seven-year-old tree1 should it be cut out with summer pruning8 ,should heavy growing apricots be summer pruned8 ,would it be all right to thin out a dense growth of wood in the prune trees in ,september8 ,it is always desirable to cut below a hollow in a limb if possible4 ,where1 however1 this would necessitate cutting below the desirable laterals1 the cavity may be filled with cement and thus rendered serviceable for some years4 ,summer pruning of the apricot is desirable if the growth is heavy and the tree has reached a bearing age4 ,thinning out of prune trees can be undertaken in the autumn1 providing the tree has practically finished its growth1 as indicated by the change in the color and pose of the leaves4 ,apricot ,propagation4 ,can ,royal apricots be grafted into seedling apricots8 ,do the scions do well8 ,what is the best time to graft them8 ,the apricot is grafted readily by the ordinary cleft grafting1 amputating above the forks if the tree is low-headed enough to allow you to work into the limbs instead of the trunk4 ,grafts will take all right in the trunk by bark grafting1 but working in smaller limbs makes a stronger tree4 ,this is for old trees and the grafting is done during the winter4 ,younger seedlings can be cleft or whip grafted in the stems1 but it is better to bud into the young seedlings with plump buds of the current year's growth1 in ,june1 and by shortening in the seedling above the buds as soon as they have taken1 get a growth on the bud in the latter half of the same growing season4 ,in nursery practice1 trees are usually made by budding in ,july or ,august into seedlings which are then growing from the seed planted the previous winter4 ,little seedlings from under old trees may be carefully transplanted to nursery rows in the spring and budded the same summer4 ,cultivated well and irrigated if necessary1 they will not suffer from this transplanting4 ,renewing ,old ,apricots4 ,shall ,i prune back heavily a #ae to #bj-year-old apricot tree which did not mature its fruit this season1 ,i think on account of neglect8 ,it was very poorly cultivated and not irrigated1 consequently looks very sick4 ,cut back all the main branches to six or eight feet from the ground1 leaving on whatever small growth there may be below that height4 ,paint the stubs and thin out the shoots next summer to get the right number of new branches properly distributed4 ,whether you will get a good renewal of the head depends upon whether the sickness is in the root or not4 ,cut back just before the buds swell toward the end of the dormant season4 ,summer ,pruning of ,apricots4 ,is it feasible to prune five-year-old apricot trees in ,august8 ,they seem in good growth and have been irrigated three times this season1 though they have never been pruned very closely4 ,summer pruning would be perfectly proper and advisable4 ,summer pruning immediately after the fruit is picked1 has become much more general1 and winter pruning has proportionately decreased4 ,young trees are winter pruned to promote low branching and short1 stout limbs2 bearing trees are summer pruned to promote fruit bearing and check wood growth - the excess of bearing shoots being removed by thinning during the winter4 ,wild ,cherries4 ,where do the ,mahaleb and ,mazzard cherries grow naturally8 ,how large are the trees1 and what kind of fruit do they bear8 ,the ,mazzards1 of which there are many1 and some of them wild in the ,eastern ,states1 are counted inferior seedlings of the species avium1 and are tall1 large trees1 the fruit being small and rather acrid and colors various4 ,the ,mahaleb is a ,european type with a smaller tree1 fruit inferior to the ,mazzards1 and used as a root under soil and climatic conditions under which the ,mazzard is not hardy and vigorous4 ,neither of the kinds are worth considering for their fruit4 ,pruning ,cherries4 ,i have some cherry trees that have not been pruned4 ,they are beautiful trees1 but it a requires a #bd-;foot ladder to get near the top limbs4 ,the side limbs reach from tree to tree4 ,they had a splendid crop this year4 ,people here tell me never to prune cherry trees4 ,one man who claims considerable experience with fruit says prune them as soon as the crop is off4 ,your cherry trees should have been pruned for the first two or three years quite severely1 in order to secure better branching and strength in the main branches4 ,if this is done1 and the trees come into full bearing1 very little pruning has to be done afterward1 except removing diseased1 interfering or surplus branches1 if there are too many4 ,it is perfectly safe to cut back the trees which you now have as you have been advised to do1 after the leaves have fallen or after they have begun to turn yellow4 ,the trees can be safely topped and thinned1 for the cherry accepts pruning very readily4 ,even considerable amounts of the tops have been cut off at fruit-picking time from trees which have been running too high1 so that the fruit could be secured1 and this has not injured the trees1 according to our own experience and observation4 ,cherries can be summer-pruned to check excessive growth and to promote fruit-bearing1 but as your trees have already begun to bear well1 this treatment does not seem to be necessary4 ,you should do fall and winter pruning for the shape of the trees4 ,training ,cherry ,grafts4 ,i have grafted a lot of seedling cherries1 leaving two or three buds on each piece of grafted wood4 ,in planting these out1 shall ,i put the union under ground 7they are grafted at the crown of the root7 and shall ,i loosen the cloth a little later when they start to grow8 ,how can ,i get the head for the tree8 ,should ,i let only one shoot form1 and when it is as high as ,i want it1 cut it off as ,i would a tree gotten from a nursery8 ,if you have used waxed cloth in your grafting1 it will be necessary to loosen it after the tree gets a good start4 ,common unwaxed cloth could be trusted to decay soon enough1 probably1 but it should be looked at to see that it is not binding4 ,the union should not be placed much below the ground surface1 although it can be safely covered1 and the future stem may look the better for it4 ,one shoot could be allowed to grow from each graft1 choosing the best ones and pinching the others so that they will stop extension and hold leaves during the first season4 ,these can be cleanly removed at the first winter pruning at the time you head back the main shoot to the proper height4 ,restoring ,cherry ,trees4 ,i have about two acres of cherry trees in ,sonoma county said to be about #bj years old4 ,they are in a very neglected condition and ,i am desirous of putting them in good shape for next year's crop4 ,they are in a very light sandy loam sail which is easily worked4 ,cherry trees under good growing conditions and proper care are very long lived in ,california and bear abundant crops when thirty and more years of age4 ,in the ,san ,jose district and elsewhere there are orchards considerably older than the limit stated and are still very profitable4 ,if your trees have been so neglected that the branches have died back1 the trees should be pruned1 of course1 cutting out all dead wood and shortening weak or dying branches to a point where a good strong shoot can be found4 ,then a good application of farmyard manure plowed in during the rainy season1 followed by summer cultivation for moisture retention4 ,although the cherry is very hardy1 it is quite likely to suffer on light soils which become too dry4 ,on such soils as yours there is little if any danger of too much water in the winter1 unless the land lies low1 but the injury to the tree comes from the lack of moisture during the summer time1 and this1 with your abundant rainfall1 you can probably assure by thorough summer cultivation4 ,renewing ,cherry ,trees4 ,we have cherry trees set out diamond shape about #af feet apart4 ,we cannot take out every other tree and have any order1 so we ask you if it would be possible to cut the trees back and keep them pruned down to a smaller size4 ,the trees are about #bj years old and are dying back quite badly4 ,if the trees are dying for lack of summer moisture it is idle to do much for them until you can give them irrigation right after the fruit ripens4 ,the cherry tree takes kindly to cutting back and will give good new fruit-bearing shoots if the roots are in good condition4 ,it is desirable to remove surplus branches entirely rather than to cut back everything to a definite height1 the branches to be removed being those which show disposition to die back and those which are running out too far so as to reduce the space between the trees or to interfere with branches from other trees4 ,branches which are failing above can in some cases be cut back to a strong thrifty lateral branch below4 ,shortening-in branches high up is less desirable because it forces out too much new growth in the top of the tree and carries the fruit so high that picking would be expensive4 ,all cuts of any size should be painted to prevent the wood from checking4 ,pruning ,cherries4 ,i have cherry trees in their third season which have been given the usual winter pruning4 ,the trees are putting forth a great many more branches than are required1 and naturally many of the branches are growing across the tree4 ,in cutting these extra branches1 ,i am informed that there is a way to trim them so that they will eventually form fruit spurs4 ,i had an idea that in order to do this it would be well to cut about one inch from the main branch4 ,some one has told me that this would merely cause the little branch to sprout again4 ,cherry shoots which are not required or desired for branch-forming can be transferred into fruit spurs1 if the tree is of bearing age1 by shortening them in4 ,do not1 however1 cut at an arbitrary distance of one inch from the starting point1 but rather save one or two buds at whatever distance from the starting point these may be growing4 ,if the tree is too young to bear1 only growth shoots may appear from these buds1 but they are likely to be short and will support fruit spurs later4 ,this practice should not be carried to excess or you will have too many small shoots which will not get light enough to bear good fruit1 even if fruit spurs should appear4 ,pollination of ,black ,tartarian4 ,there are many old ,tartarian cherry trees around our district that have only borne a few cherries in years4 ,there are ,bing1 ,royal ,ann and ,early ,purple ,guignes here with these1 but they seldom1 if ever1 bloom with the ,tartarian at the proper time to pollinate4 ,what varieties would cause the trees to bear8 ,sterility of the ,black ,tartarian is rather unusual4 ,in the coast regions1 ,bing1 ,black ,tartarian and ,early ,purple ,guigne are all considered pollinizers for the ,royal ,ann4 ,inversely all these should be pollinizers for the ,black ,tartarian1 if that variety requires such assistance1 which we have all along supposed that it did not4 ,treatment of ,fig ,suckers4 ,a few young fig trees are not growing from the tops1 but are sending out suckers1 in some cases above and others below the point of grafting4 ,had ,i better let these suckers grow and see what comes from them or plant new trees8 ,graft near the ground all those which are sending suckers from below the graft4 ,suckers from above grafting point can be trained into trees by selecting the best1 tying to stakes to straighten up and removing all other suckers but the one selected4 ,no ,gopher-proof ,fig ,roots4 ,is it necessary that figs should be grafted in some other roots to keep the gophers from destroying the trees8 ,what root should ,i order8 ,figs are not grown on any other than fig roots and are generally propagated by rooted cuttings for the purpose of avoiding the expense of grafting4 ,the fruit must then be protected by killing the gophers rather than by an effort to get the tree upon a gopher-proof root4 ,pollination of ,bartletts4 ,would ,clapp's ,favorite be a good pollinizer for the ,bartlett as well as the ,white ,doyenne8 ,the white ,doyenne and the ,clapp's ,favorite usually begin to bloom three or four days later than the ,bartlett1 but the ,bartlett period extends about ten days into the blooming period of the others4 ,therefore1 your question is to be answered in the affirmative2 that is1 if the ,bartlett needs pollination1 it will be likley to get it from either of these varieties4 ,comice ,pears4 ,would you plant ,comice pears instead of ,bartletts1 and why8 ,what is their behavior as to bearing8 ,do they require any different treatment than ,bartletts8 ,what roots8 ,do they need other varieties for pollinizing8 ,do not plant ,cornice instead of ,bartletts except for those who have tested out the ,cornice to their production and selling4 ,though satisfactory in some places1 it makes no such wide record of success as the ,bartlett and should be planted only on the basis of experience with it4 ,its propagation and culture are the same as other pears4 ,it takes to the quince all right if you want dwarf trees4 ,we have no record of its pollination needs1 but as the ,bartlett in ,california defies its ,eastern reputation for self-sterility1 it is likely that ,cornice may also take care of itself1 for it is not handicapped by such ,eastern condemnation4 ,no ,pears on ,peach4 ,i saw1 the other day1 some ,bartlett pear grafts in ,salway peach trees1 and the party informed me that he had seen three-year-old grafts that had pears last season4 ,i would like your opinion1 as ,i always thought that such a union was not possible4 ,our opinion is like yours1 and seeing some pear grafts set in peach branches would not convince us that they would grow or bear fruit4 ,pigs in the ,orchard4 ,i have an orchard of ,bartlett pears about fifteen years old1 located on sediment land4 ,i desire to set this to alfalfa1 and to feed the alfalfa by letting hogs eat it off1 thereby leaving the droppings on the land4 ,what ,i wish to know is this3 ,will this crop be beneficial or injurious to the trees8 ,alfalfa can be successfully grown in an orchard1 providing you have irrigation water so that the alfalfa shall not rob the trees of moisture2 otherwise it is a very dangerous practice4 ,the practice of running animals of any kind in an orchard is to be condemned4 ,pigs are particularly liable to injure trees by gnawing the bark1 and we have seen fig trees barked clean as high as a pig could reach by standing on his hind legs4 ,of course1 if you try an experiment for your own satisfaction1 you will have to watch the pigs very carefully4 ,it is true that growing pasture crops in an orchard and grazing1 it off is injurious to trees1 because the land lacks proper aeration1 and good orchard cultivation is even more necessary in this ,state than in humid climates4 ,therefore1 unless you are sure of a good water supply for irrigation1 it would be altogether safer to give the whole land to the trees and keep them cultivated well1 or else dig out the trees and use the land for other purposes4 ,dwarf ,pears ,not ,commercially ,grown4 ,will you kindly give the experience of pear growers in ,california who have grown the dwarfs8 ,if you can give me the data or refer me to persons who can give data showing that the growing of dwarf pears can be made a commercial success the information will be of great value4 ,there is no commercial growing of dwarf pears in this ,state1 except some trees owned by the ,a4 ,block ,company1 ,santa ,clara4 ,the late ,mr4 ,block had an old orchard of dwarf trees1 planted perhaps forty or fifty years ago1 which he converted into an approach to a standard orchard by removing alternate rows1 and the trees being otherwise treated like standards have been satisfactorily producing pears for many years4 ,how far these trees are still on the dwarf roots and how far they have supplied themselves with roots from the variety growth above1 we do not know4 ,there is no disposition whatever to plant dwarf trees in this ,state except among a few amateurs who are making home fruit gardens4 ,in view of the successful growth of standard trees in this ,state1 there seem to be no adequate reasons for recourse to dwarf trees4 ,yield in ,drying ,pears4 ,what is the loss of weight in drying ,bartlett pears8 ,they run from #g to #h lbs4 of fresh pears to #a lb4 hard dried4 ,there is quite wide variation according to condition of the fruit4 ,probably about #g #a_/b to #a would be as near a realizable ratio as you could get by arbitrary estimate4 ,pear ,problems4 ,kindly let me know the advisability of grafting ,bartlett pears onto apple trees4 ,in replanting pears in young orchard1 how would it do to take rooted pear suckers1 graft the ,bartlett on them1 and save the cost of nursery stock8 ,last year my five-year-old ,bartlett orchard was full of blossoms1 but1 though many pears became as large as white beans1 the majority of them dropped4 ,the pear and apple do not make a good union4 ,the grafts may grow for a while1 but finally fail4 ,do not use suckers as stocks4 ,you can dig up some year roots and use them as starters by making root-grafts with ,bartlett scions and do better than with suckers1 but a good pear seedling is the proper thing either for budding or root grafting4 ,unless you have some experience in such work1 it will be cheaper in the end to buy good nursery trees4 ,the nonbearing of your young trees is probably due to their youth and vigor4 ,bees and ,pear ,blight4 ,a few years ago1 ,i planted alfalfa between my pear trees and the trees bore a very heavy crop that year4 ,then blight made its appearance1 and it was claimed that the bees carried the blight4 ,i therefore plowed under the alfalfa and destroyed what few beehives ,i had4 ,if the theory that the bees carry the blight from tree to tree is not correct1 ,i will experiment with alfalfa again this year4 ,it is true that bees carry pear blight4 ,it is also true that you are not likely to get many pears without bees to pollinate the blossoms4 ,you cannot escape the carriage of the pear blight by removing tame bees1 because wild bees are abundant in all parts of the ,state4 ,the way to overcome the blight is to pursue it by amputation of diseased branches continually1 so that there may be no contamination for the bees to carry4 ,you are certainly warranted in continuing your alfalfa growing without regard to this question1 using water enough to keep the alfalfa growing well without saturating the soil to the injury of the trees or inducing too much summer growth on them4 ,forage ,under ,sprayed ,trees4 ,is it safe to use arsenical sprays in a pear orchard in which alfalfa is raised between the trees and afterward cut and fed to cattle8 ,it was fully demonstrated by experiment about #be years ago that herbage under trees sprayed with paris green at the rate of #a pound to #afj gallons of water was not injurious to animals pasturing upon it4 ,we are not aware that such an experiment has been made with the more recently used arsenates - which can be used with a much higher amount of arsenic to the gallon because they do not injure the foliage - to determine whether the herbage below would be poisonous or not4 ,presumably not1 because modern spraying does not admit as much loss from run-off as was the case with old ,spraying methods4 ,pears on ,quince4 ,i saw some time ago a report of some ,french experiments in grafting the pear onto quince root4 ,the report said the fruit produced was much larger than on any other root4 ,most of our common pears will take readily when grafted on the quince1 but the quince transforms them into dwarfed trees4 ,such trees do produce1 with proper care1 very fine fruit4 ,the remark about their being better than on standard trees refers1 however1 to other climates than ours1 for ,california grows just as large pears on standard trees as can possibly be grown1 while where conditions are harder the higher culture of the dwarf tree and the protection which it requires from climatic hardships1 gives the dwarf tree the advantage4 ,you can get pears on quince roots from most of our ,california nurseries4 ,pollination of ,pears4 ,is it necessary in growing the ,comice pear successfully1 to put some other pear near for the purpose of pollination in order to make it successful8 ,will the ordinary ,bartlett pear do for pollination8 ,the ,comice pear blooms with the ,bartlett1 and would therefore presumably be of pollinizing benefit to the ,bartlett if the latter should require such treatment4 ,common experience in ,california1 however1 is that the ,bartlett is self-fertile and not self-sterile as it is commonly reported in ,eastern publications4 ,california practice is1 then1 to plant ,bartletts solidly without reference to preparation for pollination4 ,taking the matter the other way around1 the ,bartlett will do for pollination of the ,comice probably1 if that should be necessary4 ,lye-,peeling ,peaches4 ,please give the formula for peeling peaches by dipping them in caustic soda or lye4 ,lye for peeling peaches is used at the rate of half to one pound to the gallon of water1 according to the strength of the lye1 which you can determine by the quickness with which it acts4 ,the lye water is kept boiling1 and the fruit is dipped in wire baskets1 only being allowed to remain in the lye a few seconds1 and is then plunged at once into fresh water4 ,you must be careful to keep the lye boiling hot1 also either to use running water for rinsing or change it very frequently1 for you have to rely on fresh water to remove the lye1 or the fruit is likely to be stained4 ,aged ,peach ,trees4 ,what should be done with peach trees #ce years old which are becoming unthrifty1 bearing only at the ends of the limbs1 etc48 ,old peach trees become bark-bound and need to be cut back to just above the crotch for the forcing out of new branches1 this being facilitated1 of course1 by application of manure1 good cultivation of the soil1 use of water during the dry season1 etc4 ,the peach is1 under most conditions1 not a long-lived tree1 and if your trees are #ce years of age1 it is probable that best results could be obtained by grubbing them out and replanting with young trees on new soil if possible4 ,the profitable life of the ,eastern peach tree is put down at five or six years4 ,in ,california the profitable life of the peach sometimes reaches twenty or more years1 if growing under exceptionally good conditions2 but #ce years would seem to be at least on the borders of decrepitude4 ,growing at the tips shows that you have not pruned annually to induce the growth of new wood lower down4 ,renewing ,peach ,orchard4 ,which is the best way to renew an old peach orchard8 ,the trees are about #ah years old1 ,muirs and ,fosters1 and are yielding good crops1 but some of the trees show decline4 ,is it best to replace the old ones with new trees or to plant a new orchard in between the old trees and cut out old ones when new trees are three or four years old8 ,if the trees have sound bodies and are not badly injured by sunburn borers1 do none of the things you mention1 but would cut back for a new head4 ,cutting back should be done during the latter half of the dormant period and thinning of shoots to proper balance a new head should be carefully done the following winter4 ,it is a hard job to get young trees to start among old trees and you are apt to get a mixed lot of trees which you will not be proud of4 ,cut back as suggested or rip out1 plow deeply and start anew1 placing the rows midway between the old rows4 ,will ,he ,have ,peaches8 ,i have a young orchard between five and six years old1 mostly of the ,lovell variety4 ,i didn't have much of a crop this year4 ,should ,i have a good crop next year8 ,you ought to be able to tell now how full a set of fruit buds you have4 ,if you do not know what the fruit buds are1 ask some neighbor who knows peaches to point them out4 ,if you have a good show of fruit buds1 the question in ,california is not whether they will winter-kill or not1 but whether the leaves held late enough the preceding summer and therefore the tree had strength enough to make good strong fruit buds4 ,the late action of the leaves shows that the trees had enough autumn moisture4 ,you will soon learn to recognize the condition also from the plumpness of the wood which carries the fruit buds4 ,if all has gone well so far1 the next point is to spray with the bordeaux mixture in ,november or ,december so that the new wood shall not be attacked by the peach blight or shothole fungus4 ,this disease comes on early in the winter1 sets the the new bark to gumming and endangers the crop4 ,then if you have ,san ,jose scale1 or if your trees showed much curl-leaf last spring1 you ought to spray before the blossom buds show color with the lime-sulphur wash4 ,supposing that you have good buds now and are willing to protect them as suggested1 your trees may be expected to come through with a good crop if seasonal moisture conditions are right4 ,peach ,fillers in ,apple ,orchard4 ,i have heard some talk against planting peach fillers in an apple orchard4 ,what is your opinion on the subject8 ,there is no objection providing the peach is profitable in the locality2 and that point you must look into4 ,the peach trees will not injure the apples unless they are allowed to stand too long4 ,in that case they would interfere with the development of the apple4 ,grafting ,peach on ,almond4 ,may ,i expect to get good results by grafting some kind of peach to #ai-year-old almond tree8 ,if so1 what kind of peach will be best8 ,when shall ,i do grafting8 ,peaches take to the almond all right4 ,cut off and graft in the branches above the main forking of the tree2 leaving at least one large branch to be grafted later or to be cut out entirely if you have peach growth enough to fill the top sufficiently4 ,graft in any kind of peach you find to be worth growing4 ,graft toward the latter part of the dormant season1 say when the buds are swelling for a new start4 ,peaches on ,apricot4 ,i have a three-year-old peach orchard grafted or budded on apricot roots1 and interspersed through the orchard are young apricot trees1 from half-inch to inch and a half in diameter1 which sprang from the root1 the peach bud or graft having died4 ,i budded these over to peaches in summer1 but the buds all died for some cause4 ,what is now the best course to transform them into peach trees8 ,if a graft1 what form of graft1 and approximately when should it be made8 ,you can graft peach scions into the apricot sprouts by taking the peach scions of the varieties you desire while the tree is perfectly dormant1 keeping them in a cool place and putting in the grafts just as the buds are beginning to swell on the apricot stock4 ,the scions can be buried in the earth in the shade of a fence or building1 selecting a place1 however1 which is moist enough and yet where the water does not gather4 ,the ordinary form of top grafting in stems an inch or more in diameter will work well4 ,the half-inch stems can be whip-grafted successfully4 ,you will have to wax well and see that the wax coating is kept sound until the growth starts4 ,replanting ,after ,root-knots4 ,in digging out some old peach trees1 ,i find now and then a tree affected with root knot4 ,i am burning the root1 of course1 but as these trees are scattered in the orchard1 ,i wish to plant young trees in same locations1 thus preserving the rows4 ,can new stock be safely put in the earth from which the old tree is removed8 ,if treatment of the soil is essential1 what is recommended8 ,dig a good large hole1 removing the earth1 and fill with new earth from between the rows1 and in this way healthy growth ought to be obtained1 although there is always a disposition in some trees to put on knots4 ,they should be looked at from time to time and all those affecting the larger stem should be removed and the wound painted with bordeaux mixture4 ,buds in ,bearing ,trees4 ,in budding over some old peach trees1 should ,i cut away the branch above the bud when the latter seems to have taken8 ,the sap flow to the upper part of the branch should be checked by part girdling or by part breaking or bending the top above the bud1 after the bud is seen to have set or taken4 ,do not remove the whole top until the growth on the bud has started out well or else you will drown it with excessive sap flow4 ,pollen ,must ,be of the ,same ,kind4 ,do peaches1 nectarines and apricots set fruit with the pollen of one another1 and are the various peaches1 nectarines and apricots self-sterile1 or will most kinds set fruit with their own pollen8 ,we do not count upon pollination between different kinds of fruit4 ,most fruits are self-fertile1 else we could not attain the practical results we do1 because it is only in the planting of almonds1 cherries1 pears and apples that any regard is paid to the association of varieties for that cross-fertilization4 ,some fruits are more apt to be self-fertile in this ,state than in other ,states where the growing conditions are not so favorable4 ,peach ,budding4 ,which is easier with the peach1 grafting or budding8 ,the peach is rather a difficult tree to graft1 and budding1 on the other hand1 is quite easy4 ,you can bud into new shoots of this season's growth in ,july1 and1 if necessary1 you can improve the slipping of the bark by irrigation a few days before budding4 ,buds can also be successfully placed in ,june in the old bark of the peach1 providing it is not too old4 ,for this select well-matured buds from the larger shoots and use rather a larger shield than in working into new shoots4 ,when the buds are seen to have taken1 the top growth beyond it can be reduced gradually and some new growth forced on the buds the same season1 if the sap flow continues as it might be expected to do on young trees well cared for4 ,grafting on the ,peach4 ,will pears do to graft on the peach1 or will plums do well on the peach8 ,how soon ought they to bear when grafted on the peach which is past three years old8 ,pears cannot be grafted on peaches4 ,plums generally do well on the peach1 and if the grafts are taken from bearing trees1 should come into fruit the second season4 ,the peach is more difficult to graft than other fruit trees1 because of the drying back of the bark4 ,be extra careful in the waxing and be sure that the waxing remains good until the growth starts out well the following summer4 ,young ,trees ,failing to ,start4 ,some peach and almond trees set out last spring lived1 but made no growth4 ,should they be replaced with new stock8 ,if not1 what may be expected of them8 ,if your inactive trees have good plump dormant buds 7though they may not be large buds71 they may make good growth the coming summer1 if the land is good and the moisture right for free growth4 ,peach ,planting in ,alfalfa ,sod4 ,is it advisable to plant canning peaches in ,april1 and will ,i gain time in growth and development8 ,i want to set out eight acres in ,tuscans or ,phillips on deep rich soil near ,yuba ,city4 ,i have a pumping plant and can irrigate4 ,the land has been in alfalfa for several years4 ,i have in mind setting out trees without disturbing the alfalfa - until next plowing season4 ,do you think it advisable to use commercial fertilizer on ten-year-old ,muirs8 ,planting the best canning peaches on good peach soil near ,yuba ,city seems to be about the safest line of fruit investment which can be undertaken4 ,we doubt that you can get much growth from trees planted in an old stand of alfalfa without some effort to kill out the plant which now occupies the ground4 ,still1 by deep digging1 throwing out all the alfalfa roots and thorough hoeing during the growing season and keeping the alfalfa mowers from sawing off the tops of them1 the trees may make a good start4 ,as the alfalfa will have to be irrigated1 ,april may not be too late to start the trees1 providing you can find nursery stock which is still quite dormant4 ,probably ten-year-old peach trees will be very much improved by commercial fertilizers4 ,prune on ,almond4 ,what root is considered best for prune trees8 ,the ranch lies above the creek4 ,a friend is very partial to the almond root instead of the myrobalan1 but ,i understand that the prune tree sometimes outgrows the almond root4 ,if you have a deep rather light soil which drains well and which there is1 therefore1 no danger of water standing during the rainy season1 the almond root is perfectly satisfactory for the prune4 ,it is a strong-growing root and keeps pace with the top growth well4 ,the prune1 in fact1 is more apt to overgrow the myrobalan than the almond1 and the myrobalan will not do well on light soils likely to dry out as the almond will4 ,re-grafting ,silver ,prunes4 ,i have five acres of ,silver prunes which produce very little fruit4 ,the trees are strong and healthy4 ,french prune trees adjoining bear regularly and heavily4 ,can ,i graft ,french prunes on the ,silver trees8 ,will ,silver prune trees take other grafts1 such as apricots or apples8 ,the ,silver prune is often unsatisfactory for reason of shy bearing4 ,it is perfectly feasible to graft over the tree to the ,french prune and this has been done for years by different growers4 ,apricots will usually take on the plum stock1 but are apt to over-grow it or else be dwarfed themselves1 but the apricot is often worked upon a plum stock4 ,apples have no grafting affinity whatever for the plum4 ,french or ,italian4 ,in the prune-growing district around ,salem1 ,oregon1 ,italian prunes are grown exclusively for drying purposes4 ,french prunes were considered worthless4 ,here in ,sutter county1 ,california1 a great many ,french prunes are grown and we are advised to plant them1 but would rather plant the ,italian prune4 ,which would you advise us to set out in this part of the ,state8 ,the ,italian or ,fellenberg prune was grown to some extent in ,california #dj years and abandoned2 it was not so sure in bearing as the ,french1 and it was not the type of prune which we had ambition to excel with4 ,the prune which we grow as the ,french is the true prune or plum of ,agen4 ,we should plant it and let the ,oregon people have the ,italian4 ,myrobalan ,seedlings4 ,i am sending two small plums which ,i am told are ,myrobalan plum4 ,i desire to grow seedlings on which later to bud and graft ,french prunes4 ,if these are ,myrobalan plums1 will trees from them be as good as trees from pits that were imported8 ,the fruits are ,myrobalan plums1 and their seedlings would be suitable for the ,french prune1 providing the trees which bear them are strong1 thrifty growing trees4 ,there is great variation in the colors of the ,myrobalan seedlings1 from light yellow to dark red1 and it is the satisfactory growth of the tree rather than the character of the fruit which one has to bear in mind when growing seedlings from selected trees instead of depending so largely on imported seedlings4 ,drying ,plums and ,prunes4 ,i have plum trees of various kinds that are loaded with fruit4 ,i do not know if any are of the variety used for drying as prunes3 ,i know nothing of the process of making or drying prunes4 ,one man suggests that ,i dip them for four or live minutes in a #c or #d per cent solution of lye and then place them in the sun4 ,dipping your plums is right providing they are very sweet1 as they will dry like prunes without removing the pit4 ,if they are plums that are commercially used for shipping1 without enough sugar to dry as prunes1 the pit must be removed4 ,drying in this way1 you do not need to use lye1 which is simply for the purpose of cracking the skin so that the moisture can be more readily evaporated4 ,there is no danger in using the necessary amount of lye4 ,less is used than in making hominy4 ,the ,sugar ,prune4 ,what is the commercial value of the ,sugar prune8 ,is there any other early ripening variety better than the ,sugar8 ,it is selling very well as a cured prune1 and growers in the northern bay counties especially have done so well that they are extending their plantings4 ,it is coarser in flesh than the ,french and generally flatter in flavor when cooked and thus falls below the ideal of a cured prune1 but it has compensating characters1 such as early ripening1 with which no other prune compares4 ,the ,sugar is also valuable as a shipping plum to ,eastern markets4 ,glossing ,dried ,prunes4 ,will you give the method for giving the gloss to dried ,french prunes8 ,there are various methods4 ,one pound of glycerine to #bj gallons of water2 a quick dip in the mixture very hot gives a good finish4 ,where a clear bloom rather than a shine1 is desired1 five pounds of common salt to #ajj gallons of water1 also dipped hot1 gives a good effect4 ,some use a thin syrup made by boiling small prunes in water 7by stove or steam7 and thinning with water to produce the result desired4 ,steam cooking avoids bad flavor by burning4 ,the salt dip is probably the most widely used4 ,price of ,prunes on a ,size ,basis4 ,explain the grading in price of prunes4 ,for instance1 if the base price is1 say1 five and three-fourths cents1 what size does this refer to1 and how is the price for other sizes calculated8 ,also1 what is the meaning of the phrase four-size basis8 ,prunes1 after being sold to the packer1 are graded into different sizes1 according to the number required to make a pound1 and paid for on that basis4 ,the four regular sizes are #fj-gjs1 #gj-hjs1 #hj-ijs1 and #ij-ajjs1 which means that from #fj to #gj prunes are required to make a pound1 and so on4 ,the basis price is for prunes that weigh #hj to the pound4 ,when the basis price is #e #c_/d cents1 #hj-ijs are worth #a_/d cent less than this amount1 or #e #a_/b cents4 ,the next smaller size1 #ij-ajjs1 are worth #a_/b cent less1 or #e cents1 while prunes under this size are little but skin and pit and bring much less to the grower4 ,for each next larger size there is a difference of #a_/b cent in favor of the grower1 so that on the #e #c_/d-;cent basis #gj-hjs are worth #f cents1 and #fj-gjs #f #a_/b cents4 ,this advance continues for the larger sizes1 #cj-djs1 #dj-ejs1 etc41 but these quite often command a premium besides1 which is fixed according to the supplies available and the demand for the various sizes4 ,the sizes for which no premium or penalty is generally fixed are those from #fj to #ajj1 four sizes1 so that this basis of making contracts and sales is called the four-size basis4 ,the advantage that results in having this method of selling prunes can be seen by the fact that on a #e #c_/d-;cent basis the smallest of the four sizes will bring but #e cents a pound1 while #cj-djs would bring1 without any premium1 #h #a_/b cents1 and with #a cent premium1 #i #a_/b cents4 ,this size has this season brought as high as #aj and #aa cents a pound4 ,it may be noted here that no prunes are actually sold at just the basis price1 as they are worth either less or more than this as they are smaller or larger than #hj to the pound4 ,no matter what the basis price is1 there is a difference of one-half cent between each size and the sizes nearest to it4 ,pollinizing ,plums4 ,how many rows of ,robe de ,sergeant prune trees should be alternated with the ,french prune 7the common dried prune of commerce7 to insure perfect fertilization of the blossoms8 ,the ,french prune is self-fertile2 that is1 it does not require the presence of other plum species for pollination of the blossoms4 ,it is the ,robe de ,sergeant prune which is defective in pollination and which is presumably assisted by proximity to the ,french prune4 ,if you wish to grow ,robe de ,sergeant prunes your question of interplanting would be pertinent1 but if you desire only to grow ,french prunes you need not plant the ,robe de ,sergeant at all4 ,cultivating ,olives4 ,how deep should an olive orchard be plowed8 ,i was told that by plowing deep ,i would injure my trees1 in cutting up small rootlets and fibres which the olive extends through the surface soil4 ,is this so or not8 ,plowing olives is like plowing other trees1 the purpose being to get a workable soil deep enough to stand five or six inches of summer cultivation1 usually4 ,if you have old trees which have never been deeply plowed1 you would destroy a lot of roots by deep plowing1 and you should not start in and rip up all the land at once4 ,you can gradually deepen the plowing1 sacrificing fewer roots at a time1 without injuring the trees if they are otherwise well circumstanced4 ,small rootlets and fibres in the surface soil do not count2 they are quickly replaced1 and if you do not destroy them1 the whole surface soil1 if moist enough1 will be filled with a network of roots which will subsequently make decent working of the soil impossible4 ,moving ,old ,olive ,trees4 ,would there be anything gained by transplanting old olive trees #f to #h inches in diameter over nursery stock8 ,they would have to be shipped from ,santa ,clara to ,butte county and grafted4 ,would they come into bearing any sooner and be as good trees8 ,could the large limbs be used to advantage8 ,would the fact that they are covered with smut cause any trouble8 ,old olive trees can be successfully moved a long distance by cutting back1 taking up a ball of earth1 and possibly a short distance with bare roots if everything is favorable4 ,but do not for a moment think them worth such an outlay for labor1 freight and hauling which such a movement as you mention involves4 ,the trees on arrival would probably only be firewood1 and if they lived1 the time required in getting a good growth and grafting1 etc41 would perhaps be as great as in bringing a young tree of the right kind to bearing1 and the latter would be a better tree in every way4 ,large limbs can be split and used as cuttings1 but the tree would be growth on one side and decay on the other4 ,use the smaller limbs for hard-wood cuttings and the balance for firewood4 ,the smut shows that the trees are covered with scale insects and might indicate that it is better to burn up the whole outfit unless you learn to fight them4 ,darkening ,pickled ,olives4 ,is there anything that will make olives keep their black color when put into lye8 ,when ,i put my first picking of ripe olives in lye1 a large part of them turn green1 the black leaving the fruit4 ,my formula is one pound of lye to five gallons of water4 ,have you any better formula8 ,by exposing the olives to the light and air1 either during the salting or immediately after1 ripe olives may be given a uniformly black color4 ,also1 fruit which is less ripe and which shows red and green patches after processing with lye1 becomes an almost uniform dark brown color4 ,to do this1 the olives are removed from the brine and exposed to light and air freely for one or two days4 ,your lye was stronger than necessary4 ,with ripe olives it is desirable to use salt and lye together to prevent softening1 and the common prescription is two ounces of potash lye and four ounces of salt to the gallon of water after the bitterness is largely removed by using one or two treatments with two ounces of lye to the gallon without the salt4 ,it is necessary to draw off the solution1 rinse well1 and put on fresh solution several times during the process to get the best results4 ,seedling ,olives ,must ,be ,grafted4 ,will olive trees grown from the olive seed be the right thing to plant8 ,will they be true to the parent tree or will they have to be grafted8 ,olives which a seedling olive tree will bear will be1 as a rule1 very inferior and generally of the type of the wild olive4 ,all such trees must be grafted in order to produce any particular variety which you desire4 ,olives1 ,oranges and ,peppers4 ,we have been told that olive trees easily become infested with a fungus disease which they then impart to the orange tree4 ,the same objection is raised to the planting of pepper trees4 ,may this be true in some parts of the ,state and not in others8 ,the fungus of which you have heard is the black smut4 ,it is a result1 not a cause4 ,it grows on the honey dew exuded from scale insects and if your trees have no scale they have no fungus4 ,the olive trees and pepper trees may communicate this trouble to citrus trees1 or vice versa - whichever gets it first gives it away to the other4 ,if you will work hard enough to kill the scale wherever it appears you can have all these trees1 but1 of course1 it costs a lot to fight scale on big pepper trees1 and it is1 therefore1 wisest usually to choose an ornamental tree not likely to accept the scale4 ,budding ,olive ,seedlings4 ,i have planted olive seeds which are just sprouting now4 ,can these be budded next ,june or ,july in the nursery row1 or can they be bench-grafted the following winter8 ,your seedlings may make growth enough to spur-bud this summer4 ,the ordinary plate-bud does not take freely with the olive4 ,some of them may do this2 other seedlings may be slow and have to be budded in the second summer4 ,watch the size and the sap flow so that the bark will lift well - which may not be at just the time that deciduous trees are budded4 ,it may be both earlier or later in the season4 ,graft evergreens like the olive in the nursery row2 not by bench grafting4 ,budding ,old ,olives4 ,i have seedling olive trees1 set out in #aijd1 which ,i wish to change over to the ,ascolano variety4 ,which is the best way to do it1 by budding or grafting1 and what is the proper time8 ,twig-budding brings the sap of the stock to bear upon a young lateral or tip bud1 which is much easier to start than dormant buds used either as buds or grafts4 ,a short twig about an inch and a half in length is taken with some of the bark of the small branch from which it starts1 and both twig and bark at its base are put in a bark slit like an ordinary shield bud and tied closely with a waxed band1 although if the sap is moving freely it would probably do with a string or raffia tie4 ,put in such buds as growth is starting in the spring4 ,olives from ,small ,cuttings4 ,in the rooting of small soft-wood olive cuttings is it necessary to cover same with glass - say perhaps prepare a cold-frame and put stable manure in the bottom with about eight inches of sand on top8 ,it ceases to be a cold-frame when you cover in manure for bottom heat2 it becomes a hotbed4 ,varieties of olives differ greatly in the readiness with which they start from small cuttings4 ,some start freely and grow well in boxes of sand under partial shade - like a lath house or cover4 ,some need bottom heat in such a hotbed as you describe with a cloth over2 some start well in a cold-frame with a lath cover4 ,to get the best results with all kinds1 it is safer to use some more heat than comes from exposure to ordinary temperatures - either by concentration1 as in a covered frame1 or by a mild bottom heat4 ,if you have glass frames or greenhouse1 they are1 of course1 desirable1 but much can be done without that expense4 ,olives from ,large ,cuttings4 ,i am about to take olive cuttings from one-half to one inch thick and #ed to #bj inches long1 and wish to root them in nursery rows4 ,please advise me if it is necessary to plant under half shade8 ,also1 can same be planted out right away1 or should they be buried in trenches for a while before setting out8 ,would it be best to strip all leaves or branches off1 or leave one on8 ,how many buds should be left above ground8 ,plant in open ground in the coast district generally2 in the interior a lath 7or litter shade not too dense7 is desirable in places where high dry heat is expected and where sprinkling under the cover may be desirable4 ,plant out when the soil is right as to warmth and moisture1 which is usually a little later than this in the central and northern parts of the ,state4 ,remove all leaves and twigs and plant about three-quarters of the length in the soil1 which should be a well-drained sandy loam4 ,the cuttings can be taken directly from the trees and need not be bedded4 ,if the cuttings come some distance and get end-dried1 make a fresh cut at planting4 ,if shriveled at all1 soak a few hours in water before planting out4 ,trimming ,up ,olives4 ,limbs are shooting out too low on my olive trees4 ,would it be right to trim them up while dormant this winter1 or should ,i let them grow another year before doing so8 ,i think ,i want the first limbs to start at #ah to #bj inches above the ground4 ,take off the lower shoots whenever your knife is sharp4 ,do not let them grow another year4 ,theoretically1 the best time to remove them is toward the end of the dormant season1 but if they are not large as compared with the whole growth of the tree1 go to it any time4 ,canning ,olives4 ,what is the recipe for preserving olives by heat1 and how long do they have to remain in the heated state8 ,canning olives is a process1 not a recipe1 and it has to be operated with judgment4 ,it resembles1 of course1 the common process of canning other fruits and vegetables4 ,it has been demonstrated that heating up to #age ,fahrenheit is effective to keep olives in sealed containers for over two years4 ,the heating was done in the jars in the usual canning way for several minutes after #age was reached1 to be sure the contents were heated through4 ,renewing ,olive ,trees4 ,i have olive trees on first-class land2 no pest of any kind is apparent4 ,the trees look healthy in every way1 and average about #ab inches at the butt and #cj feet high4 ,they have borne fruit1 but for the last three years have not borne4 ,i am advised to cut back to stumps1 #e or #f feet high1 and start new tops4 ,unsatisfactory olive trees may be cut back1 but not to such an extent as you mention4 ,thin out the branches if too thick and cut back or remove those which interfere1 but to cut back to a stump would force out a very thick mass of brush which you would have to afterward go into and thin out desperately4 ,the branches which you decide to retain may be cut back to twelve or fifteen feet from the ground4 ,this would have the effect of giving you plenty of new thrifty wood1 which is desirable for the fruiting of the olive1 but we cannot guarantee that this treatment will make the trees satisfactory bearers4 ,are you sure they are receiving water enough8 ,if not1 give them more next summer4 ,also give the land a good coat of stable manure and plow under when the land is right for the plow4 ,growing ,olives from ,seed4 ,how are seedlings grown from olive seeds8 ,growing olives from seeds is promoted by assisting nature to break the hard shell4 ,this can be done by pinching carefully with ordinary wire pliers until the shell cracks without injury to the kernel1 or the shell may be cut into with a file1 making a very small aperture to admit moisture4 ,the ,french have specially contrived pliers with a stop which admits cracking and prevents crushing4 ,olive seeds in their natural condition germinate slowly and irregularly4 ,they must be kept moist and planted about an inch deep in sandy loam1 covering with chaff or litter to prevent drying of the surface4 ,before experimenting with olive pits1 crack a few to see if they have good plump kernels4 ,seedling olives must be grafted1 of course1 to be sure of getting the variety you want4 ,for this reason growth from cuttings is almost universal4 ,neglected ,olive ,trees4 ,i have a lot of olive trees which have grown up around the old stumps4 ,they are large trees and some of them have six or eight trunks4 ,should ,i cut away all but one trunk or let them alone8 ,there are some of the trees with small olives2 others none4 ,if the olive trees which were originally planted were trained at first and still have a good trunk and tree form1 the suckers which have intruded from below should be removed4 ,if1 however1 the trees have been allowed to grow many branches from below1 so that there is really no single tree remaining1 make a selection of four or five of the best shoots and grow the trees in large bush form1 shortening in the higher growth so as to bring the fruit within easier reach and reduce the cost of picking4 ,you can also develop a single shoot into a tree as you suggest4 ,of course1 you must determine whether the trees as they now stand are of a variety which is worth growing4 ,if they are all bearing very small fruit1 it would be a question whether they were worth keeping at all1 because grafting on the kind of growth which you describe would be unlikely to yield satisfactory tree forms1 though you might get a good deal of fruit from them4 ,olives from ,cuttings4 ,i have two choice olive trees on my place4 ,i am anxious to get trees from these old ones and do not know how to go about it4 ,can ,i grow the young trees by using cuttings or slips from these old trees 8 ,if so1 when is the proper time to select the cuttings1 and how should they be planted8 ,take cuttings of old wood1 one-half or three-quarters of an inch in diameter1 about ten inches long1 and plant them about three-quarters of their length in a sandy loam soil in a row so water can be run alongside as may be necessary to keep the soil moist but not too wet4 ,such dormant cuttings can be put in when the soil begins to warm up with the spring sunshine4 ,they can be put in the places where you desire them to grow in one or two years4 ,olives1 like other evergreen trees1 should be transplanted in the spring when there is heat enough to induce them to take hold at once in their new places1 and not during the winter when dormant deciduous trees are best transplanted4 ,water and ,frost4 ,i have in mind two pieces of land well adapted to citrus culture4 ,both have the same elevation1 soil1 climate and water conditions1 except that one piece is a mile of the ,kaweah river1 while the other is four or five miles distant4 ,in case of a frost1 all conditions being about the same1 which piece would you consider to be liable to suffer the more8 ,in the heavy frost of last ,december1 while neither sustained any great damage1 that portion of the ground nearer the river seemed to sustain the less4 ,is this correct in theory8 ,the ,kaweah river at this point is a good-sized stream of rapidly flowing water4 ,the land near the river1 conditions of elevation being similar1 would be less liable to frost4 ,there are a good many instances where the presence of a considerable body of water prevents the lowering of the temperature of the air immediately adjacent4 ,it is so at various points along the ,sacramento river1 and it is recognized as a general principle that bodies of water exert a warming influence upon their immediate environment even in regions with a hard winter4 ,how much it may count for must be determined by taking other conditions into the account also4 ,thinning ,oranges4 ,is it advisable to thin fruit on young citrus trees8 ,our trees have been bearing about three years1 but they are still small trees4 ,the oranges and grape fruit ripen well and are large and of excellent quality1 but the trees seem overloaded4 ,the size of oranges on over-burdened trees can be increased by thinning1 just as other fruits are enlarged1 but it is not systematically undertaken as with peaches and apricots1 because it is not so necessary and because it is easy to get oranges on young trees too large and to be discounted for over-sized coarse fruit4 ,removing part of the fruit from young trees is often done - for the good of the tree1 not for the good of the fruit4 ,it should be done after the natural drop takes place1 during the summer4 ,wind-blown ,orange ,trees4 ,what would you do for citrus trees five years old that have been badly blown out of shape8 ,such trees must be trued up by pruning into the wind2 that is1 cutting to outside buds on the windward side and to inside buds on the lee side2 also reducing the weight by pruning away branches which have been blown too far to the leeward4 ,sometimes trees can be straightened by moving part of the soil and pulling into the wind and bracing there by a good prop on the leeward side1 but that1 of course1 is not practicable if the trees have attained too much size4 ,handling ,balled ,citrus ,trees4 ,i have some orange and lemon trees which were sent me with their roots balled up with dirt and sacks4 ,as we are still having frosts ,i have not wanted to set them out4 ,would it not be better to let them stay as they are and keep the sacks wet 7they have a sack box over them7 than to put them out while the frosts last8 ,your citrus trees will not be injured for a time unless mold should set in from the wet sacks4 ,get them into the ground as soon as the soil comes into good condition1 and cover the top for a time after they are planted to protect them against frosts4 ,this would be better than to hold them too long in the balls1 but do not plant in cold1 wet soil2 hold them longer as they are4 ,the ,navel ,not ,thornless4 ,i have lately purchased some ,washington navel orange trees1 and upon arrival ,i find they have thorns upon them4 ,i thought the ,washington navels were thornless4 ,the navel orange tree is not thornless4 ,it is described as a medium thorny variety1 so that the finding of thorns upon the trees would not be in itself sufficient indication that they were not of the right variety4 ,over-size ,oranges4 ,i have some orange trees in a disintegrated granite with a good many small pieces of rock still remaining in the soil4 ,what ,i wish to know is whether it is probably something in the soil that makes them grow too large1 or is it probably the method of treatment8 ,what treatment should be adopted to guard against this excessive growth8 ,young trees have a natural disposition to produce outside sizes of fruit1 and this is sometimes aggravated by excessive use of fertilizers1 sometimes by over-irrigation4 ,we would cease to fertilize for a time and to regulate irrigation so that the trees will have enough to be thrifty without undertaking excessive growth4 ,such soil as you describe is sometimes very rich at the beginning in available plant food1 and fertilization should be delayed until this excess has been appropriated by the tree4 ,budding or ,grafting in ,orange ,orchard4 ,i have land now ready to be planted to oranges1 but it is impossible for me to buy the necessary budded stock now or even later this year4 ,would you advise me to plant the sour stock as it comes from the nursery and have it budded or crown-budded later8 ,are there any real objections to this method1 and1 if so1 what are they8 ,it is perfectly feasible to plant sour-stock seedlings and to graft them afterward to whatever variety of oranges you desire to grow1 but it is undoubtedly better to pay a pretty good price for budded trees of the kind you desire rather than incur the delay and the irregular growth of young trees budded or grafted in the field4 ,there is also danger of an irregular stand from accidental injuries to new growth started in the field without the protection which it finds in the nursery row4 ,budding ,oranges4 ,how late in the fall can budding of orange trees be done - plants that are two years old - and what advantage1 if any1 is late budding8 ,what shall ,i do with some old trees that were budded about two months ago and are still green but not sprouted yet8 ,the budding was done on young shoots4 ,late budding of the orange can be done as late as the bark will slip well2 usually1 however1 not quite so late as this4 ,such buds are preferred because in the experience of most people they make stronger growth than those put in in the spring4 ,such buds are not expected to grow until the lowest temperatures of the winter are over4 ,the buds which you speak of as green but still dormant are doing just what they ought to do4 ,they will start when they get ready4 ,under-pruning of ,orange ,trees4 ,my ,washington ,navels have a very heavy crop on the lower limbs1 as is usual4 ,these branches are so low down that many of the oranges lie on the ground1 and it takes a good deal of time to prop them up so that they will not touch the ground4 ,what would be the result of pruning off these low branches1 after the fruit is off8 ,will the same amount of fruit be produced by the fruit growing on the limbs higher up8 ,certainly1 raise the branches of the orange trees by removing the lowest branches or parts of branches which reach to the ground4 ,a little later others will sag down and this under-pruning will have to be continuous4 ,it would be better to do this than to undertake any radical removal of the lower branches4 ,the progressive removal as becomes necessary will not appreciably reduce the fruiting and will be in many ways desirable4 ,keeping ,citrus ,trees ,low4 ,my tangerines last fall shot up like lemon trees - a dozen to twenty shoots two or three feet high4 ,the trees are eight years old and are loaded with bloom and some of the shoots have buds and bloom clear to the top4 ,some shoots have no bloom4 ,what should ,i do with these shoots8 ,cut them back like lemons or let them remain8 ,you must shorten the shoots if you desire to have a low tree4 ,this will cause their branching and it will be necessary1 therefore1 to remove some of the shoots entirely1 either now or later1 in order that the tree will not become too compact4 ,dying ,back of ,fruit ,trees4 ,i have a few orange and lemon trees that are starting to die4 ,one tree has died on the top4 ,what kind of spray shall ,i use8 ,the dying back of a tree at the top indicates that the trouble is in the roots1 and it is usually due to standing water in the soil1 resulting either from excessive application of water or because the soil is too retentive to distribute an amount of water which might not be excessive on a lighter soil which would allow of its freer movement4 ,dig down near the tree and see if you have not a muddy subsoil4 ,the same trouble would result if the subsoil is too dry1 and that also you can ascertain by digging4 ,if you find moisture ample1 and yet not excessive1 the injury to the root might be due to the presence of alkali1 or to excessive use of fertilizers4 ,the cause of the trouble has to be determined by local examination and cannot be prescribed on the basis of a description of the plant4 ,it cannot be cured by spraying unless specific parasite is found which can be killed by it4 ,young ,trees ,dropping ,fruit4 ,i have a few citrus fruit trees about three years old4 ,they have made a good growth and are between seven and eight feet high with a good shaped top or head4 ,i did not expect any fruit last year and did not have any4 ,this spring they blossomed irregularly at blooming time1 but quite an amount of fruit set and grew as large as marbles1 some of it the size of a walnut1 but lately it has about all fallen off the trees4 ,there is always more or less dropping from fruit trees4 ,some years large numbers of oranges drop4 ,there may be many causes1 and the trouble has thus far not been found preventable4 ,when the foliage is good and the growth satisfactory1 the young tree is certainly not in need of anything4 ,it is rather more likely that fruit is dropped by the young trees owing to their excessive vegetative vigor1 for it is a general fact that fruit trees which are growing very fast are less certain in fruit-setting4 ,it is1 of course1 possible that you have been forcing such action by too free use of water4 ,you will do well to let your trees go along so long as they appear thrifty and satisfactory1 and expect better fruiting when they become older4 ,orange ,training4 ,is not a single leader in an orange tree more desirable than the much-forked tree so commonly seen6 ,can a single-leader tree be made from the nursery trees which have already formed their heads1 by cutting off the heads below so that only a straight stick without any branches is left8 ,an orange tree with a central leader would not be at all satisfactory if it were carried very high4 ,of course1 a central stem can be to advantage taken higher than it is often done1 but we would not think of growing an orange tree with a central stem to the apex4 ,the laterals would droop1 crowd down upon each other badly1 open the center to sunburn1 and encourage also a growth of central suckers and occasion an amount of pruning altogether beyond what is necessary with a properly branched tree without a central stem4 ,curing ,citron4 ,i wish to know a way to cure citrons at home4 ,i have a fine tree that has borne very fine-looking fruit for the past two years4 ,an outline for the preparation of candied citron is as follows3 ,the fruit1 before assuming a yellow color1 and also when bright yellow1 is picked and placed in barrels filled with brine1 and left for at least a month4 ,the brine is renewed several times1 and the fruit allowed to remain in it until required for use1 often for a period of four or five months4 ,when the citrons are to be candied they are taken from the barrels and boiled in fresh water to soften them4 ,they are then cut into halves1 the seed and pulp are removed1 and the fruit is again immersed in cold water1 soon becoming of a greenish color4 ,after this it is placed in large earthen jars1 covered with hot syrup1 and allowed to stand about three weeks4 ,during this time the strength of the syrup is gradually increased4 ,the fruit is then put into boilers with crystallized sugar dissolved in a small quantity of water1 and cooked2 then allowed to cool1 and boiled again until it will take up no more sugar4 ,it is then dried and packed in wooden boxes4 ,crops ,between ,orange ,trees4 ,what crop can ,i plant between rows of young orange trees to utilize the ground as well as pay a little something8 ,it depends not alone upon what will grow1 but upon what can be profitably sold or used on the place1 and unless sure of that1 it is usually better not to undertake planting between young trees but rather to cultivate well1 irrigate intelligently1 and trust for the reward in a better growth and later productiveness of the trees4 ,it is clear1 ,california experience that planting between trees except to things which are demonstrated to be profitable should not be undertaken1 and where one does not need immediate returns is1 as a rule1 undesirable4 ,the growth of a strip of alfalfa1 if one is careful not to submerge the trees by over-irrigation1 would be the best thing one could undertake for the purpose of improving the soil by increasing the humus content1 reducing the amount of reflected heat from a clean surface1 and is otherwise desirable wherever moisture is available for it4 ,you could also grow cow peas for the good of the land if not for other profit4 ,you can1 of course1 grow small fruits and vegetables for home use if you will cultivate well4 ,common field crops1 with scant cultivation1 will generally cause you to lose more from the bad condition in which they leave the soil than you can gain from the use or sale of the crop4 ,navels and ,valencias4 ,navel trees are being budded to ,valencias in southern ,california1 because of the higher price received for the late-ripening ,valencias4 ,are the orchards in central and northern ,california being planted in ,navels1 and is there any difference in soil or climate requirements of ,navels and ,valencias8 ,there is no particular difference in the soil requirements of ,valencia and ,navel oranges4 ,they are both budded on the same root4 ,the desirability of ,navel oranges in the upper citrus districts arises from the fact that the policy of those districts at the present time is to produce an early orange4 ,this they could not accomplish by growing the ,valencia4 ,the great advantage of the ,valencia in southern ,california1 on the other hand1 lies in the very fact that it is late and that it can be marketed in midsummer and early autumn when there are no ,navels available from anywhere4 ,orange ,seedlings4 ,what about planting the seed from ,st4 ,michael's oranges or of grapefruit for a seed-bed to be budded to ,valencias8 ,good plump ,st4 ,michael's seeds would be all right if you desire to use sweet seedling stock4 ,grapefruit seedlings are good and quite widely used1 though the general preference is for sour-stock seedlings4 ,acres of ,oranges to a ,man4 ,in your opinion1 is it possible for one man1 of average strength1 to take perfect care of a twenty-acre citrus orchard8 ,are the services of a man who takes the entire responsibility of an orchard 7citrus7 worth more than those of a common ranch hand8 ,it depends upon the man1 upon the age of the trees1 upon the kind of soil he has to handle1 upon the irrigation arrangements and upon what you mean by perfect care4 ,if you contract the picking and hauling of fruit1 the fumigation and allow extra help when conditions require that something must be done quickly1 whatever it may be1 a man with good legs and arms1 and a good head full of special knowledge to make them go1 can handle twenty acres and if he does it right you ought to pay him twice as much as an ordinary ranch hand4 ,roots for ,orange ,trees4 ,what are the conditions most favorable to orange trees budded upon sour stock2 also upon sweet stock and trifoliata8 ,the sour stock is believed to be more hardy against trying conditions of soil moisture - both excess and deficiency1 and diseases incident thereto4 ,the sweet stock is a free growing and satisfactory stock and most of the older orchards are upon this root1 but it is held to be less resistant of soil troubles than the sour stock1 and therefore propagators are now largely using the latter4 ,the trifoliata has been promoted as more likely to induce dormancy of the top growth during cold weather1 because of its own deciduous habit4 ,it has also been advocated as likely to induce earlier maturity in the fruit and thus minister to early marketing4 ,the objection urged against it has been a claimed dwarfing of the tree worked upon it4 ,citrus ,budding4 ,i wish to bud some ,maltese blood orange trees to pomelos and lemons4 ,will they make good stock for them1 and1 if so1 is it necessary to cut below the original bud8 ,it is possible to bud as you propose1 and it is not necessary to go back to the old stock4 ,work in above the forks4 ,no ,citrus ,fruits on ,lemon ,roots4 ,would it be any advantage to bud the ,washington ,navel on grapefruit and lemon roots8 ,the grapefruit or pomelo is a good root for the orange1 and some propagators prefer it4 ,the lemon root is not used at present1 because of its effect in causing a coarse growth of tree and fruit and because it is more subject to disease than the orange root4 ,in fact1 we grow nearly all lemons on orange roots4 ,budding ,oranges4 ,my first attempt at budding1 ,i cut #bj buds and immediately inserted in stock of ,mexican sour orange ,amataca4 ,i left bands on them for ten days at which time about half seemed to have stuck1 but after a few days the bark curled away and the buds dried up and died4 ,i then tried again1 but left the bands on for thirteen days and lightly tied strings around below the bud to prevent the bark from curling1 and also put grafting wax in the cut and over the bud4 ,these appeared fresh and green at time of taking off the bands1 but three weeks later ,i found them rotted4 ,the grafting wax used was made of beeswax1 resin1 olive oil and a small amount of lard to soften it4 ,do you think that the action of the lard on the buds would cause them to rot8 ,consider first whether the buds which you use are sufficiently developed2 that is1 a sufficient amount of hardness and maturity attained by the twig from which you took these buds4 ,second1 use a waxed band1 drawing it quite tightly around the bark1 above and below the bud1 covering the bud itself without too much pressure for several days1 then loosening the band somewhat1 but carefully replacing over all but the bud point4 ,it is necessary to exclude the air sufficiently1 but not wholly4 ,the use of a soft fat like olive oil or lard is not desirable4 ,if you use oil at all for the purpose of softening1 linseed oil1 as used by painters1 is safer because of its disposition to dry without so much penetration4 ,having used olive oil and lard together you had too much soft fatty material4 ,budding ,orange ,seedlings in the ,orchard4 ,what are the objections or advantages of planting sour stock seedlings where one wishes the trees and one or two years later bud into the branches instead of budding the young stock low on the trunk8 ,planting the seedling and at some future time cutting back the branches and grafting in the head above the forks is an expensive operation and loses time in getting fruit4 ,you will get very irregular trees and be disappointed in the amount of re-working you will have to do4 ,suckers must be always watched for2 that has to be done anyway1 but a sucker from a wild stock is worse in effects if you happen to overlook it4 ,avoid all such trouble by planting good clean trees budded in nursery rows4 ,you may have to do rebudding later1 if you want to change varieties1 and that is trouble enough4 ,do not rush at the beginning into all the difficulties there are4 ,grapefruit and ,nuts4 ,peaches1 pears and plums predominate in this section1 but would not grapefruit1 almonds and ,english walnuts be just as profitable8 ,what is your idea about ,english walnuts on black walnut root8 ,you can expect grapefruit to succeed under conditions which favor the orange4 ,therefore1 if oranges are doing well in your district1 grapefruit might also be expected to succeed on the same soils and with the same treatment4 ,planting of almonds should proceed upon a demonstration that the immediate location is suited to almonds1 because they are very early to start and very subject to spring frost and should not be planted unless you can find bearing trees which have demonstrated their acceptance of the situation by regular and profitable crops4 ,english walnuts are less subject to frosts because they start much later in the season4 ,they need1 however1 deep1 rich land which will be sure not to dry out during the summer4 ,english walnuts are a perfect success upon the ,california black walnut root4 ,soil and ,situation for ,oranges4 ,is it absolutely essential that orange trees be planted on a southern slope1 or will they thrive as well on any slope8 ,what is the minimum depth of soil required for orange trees8 ,how can ,i tell whether the soil is good for oranges8 ,orange trees are grown successfully on all slopes1 although in particular localities certain exposures may be decidedly best1 as must be learned by local observation4 ,how shallow a soil will suit orange trees depends upon how water and fertilizer are applied2 on a shallow soil more fertilizer and more frequent use of water in smaller quantities4 ,any soil which has grown good grain crops may be used for orange growing if the moisture supply is never too scant and any excess is currently disposed of by good drainage4 ,there can be no arbitrary rule either for exposure1 depth or texture of soils1 because oranges are being successfully grown on medium loam to heavy clay loam1 providing the moisture supply is kept right4 ,transplanting ,orange ,trees4 ,can you transplant trees two years old with safety to another location in same grove1 same soil2 etc48 ,yes2 and you can move them a greater distance1 if you like4 ,take up the trees with a good ball of earth1 transplanting in the spring when the ground has become well warmed1 just about at the time when new growth begins to appear on the tree4 ,the top of the tree should he cut back somewhat and the leaves should be removed if they show a disposition to wilt4 ,you should also whitewash or otherwise protect the bark from sunburn if the foliage should be removed4 ,protecting ,young ,citrus ,trees4 ,is it necessary to have young orange trees covered or leave them uncovered during the winter months8 ,it is desirable to cover with burlaps or bale with cornstalks1 straw or some other coarse litter1 all young trees which are being planted in untried places2 and even where old trees are safe1 young trees which go into the frost period with new growth of immature wood should be thus protected4 ,do not use too much stuff nor bundle too tightly4 ,not ,orange on the ,osage4 ,can the ,navel orange be grafted on the osage orange8 ,i understand it is done in ,florida1 and would like to know if it has been tried in ,california4 ,it cannot4 ,it has not been done in ,florida nor anywhere else4 ,the osage orange is not an orange at all4 ,the tree is not a member of the citrus family4 ,no ,pollenizer for ,navels4 ,i read that the flowers of the ,navel orange are entirely lacking in pollen1 or only poorly supplied4 ,if this is true1 what variety of orange would you plant in a ,navel grove - to supply pollen at the proper time8 ,we would not plant any other orange near the ,navel for the sake of supplying it with pollen4 ,pollen is only needed to make seeds1 and by the same process to make the fruit set1 and ,navels do not make seeds1 except rarely1 nor do they seem to need pollen to make the fruit set4 ,water and ,frost4 ,from how many acres could ,i keep off a freeze of oranges with #ajjj gallons per minute8 ,the water is at #fe degrees4 ,the amount of water will prevent frost over as large an area as you can cover with the water1 so as to thoroughly wet the surface1 but the presence of water will only be effective through about four degrees of temperature and only for a short time4 ,if1 then1 the temperature should fall below #bg degrees and should remain at that point for an hour or two1 it is doubtful if the water would save your fruit4 ,water is only of limited value in the prevention of frost1 and of no value at all when the temperature falls too low4 ,what to ,do with ,frosted ,oranges4 ,what is the best plan of treatment for frosted orange trees8 ,the crop will be a total loss4 ,it does not show any tendency to fall off the trees1 however4 ,should it be picked off1 thrown on the ground and plowed under8 ,should this be done right away or later8 ,unsound fruit should be removed as soon as its injury can be conveniently detected and worked into the soil by cultivation2 never1 however1 being allowed to collect in masses1 which is productive of decay and which may be injurious to roots4 ,if trees are injured sufficiently to lose most of their leaves1 the fruit should also be removed if it shows a disposition to hang on4 ,this will be a contribution to the strength of the tree and its ability to clothe itself with new foliage4 ,pruning ,frosted ,citrus ,trees4 ,how shall ,i prune two-year-old orange orchard1 also nursery stock buds that are badly injured by frost2 how much to prune and at what time8 ,as soon as you can see how far injury has gone down the branch or stem1 cut below it1 so that a new shoot may push out from sound wood1 and heal the cut as soon as possible4 ,this applies to growths of all ages4 ,in the case of buds1 if you can only save a single node you may get a bud started there and make a tree of that4 ,in the case of trees1 large or small1 it is always desirable to cut above the forkings of the main branches1 if possible1 and when this much of the tree remains sound1 a new tree can be formed very quickly4 ,if the main stem is injured1 bark cracked1 etc41 cut below the ground and put scions in the bark without splitting the root crown2 wax well or otherwise cover exposed wood to prevent checking4 ,if this is successfully done1 root-rot may be prevented and the wound covered with new bark while the strong new stems are developing above4 ,pruning ,oranges4 ,is it best to prune out orange trees by removing occasional branches so as to permit free air passage through the trees8 ,some are advocating doing so2 but as ,i remember1 the trees in southern ,california are allowed to grow quite dense1 so that we could see into the foliage but very little4 ,it is a matter of judgment1 with a present tendency toward a more open tree than was formerly prescribed4 ,trees should be more thrifty and should bear more fruit deeper in the foliage-wall if more air and light are admitted4 ,but this can be had without opening the tree so that free sight of its interior is possible4 ,we believe thinning of the growth to admit more light and air is good1 but we should not intentionally cut enough to make holes in the tree4 ,pecan ,growing4 ,would you advise planting of pecans in commercial orchards here8 ,walnuts in their proper location constitute some of ,california's best improvements4 ,after visiting some bearing paper-shell pecans here in ,fresno county1 ,i believe a pecan orchard of choice variety would be more desirable than a walnut orchard4 ,pecans do well on moist rich land in the interior valleys where there are sharper temperature changes than in the coast valleys1 except perhaps near the upper coast4 ,such planting as you propose seems promising on lands having moisture enough to carry the nuts to full ripening4 ,growing ,filberts4 ,please give information about growing filberts4 ,filberts have been largely a disappointment in ,california and no product of any amount has ever been made4 ,good nuts have been produced in the foothills of the ,sierra ,nevada and the ,coast ,range4 ,theoretically1 the places where the wild hazel grows would best suit the filbert1 and so far this seems to be justified by the little that has actually been done1 but there is very little to say about it beyond that4 ,it requires much more experience to lift the nut out of the experimental state4 ,early ,bearing of ,walnuts4 ,please inform me if young walnut trees grafted on black walnut stock will produce fruit within #ah months after being planted4 ,it is true that the ,french varieties of ,english walnuts have produced fruit the second summer of their growth4 ,this does not mean1 however1 that you can count upon a crop the second year4 ,these are usually grafts in nursery rows1 and one would have to wait longer1 as a rule1 for trees planted out in orchards with a chance to make a freer wood growth4 ,this is rather fortunate1 because it is better to have a larger tree than to have the growth diverted into bearing a small amount of fruit while the tree is very young4 ,we do not know any advantage in getting nuts the second year except it be to see if you really have secured the variety you desire to produce later4 ,handling ,walnut ,seedlings4 ,what is the best time to transplant seedlings of the black walnut8 ,transplant during the dormant season 7as shown by absence of leaves7 when the soil is in good condition4 ,handle them just as you would an apple tree1 for instance4 ,how to ,start ,english ,walnuts4 ,in starting ,english walnuts1 shall we get nursery stock grafted on ,california black1 or shall we start our black walnut seedlings in nursery plats1 or plant the nuts where the tree is wanted1 and graft them at two or three years8 ,what is the advantage1 if any1 of the long stock from grafting high1 over the grafted root8 ,if we had the money to invest and were sure of the soil conditions1 etc41 we should buy grafted trees of the variety we desired1 just as we would of any other kind of fruit4 ,if we were shy of money and long on time1 we would start seedlings in nursery1 plant out seedlings1 and graft later1 because it is easier to graft when the seedling is two or three years in place4 ,we count the planting of nuts in place troublesome and of no compensating advantage4 ,the chief advantage known to us of grafting high and getting a black walnut trunk is the hardier bark of the black walnut4 ,walnut ,planting4 ,i am planning to plant walnuts on rather heavy soil4 ,i have been told to put the nut six inches below the surface1 but think that too deep1 as soil is rather heavy4 ,in a heavy soil we should not plant these nuts more than three inches below the surface1 but should cover the surface with a mulch of rotten straw to prevent drying out4 ,pruning ,grafted ,walnuts4 ,should ,english walnut trees be pruned8 ,i have along the roadside ,english walnuts grafted on the ,california black1 and they have grown to very large size and the fruit seems to be mostly on the outside of the trees4 ,english walnuts are not usually pruned much1 though it is often desirable1 and of course trees can be improved by removing undesirable branches and especially where too many branches have started from grafts1 it is desirable that some be removed4 ,they should be cleanly sawed off and the wound covered with wax or thick paint to prevent the wood from decaying4 ,pruning ,walnuts4 ,when is the best time to remove large limbs from walnut trees8 ,this work with walnuts or other deciduous fruit trees should be done late in the winter1 about the time the buds are swelling2 never mind the bleeding1 it does no harm1 and the healing-growth over the wound is more rapid while the sap is pushing4 ,grafting ,walnuts4 ,in cleft grafting walnuts is it necessary to use scions with only a leaf bud1 or with staminate or pistillate buds8 ,is cutting the pith of the scion or stock fatal to the tree8 ,in grafting walnuts it is usual to take shoots bearing wood buds1 and not the spurs which carry the fruit blossoms1 although a part of the graft containing also a wood bud can be used1 retaining the latter4 ,cutting into the pith of the scion or of the stock is not fatal1 but it is avoided because it makes a split or wound which is very hard to heal4 ,for this reason it is better to cut at one side of the pith in the stock1 and to cut the scion so that the slope is chiefly in the wood at one side of the pith and not cutting a double wedge in a way to bring the pith in the center4 ,grafting ,nuts on ,oaks4 ,i have #aj to #ae acres of black oak trees which ,i wish to graft over to chestnuts4 ,can grafting be done successfully8 ,some success has been secured in grafting the chestnut on the chestnut oak1 but not1 so far as we have heard1 on the black oak4 ,but grafts on the chestnut oak are not permanently thrifty and productive1 though they have been reported as growing for some time4 ,the same is true of ,english walnut grafts on some of the native oaks4 ,grafting ,walnut ,seedlings4 ,would it be proper to graft one-year ,california black walnut seedlings that must also be transplanted8 ,as the seedlings must be moved1 plant in orchard and graft as two or three-year-olds1 according to the size which they attain4 ,pruning the ,walnut4 ,what is the proper time for pruning the walnut8 ,is it bad for the tree to prune during the active season8 ,i have recently acquired a long-neglected grove in which many large limbs will have to be removed in order to allow proper methods of cultivation to be practiced1 and ,i am in doubt as to the wisdom of doing this during the rise of sap4 ,the best time to remove large limbs to secure rapid growth of bark from the sides of the cut1 is just at the time the sap is rising4 ,there will be some outflow of sap1 but of no particular loss to the tree4 ,as soon as the large wounds have dried sufficiently1 the exposed surface should be painted to prevent cracking of the wood4 ,eastern or ,california ,black ,walnuts8 ,i am told that the ,eastern black walnut is a more suitable root for the low lands in ,california than the ,california black4 ,is this true8 ,there has been no demonstration that the ,eastern black walnut is more suitable to low moist lands than the ,california black walnut4 ,our grandest ,california black walnut trees are situated on low moist lands4 ,walnut ,grove is on the edge of the ,sacramento river with immense trees growing almost on the water's edge4 ,walnut ,creek in ,contra ,costa county is also named from large walnut trees on the creek bank land4 ,we have very few ,eastern black walnut trees in ,california and although they do show appreciation of moist land1 they are not in any respect better than the ,californian4 ,ripening of ,walnuts4 ,i send you two walnuts4 ,i am in doubt if they will mature4 ,the nuts are well grown1 the kernel fully formed in every respect4 ,whether they will attain perfect maturity must be determined by an observation of the fact and cannot be theoretically predicated4 ,where trees are in such an ever-growing climate as you seem to have1 they must apparently take a suggestion that the time has arrived for maturity from the drying of the soil4 ,the roots should know that it is time for them to stop working so that the foliage may yellow and the nuts mature4 ,it is possible that stopping cultivation a little earlier in the season may be necessary to accomplish this purpose4 ,cutting ,below ,dead ,wood4 ,i have some seedling ,english walnut trees which are two years old1 but they are not coming out in bud this year4 ,they are about three feet high1 and from the top down to about #aj inches of the ground the limbs are dark brown1 and below that they are a nice green4 ,i cut the top off of one of them to see what is the matter that they do not leaf out1 and ,i found that there is a round hole right down through the center of the tree down to the green part4 ,the hole is about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter4 ,the pith of the limbs has been eaten away by some kind of a worm from the inside4 ,would it be better to cut the tree down to the green part1 or let them alone8 ,it is the work of a borer4 ,cut down to live wood and paint over the wound or wax it4 ,protect the pith until the bark grows over it or you will have decay inside4 ,if buds do not start on the trunk1 take a sucker from below to make a tree of4 ,you could put a bud in the trunk1 but it is not very easy to do it4 ,walnuts in ,alfalfa4 ,will the walnut trees be injured in any way by irrigating them at the same time and manner as the alfalfa - that is1 by flooding the land between the checks8 ,will the walnuts make as good a growth when planted in the alfalfa1 and the ground cultivated two or three feet around the tree1 as though the alfalfa was entirely removed8 ,is it advisable to plant the trees on the checks rather than between the checks8 ,walnut trees will do well1 providing you do not irrigate the alfalfa sufficiently to waterlog the trees2 providing also that you do use water enough so that the trees will not be robbed of moisture by the alfalfa4 ,this method of growing trees will be1 of course1 safer and probably more satisfactory if your soil is deep and loamy1 as it should be to get the best results with both alfalfa and walnuts4 ,it would be better to have the trees stand so that the water does not come into direct contact with the bark1 although walnut trees are irrigated by surrounding them with check levees4 ,planting walnut trees in an old stand of alfalfa is harder on the tree than to start alfalfa after the trees have taken hold1 because the alfalfa roots like to hang on to their advantage4 ,in planting in an old field1 we should plow strips1 say1 five feet wide and keep it cultivated rather than to try to start the trees in pot-holes1 although with extra care they might go that way4 ,walnuts in the ,hills4 ,will walnuts grow well in the foothill country2 elevation about #fjj feet1 soil rich1 does not crack in summer and seems to have small stones in it8 ,walnuts will do well providing the soil or subsoil is retentive enough4 ,if you have water available for irrigation in case the trees should need it1 they would do well1 but if the soil is gravelly way down and likely to dry out deeply and you have no water available an opposite result might be expected4 ,it is a fact that on some of the uplands of the coast mountains there is a lack of moisture late in the season which interferes with the success of some fruit trees4 ,to ,increase ,bearing of ,walnuts4 ,we have a walnut orchard which does not bear enough nuts4 ,the trees are all fine1 even trees1 #aj and #ab years old1 and we are told that the crop was light this year because the trees were growing so vigorously and put most of their energy into the new wood4 ,is there any special fertilizer which will make the trees bear more and not prompt such heavy growth8 ,if your adviser is right that the trees are not bearing because of excessive growth1 it would be better not to apply any fertilizer during the coming year1 but allow the trees to assume more steady habit and possibly even to encourage them to do so by using less cultivation and water4 ,if you wish to experiment with some of the trees1 give them an application of five pounds of superphosphate and two pounds of potash to each tree1 properly distributed over the land which it occupies4 ,you certainly should not use any form of nitrogen4 ,temperature and ,moisture for the ,english ,walnut4 ,what amount of freezing and drouth can ,english walnuts stand8 ,under what conditions is irrigation necessary8 ,the walnut tree will endure hard freezing1 providing it comes when the tree is dormant1 because they are successfully grown in some parts of the ,eastern ,states1 though not to a large extent2 but the walnut tree is subject to injury from lighter frosts1 providing they follow temperatures which have induced activity in the tree4 ,on the ,pacific ,coast the walnut is successfully grown as far north as the ,state of ,washington1 but even in ,california there are elevations where frosts are likely to occur when the tree is active1 and these may be destructive to its profit1 although they may not injure the tree4 ,you are not safe in planting walnuts to any extent except in places where you can find trees bearing satisfactorily4 ,planting elsewhere is1 of course1 an enterprising experimental thing to do1 but very risky as a line of investment4 ,irrigation is required if the annual rainfall1 coupled with the retentiveness of the soil and good cultivation1 do not give moisture enough to carry the tree well into the autumn1 maintaining activity in the leaves some little time after the fruit is gathered4 ,walnuts from ,seed4 ,there is a reliable nursery company selling seedling ,franquette walnut trees on a positive guarantee that they will come true to type4 ,are orchards of this kind satisfactory8 ,walnuts do come truer to the seed than almonds and other fruits and the ,franquette has a good reputation for remembering its ancestry4 ,until recently practically all the commercial walnut product of ,california was grown on seedling trees4 ,but these facts hardly justify one in trusting to seedlings in plantings now made4 ,the way to get a walnut of the highest type is to take a bud or graft from a tree which is bearing that type4 ,high-grafted ,walnuts4 ,what is the advantage of a high-grafted walnut8 ,i am about ready to plant #aj acres to nuts and do not know whether to purchase ,franquette grafted high on ,california ,black or not4 ,the advantage of grafting ,english walnut high on ,california ,black walnut consists in securing a main trunk for the tree1 which is less liable to sunburn and probably hardier otherwise than is the stem of the ,english walnut1 and the present disposition toward higher grafting or budding seems therefore justified and desirable4 ,grafting and ,budding the ,mulberry4 ,what is the most approved manner of grafting mulberry trees8 ,am told that they are very difficult to successfully graft4 ,most propagators find the mulberry difficult by ordinary top and cleft grafting methods4 ,a flute or ring graft or bud does well on small seedlings - that is1 removing a ring or cylinder of the bark from the stock and putting in its place a cylinder from the variety desired1 cut to fit accurately4 ,for large trees this would have to be done on young shoots forced out by cutting back the main branches1 but when this is done ordinary shield budding in these new shoots would give good results4 ,cut back the trees now and bud in the new shoots in ,july or ,august4 ,hardiness of ,hybrid ,berries4 ,how much cold will ,phenomenal1 ,himalaya and ,mammoth blackberries stand in winter8 ,is it safe to plant where the temperature goes below #cb degrees8 ,these berries are hardy to zero at least1 for they are grown in northern parts of this coast where they get such a touch once in a while4 ,they have also endured low temperatures in the central continental plateau ,states and eastward4 ,whether they can endure the lowest temperatures of the winter-killing regions of the northern border cannot be determined in ,california1 for we do not have the conditions for such tests4 ,the berries are very hardy while dormant1 and probably their value in colder regions would depend rather more upon their disposition to remain dormant than upon what they can endure when in that condition4 ,pruning ,himalayas4 ,shall the old wood be cut away in pruning ,himalayas8 ,all the old wood which has borne fruit should be cut out in the fall and new shoots reduced to three or four from each root1 and these three or four shoots should be shortened to a length of ten or twelve feet and be trained to a trellis or fence1 or some other suitable support4 ,vines which are allowed to grow riotously as they will1 are apt to be deficient in fruit bearing4 ,strawberries with ,perfect ,flowers4 ,has ,longworth ,prolific an imperfect bloom8 ,i have ,longworths in bearing which apparently are perfect4 ,is there another strain of ,longworth that are not self-fertilizing8 ,the ,longworth ,prolific strawberry has both staminate and pistillate elements4 ,possibly some other variety1 because of its resemblance to ,longworth and the popularity of it1 may have been wrongly given its name4 ,most of the varieties which are largely grown in ,california are perfect in blossom1 though some of the newer varieties need association with pollinizers4 ,pruning ,loganberries4 ,should the new shoots of ,loganberry vines1 which come out in the spring1 be left or cut away8 ,if cut1 will more shoots put out in the fall and be sufficient for the next year's crop8 ,the ,loganberry shoots which are growing should be carefully trained and preserved for next year's fruiting4 ,the old canes should be cut away at the base after the fruit is gathered4 ,the plant bears each year upon the wood which grew the previous summer4 ,strawberry ,planting4 ,should ,i plant strawberries in the spring or fall8 ,whether it is wise to plant strawberry plants in the fall depends on several things1 such as getting the ground in the very best of condition1 abundance of water at all times1 splendidly rooted plants1 and cool weather 7which is very rare at the time plants are to be planted1 ,august and ,september74 ,plants may be taken with balls of earth around the roots1 and water poured in the hole that receives the plant4 ,after planting1 each plant should be shaded from the sun2 after this the ditches must be kept full of water so the moisture will rise to the surface2 this must be done till the plant starts growth4 ,this method can only be used in small plantings1 as it is too expensive for large plantings1 as is also the potted plant method where each plant is grown in a small pot and transplanted by dumping out the earth as a ball with the plant and putting directly in the ground4 ,from potted plants1 set out in the fall1 one may count on a fine crop of berries the following spring4 ,strawberry plants are never dormant till midwinter1 and there is no plant more difficult to transplant when roots are disturbed in the hot season1 which usually prevails in the interior valleys of ,california4 ,to have a long-lived strawberry field and to get best results1 planting must be done in the spring1 as soon as the soil can be put in best condition to receive plants4 ,from this a fall crop can be expected - ,answer by ,tribble ,bros41 ,elk ,grove4 ,blackberries for ,drying ,only4 ,what variety of blackberries or raspberries are the best for drying purposes8 ,are berries successfully dried in evaporators8 ,this is a natural berry country4 ,wild blackberries are a wonder here4 ,transportation facilities do not allow raising for the city market4 ,in your opinion1 would the planting of ten acres in berries for drying be a success8 ,the blackberries chiefly grown in ,california are the ,lawton1 ,crandall and the ,mammoth4 ,the raspberry chiefly grown is the ,cuthbert4 ,there are very few of these berries dried4 ,it would be better to dry them in an evaporator than in the sun1 but little of it is done in this ,state4 ,it is doubtful whether it would pay to plant blackberries for drying only1 because there is such a large product flow in various places where the berries are either sold fresh or sold to the cannery1 and drying is only done for the purpose of saving the crop if the prices for the other uses are not satisfactory4 ,to grow especially for drying would give you only one chance of selling to advantage1 and that the poorest4 ,planting ,bush ,fruits4 ,what is the best time to set out blackberries and ,loganberries8 ,any time after the soil is thoroughly wet down and you can get good1 mature and dormant plants for transplanting4 ,this may be as early as ,november and may continue until ,february or later in some places4 ,growing ,strawberry ,plants4 ,in a patch of strawberries planted this spring1 is it advisable to cut off runners or root some of them8 ,in planting strawberries in matted rows1 it is usual to allow a few runners to take root and thus fill the row4 ,it is the judgment of plant growers that plants for sale should not be produced in this way1 but should be grown from plants specially kept for that purpose4 ,strawberries in ,succession4 ,is there any reason1 in strawberry culture1 when the vines are removed at the end of the fourth year1 why the ground may not be thoroughly plowed and again planted to strawberries8 ,it is theoretically possible to grow strawberries continuously on the same land by proper fertilization and irrigation4 ,practically1 the objection is that certain diseases and injurious insects may multiply in the land1 and this is the chief reason why new plantations are put on new land and the old land used for a time for beans or some root crop1 so that the soil may be cleaned and refreshed by rotation and by the possibility of deeper tillage4 ,limitations on ,gooseberries4 ,why is it that gooseberries are not grown more in ,california8 ,is there any reason1 climatic or other1 why the gooseberry should not be as successfully grown in ,california as elsewhere8 ,there are two reasons4 ,first1 the gooseberry does not like interior valleys1 although with proper protection from mildew or by growing resistant varieties1 good fruit can be had in coast or mountain valleys4 ,second1 practically no one cares for a ripe gooseberry in a country where so many other fruits are grown1 and the demand is for green gooseberries for pies and sauce1 and that is very easily oversupplied4 ,dry ,farming with ,grapes4 ,i have heard that they are planting ,muscat grapes on the dry farming plan4 ,will it be successful8 ,grapes have been grown in ,california on the dry farming plan ever since ,americans came #fj years ago4 ,grapes can be successfully grown by thorough cultivation for moisture retention1 providing the rainfall is sufficient to carry the plant when it is conserved by the most thorough and frequent cultivation4 ,unless this rainfall is adequate1 no amount of cultivation will make grape vines succeed1 because even the best cultivation produces no moisture1 but only conserves a part of that which falls from the clouds4 ,whether grapes will do depends1 first1 upon what the rainfall is2 second1 upon whether the soil is retentive2 third1 upon whether you cultivate in such a way as to enable the soil to exercise its maximum retentiveness4 ,these are matters which cannot be determined theoretically - they require actual test4 ,cutting ,back ,frosted ,vine ,canes4 ,vines have been badly injured by the late frosts1 especially the young vines which were out the most4 ,is there anything to be done with the injured shoots now on the vines so as to help the prospects of a crop8 ,if shoots are only lightly frosted they should be cut off at once as low as you can detect injury4 ,this may save the lower parts of the shoot1 from which a later growth can be made4 ,frosted parts ferment and carry destruction downward1 and therefore should be disposed of as soon as possible4 ,where vines have run out considerably and badly frosted1 the best practice usually is to strip off the frozen shoots so as to get rid of the dormant buds at the base1 which often give sterile shoots4 ,a new break of canes from other buds is generally more productive4 ,dipping ,thompson ,seedless4 ,what is the process of dipping and bleaching ,thompson seedless grapes8 ,one recipe for dipped raisins is as follows3 ,one quart olive oil2 #c_/d-pound ,greenbank soda and #c quarts water are made into an emulsion1 and then reduced with #aj gallons water in the dipping tank1 adding more soda to get lye-strength enough to cut the skins1 and more soda has to be added from time to time to keep up the strength4 ,the grapes are dipped in this solution and sulphured to the proper color4 ,this is the general outline of the process4 ,the ability to use it well can only be attained by experience and close observation4 ,the ,zante ,currant4 ,is the currant that grows in the ,united ,states in any way related to the currant that grows in ,greece8 ,if so1 could it be cured like the currant that comes from ,greece8 ,the dried currants of commerce are made in ,greece and in ,california 7to a slight extent7 from the grape known as the grape of ,corinth4 ,they are not made from the bush currant which is generally grown in the ,united ,states1 and the two plants are not in any way related4 ,grape ,vines for an ,arbor4 ,how shall ,i prune grape vines1 viz3 ,tokay1 ,black ,cornichon1 ,muscat1 ,thompson ,seedless1 ,rose of ,peru1 planted for a grape arbor8 ,you can grow all the vines you mention with high stumps reaching part way or to the top of the arbor as you desire side or top shade or both4 ,you can also grow them with permanent side branches on the side slats of the arbor if you desire4 ,each winter pruning would consist in cutting back all the previous summer's growth to a few buds from which new canes will grow for shade or fruiting1 or you can work on the renewal system1 keeping some of these canes long for quick foliage and more fruit perhaps and cutting some of them short to grow new wood for the following year's service1 as they often do in growing ,eastern grapes4 ,pruning ,old ,vines4 ,i have some ,muscat grape vines #cj years old4 ,can ,i chop off most of the old wood with a hatchet and thereby bring them back to proper bearing8 ,not with a hatchet4 ,if the vines are worth keeping at all1 they are worth careful cutting with a saw and a painting of all cuts in large old wood4 ,if the vines have been neglected1 you can saw away surplus prongs or spurs1 reserving four or five of the best placed and most vigorous1 and cut back the canes of last summer's growth to one1 two or three buds1 according to the strength of the canes - the thicker the canes1 the more buds to be kept4 ,it is not desirable to cut away an old vine to get a new start from the ground1 unless you wish to graft4 ,shape the top of the vine as well as you can by saving the best of the old growth4 ,topping ,grape ,vines4 ,is topping grape vines desirable8 ,topping of vines is in all cases more or less weakening4 ,the more foliage that is removed1 the more weakening it is4 ,vines1 therefore1 which are making a weak growth from any cause whatever can only be injured by topping4 ,if the vines are exceptionally vigorous1 the weakening due to topping may be an advantage by making them more fruitful4 ,the topping1 however1 must be done with discretion4 ,early topping in ,may is much more effective and less weakening than later topping in ,june4 ,very early topping before blossoming helps the setting of the blossoms4 ,topping in general increases the size of the berries4 ,bleeding ,vines4 ,will pruning grape vines when they bleed injure them8 ,it has been demonstrated not to be of any measurable injury4 ,vines and ,scant ,moisture4 ,would it be well to sucker vines and take also some bearing canes off1 or in a dry year will they mature properly as in other years if the ground is in good condition8 ,vines usually bear drouth-stress better than bearing fruit trees4 ,on soils of good depth and retentiveness1 they are likely to give good crops in a dry year with thorough cultivation2 still1 lightening the burden of the vines is rational4 ,suckering and cutting away second-crop efforts should be done4 ,whether you need to reduce the first crop can be told better by the looks of the vines later in the season4 ,sulphuring for ,mildew4 ,for two years ,i have not sulphured my vineyard and had no mildew4 ,my vines seem as healthy and thrifty as any of the neighbors' that were duly sulphured4 ,have ,i lost anything by not sulphuring8 ,certainly not4 ,in sections where mildew is practically sure to come1 sulphur should be used regularly as a preventive without waiting for the appearance of the disease4 ,there are1 however1 many locations1 especially in the interior valley1 where the occurrence of mildew is rare in sufficient volume to do appreciable harm1 and then sulphuring should depend upon the weather1 which favors mildew or otherwise4 ,but be always on the watch and have everything ready to sulphur immediately2 also learn to recognize the conditions under which appearances of mildew become a menace4 ,grape ,sugar in ,canned ,grapes4 ,how can ,i prevent the formation of grape sugar in canned grapes8 ,take care that the syrup is of the same density as the juice of the grape when the fruit and the juice are placed together in the can4 ,the density of the syrup and the juice are1 of course1 to be obtained by the use of the spindle1 the same arrangement employed for determining when the percentage of sugar in the grape juice is right for raisin-making or for wine-making4 ,whatever the density of the juice1 make the syrup the same by the use of the right amount of sugar4 ,part ,,ii4 ,vegetable ,growing ,california ,grown ,seed4 ,which are the best garden seeds to use1 those raised in ,ohio and the ,east or those raised in ,washington and ,oregon or those raised in this ,state8 ,it has been definitely shown by experience and experiment that is does not matter much where the seed comes from1 providing it is well grown and good of its kind4 ,there is no such advantage in changing seed from one locality to another as is commonly supposed4 ,besides1 it is now very difficult to tell positively where seed is grown1 because ,california wholesale seeds are retailed in all the ,states you mention1 and the contents of many small packets of seeds distributed in ,california went first of all from ,california to the ,eastern retailers1 who advertise and sell them everywhere4 ,cloth for ,hotbeds4 ,would cloth do to cover a hotbox to raise lettuce1 radishes1 etc41 for winter use where we get a very heavy rainfall8 ,yes1 if you make the cloth waterproof for its own preservation from mildew and other agencies of decay4 ,the following recipe for waterproofing cloth is taken from our book on ,california ,vegetables3 ,soften #d #a_/b ounces of glue in #h #c_/d pints of water1 cold at first2 then dissolve in1 say1 a washboiler full 7#f gallons7 of warm water1 with #b #a_/b ounces of hard soap2 put in the cloth and boil for an hour1 wring and dry2 then prepare a bath of a pound of alum and a pound of salt1 soak the prepared cloth in it for a couple of hours1 rinse with clear water and dry4 ,one gallon of the glue solution will soak about ten yards of cloth4 ,this cloth has been used in southern ,california for several years without mildewing1 and it will hold water by the pailful4 ,where the rain is heavy and frequent1 the cloth should be well supported by slats and given slope to shed water quickly4 ,of course1 this is only a makeshift4 ,glass would be more satisfactory and durable in a region of much cloudiness and scant sunshine2 the greater illumination through glass will make for the greater health and growth of the plants4 ,soil for ,vegetables4 ,some of my soil bakes and hardens quickly after irrigation1 but ,i have an acre or so of sandy soil4 ,would this be best for garden truck and berries8 ,sandy1 loamy soil is better than the heavy soil for vegetables and berries1 if moisture is kept right1 because it can be more easily cultivated and takes water without losing the friable condition which is so desirable4 ,a heavier soil can1 however1 be improved by the free use of stable manure or by the addition of sand1 or by the use of one or more applications of lime at the rate of #ejj pounds to the acre1 as may be required - all these operations making the soil more loamy and more easily handled4 ,vegetables in a ,cold1 ,dark ,draft4 ,what vegetables will thrive in localities where the sun shines only part of the day8 ,i have a space in my garden that gets the sun only between the hours of #aa and #e1 thereabouts2 ,i would like to utilise those places for vegetables if any particular kind will grow under such conditions4 ,the soil apparently is good1 of a sandy nature1 with some loam4 ,the place is high and subject to much wind4 ,you can only definitely determine by actual trial what vegetables will be satisfactory under the shade conditions which you describe4 ,you may get good results from lettuces1 radishes1 beets1 peas1 top onions1 and many other things which do well at rather a low temperature1 while tomatoes1 peppers1 eggplant1 etc41 would probably be worthless4 ,your soil is probably satisfactory and you can easily keep the moisture right by being careful not to use as much water as you would in open sunshine4 ,the behavior of the plants will be directly dependent upon the temperature and the sunshine which they receive under the conditions described4 ,jesusalem ,artichokes4 ,what is the best time for planting ,jerusalem artichokes8 ,jerusalem artichoke tubers are planted in the spring after the ground has become warm and the heavy frosts are over4 ,the planting may be done in rows far enough apart for cultivation1 the tubers being set about a foot apart in the row4 ,this tuber grows like a potato1 but is more delicate than the potato4 ,it is inclined to decay when out of the ground1 but will not start growth as early as the potato1 and therefore it is not desirable to start it early in the winter if the winters are cold and the ground apt to be very wet4 ,do not cut the tubers for seed as you would potatoes4 ,globe ,artichokes4 ,i have land that will grow magnificent artichokes4 ,two plants last year 7variety unknown7 produced heavy crops of buds1 but the scales opened too wide and allowed the center to become fibrous and were unsalable4 ,is this due to climate1 lack of sufficient water1 or to not having the right variety8 ,many artichokes which are planted should really be put in the ornamental class - they are either a reversion from a wilder type in plants grown from the seed or they never have been good4 ,in order to determine which varieties you had better grow on a large scale1 it is desirable to get a few plants of the different varieties as offered by seedmen4 ,in this way you would find out just what are considered best in different parts of the ,state1 and propagate largely the ones which are best worth to you4 ,by subdivision of the roots you get exactly the same type in any quantity you desire - ruling out undesirable variations likely to appear in seedlings4 ,artichoke ,growing4 ,is the ,globe artichoke a profitable crop to raise commercially8 ,near ,pescadero a company has been formed to raise it for ,eastern shipment4 ,is it a very profitable crop to raise8 ,are certain varieties worthless8 ,considerable quantities of ,globe artichokes are grown in southern and central ,california for ,eastern shipment4 ,there is a limit to the amount which can be profitably shipped1 because people generally1 at the ,east1 do not know the ,globe artichoke and how to eat it1 but more of them are learning the desirability of it every year4 ,there are species which are only ornamental1 as a bad weed4 ,asparagus ,growing4 ,what is the average commercial yield of asparagus to the acre in ,california8 ,also1 how long it takes asparagus to come into full bearing1 and what yield could be expected after two years' growth8 ,is asparagus resistant to moderate quantities of alkali in the soil8 ,the yield of asparagus is from one to four tons of marketable shoots per acre1 according to age and thrift of plants1 etc41 the largest yields being on the peat lands of the river islands4 ,on suitable lands one ought to get at least two tons per acre4 ,roots may yield a few days' cuttings during their second year in permanent place2 the third year they will stand much more cutting1 and for several years after that will be in full yielding4 ,asparagus enjoys a little salt in the land1 but one would not select what is ordinarily called alkali land for growing it - not only because of the alkali but because of the soil character which it induces4 ,bean ,growing4 ,we have a small field of beans1 and would like to know which is the best and most profitable way to crop them4 ,cultivate the beans so that the plants may have plenty of moisture to fill the pods1 then let them dry and die4 ,gather the dry plants before the pods open much1 and let them dry on a clean1 smooth piece of ground or on the barn floor4 ,when they are well dried1 thresh with a flail1 rake off the straw1 sweep up the beans and clean by winnowing in the wind or with a fanning mill with suitable screens4 ,hoeing ,beans4 ,should beans be hoed while the dew is on the vine8 ,beans had better be hoed with the dew on them than not hoed at all4 ,the only objection to hoeing with the dew on is that the hoer will get his feet wet1 the vines will become untidy from adhering dust1 with a possible chance of the leaves becoming less effective and the pollination of the blossom rendered less liable to occur4 ,beans as ,nitrogen ,gatherers4 ,i grow string beans in my rotation to restore nitrogen1 but ,i see it stated that not all beans are valuable for this purpose4 ,are the common bush varieties nitrogen gatherers8 ,probably they are all doing it in various degrees4 ,pull up or dig up a few plants when growing actively1 not too early nor too late in the season1 and look for nodules on the roots4 ,number and size considered together will measure their activity in this line in your soil4 ,bean ,growing4 ,i want to plant beans of different varieties4 ,the land is rich1 black loam with a little sand4 ,when is the best time to plant8 ,if planted early1 what shall we do to keep the weevils out of them8 ,it is desirable to plant beans as early as you can without encountering danger of frost killing4 ,no particular date can be mentioned for planting because the dates will vary in different locations according to the beginning of the frost-free period4 ,the best way to escape weevil is to sell most of the beans as soon as harvested1 treating those which you retain for seed1 or for your own use1 with bisulphide of carbon vapor or by gently heating to a temperature not above #acj degrees1 which1 of course1 must be done carefully with an accurate thermometer so as not to injure germinating power4 ,unless you know that beans do well in your locality1 it would be wise to plant a small area at first1 because beans are somewhat particular in their choice of location in ,california1 and one should have practical demonstration of bearing before risking much upon the crop4 ,the ,yard-,long ,bean4 ,i wish to ask about the very long bean which ,i think was introduced from ,china into ,california4 ,i remember seeing one vine when ,i was living in ,california which ,i think must have been #bj or #cj feet long and had hundreds of pods and each of these pods were from #b to #c feet long4 ,are these beans generally considered eatable8 ,would they be at all suitable to get as a field bean which the hogs eat8 ,you probably refer to the yard-long pole bean4 ,it is a world variety and may have come to ,california from ,china as you suggest1 but it has also been well known for generations in ,europe and was brought thence to the ,eastern ,states at some early date4 ,it is generally accounted as an unimportant species and certainly has not risen to commercial account in ,california4 ,the beans are edible and the whole plant available for stock feeding1 but there is no doubt but that the growth of some of the cowpeas would be preferable as a summer field crop for hog pasture4 ,why the ,beans are ,waiting4 ,can you tell me why pink beans which were planted early in ,merced county1 irrigated four times1 hoed four times and cultivated1 have no beans on them8 ,the vines look finely4 ,probably because you had too much hot1 dry wind at the blooming4 ,this is one of the most frequent troubles with beans in the hot valley1 but the pink bean resists it better than other varieties4 ,as the heat moderates you are likely to get blossoms which will come through and form pods1 and then the crop will depend upon how long frost is postponed4 ,you have also treated the plants a little too well with water and cultivation4 ,you had better let them feel the pinch of poverty a little now2 they will be more likely to go to work4 ,blackeye ,beans4 ,what is the best way to prepare land for ,black-eye beans8 ,how much seed is required per acre1 and what is the estimated cost of growing them8 ,the soil is a well-drained clay loam4 ,the cost of growing is not particularly different from other beans1 and will vary1 of course1 according to the capacity and efficiency of the plows1 harrows1 teams1 tractors1 men1 etc4 ,every man has to figure that according to his conditions and methods of turning and fining the land4 ,sow #dj pounds per acre in drills #c feet apart1 and cultivate as long as you can without injuring the vines too much4 ,sowing must of course be done late1 after the ground is warm and danger of frost is past1 though the plowing and harrowing should be done earlier than that4 ,blackeye ,beans are ,cow ,peas4 ,i sent for some ,blackeye cow peas2 they look like ,blackeye beans4 ,am sending you a sample of what ,i got4 ,what are they8 ,yes1 they are in the cow pea group1 but there are other cow peas which would not be recognized as having any relation to them4 ,all cow peas are1 however1 beans1 and they have not much use for frost4 ,they are not hardy like the true pea group4 ,growing ,horse ,beans4 ,does the soil need to be inoculated for horse beans8 ,i intend to plant five acres about ,january #a1 on the valley border in ,placer county and they get heavy frost in the morning4 ,does frost hurt them8 ,how shall ,i plant them8 ,california experience is that horse beans grow readily without inoculation of the seed4 ,quite a good growth of the plant is being secured in many parts of the ,state1 particularly in the coast region where the plant seems to thrive best4 ,it is one of the hardiest of the bean family and will endure light frost4 ,how hardy it will prove in your place could be told only by a local experiment4 ,whether it can be planted after frost danger is over1 as corn is1 and make satisfactory growth and product in the dry heat of the interior summer must also be determined by experience4 ,the horse bean is a tall growing1 upright plant which is successfully grown in rows far enough apart for cultivation1 say about #b #a_/b feet1 the seed dropped thinly so that the plants will stand from #f inches to #a foot apart in the row4 ,growing ,castor ,beans4 ,give information on the castor oil bean2 the kind of bean best to plant1 when to plant and harvest1 the best soil1 and where one can market them4 ,castor bean growing has been undertaken from time to time since #ahfj in various parts of ,california4 ,there is no difficulty about getting a satisfactory growth of the plant in parts of the ,state where moisture enough can be depended upon4 ,although the growing of beans is easy enough1 the harvesting is a difficult proposition1 because in ,california the clusters ripen from time to time1 have to be gathered by hand1 to be put in the sun to dry1 and finally threshed when they are popping properly4 ,the low price1 in connection with the amount of hand work which has to be done upon the crop1 has removed all the attractions for ,california growers4 ,there is also1 some years1 an excess of production in the central ,west1 which causes prices to fall and makes it still more impracticable to make money from the crop with the ordinary rates of labor4 ,the oil cannot be economically extracted except by the aid of the most effective machinery and a well equipped establishment4 ,oil-making in the rude way in which it is conducted in ,india would certainly not be profitable here4 ,legume ,seed ,inoculation4 ,is there any virtue in inoculating plants with the bacteria that some seed firms offer8 ,i refer to such plants as peas and beans4 ,if the land is yielding good crops of these plants and the roots are noduled1 it does not need addition of germs4 ,if the growth is scant even when there is enough moisture present and the roots are free from nodules1 the presumption is that germs should be added4 ,speaking generally1 added germs are not needed in ,california because our great legume crops are made without inoculation4 ,presumably1 burr clover and our host of native legumes have already charged the soil with them4 ,if1 however1 such plants do not do well1 try inoculation by all means1 to see if absence of germs is the reason for such failure or whether you must look for some other reason4 ,if the results are satisfactory1 you may have made a great gain by introduction of desirable soil organisms which you can extend as you like by the distribution of the germ-laden soil from the areas which have been given that character by inoculation of the seed4 ,beans on ,irrigated ,mesas4 ,would white and pink beans do well on the red orange land at ,palermo with plenty of water8 ,i have in mind hill land1 the hills being very red and running into a dark soil in the lower part4 ,how many beans could ,i get per acre8 ,probably nothing would be better for the land or for the future needs of the trees than to grow beans4 ,an average crop of beans1 for the whole ,state and all kinds of beans1 is about one ton to the acre4 ,what you will get by irrigation on hot uplands we do not know4 ,beans do not like dry heat1 even if the soil moisture is adequate4 ,they do not fructify well even when they grow well4 ,the pink bean does best under such conditions4 ,all beans1 except horse beans1 must be brought up after frost dangers are all over1 and this brings them into high heat almost from the start in such a place as you mention4 ,you should find out locally how beans perform under such conditions as you have1 before undertaking much investment4 ,leases for ,sugar ,beets4 ,i have land in ,yolo county that has made an average yield yearly of from #ab to #ah sacks of wheat and barley4 ,a beet sugar company proposes renting this land and plant it to sugar beets and ,i would prefer not to consider any agreement of less than five years' duration4 ,the particular point that ,i would like to have you advise me on is the effect sugar beet has upon the soil4 ,you certainly have good soil1 and it is not strange that a sugar company should desire to rent it for its purposes4 ,there is1 however1 a great question as to whether it would be desirable to run to beets continually for five years4 ,beets make a strong draft on some components of the soil1 and it is a common experience that they should not be grown year after year for a long period1 but should take their place in a rotation1 in the course of which one or two crops of beets should be followed by a crop of grain1 and that if possible by a leguminous plant like alfalfa or an annual legume like burr clover used for pasturage1 and then to beets again4 ,beets improve soil for grain1 because of the deep running of the root1 and because beet culture is not profitable without deep plowing and continuous summer cultivation4 ,this deepens and cleans the land to the manifest advantage of the grain crop1 but still the beet reduces the plant food in the soil and some change of crop should be made with reference to its restoration4 ,we would much prefer to lease it for two years than for five years of beet growing4 ,topping ,mangel ,wurzels4 ,does it harm the mangel wurzels if their tops ore cut off once a month8 ,removing leaves will decrease the size and harden the tissues of the beet root4 ,if you wish to grow the plant for the top1 the root will continue to put out leaves for you for a time2 if you grow it for the size and quality of the root1 you need all the leaf-action you can get1 therefore do not reduce the foliage4 ,blooming ,brussels ,sprouts4 ,are ,brussels sprouts male and female8 ,some of my plants are flowering and show no signs of sprouts1 while those that are not1 show some small eyes at stem that look like young sprouts4 ,brussels sprouts ought to form the sprouts without flowering1 just as a cabbage heads without flowering4 ,those plants which show flowers have been stopped by drought or otherwise1 and have taken on prematurely the second stage of growth which is productive of seed and is undesirable from the point of view of growing heads4 ,blanching ,celery4 ,i desire to know the different methods by which the celery is bleached1 and particularly whether boards or other material other than earth is used for this purpose4 ,there is some blanching of celery with boards1 cloth wrappings1 boot-legs1 old tiles1 sewer pipes1 etc41 in market gardens in different parts of the ,state1 but the great commercial product of celery for export is blanched wholly by piling the light1 dry earth against the growing plant4 ,as we do not have rains during the growing season and as the soil on which celery is chiefly grown is particularly coarse in its texture1 there is no rusting or staining from this method of blanching4 ,it shakes out clean and bright4 ,conditions which make earth-blanching undesirable in the humid region do not exist here4 ,corn in the ,sacramento ,valley4 ,is it practical to raise corn in the ,sacramento volley8 ,are the soil and climatic conditions suitable8 ,the success of corn on plains and uplands in the ,sacramento valley has not yet been fully demonstrated1 although good corn is grown on river bottom lands1 and it is possible that much more may be done with this grain in the future than in the past4 ,corn does not enjoy the dry heat of the plains1 and even when irrigated seems to be dissatisfied with it4 ,how far we shall succeed in getting varieties which will endure dry heat and still be large and productive will ere long be determined by the experiments which are in progress4 ,the old ,sacramento valley farmer has been justified to some degree in his conclusion that his is not a corn country4 ,still it may appear so later4 ,plant ,corn in ,warm ,ground4 ,i also put in a lot of corn and none of it came up4 ,the ground was damp and rather cold1 as well as being alkali4 ,corn should never be planted in cold1 wet ground - in fact1 very few seeds should be4 ,besides1 corn has no use for alkali4 ,sweet ,corn in ,california4 ,i have been informed that sweet corn cannot be raised in this part of the country1 an account of worms eating the kernels before the ear has matured4 ,is there any method of overcoming this difficulty8 ,you have been correctly informed concerning the difficulty in growing sweet corn4 ,although many experiments have been made1 no method of overcoming this pest has yet been demonstrated4 ,for this reason canning of corn is not undertaken in this ,state1 and for the same reason most of the green corn ears sold in our markets have the tops of the ears amputated4 ,it is sometimes possible to escape the worm by planting rather late1 so that the ears shall develop after the moth1 which is parent of the worm1 has deposited its eggs4 ,forcing ,cucumbers4 ,give information on growing hot-house cucumbers1 and also if you think it would pay me to go into the business in southern ,california4 ,forcing of cucumbers has been undertaken for a number of years in ,california and formerly was considered unprofitable because cucumbers grown in the open air in frostless places came in before the forced product could be sold out at sufficiently high prices to make the venture profitable4 ,recently1 however1 owing to our increased population in cities and larger demand of products out of season1 forcing becomes more promising and is worthy of attention4 ,forcing of cucumbers in ,california can be done at very much less expense1 of course1 than elsewhere1 because of the abundance of winter sunshine and the fact that sufficiently high temperatures can be secured in glass houses with exceedingly little if any artificial heat3 ,the chances of growing cucumbers out of season for shipment eastward and northward can be discussed with the officers of the ,california ,vegetable ,growers' ,union1 which has offices and warehouse in ,los ,angeles4 ,cucumber ,growing4 ,i have a piece of red so-called orange land which has produced excellent wheat4 ,will you give information about its adaptability to cucumbers8 ,are there pickle factories in the ,state which would demand them in quantities1 and is there much other demand for them8 ,about when should they be planted1 and how much water would they need8 ,the cucumber needs a retentive soil which does not crack and bake1 and such a soil is made by abundance of organic matter4 ,your orange soil1 unless heavily treated with stable manure and given plenty of time for disintegration1 would probably give you distressful cucumber plants1 if it has come right out of wheat-growing4 ,besides1 cucumbers do not like dry heat1 even if the soil be kept moist by irrigation4 ,oranges will do well under conditions not favorable to cucumbers4 ,cucumber plants must come up after danger of frost is over4 ,the amount of water they require depends upon how moist the soil is naturally1 and as the crop is chiefly grown on moist river lands and around the bay1 it is chiefly made without irrigation4 ,such lands have a cucumber capacity equal to the consumption of the ,united ,states1 probably1 and the pickle factories can usually get all they can use at a minimum transportation cost4 ,large-scale plantings should only be made by men who know the crop and have definite information or contract for what they can get for it4 ,ginger in ,california4 ,we have ginger roots in a growing condition with sprouts and bulbs growing an them1 but we do not understand how to raise the plants4 ,growing ginger in ,california in a commercial way has not been worked out1 although roots have been introduced from time to time4 ,plant your roots in the garden1 just as you would callas1 where you can give them good cultivation and water1 as seems to be necessary1 and note their behavior under these favorable conditions before you undertake any large investment in a crop4 ,licorice ,growing in ,california4 ,i have for some time been seeking far some information as to the method of preparation for market and sale of licorice roots4 ,i have a lot of them and have never been able to find a market1 and do not know how they are prepared for market4 ,licorice was first planted in ,california about #ahhj by the late ,isaac ,lea1 of ,florin1 ,sacramento county4 ,mr4 ,lea grew a considerable amount of licorice roots and gave much effort to finding a market for it4 ,he found that the local consumption of licorice root was too small to warrant growing it as a crop2 that the high price of labor in digging the roots1 and the high cost of transportation of the roots to ,eastern markets would make it impossible for him to undertake competition in the ,eastern markets with the ,sicilian producers1 unless1 perhaps1 he could build an extracting factory and market licorice extract1 the black solid which is sold by the druggist1 and which the ,sicilians produce in large quantities4 ,the preparation of licorice root is simply digging and drying1 but the preparation of the extract requires steam extractors and condensers4 ,california could produce licorice1 for we have a good climate for it4 ,if it is grown on light1 sandy loams1 it could be pulled from the ground by the yard at rather small expense1 and yet1 one should not undertake the production unless he wished to put in much time and money in working up economical production and marketing in competition with the foreign product1 produced by cheap labor and with the advantage of processes well known and established by long usage4 ,experiments should be circumspectly undertaken1 for licorice is one of the worst weeds in the world1 and extremely difficult of eradication probably4 ,growing ,lentils4 ,give information regarding the planting and raising of lentils4 ,can they be grown in the ,sacramento valley in the vicinity of ,colusa1 and at a profit8 ,lentils are as easily grown in ,california as common peas1 and will do well as a field crop if started during the rainy season1 as they are hardy enough to survive our ordinary valley frosts4 ,with respect to lentils1 it may be said that excellent as these legumes are for many purposes1 they do not seem to be well known to ,american consumers1 and therefore the amount to be grown is limited1 until you know who will buy larger quantities of them at a good price4 ,canada ,peas for ,seed4 ,i want to raise ,canada peas for the seed4 ,in what month of the year is the best time to plant them2 also how many pounds to the acre to be sowed broadcast on rolling land in ,napa8 ,broadcast from #hj to #ajj pounds of seed per acre as soon as you can get the ground into good condition4 ,what you get will depend much upon how late spring rains hold this year4 ,we should only try a small area this year to see what happens1 for you probably should have started earlier in the season4 ,on uplands it will always be a question whether your soil will hold moisture enough to mature a good seed crop4 ,growing ,niles ,peas4 ,how shall ,i plant and handle a crop of ,niles peas8 ,niles peas are hardy and will make a good crop on any good soil1 if planted early in the season so as to make the main part of their growth before the heat of the summer comes on4 ,under garden conditions they can1 of course1 be grown all summer4 ,transplanting ,lettuce4 ,i have lettuce plants that have been transplanted to head4 ,occasionally ,i find a head that has withered away and upon examining it find it rotted away at the stem4 ,can you suggest a remedy for it8 ,your lettuce plants are destroyed by the damping1 off fungus4 ,it would be preventable by reducing the amount of moisture until the transplanted plant had opportunity to re-establish itself in the soil and thus come into condition to take water4 ,the chance of it could also be reduced by using a certain amount of sand in connection with the soil1 unless it is already very sandy1 and by a shallow covering of sand on the surface around the plants after they are reset1 in order to prevent too great accumulation of moisture4 ,handling ,winter ,melons4 ,give particulars regarding harvesting1 storaging1 and shipment of winter melons4 ,how do you harvest and pack them for distant market8 ,there is no particular system in the handling of winter melons4 ,they are gathered into piles on ground where water will not gather and covered with the trash of the vines on which they grow4 ,they will keep for months in this way1 as our autumn temperatures do not freeze them4 ,other growers collect them in open sheds shaded from sun and rain1 and still others put them into barns or shallow cellars under buildings1 etc4 ,the melons are very durable and seem disposed to keep in any old way4 ,the melons are shipped in large packing cases with slat sides1 or in the smaller slat crates that are used for summer cantaloupes4 ,no packing is used1 generally4 ,if it seemed necessary1 a little clean straw would be sufficient4 ,ripe ,melons4 ,how can ,i tell when a watermelon is fully ripe8 ,what is the method used by growers in picking for commercial shipping8 ,gently press the sides of a melon and if it crackles a little bit1 all right2 if it makes no sound then go to another4 ,commercial pickers look at the little spiral between the melon and the nearest leaf4 ,if it is withered they pick the melon1 if fresh1 pass it until next picking4 ,growing ,onion ,seed and ,sets4 ,will you give localities of the leading production of onion seed or dry sets in your ,state8 ,onion seed is grown in several parts of the ,state1 largely in the ,santa ,clara valley adjacent to the city of ,san ,jose4 ,onion sets are largely produced in ,orange county1 near ,los ,angeles1 for eastern shipment1 for which purpose they are grown under contract4 ,ripening ,onions4 ,i am raising some onions from bottom sets and as they are growing nicely and are beginning to swell at the bulb some advise me to cut the tops off and some advise me to bend them over or tramp them down4 ,do not cut off the tops of the onions4 ,if they seem to be overgrowing and not disposed to ripen the bulb1 the top can be broken down1 thus partly arresting the vegetative energy of the plant and causing maturity4 ,onions from ,sets4 ,will onion sets planted in ,july grow and mature in the fall months8 ,good onion sets grown during the winter and spring should be mature by ,july and if planted after drying would proceed to make a full growth of large onions if growing conditions should be right for them2 that is1 the soil moist and the temperature not too high4 ,how ,many ,crops of ,onion ,seed8 ,does the growing of onion seed exhaust adobe land1 and if so1 how many years' cropping before it requires rest or fertilizing8 ,the growth of any seed crop1 including cereal grains1 of course1 makes a supreme draft upon soil fertility4 ,how long a certain soil can stand it1 depends upon the amount of fertility it has when the draft begins4 ,the best rough way to tell how it is going1 is to watch the growth and crop1 when moisture conditions are known to be favorable4 ,if you get a good growth of the plant it is still good to make the seed4 ,onions from ,seed4 ,will onions from seed mature the same season if they are irrigated8 ,some tell us they will not1 so we would be very much pleased to hear from you4 ,onions grown from the seed do fully develop during the growing season following the planting of the seed4 ,in fact1 nearly all ,california onions are grown in that way4 ,our growing season is so long that we do not need to use onion sets to any extent1 as they do in short-summer climates4 ,dry ,farming with ,chili ,peppers4 ,if ,i set chili pepper plants down six or eight inches lower than the surface of the ground and fill in as the plants grow larger1 will this help in case ,i could not get water enough8 ,my soil is a deep sandy loam4 ,we have had between five and six inches of rain4 ,do you think water every fifteen days would be enough8 ,on such light soil as you mention1 the plants can be planted deeply and a certain amount of soil brought up to the plants by cultivation without injury4 ,as this plant has a long growing season and matures its crop rather late1 you will undoubtedly need irrigation4 ,probably irrigation twice a month will be sufficient in connection with good cultivation1 but you will have to watch the plants and apply the water as it seems to be needed1 rather than by a specific scheme of days4 ,harvesting ,peanuts4 ,i would like information regarding the curing of peanuts4 ,should they be bleached1 and1 if so1 how is it done8 ,does bleaching affect the keeping qualities8 ,it is not usual to bleach peanuts4 ,they should be grown in such light soil that they will not be stained1 and the common method of curing is to dig or plow up1 throw the vines1 with nuts attached1 into windrows and allow them to lie a week or ten days for drying4 ,then the nuts are picked into sacks and cleaned before shipment in revolving drums1 followed by a grain fan which throws out the light nuts and other rubbish4 ,bleaching would not destroy the keeping quality probably1 but it would destroy the flavor and the germinating power4 ,the latter would not matter1 except with such nuts as you wish to keep for seed1 because the roasting destroys the germinating power also1 but sulphuring1 which would reduce the flavor1 would give the product a bad name4 ,possibly some growers do bleaching1 but1 if so1 they have to be pretty careful about it4 ,the cost of the operation would also be a bar to profit1 for peanuts are grown on a narrow margin owing to competition with importations grown with cheap labor4 ,adobe and ,peanuts4 ,is adobe land good for the peanut8 ,is it harder to start than in other soils or not8 ,it is not good at all4 ,peanuts require the finest1 mellowest loam with sand enough to prevent crust1 and moisture even and continuous4 ,the surface must be kept loose so that the plant can bury its own bloom stem and the under soil light and clean so that it will readily shake from the nuts and not stain them4 ,adobe is the worst soil you could find for peanuts4 ,cutting ,potatoes4 ,what would be the most profitable potato to plant in the ,salinas valley1 and how small can a potato be cut up for planting8 ,how many eyes should each piece contain in order to make a good growth and be profitable8 ,probably the best potato for your district would be the ,burbank1 which is largely grown near ,salinas and brings the highest price4 ,it is customary to cut a medium-sized potato in two pieces and a large one in four pieces4 ,one can be very economical of seed by smaller cutting1 but it would require the most favorable conditions to bring a vigorous growth4 ,probably pieces weighing not less than two ounces would be best under ordinary conditions4 ,potatoes which are rather small may be used for seed if well matured and have good eyes4 ,it is dangerous1 however1 to use the small stuff - too small for sale4 ,unless the soil and moisture conditions are extra favorable1 the growth will be weak and unsatisfactory4 ,potato ,planting4 ,how many sacks of potatoes are to be planted to an acre1 and how many eyes are to be left in a seed8 ,if1 for instance1 we plant seed with three eyes1 how many potatoes should we get from that vine8 ,potatoes are planted all the way from five to fifteen sacks to the acre1 probably about ten sacks being the average4 ,there is no particular number of eyes specified in preparing the seed1 according to common practice4 ,good medium-sized potatoes are generally cut in two pieces crosswise1 and large potatoes in four pieces1 cutting both ways4 ,there is no definite relation between the number of eyes planted and the number of potatoes coming from them4 ,this has been the subject of innumerable experiments1 and the conclusion is that the crop is more dependent upon good soil and favorable growing conditions than upon any way of preparing the seed4 ,northern ,potatoes for ,seed4 ,do you regard northern-grown seed potatoes sufficiently better to make it worth while paying freight on them from the ,state of ,washington8 ,experience seems to indicate the superiority of northern-grown seed potatoes1 not only in this ,state1 but on the ,atlantic ,coast1 and they are largely depended upon4 ,systematic demonstration by comparative tests has been made by the ,vermont station and preference for northern-grown seed seems1 to be justified4 ,potato ,planting4 ,i have ten acres of land in ,placer county which ,i propose to put into potatoes next spring4 ,it has been recommended to me to put potatoes in as early as ,january4 ,it seems to me that ,january is rather early2 however1 it is said that this land is in the orange belt and practically free from frost4 ,whether you can plant potatoes to advantage in ,january or not depends upon the temperatures which you are likely to meet after that date1 also whether the ground is warm enough in ,january1 because there is no advantage in planting in cold ground nor in soil that is too wet at the time4 ,the earliest potatoes1 of course1 come from planting much earlier than ,january2 usually as soon as the ground is moistened enough in the autumn4 ,the potato will stand some frost1 but autumn planting is not feasible in places which are under hard freezing or receive too much cold rain water4 ,potatoes ,should be ,planted ,early4 ,i have ,early ,rose potatoes planted about ,may first4 ,the tops look fine1 but there are few potatoes and small1 and1 though not developed1 have commenced growing a second time1 sprouts starting from the new potatoes4 ,when should ,i plant and what care should they have8 ,your potatoes act peculiarly because of intermittent moisture - the plant being arrested by drought and then starting again1 which is very undesirable4 ,to avoid this1 potatoes should be planted earlier so as to get a large part of their growth during the rainy season4 ,if planted late the ground should be well wet down by irrigation1 and then plowed and cultivated1 and irrigation should be used while the plant is growing well4 ,if this is done1 potatoes can be successfully grown by irrigation1 but if the land is allowed to become dry the plant is arrested in its growth for a time and a second and undesirable growth is started4 ,potato ,balls4 ,i find in potato writings of forty years ago that the seed from the potato balls which form on the tops of the plants is recommended for growing the best potatoes4 ,in later books ,i find no mention of them and all are advised how to cut the tubers to get seed potatoes4 ,the seed of the potato plant which is found in the balls which develop on the tops of the plant is only valuable for the origination of new varieties1 with the chance1 of course1 that most of them will be inferior to the tubers produced by the plant which bears the seed4 ,therefore1 these seeds are of no commercial importance4 ,there has also sometimes developed upon the top of the plant what is called an aerial tuber1 which is even of less value than the seed ball1 because it does not contain seed nor is it good as a tuber4 ,forty years ago there was a great demand for newer and better kinds of potatoes which has1 since that time1 been largely supplied1 and commercial potato-growing consists in multiplying the standard varieties which best suit the soil and the market4 ,this is done by planting the tuber itself1 which is really a root-cutting and therefore reproduces its own kind4 ,those who are originating new kinds of potatoes still use seed from the balls1 either taking their chances by natural variation or1 by hybridizing the blossoms1 increasing the chances for variation from which desirable varieties are taken by selection1 to be afterward multiplied by growth from the tubers4 ,seed-,ends of ,potatoes4 ,is it bad practice to plant the seed-ends of potatoes8 ,the seed-end of the potato is the least valuable part of it1 but it is better probably to plant than to reject it4 ,the ,moon and ,potato ,planting4 ,is there any foundation to the oft-repeated story about potatoes in the light of the moon running to tops and the dark of the moon to spuds8 ,if we paid any attention to the moon in planting1 we should plant in the dark of the moon so as to give the plant opportunity to make use of whatever additional light the full moon afforded4 ,planting ,whole ,potatoes4 ,one man states the only way to cut seed is to take a potato and cut the ends off and not divide the potato any more2 or1 in other words1 a whole potato for each seed4 ,good results are obtained by planting whole potatoes1 but in that case there is no advantage in removing the ends4 ,how to ,cut ,seed ,potatoes4 ,would it pay in returns to use large potatoes for seed in preference to culls8 ,large potatoes are better than culls1 but medium-sized potatoes are better than either4 ,many experiments have been made to determine this4 ,at the ,arkansas station whole tubers two to three inches in diameter yielded #ah per cent more than small whole tubers three-quarters to one and one-quarter inches in diameter1 and large cut tubers yielded #ae4h per cent more than small cut tubers4 ,cutting ,potatoes to ,single ,eyes4 ,some say only one eye to a piece2 others say several eyes - which is better8 ,in one experiment potatoes cut to single eyes with each piece weighing one-sixteenth of an ounce yielded #dd bushels to the acre1 while single eyes on two-ounce pieces yielded #agg bushels to the acre4 ,experiments in ,indiana showed that the yield usually increased with the weight of the set and that the exact number of eyes per cutting is relatively unimportant4 ,potato ,scab4 ,can potatoes be treated in any way before planting to prevent the new ones from being what is called scabby8 ,there are two successful treatments for scab in potatoes4 ,one is dipping in a solution of corrosive sublimate4 ,dissolve one ounce in eight gallons of water and soak the seed potatoes in this solution for one and one-half hours before cutting4 ,this treatment kills the scab spores which may be upon the exterior of the potatoes4 ,more recently1 however1 to avoid danger in handling such a rank poison as corrosive sublimate1 formaldehyde has been used1 and one pint of commercial formaldehyde1 as it is bought in the stores1 is diluted with thirty gallons of water1 and potatoes are soaked in this for two hours4 ,thirty gallons of this dip ought to treat about fifty bushels of potatoes4 ,double-,cropping with ,potatoes4 ,i am told that here two crops of potatoes can be raised by planting the second crop in ,august4 ,i have five acres which will be ready to dig in ,july4 ,can ,i dig these ,potatoes and use them for seed at once for another crop1 or won't they grow8 ,i have a crop of barley1 and as it is heading out now1 ,i want to put potatoes on the ground after ,i take the barley off4 ,i have plenty of water to irrigate4 ,if your potatoes ripen in ,july and you allow those which you desire for seed to lie upon the ground and become somewhat greenish1 they are likely to sprout well for a second crop4 ,they should not1 however1 be planted immediately4 ,whether you get a second crop successfully or not depends upon how early the frosts come in your district4 ,whether you get potatoes after barley or not depends also upon how much moisture there remains in the soil4 ,by irrigating thoroughly after harvesting the grain and then plowing deeply for potatoes1 you would do vastly better than to plant in dry ground and irrigate afterward4 ,when to ,plant ,potatoes4 ,i have been puzzled to understand ,potato growing in ,california4 ,do you have more than one cropping season1 and if so1 about what dates are they due8 ,every month in the year potatoes are being put into the ground and being taken out of the ground somewhere in ,california4 ,we have1 then1 practically a continuous planting and harvesting season4 ,there is1 however1 a division possible to make in this way3 ,plantings undertaken in ,september and ,october are for winter supplies of new potatoes1 which begin about the holidays and continue during the winter4 ,there is also in southern ,california a planting beginning in ,january1 which might be called the earliest planting for the main crop1 and other plantings for the main crop in the central and northern parts of the ,state begin in ,february and continue until ,may1 according to the character of the land2 that is1 whether it is upland1 on which the planting is earlier1 or whether it is lowland along the rivers where excessive moisture may render the land unsuitable until ,april or ,may4 ,the harvesting of the main crop then begins in ,may and continues during the whole of the summer1 according to the character of the land cropped over1 lapping the planting time for early potatoes first mentioned4 ,it is also true by use of properly matured seed one can secure1 in some places1 two crops a year1 if there is sufficient inducement therefor4 ,thus it comes about that we are continually planting and digging potatoes according to local conditions and the possibility of selling advantages4 ,keeping ,potatoes4 ,advise me how to keep my potatoes4 ,what is the best way8 ,would a dark room be suitable8 ,some people are digging holes in the ground to put them in4 ,potatoes1 if properly matured and free from disease1 will keep for a considerable time in dark rooms kept as cool as possible4 ,they must be kept away from the reach of the moth1 which is parent to the worm producing long black strings inside of the potato4 ,if they are thoroughly covered with boards or sacking or straw1 so as to keep the moth from reaching the potato1 they may be held for a long time in the open air1 and covering with earth1 as your neighbors are doing1 will be all right until the rains come and cause decay by making the soil too wet4 ,the main point is to keep the tubers as cool as possible and out of reach of the potato moth4 ,potato ,yield4 ,what is the yield per acre of potatoes on the best land around ,stockton1 ,cal41 where work is done properly2 also what is the yield for potatoes along the coast8 ,the average yield of potatoes in ,california1 taking the whole acreage and product as reported by the last ,united ,states census1 is #adg bushels to the acre4 ,in ,stockton district1 on good new reclaimed land the yield has been reported all the way from #cjj to #hjj bushels per acre - the crop declining rapidly when continued on the same land4 ,one year's crop in the ,stockton district was estimated at #de1jjj acres averaging #abe sacks per acre4 ,the coast yield would be more like the general average for the ,state as first given4 ,new ,potatoes for ,seed4 ,can ,i plant ,american ,wonder potatoes for the first crop1 and let enough of them mature to use for seed for the second crop1 to be planted the first or middle of ,july8 ,it is possible to use potatoes grown the same year as seed for the later crop1 providing you let the potatoes mature first by the complete dying down of the vines1 and second by digging the potatoes allow them to lie in the open air1 with some protection against sun-burning1 until the potatoes become somewhat greenish4 ,if this is the case the eyes will develop and seed will grow1 while without such treatment you might be disappointed in their behavior4 ,of course1 the question still remains whether it would be desirable to do this or to plant some later variety earlier in the season when the growing conditions would be better4 ,potato ,growing4 ,in what locality are the best early potatoes grown in ,california8 ,can they be raised on wheat lands without irrigation as an early crop8 ,early potatoes are grown in regions of light frosts in all parts of the ,state - around the bay of ,san ,francisco1 on the mesas in southern ,california1 and to some extent at slight elevations in the central part of the ,state4 ,the potato endures some frost1 but one has1 for an early crop1 to guard against the locations subject to hard freezing4 ,most of our potatoes are grown without irrigation because1 on uplands1 winter temperatures favor their growing during the rainy season4 ,the middle-season and late potatoes are grown on moist lowlands where irrigation is not necessary4 ,in proper situations1 much of the land which is used for potatoes has at some time produced wheat or barley1 corn or sorghum1 and other field crops4 ,potatoes ,after ,alfalfa4 ,i have been a successful potato grower in ,ohio4 ,i have the best alfalfa soil and it is now in its fourth year of productiveness in that crop4 ,i would like to grow potatoes in a small way4 ,proceed just as you would at the ,east in getting potatoes upon a red clover sod4 ,turn under the alfalfa deeply now if the soil will work well1 and roll your sandy soil4 ,you must use a sharp plow to cut and cover well4 ,if there is moisture enough the alfalfa1 plowed under in the fall1 ought to be decayed by ,february1 when you could plant potatoes safely1 probably1 unless your situation is very frosty4 ,if you plant early you ought to get the crop through without irrigation if you cultivate well and keep the land flat4 ,flat or ,hill ,culture for ,potatoes4 ,is it better to hill potatoes or not8 ,during the dry time of the year potatoes should be grown with flat cultivation1 except as it may be necessary to furrow out between the rows for the application of irrigation water4 ,potatoes grown during the rainy season in places where there is liable to be too much water1 can often be hilled to advantage1 but dry-season cultivation of practically everything should be as flat as possible to retain moisture near the surface for the development of shallow-rooting plants4 ,bad ,conditions for ,potatoes4 ,our potatoes were planted early and were frosted several times while young4 ,as we come to harvest them we find them with very large green tops but the potatoes are about the size of a hen's egg and from that they run down to the size of a pea4 ,the larger ones are beginning to send out roots1 four or five to a potato4 ,the potatoes have not been irrigated lately and the ground they are in is dry4 ,the ugly behavior of your potatoes is doubtless due to irregularities in temperature and moisture which have forced the plants into abnormal or undesirable activity4 ,potatoes should have regular conditions of moisture so that they shall proceed from start to finish and not stop and start again1 for this will usually make the crop unsatisfactory and worthless4 ,excessive moisture is not desirable1 but the requisite amount in continuous supply is indispensable4 ,potatoes on ,heavy ,land4 ,will potatoes grow well in adobe land1 or partly adobe1 that has not been used for seven years except for pasturing8 ,although potatoes enjoy best of all a light loam in which they can readily expand1 it is possible to get very good results on heavy land which has been used for pasturage for some years1 providing the land is broken up early and deeply and harrowed well in advance of planting and thorough cultivation maintained while the crop is growing4 ,the content of grass roots and manure which the land has received during its period of grazing tends to make the soil lighter and will also feed the plant well4 ,for this reason better potatoes are had on heavy land after pasturage than could be had on the same land if continually used for grain or for some other crop which tended to reduce the amount of humus and to make the land more rebellious in cultivation4 ,storage of ,seed ,potatoes4 ,we need potatoes for late planting and have found a good lot which is being held in cold storage at temperatures from #cd to #cf degrees ,f4 ,they have not been there long1 however4 ,would that hurt them for seed1 and also how long could they be safely left there now before planting8 ,seed potatoes would not be injured in storage1 providing the temperature is not allowed to go below the freezing point4 ,they should not1 however1 be allowed to remain longer in storage1 but should be exposed to the sun for the development of the eyes1 even to the sprouting point being desirable before planting4 ,the greening of the potato by the sun is no disadvantage4 ,we would not think of planting potatoes directly from storage1 because1 owing to the lack of development in the eyes1 decay might get the start of germination4 ,potatoes and ,frosts4 ,can ,i keep frost off of potato tops by building smudge fires6 ,i would like to plant about ,february #a1 but we usually have a few light frosts here during ,march4 ,if ,i were to turn water in the field when too cold1 would that keep the frost off1 and if so1 would ,i have to turn water down each row1 or would one furrow full of water to about every fourth or sixth row be enough8 ,you can prevent frost by smudging for potatoes just as you can for other vegetables4 ,the potato1 however1 needs little protection of this kind and will endure a light frost which would be destructive to tomatoes1 melons1 and other more tender growths4 ,unless you have a very frosty situation1 you can certainly grow potatoes without frost protection1 and they should be planted earlier than ,february first if the ground is in good condition4 ,the great secret of success in growing potatoes in southern ,california is to get a good early start before the heat and drought come on4 ,water will protect from frost if the temperature only goes to about #bh degrees and does not stay there too long4 ,the more water there is exposed the longer may be the protection1 but probably not against a lower temperature4 ,growing ,sweet ,potato ,plants4 ,how shall ,i make a hot-bed to raise sweet potato plants8 ,i don't mean to put glass over bed1 but want full description of an up-to-date outfit for raising them4 ,manure hot-beds have been largely abandoned for growing sweet potato slips1 though1 of course1 you can grow them that way on a small scale or for experiment4 ,in the large sweet potato districts1 elaborate arrangements for bottom heat by circulation of hot water or steam are in use4 ,in a smaller way hot air works well4 ,the ,arizona ,experiment ,station tells how a very good sweet potato hot-bed at little cost is constructed as follows3 ,a frame of rough boards seven feet wide1 twenty feet long and fourteen inches deep is laid down over two flues made by digging two trenches one foot deep and about two feet wide1 lengthwise of the bed4 ,these trenches are covered with plank or iron roofing1 and are equipped with a fire pit at one end and short smokestack at the other4 ,four inches of soil is filled into this bed and sweet potatoes placed upon it in a layer which is then covered with two or three inches more of soil4 ,large potatoes may be split and laid flat side down4 ,the whole bed is then covered with muslin1 operating on a roller by which to cover and uncover the bed4 ,thus prepared1 the bed may easily be kept at a temperature of #fj to #gj degrees ,f4 by smouldering wood fires in the fire boxes4 ,the potatoes1 kept moist at this temperature1 sprout promptly and will be ready to transplant in about six weeks4 ,a bed of the size mentioned will receive five to seven bushels of seed roots1 which will make slips enough to plant an acre or more of potatoes4 ,growing ,sweet ,potatoes4 ,please inform me how to keep sweet potatoes for seed2 also how many pounds it takes for one acre1 and what distance apart to plant1 and the time to plant4 ,sweet potatoes may be kept from sprouting by storage in a cool1 dry place4 ,sweet potatoes are not grown by direct cutting of the tuber as the ordinary potato is1 but the tubers are put in ,january or later in a hot bed and the sprouts are taken off for planting when the ground becomes warm and all danger of frost is over in the locality4 ,the number of sprouts required for an acre is from five to ten thousand1 and a bushel of small sweet potatoes will produce about two thousand sprouts if properly handled in the hot bed1 which consists in removing the sprouts when they have attained a height of five or six inches1 and in this way the potatoes will be yielding sprouts in succession for some time4 ,the sprouts are planted in rows far enough apart for horse cultivation4 ,they are usually hilled up pretty well after starting to grow well4 ,they cannot be planted until the danger of frost is over1 for they are much more tender than ,irish potatoes4 ,sweet ,potato ,growing4 ,in planting sweet potatoes1 do we have to make hotbeds just like those for tomatoes1 or if just a plain seed-bed will do8 ,is it necessary to irrigate them or not8 ,you can bed your sweet potatoes in a warm place on the sunny side of a building or board fence1 and get sprouts all right4 ,you will1 however1 get them sooner and in greater numbers by using a slow hotbed in which the manure supply is not too large4 ,the fact that sweet potato growers do use some artificial heat1 either from manure or by piping bottom-heat in their propagating houses1 is a demonstration that such recourse is desirable to get best results4 ,the necessity of irrigation depends upon the soil and its natural moisture supply4 ,on a fine retentive loam1 the crop is chiefly made without irrigation1 if the plants are all ready to put out in the field as soon as it is safe4 ,if you are late in the planting1 or if the soil is dry or likely to dry before the tubers are grown to good size1 irrigation1 some time ahead of the need of the plant1 is essential4 ,sweet ,potatoes4 ,what kind of soil and climate does it take to grow sweet potatoes1 and can ,i grow them in any part of ,contra ,costa county1 and about what time is the best to plant them8 ,sweet potatoes do best in a light warm loam which drains well and does not bake or crust by rain or irrigation4 ,sprout the tubers in a hot-bed or cold-frame in ,february and break off the shoots and plant as soon as you are out of danger by frost4 ,sweet potatoes are more tender than common potatoes4 ,there are places in ,contra ,costa county where they do well1 though some parts of the county do not have enough summer heat4 ,sweet ,potatoes ,between ,fruit ,trees4 ,i am expecting to grow a fall crop of about twenty acres of sweet potatoes4 ,the land is a heavy1 sandy loam in the interior1 which has been set out this spring to almonds1 apricots and prunes4 ,i wish to grow sweet potatoes between trees4 ,would an irrigation every forty days be often enough8 ,also1 if either sweet or ,irish potatoes grown between rows are harmful to either of the varieties of fruit mentioned8 ,we see no reason why you should not get your crop1 providing you do not have to run the plants into the frosty period1 and sweet potatoes will not1 of course1 stand frost as well as the common potato4 ,the moisture which you propose to give ought to be enough for a retentive soil in connection with good cultivation until the vines cover the ground4 ,growing any crop between orchard trees is apt to be an injury to the trees1 because of the spaces which are not and cannot be adequately cultivated1 so that the ground around the trees is apt to become compacted either by the run of water or the lack of cultivation1 or both4 ,our observation has been that ,irish potatoes are no more injurious than other crops4 ,any crop will injure young trees if it takes moisture they ought to have or interferes with good cultivation of the land4 ,giant ,japanese ,radish4 ,in discussing sakurajima 7giant ,japanese radish7 ,eastern publications advise planting late1 about ,august #a1 and not earlier than ,july #a4 ,what can you tell me about the plant here8 ,the ,asiatic winter radishes can be successfully planted in ,california in ,july or ,august if the soil is thoroughly saturated by irrigation before digging and planting4 ,it is1 however1 not so necessary to begin early in ,california as at the ,east1 because our winter temperatures favor the growth of the plant1 while at the ,east they have to make an early start in order to get something well grown before the ground freezes4 ,for the growth of winter radishes1 then1 in ,california you can wait until the ground is wet thoroughly by the rain1 which may be expected during ,september1 and afterward you can make later plantings for succession at any time you desire during the rainy season4 ,this applies to all kinds of radishes4 ,rhubarb ,rotting4 ,i have planted rhubarb roots in the ,san ,joaquin valley and find the root crowns rot below the surface4 ,the old-fashioned summer rhubarb usually goes off that way in very hot localities4 ,if there is too much alkali or hardpan1 or if planted too late1 the same results will be had with any sort of rhubarb4 ,where it is very hot1 plants1 irrigated in the morning near the plants1 scald at the crown and die in a few days4 ,if irrigated in the afternoon and the ground worked before it gets hot the next day fine results are obtained4 ,the winter rhubarb varieties do well in hot districts if the roots are planted from ,september #ae to ,may #a1 while in cooler sections1 ,april1 ,may1 ,june and ,july are the best months and will insure a crop the following winter4 ,squashes ,dislike ,hardship4 ,what caused these squashes1 of which ,i send you samples1 to be so hard and woody8 ,they were grown without irrigation4 ,your squashes were grown without irrigation under conditions which were too dry for them and became inferior in quality4 ,possibly the variety itself is not of good quality or the specimen from which the seed was taken may have been inferior4 ,a squash1 in order to be tender and acceptable1 needs rich feeding and plenty of drink4 ,otherwise1 it is apt to resent ill treatment by very undesirable growth4 ,harvesting ,sunflowers4 ,what is the method used in saving or threshing the seed from the ,giant ,russian sunflower8 ,cut off the seed heads of your sunflowers when the seed seems to be well matured but before any of it falls away from the head4 ,throw these heads on a smooth piece of ground or a tight floor and when they become thoroughly dry thresh out the seed with a flail1 removing the coarse stuff with a rake and afterwards cleaning the seed by shoveling it into the wind so that the light stuff may be blown away4 ,a more perfect cleaning afterwards could be secured with a grain fanning mill or a simple sieve of the right mesh4 ,irrigating ,tomatoes4 ,how much water does it take 7in gallons or cubic feet7 to properly irrigate an acre of land for tomatoes8 ,the soil is adobe1 and the customary way of planting tomatoes is #f feet apart each way1 plowing a trench of one furrow with the slope of the land for irrigating1 that is1 a trench between every row and a cross trench as a feeder4 ,the land is low and in the driest part of the year the surface water is from #b to #c feet beneath the top of the ground4 ,it is not possible to state a specific quantity of water for any crop1 because the amount depends to such a large extent upon the retentiveness of the soil1 the rate of evaporation and the kind of cultivation4 ,the best source of information is the behavior of the plant itself1 bearing in mind that tomato plants require constant but not excessive moisture supply1 and that if moisture is applied in excess it will promote an excessive growth of the plant1 which will cause it to drop its blossoms and therefore be unsatisfactory and unproductive4 ,in such land as you describe no irrigation whatever would be desirable except in years of short rainfall1 and such land1 if properly cultivated1 would always furnish moisture enough by capillary action to support the growth of the plant4 ,less ,water and ,more ,heat4 ,what chemicals should ,i put into the soil to insure a good crop of vegetables1 such as tomatoes1 string beans1 or other over-ground producers8 ,last year my tomatoes and string beans grew plentifully1 but never produced any tomatoes or beans1 yet turnips and parsnips were all right4 ,vegetables which behave like your tomatoes and string beans1 making too much growth and not enough fruit1 do not need fertilization4 ,the land is perhaps too rich already1 or you may have used too much water4 ,use less water so that the plants will make a more moderate growth1 and they will be fruitful if the season is warm enough in the later part of summer4 ,this1 of course1 would be one of the drawbacks to growing tomatoes and beans in ,san ,francisco4 ,turnips and parsnips do well with less heat4 ,you may have to modify the ,san ,francisco summer climate by wind screens or glass covers4 ,continuous ,cropping ,with the ,same ,plant4 ,what would happen on the crops of cucumbers1 tomatoes and eggplants1 etc41 planted on the same place continuously8 ,there would be in time a decadence of crop from soil exhaustion1 but that you could prevent by fertilization4 ,the greatest danger from continuously growing these vegetables on the same land is the multiplication of bacteria which injuriously affect them1 in the soil4 ,the plants which you mention are all subject to wilt diseases from this cause1 therefore1 they should have new ground4 ,if you have to use the same garden ground continuously1 the plants which you mention should be rotated with root crops or with other kinds of vegetables1 so as to frequently change plants and soil within the general area which has to be used for them4 ,big ,worms on ,tomatoes4 ,i have a nice patch of tomatoes in my garden1 and only recently ,i notice large green worms on them with one large brown horn on their head4 ,they strip the leaves off4 ,they look to me like a tobacco worm4 ,they are tobacco worms2 that is1 they are the larvae of hawk moths1 some of which take tobacco1 tomatoes1 grapevines and many other plants1 including some of the native weeds of your valley4 ,pick them off and crush them1 or give them a little snip with the scissors if you do not like to handle them4 ,they are so large and easily found that such treatment is easily applied1 as in worming tobacco4 ,loss of ,tomato ,bloom4 ,i have tomato plants which are very strong and healthy and full of blossoms1 but there is something cutting the blossoms off and just about to ruin my plants4 ,the trouble with your tomato plants is that life is too easy for them1 that they have so much moisture and plant food that they can grow comfortably and rapidly without thought of the future4 ,so1 because they do not have to think of making fruit1 the blossoms drop off4 ,this is a very common occurrence with tomatoes1 especially in home gardens where the owners have not the experience or the information on the subject that they might have1 and give the tomatoes too much water4 ,many other plants act the same way and will not set fruit while they can grow easily1 and only begin to produce when they have made a great growth or when moisture begins to get a little short4 ,if you irrigate the tomatoes1 stop1 and put no more water on until the plant begins to set fruit as if it meant business1 or gives some sign that water would be appreciated4 ,if the ground is naturally moist you will have to wait until the plants make more growth and the weather gets drier and hotter1 and the plants will then set fruit4 ,some growers have found that by trimming up the vine and staking it1 the fruit sets much more readily4 ,part ,,iii4 ,grains and ,forage ,crops ,wants ,us to ,do the ,whole ,thing4 ,can you help1 me to determine a good product to plant somewhere in ,california2 also what particular section would be most suitable for the raising of that which you would advise8 ,i wish a crop of permanent nature 7as orchard trees74 ,i also desire advice on some product which would give a quick return while ,i am waiting on the more permanent one to mature and bear4 ,i have not procured land yet1 and am thinking seriously of trying to get government land1 therefore1 you are free to give me the best location for the raising of that which you would1 suggest4 ,i want a money-making product and one which is not already overdone4 ,the choice of crops depends quite as much upon the market demand and opportunity as it does upon the suitability of the soil and local climate4 ,choice of crops indeed involves almost the whole business of farming1 and although we can sometimes give a man useful suggestions as to the growth of plants and the protection of plants from enemies1 we cannot undertake to plan his farming business for him4 ,he must form his own opinions as to what will be most marketable1 and therefore profitable1 if he succeeds in getting a good article for sale4 ,a wise man at the ,east once said3 ,you can advise a man to do almost anything4 ,you can even select a wife for him1 but never commit the indiscretion of advising him what to grow to make money4 ,that is a matter he has to determine for himself4 ,pasturing ,young ,grain4 ,would it be advisable to herd milch cows for a few hours each day on a field of black oats which is to be grown for hay8 ,the oats are now about four inches high and rank1 as the land was pastured last year4 ,the land is sandy1 rolling soil and will soon be dry enough so that the cows would not injure the plants4 ,the idea is that the leaves which are green now will all dry up and are really not the growth which is cut for hay2 therefore1 ,i should think it would do no harm to feed it down a bit4 ,over-rank grain with abundant moisture will make a more stocky growth and stand against lodging if pastured or mowed4 ,the leaves which you speak of as being lost in the later growth of the plant serve an important purpose in making that growth1 and removing them is a repressive process which is not desirable when rain is short4 ,we should allow the plants to push along into as good a growth of hay as a dry year's moisture will give4 ,dry ,plowing for ,grain4 ,we have land that we could very easily plow now with our traction engine and improved plows1 but the people here claim that it does not pay to dry-plow1 that is1 before the land has had a good rain on it and the vegetation has started4 ,i believe in dry plowing4 ,two of our oldest farmers in ,merced county dry-plowed1 that is1 they commenced plowing as soon as harvesting was over4 ,if the rainfall is small and likely to come in light showers1 dry plowing1 if it turns up the land in large clods1 might yield poorer results than land which is plowed after rain1 because there would be so much moisture lost by drying out from the coarse surface when it came in amounts not adequate for deep penetration4 ,plowing after the rain for the purpose of killing out the foul stuff which starts is1 however1 quite another consideration4 ,it is a fact that dry plowing and sowing is not now desirable in some places where it was formerly accepted1 because the land has become so foul as to give a rank growth of weeds which choke out the grain at its beginning4 ,such land can be cleaned by one or two shallow plowings and cultivations after there is moisture enough to start the weeds to growing4 ,these are local questions which you will have to settle by observation4 ,in a general way1 it is true that opening the surface of the ground before the rains1 reduces the run-off and loss of moisture1 but whether there would be any loss of moisture by run-off or not depends upon the slope of the land and also upon the way in which the rain comes1 and the total amount of moisture which is available for the season4 ,sub-varieties of ,california ,barley4 ,can you tell where ,i can buy seed of varieties of ,california six-rowed barley1 described as pallidum and coerulescens1 and what the seed will cost8 ,no one knows where the six-rowed barley1 known as common barley in this ,state1 came from1 nor when it came4 ,it has been here since the early days and it has naturally shown a disposition to vary1 so that it is quite possible to select a number of types from any large field1 of it4 ,these variations have been studied to some extent by ,eastern students who are endeavoring to develop ,american types of barley for brewing purposes as likely to be better than the brewing varieties which are famous in ,europe4 ,in ,europe brewing barleys are chiefly two-rowed4 ,under ,california conditions the plant is able to develop just as good brewing grains on a six-rowed basis1 and this seems to be a commendable trait in the way of multiplying the product4 ,the names pallidum and coerulescens indicate two of these varieties recognized by ,eastern students4 ,it is not possible at this time to get even a pound of selected grain true to this type1 and no one knows when it will be worked out to available quantities4 ,chevalier ,barley4 ,has ,chevalier barley more value to feed hens for egg production than common feed barley or wheat8 ,chevalier barley is no better for chicken feed than any other barley which is equally large and plump4 ,brewers like ,chevalier because of its fullness of starch to support the malting process2 also1 because it is bright1 that is1 white1 and not stained or tinged with bluish or reddish colors4 ,color points do not count for chicken feed1 but good plump kernels do4 ,besides this1 however1 darker kernel 7not chaff7 usually indicates more protein1 and therefore a darker kernel of either wheat or barley might be more valuable for feeding4 ,a hard1 horny kernel is richer than a softer1 more starchy one1 either in wheat or barley4 ,barley on ,moist ,land4 ,what would you do with land subject to overflow by the ,sacramento when that river rises #bj feet1 and which you wanted to plant to barley this season8 ,would you take a chance on the river rising that high this year1 or wait until after that danger was over1 and take a chance on not getting enough rain to make the grain come up2 also1 if the river did come up for #dh hours after the grain was in1 but did not wash1 would the grain be lost8 ,should the grain be planted deeper than on ordinary land1 and1 if so1 should a drill be used8 ,how much seed should be sown per acre on good river-bottom soil8 ,get the barley in and watch for the overflow rather than to fear it4 ,an overflow for #dh hours would give you the greatest crop you ever saw1 unless it should be in a settling basin and the water forced to escape by evaporation4 ,from your description we judge that this is not so and that the land clears itself quickly from an overflow4 ,depth of sowing depends upon the character and condition of the soil - the lighter and drier the deeper4 ,by all means use a drill if the soil is dry on the surface4 ,short rainfall makes the advantage of drill seeding most conspicuous4 ,on the ,university ,farm #bb trials gave an average gain of over #aj per cent in yield4 ,the difference would be much greater in a dry year2 it might be #be per cent greater1 possibly1 and save high-priced seed at the same time1 as about #ij pounds of seed per acre will do1 instead of #abj pounds broadcast1 in accordance with the approved heavy seeding practice on the river lands4 ,barley and ,alfalfa4 ,i have some alfalfa which is a poor stand4 ,can ,i disc it up heavily and seed in some barley for winter pasture8 ,you can get barley into your alfalfa as you propose1 but you should not seed until fall4 ,the more barley you get into your alfalfa1 however1 the less alfalfa you will have afterward4 ,if you want to improve your afalfa1 keep everything else out of the field and help the plants by regular irrigations during the balance of the growing season4 ,beets and ,potatoes4 ,which is the best for dairy cows1 plain red mangels or a cross between these and sugar beets8 ,can you suggest a more profitable variety of potato than the ,oregon ,burbank8 ,if you can get a cross which gives you more tonnage than a mangel and a higher nutritive content you would have something better to grow4 ,the first point you have to determine by growing the two side by side and weighing the product2 the nutritive value of each will have to be determined by chemical analysis4 ,until these determinations are actually made a comparison of desirability is nothing but conjecture4 ,there are several other potatoes which are sometimes more profitable here and there for early crop when grown in an early locality4 ,if you are not in an early locality you are obliged to produce for the main crop1 and nothing1 to our knowledge1 sells as well as the ,burbank1 if you get a good one4 ,beets for ,stock4 ,will sugar beets grow on black alkali land8 ,how many pounds of seed per acre should be used and when is it time for sowing in the ,san ,joaquin valley8 ,which kind would be best for cows8 ,beets will do more on alkali than some other plants1 but too much alkali will knock them out4 ,you must try and see whether you have too much alkali or not4 ,you can sow at various times during the rainy season1 for the beets will stand some frost4 ,sow #h pounds per acre in drills #b #a_/b to #c feet apart1 so as to use a horse cultivator4 ,for stock you had better grow large stock beets like marigolds or tankards - not sugar beets4 ,it costs too much to get sugar beets out of the ground1 because it is their habit to grow small and bury themselves for the sake of the sugar maker1 while stock beets grow largely above ground4 ,summer ,start of ,stock ,beets4 ,how can ,i make ,mangel ,wurzels grow in hot weather8 ,the land is level and can be irrigated by flooding or ditching between the rows4 ,how often should the water be applied1 and which method used8 ,the land is in fine shape2 a sandy loam bordering on to heavier land4 ,wet the land thoroughly2 plow and harrow and drill in the seed in rows about #b #a_/b feet apart4 ,this ought to give moisture enough to start the seed4 ,cultivate as soon as you can see the rows well4 ,irrigate in a furrow between the rows about once a month2 cultivate after each irrigation4 ,corn ,growing for ,silage4 ,with fair cultivation1 will an acre produce about #aj tons of ensilage without fertilization - it being bottom land8 ,how should it be planted8 - the rows closer together than #c feet1 or should it be planted the usual width between rows1 and thick in the rows8 ,if fertilizers were to be used1 what kind would you recommend8 ,would you recommend deep plowing followed by a packer and harrow so as to preserve the moisture8 ,you ought to be able to get #aj tons of silage per acre from corn grown on good corn land4 ,it can be best grown in rows sufficiently distant for cultivation1 closer in the row than would be desirable for corn1 and yet not too crowded1 because corn for silage should develop good ears and should be cut for silage about the time when the glazing begins to appear4 ,if your land needs fertilization1 stable manure or a complete fertilizer of the dealers would be the proper thing to use4 ,it would be very desirable to plow corn land deeply the preceding fall1 followed by a packer or harrow to settle down the land below1 but do not work down fine4 ,keep the surface stirred from time to time during the winter and put in the crop with the usual cultivation in the spring as soon as the frost danger is over4 ,irrigation for ,corn4 ,what amount of water is necessary per acre for the best possible yield of corn under acreage conditions and proper cultivation in the ,san ,joaquin or ,sacramento valleys8 ,no one can answer such a question with anything more than a guess4 ,it depends upon how much rain has fallen the previous winter1 how retentive the soil is naturally1 and what has been done to help the soil to hold it4 ,nearly all the corn that is grown is carried without any irrigation at all on moist lowlands1 which may be too wet for winter crops4 ,if you demand a guess1 make it six acre-inches1 with a good surface pulverizing after each run of water in furrows between the rows4 ,this water would be best used in two or three applications4 ,eastern ,seed ,corn for ,california4 ,the question has been raised as to ,eastern-grown seed corn1 comparing it with ,california-grown seed4 ,some claim that the former does not yield well the first season4 ,we cannot give a complete refutation of the impression that ,eastern seed corn does not yield well the first season in ,california4 ,it is a somewhat prevalent impression4 ,all that we can announce now is that we have grown collections of ,eastern seed corn and have found the product quite as good as could have been expected1 and did not encounter1 apparently1 the trouble of which you write4 ,need of ,corn ,suckering4 ,to insure the best crop of corn possible1 does it pay to sucker it or not8 ,the removal of suckers is a matter of local conditions largely in ,california1 and growers are getting out of the habit of suckering4 ,in some places suckering is needed1 and in others it apparently does not pay to do so1 although with very rare exceptions a larger yield can be secured by suckering than without4 ,cow ,peas ,not ,preparatory for ,corn4 ,what time of the year can cow peas be planted1 and can the entire crop be plowed under in time for planting field corn8 ,cowpeas are very subject to frost4 ,they are really beans1 and therefore can be grown in the winter time only in a few practically frostless places4 ,wherever frosts are likely to occur they must be planted1 like beans and corn1 when the frost danger is over4 ,field peas1 ,canadian peas and vetches are hardy against frost and therefore safer for winter growth1 and treated as you propose they may be preparatory for corn-growing providing you plow them under soon enough to get a month or more for decay before planting the corn4 ,oats and ,rust ,is there any variety of oats that is rust-proof1 or any method of treating oats that will render them rust resistant8 ,we are situated on a mountain1 only about #ab miles from the coast1 and have considerable foggy weather1 which most of the farmers here say is the cause of the rust4 ,there is no way of treating oats which will prevent smut1 if the variety is liable to it4 ,there is a great difference in the resistance of different varieties4 ,a few dark-colored oats are practically rust-proof1 and you can get seed of them from the seedsmen in ,san ,francisco and ,los ,angeles4 ,such varieties are chiefly grown on the southern coast4 ,foggy weather has much to do with the rust1 because it causes atmospheric moisture which is favorable to the growth of the fungus1 which is usually checked by dry heat1 and yet there are atmospheric conditions occasionally which favor the rust even in the driest parts of the ,state4 ,the fog favors rust1 but does not cause it4 ,the cause is a fungus1 long ago thoroughly understood and named puccinia graminis4 ,midsummer ,hay ,sowing4 ,can ,i sow oats or barley in ,july upon irrigated mesa land1 with the object of making hay in the fall8 ,which of the two would do the better in summer time8 ,i have plenty of water4 ,we have never seen this done to advantage4 ,if you desire to try it1 irrigate thoroughly and plow and sow afterward4 ,use barley rather than oats and irrigate when the plant shades the land well1 if you get growth enough to warrant it4 ,it will be easier to get the crop than to figure a profit in it4 ,loose ,hay by ,measure4 ,how many cubic feet should be allowed for a ton of alfalfa hay loaded on a wagon from the shock8 ,i must sell more or less in that way1 as no scales are near enough to be used4 ,it is a proposition1 as to the weight of loose hay1 which could of course keep changing the higher you built the load on the wagon4 ,it is easier to give figures on weight from a stack in which there has been something like uniform pressure for a time4 ,in the case from a #cj-;day stack it is common to allow an eight-foot cube to a ton1 etc4 ,perhaps you can guess from that4 ,when to ,cut ,oat ,hay4 ,to make the best red oat hay should it be cut when in the milk1 dough or nearly ripe6 ,it should be cut in the soft dough or1 as some express it1 between the milk and the dough4 ,this is probably as near an approach in words as can be made to that condition which loses neither by immaturity or by over-maturity from the point of view of hay which is to get as much as can be in the head without losing nutritiveness in the straw4 ,of course there are other conditions intruding sometimes1 like the outbreak of rust or the premature ripening through drought4 ,in such cases care must be taken not to let the plant stand too long for the sake of reaching an ideal condition in the head - which for lack of favorable growing conditions the plant may not be able to reach4 ,rye for ,hay4 ,when is the best time to cut rye for hay1 and how should it best be handled8 ,would it be well to cut it up and blow it into the barn1 and would it do all right for silage8 ,rye makes poor hay on account of its woody stems and must be cut earlier than other grains4 ,after that it is handled as is other hay4 ,cutting it up would probably be more of a help than to other grain hay4 ,it could be put into the silo1 but would of course have to be cut pretty green and would have to run through a cutter and blower4 ,putting it in whole would be out of the question4 ,in the silo1 the fermentation would largely overcome the woodiness of the stems4 ,it would also as a silage balance up nicely with alfalfa1 and the best way to do would be to mix it with alfalfa when putting it in4 ,rye in ,california4 ,which kind of rye is the hardiest1 the best yielding1 and the best hay varieties in your ,state8 ,rye is the least grown of all the cereals in ,california1 and no attention has been paid to selection of varieties4 ,that which is produced is just rye1 of some common variety which came to the ,state years ago and still remains4 ,no rye is grown for hay1 as the toughness of the stem renders it undesirable for that purpose4 ,there is a certain amount of rye grown for winter feeding4 ,this is grown in the foothills principally and it serves an excellent purpose1 but it is fed off before approaching maturity4 ,that ,old ,seven-,headed ,wheat4 ,we are sending you some heads of grain which was grown in this county4 ,the land was planted with an imported ,australian wheat1 which we believe the smaller heads to be1 but the wheat is about evenly mired with grain like the large heads1 which we think to be a species of barley4 ,the grain is an old1 coarse1 bearded wheat which is continually appearing in fields of ordinary grain and naturally excites interest among all to whom the variety is a novelty4 ,it is the old seven-headed ,egyptian wheat1 which has never proved of any cultural value1 because its manifolding of the head is of no advantage4 ,it is better to have a straight well-filled head than to have a branching head of this kind4 ,this matter has been fully demonstrated by experience during the last thirty or forty years1 not only in this ,state1 but in other ,states1 for the variety has a way of getting around the world1 and seed has sometimes been sold at exorbitant prices to people who have been persuaded that it is of particular value4 ,speltz4 ,i have heard of a ,russian grain called ,speltz or ,emmer4 ,can ,i raise it successfully and1 if so1 what is the very best time of year to sow some for the best crop obtainable8 ,can it be sown in the fall1 say ,november8 ,would springtime be a better time to sow it on soil that is very soft in winter8 ,if your land yields good crops of wheat or barley or oats1 you have little to expect from speltz or emmer4 ,this is a grain generally considered inferior to those just mentioned and advocated for conditions under which the better known grains do not do well4 ,it is hardy against drought and frost1 particularly the latter1 and is1 therefore1 chiefly grown in the extreme north of ,europe4 ,it may be sown in the fall or in the spring in places where rains are late and carry the plant to maturity4 ,italian ,rye ,grass4 ,what kind of grass is enclosed8 ,also the best method to eradicate it8 ,the grass is the ,italian rye grass1 or as it is sometimes called1 the ,italian variety of the perennial rye grass4 ,it is proving a very satisfactory grass in ,california for moderate drought resistance and for winter growing1 and a great deal of it is being sown for these purposes4 ,you can readily kill it out by cultivation1 but most people are more occupied with its propagation than with its destruction4 ,fall ,feed4 ,can ,i irrigate and plant a forage crop n ,july to feed dairy cows this fall and winter8 ,would you recommend cow peas or some kind of sugar corn8 ,if cow peas1 how many pounds to the acre8 ,if you wet down the land thoroughly and then plow and harrow and plant either cow peas or ,indian corn1 you ought to get a good green crop before frost4 ,drill in or drop the seed in rows about three feet apart and keep cultivating and irrigating as long as you can get through without injuring the crop too much4 ,use about #dj pounds of cow peas to the acre4 ,hurry-up ,pasture4 ,what can ,i plant this fall which would produce pasturage for a small amount of stock this winter1 and until ,i can get the land under irrigation and seeded to alfalfa8 ,for quick fall and winter growth nothing is better probably than oats and vetches sown together as soon as you get rain enough to plow1 but it would be a question whether it is worth while to work for that1 because you ought to get your land ready for ,february sowing of alfalfa and that will keep the land busy after the rain gets it into working condition4 ,johnson ,grass4 ,i am informed that ,johnson grass makes fine hay4 ,i have not sown the seed yet1 but would like to know if the hay is good and if it will grow on dry land4 ,i have the seed on hand1 but do not want to sow it if it is not good4 ,johnson grass is poor1 coarse stuff4 ,the plant is most valuable for grazing when young4 ,johnson grass will not grow on really dry land1 but it will take the best moist land it can find and hold on to it4 ,it is sensitive to frost and is not a winter grower except in the absence of frost4 ,improving ,heavy ,land for ,alfalfa4 ,my land is very heavy1 red loam1 and crusts over very hard in dry seasons4 ,i would like to know if it would be best to use barnyard compost over the surface as a mulch1 or would it be best to use plain straw for that purpose8 ,a very heavy soil can be brought into better surface condition for alfalfa by plowing in stable manure as soon as possible after the fall rains1 in order that the manure may have opportunity to become disintegrated and mixed with the soil by the time for alfalfa sowing1 which is from ,february to ,april - whenever the heavy frosts of the locality are over4 ,for a small piece1 you might get a better stand by using a light mulch of disintegrated coarse manure or even straw1 scattering it after the sowing1 but for a large acreage this would involve too much labor4 ,it is not desirable to work in much manure or other coarse stuff at the time of sowing the seed1 but you can make a light surface application after the plant has made a start4 ,cultivating ,alfalfa4 ,when is the best time to cultivate alfalfa1 and how often during the season is it advantageous to do so8 ,which is the best implement to use8 ,cultivated alfalfa is a term applied to alfalfa sown in rows and allowed to grow in narrow bands with cultivated land between1 and the irrigation is then done in a furrow in the narrow cultivated strip4 ,this will give thriftier growth and perhaps more hay to the acre than flooded1 broad-casted alfalfa1 but it will cost so much more that the acre profit would probably be less4 ,this is an intensive culture of alfalfa1 which is still to be tested out in ,california1 if any one should be inclined to do it4 ,some one-cow suburbanite would be in condition to try the scheme first4 ,probably you refer to disking1 and for that an ordinary disk is used with the disks set pretty straight to reduce the side cutting1 and this is done at different times of the year by different growers4 ,by doing it when the ground gets dry in the early spring much of the foul stuff is cut out before the alfalfa starts strongly4 ,but disking seems to be good whenever in the year the soil is dry enough to take it well4 ,suburban ,alfalfa ,patch4 ,how can we rid the alfalfa of weeds8 ,as we are obliged to hire help1 and do not succeed in getting the hay cared for until we have mostly stalks without leaves1 ,i have put the cow on it to pasture it off4 ,the cow knows how to handle it1 but you will not get as much alfalfa as if you cut and carried it to her4 ,if you cut sooner you will get rid of many plants which are propagated by the seeds which they produce1 and you will also get better hay1 more leaves and fewer stalks4 ,cut it about the time it begins to bloom1 not waiting for the full bloom to appear4 ,alfalfa and ,bermuda4 ,i have land which was seeded to alfalfa some #ae years ago and has been pastured continuously until it was almost all ,bermuda4 ,i had it thoroughly plowed1 disk harrowed and sowed to oats2 disk harrowed in1 and drag harrowed4 ,after cutting for hay this year ,i intend putting it in ,egyptian corn in rows1 so it can be cultivated to get rid of ,bermuda4 ,i have also been advised to plow the land immediately after harvesting corn and let it lie until next ,january and then plow and sow to barley and alfalfa as ,i wish to grow alfalfa4 ,kindly let me know if method is right4 ,the land is sandy loam and under irrigation4 ,whether you will fully succeed against ,bermuda grass or not is doubtful4 ,it is probable1 however1 that you can reduce the ,bermuda so that other cultivated crops can be continuously grown4 ,common experience is that ,bermuda will hold on unless you have hard freezing of the ground to a considerable depth1 as they have in the northern ,states4 ,the best use that you can make of land infested with ,bermuda is to get as good a stand as you can of alfalfa and let the alfalfa fight for itself4 ,the combination of alfalfa and ,bermuda grass makes very good hay or pasturage4 ,we should1 however1 sow the alfalfa alone and not handicap it by sowing with barley4 ,the ,bermuda will smile at that advice4 ,egyptian corn can be planted in rows1 #b #a_/b to #c feet between the rows to admit of easy cultivation ,bermuda ,grass4 ,what is the value of ,bermuda grass as a forage crop for cattle1 more particularly dairy cows8 ,bermuda grass is generally condemned because of getting in places where it is not desirable and of being almost impossible of eradication therefrom4 ,still1 ,bermuda grass will make good pasturage on land which is too alkaline to make other crops1 and therefore is highly esteemed by some owners of waste lands in the ,san ,joaquin valley4 ,it is good pasturage and is most easily propagated by cutting the roots up into short pieces by use of the hay-cutter1 nearly all the pieces retaining an eye which will make a new plant4 ,it is easy to get in and hard to get out4 ,salt ,grass and ,alfalfa4 ,i have some land in ,sutter county and it has some of this salt grass in spots4 ,i am about to take a twenty-acre piece and put in alfalfa1 but some old-timers tell me that the salt grass on it is bad stuff to handle4 ,your trouble will probably be not so much the salt grass1 but the alkali in the soil which the salt grass can tolerate and which other plants cannot stand4 ,you cannot then substitute alfalfa for salt grass without getting the alkali out of the soil1 and you cannot do this without having sufficient drainage so that the rainfall may wash the alkali out from the soil and carry it away in the drainage water4 ,you probably cannot get a satisfactory growth of alfalfa on the spots where the salt grass has established itself1 although the land round about may be very satisfactory to alfalfa4 ,giant ,spurry4 ,i would like information about spurry4 ,how much frost will it stand8 ,what is time for sowing8 ,its value as crop to plow under8 ,from a ,california point of view1 spurry is a winter-growing weed which has been approved by orchardists in ,sonoma county because it yields a considerable amount of vegetation for turning under with the spring plowing of the orchard4 ,for this purpose it should be sown at the beginning of the rainy season4 ,its value as a crop to turn under depends upon the amount of growth you can get4 ,it is not a legume and1 therefore1 does not have the value of the nitrogen-gathering plant4 ,still1 it yields humus and1 therefore1 is valuable for winter growing as ordinary weeds1 grasses1 grains1 etc41 are4 ,light ,soil and ,scant ,moisture4 ,advise me as to plowing under a crop of last year's weeds where ,i intend to plant beans1 corn1 etc4 ,the soil is slickens1 on the ,yuba river1 and the weeds grew up last year in a crop of volunteer barley1 which was hogged off4 ,i expect to plow five inches deep1 and calculate that the barley straw and weeds will contribute to the supply of humus1 which is always deficient in most of our soils4 ,i expect to try to grow beans without irrigation1 and wonder if the trash would hold the soil too open so as to dry them out4 ,considering the character of the soil which you describe and the shallow plowing you intend we should certainly burn off all the trash upon the land4 ,with deep plowing early in the season this coarse stuff could be covered in to advantage1 but it would be dangerous to do it in the spring4 ,clean land and thorough cultivation to save moisture enough for summer's growth is the only rational spring treatment4 ,clovers and ,drought4 ,i have sandy loam with some alkali4 ,in wet years it is regarded as too damp in some places4 ,can you give me any information on the following points8 ,i have practically no water for irrigation and ,i feel sure that alfalfa would not grow without it4 ,do you think that clover would make one or more cuttings without water8 ,red and white clover are less tolerant of drought than alfalfa1 which1 being a deep-rooting plant1 is especially commended in dry-farming undertakings4 ,red clover will grow better on low wet lands than will alfalfa1 but the land must not dry out or the red clover will die during the dry season4 ,none of the plants will stand much alkali4 ,clover for ,wet ,lands4 ,what kind of alfalfa will do best on sub-irrigated land which is very wet8 ,i have sown it in alfalfa and it grows finely for two or three years1 but then the roots rot and die4 ,it is impossible to make any kind of alfalfa grow well on very wet land1 that is1 where the water comes too near the surface4 ,alfalfa has a deep-running tap root which is very subject to standing water4 ,you can get very good results from the ,eastern red clover on such land1 because the red clover has a fibrous root which is content to live in a shallow layer of soil above water4 ,but red clover will not stand drought as well as alfalfa1 because it is shallower rooting4 ,it is necessary1 therefore1 that water should be permanently near the surface or surface irrigation be frequently applied1 in order to secure satisfactory growth of red clover in the drier sections of ,california4 ,it is also necessary that neither land nor water carry alkali4 ,frosted ,grain for ,hay4 ,the freeze struck us pretty severely4 ,i had #abe acres of summer-fallowed wheat which ,i had estimated to make #bj sacks to the acre of grain4 ,it was breast high in places already1 and was just heading out4 ,the frost pinched the stalks of this grain in several places and the heads are now turning white4 ,it is ruined for grain4 ,there is lots of fodder in it1 and it should be made into hay4 ,if so1 should it not be cut and cured at once8 ,what is the relative worth of such hay as compared with more matured hay8 ,would the fact that it is frozen make it injurious to feed8 ,if the whole plant seems to be getting white1 the sooner it is cut the better4 ,if the head is affected and the leaf growth continued1 cutting might be deferred for the purpose of getting more of it4 ,hay made from such material will not be in any way dangerous1 although it would be inferior as containing less nutritive and more non-nutritive matter4 ,such hay would seem to be most serviceable as roughage for cows or steers in connection with alfalfa hay or some other feed which would supply this deficiency4 ,forage ,plants in the ,foothills4 ,we have #c1jjj acres of foothill land and hope to be able to irrigate some land this spring and wish to know the best forage crops1 for sheep and hogs1 especially4 ,kafir corn1 stock peas1 rape1 sugar-beets and artichokes are the varieties about which we desire information4 ,where you have irrigation water available in the foothills you can get a very satisfactory growth of red clover4 ,we have seen it doing very well on sloping land in your county where water was allowed to spill over from a ditch on the ridge to moisten the slope below4 ,winter rye and other hardy stock feeds could also be grown in the winter time on the protected slopes with the rainfall4 ,some such plants are not good summer growers1 owing to the drought4 ,rape is a good winter grower by rainfall1 but not so satisfactory as vetches and kale4 ,sugar beets are not so good for stock purposes as stock beets1 which give you much more growth for the same labor and are more easily gathered because they grow a good part out of the ground4 ,they will stand considerable freezing and may be sown at different times throughout the year1 whenever the land is moist1 either by irrigation or rainfall4 ,artichokes are of doubtful value4 ,we have never found anyone who continued to grow them long4 ,of course1 on good1 deep land1 with irrigation1 nothing can be better than alfalfa as supplementary to hill range during the summer season4 ,winter ,forage4 ,at what time of the year should ,i plant kale1 ,swiss chard1 etc41 so as to have them ready for use during the months from ,february to ,june8 ,you should plant ,swiss chard1 kale1 etc41 as soon as the ground is sufficiently moist from the rain in the fall4 ,in fact1 it would be desirable for you to plant the seed earlier in boxes and thus secure plants for planting out when the ground is sufficiently moist4 ,these plants are quite hardy against frost1 and in order to have them available by ,february1 a start in the autumn is essential4 ,a ,summer ,hay ,crop4 ,what can ,i put on the land after the oat crop is taken off to furnish hay for horses during the coming winter8 ,i had thought millet would be good4 ,i have water for irrigation4 ,you could get most out of the land you mention during the hot season by growing ,kafir corn or milo1 cutting for hay before the plant gets too far advanced4 ,if your land can be flooded and takes water well1 so that you can wet it deeply before plowing1 the sorghum seed can be broadcast and the crop cut with the mower while the stalks are not more than half an inch in diameter4 ,this makes a good coarse hay4 ,if you have not water enough or the land does not lie right for flooding1 you can grow the sorghum in drills and irrigate by the furrow method1 being careful1 however1 not to let the crop go too far if you desire to feed it as hay4 ,teosinte4 ,what about ,teosinte1 its food value1 method of culture1 and adaptability to our climate1 character of soil required8 ,teosinte is a corn-like plant of much lower growth than ,indian corn4 ,it may be of value as a forage plant on low1 moist1 interior lands in the summer season4 ,it is very sensitive to frost and is1 therefore1 not a winter grower4 ,it abhors drought and1 therefore1 is not a plant for plains or hillsides4 ,it was grown to some extent in ,california #be years ago and abandoned as worthless so far as tried4 ,bermuda ,objectionable4 ,bermuda grass as pasture for summer to supplement burr clover and alfilaria in winter on the cheap hill pasture lands along the coast or the foothill ranges of the ,sierras4 ,stock like it and do well on it1 and ,i have noticed it growing in places where it had no water but the little rains of winter in southern ,california4 ,so the question occurred to me1 why should it not be a profitable pasture for the dry summers on the coast or foothill ranges of the ,state8 ,bermuda grass will not make summer growth enough on dry pasture land to make it worth having4 ,it will not make much growth in the rainy season because of frost1 and if it has possession of the ground it will not allow either burr clover or alfilaria to make such winter growth as they will on clean land4 ,besides1 this grass is generally counted a nuisance1 because it will get into all the good cultivated land and it is almost impossible of eradication4 ,bermuda grass is of some account on alkali land where it finds moisture enough for free growth4 ,we would not plant it in any other situation4 ,rye ,grasses ,better than ,brome4 ,i see in an ,eastern seed catalogue ,bromus ,inermis very highly spoken of as pasturage4 ,do you know anything of it1 and do you think it would be suitable for reclaimed tule land in the bay section8 ,both ,english and ,italian rye grasses have proved better than ,bromus ,inermis on such land as you mention4 ,the latter is commonly known as ,hungarian brome grass or awniess brome grass and it was introduced to this ,state from ,europe about #be years ago and the seed distributed by the ,university ,experiment ,station4 ,hungarian brome may be better on rather dry lands1 although it will not live through the summer on very dry lands in this ,state1 but we would rather trust the rye grasses or reclaimed lands1 providing1 of course1 that they are sufficiently free from salt to carry tame grass at all4 ,on the upper coast ,hungarian brome has been favorably reported as an early-winter growing grass with comparatively low nutritive value1 but is especially valuable because it will grow in poor soil4 ,it is especially suited to sandy pasture and meadow lands and is quite resistant to drought4 ,it is a perennial grass1 reproducing by a stout rootstock1 which makes it somewhat difficult to eradicate when it is not desired4 ,it is desirable to keep stock off the fields during the first year to get a good stand4 ,black ,medic4 ,will you kindly name the enclosed2 also explain its value as forage6 ,the plant is black medic4 ,it has been very widely distributed over the ,state during the last few years4 ,it is sometimes called a new burr clover1 which it somewhat resembles4 ,it is not very freely eaten by stock and is apparently inferior to burr clover for forage purposes4 ,it is a good plant to plow under for green manure4 ,crimson ,clover4 ,about crimson clover in ,california4 ,has it proved satisfactory8 ,if so1 can you give me data how to plant1 etc46 ,crimson clover must be sown after frost1 for it is tender4 ,it will give a great show in ,june and ,july on low moist land4 ,it is not good against either frost or drought4 ,it has been amply tried in ,california and proved on the whole of little account4 ,california ,winter ,pastures4 ,we have a great deal of pasture land on which the native grasses yield less feed each year4 ,a great part of this land can be cleared of brush and stone1 ready for the plow1 but what can we sow to take the place of the native pasture8 ,the ground in many places is not level enough for alfalfa and in some places water is not available4 ,can we break up the land and sow pasture grasses as the farmers are exhorted to do at the ,east8 ,the annual rainfall is from #ab to #ae inches4 ,the perennial grasses which they rely upon for pasturage in the ,east and which will maintain themselves from year to year1 will not live at all on the dry lands of ,california1 nor has investigation of the last twenty-five or thirty years found anything better for these ,california uplands than the winter growth of plants which are native to them4 ,such lands should be better treated1 first by not being overstocked2 second1 by taking off cattle at the time the native plant needs to make seed1 because1 as they are not perennial1 they are dependent upon each year's seed4 ,after the plants have seeded1 the land can be pastured for dry feed without losing the seed4 ,of course1 if one has land capable of irrigation he can grow forage plants1 even the grasses which grow in moist climates1 like the rye grasses1 the brome grasses and the oat grasses1 etc41 which will do well if given a little moisture1 but it will be a loss of money to break up the dryer lands with the idea of establishing perennial grasses upon them without irrigation4 ,california pastures are naturally good4 ,in early days they were wonderful1 but they are restricted to growth during the rainy season1 or for a little time after that1 and are therefore suited for winter and spring pasturage1 while the summer feeding of stock1 aside from dry feed1 should be provided from other lands where water can be used4 ,the improvement of these wild pastures consists in a more intelligent policy for their production and preservation rather than an effort to improve them by the introduction of new plants4 ,pastures may1 however1 be often improved by clearing off the brush and harrowing in seed of burr clover1 alfilaria1 etc41 at the beginning of the rainy season4 ,alfilaria and ,winter ,pasturage4 ,will alfilaria 7,erodium cicutarium7 grow well on the hills of ,sonoma county partially covered with shrubs8 ,i want something that will be food for stock another year4 ,i have heard of alfilaria and that it grows well without being irrigated4 ,alfilaria is a good winter-growing forage plant in places where it accepts the situation4 ,it is an annual and therefore does not make permanent pasturage except where it may re-seed itself4 ,on the coming of the dry season it will speedily form seed and disappear4 ,it is therefore of no summer use under the conditions which you describe1 nor is it possible to secure any perennial grass which will be satisfactory on dry hillsides without irrigation4 ,improved winter pasturage can be secured by scattering seed of common rye at the beginning of the rainy season1 or of burr clover1 both of which are winter-growing plants4 ,pasturage is also capable of improvement by being careful not to overstock the land1 so that the native annuals may be able to produce seed and provide for their own succession4 ,the secret of successful pasturage on dry uplands is to improve the winter growth4 ,it is too much to expect much of them for summer growth without irrigation4 ,grasses for ,bank-,holding4 ,we desire a grass to be used on levees1 to keep from washing4 ,bermuda or ,johnson gross are dangerous to farming lands4 ,what we desire is a grass that will grow in good dirt with no water to support it during most of the year1 except the annual rainfall of ,fresno county4 ,of course1 this grass will also have to endure a great deal of water during the flooded season of the year4 ,we have heard that the ,italian rye grass would be suitable4 ,the rye grasses do not have running roots2 therefore are not calculated to bind soil particles together as ,bermuda grass does4 ,if you want a binding grass1 you must take the chances of its spreading to adjacent lands4 ,of course1 if you could get a sod of rye grass it would prevent surface washing from overflow1 etc41 to a certain extent4 ,we are not sure how far it would prevent bank cutting by the flowing water1 for it makes a bunchy and not a sod-like growth4 ,it would not live through the summer unless the levee soil keeps somewhat moist4 ,the only way to determine whether you can get a permanent growth of it1 will be by making a trial4 ,seed should be sown as soon as the ground becomes moistened by rain4 ,it is a very safe proposition1 because if it is willing to live through the summer1 it is one of the best pasturage grasses for places in ,california where it will consent to grow1 and it is not liable to become an annoyance by taking possession of adjacent land1 because it would be readily killed by cultivation4 ,alfalfa and ,alkali4 ,i sowed several acres of alfalfa seed with a disc this season and none of it has come up4 ,i think the reason for it not coming up is that the disc put it into the ground too deep4 ,we sowed some by hand and it came up very well4 ,is there any probability that later in the season this seed will germinate1 or has it rotted in the ground8 ,water stands within three feet of the surface and has considerable alkali4 ,what can ,i plant on this land and get a crop8 ,it is our intention to sow it to alfalfa next fall4 ,the land adjoining1 although higher1 has a good stand of alfalfa now4 ,you are right about covering the alfalfa seed too deeply4 ,it is not likely to appear4 ,your chance of getting a durable stand of alfalfa on such shallow soil over alkali water is not good1 but you can hardly determine that without trying4 ,sometimes conditions are better than you think2 sometimes worse4 ,the plant itself is the best judge4 ,on your lower land you could probably get a better stand of rye grass than anything else - sowing at the beginning of the rainy season4 ,of course1 however1 even that will depend upon how much alkali you have to deal with4 ,alfalfa on ,adobe4 ,is adobe land good for alfalfa8 ,is it harder to start than in other soils or not8 ,how much seed is required to sow an acre8 ,also state what time alfalfa should be sowed4 ,alfalfa will thrive on an adobe soil if the moisture is kept right - especially guarding against too much water at a time4 ,it is necessary to irrigate more frequently and apply only as much as can be absorbed by the soil before the hot sun comes on the field1 for that scalds the plant badly4 ,it is harder to get a good stand because of the cracking and hardening of the surface4 ,sow about #bj pounds to the acre just as soon as the soil comes into good condition - that is1 moist and warm4 ,february and ,march are usually the best months1 according to the season in the interior valleys4 ,alfalfa and ,soil ,depth4 ,do you consider soil which is from #d to #f feet deep to hardpan of sufficient depth for alfalfa8 ,is there hardpan in the region of ,lathrop in ,san ,joaquin county1 and can it be dissolved by irrigation1 or can any good be accomplished by blowing holes at different places to allow the water to pass to lower levels8 ,are other crops affected by hardpan being so close to the surface8 ,you can grow alfalfa successfully on land which is from four to six feet deep if you irrigate rather more frequently and use less amounts of water each time1 so that the plant shall be adequately supplied and yet not forced to carry its roots in standing water4 ,the ,eastern alfalfa grower is fortunate when he gets half the depth you mention1 although it does seem rather shallow in ,california4 ,shallow lands are distributed over the valley quite widely4 ,a deepening of the available soil is usually accomplished by dynamiting1 especially so if the hardpan is underlaid by permanent strata4 ,alfalfa will penetrate some kinds and thicknesses of hardpan when it is kept moist1 but not too wet1 to encourage root growth4 ,winter-growing green crops are less affected by shallow soil because they generally make their growth while the moisture is ample1 if the season is good4 ,curing ,alfalfa with ,artificial ,heat4 ,it is current rumor that out in ,california they are hauling alfalfa green and curing it by artificial heat1 thus reducing loss through bad weather and producing a superior hay for feeding or milling purposes4 ,it is true that alfalfa is being cut green and dried by artificial heat1 but this is only being done in preparation for grinding4 ,no one thinks of doing it for the making of hay for storage or for feeding4 ,this method is undertaken1 not because the alfalfa hay does not dry quickly enough in the field1 but because after drying in the field so many leaves are lost in hauling to the mill4 ,we have no trouble sun-drying alfalfa for ordinary hay purposes2 in fact1 we have to be very careful that it does not get too dry4 ,cheap ,preparation of ,land for ,alfalfa4 ,i am about to put a piece of land into alfalfa1 and want to use the most economical system of preparing the land for irrigation4 ,my neighbors tell me that it will be necessary for me to have the land leveled2 at a cost of #f to #aj per acre4 ,now ,i am informed that in ,alberta1 and some places in ,california1 they do not go to the expense of leveling land1 but use a system of preparing land for irrigation at a cost of about #fj cents per acre4 ,nothing except a highly educated gale of wind1 with discriminating cutting and filling ability of a very high order1 could do it for that price4 ,the cheapest way to prepare land for irrigation is the contour check method1 which is largely used1 or the flooding in strips between levees at right angles to the supply ditch2 but neither of these could be put in properly for that money1 even if the land was naturally in such shape that a minimum amount of soil-shifting is necessary4 ,where ,alfalfa is ,grown4 ,in what counties is alfalfa most successfully grown8 ,by this ,i mean where three crops of hay may be had each growing season4 ,also1 will corn grow good paying crops in same sections8 ,alfalfa is grown all through the valleys and foothills of interior ,california2 also to a certain extent in coast valleys4 ,on suitable lands1 three crops can sometimes be secured without irrigation1 while twice or three times as many cuttings are secured on irrigated lands where the frost-free season is particularly long4 ,according to the last census1 we are growing alfalfa on #ai1ajd farms with a total acreage of #dhd1jih4 ,the total value of the product is over #ac1jjj1jjj4 ,corn is widely grown1 but is small as compared with alfalfa4 ,it is grown in alfalfa districts and in coast valleys where there is not much done with alfalfa4 ,sowing ,alfalfa4 ,what is the proper time to sow alfalfa8 ,some advocate fall and others spring sowing4 ,what seasons are given for each sowing8 ,we shall undoubtedly soon get to sowing alfalfa all the year round except in the short season of sharp frosts and cold wet ground in ,november1 ,december and ,january4 ,if you can get a good start in ,september and ,october1 all right2 if not1 wait until ,february and ,march1 according to the season4 ,where it is never very cold or wet1 sow whenever moisture is right4 ,there never can be any rule about it1 for localities will differ4 ,foxtail and ,alfalfa4 ,will foxtail choke out and exterminate alfalfa8 ,some fields look as though the foxtail had crowded the alfalfa out1 but ,i hold that the alfalfa died from some other cause and the foxtail merely took its place4 ,foxtail will not choke out alfalfa1 providing1 soil and moisture conditions are right for the latter1 and a good stand of plant has been secured4 ,if anything is wrong with the alfalfa1 the foxtail will be on the alert to take advantage of it4 ,you will always have foxtail with you1 and considerable quantities of it1 perhaps1 in the first cutting1 because foxtail will grow at a lower temperature than alfalfa1 and1 therefore1 will keep very busy during the rainy season1 while the alfalfa is more or less dormant1 but as the heat increases1 if the soil is good and moisture ample1 the alfalfa will put the foxtail out of sight until the following winter invites it to make another aggressive growth4 ,therefore1 we answer that alfalfa does not die from foxtail1 but from some condition unfavorable to the alfalfa1 which must be sought in the soil1 or in the moisture supply1 or traced back to bad seed1 and a poor stand at the beginning4 ,which ,alfalfa is ,best8 ,i have in ,stanislaus county ten acres of ,arabian alfalfa1 which was sown the first week in ,april this year4 ,it was clipped in ,july and irrigated4 ,it is now about #ad inches high1 but looks sickly1 turns white at the tips1 and some dies down4 ,there are several places here with the ,arabian alfalfa on them and with the same trouble1 while the ordinary variety is looking fine by the side of it4 ,arabian alfalfa usually makes a good show at first and begins to run out afterward4 ,it does not seem to be so long-lived and satisfactory as the common variety4 ,with this prospect ahead of you1 according to present experience1 it would seem to be desirable to plow the crop in and seed again with the common variety1 or with the ,turkestan1 which is proving the most satisfactory of the recently introduced varieties4 ,fall ,sowing of ,alfalfa4 ,we have summer-fallowed land which we know will grow good alfalfa1 and as we have just had four inches of rainfall upon it1 we were wondering if we could not plow the twenty acres and get a stand upon it in time to stand the cold weather this winter4 ,do you think this is practicable8 ,if four inches of rain on summer fallow connects well with the lower moisture which a good summer fallow ought to conserve in the soil1 such sowing is rational2 but if the summer fallowing was not done well1 that is1 if it was rough plowing without enough harrowing1 as is too often the case1 the four inches of rain might not be safe because of the dry ground beneath waiting to seize the moisture and so dry the surface that sprouting alfalfa plants would perish between dry soil below and dry wind above4 ,fall sowing will give enough growth to resist frost killing in many places in the valley if the moisture in the soil is enough to carry the plant as well as start it1 or if showers come frequently - otherwise it is dangerous1 not from frost but from drouth4 ,alfalfa ,hay and ,soil ,fertility4 ,we are feeding all our hay to dairy cows1 returning the manure to the soil4 ,at present prices of hay1 my neighbors who sell theirs1 seem to be as well off1 with considerable less work2 but how about the future8 ,can this soil be cropped indefinitely and the crops sold1 without returning anything to the land8 ,it is a mistake to think that you can sell alfalfa hay indefinitely without reducing the soil4 ,it may gain in nitrogen by the wastes of the plant1 but it will lose in other constituents unless reinforced by fertilization4 ,no single act can make for the maintenance of the soil as the growing and feeding of crops and return of manure does4 ,dry-,land ,alfalfa4 ,i am in a country of strictly dry farming4 ,i have a wash or gulch on my place and would like to know if ,i could1 with success1 plant it to alfalfa without irrigation2 soil is sandy loam1 no evidences of springy moisture at all4 ,what kind should ,i try8 ,alfalfa will endure much drouth4 ,what it will do in a particular place can only be told by trying4 ,sow ,turkestan alfalfa4 ,if the rains come early so as to wet the land down in ,september and ,october1 sow the seed then4 ,the endurance of the plant will depend much upon its having a chance to root deeply before the drouth comes on4 ,inoculating ,alfalfa4 ,is it profitable to inoculate alfalfa seed before planting to increase its yield8 ,can it be done by leaching soil from old alfalfa ground1 providing it has been plowed up and allowed to stand for a year8 ,are commercial inoculants a safe thing to inoculate with8 ,apparently alfalfa does not need inoculation in this ,state4 ,probably not one acre in ten thousand now profitably growing alfalfa has ever had artificial introduction of germs4 ,you can make germ-tea1 if you wish1 of the soil you describe2 one year's exposure would not destroy the germs4 ,it is safe enough to use commercial cultures4 ,you will have to decide for yourself whether it is worth while4 ,irrigating ,alfalfa4 ,i am making parallel ridges for alfalfa1 sending a full head of water down to the end of the field between each ridge4 ,should ,i calculate the lands to be mowed one at a time in even swaths8 ,the mower being #e-;foot cut1 would you count on cutting a #d #a_/b or #e-;foot swath8 ,this soil is sandy1 water percolating rapidly4 ,the fall is #h feet to the mile4 ,how wide1 then1 would you advise making the ridges to suit the mower1 and to flood economically1 using from #b to #d cubic feet per second8 ,the length of the lands is across #dj acres4 ,growing alfalfa in long parallel checks1 to be flooded between the levees1 is the way in which much alfalfa is being put in at the present time where the land has such a slope as you indicate4 ,it is calculated1 however1 to seed the levees as well as the check bottoms1 and to run the mowers across the levees1 thus leaving no waste land and mowing across the whole field and not between the levees as you propose4 ,for that purpose these levees are made low1 not over a foot in height1 calculating that they will settle to about six or eight inches1 which is sufficient to hold the water and direct its flow gently down the slope4 ,there is1 however1 a limit to the distance over which water can be evenly distributed in this way1 the difference being dependent upon the character of the soil1 slope1 etc4 ,a length of nine hundred feet is sometimes found too great for an even distribution1 and1 for this reason1 supply ditches at shorter intervals are introduced4 ,unirrigated ,alfalfa4 ,in what part of the ,state does alfalfa grow best without irrigation8 ,obviously the parts which have the greatest rainfall in connection with retentive soil and plenty of summer heat4 ,alfalfa grows best without irrigation on sub-irrigated land where the ground water is sufficiently deep to allow a deep rooting of the plant in free soil and yet not too far down to be readily reached by the deep-running roots4 ,good results can be obtained with anywhere from four to ten or twelve feet of soil above water4 ,on shallower soils the plant is apt to be short-lived through root troubles4 ,unirrigated alfalfa is also reduced by the incursions of gophers which flooding at least once a year will destroy4 ,alfalfa and ,overflow4 ,how long can alfalfa stand water without being drowned out8 ,i have a piece of alfalfa on which the water will stand for considerable time in the winter time4 ,alfalfa while dormant will endure submergence for several weeks4 ,we do not know exactly how long1 but evidently for a considerable period1 providing temperatures are too low to invite growth4 ,on the other hand1 growing alfalfa is quickly and seriously injured by overflow4 ,no ,nurse-,crop for ,alfalfa4 ,is it advisable to use oats with alfalfa seeds in seeding for alfalfa8 ,some growers of alfalfa here advise it strongly1 others advise against it4 ,the general experience in ,california is decidedly against using oats1 barley1 or any other nursecrop with alfalfa4 ,get the land in the best possible condition and let the alfalfa have the full benefit of it4 ,the ripening of the grain crop will do the young alfalfa plants more harm by robbing them of moisture than any protection which the taller plant can afford4 ,reseeding ,alfalfa4 ,this spring ,i planted alfalfa and only got about half a stand on some of the land4 ,i want to reseed this fall and ,i thought of putting more seed on the ground and then disc it in4 ,or would you advise replanting the land8 ,what do you think of putting manure on young alfalfa8 ,do you think there is any danger of burning it out8 ,stir it up with a spring tooth harrow or disc it lightly to make a nice seed bed and then sow your seed as if you were planting alfalfa for the first time4 ,this will give you a good seed bed and will not hurt the alfalfa already growing4 ,prepare the surface first and then sow1 rather than disking in the seed4 ,the manure in moderate application would not burn out the young alfalfa if properly applied after the rains begin4 ,taking the ,bloat ,out of ,alfalfa4 ,will ,italian rye grass and red top clover be a success under irrigation as cow pasture in this county1 either separately or mixed with alfalfa8 ,to sow in bare spots in the alfalfa1 would the rye grass prevent bloat8 ,italian rye grass and red clover will make good pasturage under irrigation and will make a fight with the alfalfa to the best of their ability4 ,the admixture of rye grass will reduce the danger from bloating4 ,red clover will not have that effect1 because red clover is a pretty good bloater on its own account4 ,this seems to be the function of all the clovers according to the rankness of their growth at the time that they are grazed4 ,the ,time to ,cut ,alfalfa4 ,what is the best period to cut alfalfa hay for cow feed and the best method for curing8 ,the best time to cut alfalfa is just when new shoots are starting out at the crown4 ,this will give the greatest yield of hay during a season1 and the hay will be much more palatable than if the alfalfa is permitted to get well into the blossoming period4 ,the leaves1 which are the best part of the hay1 also remain on better than if the stems are older4 ,if a person does not care to take the trouble to find out whether the new shoots are coming out or not1 he can approximate the time to cut fairly well by waiting until a blossom here and there appears1 cutting immediately4 ,it would be difficult to tell on paper exactly when alfalfa was properly cured1 as that is a matter of individual judgment4 ,it is usual to cut in the morning and rake into windrows in the afternoon4 ,with the usual weather in interior ,california that stage of the curing is completed by that time4 ,the next day it can be gathered into cocks and gotten ready to move4 ,that is about all the curing that is done4 ,the size of the windrows depends upon the amount of hay1 as thick hay should be put up in small windrows to give plenty of circulation of air4 ,it is considered better also to build the cocks on raked land1 otherwise the hay lying flat at the bottom will not cure properly and cannot be gathered up clean4 ,which ,crop of ,alfalfa for ,seed8 ,which cutting of alfalfa should be left for seed bearing8 ,which cutting is best for seed depends1 of course1 on the way the plant grows in your locality4 ,where it starts early and gives many cuttings in a season with irrigation a later growth should be chosen for seed than with a short season where fewer cuttings can be had4 ,the second cutting is best in many places1 but ,o4 ,e4 ,lambert of ,modesto after threshing about #cj lots in one year tells us that some growers had left second1 some third and some fourth cuttings for seed4 ,he found the second cutting very poor both in yield and grade1 much of it not being well filled and the seed blighted1 as the growth of hay was too heavy4 ,the seed on third cutting was good both in grade and yield4 ,much of the seed on fourth cutting was not matured4 ,for good results the stand should be thin4 ,our drier1 heavier lands give the best results1 sub-irrigated lands not seeding4 ,all irrigation should stop with the previous cutting for hay4 ,siloing ,first ,crop ,alfalfa4 ,how about putting first cutting of alfalfa and foxtail into the silo8 ,do you think there is any danger of fire in a wooden silo1 and do you add salt and water when filling1 and how long after it is cut would you advise putting it into the silo8 ,put it through the silo cutter as soon as you can get it from the field4 ,do not let it cure at all1 and be sure to cut and pack well4 ,if at all dry1 use water at the time of filling1 and some salt then also1 if you desire4 ,there is no danger of firing if you put it in with good moisture1 and by short cutting and hard packing you exclude the air4 ,if you do not do this you will get a silo full of manure1 and possibly have a fire while it is rotting4 ,soil for ,alfalfa4 ,what kind of soil is best for alfalfa on a dairy ranch8 ,an ideal soil for alfalfa is a deep well drained soil into which the roots can run deeply without danger of encountering standing water or alkali4 ,still we are finding that alfalfa is very successful on soils which are not strictly ideal1 providing the moisture is supplied in such a way that the soil shall not be waterlogged nor the water be allowed to remain upon the surface during the hot weather1 because this kills the plant4 ,handling ,young ,alfalfa4 ,i have alfalfa that is doing very well for the first year4 ,my soil is sandy loam with light traces of white alkali1 although it does not seem to be detrimental to the growth thus far4 ,i am in the dairy business and will have by winter enough manure to top-dress the field4 ,would it be good policy to use the manure1 or would it be more satisfactory to top-dress with gypsum8 ,would it injure alfalfa to pasture lightly after the last cutting8 ,presumably your soil contains enough lime1 and therefore the application of gypsum at this time of the year would not be necessary4 ,it may be desirable to top-dress with gypsum near the end of the rainy season to stimulate the growth of the plant4 ,gypsum1 however1 has no effect upon white alkali4 ,so far as alkali goes1 gypsum merely changes black alkali into white1 thus making it less corrosive4 ,there would be no objection to pasturing lightly this fall4 ,be careful1 however1 to keep off the stock while the land is wet and not to overstock so as to injure root crowns by tramping4 ,the manure can be used as a top dressing during the rainy season1 unless you think it better to save it for the growth of other crops4 ,alfalfa is so deep rooting where conditions are favorable that it does not require fertilization usually on land which has been used for a long time for grain or other shallow-rooting plants4 ,alfalfa ,sowing with ,gypsum4 ,i intend sowing alfalfa this fall on land that has some very compact hard spots4 ,i aim to doctor these spots with gypsum at the rate of about #ajjj pounds per acre and cultivate the gypsum in thoroughly two or three weeks before sowing the alfalfa seed4 ,would this be all right8 ,is there danger of injury to seed by coming in contact with gypsum8 ,gypsum will not hurt the alfalfa seed4 ,it is not corrosive like an alkali4 ,whether it will have time enough to ameliorate the soil in the spots in the period you mention depends upon there being moisture enough present at the time4 ,red ,clover for ,shallow ,land4 ,what can you say of red clover on shallow soils in the ,sacramento valley under irrigation8 ,how many crops1 etc48 ,red clover is fine under the conditions you describe4 ,we could never understand why people do not grow more of it on shallow land over hardpan which is free from alkali and not irrigated too much at a time4 ,it is good on shallow land over water1 where alfalfa roots decay1 etc4 ,though we have no exact figures1 we should expect to get about two-thirds as much weight from it as from an equally good stand of alfalfa4 ,clovers for ,high ,ground-,water4 ,where1 in ,california1 is alfalfa being raised successfully above a water-table of1 say1 #d feet or less1 and are any unusual means used to accomplish this8 ,over a high water-table1 the alfalfa plant will be shorter lived according to the shallowness of soil above water4 ,one could get very good results at from #d to #f feet1 whereas at #b or #c feet the stand of alfalfa would soon become scant through decay of its fleshy root4 ,where the water comes very near the surface1 a more shallow and fibrous rooting plant1 like the ,eastern red clover1 should be substituted for alfalfa in ,california4 ,it is a very vigorous grower and will yield a number of crops in succession although the water might be very near the surface1 as in the case of the reclaimed islands in the ,stockton and ,sacramento regions and in shallow irrigated soils over bedrock in the foothills or over hardpan on the valley plains4 ,in this statement1 freedom from alkali is presumed4 ,vetches in ,san joaquin4 ,in ,michigan ,i was familiar with the use of the sand vetch as a forage plant1 for hay1 for green manure1 and as a nitrogen producer4 ,in western ,michigan1 on the loose sandy soil1 ,i sowed in ,september or ,october #bj pounds per acre for a seed crop and #dj pounds per acre for pasture1 hay1 or green manure4 ,can ,i expect good results in ,fresno and ,tulare counties without irrigation8 ,will fall seeding the same as wheat produce a seed crop8 ,will sand vetch grow on soil having one-half of one per cent alkali8 ,most of the vetches grow well in the ,california valleys during the rainy season2 the common vetch1 ,vicia sativa1 and the hairy vetch1 ,vicia hirsuta1 are giving best results4 ,the proper time to plant is at the beginning of the rainy season4 ,they will stand some alkali1 especially during the rainy season1 when it is likely to be distributed by the downward movement of water1 but it is very easy to find land which has too much alkali for them4 ,these plants seed well in some parts of the valley1 but a local trial must be made to give you definite information4 ,growing ,vetch for ,hay4 ,how many pounds of vetch seed should be sown to the acre8 ,how many tons per acre in the crop8 ,as ,i desire to change my crop1 having to some extent exhausted the soil with oats1 how advisable will it be to sow wheat with the vetch to give it something to climb on8 ,if so1 and wheat is not desirable under the circumstances1 what8 ,in using vetch for horse fodder1 how much barley should be fed with it per day for a driving horse8 ,for a draught horse8 ,is vetch sown and harvested at about the same time as other crops8 ,except in very frosty places1 vetch can be sown after the rain begins at about #dj to #fj pounds of seed to the acre4 ,the yield will depend upon the land and on the moisture supply1 and cannot be prophesied4 ,one grower reports three tons of hay per acre near ,napa4 ,if the land usually yields a good hay crop1 it should yield a greater weight of vetch4 ,in mowing for hay purposes it is desirable to raise the vetch off the ground to facilitate the action of the mower4 ,oats would be better than wheat1 because rather quicker in winter growth4 ,if the vetch is to be fed green1 rye is a good grain1 but not good for hay purposes because of the hardness of the stem4 ,there is no particular difference in the plant-food requirements of the different grains1 so that there is nothing gained in that way in the choice of wheat4 ,in feeding a combined vetch and barley hay1 the ration is balanced2 the feeding of grain would not be necessary1 except in case of hard work under the same conditions grain is usually fed to horses and in about the same amounts4 ,vetch requires a longer season than ordinary oat or barley hay crop to make a larger growth1 consequently an early sowing is desirable4 ,cover ,crop in ,hop ,yard4 ,will you please give information concerning cow peas or the most suitable crop to sow in a hop field for winter growth1 to be plowed under as a fertilizer in the spring8 ,also1 would it injure the vines to be cut down before they die1 so as to sow the mulch crop soon as possible after the hops are gathered8 ,cow peas would not do for the use which you propose1 because they would be speedily killed by frost on low lands1 usually chosen for hops1 and would give you no growth during the frosty season4 ,probably there is nothing better than burr clover for such a winter growth4 ,hop vines should be allowed to grow as long as they maintain the thrifty green color1 because the growth of the leaves strengthens the root4 ,but when they begin to become weakened and yellow they can be removed without injury4 ,it is not necessary to wait for them to become fully dead4 ,growing ,cowpeas4 ,what is the best variety of cow peas for a forage crap8 ,i want a variety which with irrigation will come up after it has been cut1 so as to keep growing and not be like some which ,i tried last year4 ,they grew up like ordinary garden peas and were just a waste of ground4 ,possibly you did not get cowpeas2 they do not look like garden peas at all3 they look more like running beans1 which they are4 ,the crop is not counted satisfactory except on low1 moist land1 for on uplands1 even with irrigation1 it does not seem to behave right4 ,we do not know that a second growth can be expected1 for in the ,southern ,states it is grown as a single crop1 and resowing is done if a succession is desired1 the point being made at the ,south that the plant is adapted to this method of culture because it grows so rapidly that it can be twice sown and harvested during the frost-free period4 ,cowpeas in the ,san ,joaquin4 ,how late in the season will it be profitable to plant cowpeas8 ,what is the best manner of planting8 ,are there several varieties8 ,if so1 which one is best adapted to plant after oats8 ,the land can be irrigated until about ,august #aj4 ,will it be advisable to plow up a poor stand of alfalfa about ,july #a and plant to cow peas8 ,you can plant cowpeas all summer on land which is moist enough by natural moisture or irrigation to promote growth4 ,what you will get by late planting depends upon moisture and absence of an early fall frost4 ,if your alfalfa stand is bad enough to need re-sowing anyway1 you may get a good catch crop of cowpeas by doing as you propose4 ,if1 however1 you plow under much coarse stuff in putting in the peas the growth may be irregular4 ,it can1 of course1 be improved by free irrigation4 ,on clear land moderately retentive much more is being done in summer growth of cowpeas without irrigation than expected4 ,there are several good varieties4 ,one of these is the ,whippoorwill4 ,cowpeas can be sown in furrows three feet apart and cultivated1 using about #dj pounds of seed to the acre1 or they may be broadcasted1 which takes about twice as much seed4 ,cowpeas and ,canadian ,peas4 ,would ,canadian field peas and cow peas be valuable as a forage crop for cows and hogs2 also as fertilizer8 ,please tell us also when to plant1 how to plant1 etc4 ,these plants are of high forage value as cow feed2 also as a soil restorative when the whole crop is plowed under green or when the roots and manure from feeding add to the soil4 ,but for either purpose the result depends upon how much growth you can get1 and that should be told by local trial before any great outlay is undertaken4 ,canadian peas are hardy against frost and can be broadcasted and covered with shallow plowing as soon as the land is moist enough from fall rains - except in very frosty parts of the ,state4 ,they can also be sown in drills to advantage4 ,cow peas are beans1 and cannot be planted until frost danger is over in the spring4 ,they are only available for summer feeding1 and whether they will be worth while or not depends upon how much moisture can be held in the soil for summer growth4 ,they should be sown in drills and cultivation continued for moisture conservation until the plants cover the ground too much to get the cultivator through4 ,canadian or ,niles ,peas4 ,i send a sample of peas which ,i bought for ,canada field peas1 and they were so labeled4 ,i would like to know what they are4 ,the peas are1 apparently1 one kind of ,canada peas4 ,there is some variation in ,canada peas1 but these are peas of that class4 ,some of the ,canada pea are hardly distinguishable from the so-called ,niles pea of ,california growth1 and it does not matter much1 anyway1 for one is about as good as the other4 ,sunflowers and ,soy ,beans4 ,i would like information concerning cultivation1 method of feeding and food value of soy beans4 ,also sunflowers4 ,soy beans are grown like other beans1 in rows which1 for convenience in field culture1 should be about #b #a_/b feet apart and cultivated up to blooming time at least4 ,they should be sown after frost danger is over and the weather is settled warm1 for they enjoy heat4 ,for feeding they can be made into hay before maturity1 or the beans can be matured and prepared for feeding by grinding4 ,as with other beans1 small amounts should be used in connection with other feeds4 ,they are a rich food and somewhat heavy on the digestion4 ,the same is true of sunflowers1 except that the seed is richer in oil than in protein1 as beans are4 ,sunflowers in field culture are planted and cultivated like beans4 ,the seed is flailed out of the heads after they lie for a time to dry4 ,jersey ,kale4 ,please inform me how to plant ,jersey or cow kale4 ,jersey kale can be planted by thin scattering of seeds in rows #b #a_/b feet apart so as to admit of cultivation1 or the plants can be grown just as cabbage plants are and set out #b #a_/b or #c feet apart1 the squares to admit of cultivation both ways4 ,the plant needs a good deal more space than an ordinary cabbage1 for it makes a tall free growth1 and space must be had for the growth of the plant and for going into the patch for stripping off leaves and cultivation4 ,the plant can be started in the rainy season whenever the land comes into good condition4 ,it is a winter grower in ,california valleys4 ,rape and ,milo4 ,would rape be a good pasture crop sown broadcast8 ,if so1 at what time should it be planted8 ,will ,milo maize grow profitable in ,sonoma county8 ,rape can be sown as soon as the land gets moist enough from early rains to start the seed and hold the growth4 ,it is a wintergrowing plant in this ,state4 ,we believe1 however1 you will get better results with common vetch1 which is also a winter grower and more nutritious4 ,if you desire one of the cabbage family1 kale will probably serve you better than rape4 ,milo is one of the sorghums and will only grow during the frostless period1 like ,kafir1 ,egyptian corn and other sorghums4 ,it will do well with you1 but probably make less growth than in the interior valleys4 ,sweet ,clover ,not an ,alfalfa4 ,i send you a sample of alfalfa which grows very vigorous here on my place spontaneously and would like you to give me all the information about it you will1 as a feed for cows and hogs4 ,the stock seem to eat it well4 ,the plant is not alfalfa at all4 ,it is white sweet clover 7melilotus alba71 and it is usually considered a great pest in alfalfa fields1 because although it grows vigorously as you describe1 it is not generally accepted by stock1 unless once in awhile some one considers it a good thing1 perhaps because he keeps stock hungry enough to enjoy it in spite of its rank taste and smell1 but1 usually when they can get alfalfa they will not pay much attention to this plant4 ,it is good for bee pasturage1 however1 and is grown to some extent for that purpose4 ,you probably had the seed of it in your alfalfa seed4 ,it is a biennial and not a perennial like alfalfa4 ,it will disappear if you can keep it from going to seed4 ,sweet ,clover as a ,cover ,crop4 ,how about melilotus as a cover crop8 ,last year in certain sections it proved very successful1 while in others it did not give satisfaction4 ,melilotus1 by virtue of its hardiness in growing at low temperatures1 its depth of root penetration1 the availability of the seed1 the smallness of the seed so that the weight required for the acre is not large1 is to be favored for a cover crop4 ,the objections are two3 ,the fact that it does not seem to grow well under some conditions2 second1 that when a growth is made it is coarse and rangey1 and the amount of green stuff to the acre is much less than its appearance would indicate4 ,we know of cases where what seemed to be a good stand of melilotus yielded only about ten tons of green stuff to the acre1 and what appeared to be a less growth of vetches or peas yielded from fifteen to twenty tons to the acre4 ,and yet we believe that in some places it will be found extremely desirable for a cover crop in harmony with what was reported some time ago as the result of experiments by the ,arizona ,experiment ,station4 ,spineless ,cactus4 ,there seems to be two distinct kinds of cactus3 ,one for forage1 the other for fruit4 ,it is claimed by some people that the spineless cactus is more valuable as a forage plant than alfalfa4 ,what is your opinion8 ,there are many varieties of smooth cacti4 ,some of them bear higher quality fruit than others1 and some are freer growers and bear a greater amount of leaf substance for forage purposes2 therefore1 varieties are being developed which are superior for fruit or for forage1 as the case may be4 ,spineless cactus is in no way comparable with alfalfa1 either in nutritive content or in value of crop1 providing you have land and water which will produce a good product of alfalfa4 ,cactus is for lands which are in an entirely different class and which are not capable of alfalfa production4 ,probably ,not ,broom-,corn4 ,i have a side-hill ranch on which ,i would very much like to raise broom corn4 ,the soil produces good grapes1 fruit1 corn1 oats1 peas1 etc41 and ,i wish to know if there are possibilities of broom-straw4 ,all the broom-corn which has been successfully produced in ,california has been produced on moist1 riverside land4 ,the plant is a sorghum - consequently subject to frost injury1 and can only be grown during the frostless season as ,indian corn is4 ,this makes it impossible to get the advantage of rainfall on winter upland and necessitates the use of lowlands1 which carry moisture enough to secure a free growth of the brush1 for poor broom-corn is worthless practically1 being too low priced to be profitable for brooms and too fibrous to be of value for feeding purposes4 ,even in a place where the plant grows well its product is worthless unless properly treated1 and that requires full knowledge and a good deal of work4 ,the ,outlook for ,broom ,corn4 ,broom corn is way up in price1 but that is an indication that everyone who has ever grown broom corn is likely to plant it this year4 ,what is the outlook in ,california8 ,nothing but a local experiment will determine whether you can get a satisfactory brush under the conditions prevailing in your vicinity4 ,undoubtedly1 the high price of broom corn will stimulate production1 but under quite sharp limitations in ,california1 because a good1 satisfactory brush cannot be grown on dry plains1 although a good product is made in the river bottoms not far away4 ,but there are so few people in ,california who understand how to handle broom corn to produce a good commercial article1 and there are such rigid requirements in the size1 quality1 etc41 that those who break into the business without proper knowledge cannot command even profitable prices4 ,therefore1 if your enterprise is conducted with a full knowledge and with proper local conditions it would not encounter such a local disadvantage in the great increase of the product as one might think at first4 ,smutty ,sorghum4 ,the various plantings of ,egyptian corn on the ranch have turned smutty1 very much after the manner of wheat and barley4 ,is there any unusual reason for this1 or could irrigation have caused it1 and what is the best method of preventing it8 ,sorghum is affected by a smut similar to that of other grains4 ,it is due to the introduction of the germ of the disease which comes with the use of smutty seed4 ,possibly the growth of the smut may have been promoted by moisture arising from soil rendered very wet by irrigation1 and for this plant free irrigation should not be used1 because it will do more with less water than any other plant we are growing1 and is likely to be more thrifty in a drier atmosphere4 ,get seed for next year from an absolutely clean field2 get as much growth as you can without irrigation1 and then use water in moderate quantities as may be necessary1 followed by a cultivation for the drying of the surface4 ,late-sown ,sorghum4 ,how late can ,egyptian corn be planted on good sediment soil capable of growing #dj to #ej socks of barley per acre in good years with ordinary rain8 ,the field was cut this year for hay on account of rank growth of wild oats1 after irrigating2 land is still moist4 ,can ,i put in ,egyptian corn with on assurance of crop1 or is it too late8 ,how much seed should be planted to the acre1 also should seed be drilled in or broad-casted8 ,there is no difficulty in getting a start of ,egyptian corn during the dry season providing the soil contains moisture enough to germinate the seed4 ,afterward the growth will be more or less according to the moisture present and will be available for forage purposes4 ,whether a seed crop can be had by late sowing depends upon the frost occurrence in the particular locality1 for it only takes a light frost to destroy the plant4 ,to get the best results1 particularly with late sowing1 the seeds should be drilled in rows far enough apart for horse cultivation2 about forty pounds of seed to the acre4 ,what you get in this way will depend upon the amount of moisture in the soil and the duration of the frost-freedom4 ,kaffir and ,egyptian ,corn4 ,does ,kaffir corn yield as well here as ,egyptian corn8 ,the fodder is good feed and the heads stand erect and at a more even height from the ground1 which makes three advantages over ,egyptian4 ,irrigation in either case is the some4 ,the reasons you mention have no doubt had much to do with the present popularity of an upright plant like ,kafir over a gooseneck like the old dhoura or ,egyptian1 which was the type first introduced in ,california4 ,for years there has been more gooseneck sorghum in the ,sacramento valley than in any other part of the ,state4 ,it may have superior local adaptions or the people may be more conservative4 ,the way to determine which is better is to try it out1 and1 unless the ,egyptian does better in grain and forage than the upright growers1 take to the grain which holds its head up4 ,sorghums for ,seed4 ,which sorghum is the most profitable to plant for the seed only ,white ,egyptian1 ,brawn ,egyptian or ,yellow ,mila8 ,which sorghum is best is apparently a local question and governed by local conditions to a certain extent4 ,egyptian corn 7with the goose-neck stem7 has held more popularity in your part of the ,sacramento than elsewhere1 while ,kaffir corn 7holding its head upright1 as do many other sorghums7 has been for years very popular in the ,san ,joaquin4 ,in the ,imperial valley ,dwarf ,milo is chiefly grown for a seed crop shattering and bird invasion are very important4 ,g4 ,w4 ,dairs of the ,san ,joaquin valley1 says there is a very great difference in the different varieties regarding waste from the blackbird4 ,the ordinary white ,egyptian corn is very easily shelled1 and the birds waste many times more of the grain than they eat1 after it has become thoroughly ripe4 ,the ,milo maize1 or red ,egyptian corn1 does not shell nearly so easily as the white corn1 and the grain is considerably harder and less attractive to the blackbirds4 ,in fact1 blackbirds will not work in a field of this variety of corn if there is any white corn in the vicinity to be had4 ,the dwarf ,milo maize yields much more crop than the white ,egyptian corn1 or any other variety4 ,blackbirds do not damage the white ,kaffir corn to the extent they do the ordinary white ,egyptian corn4 ,sorghum ,planting4 ,what is the best time to sow ,egyptian corn2 also how much per acre to sow8 ,all the sorghums1 of which ,egyptian corn is one1 must be sown after frost danger is over - the time widely known as suitable for ,indian corn1 squashes and other tender plants4 ,sow thinly in shallow furrows or marks1 #c #a_/b or #d feet apart and cultivate as long as you can easily get through the rows with a horse4 ,about #h pounds of seed is used per acre4 ,if grown for green fodder1 sow more thickly and make the rows closer1 say #b #a_/b feet apart4 ,buckwheat ,growing4 ,two or three farmers in this locality desire to plant buckwheat4 ,not having done so heretofore they are in doubt as to the soil and other conditions that go to make a successful crop4 ,the growing of buckwheat in ,california is an exceedingly small affair4 ,the local market is very limited1 as most ,california hot cakes are made of wheat flour4 ,there is no chance for outward shipment1 and the crop itself1 being capable of growing only during the frostless season1 has to be planted on moist lands where there is not only abundant summer moisture but an air somewhat humid4 ,irrigated uplands1 even in the frostless season1 are hardly suitable for the common buckwheat1 although they may give the growth of ,japanese buckwheat for beekeepers who use dark honey for bee feeding4 ,the ,japanese buckwheat is well suited for this because it keeps blooming and produces a scattered crop of seed1 but this characteristic makes it less suitable for a grain crop1 and it has therefore never become very popular in this ,state4 ,we consider buckwheat as not worthy of much consideration by ,california farmers4 ,variation in ,russian ,sunflowers4 ,in an acre of mammoth ,russian sunflowers there seems to be three varieties1 some of the plants bear but one large flower2 others bear a flower at the top with many other smaller ones circling it1 while others have long stalks just above the leaf stems from the ground level all the way up to the largest flower1 which appears at the very top4 ,are all these varieties true mammoth ,russian sunflowers8 ,what explanation is there for these variations8 ,will the seed from the variety carrying but one natural head produce seed that will reproduce true to the parent8 ,your sunflowers are probably only playing the pranks their grandfathers enjoyed4 ,if seed is gathered indiscriminately from all the heads which appear in the crop1 succeeding generations will keep reverting until they return to the wild type1 or something near it4 ,if there is a clear idea of what is the best type 7one great head or several heads1 placed in a certain way7 and seed is continually taken from such plants only for planting1 more and more plants will be of this kind until the type becomes fixed and reversions will only rarely appear4 ,no seed should be kept for planting without selecting it from what you consider the best type of plant2 no field should be grown for commercial seed without rogue-ing out the plants which show reversions or bad variations4 ,if you find sunflowers profitable as a crop in your locality1 rigid selection of seed should be practiced by all growers1 after careful comparison of views and a decision as to the best characters to select for4 ,sacaline4 ,my attention has been brought to a plant called ,sacaline by an ,eastern plant dealer4 ,he states that this plant will grow in any kind of soil and needs practically no water4 ,the plant ,sacaline 7,polygonum saghalience7 was introduced to ,california as a dry-land forage plant about #ahic1 and has never demonstrated any particular forage value4 ,it is a browsing shrub1 making woody stem1 and cattle will eat it readily when not provided with better food4 ,it has possible value on waste land1 but probably is in no sense superior to the native shrubs of ,california which serve that purpose4 ,it is a handsome ornamental plant for gardens or parks4 ,mossy ,lawns4 ,what will destroy patches of moss which are spreading over our lawns and apparently destroying the grass8 ,more sunlight would have a tendency to discourage the growth of moss on a lawn4 ,if this is not feasible1 irrigation less frequently but a more thorough soaking each time will give the surface a better chance to dry off1 and moss will not grow on a dry surface4 ,the frequent spraying of a lawn with just enough water to keep the surface moist and not enough water to penetrate deeply will tend to the growing of moss and to less vigor in the growth of the grass1 ,a good soaking of the soil once a week is better than daily sprinkling1 but1 of course1 very much more water must be used when you only sprinkle at long intervals4 ,the drying of the surface may be assisted by sprinkling with air-slaked lime and this will discourage the growth of moss1 but of course lime must not be used in excess or it will also injure the grass4 ,scattering ,grass ,seeds4 ,we live on the west side of ,sonoma valley1 and want to seed some of our fields with a good wild grass4 ,we want to carry bags of it in our pockets to scatter when we ride4 ,timothy we should like1 but this is not its habitat1 is it8 ,can you suggest a grass or grasses that would do well here8 ,there are really wild grasses worthy of multiplication1 but no one makes a business of collecting the seed for sale1 so that such seeds are not available for such purpose as you describe4 ,of the introduced grasses1 those which are most likely to catch from early scattered seed are ,australian and ,italian rye grasses1 orchard grass1 wild oat grass and red top4 ,you can get seed of all these from dealers in any quantity which you desire at from #ae to #cj cents a pound1 according to the variety1 and make a mixture of equal parts of each grass1 which you can carry and scatter as you propose4 ,some of them will catch somewhere1 particularly in spots where the shade modifies the summer heat and where seepage moisture reduces soil drought4 ,you are right about timothy2 it is good farther up the coast and in the mountain valleys1 but not in your district4 ,poultry ,forage4 ,i have light sandy loam on which ,i desire to grow forage for chickens4 ,it lies too high for irrigation4 ,you could probably grow alfalfa to advantage if the soil still deep and loose1 getting less1 of course1 than by irrigation1 but still an amount that would be very helpful in your chicken business4 ,otherwise1 as the land lies higher and perhaps out of sharp frosts1 you could grow winter crops of vetches and peas and thus improve the land while furnishing you additional poultry pasture4 ,the latter purpose could also be served by growing beets1 cabbage or other hardy vegetables during the rainy season4 ,this is prescribed because of the apprehension that the soil may not contain moisture enough for summer cropping without irrigation4 ,no ,grain ,elevators in ,california4 ,is ,california wheat shipped in bulk or in bags at the present time8 ,there are no elevators in this ,state1 owing to the fact that hitherto grain cargoes have been acceptable to ship only as sacked grain1 because of claimed danger of shifting cargo and disaster during the long voyage around the ,horn4 ,a novel by ,frank ,norris1 entitled the ,octopus1 describes a man being killed by smothering in a grain elevator at ,port ,costa1 but there never was an elevator at that point1 and consequently there never was a man killed by getting under the spout thereof4 ,answering specifically your question1 ,california grain is shipped in bags and not in bulk4 ,it is handled in sacks from the separator to roadside or riverside storage1 to the loading point into the ships and out of the ships on the other side - still in bags4 ,new ,zealand ,flax4 ,give information about ,phormiun tenax 7,new ,zealand flax71 which ,i see is imported to ,san ,francisco in large quantities yearly for making cordage and binder twine1 and is said also to be the best of bee pasture4 ,can ,i get the plants on the coast1 and is ,california soil and climate adapted to the culture8 ,new ,zealand flax grows admirably in the coast region of ,california4 ,you will find it in nearly all the public parks and in private gardens1 for it is a very ornamental perennial4 ,plants can be had in any quantity from the ,california nurserymen and florists4 ,it produces plenty of leaves1 but we should doubt whether it is floriferous enough for bee pasturage except where it occurs wild over a large acreage4 ,you could get vastly more honey from other plants grown for that purpose4 ,no ,home-made ,beet ,sugar4 ,is there any simple process of making sugar from beets so that ,i could make my own sugar at home from my own beets while sugar is so very expensive to buy8 ,there is no simple way of making beet sugar4 ,it can only be economically done in factories costing hundreds of thousands of dollars4 ,don't ,get ,crazy ,about ,special ,crops4 ,i want information about flax as a crop4 ,i have been having some land graded for alfalfa and ,i have had to wait so long ,i am now doubting the advisability of seeding it all under these conditions until fall1 as hot weather will soon come4 ,i want some good crop to plant in the checks and give two good irrigations4 ,what would you think about rye for straw for horse collars8 ,i do not wish to consider corn1 as the stalks would be troublesome4 ,potatoes would necessitate disarranging the land too much and would require more attention than ,i am in shape to give just flow4 ,everybody grows wheat1 barley and oats4 ,i want something that ,i can get a special market for4 ,to succeed with flax1 the seed ought to be sown in the fall1 or early winter1 in ,california1 and the plant will make satisfactory growth under about the same conditions that suit barley or wheat4 ,spring sowing would not give you anything worth while except on moist bottom land4 ,rye is also a winter-growing grain4 ,to grow rye straw for horse collars would be unprofitable unless you could find some local saddler who could use a little1 and it is probable you could not get a summer growth of rye which would give good straw1 even if you had a market for it4 ,you could get a growth of stock beets1 field squashes1 or pumpkins for stock feeding4 ,in fact1 the latter would give you most satisfaction if you have stock to which they can be fed to advantage4 ,sorghum is our chief dry-season crop1 but that makes stalks like corn and would1 therefore1 be open to the same objections4 ,has it never occurred to you that people grow the common crops1 not because they are stupid1 but because those are the things for which there is a constant demand and the best chance for profitable sale8 ,efforts to supply special markets are worth thinking of1 but seldom worth making unless you know just who is going to buy the product and at what price4 ,california ,insect ,powder4 ,what part of the plant is used in making insect powder and how is it prepared8 ,is the plant a perennial8 ,what soil suits it best8 ,the plant is ,pyrethrum cinerariaefolium and has a white blossom resembling the common marguerite4 ,the powder is made of the petals and the seed capsules or heads are thoroughly dried in the sun and ground with a run of stone such as was formerly used for making flour4 ,the powder must be finely ground1 and only good powder can be made in a mill suitably equipped for that purpose4 ,the plant is a perennial1 beginning to bloom the second year from seed4 ,it will grow in any good soil with ordinary cultivation4 ,twenty-five years ago it was thought that a great ,california industry might be established on that basis1 but there is at the present time but one establishment1 which grows about all the material it can use on its own ranch in ,merced county1 on a fine1 deep loam which the plant seems to enjoy4 ,rotations for ,california4 ,i wish to work out a practical system of crop rotation suitable to the climate and conditions obtaining in southern ,california4 ,would you recommend different systems for grain lands and irrigated lands8 ,general schemes of rotation are hard to work out in ,california4 ,they must be locally revised according to the local temperature conditions and the local market also4 ,we should endeavor to find out what has been successfully grown on similar lands to those which you have in mind and arrange the rotation on that basis1 from what we knew of the relation of the different plants to soil fertility1 etc4 ,you cannot make out a satisfactory local scheme for the seven counties in southern ,california1 because of the widely different behavior of the separate plants in the different parts of the district4 ,you can hardly work on the basis of soil character3 moisture supply and temperatures are more determinative4 ,surely you should make a scheme for irrigated land different from that for dry land1 and it could not only be a longer rotation1 but many more plants would be available for its service4 ,berseem8 ,berseem has been introduced into this country from ,egypt1 and would like to know if it has been used in ,california1 and if it has came up to expectations4 ,berseem is an annual clover supposed to grow only during the summer time4 ,it has been tried widely in ,california1 but practically abandoned because it will not grow during the rainy season4 ,it is in no way comparable to alfalfa1 which is a deep rooted perennial plant1 nor would it be comparable with burr clover as a winter grower on lands which have a moderate amount of water4 ,heating and ,fermentation4 ,please explain why dampness will cause anything like hay1 ,egyptian corn or other like products to heat4 ,heating is due to fermentation1 which means the action upon the vegetable substance of germs which begin to grow and multiply after their kind whenever conditions favor them4 ,the earlier stages of this action is called sweating1 and it is beneficial as in the case of hay1 tobacco1 dried fruits1 etc41 as is commonly recognized - resulting in what is known as curing - and it is the art of the handler of such products not to allow the action to go beyond what may be called the normal sweating4 ,if not checked by proper handling1 which involves drying1 cooling1 etc41 fermentation will continue1 and other germs will find conditions suitable for them to take up their work of destruction1 and this new action produces higher temperature still1 and if not checked by cooling or drying or otherwise making the substance inhospitable to them1 heating will result1 and thence onward rapidly to decay1 if they have everything their own way4 ,moonshine ,farming4 ,what influence1 if any1 has the moon on plant growth8 ,are there any reliable data of experiments available8 ,very prolonged investigation by the ,weather ,bureau determined that no difference was found in planting in different phases of the moon4 ,if we paid any attention to it1 we should plant in the dark of the moon1 so as to get the plants up so that they could use the little more light which the moon gives4 ,it is1 however1 more important to have the soil right than the moon4 ,part ,,iv4 ,soils1 ,fertilizers and ,irrigation ,what is ,intensive ,cultivation8 ,from whom can ,i receive instruction or information regarding intensive cultivation8 ,intensive cultivation has1 so far as we know1 not been made the subject of any treatise or publication4 ,intensive cultivation means the use of a maximum amount of labor1 fertilizers and water for products of high market value4 ,there is no better example of intensive cultivation in the world than is afforded by the practice of the best market gardeners and producers of small fruit4 ,next to them1 on larger areas1 would be the policies and methods of the fruit growers of ,california4 ,intensive culture1 then1 is not a particular method or system1 but consists in doing the best thing for maximum production of any product which is valuable enough to spend the large outlay which is required4 ,just how this cultivation should be done depends upon the nature of the product and the conditions of soil and climate in whatever locality intensive cultivation may be undertaken4 ,can a ,man ,farm8 ,is it possible for a man with a few acres well cared for and carefully tilled to make a living and pay out on a purchase of land at #abc per acre8 ,could a good carpenter make wages and take care of a small tract for a year or so until well under way8 ,we consider #abe per acre for good land with a good water right a fair price4 ,financing a farming operation depends more upon the man than upon the good land4 ,there are men who would1 by intensive cultivation of salable stuff and right use of water1 pay off the full value of the land from its produce in a couple of years4 ,others will never pay off4 ,of course1 the nearer you can come to paying for the land at the beginning1 and the more money you have for improvements1 the more satisfactory your situation should be in every respect4 ,there is a good chance for carpenter work in colony development1 and considerable self-help could be secured in that way4 ,you do not say whether you know anything about farming4 ,farming is a very complicated business and a basic knowledge derived from experience is a proper foundation to build upon in the light of the fuller application of scientific principles4 ,soil ,depth for ,citrus ,trees4 ,i have a top soil of rich loam containing small rocks and pebbles4 ,underneath it is washed gravel1 rocks1 boulders1 yellow sand1 etc4 ,what is the limit as to thinness before trees will not grow1 or thrive8 ,orange trees are growing quite successfully on shallow soil overlying clay where the use of water and fertilizers was carefully adjusted so as to keep the trees supplied with just the right amount4 ,under such conditions a good growth may be expected so long as this treatment is maintained4 ,there should be1 however1 not less than three feet of good soil to make the large expenditure necessary to establish an orange orchard permanently productive1 and all the depth you can get beyond three feet is desirable4 ,we question the desirability of planting orange trees even on a good soil overlying gravel1 rocks or sand4 ,roots will penetrate such material only a short distance usually4 ,it is almost impossible with such a leachy foundation to keep the surface soil properly moistened and enriched2 ,you are apt to lose both water and fertilizer into the too rapid drainage4 ,soils and ,oranges4 ,i find this entire district underlaid with hardpan at various depths1 from #a to #f feet down1 and of various thicknesses4 ,this hardpan is more or less porous and seeps up water to some extent1 but is too hard for roots to penetrate4 ,it is represented to me that if this hard pan is down from #d to #e feet it does not interfere with the growth of the orange tree or its producing4 ,is #d or #e feet of the loam enough8 ,four or five feet of good soil over a hardpan1 which was somewhat porous1 is likely to be satisfactory for orange planting4 ,there has been trouble from hardpan too near the surface and from the occurrence of a hardpan too rich in lime1 which has resulted in yellow leaf and other manifestations of unthrift in the tree4 ,discussion of this subject is given on page #dcd of the fifth edition of our book on ,california ,fruits1 where we especially commend a good depth of strong1 free loam4 ,this does not mean necessarily deep4 ,the orange likes rather a heavier soil1 while a deep sandy loam is preferred by some other fruits4 ,if you keep the moisture supply regular and right and feed the plant with fertilizers1 as may be required1 the soil you mention is of sufficient depth - if it is otherwise satisfactory4 ,oranges ,over ,high ,ground ,water4 ,does ,california experience show that citrus trees can be grown upon land successfully where the water-level is #f feet from the surface2 that is1 where water is found at that level at all seasons and does not appear to rise higher during the rainy season8 ,we do not know of citrus trees in ,california with ground-water permanently at six feet below the surface4 ,if the soil should be a free loam and the capillarity therefore somewhat reduced1 orange trees would probably be permanently productive4 ,if the soil were very heavy1 capillary rise might be too energetic and saturate the soil for some distance above the water-level4 ,in a free soil without this danger the roots could approach the water as they find it desirable and be permanently supplied4 ,orange trees are largely dependent upon a shallow root system1 the chief roots generally occupying the first four feet below the surface4 ,from this fact we conclude that deep rooting is not necessary to the orange1 although unquestionably deep rooting and deep penetration for water are desirable as allowing the tree to draw upon a much greater soil mass and therefore be less dependent upon frequent irrigations and fertilizations4 ,depth of ,ground-,water4 ,is there probable harm from water standing #ab feet from the surface in an orchard8 ,also probable age of trees before any effect of said water would be felt by them8 ,the soil is almost entirely chocolate dry bog4 - ,w4 ,e4 ,wahtoke4 ,water at twelve feet from the surface is desirable1 and water at that point will be indefinitely desirable for the growing of fruit trees4 ,of course1 conditions would change rapidly as standing water might approach more nearly to the surface1 a condition which has to be carefully guarded against in irrigation4 ,but it can come nearer than twelve feet without danger4 ,summer ,fallow and ,summer ,cropping4 ,i own some hill land which has been run down by continuous hay cropping4 ,i am told that a portion must be summer-fallowed each year1 but ,i wish to grow some summer crop on this fallow ground that will both enrich the soil and at the same time furnish good milk-producing feed for cows - thoroughly cultivating it between the rows4 ,what crop would be best8 ,i am told the common ,kaffir or ,egyptian corn are both soil enriching and milk producing4 ,if you grow a summer crop on the summer-fallowed upland1 you lose the chief advantage of summer fallowing1 which is the storing of moisture for the following year's crop4 ,a cultivated crop would waste less moisture than a broadcast crop1 surely1 but on uplands without irrigation it would take out all the moisture available and not act in the line of a summer fallow4 ,kaffir corn is not soil enriching4 ,it has no such character4 ,it probably depletes the soil just as much as an ordinary corn or hay crop4 ,it is a good food to continue a milking period into the dry season1 but you must be careful not to allow your cattle to get too much green sorghum1 for it sometimes produces fatal results4 ,we do not know anything which you can grow during the summer without irrigation which would contribute to the fertility of your land4 ,if you had water and could grow clover or some legume during the summer season1 the desired effect on the soil would be secured4 ,soils and ,crop ,changes4 ,peas and sweet peas do not grow well continuously in the same ground4 ,i know this practically in my experience1 but in no book have ,i ever found why they do not grow4 ,there are two very good reasons why some classes of plants cannot be well grown continuously in the same piece of ground4 ,one is the depletion of available plant food1 the other the formation of injurious compounds by the plants1 or the gradual increase of fungoid1 bacterial or animate pests in the soil1 which finally become abundant enough to seriously hinder growth4 ,different plants take the plant foods1 as nitrogen1 lime1 potash1 phosphates1 etc41 in different proportion4 ,more important1 perhaps1 is the fact that the root acids that extract these foods are of different types and strength4 ,thus before many seasons it may happen that most of the plant food of one or more kinds may be nearly exhausted as far as that kind of plant is concerned that has grown there continually1 while there would be plenty of easily available food for plants with a different kind of root system and different root acids1 etc4 ,this is one reason why rotation of crops is so good2 it gives a combination of root acids and root systems to the soil during a term of years1 and it also frees the soil from one certain kind of organism because it cannot survive the absence of the particular plants on which it thrives4 ,summer-,fallow ,before ,fruit ,planting4 ,i recently bought a ranch at ,sheridan1 ,placer county1 and was intending to put #aj acres to peaches and #ej acres to wheat or barley1 but the residents tell me that the land must be summer-fallowed before ,i can do anything4 ,the soil is a red loam and has not been plowed for six years4 ,your local advisers are probably right as to the necessity for summer-fallowing in order to conserve moisture from a previous year's rainfall and to get the land otherwise into good condition4 ,there might be such a generous rainfall that an excellent crop might come without summer-fallowing1 and the results will depend upon the rainfall4 ,if it should be small in amount1 you might not recover your seed4 ,by the same sign you might not get much growth on your fruit trees1 but you could help them by constant cultivation and by using the water-wagon if the season should be very dry4 ,therefore1 you are likely to do better with trees than with grain without summer-fallowing1 although even for trees it is a decided advantage to have more moisture stored in the subsoil and the surface soil pulverized by more tillage4 ,defects in ,soil ,moisture4 ,i have apricot trees that appear to be almost dead2 all but a very few small green leaves are gone1 and they look bad1 still ,i think they might be saved if ,i only knew what to do4 ,presumably your apricot tree is suffering from too much standing water during the dormant season1 or from a lack of water during the dry season4 ,the remedy would be to correct moisture conditions1 either by underdrainage for winter excess or by irrigation for summer deficiency4 ,when a tree gets into a position such as you describe1 it should be cut back freely and irrigation supplied1 if the soil is dry1 in the house that the roots may be able to restore themselves and promote a new growth in the top4 ,dry ,plowing for ,soil and ,weed ,growth4 ,is there any scientific reason to support the belief that it is injurious to the soil to dry-plow it for seeding to grain this fall and winter8 ,will dry-plowing now cause a worse growth of filth after the rains than the customary fallowing in the spring8 ,should the stubble be burned1 or plowed under6 ,the points against dry-plowing to which you allude may arise from two claims or beliefs3 first1 that turning up land to the sun has a tendency to burn out the humus2 second1 that dry-plowing may leave the land so rough and cloddy that a small rainfall is currently lost by evaporation and leaves less moisture available for a crop than if it is plowed in the usual way after the rains4 ,the first claim is probably largely fanciful1 so far as an upturning in the reduced sunshine of the autumn goes4 ,whatever there may be in it would occur in vastly increased degree in a properly worked summer-fallow1 and even that is negligible1 because of the greater advantage which the summer-fallow yields4 ,there may be cases in which one will get less growth on dry-plowing than on winter plowing1 if the land is rough and the rain scant1 and yet dry-plowing before the rains is a foundation for moisture reception and retention - if the land is not only plowed1 but is also harrowed or otherwise worked down out of its large cloddy condition4 ,when that is done1 dry-plowing may be a great help toward early sowing and large growth afterward4 ,as for weeds1 dry-plowing may help their starting1 but that is an advantage and not otherwise1 because they can be destroyed by cultivation before sowing4 ,if the land is full of weed seed1 the best thing to do is to start it and kill it4 ,the trouble with dry-plowing probably arises1 not from the plowing1 but from lack of work enough between the plowing and the sowing4 ,stubble should often be burned3 it depends upon the soil and the rainfall4 ,on a heavy soil with a good rainfall1 plowing-in stubble is an addition to the humus of the soil1 because conditions favor its reduction to that form1 and there is moisture enough to accomplish that and promote also a satisfactory growth of the new crop4 ,treatment of ,dry-,plowed ,land4 ,we are plowing a piece of light sandy mesa land1 dry1 which has considerable tarweed and other weeds growing before plowing4 ,which would be best1 to leave the land as it is until the rains come and then harrow1 or harrow now8 ,would the land left without harrowing gather any elements from the air before rain comes6 ,the above land is for oat hay and beans next season4 ,roll down the 'tar-weed1 if it is tall and likely to be troublesome1 and plow in at once so that decay may begin as soon as the land gets moisture from the rain4 ,it would be well to allow the land to lie in that shape1 and disc in the seed without disturbing the weeds which have been plowed under4 ,if all this is done early1 with plenty of rain coming there is likely to be water enough to settle the soil1 decay the weeds1 and grow the hay crop4 ,of course1 such practice could not be commenced much later in the season4 ,the land gains practically nothing from the atmosphere by lying in its present condition4 ,if there is any appreciable gain1 it would be larger after breaking up as proposed4 ,in dry farming1 harrowing or disking should be done immediately after plowing1 not to produce a fine surface as for a seed bed1 but to settle the soil enough to prevent too free movement of dry air4 ,if your rainfall is ample1 the land may be left looser for water-settling4 ,for a ,refractory ,soil4 ,what can ,i do to soil that dries out and crusts over so hard that it won't permit vegetable growth8 ,a liberal amount of stable manure has been applied1 and the land deeply plowed1 harrowed and cultivated1 but as soon as water gets on it1 it forms a deep crust on evaporation4 ,will guano help1 or is sodium nitrate or potash the thing8 ,none of the things you mention are of any particular use for the specific purpose you describe4 ,keep on working in stable manure or rotten straw1 or any other coarse vegetable matter1 when the soil is moist enough for its decay4 ,plow under all the weeds you can grow1 or green barley or rye1 and later grow a crop of peas or vetches to plow in green4 ,keep at this till the pesky stuff gets mellow4 ,if you think the soil is alkaline1 use gypsum freely2 if not1 dose it with lime to the limit of your purse and patience1 and put in all the tillage you can whenever the soil breaks well4 ,more ,manure1 ,water and ,cultivation ,required4 ,i have a small place on a hillside1 with brown soil about one to two feet deep to hardpan and ,i am getting rather discouraged1 as so many things fail to come up and others grow so very slowly after they are up4 ,a neighbor planted some dahlia roots the same time ,i did4 ,only one of mine came up and it is not in bloom yet1 while several of his have been blooming for some weeks and are ten times as large in mass of foliage as mine with its lone stalk and one little bud on the top4 ,peas came up and kept dying at the bottom with blossoms at the top tilt they were four or five feet high1 but ,i never could get enough peas for a mess4 ,can you help me get this thing right8 ,use of stable manure and water freely4 ,your trouble probably lies either in the lack of plant food or of moisture in the soil4 ,this1 of course1 is supposing that you cultivate well so that the moisture you use shall not be evaporated and the ground hardened by the process4 ,during the summer a good surface application of stable manure to which water can be applied would be better than to work manure into the soil1 which should be done at the beginning of the rainy season4 ,as your soil is so shallow it will be well for you to stand along the side of the plant much of the time with a bucket of water in one hand and a shovel of manure in the other4 ,planting ,trees in ,alkali ,soil4 ,my land contains a considerable quantity of both the black and white alkalies1 the upper two feet being a rather heavy1 sticky clay1 the next three feet below being fine sand1 containing more or less alkali1 while immediately underneath this sand is a dense black muck in which1 summer and winter1 is found the ground-water4 ,do you think the following method of setting trees would be advantageous4 ,excavate for each tree a hole three feet in diameter and three feet deep4 ,fill in a layer of three or four inches of coarse hay1 forming a lining for the excavation4 ,then fill the hole with sandy loam in which the tree is to be set4 ,the sandy loam would give the young tree a good start1 while the lining of hay would break up the capillary attraction between the filled-in sand and the ground-water in the surrounding alkali-charged soil4 ,the fresh soil which you put in would before long be impregnated through the surface evaporation of the rising moisture1 which your straw lining would not long exclude4 ,the trees would not be permanently satisfactory under such conditions as you describe1 though they might grow well at first4 ,it would be interesting1 of course1 to make a small-scale experiment to demonstrate what would actually occur and it would1 perhaps1 give you a chance to sell out to a tenderfoot4 ,planting in ,mud4 ,why does ground lose its vitality or its growing qualities when it is plowed or stirred when wet1 and does this act in all kinds of soil in the same way8 ,we are planting a fig and olive orchard at the present time1 but some were planted when the ground was extremely wet4 ,the holes were dug before the rain and after a heavy rain they started to plant4 ,after placing the trees in the holes they filled them half full with wet dirt1 in fact so wet that it was actually slush4 ,what would you advise under the circumstances and what can be done to counteract this8 ,we have not finished filling in the holes since the planting was done1 which was about a week ago4 ,the soil loses its vitality after working when too wet1 because it is thrown into bad mechanical 7or physical7 condition and therefore becomes difficult of root extension and of movement of moisture and air4 ,how easily soil may be thrown into bad mechanical condition depends upon its character4 ,a light sandy loam could be plowed and trees planted as you describe without serious injury perhaps1 while such a treatment of a clay would bring a plant into the midst of a soil brick which would cause it to spindle and perhaps to fail outright4 ,the best treatment would consist in keeping the soil around the roots continually moist1 yet not too wet4 ,the upper part of the holes should be filled loosely and the ground kept from surface compacting4 ,the maintenance of such a condition during the coming summer will probably allow the trees to overcome the mistake made at their planting1 unless the soil should be a tough adobe or other soil which has a disposition to act like cement4 ,electro-,agriculture4 ,kindly tell me of any one who is working upon the application of electricity to stimulating agricultural growth-especially here on the ,coast4 ,a friend who has done some work in this line seeks to interest me4 ,i have seen notices of this work1 and have read of ,professor ,arrhenius stimulating the mental activity of children1 etc41 but ,i desire more definite information1 if possible4 ,does the idea seem to you to be feasible8 ,so far as we know1 there has been no local trial of the effect of electric light in stimulating plant growth4 ,much has been done with it in ,europe and in this country4 ,there is much about it in ,european scientific literature4 ,it is perfectly rational that increased growth should be attained by continuous light in the same way1 though in less degree than occurs in the extreme north during the period of the midnight sun4 ,it is known that moonlight1 to the extent of its illumination1 increases plant growth1 and it has been amply demonstrated that light is light1 just as heat is heat1 irrespective of the source thereof4 ,of course1 the commercial advantage must be sought in the relative amount of increased growth and the selling value of whatever is gained in point of time4 ,high ,hardpan and ,low ,water4 ,what detriment is hardpan if #ad inches below the surface and in some places #ab inches8 ,i have been plowing so ,i could set peach trees1 but ,i have been told that they will not grow4 ,i would like your opinion about it4 ,i intended to blast holes for the trees1 and the water is #cj feet from surface4 ,the top soil is red sandy and clay mixed1 but it works very easily4 ,you cannot expect much from trees on such a shallow soil over hardpan without breaking it up1 because the soil mass available to the trees is small2 also because the shallow surface layer over hardpan will soon dry out in spite of the best cultivation1 because there is no moisture supply from below4 ,if such a soil should be selected for fruit trees at all1 the breaking through the hardpan by dynamite or otherwise is desirable1 and irrigation will be1 probably1 indispensable4 ,depth of ,cultivation4 ,i would be glad to know whether in cultivating an orchard a light-draft harrow could profitably be used1 which cultivates three and a half inches deep8 ,i have used another cultivator1 and try to have it go at least seven inches4 ,a depth of #c #a-b inches is not satisfactory in orchard cultivation1 although there may be some condition under which greater depth would be difficult to obtain because of root injury to trees1 which have been encouraged to root near the surface4 ,both experience and actual determinations of moisture in this ,state show that cultivation to a depth of #e inches conserves twice as much moisture in the lower soil as can be saved by a #c-;inch depth of cultivation under similar soil conditions and water supply4 ,it is all the better to go #g inches if young trees have been treated that way from the beginning4 ,alfalfa ,over ,hardpan4 ,i have land graded for alfalfa and some of the checks are low and water will stand on the low checks in the winter4 ,there is on an average from two to three feet of soil on top of hardpan and hardpan is about two feet thick4 ,will water drain off the low checks if the hardpan is dynamited1 and will this land grow alfalfa with profit8 ,yes2 much of the hardpan in your district is thin enough and underlaid by permeable strata so that drainage is readily secured by breaking up the hardpan4 ,standing water on dormant alfalfa is not injurious4 ,trees ,over ,high-,water4 ,which are the best fruit trees to plant on black adobe soil with water table between #c and #d feet from surface8 ,the soil is very rich and productive4 ,the land is leveled for alfalfa also2 will the alfalfa disturb the growth of trees8 ,we would not plant such land to fruit at all1 except a family orchard4 ,the fruits most likely to succeed are pears and pecans4 ,on such land alfalfa should not hurt trees unless it is allowed to actually strangle them4 ,the alfalfa may help the trees by pumping out some of the surplus water4 ,soil ,suitable for ,fruits4 ,i am sending samples of soil in which there are apricots and prunes growing1 and ask you to examine it with reference to its suitability for other fruits4 ,will lemons thrive in this soil8 ,it is not necessary to have analysis of the soil4 ,if you find by experience that apricot and prune trees are doing well1 it is a demonstration of its suitability for the orange1 so far as soil is concerned4 ,the same would also be a demonstration for soil suitability for the lemon because the lemon is always grown on orange root4 ,the thing to be determined is whether the temperature conditions suit the lemon and whether you have an irrigation supply available1 because citrus fruits1 being evergreen1 require about fifty per cent more moisture than deciduous fruits1 and they are not grown successfully anywhere in this ,state without irrigation1 except1 possibly1 on land with underflow4 ,the matter to determine then is the surety of suitable temperatures and water supply4 ,for ,blowing ,soils4 ,i am going to dry-sow rye late this fall4 ,i want some leguminous plant to seed with the rye for a wind-break crop1 not to plow under4 ,the land varies from heavy loam to blow-sand4 ,i have under consideration sweet clover1 burr clover1 vetches4 ,i see occasional stray plants of sweet clover 7the white-blossomed7 growing in the alfalfa on both hard and sandy soil4 ,i read in an ,eastern bee journal that sweet clover can be sowed on hard uncultivated land with success4 ,could ,i grow it on the hard vacant spots that occur in the alfalfa fields8 ,you can sow these leguminous plants all along during the earlier part of the rainy season 7,september to ,december7 except that they will not make a good start in cold ground which does not seem to bother rye much4 ,but on sand you are not likely to get cold1 waterlogged soil1 so you can put in there whenever you like - the earlier the better1 however1 if you have moisture enough in the soil to sustain the growth as well as start it4 ,we should sow rye and common vetch4 ,sweet clover will grow anywhere1 from a river sandbar to an uncovered upland hardpan1 but it will not do much if your vacant spots are caused by alkali4 ,more ,than ,dynamite ,needed4 ,i have some peculiar land4 ,people here call it cement4 ,it does not take irrigation water readily1 and water will pass over it for a long time and not wet down more than an inch or so4 ,when really wet it can be dipped up with a spoon4 ,hardpan is down about #bd to #cf inches4 ,i have tried blowing up between the vines with dynamite1 and see little difference4 ,can you suggest anything to loosen up the soil8 ,you could not reasonably expect dynamite to transform the character of the surface soil except as its rebelliousness might in some cases be wholly due to lack of drainage - in that case blasting the hardpan might work wonders4 ,but you have another problem1 viz3 to change the physical condition of the surface soil to prevent the particles from running together and cementing4 ,this is to be accomplished by the introduction of coarse particles1 preferably of a fibrous character4 ,to do this the free use of rotten straw or stable manure1 deeply worked into the soil1 and the growth of green crops for plowing under1 is a practical suggestion4 ,such treatment would render your soil mellow1 and1 in connection with blasting of the hardpan to prevent accumulation of surplus water over it1 would accomplish the transformation which you desire4 ,the cost and profit of such a course you can figure out for yourself4 ,is ,dynamite ,needed8 ,i have an old prune orchard on river bottom lands2 soil about #ae or #af feet deep4 ,quite a number of trees have died1 ,i presume from old age4 ,i desire to remove them and to replace them with prune trees4 ,i have been advised to use dynamite in preparing the soil for the planting of the new trees4 ,whether you need dynamite or not depends upon the condition of the sub-soil4 ,if you are on river flats with an alluvial soil1 rather loose to a considerable depth1 dynamiting is not necessary4 ,if1 by digging1 you encounter hardpan1 or clay1 dynamiting may be very profitable4 ,this matter must be looked into1 because the failure of trees on river lands is more often due to their planting over gravel streaks1 which too rapidly draw off water and cause the tree to fail for lack of moisture4 ,in such cases dynamite would only aggravate the trouble4 ,dynamiting should be done in the fall and not in the spring4 ,the land should have a chance to settle and readjust itself by the action of the winter rains2 otherwise1 your trees may dry out too much next summer4 ,improving ,heavy ,soils4 ,what is adobe8 ,what kind of plants will grow best in adobe8 ,in this ,redwood ,city ,i find clay-like soil which looks very dark and heavy4 ,what kind of plants will grow best in this soil8 ,the term adobe does not mean any particular kind of soil4 ,it is applied locally to clay and clay-loam soils indiscriminately4 ,it generally signifies the heaviest1 stickiest1 crackingest soil in the vicinity4 ,most plants will grow well on heavy soils if they are kept from getting too dry and too full of water4 ,this is done by using plenty of stable manure and other coarse stuff to make the soil more friable1 which favors aeration1 drainage1 root extension and plant thrift4 ,friability is also promoted by the use of lime and by good tillage4 ,the particular soil to which you refer is a black clay loam which can be improved in all the ways stated4 ,it is a good soil for most flowers and vegetables if handled as suggested4 ,you can get hints of what does best by studying your neighbors' earlier plantings4 ,for a ,reclaimed ,swamp4 ,i have land1 formerly a pond which dried up in the summer months4 ,it has been thoroughly drained now for several years4 ,the land surrounding it is good fertile soil and produces good crops4 ,on this piece1 however1 crops come up and look fairly well until about two inches high when they turn yellow and die4 ,mesquite grass and strawberries seem to be the only crops that will live1 and they do not do at all well4 ,sorrel grows abundantly in the natural state4 ,apparently the reclaimed land which you speak of needs liming to overcome the acidity in the soil4 ,common builders' lime applied at the rate of #ajjj pounds to the acre at the beginning of the rainy season ought to make the land much more productive and the soil1 at the same time1 more friable4 ,deep plowing with aeration will also help the land1 and this treatment can begin at once if the soil is workable4 ,other additions of lime can be made later as they may be required to make the improvement permanent4 ,improving ,uncovered ,subsoil4 ,what is the best treatment for spots that have been scraped in leveling for irrigation8 ,the land can be improved by plowing deeply and turning in stable manure or green alfalfa or any other vegetable matter which may decay1 rendering the soil rich in humus and more friable4 ,of course1 it will take some time to accomplish this improvement1 and it is necessary that there be moisture enough present to cause the material to decay in order that the improvement may be secured4 ,sand for ,clay ,soils4 ,will beach sand do adobe or clay soil any good8 ,it gets hard at times and ,i thought that if ,i was to put beach sand in the ground the salt in the sand would do the ground harm4 ,it is certainly desirable to mix sand with heavy soil for the purpose of making it lighter - that is1 better drained and more friable and therefore improving it for the growth of plants4 ,sometimes beach sand contains a good deal of salt1 which1 however1 is readily removed by fresh water1 and sand hauled and exposed to the rains rapidly loses any excess of salt it may contain4 ,probably with such an amount of sand as you are likely to use to mix with your adobe1 there is no danger at all from salt4 ,even if such sand should contain considerable salt1 if applied at the beginning of the rainy season it would be so quickly distributed as to not constitute a menace to the growth of plants4 ,the worst adobe can be transformed into a most beautiful garden soil by the application of sand and stable manure4 ,plowing from or ,towards4 ,which is the proper way to plow an orchard8 ,first to plow to the trees and then to plow from them1 or to plow from the trees and then to them1 and your reasons8 ,i have had many arguments with my neighbor farmers4 ,there is difference of opinion everywhere as to whether the first plowing should be toward or away from the trees4 ,in places where the soil is pretty heavy and the rainfall is apt to be quite large1 plowing toward the trees and opening a dead furrow near the center seems to promote rapid distribution of surplus water4 ,if the rainfall is less and arrangements for deep penetration are more necessary1 the plowing can well be away from the trees1 so as to direct the water toward the row4 ,it is1 of course1 exceedingly important in this case1 that the land should be worked back before it has a chance to dry out by exposure and this is one of the chief objections to the practice1 because one is apt to let the land lie away from the trees1 hoping for a late rain which may not come4 ,whatever theoretical advantages there may be in either of these methods1 they can only be secured by the greatest care to avoid the dangers which attend them4 ,this uncertainty is the reason why people so generally disagree as to which is the best practice1 and they are right in disagreeing4 ,dry ,plowing and ,sowing4 ,i dry-plowed my grain field to a depth averaging seven inches2 it turned up very rough4 ,i then disked and harrowed it1 but it is still very rough4 ,i intended to drill the seed1 wait for sufficient rain1 and harrow to a satisfactory condition1 but have been advised to put no implement on after the drill1 as a harrow would spoil the work done by the drill1 and a slab or roller would cause the ground to bake4 ,if ,i wait for rain to work the soil before drilling1 it will bring the seeding too late4 ,you have probably done a pretty good job of dry work4 ,if the land is still too rough for the drill1 we should broadcast and harrow again4 ,it is not desirable to harrow after the drill1 and to roll or rub is likely to smooth too much1 because the land would bake or crust after the heavy rains4 ,this would cause loss of moisture and it is therefore better to leave the surface a little rough4 ,you can roll lightly after the grain is up1 if the surface seems to need closing a little4 ,artesian ,water4 ,i have a large tract of adobe soil1 a black clay top soil4 ,for about five months in the year there is not sufficient water on the place4 ,i have sunk wells in different parts1 but with very poor results1 the further we went down the drier and harder the soil got4 ,what little water we did obtain was unfit for domestic use4 ,can you give me an idea as to what might be the result of an artesian well in such soil8 ,artesian water has nothing to do with the soils4 ,it is a deeper proposition than that4 ,artesian water comes from gravel strata overlaid with impervious layers of rock or clay in such a way that water in the gravel is under pressure because the gravel leads up and away to some point where water is poured into it by rain falling or snow melting on mountain or high plateau4 ,as the water cannot get out of this gravel until you punch a hole in its lid1 its effort will be to shoot up to something less than the elevation at which it gained entrance to this gravel - as soon as your puncture gives it a chance4 ,geologists who know the locality may be able to tell you that you have little or no chance1 but no one can tell you whether you have a good chance or not until he has tested the matter by boring4 ,the quality of the artesian water is determined by its distant source and the bad water you have found is therefore no indication of the quality of what may be below it4 ,no one should enter an artesian undertaking1 except to tap a stratum of known depth1 without a long purse4 ,probably one in a thousand of the bores made into the crust of the earth yields as many gallons of artesian water as gallons of various liquids used in boring it - and yet some of them are good wells to pump from because they pierce other strata carrying water1 but not under pressure causing it to rise4 ,treatment of ,alkali4 ,i am advised that in some cases alkali may be drained and that in others it is treated with gypsum4 ,gypsum is not a cure for alkali1 but simply a means of transforming black alkali into white1 which is less corrosive and therefore less destructive to plants1 but there may be easily too much white alkali present - so much that the land would be made sterile by it4 ,you cannot remove alkali by flooding unless two conditions can be assured3 first1 that the water itself is free from alkali before application to the land2 second1 that you underdrain the land at a depth of from three to four feet with tile1 so that the fresh water on the surface can flow through the soil into the drains1 carrying away from the land the alkali1 which it dissolves in its course4 ,to flood land even with fresh water without making arrangements for carrying off the alkali water below1 is to increase the alkali on the surface as the water evaporates1 and such treatment does land injury rather than benefit4 ,we cannot give you any estimate as to the cost of washing out4 ,it depends altogether upon local conditions3 whether you use hand work or machinery for the ditching1 and what your water will cost4 ,alkali1 ,gypsum and ,shade ,trees4 ,kindly advise how to apply gypsum1 and how much1 to heavy1 sticky soil1 the worst sort of adobe and heavily saturated with alkali4 ,we want to plant shade trees4 ,eucalyptus and peppers succeed fairly well after once started4 ,gypsum seems to help1 but ,i don't know how much to use4 ,the amount of gypsum required to neutralize black alkali depends upon how much black alkali there is to be neutralized1 and no definite amount1 therefore1 can be prescribed beforehand as sufficient without a determination of the amount of alkali4 ,in some experiments gypsum to the amount of thirty tons to the acre or more has been used just for the purpose of seeing how much the land would take1 and a fine growth of grain has been secured after using that much gypsum1 but that1 of course1 would be out of the question because the outlay would be more than the land or the crop would be worth4 ,in the planting of trees at some distance apart1 the tree can be protected from destruction and enabled to make a stand in the soil by using gypsum on the spot rather than the treatment of the whole surface4 ,in this way five or ten pounds of gypsum could be used by mixing with the soil to fill a good-sized hole4 ,distribution of ,alkali4 ,i am told by all the ranchers on the east and south sides of the valley that their wells are excellent4 ,but they all say that on the west side - they are bringing up alkali4 ,one also said that the water level was rising throughout all the valley4 ,is it safe to depend on this in part1 or will the alkali spread over all the valley and the foothills8 ,it is not unusual to find people who predict the rise of alkali almost anywhere except on their own premises4 ,no one can exactly tell where alkali will go1 because no one has complete knowledge of the water movement in underlying strata4 ,wherever the ground water rises on lower levels because of irrigation on higher levels there is danger of the rising of the alkali1 for which the only cure is underdrainage with tile so that this rising water is carried to an outflow and not allowed to approach within three or four feet of the surface4 ,if you have such an outflow and desire to undertake the expense of tiling1 you can insure yourself against a serious rise of alkali indefinitely4 ,we do not see1 however1 how alkali can rise to the higher lands of the valley4 ,its first effect would be to make lakes or ponds in the lowest parts of the valley1 and even then the surrounding mesa lands would not be injured4 ,plants ,will ,tell ,about ,alkali4 ,please give information as to the application of gypsum to my soil which is somewhat alkaline4 ,i do not care to have an analysis made of my soil1 and believe that you can advise me without it4 ,if your soil is too alkaline for the growth of plants you can demonstrate that fact by experiment1 or if it is capable of being used by the application of gypsum1 that also can be determined by experiment and noting the behavior of the same plants afterwards4 ,it is rather a slow process but it is sure enough4 ,litmus and ,alkali4 ,is there any simple soil test for alkali that can be made without a chemical analysis8 ,you can ascertain the presence of alkali by using red litmus paper1 which will be turned blue by the alkali in the soil1 if the soil is moist enough4 ,this does not determine the amount of alkali1 but the quickness of the turning to the blue color and the depth of the color are both attained when the alkali is very strong4 ,when there is less alkali1 the reaction is slower and weaker4 ,this test1 however1 gives you only a rough idea whether the soil is suitable for growing plants4 ,you can tell that better by the appearance of the plants which you find4 ,any druggist can furnish the litmus paper1 and give you a demonstration of how it acts on contact with alkali4 ,using ,gypsum for ,alkali4 ,is it better1 to kill the black alkali in the soil with gypsum1 just to scatter it over an alkalied spot or to plow the soil first and then use the gypsum8 ,i am going to sow alfalfa4 ,use the gypsum after plowing1 for it will wet down more quickly1 and the gypsum has to be dissolved to act freely4 ,the best way to cure your spot is to run an underdrain into it1 if possible1 so the rain-water can run through the soil freely and take the alkali with it4 ,blasting or ,tiling4 ,in planting trees where hardpan is four feet from the surface is it necessary to blast the hardpan1 or is there no benefit derived by the blasting8 ,if there should be a good available soil under a shallow layer of hardpan1 which you say is four feet from the surface1 it might be of considerable advantage to bore into the hardpan and explode a dynamite cartridge in it4 ,but if your good soil is really only four feet deep and hardpan continuous below1 the blast might cause fissures which would prevent standing water in the upper stratum4 ,if you are sure of four feet of good soil above the hardpan you will have no difficulty in growing good trees1 if you get the moisture just right and the hardpan slopes in such a way that surplus moisture will move away4 ,if1 however1 you have hardpan at different depths on the tract1 so that it may really make basins which will hold water1 you are likely to have trouble from accumulations of water which will not only prevent the roots extending to the full depths of the soil1 but will also cause some trees to die4 ,such a danger could be removed by draining the soil to a depth of three and a half or four feet with tile1 in order to prevent accumulations at any point4 ,this would be expensive perhaps1 but you would be sure that you had rendered your four feet of soil safe and available4 ,if you trust to blasting you will have to wait several years for the trees to tell you whether you helped them or not4 ,effects of ,blasting4 ,i have land which is underlaid with hardpan two or three feet deep and this in turn is underlaid with sand or sandpan4 ,what ,i would like to know is whether blasting the holes before setting trees would allow more moisture coming from this sandpan1 or1 rather1 what effect it would have as to moisture4 ,we do not know4 ,it might make the soil better for the trees by allowing escape for surplus water through previous layers4 ,it might allow the tree to root more deeply for moisture in those strata4 ,it might allow water to rise from such strata if they have water under pressure4 ,it might do other things good or bad1 according to conditions prevailing under the hardpan4 ,if you are to irrigate the land the effects would probably be good4 ,the ,sub-soil ,plow4 ,i am contemplating using a sub-soil plow for the purpose of breaking plow-sole on grain land4 ,this is about #d #a_/b inches below the surface and is about #e inches thick4 ,this soil is comparatively loose and seems to be of good quality4 ,do you think that the sub-soil plow run low enough to break this plow-sole will benefit the land8 ,there can be no question about the benefit of breaking up this tight stratum1 provided you use a long-tooth harrow or a subsoil packer afterward to reduce the land so that it will not be too open to loss of moisture by too free circulation of air4 ,the best way to treat such a soil would be to use a tractor and plow to a full foot of depth1 for this1 followed by good harrowing1 would disintegrate the hard stuff and commingle it with the loose surface soil and make it somewhat more retentive - doing this when the moisture is just right for disintegration and mixing4 ,if you are not ready to go to this expense1 a subsoiler1 following the plow with another team1 would put your land in better shape for dry farming or for irrigation than it is now4 ,starting late1 however1 might give you less crop the first year on such deep working than by shallow plowing if the year's rainfall should be scant4 ,it would1 however1 be a good start for summer-fallowing and a big crop the next year4 ,sour ,soil4 ,what is sour soil8 ,is that the name by which it is commonly known1 and what is the treatment for it8 ,sour soil is soil in which an acid is developed by plant decay and exclusion of air4 ,the proper treatment is the application of lime1 and aeration by open tillage and underdrainage4 ,old ,plaster for ,sour ,land4 ,can house plaster be used in reclaiming sour ground and how much per acre8 ,the ground produces some sour grass - not a great deal4 ,the plaster is from an old building that is being torn down4 ,house plaster is desirable as an application to land which is sour4 ,it also adds to the mellowness of land which is hard1 because of the sand contained in it4 ,it has always been considered a good dressing for garden land4 ,so far as the correction of sourness goes1 it is much less active than fresh lime1 but it acts in the same way to a limited extent4 ,it is certainly worth using1 providing it does not cost too much for delivery1 and can be freely used if the land is heavy and needs friability4 ,application of ,manure ,ashes4 ,having recently got a lot of manure plentifully supplied with redwood shavings that had been used with the bedding1 and being afraid to use the same in that shape1 as it takes such a long time for the wood to rot1 ,i reduced the pile to a heap of ashes4 ,how can it be best applied to ornamental trees and shrubbery in a light gravelly soil8 ,you have done unwisely in burning the manure4 ,we would have taken the risk of a single use of shavings for the sake of the manurial matter associated with them1 and this risk of too much lightening of a gravelly soil would be especially small in connection with deep rooting plants like ornamental trees and shrubbery4 ,you have left merely the skeleton of the manure1 and much of that of doubtful solubility1 if the temperature ran very high by burning in a mass4 ,you need not be fearful about using these ashes4 ,scatter or spread them over the ground just as you would have spread the manure1 let the rains dissolve and carry down what they can and go on with your usual methods of cultivation4 ,the ,best ,fertilizer for ,sand4 ,how can ,i best fertilize soil that is pure sand8 ,the best fertilizer for pure sand is well-rotted stable manure1 because it not only supplies all kinds of plant food1 but increases the humus in the soil1 which is exceedingly important in making the sand more retentive of moisture as well as more productive4 ,fertilizers in ,tree ,holes4 ,would it be harmful to add #b or #c pounds of steamed bone meal to the hole of a young tree just before planting8 ,there would be no injury1 providing you mix it with a considerable amount of soil by digging over the bottom of the hole1 but our conviction is that on lands which are good enough for the commercial planting of fruit trees1 it is not necessary to stimulate a young tree in this way1 but that it is better to postpone the use of fertilizers until the trees come into bearing and show the desirability of more liberal feeding4 ,of course1 if young trees do not make satisfactory growth1 they may be stimulated either with some kind of a fertilizer or with a freer use of water1 and it is generally the latter that they are chiefly in need of4 ,wood ,ashes and ,tomatoes4 ,is there any harm to vegetable growing to dig sufficient of wood ashes in for mellowing heavy soil8 ,my tomato plants grew splendidly this year1 but the fruits were all rough and wrinkled4 ,i gave them plenty of horse and poultry manure at planting and plenty of wood ashes and falling leaves of cypress later4 ,wood ashes do not mellow a heavy soil4 ,the effect of the potash is to overcome the granular structure and increase compactness4 ,coal ashes1 because they are coarser in particles and devoid of potash1 do promote mellowness1 and are valuable mechanically on a heavy soil although they do not contain appreciable amounts of plant food4 ,you are overfeeding your tomato plants1 probably4 ,the chances are that you had poor seed4 ,there is no best tomato1 because you ought to grow early and late kinds3 there is also some difference in the behavior of varieties in different places4 ,was ,it the ,potash or the ,water8 ,last year the lye from the prune dipper was turned on the ground near two almond trees which seemed to be dying1 and to my surprise they have taken a new lease of life4 ,hence my conclusion that potash was good for our soil4 ,your experience seems to justify the application of potash1 surely1 but the question still remains1 how much good the potash did the trees1 and how much they needed the extra water which the waste dips supplied4 ,it would be desirable for you to make another experiment with other trees1 applying wood ashes1 if you have them1 or about four pounds per tree of the potash which you use for dipping1 scattering well and working it into the soil after it is moistened by the rains1 and not using any more water than the trees ordinarily received from rainfall4 ,after this trial you will be in a position to know whether your trees need potash or irrigation - by comparing with other trees adjacent4 ,besides are you sure that your lye dip was caustic potash and not caustic soda8 ,the latter has no fertilizing value4 ,prunings as ,fertilizer4 ,is orchard and vineyard brush worth enough as a fertilizer to pay for cutting or breaking and putting back on the land8 ,we should say not4 ,it takes too much labor to put it in any form to promote decay1 and is even then too indestructible4 ,it is also possible that its decay may induce root rot of trees4 ,we should burn the stuff and spread the ashes4 ,vineyard prunings are more promising because more easily and quickly reduced by decay4 ,vinecane-hashers have been proposed from time to time1 but we do not know anyone who long used them4 ,gypsum on ,grain ,land4 ,is there any profit in sowing gypsum on grain land1 say on wheat or oat crop8 ,at what stage should it be applied and in what quantity8 ,it would have a tendency to make the surface more friable and therefore better for moisture retention1 and it could be used at the rate of #ajjj pounds to the acre1 broadcasted before plowing for grain4 ,as our soils are1 however1 usually well supplied with lime1 there is a question whether there would be any profit in the use of gypsum1 for1 aside from lime1 it contains no plant food1 although it does act rather energetically upon other coil contents4 ,gypsum is a tonic and not a fertilizer from that point of view4 ,the best way to satisfy yourself of its effect would be to try a small area1 marked so as you could note its behavior as compared with the rest of the field4 ,gypsum and ,alfalfa4 ,what is gypsum composed of8 ,is it detrimental to land in future years8 ,have the lands of ,california any black alkali in them8 ,i notice my neighbors who sow gypsum on their alfalfa get a very much better yield of hay than those who do not4 ,gypsum is sulphate of lime4 ,it is not detrimental to the land in after years except that its action is to render immediately available other plant foods and this may render the land poorer - not by the addition of anything that is injurious but by the quicker using up of plant food which it already contains4 ,black alkali is very common in ,california in alkali lands4 ,in lands which show their quality by good cropping1 there is no reason to apprehend black alkali nor to use gypsum to prevent its occurrence4 ,the use of gypsum does stimulate the growth of alfalfa and makes its product greater just as you observe in the experience of your neighbors1 but the more they use up the land now the less they will have later1 unless they resort to regular fertilization to restore what has been exhausted4 ,but even that may be a good business proposition4 ,what ,gypsum ,does4 ,i intend to fertilize alfalfa and should like to know about gypsum4 ,i have heard it stimulates the growth temporarily but in three or four years hurts the land4 ,i have heavy land4 ,the functions of gypsum are3 7a7 to supply lime when the soil lacks it2 7b7 to make a heavy soil more mellow1 and 7c7 to act upon other soil substances to render them more available for plant food4 ,these are some of the soil aspects of gypsum2 it may have plant aspects also4 ,it is too much to say that gypsum hurts the land2 it does1 however1 help the plant to more quickly exhaust its fertility1 and in this respect is not like the direct plant foods which comprise the true fertilizers - one of which gypsum is not4 ,it might be best for your pocketbook and for the mechanical condition of the soil to use it1 but do not think that it is maintaining the fertility of the land 7a service which we expect from the true fertilizers7 except as it may supply a possible deficiency of lime4 ,how ,much ,gypsum8 ,how much per acre1 how frequently and what seasons of the year are the best time to apply gypsum8 ,of gypsum on alkali1 we should begin at the rate of one ton to the acre and repeat the application as frequently as necessary to achieve the desired result4 ,if the alkali was quite strong we would use twice as much4 ,without reference to an alkaline condition in the soil1 and to give heavy soil a more friable character1 which promotes cultivation1 aeration1 etc41 and1 therefore1 ministers to more successful production1 half a ton to the acre can be used1 applications to be repeated as conditions seem to warrant it4 ,wood ,ashes in the ,garden4 ,there is available in my neighborhood a free supply of wood ashes4 ,can you tell me how best to distribute the same in a garden 7flowers and garden truck71 and what1 if any1 treatment is to be given the ashes for the best results4 ,wood ashes long exposed to rain lose most of their valuable contents1 and leached ashes are only of small value4 ,if they are fresh ashes or ashes which have been kept dry1 they are chiefly valuable for potash1 which is good in its way1 but not all that a plant needs4 ,if1 however1 your soil is shy of potash1 the use of ashes will notably improve growth if not applied in excess in the caustic form in which it occurs in the ashes4 ,they require no treatment4 ,spread1 say1 a quarter of an inch thickness all over the ground and dig in deeply4 ,it may also help you by destruction of wire worms and other ground pests4 ,coal ,ashes in the ,garden4 ,what is the effect of coal ashes on the red clay soil of ,redlands or wood and coal ashes combined8 ,coal ashes are exceedingly desirable upon clay land because their mechanical mixture with the fine particles of the clay renders the soil more friable1 permeable and better adapted to the growth of most plants4 ,coal ashes1 however1 possess no fertilizing value - their action is merely mechanical4 ,the wood ashes which may be combined with them are desirable as a source of potash which most plants require4 ,liming a ,chicken ,yard4 ,i have a small family orchard of half an acre1 fenced in as a chicken yard1 the soil of which has become very foul4 ,when would be the best time to apply lime and how much8 ,put on #ejj pounds of lime and plow under as soon as you can - that is1 spread the lime just before the plowing1 with a shower or two on the lime before plowing1 if the weather runs that way4 ,poultry ,manure4 ,give directions for using chicken manure4 ,for use of young trees1 is there any difference in treatment of deciduous and citrus trees8 ,for use in the vegetable garden and the flower garden1 what should be mixed with it and in what proportions8 ,so many people say poultry manure is so strong1 ,i am afraid to use it4 ,it is a fact that poultry manure1 free from earth1 contains even as high as four times as much plant food as ordinary stable manure4 ,it is1 therefore1 to be used with proportional care1 so that the plants shall not receive too much1 and particularly so that there may not be too much collected in one place4 ,probably the best way to guard against this is to thoroughly mix the manure with three or four times its bulk of ordinary garden soil and then use this mixture at about the same rate you would stable manure4 ,if you do not desire to go to all this trouble1 make an even scattering of the manure and work it into the soil4 ,there is no reason to fear the material2 simply guard against the unwise use of it4 ,it is good for all the plants which you mention2 in fact1 for any plant grown1 provided it is sparingly and evenly distributed4 ,it should be pulverized so that there shall not be lumps and masses in the same place for fear of root injury4 ,of course1 the strength depends upon how much earth is gathered up with the manure4 ,sometimes there is so much waste material that it can be handled just as ordinary farm manure is4 ,we should not use over #bj pounds of clean droppings to a young tree and should mix it with the soil for a considerable distance around the tree4 ,old bearing trees might stand two or three tons to the acre if distributed all over the ground4 ,the material contains everything that is necessary for the growth of the tree and formation of the fruit4 ,ashes and ,poultry ,manure4 ,it is said that ashes mixed with chicken manure is not good4 ,i use ashes altogether on the drop boards because ,i can keep the boards cleaner4 ,the refuse is then scattered around the fruit trees4 ,wood ashes and lime should never be used as you propose1 because they set free the nitrogen compounds which are the most valuable content of poultry manures4 ,this action is conditioned largely upon the presence of moisture1 and if the droppings are kept dry and hurried into the soil the loss is lessened4 ,coal ashes1 on the other hand1 are a thoroughly good absorbent when the coal burns to a fine ash or is sifted4 ,they do not act as wood ashes do1 because they do not contain soluble alkali4 ,they also have a good mellowing effect on heavy soil4 ,caustic ,lime ,not a ,good ,absorbent4 ,would air-slackened lime be suitable to sprinkle over the dropping boards in hen houses8 ,gypsum is greatly superior to air-slacked lime for the hen houses1 as it has every beneficial effect of the latter1 while the air-slacked lime will set free much of the fertilizing value of the manure1 which the gypsum will not do4 ,too ,much ,chicken ,manure for ,young ,trees4 ,i have peach trees and apple trees1 #c to #f years old1 that are very thrifty but grow only wood4 ,the soil was poor when planting1 and ,i have put on plenty of sweepings from the chicken-yards4 ,i suppose that is the cause of the trouble4 ,undoubtedly you have overmanured your soil with chicken manure1 which is a very strong fertilizer and should only be used in limited quantities4 ,in order to counteract any acidity or ill effects which have been produced by its excessive application1 it would be desirable for you to apply about #ejj to #ajjj pounds per acre of common builders' lime at the beginning of the rainy season1 working it into the soil with the fall or early winter plowing4 ,do not cut back the tree during the dormant season1 although1 of course1 you may have to remove surplus or interfering branches for the sake of shaping the tree4 ,winter pruning induces a greater wood growth during the following summer2 therefore1 it should be avoided under such conditions as you describe4 ,having adopted such a policy1 there is nothing for you to do but to wait for the trees to slow down and assume a normal bearing habit proper for their ages4 ,summer pruning is an offset for excessive wood growth4 ,suburban ,wastes4 ,we keep a cow and poultry and have a dry-earth toilet4 ,we have been burying the manure in the little garden spot or along by the fences or spreading it out on the alfalfa before it is rotted1 but do not get good results4 ,how shall we apply it to get the best results 8 ,we have a town ordinance against leaving it in piles to rot4 ,you can compost it in a tight bin made of planks1 and using enough water to prevent too rapid fermentation and loss of valuable ingredients4 ,during the dry season you can probably use enough dry earth or road dust to render the material inoffensive1 and you can also distribute it then without undesirable results4 ,composting ,garden ,wastes4 ,you recommend making a compost of all scrapings1 garbage1 weeds1 etc4 ,is there any danger in having this in a pit near the house8 ,if you desire to put garden wastes1 including manure1 into a pit1 the only objection would be the heavy work of digging it out again4 ,if you allow waste water from the house to run into the pit1 there would probably be not enough dry material to absorb it1 and the pit would be not only objectionable on account of odors1 but possibly dangerous to health4 ,the water would also prevent decomposition1 because of exclusion of air4 ,at the same time1 enough moisture to promote slow decomposition is essential4 ,it is usually more convenient to compost garden wastes on the surface of the ground1 enclosing them with a plank retainer1 because moisture can easily be applied with a hose1 as desirable1 the material can be occasionally forked over to promote decay1 and the heavy work of digging material out of a pit is avoided4 ,such a collection is neither offensive nor dangerous if handled right4 ,composting ,manure4 ,will the dry barnyard manure1 when heaped up and dampened with water1 make a valuable fertilizer8 ,for garden use1 dry manure in heaps should be dampened with water from time to time so as to prevent too active fermentation4 ,of course1 water should not be supplied so freely as to cause a leaching of the pile4 ,it is also desirable that the material should be forked over from time to time to distribute moisture and promote decay4 ,when this is done a thoroughly first-class fertilizer is produced4 ,barnyard ,manure and ,alkali4 ,in spots my land is hard and has some black alkali4 ,will barnyard manure help the hard land if cultivated in8 ,use stable manure because that would not only furnish nitrogen1 if your plants need any more1 but it would add coarse material and ultimately humus which would overcome the tendency of your soil to become compact and thus concentrate alkali near the surface by evaporation4 ,mellow the soil1 increase the humus1 make water movement freer and good cultivation easier and alkali will become weaker by distribution through a greater mass of the soil and may be too weak at any point to be troublesome1 unless you have too much to start with4 ,put on manure at the beginning of the rainy season and plow it under1 with all the green stuff which grows upon it1 during the winter or early spring4 ,stable ,manure and ,bean ,straw4 ,what are the approximate contents of common stable manure2 also1 how much of the above is contained in bean straw8 ,the composition of mixed stable manure is given as containing in one ton3 ,nitrogen1 #aj pounds2 phosphoric acid1 #e pounds2 potash1 #aj pounds4 ,the constituents of bean straw in one ton1 are given as3 ,nitrogen1 #bh pounds2 phosphoric acid1 #f pounds2 potash1 #ch pounds2 ,of course1 a large part of the difference in composition is due to the excessive amount of moisture which ordinary stable manure contains4 ,air dried stable manure1 such as is found in a ,california corral1 would have much higher fertilizing value than such moist manure as an ,eastern chemist would be likely to handle4 ,roofing a ,manure ,pit4 ,is it necessary to roof a manure pit1 if the pit is tight so that all rain on manure is caught in the liquid manure and nothing is lost8 ,to secure satisfactory composting of stable manures in a pit it is necessary to be able to regulate the moisture of the mass4 ,if it becomes too dry1 too rapid fermentation takes place and the material is destroyed by what is called fire-fanging4 ,if too much liquid enters the pit1 so that the material is submerged1 the air is excluded and fermentation stops4 ,for these reasons it is necessary that a pit in the region of large rainfall be covered1 and water be used from a hose or other source of supply in just sufficient quantity to keep the material right for slow fermentation4 ,how much water should be added to bring the moisture to a right condition depends upon how much liquid waste runs into the pit1 and where water is used for cleaning a stable care has to be taken that the pit is not submerged4 ,success with a pit is1 therefore1 conditioned on the amount of moisture admitted1 and this cannot be controlled unless the pit has a cover fit to shed rainfall4 ,of course1 it may be adjustable so that some rainfall may be admitted as may be desirable4 ,value of ,animals in ,manure4 ,in the operation of our fruit and dairy ranch we have the manure from some forty head of horses and cattle1 which is distributed over the place4 ,we cut our alfalfa and feed it and do very little pasturing4 ,in order to give our dairy the proper credit1 we would kindly ask what you consider a fair price for the manure of a cow for one year4 ,also what would the manure from a horse for one year be worth8 ,a compilation of a considerable number of weighings1 analyses and valuations in ,europe1 cited by ,prof4 ,roberts in his book on the ,fertility of the ,land1 gives an average value of the voidings of a cow for a year as #cb4be and of a horse at #bd4jf4 ,this is based1 of course1 upon the collection and saving of all excrements which is never secured except in careful experimentation4 ,the value of manure depends upon the quality of the feed4 ,in two experiments1 considered a safe substitute for the straw1 apart from the fact that the gave a value in manure of #a per ton of hay fed2 cows fed on clover and bran gave value in manure of #c4hj per ton of mixed feed4 ,your alfalfa feeding would approach the higher value4 ,you will have to make an estimate from the above data to serve your purpose and you can figure it either by the number of animals or by the tonnage of the feed4 ,value of ,fresh and ,dry ,manure4 ,what is the relative value of the weekly or semi-weekly corral scrapings which are tramped fine and air-dried2 and of the fresh1 wet manure from the stable8 ,i do not understand that the latter has appreciable water added1 and the amount of sand in the corral scrapings would be small4 ,fresh1 mixed animal manure is usually calculated to contain about #ge per cent of water4 ,manure which has been quickly dried1 without fermentation and without leaching by rains1 may be worth four or five times as much per ton4 ,nothing1 however1 short of analysis would determine the value of any particular lot1 for that depends somewhat upon the way the animals are fed1 as well as upon the moisture content4 ,shavings in ,stable ,manure4 ,is barnyard fertilizer containing shavings instead of straw1 desirable8 ,barnyard manure containing shavings is chiefly objectionable because of the amount of inert material4 ,the shavings are exceedingly slow to decompose1 and in light soil in considerable quantities would cause a serious loss of moisture4 ,if applied1 on the other hand1 to a heavy soil and accompanied by sufficient irrigation water1 the effect of making the soil more friable might be very desirable4 ,it depends then upon circumstances whether shavings can be concited by ,prof4 ,snyder in his ,soils and ,fertilizers1 cows fed on hay straw is more valuable not only because more easily decomposed1 but because its content of plant food is greater4 ,handling ,grape ,pomace4 ,in the case of grape pomace1 would not the large value shown by analysis be chiefly in the seeds8 ,my observation is that these are exceedingly slow to became available in the soil4 ,would composting break down the shell of the seed8 ,grape pomace is slowly available because of the slow disintegration you mention4 ,it could be hastened by drying and grinding1 but we doubt if this or other treatment would return its cost4 ,decay by moisture promoted by composting with manure1 kept at a low temperature by continuous moisture would render it sooner available1 but this would involve labor which1 at our wage rates1 would probably make the material cost more than it is worth4 ,this is probably a cost in which time is cheaper than money4 ,sheep and ,goat ,manure4 ,i can buy goat manure from an inclosure where this is deposited to an amount of about five carloads4 ,will goat manure be of great value in fertilizing an orchard8 ,if so1 how much of it should be spread an an acre8 ,accumulations of sheep and goat manure in a dry situation1 that is1 where not leached out by heavy rainfall1 have been found to run as high as #ac per ton in fertilizing constituents4 ,the average would1 however1 be not above #g4ej1 and would depend not only upon the unleached condition of the material but upon the amount of sand mixed with it4 ,if it is in a situation where sand blows very freely1 it might not be worth over #d or #e per ton1 possibly not that much4 ,you have1 therefore1 to deal with a condition largely unknown4 ,so far as its fertilizing quality goes1 however1 it is freely available and directly calculated to stimulate the growth of plants1 and probably four or five tons could be used to the acre without injury if well distributed over the surface of the land4 ,application can be made at any time of the year1 for the drying will not injure it4 ,it will not1 however1 become available until the soil is sufficiently moist to carry its contents to the roots of the plants4 ,under ordinary conditions in ,california1 application should be made just before the beginning of the rainy season4 ,hog ,manure and ,potatoes4 ,what is the fertilizing value of hog manure1 and also what is the best fertilizer to use for potatoes8 ,our potatoes are planted early in ,january4 ,hog manure is rather a rank and strong fertilizer1 usually very rich1 although the quality of it depends upon how well the hogs have been fed - that from grain-fed hogs being notably better4 ,the valuation of hog manure ranges from #b4ej to #c4be per ton1 according to the feeding as noted1 while ordinary stable manure may be worth from #b to #b4ge per ton4 ,it is not a good idea to apply these organic manures directly for the growth of potatoes4 ,it is better to apply them to the land for the growth of a grain or forage crop1 plowing in the stubble and using the land for potatoes the following year4 ,if you wish to fertilize directly for potatoes1 the use of a commercial fertilizer containing a good amount of potash would be a better proposition4 ,fertilizer for ,sweet ,potatoes and ,melons4 ,i have sandy soil that has been used for sweet potatoes until it is worn out for that crop1 and would like your advice as to the best fertilizer to use4 ,also1 what fertilizer would be best for melons on land that has been planted to melons for the past three years8 ,there is not much difference in the plant food required by the two crops you mention1 but both evidently need a freshened soil and an increase of humus4 ,we should apply a half ton to the acre of a complete fertilizer1 of which any dealer can give you descriptions and prices4 ,if you wish to do a good job1 start a growth of peas or vetches or burr clover1 and sow the fertilizer evenly with the seed4 ,plow the growth under in ,february and roll 7as the soil is sandy7 to close down and promote the decay of the green stuff1 which ought to be so well accomplished by the date that it is safe to plant sweet potatoes or melons that it will give no trouble in summer cultivation4 ,an ,abuse of ,grape ,pomace4 ,i got in an argument with a neighbor of mine who stated that grape pomace is not a fertilizer4 ,is it so8 ,my neighbor says that two years ago he had two apricot trees in his yard1 and they were fine bearing and healthy trees4 ,after making his wine he put the pomace on the ground and they died4 ,could that be the cause8 ,yes1 probably4 ,he used too much fresh pomace and the resulting fermentation of its products may have killed the trees4 ,but grape pomace1 after going through fermentation and in the process of decay1 makes humus in addition to giving potash and other desirable substances to the soil4 ,manuring ,vineyard4 ,does barnyard manure have any injurious effect on the vines if applied on my vineyard8 ,one of my neighbors claims barnyard manure burned his vines so he got no crop wherever he spread the manure1 and nothing would now induce him to use it again4 ,barnyard manure can be safely used in a vineyard at the beginning of the rainy season1 working it in with the plowing1 but not using too much4 ,wine grapes are sometimes injuriously affected in flavor by the use of such fertilizer1 but the growth of the vine itself can be stimulated by the rational use of it4 ,your neighbor apparently either used too much or made the application at the beginning of the dry season or made some other mistake4 ,bones for ,grape ,vines4 ,i am going to plant out some grape vines1 and would like to know if it is a good plan to put old bones1 broken up fine1 into the holes when planting4 ,yes1 if you do not use too much and it is mixed with earth1 a little beyond the touch of the roots at planting4 ,you do not need to finely break the bones4 ,the roots will take care of that4 ,but do not put in too much coarse stuff1 for fear of causing too rapid drainage4 ,reviving ,blighted ,trees4 ,i have a couple of apple trees here that were hurt by the pear blight three years ago and were cut back since then2 they come out each year1 but the leaves curl up1 and they do not do anything4 ,i would like to know if putting any fertilizer around them would help them to put out their leaves1 and if so what ,i should use8 ,put some stable manure on the top of the soil around your trees now so that the rains may reach the contents of the soil1 then later in the season dig the manure into the soil4 ,apply water during the summer time and this will encourage the trees to grow1 if there is any vigor remaining in them4 ,this treatment1 however1 will not protect them from the blight4 ,fertilizing ,pear ,orchard4 ,i have pear trees #ae years old which have fruited heavily for years and have never been fertilized4 ,what is the best fertilizer for the soil which is heavy1 and when is the best time to apply it8 ,i intend planting rye to plow under in the spring1 but thought possibly the fertilizer should be applied first4 ,if you have stable manure available1 nothing could be better for the feeding of the trees and for its mellowing effect upon your heavy soil4 ,application can be made at once1 to be worked into the land when the rye is sown4 ,it will help the trees and give you more rye which in the end will help the trees4 ,if you have no stable manure available1 what is called by the dealers a complete fertilizer for orchard purposes is what you should use and apply it when you work the land for rye4 ,fertilizing ,olives4 ,what is the best means of fertilizing an olive orchard8 ,my orchard gives me a perfect quality of oil1 but a poor quantity4 ,my soil is dry calcareous1 red and gray1 and is very thin in places1 therefore1 it lacks moisture4 ,an olive orchard can be fertilized with stable manure or with a complete fertilizer1 or with the special brands of different manufacturers of special fruit fertilizers4 ,but you must be sure that your trees do not need moisture more than they need fertilizers1 for without adequate moisture fertilizers cannot do their best work4 ,the increase of the humus content of the soil1 either secured by stable manure or by the plowing under of winter-grown cover crops1 is desirable1 as they not only give the trees more plant food1 but make the soil also more retentive of moisture4 ,you will have to experiment along this line to see just what is best for your trees4 ,consult the ,trees4 ,can ,i send you a little soil out of my one-year-old pear orchard so that you can advise me what ,i can do to improve its fertility4 ,the trees are fairly thrifty1 but as fruit growing is my pleasure ,i wish to make it a model orchard and add whatever it requires of nitrogen1 humus1 etc41 immediately so as to increase the growth for this summer4 ,next winter ,i intend to put manure around them and cultivate about every other month4 ,careful experimenting with fertilizers will teach you more than analysis would do1 because the behavior of the tree under various conditions tells you more than a chemist possibly could4 ,besides1 we are of the conviction that on good soils young fruit trees should not be pushed beyond the growth which they would naturally make with a regular and adequate moisture supply4 ,be careful about using fertilizers on young trees1 either in the summer or in the winter4 ,when they come to bearing age and yield large crops of fruit1 that is another question4 ,any ,california soil which will not grow young fruit trees thriftily should not be used for orchard purposes unless an amateur desires to grow trees on a picturesque lot of rocks or sand4 ,results of ,fertilizing ,olives4 ,we have #ajj acres in olives about six miles northeast of ,rialto in ,san ,bernardino county4 ,in #aijh we got about five tons from the #ajj acres4 ,we began fertilizing and cultivating in #aiji1 and have put on the #ajj acres about the same amount of fertilizer each year4 ,in #aiji we got #ae tons2 in #aiaj1 #aaf tons1 and #aiaa is estimated at #cbe to #cej tons4 ,it is important that your olive trees are responding to good treatment and fertilization4 ,unfortunately1 that does not seem to be always the case and a good many olive trees have been made into firewood because nothing seemed to bring them into satisfactory bearing4 ,good bearing olive trees are now among the very best of our horticultural properties1 while non-bearing olive trees are worth about #g a cord for fire wood4 ,nursery ,fertilizers4 ,i have light sandy loam1 well drained4 ,it has been in blackberries1 and ,i now have it planted to nursery fruit tree stock4 ,i have given it this spring two applications of nitrate of soda1 but no other fertilizer4 ,will the nitrate act alone1 or must ,i apply also the phosphate and potash to get results8 ,nitrate of soda will act alone and will stimulate growth1 and there are cases in which there is enough phosphate and potash already in the soil to act with it4 ,usually1 however1 it is customary to use a complete fertilizer containing phosphate and potash as well as nitrogen1 in order that the plant may be more roundly supplied and promoted1 and one would be a little safer in using that sort of fertilizer than in relying upon the nitrate of soda alone4 ,you will1 of course1 be careful not to use these fertilizers in too large amounts1 for nitrate of soda is especially dangerous if used in excess4 ,almond ,hulls and ,sawdust4 ,is there any fertilizing value in the hulls of almonds8 ,would pine sawdust from the lumber mills be a good substance to mix in and plow under in a three-acre adobe patch in order to loosen and lighten the soil for truck gardening8 ,almond hulls have considerable fertilizing value1 but they are slow to decompose1 and1 therefore1 may be a long time unused by the plant4 ,they also have a good feeding value for stock1 and if you can expose them in the corral so the stock can eat as they like1 this is the best way to get them into fertilizing form4 ,if they can be cheaply ground their availability as a fertilizer would1 of course1 be quickened4 ,redwood sawdust is better than pine sawdust1 but any kind of sawdust can be made to serve a good purpose in mellowing heavy soils if not used to excess and if there is plenty of moisture to promote decay4 ,fertilizing ,fruit ,trees4 ,i have an orchard of prunes1 apricots and cherries1 which has been bearing since some #cj years ago1 without fertilization1 except possibly muddy sediment from occasional irrigations of mountain streams4 ,various people are advocating the use of nitrates and other fertilizers4 ,should ,i have samples of this earth analyzed in order to ascertain what the soil most needs8 ,to find out whether your trees need fertilization1 study the tree and the product and do not depend upon chemical analysis of the soil4 ,if your trees are growing thriftily and have sufficiently goodsized leaves of good color1 and if fruit of good size and quality is obtained1 it is not necesssary to think of fertilization4 ,if the trees are not satisfactory in all these respects1 the first thing to do is to determine whether they have moisture enough during the later part of the summer4 ,this should be determined by digging or boring to a depth or three or four feet in ,july or ,august4 ,the subsoil should be reasonably moist in order to sustain the tree during the late summer and early fall when strong fruit buds for the coming year will be finished4 ,if you are sure the moisture supply is ample1 then fertilization either with stable manure or with commercial fertilizers containing especially nitrates and phosphates should be undertaken experimentally1 in accordance with suggestions for application made to you by dealers in these articles1 who are usually well informed by observation4 ,when you have the tree to advise you of the condition of the soil1 you do not need a chemist1 although if the tree manifests serious distress and is unable to make satisfactory growth the suggestions of a chemist may be very helpful4 ,fertilizing ,oranges4 ,what is the general and what do you consider the ideal1 manuring1 and when applied for orange trees from #ae to #ab years old under irrigation8 ,i use about #b cwt4 each of superphosphate1 nitrate of soda and sulphate of potash per acre1 but am dissatisfied with my yields as compared with yours in ,california4 ,there is not only no standard for fertilizing orange trees1 but there is no ideal which might be considered as a basis for a standard4 ,all growers who are awake to the necessity of doing something for bearing trees1 try all things and hold fast to what 7they think7 is good4 ,practically none of them has any enduring conviction or demonstration as to what is good1 but they keep on trying4 ,there is1 however1 one clear and enduring conviction1 and that is1 that continuous fertilizing must be done for profit1 and our best growers are using the same materials you mention in considerably larger amounts than you apply1 and use also other forms of nitrogenous fertilizers4 ,the amounts of superphosphate and nitrate which you use would be considered homeopathic treatment by our growers4 ,cow ,stable ,drainage for ,fruit4 ,i have been told that the drainings from a cow barn make an excellent fertilizer for orange and lemon trees1 in fact1 anywhere on plants where manure is considered beneficial4 ,the drainage from a cow barn is excellent for fertilizing almost any crop unless it is used in too large quantity4 ,if it should be combined with a considerable amount of water used for cleaning out the stable1 it would be excellent for the irrigation of all kinds of fruit trees4 ,care should be taken1 however1 not to oversaturate the ground1 which would be the case if the washing of the stable was allowed to run continuously alongside a single row of trees4 ,the water should be changed from row to row in succession1 cultivating the ground meantime to promote aeration and to prevent too great compacting of the soil4 ,seed ,farm ,refuse as a ,fertilizer4 ,would cleanings from sweet peas or all kinds of seeds grown on a seed farm be of any value as a fertilizer on sandy loam soil for an orchard8 ,this has been in a pile for three years or more1 and ,i can get it for the hauling4 ,there are a hundred loads or more of it and not very far to haul4 ,it would be worth more on a heavy soil1 because the danger of drying out would be less and the surety of reduction to humus greater4 ,to get the highest value from such stuff it should be composted with water and turning in heaps1 but that would occasion expense beyond value probably1 unless it could be composted with manure for market garden purposes4 ,the hauling might be good work for idle teams4 ,spread the stuff rather thinly to be covered in with fall plowing1 so that its decay could be promoted during the rainy season4 ,slow ,stuff as a ,fertilizer4 ,how can we use sawdust and shavings from our high school shop so as to combine it with street sweepings1 lawn cuttings1 etc41 and insure ready decay without objectionable features8 ,do not mix sawdust and shavings with lawn clippings and street sweepings1 because of the great difference in susceptibility to decay4 ,the lawn clippings and street sweepings1 which would contain considerable horse manure1 would be readily transformed into a good fertilizer by composting4 ,such treatment1 however1 would have no appreciable effect upon sawdust or shavings for a considerable period of time1 and they would still be too coarse in their character to be of any value unless you have to deal with heavy clay soil1 and in that case the sawdust and fine shavings might be dug in at once and trusted to decay slowly in the soil1 at the same time improving its friability by their coarser particles4 ,if1 however1 you are dealing with light sandy loam1 such coarse material would cause too rapid drying out and injure the plant1 which might be benefited by lawn clippings and street sweepings4 ,the best way to get rid of the sawdust and shavings is to set up an altar1 such as we have in our own backyard - a piece of an old boiler about two feet in diameter and two and a half feet high1 in which we currently burn all rubbish which is not available for quick composting into a fertilizer4 ,lime on ,sandy ,soil4 ,do you think #ejj pounds of lime per acre would help a sandy soil which has not been enriched by pasturing or legumes8 ,of course1 we would not apply the lime until next fall before plowing4 ,lime is not usually called for in a sandy soil1 which probably requires direct fertilizing with stable or commercial fertilizers4 ,lime on ,alfalfa4 ,what effect does putting lime on land have in holding moisture8 ,also1 will it pay to put it on a large field of alfalfa8 ,the land is adobe4 ,i can get slaked lime for the hauling1 distance being about five miles4 ,the lime will make the land more friable and1 therefore1 less disposed to bake and lose moisture by evaporation4 ,alfalfa is hungry for lime and is generally advanced by the application of it4 ,fertilizing ,alfalfa4 ,can new cow manure be put on alfalfa8 ,is not the best way to use the above as a fertilizer in form of liquid being run from barn via pipes to a settling-tank and from there via irrigation ditches to the land to be irrigated8 ,what is the best way to get rid of cow manure so as to keep a barn sanitary and the place free from stench8 ,cow manure can be used to advantage on alfalfa4 ,corrals can be cleaned up and the manure spread at the beginning of the rainy season4 ,during the winter the manure can be spread as it is produced and very good results will be noticed in the growth during the following summer4 ,it is perfectly rational for you to use the liquid fertilizer as you propose in connection with irrigation water1 but this is not generally done because of the cost of the outfit and the labor of handling the material in that way4 ,the best way to keep a barn sanitary is to keep it clean1 removing all the waste matter to a considerable distance daily1 allowing nothing to accumulate1 and have the stable drainage arranged so that the stable can be frequently flushed out into good drainage outlets1 carrying the water to grass or alfalfa land if possible4 ,fertilizing ,corn4 ,we are going to plant about #bj acres to corn on a sidehill and intend to put some fertilizer on1 but want to give it to the corn only4 ,would it be a good plan1 after we have marked out our rows1 to scatter some fertilizer in these marks and put the corn right on top of it8 ,we take it you ask about the use of a readily soluble commercial fertilizer4 ,if so1 you can do as you propose1 being careful not to use too much4 ,the operation of planting will distribute the fertilizer through enough soil if the application is not too heavy4 ,the effect will depend something upon what showers you get after planting4 ,scrap ,iron as a ,fertilizer4 ,is cast or other iron in small pieces plowed into the land of any benefit to trees as a fertilizer8 ,if so1 what would be the value as such per #ajj pounds8 ,junk dealers sometimes offer #be cents per #ajj pounds4 ,if it has any value as a fertilizer1 ,i am satisfied it must be worth four times that price4 ,we pay three cents a pound for sulphate of iron as a fertilizer4 ,of course1 it is a salt and dissolves quickly1 therefore1 ,i believe cast iron1 even if it works slowly1 has some value1 and at the same time farmers can clean up and get rid of a lot of rubbish4 ,in most cases the ,california soils are sufficiently supplied with iron by nature4 ,iron scraps have a little and remote value because they are so slowly available by the process of rust disintegration4 ,it might1 therefore1 be worth while for farmers to bury such scrap iron as accumulates on the place below the reach of the cultivating tools4 ,but it would not be profitable to buy iron scraps at junk dealers' price1 nor would it be profitable to haul this material any long distance1 even if it could be had for nothing4 ,kelp as a ,fertilizer4 ,are there ill effects from using sea kelp as a fertilizer for orange trees8 ,there is no ill effect4 ,sea kelp has been dragged from the beaches at low tide1 partly dried and used1 for centuries perhaps1 as field fertilizer for all sorts of crops in ,europe1 and for decades1 to some extent1 on the ,new ,england coast4 ,the dangerous substance in it would seem to indicate that that is not present in sufficient quantity to cause trouble4 ,the great difficulty lies in securing and transporting the substance1 for less than its fertilizing equivalent can be obtained by purchase of other more concentrated manures4 ,applying ,thomas ,phosphate4 ,when is the best time to apply ,thomas phosphate slag on orchard land8 ,as ,thomas phosphate is slowly soluble1 it can be applied at any time during the rainy season without danger of loss1 and for the same fact1 it should be applied early during the rainy season in order to be available to trees during the following summer's growth4 ,it ought1 perhaps1 to be added that other forms of phosphate have largely displaced slag during the last few years in the ,united ,states1 other forms being more available4 ,sugar ,factory ,lime for ,fertilizing4 ,is the lime from a sugar factory a good fertilizer for either oranges or walnuts2 if so1 about what amount to the acre would you recommend8 ,if your land needs lime or if it is heavy and needs to be more friable1 or if you have reason to think that it may be soured by exclusion of air or by excessive use of fermenting manures1 the refuse lime you speak of will do as a corrective just as other lime does1 though1 perhaps1 not so actively4 ,beyond that there is nothing of great value in it4 ,you can use two or three applications of #ejj pounds to the acre without overdoing it - if your land needs it at all4 ,nitrate ,with ,stable ,manure4 ,i am going to plant about #bjjj plants of rhubarb4 ,i intend to put some cow and horse manure under the plants as a fertilizer1 but ,i do not think ,i will have enough for all the plants1 so ,i bought some nitrate of lime1 with the intention of mixing the cow and horse manure with the lime nitrate1 which ,i thought would allow me to spread the manure much thinner and ,i could cover more surface4 ,now ,i am not sure but the nitrate of lime will burn the manure if mixed with it4 ,you can mix either nitrate of lime or nitrate of soda with the stable manure as you propose2 in fact1 it is frequently done4 ,these nitrates are neutral salts and do not act on manure as caustic lime or wood ashes would do4 ,they are quite content to keep along without kicking their neighbors4 ,but1 of course1 the more nitrate you add the more careful you must be about using too much of the mixture1 and as for putting manure under any plant1 at spring planting particular1 it is dangerous business4 ,nitrate of ,soda4 ,how shall ,i apply nitrate of soda as fertilizer for roses and other flowers and lawns during the summer months8 ,one has to be very careful in the use of nitrate of soda not to use too much and not to apply it unevenly1 so that too much is brought in contact with the roots of particular plants4 ,from one to two hundred pounds an acre evenly distributed is the usual prescription for nitrate of soda1 although in the case of bearing orange trees considerably larger amounts have been successfully used4 ,this would be at the rate of about one ounce to one square yard of surface4 ,it would be a safe application to begin with and could be increased a little on the basis of observation of results4 ,of course1 the application should be accompanied by copious irrigation in order to dissolve and distribute the substance4 ,fertilizing ,strawberries4 ,i have half an acre of strawberries which will fruit their second season this spring1 and half an acre set last month4 ,i had intended to use nitrate of soda on them1 but was talking to a friend who told me it would kill my soil4 ,that the first year it would produce an enormous crop and the next year ,i couldn't raise anything4 ,which would be better to use here1 stable manure or commercial fertilizer8 ,it is true that nitrate of soda is a stimulant of plants1 and by rendering soil fertility immediately available may seem to reduce the supply later1 and yet it is a most available forcing fertilizer if used with great caution1 not over #bjj pounds to the acre evenly scattered over the whole surface or a less amount1 of course1 if confined to particular areas4 ,if used in excess it may actually kill the plants4 ,still nitrate of soda is being used actively and intelligently by nearly all growers of plants and must be counted on the whole a valuable agency4 ,if you can get stable manure1 nothing is better as a complete plant food4 ,application to strawberries must be made at the close of the season1 rubbish scraped away and manure applied and allowed to stand on the surface during the early rains1 being worked into the soil during the rainy season4 ,if the soil is light1 sandy loam1 too much coarse material must be avoided4 ,therefore1 well-rotted manure is important on such soils while on a heavy soil coarser material may be used to advantage if applied early in the rainy season4 ,if you have no well-rotted manure1 a complete commercial fertilizer will give best results4 ,late ,applications of ,nitrate4 ,i have some prune trees which blossomed some time ago and the prunes are already set1 and of small size4 ,would you recommend me to use an application of1 say #ajj pounds per acre of nitrate of soda1 applied immediately1 or is it a little too late in the season to get the desired result8 ,it would be perfectly safe to use #ajj pounds of nitrate of soda to the acre well distributed now2 in fact1 you could safely use twice as much1 but we doubt if you would get any benefit from it unless you should irrigate1 for there is no reason to expect showers that would have penetrating powers enough to carry the nitrate any appreciable distance into the soil4 ,of course1 the nitrate could be plowed or cultivated in to a considerable depth1 but that would probably result in losing moisture by deep opening or turning1 which would do more harm than any gain which the nitrate produces1 if it were to become available4 ,our judgment would be1 then1 that it is too late for any benefit to accrue unless the land can be irrigated4 ,charcoal is a ,medicine1 ,not a ,food4 ,recently a lumberyard burned1 leaving quite a quantity of charcoal4 ,i have a lot #ej x #aej feet in rhubarb4 ,would the charcoal be of any service on that lot as a fertilizer8 ,i now have it well fertilized with horse manure1 but would like to use the charcoal if it would be of any material assistance to the plants4 ,charcoal is of no value as a fertilizer4 ,it is practically indestructible in the soil4 ,in fact1 they are digging up now charcoal in the graves of ancient ,egyptians1 who departed this life five thousand years ago4 ,charcoal has corrective influence in absorbing some substances which might make the soil sour or otherwise inhospitable to plants4 ,it has been found desirable sometimes to mix a certain amount of charcoal with soil used in potting plants for the purpose of preventing such trouble4 ,the only way to make your charcoal of any value as a fertilizer would be to set it on fire again and maintain the burning until it was reduced to ashes1 which are a source of potash and1 therefore1 desirable1 but it will probably cost more than the product of potash will be worth4 ,humus ,burning ,out4 ,i would like to know whether or not dry-plowing land1 in preparation for sowing oats for hay1 injures the soil8 ,i have heard that dry plowing tends to wear out the soil1 as the soil is exposed to the sun a long time before harrowing4 ,i have been dry-plowing my land to kill the1 weeds1 but had a light crop of hay this year4 ,there is believed to be what is called a burning out of humus1 by long exposure of the soil to the intense heat of our interior districts4 ,it is probable that the reduction of humus is due more to the lack of effort to maintain the supply than to the actual destruction of it by culture methods4 ,such a little time as might intervene between dry plowing and sowing could not be charged with any appreciable destruction of soil fertility4 ,it is altogether more probable that your hay crop was less from loss of moisture than from loss of other plant food2 and it is desirable to harrow a dry plowing1 not so much to save the soil from the action of the atmosphere1 as to conserve the moisture1 which1 as you know1 will rise from below and will rapidly be evaporated from the undisturbed bases of your furrows4 ,therefore1 we should harrow a dry plowing as soon as practicable1 but with particular reference to the moisture supply rather than to other forms of fertility4 ,straw for ,humus4 ,do you consider straw good to plow under for humus1 and which kind1 wheat1 oat1 or barley straw1 is best8 ,straw1 by its decay in the soil1 produces humus and1 therefore acts in the same way just as does the decay of other forms of vegetation4 ,as1 however1 straw is less easily decomposed than fresh vegetation1 it is less valuable and may be troublesome by acquiring a greater amount of moisture by interfering with cultivation or by tending to dry out the soil to the injury of other plants4 ,if the soil is heavy and moisture abundant1 straw may be desirable1 while in the case of a light soil and scant moisture1 may be injurious4 ,there is no particular difference in the straw of the different grains from this point of view4 ,the ,best ,legume for ,cover ,crop4 ,what would you advise to sow as a crop to plow under8 ,when should it be sowed1 and when plowed under8 ,the best crop for green-manuring in any locality is the one which will make the best growth when surplus moisture is available for it1 and when its growth can be undertaken with least interference with irrigation1 cultivation and other orchard operation4 ,generally in ,california1 such a crop can be most conveniently grown during the rainy season1 but in some parts of the ,state where irrigation water is available1 a summer growth can be procured with very satisfactory results2 so that we are now growing in ,california both wintergrowing legumes1 like field peas1 vetches1 burr clover1 etc41 which are hardy enough to grow in spite of the light frosts which may prevail1 and are also growing summer legumes which thrive under high temperature1 like cowpeas and other members of the bean family1 and for which water can be spared without injury to the fruit trees which share the application of the land with them4 ,the plants which are worth trying are burr clover1 common or ,oregon vetch1 ,canadian field pea1 and the common ,california or ,niles pea4 ,whichever one of these makes the best winter growth so that it can be plowed under early in the spring1 say in ,february or ,march1 while there is still plenty of moisture in the soil for its decay1 without robbing the trees or rendering the soil difficult of summer cultivation1 is the plant for you to use largely4 ,all these plants should be sown in ,california valleys and foothills1 as soon as there is moisture enough from rainfall to warrant you in believing they will catch and continue to grow4 ,if the land is light they can be put in with a cultivator and plowed under deeply in the spring1 as stated4 ,if the land is heavy1 probably a shallow plowing would be better to begin with4 ,cowpeas for ,cover ,crop4 ,i planted cowpeas between peach trees which ,i have kept irrigated2 when should they be plowed under8 ,cowpeas will be killed by frost in most places and should1 therefore1 be plowed in this fall whenever you have a large growth of green stuff and the ground gets moist enough so that the trees will not be endangered by drying out of the soil1 which is likely to occur after plowing in coarse material1 unless the soil is kept moist by rain or otherwise4 ,garden ,peas for ,green ,manure4 ,would it be possible to plant the ,yorkshire ,hero pea in on orange grove as late as ,december #be and get a crop from the peas8 ,would this pea add much to the fertility of the soil8 ,you can sow any garden peas as late as ,december #be1 if the ground is in good condition and the temperature not too low4 ,they are grown as a winter crop except when the ground freezes4 ,you would not get as much good for the grove by growing these peas for the market as you would by plowing the whole growth under green1 but you certainly will get advantage from the decomposition of the pea straw and of the root growth of the plant4 ,grass for ,green ,manuring4 ,i wish to sow this fall some green grass to be plowed in next spring to improve the soil of part of my land4 ,i read for that purpose a bulletin ,i had from the government1 but the conditions are so different here in ,california that ,i am very much puzzled which kind to select4 ,there is no grass which grows quickly enough to be worth seeding in the fall for spring plowing4 ,it is a good deal better to use a grain1 either barley or rye1 for the seed is cheap1 the growth quick and you can get a good deal of green stuff to plow under4 ,legumes are1 of course1 better because of their ability to absorb atmospheric nitrogen1 but any plant which makes a large green growth is good1 and it is better to have a heavy weight of wild vegetation than to have a light growth of an introduced legume4 ,manure with a ,clover ,crop4 ,i have an old apple orchard in which ,i intend to sow burr clover4 ,in order to get the clover to grow ,i know that ,i shall have to use fertilizer of some kind and this is what ,i want your advice about4 ,if you can get it1 use stable manure at the time of sowing the clover seed4 ,stable manure alone will restore the humus and overcome the rebellious behavior of the soil4 ,possibly you cannot secure sufficient quantities of it4 ,in that case a little with the burr clover seed will give the plant a good start1 or use a complete fertilizer to secure the growth of a legume in the freest and quickest way4 ,fenugreek as a ,cover ,crop4 ,fenugreek has been recommended to be as a nitrogen-gathering plant1 but ,i cannot find information as to the amount of nitrogen it gathers in its roots and tops1 nor the amount of crop per acre4 ,fenugreek is a good nitrogen gatherer and is desirable for green manuring wherever you can get a good growth of the plant4 ,you can count it worth as much as peas1 vetches1 etc41 if you can get as much growth of the plant4 ,it is most largely used in the lemon district near ,santa ,paula4 ,the best way to proceed would be to try a small area of all the nitrogen gathering plants of which you can get the seed easily1 and determine by your own observation which makes the best growth under your conditions4 ,improvement of ,cementing ,soils4 ,i would like some advice in handling the cementy gravel soil4 ,manure is beneficial in loosening up the soil1 but there is not enough available4 ,would the ,canadian field pea make a satisfactory growth here if sown as soon as the rains begin8 ,i would try to grow either peas or vetch and plow under in ,february or ,march and then set trees or vines on the land4 ,the way to mellow your soil is certainly to use stable manure or to plow under green stuff1 as you propose4 ,this increases the humus which the soil needs and imparts all the desirable characters and qualities which humus carries4 ,you ought to get a good growth of ,canadian field peas or common ,california field peas or the common ,oregon vetch by sowing in the fall1 as soon as the ground can be moistened by rain or irrigation1 and1 if the season is favorable1 secure enough growth for plowing under in ,february to make it worth while4 ,be careful1 however1 not to defer planting trees and vines too late in order to let the green stuff grow1 because this would hazard the success of your planting by the reduction of the moisture supply during the following summer by the amount which might be required to keep the covered-in stuff decaying1 plus loss of moisture from the fact that the covered stuff prevented you from getting thorough surface cultivation during the dry season4 ,for these reasons one is to be careful about planting on covered-in stuff which has not had a chance to decay4 ,this consideration1 of course1 becomes negligible if you have water for summer irrigation1 but if you expect to get the growth of your trees and vines with the rainfall of the previous winter1 be careful not to waste it in either of the ways which have been indicated1 and above all1 do not plant trees and vines too late4 ,theoretically1 your position is perfect4 ,the application of it1 however1 requires some care and judgment4 ,rather than plant too late1 you had better grow the green stuff the winter after the trees have been planted4 ,needs ,organic ,matter4 ,i have what ,i believe to be decomposed sandstone4 ,many rocks are still projecting out of land which ,i blast and break up4 ,the soil works freely when moist or wet1 but when dry it takes a pick-axe to dig it up2 a plow won't touch it4 ,among my young fruit trees ,i tried to grow peas1 beans1 carrots and beets1 and although ,i freely irrigated them during the summer and fall1 and although ,i planted at different times1 my peas and beans have been a total failure1 and the beets1 carrots and onions nearly so4 ,for years the land has grown nothing but weeds4 ,your soil needs organic matter which would make it more easy of cultivation1 more retentive of moisture1 and in every way better suited to the growth of plants4 ,liberal applications of stable manure would produce best effects4 ,no commercial fertilizer would begin to be so desirable4 ,if you can dig into the soil large amounts of weeds or other vegetable waste material1 you would be proceeding along the same line1 but stable manure is better on account of its greater fertilizing content4 ,you ought to be thankful that the soil has spunk enough to grow weeds4 ,the ,immanent ,creator is still doing the best he can to help you out2 take a hand yourself on the same line4 ,two ,legumes in a ,year4 ,i have land on which ,i wish to plant to fruits1 and ,i wish to build up the soil all ,i can1 by planting cover crops and plowing under4 ,what would be the best to plant this fall1 to be plowed under next spring1 and to plant again next spring to plow under in the fall8 ,i will not be able to plant any trees before next fall or the following spring4 ,get in vetches as soon as the ground is in shape in the fall4 ,plow them under early in the spring and close the covering and compact the green stuff by running a straight disk over the ground after plowing4 ,this will help decay and save moisture4 ,follow with cow peas as soon as you are out of the frost1 disking in the seed so as not to disturb the stuff previously covered in4 ,do not wait to put under the winter growth until it is safe to put on the cowpeas1 for1 if you do1 you will lose so much moisture that the cowpeas will not amount to much4 ,handling ,orchard ,soil4 ,we average about #ce inches of rainfall4 ,with this heavy rainfall1 is there any advantage to be gained by early plowing and clean cultivation right through the winter8 ,would such plowing and cultivation result in any serious loss of plant food8 ,would you advise an early or late application of nitrogen1 such as nitrate or guano8 ,if there is any loss from an early application1 can it be determined by any means8 ,the old policy of clean winter cultivation has been largely abandoned4 ,nearly everyone is trying to grow something green during the rainy season to plow under toward the end of it4 ,even those who do not sow legumes for this purpose are plowing under as good a weed cover as they can get4 ,this improves the soil both in plant food and in friability1 which promotes summer pulverization and saves moisture from summer evaporation4 ,much less early plowing is done than formerly unless it be shallow to get in the seed for the cover crop2 the deeper plowing being done to put it under4 ,guano can be applied earlier in the winter than nitrate1 which can be turned in with the cover crop1 while the former may be sown with the seed to promote the winter growth4 ,whether you are losing your nitrate or not the chemist might determine for you by before-and-after analyses4 ,if you are a good observer you may detect loss by absence of the effects you desire to secure4 ,soaking ,seeds4 ,do you think it a good practice to soak seeds before planting8 ,it is more desirable with some seeds than others and when the ground is rather dry or the sowing time rather late1 than when sowing in moister ground or earlier in the rainy season1 when heavy rains are to be expected4 ,soaking is simply a way to be sure that the seed covering has ample moisture for softening and the kernel has what it requires for awakening it germ and meeting its needs4 ,the soil may not always have enough to spare for these purposes and germination may be delayed or started and arrested4 ,ordinarily seeds can be helped by soaking a few hours in water at ordinary temperatures4 ,some very hard seeds like those of acacia trees1 etc41 are helped by hot water - even near the boiling point4 ,irrigating ,palms4 ,my palms are quite small1 but they do not seem to grow2 they seem to be drying up4 ,the growth of palms is proportional to the amount of soil moisture available1 providing it is not in excess and not too alkaline4 ,some palms are quite drouth-resisting1 but it is a mistake to think of a palm as a desert plant and try to make a desert for it4 ,a young palm1 especially1 needs regular and ample water supply until it gets well established4 ,your plants may be drying up1 or they may have had too much frost or too much alkali4 ,if they are not too far gone1 they will come out later if you give them regular moisture and cultivation4 ,water from ,wells or ,streams4 ,one of our neighbors insists that water from a well is1 in the long run1 very hard on the land1 and that irrigation water is much to be preferred4 ,there is no characteristic and permanent difference between waters from wells and waters from streams so far as irrigation is concerned4 ,the character depends upon the sources from which both are derived4 ,some wells may carry too much mineral matter in the form of salt1 alkali1 etc41 and some stream waters sometimes carry considerable alkali4 ,for this reason some wells may be better than streams and some streams better than wells4 ,there is no general rule in the matter4 ,your neighbor may be right as applied to your location1 and may know from his experience that the well water carries too much undesirable material4 ,that could only be determined by analysis1 and the analysis must be made when the water is rather low1 because during the rainy season1 or soon after it1 the water may have less mineral impurity than later in the season when it may be more concentrated4 ,shall ,he ,irrigate or ,cultivate8 ,our soil is of an excellent quality1 and ,i feel if the moisture were properly conserved by suitable methods it could be made to produce fruits or some other very much more profitable than from hay and grain crops4 ,whether you can grow deciduous fruits successfully without irrigation depends not only upon how well you conserve the moisture by cultivation1 but also whether the total rainfall conveys water enough1 even if as much as possible of it is conserved4 ,again1 you might find that thorough cultivation will give you satisfactory young trees1 but would not conserve moisture enough for the same trees when they come into bearing4 ,this proposition should be studied locally4 ,if you can find trees in the vicinity which do give satisfactory fruit under the rainfall1 you would have a practical demonstration which would be more trustworthy than any forecast which could be prepared upon theoretical grounds4 ,condensation for ,irrigation4 ,if a circular funnel of waterproofed building paper1 or some better cheap device1 were fastened about the base of the tree in such a manner as to catch and concentrate most of the drippings from the leaves1 and that water made to run down through a tube leading a suitable depth into the earth1 it seems to me that the number of foggy nights that occur in many localities during the season might thus supply ample water for a tree's needs4 ,the probability is that water would not be secured in sufficient quantities to serve any notable irrigation purposes1 or if the fogs were so thick as to yield water enough1 the sunshine would be too scant for the success of the plant4 ,put your idea to the test and see how much water you could get from a tree of definite leaf area1 which could be readily estimated4 ,winter ,irrigation4 ,last ,may ,i irrigated my prune trees for the first time1 again during the first two weeks of last ,december4 ,if no rain should come within the next two weeks1 would you advise me to irrigate then8 ,should ,i plow before irrigating1 or should irrigation be done before the buds swell8 ,unless your ground is deeply wet down by the rains which are now coming1 irrigate it once1 and do not plow before irrigating4 ,the point is to get as much water into the ground and as much grass growth on top as you can before the spring plowing4 ,never mind about the swelling of the buds4 ,the trees will not be affected injuriously by getting a good supply of winter water into the soil4 ,there might be some danger with trees which bloom late in the spring1 like citrus trees or olives1 because by that time the ground has become warm and the roots very active4 ,at the blooming time of deciduous trees less danger would threaten1 because there is less difference between the temperature of the ground and the water which you were then applying from a running stream4 ,if you irrigated in furrows and1 therefore1 did not collect the water in mass1 its temperature would rise by contact with air1 which would be another reason for not apprehending trouble from it4 ,how ,much ,water for ,oranges8 ,how much water would you consider absolutely necessary to carry to full-bearing citrus trees an clay loam-that is1 how many acres to a miner's inch1 figuring nine gallons per minute to the inch8 ,it would1 of course1 depend upon the age of the trees1 as old bearing trees may require twice as much as young trees4 ,we would estimate for bearing trees1 on such retentive soil1 #cj-;acre inches per year applied in the way best for the soil4 ,damping-off4 ,my orange seed-bed stack has damp-off4 ,same say too much water2 not enough water2 put on lime2 etc4 ,i use a medium amount of water and more of my stack is affected than that of any other grower4 ,one man has kept his well soaked since planting1 and only about six plants were affected4 ,another has used but little water1 keeping them very dry2 he has lost none4 ,damping-off is due to a fungus which attacks the tender growth when there is too much surface moisture4 ,it may be produced by rather a small amount of water1 providing the soil is heavy and the water is not rapidly absorbed and distributed4 ,on the other hand1 a lighter soil taking water more easily may grow plants without damping-off1 even though a great deal more water has been used than on the heavier soil4 ,too much shade1 which prevents the sun from drying the surface soil1 is also likely to produce damping-off1 therefore1 one has to provide just the right amount of shade and the right amount of ventilation through circulation of the air1 etc4 ,the use of sand on the surface of a heavier soil may save plants from damping-off1 because the sand passes the water quickly and dries1 while a heavier surface soil would remain soggy4 ,lime may be of advantage if not used in too great quantities because it disintegrates the surface of the soil and helps to produce a dryness which is desirable4 ,keeping the surface dry enough and yet providing the seedlings with moisture for a free and satisfactory growth is a matter which must be determined by experience and good judgment4 ,irrigated or ,non-,irrigated ,trees4 ,is there any difference between the same kind of fruit trees grown without irrigation and with it8 ,it does not make a particle of difference1 if the trees are grown well and matured well4 ,overirrigated trees or trees growing on land naturally moist may be equally bad4 ,excessively large trees and stunted trees are both bad2 with irrigation you may be more likely to get the first kind2 without it you are more likely to get the latter4 ,there is1 however1 a difference between a stunted tree and a wellgrown small tree1 and as a rule medium-sized trees are most desirable than overgrown trees4 ,the mere fact of irrigation does not make either good trees or bad trees3 it is the man at the ditch4 ,too ,little ,rather ,than ,too ,much ,water4 ,looking through an orchard of #ah-year-old prune trees on riverbottom land1 ,i found a number of the trees had died4 ,a well bored in the orchard strikes water at about #ae feet4 ,i find no apparent reason far the death of these trees unless it is that the tap roots reach this body of water and are injuriously affected thereby4 ,we do not believe that water at #ae feet depth could possibly kill a prune tree4 ,it is more likely that owing to spotted condition of the soil1 gravel should occur in different places1 and with gravel three or four feet below the surface a tree might actually die although there was plenty of water at a depth of #ae feet4 ,there is more danger that the trees died from lack of water than from an oversupply of it1 and it is quite likely also that you could pump and irrigate to advantage large trees which did not seem to be up to the standard of the whole place1 as manifested by lack of bearing1 smallness of leaves1 which would be apt to turn yellow too early in the season4 ,possibly ,too ,much ,water4 ,my trees are four years old and are as follows3 ,peach1 fig1 loquat1 apple1 apricot and plum4 ,last year they had plenty of blossoms1 but ,i got no fruit4 ,i always watered them twice a week in summer4 ,you are watering your trees too much2 stimulating their growth too much1 and this1 while a tree is young1 is apt to postpone its fruit bearing4 ,give the soil a good soaking about once a mouth1 unless you are situated in a sandy or gravelly soil1 in which more frequent applications may be necessary4 ,too ,little ,water ,after ,dynamiting4 ,in planting almonds on a dry hard soil ,i dynamited the holes and ran about #bjj gallons of water into each hole before planting4 ,about #ie per cent of the trees started growth1 but seem now to be in a somewhat dormant state1 the leaves of some being slightly wilted4 ,all the trees were watered since planting4 ,i have been told ,i made a mistake by throwing water in the dynamited holes4 ,when the holes were watered the ground was very dry and the water disappeared in a few minutes4 ,you have used too little water rather than too much4 ,dry soil of fine texture can suck up an awful lot of moisture1 which can be drawn off so far1 or so widely distributed1 that there will not be enough for the immediate vicinity of the roots4 ,the dynamiting tended to deep drying and necessitated much more irrigation4 ,irrigating ,young ,trees4 ,we have just put out #ej acres to walnuts4 ,the party who put them out wants me to have some boxes or troughs made #ae inches long with a #c-;inch opening1 and put in on the slant so as to have the water hit the roots4 ,many such arrangements of boxes1 perforated cans1 pieces of tile1 etc41 have been proposed during the last fifty years in ,california for accomplishing the purposes which are mentioned in your letter1 and all such devices have been abandoned as undesirable4 ,they may bring the water to bear upon a lower level as intended1 but the free access of air and the fact that1 with their use1 proper stirring of the soil is neglected renders them undesirable4 ,the best way to water young trees singly is to make a trench around tree1 but not allowing the water to touch the bark1 applying the water and then thoroughly hoe when the surface soil comes into proper condition4 ,young trees treated in this way1 with the surface always in good condition1 do not require much water4 ,the amount depends1 of course1 upon whether the soil is naturally porous or retentive4 ,underground ,irrigation4 ,how extensively used and with what results is the underground tile system for irrigation used1 and what especial character of soil is it best suited for8 ,not extensively at all2 in fact1 if there is an acre of it which has been for three years in continuous and successful operation1 it has escaped us4 ,after forty years of trial of different systems1 none has demonstrated value enough to warrant its use4 ,theoretically1 they are excellent2 in practice they are defective4 ,surface application in different ways1 according to the nature of the soil1 accompanied with thorough cultivation1 is the only thing that at the present time promises satisfactory results1 except that where the land suits it1 irrigation by underflow from ditches on higher elevations is being successfully used on small areas in the foothills4 ,for gardens the most promising arrangement seems to be a laying of drain tiles rather near the surface1 which shall be taken up each year1 cleaned of silt and plant roots1 and relaid along the rows before planting2 but this calls for too much labor1 except perhaps for amateur gardeners4 ,the kind of soil best suited to such a system is a medium loam which will distribute water sufficiently to avoid saturation and air-exclusion4 ,both a heavy soil which does this1 and a coarse sandy loam which takes water down out of reach of shallow-rooting plants too rapidly and lacks capillarity to draw it up again1 are ill adapted to underground distribution4 ,irrigation of ,potatoes4 ,will you kindly tell me when is the proper time to irrigate potatoes1 before they bloom or after they bloom1 and do they require much water8 ,it should seldom be necessary to irrigate potatoes after the bloom appears4 ,potatoes do not need much water1 and there is danger of giving them too much4 ,it is absolutely essential to see that there is no check in the growth of the plant1 for once the growth is at all checked by drought1 and irrigation is done1 a new lot of potatoes start and new and old growth of tubers are worthless4 ,give what irrigation is needed and make cultivation do the rest4 ,the secret of success is keeping the soil continually at the right moisture1 so that the first growth of the plant may continue regularly until the tubers are brought to maturity4 ,irrigated or ,non-,irrigated ,apples4 ,where soil and climatic conditions are favorable to the raising of apples1 what effect has irrigation an them8 ,the commercial product of ,california apples is chiefly made upon deep soils in districts of ample rainfall so that the fruit can be perfected and the trees maintained in thrift by thorough cultivation and without irrigation4 ,in the foothill and mountain regions1 however1 apple trees are irrigated and first-class fruit produced by the process4 ,there is no particular virtue in the absence of irrigation nor in the presence of it4 ,all that the tree requires is that the moisture supply should be adequate and timely4 ,there are undoubtedly many apple orchards grown without irrigation where a little water during the latter part of the summer would be a great advantage for the perfection of winter varieties4 ,irrigating ,walnuts-,checks or ,furrows4 ,which is the best method to irrigate a tract of #be acres of sandy sediment sail1 nearly level1 preparatory to planting walnuts8 ,by all means use the furrow system of irrigation unless your land should be so light that the water would sink in the furrows and distribution would be very unequal without covering the whole surface as is done by filling checks4 ,when the land cannot be covered well by the furrow system1 checking is resorted to1 but not otherwise4 ,summer and ,fall ,irrigation4 ,is it desirable to irrigate peach trees in the fall after the crop is gathered8 ,the popularity of autumn irrigation for peaches in the ,san ,joaquin valley is based upon the experience of the last few years where trees that have been allowed to become dormant too early in the season and have been weakened by a long period of soil-drought during the autumn1 have cast their blossoms or manifested other indications of weakness during the following year4 ,it is thoroughly rational to apply irrigation to hold the leaves and secure their service in the strengthening of bloom buds for the following year by irrigation4 ,such irrigation should be applied immediately after the fruit is gathered or even before that1 if the yellowing of the leaves indicates lack of strength in the tree and the frequency and amount of irrigation during the autumn depends upon whether the soil will hold moisture enough to carry the tree to its proper period of dormancy4 ,this may be determined by the aspect of the trees and by digging down two or three feet to see whether the soil carries moisture which is likely to be sufficient until the coming of the rains4 ,whether late irrigation will be necessary is also determinable by the character of the soil2 on close retentive soil it may not be necessary1 while on loose1 sandy or gravelly soil it may be essential to the life of the tree4 ,one has to settle all these matters by judgment and not by recipe4 ,fertilizers in ,irrigation ,water4 ,do you recommend putting fertilizers in irrigating water8 ,i am about to water the orchard and am thinking of putting some nitrate in the water4 ,you can distribute any soluble fertilizer by dissolving it in irrigation water1 but few have ever done it because of the difficulties of getting equal strength in running water4 ,it is much easier to distribute on land before irrigation4 ,irrigating ,alfalfa on ,heavy ,soils4 ,how does alfalfa succeed on adobe and soils slightly modified from it8 ,does irrigation work well an adobe planted to alfalfa8 ,if you get the irrigation adjusted so that the soil shall not be water-logged and so that the water does not stand on the surface when the sun is hot1 you can get plenty of good alfalfa on a heavy soil4 ,irrigation on adobe soils must be done more frequently and a less amount at each application to guard against the dangers named above4 ,how ,much ,water for ,crops8 ,same of my land is heavy but the most of it is light soil4 ,i want alfalfa mostly1 same potatoes and grain1 and later oranges1 olives and other fruit4 ,how much water in inches or acre feet is required per acre per year far the irrigation of it8 ,the amount of water required to grow different crops depends upon the crop itself1 upon the time of the year in which it grows1 the character of the soil1 etc4 ,there is no such thing as stating how much water would be used for all crops on all soils1 and at all times of the year4 ,the range would be from1 say1 ten acre inches for irrigation of deciduous fruits1 which need moisture supplementary to rainfall2 twice or thrice as much for citrus fruit trees2 four or five times as much for alfalfa where a full number of cuttings are required4 ,these are1 of course1 only rough estimates which would have to be modified according to local rainfall and soil character4 ,water should be applied frequently enough to keep the lower soil amply moist4 ,a color of moisture is not enough and a muddy condition results from too much water4 ,one has to learn to judge when there is moisture enough1 and a good test of this to take up a handful of soil1 squeeze it and open the hand4 ,if the ball retains its shape it is probably moist enough4 ,if it has a tendency to crack upon opening the hand1 it is too dry4 ,this test1 of course1 is somewhat affected by the character of the soil1 but one has to form the best judgment possible how far allowance has to be made for that4 ,sewage ,irrigation4 ,what is the usefulness or harmfulness of the outflow from septic tanks for use an fruits and vegetables8 ,there is no question as to the suitability of the affluent from a septic tank for irrigation purposes4 ,waste waters are sometimes injurious when they are loaded with antiseptics1 but the septic tank will not work unless it has a chance for free fermentation in the absence of antiseptics1 therefore1 this objection against waste water does not hold with the out-flow from septic tanks4 ,it has the advantage over straight sewage irrigation because fermentation in the septic tank is believed to free the water from many dangerous germs1 though not all of them4 ,creamery ,wastes for ,irrigation4 ,will the waste water from a creamery1 pumped into a ditch and used for irrigating sandy loam orchard land1 or nursery stack1 in any way be injurious to the land or the trees8 ,it will depend upon the amounts of salt and alkaline washing materials which it carries4 ,this would be governed1 of course1 by the amount of fresh water used for dilution in the irrigation ditch4 ,there are two ways to determine the question4 ,one would be to make an analysis of a sample of the water taken when it contains the largest amount of these materials after the dilution with ditch water4 ,another way would be to plant some corn1 squashes1 barley and other plants1 so that they would be freely irrigated by the water during one growing season4 ,this would be rather better than an analysis1 because everybody could see whether the plants grew well or not1 and would be apt to be better convinced by what they see than by an opinion which a chemist might give on the basis of an analysis4 ,the use of this water on a sandy loam would obviously be less injurious than upon a heavy retentive soil4 ,house ,waste ,water4 ,is it feasible to use wash water1 etc41 for watering fruit trees and vegetables8 ,kitchen sink water is not desirable because of its great content of grease1 but wash-tub and bathtub water are good4 ,strong soapsuds should be mixed with considerable rinsing water to escape excessive content of alkali4 ,run the water in hoe-ditches1 along the rows of vegetables1 hoeing thoroughly as soon as the land hoes well1 changing the runs of water so that the soil does not become compacted but is kept friable and lively4 ,draining a ,wet ,spot4 ,i have a spot of about an acre that in a wet winter becomes very miry and as a rule is wet up to ,july4 ,can ,i put in a ditch two and one-half feet deep and fill in with small stones for a foot or a foot and a half1 until ,i can afford to buy tiles8 ,drains made of small stones are often quickly filled with soil and stop running4 ,however1 it will work for a time1 and such drains were formerly largely employed in ,eastern situations when cash was scant and stones abundant4 ,dig the ditch bottom to a depth of not less than #c or #c #a_/b feet1 then put in the stones deep enough not to be interfered with by plowing4 ,if you have flat stones you can make quite a water-way with them and fill in with small stones above it4 ,part ,v4 ,live ,stock and ,dairy ,legal ,milk ,house4 ,what is a legal milk house in ,california8 ,the ,state dairy law says little concerning the construction or equipment of the milk house4 ,it says that the house1 or room1 shall be properly screened to exclude flies and insects1 and is to be used for the purpose of cooling1 mixing1 canning and keeping the milk4 ,the milk room shall not be used for any other purpose than milk handling and storing1 and must be #ajj feet or more distant from hogpen1 horse stable1 cesspool or similar accumulation of filth1 and must be over #ej feet from cow stalls or places where milking is done4 ,in regard to the size of the milk room and equipment1 nothing is said provided it is large enough for the milk to be handled conveniently4 ,concrete milk houses1 however1 had best have smooth-finished floors and walls4 ,the interior of the milk house is also to be whitewashed once in two years or oftener4 ,if milk from the dairy is to go to a city1 the requirements will be more severe than provided in the ,state law1 and must conform to the ordinances of the city to which the milk is to be sent4 ,cure for a ,self-,milker4 ,what shall ,i do for a young cow that milks herself8 ,fit a harness consisting of two light side slats and a girth and neck strap in such a way that the cow cannot reach her udder4 ,unless she is particularly valuable for milk1 it will save you a lot of worry to fix her up for beef4 ,strong ,milk4 ,how can ,i overcome strong milk in a three-quarter ,jersey cow8 ,i had been feeding alfalfa hay with two quarts alfalfa meal and one quart middlings twice a day4 ,thinking the strong milk came from the feed ,i changed to oat hay and alfalfa with a soft feed of bran and middlings4 ,there is nothing in either ration that could cause strong milk1 nor will a change of feed likely benefit the trouble4 ,if the cow is in good physical condition the trouble probably comes from the entrance of bacteria during or after milking4 ,thoroughly clean up around the milking stable1 followed by a disinfection of the premises4 ,have the flanks1 udder and teats of the cow thoroughly cleaned before milking and scald all utensils used for the milk4 ,harmful bacteria may have gotten well established on the premises and the entrance of a few is enough to seriously affect the flavor of the milk4 ,once the trouble is checked it can be kept down with the usual sanitary methods4 ,separator as ,milk ,purifier4 ,i have a neighbor who contends that a cream separator purifies the milk that passes through it4 ,i say that it does not purify the milk4 ,i agree that it does take out some of the heavy particles of dirt and filth1 but that it cannot take out what is already in solution with the milk4 ,the purification naturally cannot be very great1 and if milk is produced in unsanitary fashion1 running through the separator will do little1 if any1 good4 ,nevertheless1 the separator does remove more than just the solid particles of dirt4 ,the purifying comes by leaving behind the separator slime1 so called1 the slimy material left behind after a good deal of milk has been run through4 ,in fact1 some creameries separate milk1 only to mix milk and cream again1 largely for the purpose of removing the impurities found in the slime4 ,in this slime are not only the impurities that fall into the milk1 but also some of the fibrous matter that is part of the milk1 and this gathers1 being pulled out by gravity as are the fat particles1 it seems to gather with it a few more bacteria than remain in the milk itself4 ,material in real solution1 as sugar is in solution in water1 naturally is practically unaffected by separation4 ,you are1 therefore1 right to the extent that you cannot produce unsanitary milk and clean it with the separator1 but your neighbor is right to the extent that the separator does remove some impurities and is used just for that purpose4 ,there is also in the dairy trade a centrifugal milk clarifier which is constructed in somewhat similar manner to a cream separator1 but acts differently on the milk in not interfering with cream rising by gravity when separated cream and milk are mixed after cleaning4 ,butter ,going ,white4 ,i bought some butter and during the warm weather it melted4 ,about #dj or #ej per cent was white1 while the balance was yellow and went to the top4 ,when the butter remelted1 the yellow portion melted1 leaving the white portion retaining its shape4 ,the white portion did not taste like ordinary butter4 ,the butter made from our cows' cream melted at a higher temperature1 but did not have a white portion4 ,why did our butter not act like the creamery butter8 ,samples of butter have occasionally been sent to this office that have turned white on the outside1 and since the white part has a very disagreeable1 tallowy flavor1 people think that tallow or oleomargarine has been mixed with it1 but we have never been able to find any foreign substance in any of the samples4 ,we have found that some of the best brands of butter will turn white first on the outside and the white color will gradually go deeper if the butter is exposed to a current of air or if left in the sun a short time - ,f4 ,w4 ,andreason1 ,state ,dairy ,bureau4 ,what ,is ,butter-fat8 ,i would like to know what butter-fat means4 ,i have asked farmers this question and no one seems to know4 ,i suppose all parties dealing with creameries understand what the standard of measure or weight of butter-fat is1 but it is my guess that there are thousands of farmers whom1 if they were asked this question1 would not know4 ,we1 of course1 know that butter is sold by the pound and cream by the pint1 quart or gallon1 but what is butter-fat sold by8 ,butter-fat is the yellow substance which forms the larger part of butter4 ,besides1 this fat butter is composed of #af per cent or less of water and small amounts of salt1 and other substances of which milk is composed4 ,from #hj to #he per cent or so of ordinary butter is the fat itself4 ,it is sold by weight4 ,the cream from which butter is made is taken to the creamery and weighed1 not measured4 ,a small sample is tested by the so-called ,babcock test to determine the exact percentage of fat1 and payment mode on this basis4 ,for instance1 if #a1jj pounds of cream is one-third butter-fat1 the dairyman receives pay for #cc #a_/c pounds of this substance4 ,if it is only one-quarter fat1 he receives pay for #be pounds4 ,ordinary cream varies within these limits1 but may be much richer or thinner4 ,cream after the butterfat is removed is much like skimmed milk1 although it has less water in it4 ,why ,would ,not ,butter ,come8 ,what is the trouble with cream that you churn on from ,monday until ,saturday1 then have to give up in despair and turn it out to the hogs8 ,we warmed it1 and we cooled it1 and used a dairy thermometer1 but nothing would do4 ,if the cream was in churnable condition otherwise1 the probability is that it was too cool when you started churning4 ,it should be about #fb ,fahrenheit4 ,drying a ,persistent ,milker4 ,my cow is to come fresh about the middle of next mouth1 and in the last two weeks her milk has changed in some way so that the cream makes very yellow butter and comes to butter nearly as quick as when the cow was fresh4 ,would it best for her to go entirely dry before coming fresh1 or will it be all right if she does not entirely dry up8 ,if your cow has been able to pick up any special amount of grass since the rains came it might add to the color of the butter4 ,a cow's milk also gets richer toward the end of her lactation period1 which may make a richer cream and make the butter come quickly ,there does not seem to be anything to worry about4 ,the cow would probably do better if she could become entirely dry before calving1 but unless you can easily dry her up it would be dangerous to try to force her to do so4 ,butter-fat in ,sweet and ,sour ,cream4 ,the creamery wagon takes our cream every other day4 ,without ice it is almost impossible to keep the cream sweet during the hot weather4 ,by the time the wagon gets here1 several hours after the fourth milking1 the cream is quite sour4 ,does sour cream test lower than sweet cream6 ,is any butter-fat lost due to evaporation in dry weather8 ,the test of sour cream will be as accurate as of sweet cream1 if properly made1 but it is rather more difficult to make2 or rather1 to get the material into condition to work well4 ,there is no fat lost by evaporation4 ,cream ,that ,won't ,whip4 ,when ,i sell my cream from the separator they say they cannot whip it4 ,can you tell me if there is any way that ,i can make the cream whip8 ,there appears to be no good reason for blaming the separator for your difficulty with the cream4 ,possibly the cream may be too thin1 as thin cream is sometimes difficult to whip4 ,there is also the possibility that the fat globules in the cream may be rather small1 but that will be the fault of the cows1 not of the separator4 ,another reason why the cream may not whip well may be that it is used too quickly4 ,if the milk is all right1 the cream not too thin and it is permitted to stand for #ab hours or so there should be no trouble with it4 ,occasionally when cream is pasteurized it will not whip well4 ,in these cases1 or any other that may develop1 the application of lime water to the cream at the rate of #a gallon to #fj will remove the difficulty4 ,what ,is ,certified ,milk8 ,what process has milk to go through to be called certified1 and what demand is there for it8 ,certified milk is simply milk that is produced and marketed under prescribed sanitary conditions4 ,the dairies are inspected periodically by representatives of some medical society or other organization to see that all regulations are observed1 who certify that this is done2 hence the name4 ,milk from other dairies is prohibited by law from being sold under the name certified milk4 ,among the requirements in its production are that the cows must be free from tuberculosis and otherwise perfectly healthy1 the stable to have a concrete floor which is washed out after each milking1 the milkers to have special clothes for milking1 etc4 ,the milk is cooled and bottled immediately after milking1 and kept at a low temperature until it reaches the consumer1 to prevent the entrance of dirt of any kind or the development of the few bacteria that must gain entrance before it is bottled4 ,to produce such milk requires much expensive apparatus and much more labor than to produce ordinary milk1 and as a result it sells for a much higher price1 both to distributor and consumer1 so that the market for it is rather limited4 ,jersey ,shorthorn ,cross4 ,if ,i cross ,registered ,shorthorns with a ,jersey bull1 what dairying value will the progeny have8 ,this makes an excellent cross4 ,even beef-strain ,shorthorns have lots of milking power if it is developed and the ,jersey cross will bring it out in the progeny4 ,the cows have excellent milking qualities and give very rich milk4 ,they also have a big frame and fine constitution4 ,about the finest cows in ,humboldt county were of this cross although ,jersey bulls have been used so long that the ,shorthorn blood is almost eliminated4 ,the first improved cattle in ,california and the first cross made for dairy purposes was ,jersey bulls upon grade ,shorthorn cows4 ,later the ,holstein ,friesians became popular and they and their grades are now most abundant4 ,a ,free ,martin4 ,i have a ,jersey cow who has just had twin calves1 a heifer and a bull4 ,the heifer was born about five minutes before the bull and seems to be the stronger4 ,my neighbors tell me to fatten both for the butcher1 for they say the heifer will be barren4 ,the mother is a young cow1 as this is her second calf4 ,kindly inform if this is one of nature's laws or if there is a possibility of the heifer turning out all right8 ,the probability is that it will be better to veal the heifer than to raise her1 as most heifer calves twinned with a bull are free martins1 or animals of mixed sex and no good for breeding purposes or for profitable milk production4 ,if the bull is a good animal1 he probably will be all right1 as this twinning does not seem to affect a bull calf1 though it does the heifer4 ,it does not always happen that the heifer is worthless for breeding1 but the probability is so great that you had better have her killed and be done with it4 ,what ,is a ,grade8 ,does the term grade mean an animal whose sire is a thoroughbred and whose dam is a scrub1 or just one who is selected from others because of her good points or those of her mother8 ,roughly speaking1 a grade animal is one having more or less pure-bred blood1 but not enough1 or otherwise too irregular1 for registry under the rules of the association of the breed to which it has affiliation4 ,it does not refer to selection without use of a pure-blood sire at some point in the ancestry1 but this is not a distinction of much moment1 for it is hard to find animals which have not borrowed something from some cross with pure blood1 though remote4 ,the terms high and low grade are sometimes used to signify amount of pure blood recognizable by form and other characters or remembered by owners or their neighbors4 ,generally speaking1 a grade is anything not entitled to registry1 though ordinarily it refers to the offspring of a pure-bred sire and a cow of another or of no breed4 ,the offspring of a pure-bred cow and a scrub bull would also be a grade4 ,breeding a ,young ,mare4 ,i have a beautiful colt #bb months old that will weigh #abjj or #acjj pounds2 very compactly built1 and has extra health1 life and vigor4 ,i want this colt for a broodmare4 ,would you advise breeding at two or three years old8 ,authorities agree at placing the age from two to three years1 according to the development of the animal and other circumstances4 ,to ,breed in the ,purple4 ,what is meant by breeding a sow in the purple8 ,i have seen this statement used many times by breeders who advertised sows safe in pig bred in the purple4 ,to be bred in the purple means to be of royal or princely parentage4 ,it originally was used in reference to the nobility of ,europe1 as purple was the insignia of royal blood1 due to the fact that purple was the rarest and most costly color and only the rich and noble could buy it4 ,when used in referring to live stock1 it signifies that the animal in question has a long line of blooded ancestry4 ,cows for ,hill ,country4 ,what breed of dairy cows do you think would be preferable to keep for butter1 at an altitude of about #ahjj feet1 in ,nevada county - ,jerseys1 ,guernseys or ,ayrshires8 ,i do not mean to have them to rustle for their own living1 but to feed them well1 house and care for them in all weather1 particularly in stormy weather4 ,the best breed for a man is the one he likes best1 providing it has been bred for the purposes he desires to attain4 ,all the breeds you mention are suited to the scheme you outline4 ,foothill ,dairying4 ,is there any risk to run in taking cows to an altitude of #bjjj from a much lower one8 ,there is no quarrel between a cow and a mountain4 ,ever since the settlement of the ,state cows have been driven directly from the valley up to the mountain meadow pastures1 both for butter and for beef-making1 in the summer time4 ,the foothill elevation you mention is only a starting to elevations of #fjjj feet and more to which cattle are driven every season4 ,bad-,tempered ,jerseys4 ,jersey bulls are apt to become vicious after a time2 is it so to the same extent with bulls of the other named breeds8 ,the ,jersey bull is conceded to be crosser and more dangerous than other bulls1 but no bull should ever be allowed to have a chance at a man4 ,never consider a bull gentle and you will be safe with him4 ,breeding in ,line4 ,is it right and proper to breed a pedigreed registered bull to his daughter1 who is the offspring of a grade cow8 ,if it is not right1 explain why4 ,if it can be done1 will the offspring be physically perfect and an improvement1 or will it have poorer qualities than its sire and mother8 ,if this inbreeding can be done successfully1 how long can it be carried on1 or1 in other words1 how long could one bull be bred back into his own offspring8 ,can a herd be perfected in this way8 ,it is right and proper to breed a registered sire to his daughter1 who is the offspring of a grade cow4 ,the first cross is all right and the offspring ought to be physically perfect4 ,this is a first step in what we call line breeding1 but in line breeding proper1 both animals must be pure bloods and registered1 having ancestors on both sides which have a long line of good individuals with strong constitutions and true to type4 ,to do this1 one must have a perfect ideal in mind4 ,this line breeding is what has developed the breeds today up to the high standard of perfection4 ,breeding sire to daughter1 if followed along these lines1 will be all right2 at least1 it was so in the case of ,amos ,cruickshank1 the great shorthorn breeder4 ,you cannot successfully breed back on the daughter's offspring1 but if you use a straight out-cross on the daughter's offspring you can again use this sire on her produce with marked success4 ,in the case of a grade cow and registered sire1 there are two things which will make you either lose or win with one cross1 and that is regarding the breeding of your sire4 ,if he is just an ordinary-bred fellow it will be a hit-and-miss game1 but if he is from a long line of good ancestors on his dam's side1 you can very materially improve the1 herd1 because always keep in mind the female produce from the sire's dam will grow with age toward the sire's dam4 ,so if your first cross from your first sire is all right1 use a straight out-cross bull1 but be sure he is what he ought to be1 and then you can use your old bull back on his heifers4 ,of course1 a man practicing this breeding ought to be a thorough stockman and a first-class judge of live stock4 - ,w4 ,m4 ,carruthers4 ,whitewashes for ,stock ,buildings4 ,i desire whitewash recipes which have given durable results on outbuildings4 ,it is so desirable to make outbuildings neat and clean1 and so important to keep trees from sunburning1 etc41 that a durable whitewash as cheaply and easily made as possible is very important4 ,the following are commended3 ,no4 #a - ,to half a bucketful of unslaked lime add #b handfuls of common salt1 and soft soap at the rate of #a pound to #ae gallons of the wash4 ,slake slowly1 stirring all the time4 ,this quantity makes #b bucketfuls of very adhesive wash1 which is not affected by rain4 ,no4 #b - ,whitewash requires some kind of grease in it to make it most durable4 ,any kind of grease1 even though it be old and partly spoiled1 will answer all right1 though tallow is best4 ,the grease imparts to the whitewash an oil property the same as in good paint4 ,tallow will stay right on the job for years1 and the cheapest of it will do4 ,in order to prepare this grease and get it properly incorporated into the white wash1 it is necessary to put the grease in a vessel on the stove1 and boil it into a part of the whitewash so as to emulsify it and get it into such condition that it can be properly incorporated with the whitewash mixture4 ,no4 #c - ,for every barrel of fresh lime1 add #af pounds of tallow1 #af pounds of salt and #d pounds of glue1 dissolved4 ,mix all together and slack2 keep covered1 and let stand a few days before using4 ,add water to bring the right consistency to spread readily4 ,for nice inside work strain it4 ,when less than a barrel of lime is used1 the quality of the wash does not seem so good4 ,it is better to apply hot1 but it does well cold4 ,government ,whitewash4 ,what is the government recipe for whitewash8 ,take a half bushel of well-burned1 unslaked lime1 slake it with boiling water1 cover during the process to keep in steam1 strain the liquid through a fine sieve or strainer1 and add to it #g pounds of salt1 previously dissolved in warm water2 #c pounds of ground rice boiled to a thin paste and stirred in while hot2 half a pound of ,spanish whiting and #a pound of glue1 previously dissolved by soaking in cold water1 and then hanging over in a small pot hung in a larger one filled with water4 ,add #e gallons of hot water to the mixture1 stir well and let it stand for a few days1 covered from dirt4 ,it should be applied hot1 for which purpose it can be kept in a portable furnace4 ,a pint of this mixture1 if properly applied1 will cover a square yard4 ,whitewash for ,spray ,pump4 ,can you give a recipe for a durable whitewash which can be prepared simply and in large quantities8 ,the whitewash will be applied with a spray pump4 ,to #be pounds of lime1 whole1 slacking with #f gallons of water1 add #f pounds of common salt and #a #a_/b pounds of brown sugar4 ,stir and mix well and allow to cool4 ,when cool stir in #a ounce of ultramarine blue4 ,then add #b gallons of water1 and sprinkle and stir in #b pounds of ,portland cement4 ,if two coats are to be applied1 add #a more gallon of water4 ,strain for work on smooth surface4 ,buttermilk ,paint ,how is paint made with buttermilk for farm buildings8 ,one gallon buttermilk1 #c pounds of ,portland cement1 and sufficient coloring matter to give the desired shade4 ,apply as soon as made1 and stir a great deal while being applied4 ,it is said to dry in about #f hours and to be a good preservative for fences1 barns and other outbuildings4 ,trespassing ,live ,stock4 ,is there a fence law in this ,state8 ,in other words1 do ,i have to fence against my neighbors' stock1 or does the law require him to care for his stock and keep it off my property8 ,the old no-fence law which was enacted during the troubles between wheat growers and stock rangers has been put out of commission by more recent legislation4 ,the trespassing live stock is liable for damage1 but just how to proceed to protect yourself you should learn from a local lawyer who knows statutes and your county ordinances also4 ,rat-,proof ,granary4 ,how can ,i make a rat-proof granary for alfalfa meal and barley8 ,omit all boarding of the sides below the floor level and place a heavy inverted pan1 milk pan1 between the top of each of the supporting posts and the floor beams4 ,care should be taken that the diagonal bracing of the underpinning or posts does not allow a rat to secure a foot hold near enough the floor to permit of gnawing through4 ,concrete ,stable ,floor4 ,is a concrete floor good for a horse stable8 ,concrete floors are satisfactorily used for horse stables1 provided the floor is ribbed or otherwise roughened in a way to reduce the danger of slipping4 ,some stablemen have stall floors made that way4 ,some use a wooden grating over the concrete in places where the horses have to stand for any length of time4 ,others soften the standing by free use of bedding4 ,silo-,heating ,not ,dangerous4 ,is there any danger of a barn burning from spontaneous combustion due to a silo being built in the barn8 ,there is no danger of the silo overheating and setting fire to a barn4 ,when the ensilage is curing1 it often gets warm1 but never anywhere near the point of combustion4 ,to ,make ,shingles ,durable4 ,what is the best material with which to coat the shingles on my barn roof8 ,the best coating is a wood preservative1 the principal ingredient of which is creosote4 ,there are several reliable brands of preservatives and stains that may be had at a cost of about half that of paint4 ,we must remark also the natural durability of redwood shingles in this climate if the roof has a good pitch4 ,we reshingled our house roof after #bj years of use and found the shingles so sound that we turned them and shingled the sides and roof of a shed with them where they promise to be good for another score of years4 ,best ,breed of ,hogs4 ,what is the best breed of hogs for pen feeding1 shutting them up in small pens from the time they are little pigs and feeding them mostly on skim milk and slops8 ,there is no best breed4 ,it is a matter of personal preference4 ,any of the breeds are all right to pen up and feed4 ,the principal thing is to see that the hogs are all pure bred and have not been crossed too often to cause deterioration4 ,choose one breed of hogs and keep them as pure as possible and you will have no trouble in raising them4 ,all the breeds are good2 but some are fancied more than others4 ,dark-colored hogs are preferred in ,california because less liable to sunburn4 ,part ,,vi4 ,feeding ,farm ,animals ,feed for ,plow-,horses4 ,while doing heavy plowing1 how many pounds of rolled barley per day should ,i feed to keep #acjj-pound horses in good condition8 ,if ,i feed part oat hay and part alfalfa hay1 together with rolled barley1 what ration would be ample8 ,a ration used by the ,california ,experiment ,station was #ab pounds of alfalfa hay1 #aa pounds of wheat hay and #g pounds of crushed barley for #ajjj pounds of horse at hard work4 ,the larger the horse the less food for the amount of work he does in proportion to his size1 so multiplying these figures by #a4b would bring a person somewhere near the ration for a #acjj-pound horse1 and an approximation is as close as one can come to any general ration4 ,probably more alfalfa and less of the other feeds could well be given1 since many farmers are succeeding in feeding alfalfa exclusively4 ,vetch for ,horses4 ,does vetch make good feed for horses8 ,will vetch produce a heavier crop than grain8 ,when is the best time to sow vetch for hay1 and what is the best variety8 ,vetch makes excellent stock feed whether used as hay or as pasturage4 ,vetch falls to the ground so badly that it is very difficult to cut hay from it unless some grain is planted to hold it up4 ,oats make an excellent hold-up crop and is more generally used4 ,a half a bushel of vetch seed is mixed with a bushel of oats and this is enough to plant an acre4 ,some growers1 however1 prefer a bushel of vetch as that makes the stand much heavier4 ,sorghum ,feeding4 ,can ,i allow milk cows to pasture on growing ,kaffir and ,egyptian corn during the summer8 ,which one is the best for pasture and milk8 ,there is no difference between ,kaffir corn and ,egyptian corn so far as feeding goes4 ,they are both sorghums4 ,there is a danger in pasturing on young sorghums1 because stock is often killed from overeating it1 and they are quite apt to do this when they come upon it from dry feed4 ,if you cut and wilt the young sorghum1 or if it is fed sparingly with hay1 etc41 it becomes innocent of injury4 ,after the sorghum has obtained considerable growth1 it also loses its dangerous character4 ,salting ,hay4 ,what kind of salt is used for salting hay1 how much to use and how to apply it8 ,any good commercial salt such as is used for pork or beef packing is satisfactory for salting hay4 ,a good handful to the ton1 scattering it as the hay is stocked is as good a formula as can be had4 ,stover4 ,what is stover8 ,how is it cut and handled8 ,stover is corn fodder after the ears are taken off4 ,the best time to cut the corn for stover is immediately after the kernel becomes dented and the leaves or blades commence to dry4 ,immediately after the ears are taken off1 the stalks should be cut and stacked4 ,the size of the shock depends upon the climate4 ,if it is a foggly climate and stalks are green1 it is better to make a smaller shock1 but in the interior valley where the weather is warm it is best to make large shocks1 so that the stacks will not dry up very rapidly4 ,feed for ,cows4 ,what shall ,i feed cows when they are fresh and when they are dry6 ,when they commence to freshen1 give some green feed1 such as alfalfa or corn2 if possible1 also give1 say1 two or three pounds of barley or bran1 and gradually increase this for two or three weeks until six or seven pounds of bran or barley is being fed4 ,also give a small amount of hay4 ,bran may be rather expensive feeding and a substitute is being used4 ,take four parts of barley to one of bran and mix4 ,with barley at its low price1 this makes rather inexpensive feeding4 ,another substitute is to take the chopped alfalfa hay and barley4 ,these are mixed thoroughly together and moistened4 ,after the cow freshens and gives her full flow of milk1 let her eat all the alfalfa hay she wants4 ,a good ration is about #ae to #bj pounds of hay1 #f or #g pounds of barley or bran and about #aj pounds of roots such as beets or mangels4 ,when the cow is dry1 pasture is the best food1 supplemented with some green food4 ,sorghum ,silage4 ,will ,egyptian corn make good ensilage and at what time should it be cut to make the best feed for dairy cows8 ,sorghum makes good silage4 ,it must be cut while surely juicy enough1 for it is a little more apt to dry out than ,indian corn4 ,barley for ,hay ,feeding4 ,should the barley for hog feeding be rolled1 ground or fed whole1 dry or wet8 ,also1 how much should be fed and how often to get best results8 ,to obtain the best results1 the barley should be ground into a meal 7not too fine7 and have the hulls screened or floated out4 ,this is best fed when made into a thick slop4 ,some good feeders believe in letting it stand until fermentation sets up1 that is1 gets a little sour4 ,we prefer a sweet to a sour feed4 ,however1 hogs will do well on either1 provided there is no change from sour to sweet4 ,the change is the bad part4 ,hogs should be fed just the amount that they will clean up well1 and no more4 ,a hog should always be ready for his feed at feeding time4 ,we would not feed oftener than twice a day3 night and morning4 - ,chas4 ,goodman4 ,sugar ,beets and ,silage4 ,will sugar beets keep in a silo and how sugar beets rank as a hog feed8 ,sugar beets would probably keep all right if stored in a silo just as they might if kept in any other receptacle1 but it is not necessary to store beets for stock-feeding in this ,state4 ,they can be taken from the field1 or from piles made under open sheds in which the beets may be put because more convenient for feeding than to take them from the field in the rainy season4 ,beets put whole into a silo would not make silage4 ,for that purpose they would need to be reduced to a pulp1 but there is no object in going to the expense of that operation where beets will keep so well in their natural condition and where there is no hard freezing to injure them4 ,beet pulp silage is made from beets which are put through a pulping process for the purpose of extraction of the sugar and1 therefore1 best pulp silage is only made in connection with beet-sugar factories and is a by-product thereof which is proving of large value for feeding purposes4 ,feeding ,value of ,spelt4 ,what is the food value of spelt8 ,it is a ,russian variety of wheat1 and yet1 ,i am informed1 it has about the same value as a stock food that barley has4 ,we have no analysis of spelt at hand4 ,it is presumably like that of barley1 as you suggest1 because the spelt has an adhering chaff as barley has4 ,this fact makes it better for feeding than wheat1 not in nutritive content1 but because the chaff tends to distribute the starchy material1 making it more easily digestible2 just as barley and oats are better than ordinary wheat for stock feeding4 ,concentrates and ,corn ,stalks4 ,is it necessary to feed mulch cows any hay or concentrated feed in addition to green corn stalks8 ,it is necessary4 ,green corn is an excellent thing for milch cows1 but it is a very unbalanced ration and needs alfalfa or something else to balance it up4 ,green corn1 for example1 contains only about one per cent of digestible protein and #aa4e per cent of digestible carbohydrates and #j4d per cent fat1 or a nutritive ratio of about #a to #ab #a_/b4 ,a proper ration would be about #a to #f or #g1 or less4 ,to balance this up alfalfa can be fed better than anything else in ,california1 for that is very rich in protein and the cheapest supply of protein that there is4 ,if you give the cows a good supply of alfalfa hay with the green corn1 you will have an ideal combination4 ,dry ,sorghum ,fodder4 ,is ,egyptian corn fodder good for cows8 ,i have been told it would dry up the milk4 ,i have several acres and would like to feed it if it is not harmful4 ,dry sorghum fodder is counted about the poorest roughage that one would think of harvesting4 ,it is much less valuable than ,indian corn fodder4 ,egyptian corn is one of the non-saccharine sorghums which are valuable both for grain or for green feeding4 ,we never heard of direct milk-drying effect1 though such a result might be expected from feeding such innutritive material1 which is also difficult of digestion4 ,if fed for roughness it should be in connection with concentrated foods like bran or oil meal or with green alfalfa4 ,no cow can give much milk when the feed is hardly nutritive enough to keep her alive4 ,there seems to be1 however1 much difference in the dry fodders from different varieties of sorghum4 ,one grower writes3 ,kaffir corn is the only variety within our knowledge of which the fodder is of much value4 ,we consider the fodder much more preferable than that of the ordinary ,indian corn1 and our stock eat it much more readily than the sweet sorghum4 ,however1 it requires a much longer season in which to ripen than does any of the other varieties1 for which reason it is less desirable to plant in midsummer4 ,steers on ,alfalfa4 ,how much alfalfa hay will a two or three-year-old steer eat per day1 and about what is the gain in weight per day8 ,a steer will clean up about #cc pounds per day4 ,steers will make about #a #a_/b pounds gain in weight per day4 ,concentrates with ,alfalfa4 ,i have a good supply of alfalfa hay and have been feeding this as a straight feed for my dairy cows4 ,they are not1 however1 doing as well as they should and ,i am looking for some good feed to go with it4 ,you could probably get better returns by feeding about a pound of cocoanut meal and three of dried beet pulp than by any other combination of concentrates with straight alfalfa4 ,if you are producing market milk or butter prices justify it1 more concentrates could profitably be fed4 ,it is an expensive proposition to build up a properly balanced ration with alfalfa and concentrates alone1 and unless market milk is being sold1 it usually does not pay4 ,the cheapest way to provide a balanced ration is not by concentrates1 but by wheat or other grain straw1 and let the cows eat all they care for4 ,this is very cheap and helps to balance a ration with green or dry alfalfa hay1 is usually cheap1 and is fine for cows4 ,both are much less expensive than concentrates4 ,chopping ,hay for ,horses4 ,what saving may be made by chopping all oat hay when fed to horses8 ,there is no particular saving in chopping hay unless the horses are worked very hard and for very long hours1 as is often the case with express horses in the cities1 or unless the power for cutting is very cheap and feed high4 ,the idea is that1 except in unusual cases as above mentioned1 the horses can do their own grinding cheaper than it can be done by power4 ,somewhat less hay is wasted when fed cut than when fed long1 but if they are not fed too much long hay they will waste very little4 ,grain for ,horses4 ,what is the best formula for feeding work horses with oat hay1 alfalfa1 barley 7crushed7 and corn as rations8 ,feed one-half oat hay and one-half alfalfa hay1 about #a to #a #a_/b pounds per day for each #ajj pounds live weight of the horse4 ,add to this from #c_/d to #a pound of rolled barley or corn for each #ajj pounds live weight4 ,if the corn is on the cob1 four-fifths of its weight is corn2 that is to say1 #e pounds of corn on the cob has #d pounds of grain4 ,feeding ,cut ,alfalfa ,hay4 ,would alfalfa hay1 cut1 say1 from one-half to three inches in length be better than whole hay for hogs1 cattle and horses1 and if it is better1 should it be fed wet or dry8 ,cattle and horses do much better when fed chopped alfalfa hay than when fed whole hay4 ,they can eat the required amount in much less time and with less exertion4 ,for cattle and horses the hay should be cut about one inch long and fed dry4 ,there is no advantage in chopping alfalfa hay for hogs unless it is mixed with ground grain and made into slop4 - ,l4 ,p4 ,denny4 ,storing ,cut ,alfalfa ,hay4 ,we are planning on cutting our next season's crop of alfalfa with a feed cutter and storing it in a barn for winter feeding4 ,the hay must1 of course1 be thoroughly cured1 because of the great danger of heating in a tight mass4 ,a4 ,balfour says3 ,i have been cutting alfalfa into a barn for wo seasons4 ,it is absolutely necessary to have the sides and floor tight1 and it is easier to feed it if it is in a loft4 ,the hay is best stacked first1 and must be thoroughly cured4 ,alfalfa ,grinding4 ,is the curing of alfalfa for grinding different from ordinary2 has it to be chopped before grinding1 and what is the cost of grinding8 ,alfalfa hay should be cut when the very first blossoms commence to appear4 ,at this point the plant contains the greatest amount of protein2 from that time on until seed time1 the protein diminishes and fiber increases4 ,to make meal1 hay should be well cured1 have gone through the sweat1 and should be dry1 or as near dry as possible4 ,it mills easier when dry and makes a finer product4 ,it should be cured so as to retain the green color4 ,to grind it1 it is not necessary to cut it before grinding1 it mills better if ground just as it comes from the stack4 ,the cost of milling hay varies with the size of the machine1 condition of hay1 whether dry or damp1 or whether tough or tender4 ,with larger plants of a capacity of four to five tons per hour1 it costs about #de cents a ton to put it in the sack1 exclusive of the cost of sacks2 and with smaller1 it runs from that on up to #a to #b per ton4 ,feeding ,calves4 ,how soon can calves be weaned and not hinder their growth8 ,after weaning1 what would you advise to feed them8 ,after the calf has once nursed1 it should be taken away from its mother1 but fed its mother's milk for a few days1 depending on the vigor of the calf4 ,commence to add skim-milk after a week or ten days1 adding a small amount at first and increasing it daily until the calf is on an entirely skim-milk diet4 ,the milk must be sweet1 it must be as warm as its mother's milk and the calf must not have too much of it4 ,four quarts at a feed twice a day is sufficient for the average sized calf for the first month1 then increase it accordingly4 ,add a spoonful of ground flaxseed to each feed and teach the calf to eat a little grain as soon as possible4 ,ground barley is the most economical feed to balance a ration containing so much skim-milk4 ,if calves show a tendency to looseness of the bowels1 feed less milk1 and when this does not remedy the trouble1 heat some skim-milk to boiling and when it is cooled to a proper temperature feed this to the calf4 ,a good grain ration to feed calves along with skim-milk is ground barley with green alfalfa hay4 ,when the milk is cut off1 feed barley and bran soaked with molasses water4 ,put a pint of molasses in a pail of water and dampen feed with it4 ,this amount will dampen three bushels of feed4 - ,w4 ,m4 ,carruthers4 ,winter ,feed for ,sheep4 ,what would be the best to sow for sheep pasture - barley1 oats1 rye1 vetch or rape8 ,of the grains1 rye is usually found to be best for quick winter growth1 and rye and vetches sown together are very satisfactory1 because the rye holds the vetches up so that the whole growth can be more successfully handled with the mower1 and if grown that way and fed green in a corral1 a very large amount of good feed can be secured4 ,sufficient experiments have not yet been made with rape to fully demonstrate its value4 ,even if it grew well1 it would be inferior in nutritive value to vetches and rye4 ,balanced ,rations4 ,what is a balanced ration for milk cows and brood sows8 ,when plenty of alfalfa is available many dairymen feed that alone4 ,it is better to feed a little corn1 grain hay1 beet pulp or the beets themselves to balance up the ration4 ,some of the best concentrates to feed to offset alfalfa hay are ground barley and dried beet pulp4 ,the same thing can be said about the sows4 ,they will consume about #aj pounds of chopped alfalfa per day and all the skim-milk that is likely to be given them4 ,not more than eight pounds of concentrates need be fed1 of which one-fifth may be bran1 the same amount1 or more1 of cocoanut oil cake1 and the rest corn or barley4 ,with plenty of skim-milk and alfalfa1 but little grain or other concentrates will be needed4 ,a few beets will also go well with alfalfa4 ,pasture and ,cover ,crop4 ,i am thinking of sowing burr clover with rye to be plowed under in the spring4 ,is it good policy to sow rye with clover8 ,burr clover and rye would be very satisfactory for sowing1 after the rains1 to secure a winter growth for plowing under in ,march or ,april1 or earlier if the growth should be large enough to warrant4 ,such a cover crop can be pastured lightly to advantage4 ,cutting ,corn for ,silage4 ,what is the best time to cut corn for the silo8 ,what length is it cut8 ,is water put on it when it is put in the silo8 ,the best time to cut corn for the silo is just as the kernels are beginning to glaze4 ,it is cut with a proper ensilage cutter into half or three-quarter inch lengths4 ,no water is used1 unless the corn should be unusually dry1 with shriveled leaves2 in that case1 the use of water to compensate for the loss of moisture in the stalks and leaves is desirable4 ,fall and ,winter ,pasturage4 ,what do you advise for planting in the fall for winter pasture in the ,sacramento valley8 ,are field peas suitable8 ,the common ,california field pea1 called ,niles pea1 the ,canadian pea1 the common vetch 7which is sometimes called the ,oregon vetch because the seed is largely grown in that ,state7 are all suitable for fall planting and winter growth because they are not injured by ordinary valley frosts4 ,aside from legumes1 you can get winter feed from fall-sown rye1 ,essex rape or kale4 ,summer ,pasture for ,hogs4 ,i want to pasture hogs in the ,san ,joaquin valley this spring and summer4 ,have water for irrigation1 but will not have time to get alfalfa started sufficient to pasture4 ,sorghum can be planted with pumpkins or some root crop between the rows4 ,the root crop or the pumpkins could be used in the later summer1 while the sorghums could come between the natural grasses of the early spring and the root crops4 ,a strictly pasturage scheme is to sow wheat or barley and turn the hogs on this1 so that they will eat within certain prescribed limits4 ,in order to do this1 the field needs a shifting fence1 so that the hogs can be driven from one section to another - never letting the hogs eat too closely1 as they will kill off the stand4 ,size of a ,silo4 ,i am planning to build a silo #h feet high and #aj feet across4 ,will ensilage 7corn1 oats7 keep well in a silo of those dimensions8 ,the silo you are intending to build is too shallow1 and would hold only a very small amount of silage4 ,there would be several inches loss of silage before you could start feeding1 and you would have to feed at least two and probably three inches off per day in order to keep the food from spoiling4 ,sixty inches of silage would thus only last about twenty days4 ,also1 the deeper a silo is1 the tighter the ensilage is packed and the more will be contained in a cubic foot4 ,the following table will give suggestions as to dimensions3 ,diameter4 ,height4 ,capacity4 ,diameter4 ,height4 ,capacity4 #aj feet #be feet #cf tons #ad feet #cd feet #aae tons #aj #bh #db #ae #cd #aca #aa #bi #fj #af #ce #aeh #ab #cb #gc #bj #ce #beh #ac #cc #hc ,a cow can consume four tons of silage in #ahj days and more or less as you care to feed1 so by figuring out how long you will probably feed1 you can see the size of silo to build at once4 ,soiling ,crops in ,california4 ,what are the dates for planting crops to be used for soiling in your ,state8 ,we are using ,indian corn and sorghums of various kinds for soiling to a certain extent4 ,there is also some cutting and carrying of alfalfa1 although most of the alfalfa is pastured4 ,dates of planting depend upon the frost-free period2 sometimes beginning in ,april1 and successive planting for later growth as water may be available for irrigation4 ,there are places where one can see standing corn and sorghum untouched by frost as late as ,december #a4 ,in other locations the growth of these plants have to be made between ,may and ,september4 ,we have also winter-soiling practiced to a small extent in this ,state and for that purpose rye and barley sown at the beginning of the rainy season are used to some extent4 ,brewer's ,grains for ,cows4 ,are sprouted barley grains that may be had from breweries good for milch cows8 ,will it increase the milk1 or will it dry up the cows8 ,professor ,henry1 in his standard work on ,feeds and ,feedings1 says3 ,fresh brewer's grains constitute one of the best feeds for the dairy cow4 ,she is fond of them and they influence most favorably the flow of milk4 ,fed while fresh in reasonable quantities1 supplemented by bright hay or corn fodder for dry feed1 the grains being kept in tight feed-boxes which can be kept clean1 and with other conditions favorable to the healthfulness of the cow1 no valid objection can be raised against this form of feed4 ,from #bj to #cj pounds of wet grains should constitute a day's allowance4 ,feeding ,pumpkins4 ,what is the proper way to feed pumpkins to cows8 ,some say to cut them in halves2 while others say they must be chopped fine enough so that the cows cannot choke on them4 ,some tell me the seeds tend to dry the cows up1 and should not be fed with pumpkins4 ,pumpkins should be either cut in halves or broken in large fragments so that the stock can get a bite at them or else should be chopped fine1 and we could never see the advantage of going to that trouble4 ,cutting into medium-sized pieces is dangerous because of the temptation to swallow them whole and thus getting choked4 ,it is not necessary to remove the seeds4 ,feeding a ,family ,cow4 ,what shall ,i feed family ,jersey cow in addition to alfalfa hay to insure a good supply of milk8 ,one of the best things to feed in addition to alfalfa hay is a couple of quarts of middling or bran twice a day1 with which is mixed a cup of molasses with enough water to make a nice paste4 ,dried beet pulp is exceptionally good with alfalfa1 if it is available1 this also to be moistened before feeding4 ,rolled ,barley for ,cows4 ,will rolled barley hurt milk cows1 say two light feeds a day8 ,will it not do about as much good as the same amount of bran8 ,certainly not and otherwise will be good if not used in excess to encourage fattening4 ,bran is a better feed for milk because it has a higher protein content4 ,horse ,beans and ,pie-melons4 ,would it pay me to raise horse beans for fattening hogs8 ,horse beans do well4 ,would citrons do well there without irrigation1 and would they be better than stock-beets for hog feed8 ,we do not promise anyone that anything will pay4 ,horsebeans are good with other feeds for hogs4 ,theoretically1 they will balance well with pie-melons and beets1 and both the latter will produce well on good land with proper cultivation in the valley you mention4 ,theoretically1 also1 we would rather have beets than pie-melons4 ,the hogs will tell you the rest4 ,horse ,beans4 ,are horse beans a leguminous crop and how does their feeding value for hogs compare to cowpeas and ,canadian field peas8 ,they surely are legumes1 and they resemble so closely in composition the other legumes which you mention that their feeding value would be practically the same4 ,storing ,stock ,beets4 ,what is the best method of storing stock beets and stock carrots in this climate8 ,we can let them remain in the ground and grow until ,february or ,march and would like to preserve them for feeding as long as possible4 ,stock beets and carrots can be stored in ,california without recourse to covering with ground or use of a cellar4 ,they keep very well during the winter if piled under cover in such a way as to keep cool and dry4 ,kale for ,cow ,feed4 ,what is kale worth for cow feed as compared with alfalfa1 also can it be cut and cured the same as alfalfa and what variety is the best8 ,kale is very similar to cabbage in growth1 and for feeding purposes4 ,for cow feed it would have about three-fourths the amount of digestible nutrients as green alfalfa1 but would have an added value on account of its succulency4 ,it would go especially well with alfalfa hay4 ,the ,jersey or ,thousand-,headed kale is considered the standard for stock or poultry feed4 ,it is always fed fresh and is not made into hay4 ,what ,kind of ,beet for ,stock8 ,which would be most valuable to plant on river-bottom land for cattle and hog feed1 sugar beets or mangels8 ,grow a large stock of beet by all means - either a mangel or a tankard4 ,usually you will get more weight than with sugar beets2 the cost of harvesting is far less1 and the nutritive contents high enough4 ,keeping ,pumpkins4 ,what is the best way of storing pumpkins1 under ordinary farm conditions1 in a climate such as we have here in northern ,california8 ,i have no facilities for cold storage4 ,all you have to do in this climate to keep pumpkins is to keep them out of reach of the stock4 ,they do not need storage of any kind1 but will keep in good condition during the late autumn and winter months in any open-air place where they may be convenient for feeding purposes4 ,in parts of ,california where there is hard ground freezing1 protection must be given by covering with boards or straw or any other material available4 ,we have no need for root cellars or cold storage1 for our winter temperatures are neither high nor low enough to hurt them4 ,grape ,pomace as ,hog ,feed4 ,what is the value of grape pomace as a hog feed8 ,it has been sold for #ej cents a ton as it comes from the press at the winery and when a person has not got any surplus of other feeds1 it is evidently worth that and then some4 ,the only way to feed it is to put it up in a big pile and let the hogs take it as they want it4 ,it will help keep them growing through the winter provided they have other feed with it that might not be sufficient without the pomace4 ,proper ,feeding of ,young ,pigs4 ,if ,i put two #ej-pound shoats to an acre of barley that will yield #aj or #ab sacks of grain1 how many months could they be kept there to advantage1 and what gain could ,i expect them to make in that time8 ,if the pigs have been properly fed and were of good stock1 they should have attained a weight of #ej pounds at three or four months of age4 ,pigs in this condition would be more likely to lose than gain turned on a dry barley field1 even if the yield were double what you state4 ,barley is an excellent fattener for mature hogs1 but is a poor food for young growing pigs4 ,young pigs should have a balanced ration1 which may be defined as a little of almost all kinds of feed and not all of any one kind4 ,we have pigs running on a barley field such as you describe1 and in addition to the barley we feed them once a day a slop composed of wheat middling and bran in equal parts by measurement1 to which we add about #h per cent tankage1 and they seem to be moving along nicely4 ,without the slop we don't think they would hold their own4 - ,chas4 ,goodman4 ,pie-melons and ,pigs4 ,i have #ad sows which were fed almost entirely on pie-melons and milk1 not much of the latter4 ,out of the #ad1 only #c sows have saved any pigs2 the rest lost all the young they had4 ,four or five sows that for the last three weeks have had no melons1 nothing but green grass and a little whole barley each day1 are saving their pigs all right4 ,pie-melons are poor feed and pigs which are not given anything better ought to fail4 ,green grass and a little whole barley is much better feed than pie-melons4 ,pie-melons are useful fed with alfalfa hay or some richer food4 ,wheat or ,barley for ,hogs4 ,which would be the better grain for me to buy for hog feed2 wheat at #a4cj per hundred1 or barley at #a8 ,would it be worth paying #aj cents a hundred for rolling1 and then haul the grain #h miles by wagon8 ,wheat is only considered about #aj per cent more valuable as a hog feed than barley1 so that in your case1 barley at #a is the cheaper4 ,in ,bulletin #hj of the ,oregon ,station it was found that crushed wheat was #bi per cent more efficient than the whole grain1 and it is safe to say that barley will run about the same1 enough so at any rate to pay the extra #aj cents a hundred for crushing and the hauling4 ,grain and ,pasture for ,pigs4 ,what is the most profitable amount of grain to feed to spring pigs while on alfalfa pasture1 from the time of weaning to the time of marketing8 ,we doubt the profit of feeding whole grain to hogs of any age while on green pasture4 ,on almost all kinds of land they will get enough grit to keep their teeth sore1 hence they will not masticate the grain thoroughly4 ,perfect mastication is very essential4 ,we would feed the pigs all the slop that they would clean up good twice a day4 ,the slop to be composed of equal parts of corn1 barley meal ground fine1 and wheat middlings mixed with milk4 ,there is nothing in all the world like milk for growing pigs4 ,if milk is not to be had1 we would add from #e to #aj per cent meat meal1 which we consider next to milk4 ,if whole grain is to be used1 it should be thoroughly cooked on account of the pigs' teeth not being in condition to chew the hard grain4 - ,chas4 ,goodman4 ,growing ,pigs on ,roots and ,barley4 ,we can raise all kinds of root crops1 such as carrots1 sugar beets1 rutabagas1 etc41 and cow peas and pumpkins do wonderfully well4 ,will hogs do well an that kind of diet1 especially if given a little barley with it8 ,the plants that you mention are good for hog feeding and can be used to advantage with a little barley as you suggest4 ,none of these plants are1 however1 rich in protein as alfalfa and the other clovers are4 ,the reason why we get such a rapid and satisfactory growth of young hogs in ,california is due to the fact that they are largely kept on alfalfa and rapid growth is the product of a sufficient protein content in the fodder4 ,both common field peas and cowpeas do not possess this element1 and if you can grow them they will serve as a substitute for the other legumes1 such as alfalfa4 ,if you are feeding skim-milk1 which is rich in protein1 roots and grain will go well with that4 ,wheat and ,barley for ,feeding4 ,what is the difference in the feeding value of wheat and barley for hogs and horses8 ,there is very little difference in the chemical composition of wheat and barley4 ,in their physical condition there is much difference1 chiefly because of the adhering chaff of the barley1 which makes it more digestible because it separates the starchy mass and enables the gastric juice to work upon the particles more readily and quickly4 ,oats also have this character4 ,this is very important in the case of horses1 which can quickly be put out of condition by feeding wheat4 ,for hogs and chickens it makes much less difference1 and the absence of the chaff gives a greater amount of nutritive matter to the ton1 so that wheat is worth more at the same ton price4 ,but look out about giving horses too much wheat4 ,part ,,vii4 ,diseases of ,animals ,this division is largely compiled from the writings of ,dr4 ,e4 ,j4 ,creely of the ,san ,francisco ,veterinary ,college4 ,abscess of ,parotid ,gland4 ,my horse has had a bad cold and it has a large lump on its neck which keeps running and does not seem to get any better2 it has been running for two weeks4 ,this horse has an abscess of the parotid gland and the abscess should be opened large enough so that the finger can be introduced to break down adhesions1 so that proper drainage can be established1 after which wash out with a #e per cent solution of permanganate of potash4 ,as this is a dangerous location for a layman to interfere with1 owing to the branching of the carotid artery1 pneumogastric nerve and jugular vein1 it should be done by a qualified veterinarian4 ,forage ,poisoning4 ,last fall one of our horses was taken ill and had a swollen jaw4 ,he died soon and we supposed that he had been kicked and died of lockjaw4 ,this spring another was taken ill4 ,he began dragging around1 making an effort to eat and drink1 but not being able to swallow much4 ,something seemed wrong with his throat and his hind legs4 ,in two or three days he got down1 seeming to have no strength in his back4 ,he kept struggling for two days1 not being able to swallow much2 so we put him out of his misery4 ,since then two others have gone off the same way4 ,the trouble is due to forage poisoning1 caused by the eating food infested with poisonous moulds4 ,the symptoms are inability to swallow 7paralysis of the muscles of deglutition7 and paresis of the hind and forequarters4 ,when the symptoms become advanced1 treatment is of little avail4 ,however1 further troubles can be prevented by ascertaining the food which is infested with this mould4 ,ofttimes1 however1 such food may be apparently clean to the eye4 ,make a complete change of food and a thorough cleaning of your stable and corrals of all old fodder which might be in the mangers1 or in any accessible place4 ,very frequently old food which is left in the bottom of mangers becomes mouldy1 and horses picking for grain which might be left in it1 eat considerable quantities of this spoiled fodder1 get poisoned4 ,for a ,scabby ,swelling4 ,one of my cows has a swelling on her hind leg with little scabs on it1 first it was on the front leg4 ,it is as big as your hand4 ,use the following1 applied once daily3 ,olive oil1 #a pint2 turpentine1 #b ounces2 oil cedar1 #b ounces2 lysol1 #a ounce2 mix and apply4 ,an ,easement in ,bloat4 ,what can be done for bloating8 ,it does not seem to be generally known that to put a bridle on a cow or put a stick in her mouth and tie tightly with a string or strap up over her head1 so as to keep her jaws working1 will relieve bloat4 ,we have given common soda and salt with good results to our milk cows4 ,take a whip and run her around the corral1 after giving the soda4 ,this treatment causes the wind to pass off4 ,fatal ,skin ,disease4 ,about two months ago a horse was turned out in pasture4 ,several of the horses in the pasture started to lose their hair4 ,it seemed to fall away from the hide1 and leave the skin exposed4 ,the horse that was newly turned to pasture got the same disease and died4 ,the other horses did not die4 ,the hair on the horse that had died had fallen off from the sides and hind legs4 ,this is gangrenous dermatis1 a gangrenout inflammation of the skin4 ,it is due to mould1 must or vegetable fungi4 ,remove to a new pasture1 give food free from the fungi1 and apply the following ointment to the skin3 ,lanoline1 #h ounces2 zinc oxide1 #a ounce2 ,pearson's ,creoline1 #a_/b ounce2 tannin1 #c drachms2 mix and apply once daily4 ,shoulder ,injury on ,mare4 ,a young mare that bruised her shoulder on the point with collar4 ,it was lanced and now has a hard lump or callous1 about three inches in diameter4 ,what is best to do8 ,she is not lame1 but it would interfere with the collar4 ,get a qualified veterinarian to operate and entirely remove the growth or you may use the following mixture to see if it will not cause it to partly absorb and then use a dutch collar or a specially padded collar3 ,compound tinct4 iodine1 #d ounces2 sulphuric ether1 #b ounces2 oil cedar1 #b ounces2 turpentine1 #d ounces2 mix and apply once daily until blistered4 ,horse with ,worms4 ,what is the best remedy for a horse that has worms8 ,i would like to know1 as ,i have a horse that is getting poor with this trouble4 ,mix #a_/b pound pulverized and dried iron sulphate and #a_/b pound bicarbonate of soda1 and give one teaspoonful each morning until the medicine is gone4 ,after the last dose give the following3 ,turpentine1 #b ounces2 fluid extract male fern1 #a_/b ounce2 ,pearson's ,creolins1 #a ounce2 raw linseed oil1 #a pint4 ,mix and give all at one dose4 ,to improve the general condition one may give artificial ,carlsbad salts1 #a tablespoonful in each feed1 and each dose to have added to it #c to #e grains arsenious acid4 ,if plenty rock salt is allowed for horses to lick1 they will be protected against intestinal parasites to a slight but useful degree4 ,is ,it ,mange8 ,we have a horse five years old that is always scratching and biting himself as if he had mange or lice4 ,he seems to itch more on his shoulders and front legs than any other place4 ,we have washed him with a carbolic wash1 also with a tea made from tobacco1 but so far have been unable to stop it4 ,he often bites his legs below the knees until he takes off all the hair and part of the skin4 ,none of the other horses are1 troubled1 although this horse has been troubled for three years4 ,apply the following3 ,lysol1 #a ounce2 kerosene1 #d ounces2 formalin1 #b drachms2 cotton seed oil1 #i ounces4 ,mix and apply once daily after washing with hot sheep dip solution #aj to #ajj4 ,horse with ,itch4 ,for about a year my horse has been itching so badly that he has rubbed off all the hair on certain parts of his body4 ,lately he bites his tail4 ,whitewash the stall once weekly1 scrub the harness1 brushes1 combs and every stable appliance that he has come in contact with4 ,don't use the same appliance on other animals that you use on this horse4 ,use the following mixture once daily on affected spots3 ,milk of sulphur1 #d ounces2 tincture of iodine1 #d ounces2 turpentine1 #d ounces2 kerosene1 #af ounces2 cottonseed oil1 #abj ounces4 ,for a ,bowel ,trouble4 ,what can ,i do to relieve a horse that balls up on alfalfa at the time of the first symptoms8 ,i have been bothered considerably with this1 and although ,i know the symptoms1 ,i can never seem to relieve the pain before the veterinary is called4 ,give the following prescription3 ,fluid extract ,cannabis ,indica1 #c ounces2 sulphuric ether1 #b ounces2 spirits turpentine1 #c ounces2 oil peppermint1 #aj drops2 raw linseed oil1 #bd ounces4 ,mix4 ,give one-half at once1 balance in one hour4 ,if not relieved give several hotwater soap-sud injections4 ,abnormal ,thirst of ,horse4 ,i have a horse with an abnormal desire for water4 ,i notice that in drinking she always wants more than the others4 ,i also notice she perspires more freely in the harness and even will sweat in the barn at night4 ,your horse has kidney affection1 probably due to feeding hay rich in alkalines4 ,treatment3 ,change the feed and give #a quart of thick flaxseed tea three times daily4 ,scours4 ,kindly recommend a treatment for a horse troubled with scours4 ,he is on dry feed1 but the trouble continues4 ,give very little water mornings and while worked1 but give plenty at night4 ,feed dry rolled oats1 oat hay1 one handful of whole flaxseed at night1 and the following powder3 ,bismuth subgalate1 #d ounces2 iron sulphate1 dessicated1 #h ounces2 bismuth subnitrate1 #h ounces4 ,mix1 and give a heaping teaspoonful each morning4 ,depraved ,appetite4 ,i have a colt about one year old that continually delights in chewing up harness1 ropes1 chews on the manger and1 in fact1 anything it can get a hold of4 ,this is a condition caused by something being lacking in the system 7lime1 salts1 etc474 ,give plenty of salt1 good food1 grain1 etc4 ,get this prescription3 ,iron sulphate1 #b ounces2 soda syposulphate1 #d ounces2 ,gentian root pulv41 #b ounces2 ginger1 #a ounce4 ,mix and give teaspoonful daily4 ,good ,dentist ,needed4 ,i have an old horse which has always been fat and quite full of life until right lately4 ,now he is getting thin and looks bad4 ,he eats his food all right4 ,i had his teeth fixed a few weeks ago4 ,the man said they were bad and he fixed them as well as he could4 ,there is probably an excessively long molar projecting into a cavity and the projecting molar should be cut off by a qualified veterinarian4 ,the horse will begin to pick up and grow fat almost as soon as the condition is relieved4 ,most horse owners will permit every person with a float to ruin a horse's mouth without inquiring whether the dentist possesses proper qualifications as certified by a ,state license and diploma4 ,kidney ,trouble4 ,my horse has some trouble in passing water4 ,what can ,i give him that may be put in the mash8 ,i don't think his trouble is due all to old age1 for it didn't come on gradually4 ,give gran4 sal nitre3 a teaspoonful daily in water is good to stimulate the kidneys4 ,for ,chronic ,indigestion4 ,i have given my horse condition powders for indigestion1 but her hair is rough still4 ,do you advise feeding on the road when a horse leaves the stable at #aj a4 m41 traveling continually for thirty miles1 returning #e3cj p4 m41 being fed at #g a4 m48 ,a great majority of condition powders contain resin and antimony4 ,while a slight amount may be beneficial1 continued use results in affection of the kidneys by over-stimulation4 ,give the following for indigestion3 ,bismuth subintrate1 #a ounce2 powdered pepsine1 #a ounce2 soda bi carbonate1 #ab ounces2 carbonate iron1 #b ounces4 ,mix and give a heaping teaspoon twice daily4 ,by all means feed your horse three times daily and water as often as you can4 ,it is unnecessary to warn you that the horse must not be overheated when you give the noonday feed4 ,wound ,sore4 ,my colt got its hind leg cut on barbed wire some weeks ago4 ,there is a hole about an inch and one-half deep in the center of the sore which will not heal4 ,the inside of the sore does not seem very tender1 but the leg stays swollen all of the time and is somewhat feverish4 ,this is probably a fistulous track that should be curetted by a veterinarian1 after which the following formula could be used to heal3 ,acetanilide1 #a_/b ounce2 zinc oxide1 #a_/d ounce2 bismuth subgalate1 #a #a_/d ounce4 ,mix and apply on cotton and bandage once daily after washing4 ,warts on ,horse4 ,how can warts be removed from a horse's hide8 ,we use sulphuric acid4 ,the results were favorable from the very start4 ,the warts rapidly shrunk away and finally disappeared entirely4 ,the acid is applied to the crown of the wart with a small swab or similar instrument1 and only in sufficient quantities to wet the crown surface of the wart4 ,it should be applied about three times a week until the wart is well reduced4 ,don't use too much acid1 and don't keep up the application too long - ,a4 ,f4 ,etter4 ,kidney ,trouble in ,horse4 ,what is the remedy for a horse that stops often to urinate while working8 ,the horse is affected by an irritation of the kidneys4 ,give #a quart of flaxseed tea daily1 change the food and give #a drachm of ,c4 ,p4 hydro-chloric acid in one bucket of drinking water4 ,castration of ,colt4 ,which is the correct and best way to castrate a yearling colt1 with an emasculator or a blade1 and when is the proper time8 ,an emasculator is the only instrument to use in castrating4 ,the object in using any instrument is to prevent a hemorrhage1 and nothing works with so much certainty and quickness4 ,the ,a4 ,hausman and ,dunn emasculator is recommended4 ,the proper time is when the weather is mild1 the grass at its best and the colt in good condition4 ,for a ,chronic ,cough4 ,we have a mare seven years old that is troubled with a chronic cough1 and at times shows symptoms of heaves1 and also has occasionally a white foamy discharge from the nostrils4 ,she is a greedy eater and drinker and her excreta is often very offensive4 ,if she expels flatus when she coughs1 this would indicate a predisposition to heaves4 ,wet all food1 as dry or dusty food aggravates the cough4 ,give the following3 ,spirits camphor1 #d ounces2 ,fl4 ,ext4 belladonna1 #b ounces2 neutral oil1 #h ounces2 oil eucalyptus1 #b ounces4 ,mix and give tablespoonful three times daily4 ,chronic ,indigestion4 ,i have a mare eleven years old4 ,give her plenty of oats1 hay1 grain and a little alfalfa hay three nights per week and leave salt where she can get at it1 but she is falling off and her hair does not lie down properly4 ,she eats well and her system seems to be in good condition4 ,have had her teeth attended to so she chews her food well4 ,this condition is caused by the animal not being able to properly masticate the food4 ,have your dentist examine the mouth again1 or you can carefully examine the feces and see if it shows whole grain1 or long pieces of hay4 ,for ,short-,wind or ,heaves4 ,i have a mare that has something wrong with her wind4 ,about six months ago ,i noticed her wind was not good and she had a slight cough1 and about a week later1 while working her1 she seemed to choke down and almost died before she got her wind1 and since then she sometimes takes those spells should she trot off briskly for a short distance4 ,give two #c_/b-ounce doses of ,fowler's solution arsenic daily4 ,dusty or musty hay will aggravate the symptoms4 ,thoroughly shake out the dust and wet the hay4 ,feed hay only at night4 ,give the animal as little feed and water as possible before being put to work4 ,continue this treatment one month if necessary4 ,the following is a case of experience with this treatment3 ,for a remedial agent we began to use ,fowler's ,solution of ,arsenic1 in two teaspoonful doses at first4 once a day1 put in the water with which the hay was moistened4 ,these doses were given for a few days1 then skipped for a day1 then continued for five or six days again4 ,this treatment has been continued4 ,at times when the trouble was most severe1 giving a great spoonful at a dose1 twice a day for two days1 then stopping for a day or two1 always being sure to mix it with the water which the hay is moistened1 so that it shall be taken into the stomach very slowly4 ,this course of treatment has served to so relieve the disease that nature has nearly or quite overcome it4 ,side-,bone4 ,i have a #aejj-pound #c-year-old colt with small brittle feet that has side bone coming on left front foot caused by driving him barefoot on the road two or three months ago4 ,a good blister of the following once every six weeks for three times will stop the side-bones from growing4 ,side-bones on a draft horse are not considered an unsoundness2 in light fast drivers it is an incurable blemish causing lameness4 ,side-bones cannot be removed4 ,use this blister3 ,simple cerate1 #d ounces2 cantharides1 #c drachms2 bin iodide mercury1 #b drachms4 ,mix thoroughly and apply after clipping hair4 ,fungus ,poisoning4 ,one of my mares1 every evening after a full day's work harrowing1 stands for an hour or so with her head to the ground1 shaking it frequently and not touching the feed till the spell was over4 ,she does not seem to be any worse off1 and in the morning seems to be in good shape4 ,this is due to a mold or fungus in the earth or hay4 ,let them have access to plenty of water during the day4 ,in the morning feed give a handful of sodium hyposulphate4 ,treatment for ,horse's ,feet4 ,the soles of the fore feet of a fine #d-year-old horse1 weight #acej1 are rather spongy and grow down faster than the hoof1 sometimes causing slight lameness4 ,he is not on soft pasture1 but is stabled all the time4 ,now have bar shoes on him4 ,what treatment do you recommend8 ,use leather1 tar and okum and a dish-shoe4 ,for a ,cleft ,hoof4 ,i have a horse with a cracked hoof4 ,one hind foot has been in a bad condition1 the other seems to be beginning to crack4 ,can anything be done by feeding or otherwise to toughen the hoofs and render them less liable to crack8 ,apply the following3 ,honey1 #b ounces2 yellow wax1 #d ounces2 tar1 #b ounces2 olive oil1 #h ounces4 ,melt1 mix and apply once daily4 ,stiff ,joints4 ,i have a horse that was bruised on the ankle about two years ago4 ,this is now producing an enlargement of the bone and stiffness of the joint4 ,apply the following liniment3 ,sulphuric ether1 #a ounce2 tinct4 iodine1 #a ounce2 pulv4 camphor1 #a ounce2 alcohol1 ounces2 turpentine1 #b ounces2 oil of cedar1 #b ounces4 ,treatment for ,nail ,puncture4 ,our horse got a nail in his foot4 ,it was a wire nail1 rusty1 entering about one inch from the point of the frog1 and just puncturing far enough to reach a sensitive part of the hoof4 ,it occurred six days ago2 the nail was pulled at once1 the hoof cut open1 and thoroughly cleaned with turpentine 7the first thing we could get71 then later filled with iodine4 ,since then ,i have kept on a flaxseed poultice4 ,the treatment with turpentine and iodine was proper and should prove a success4 ,if the foot becomes tender and inflamed1 it will be because all dirt was not removed from the wound1 and the poultice should be taken off1 all foreign matter removed from the wound1 and the treatment repeated4 ,in case of similar accidents1 other disinfectants could be used in place of turpentine or iodine4 ,pregnancy of ,mare4 ,is there any way to tell when a mare is in foal8 ,i have had a veterinarian and he could not tell me4 ,there is no very good way to tell whether a mare is in foal for some time4 ,practically speaking1 the safest way to do is to have her bred every time she comes in heat until she takes the stallion no longer4 ,even then some mares will come in heat a couple of times after getting in foal4 ,if the sexual excitement speedily subsides and the mare persistently refuses the stallion for a month1 she is probably pregnant1 though not surely so4 ,also if a vicious mare becomes gentle after service it is an excellent indication of pregnancy2 likewise pregnant mares will very often put on fat rapidly after conception and will be unable and unwilling to do as hard work as before4 ,enlargement of the abdomen1 especially in its lower third1 with slight falling in beneath the loins and hollowness of the back are significant symptoms1 though they may be entirely absent4 ,swelling and firmness of the udder1 with the smoothing out of its wrinkles1 is a suggestive sign1 even though it appears only at intervals during gestation4 ,a steady increase of weight 7#a #a_/d pounds daily7 about the fourth or fifth month is a useful indication of pregnancy4 ,the further along the mare is in gestation the more pronounced the symptoms become4 ,in the early stages it is naturally much more difficult to detect1 especially with the great differences in different mares4 ,cessation of heat and changes of disposition are about the best signs in early stages4 ,diseased ,uterus of ,mare4 ,i have a brood mare that has given me two fine colts1 but for the last two years ,i have not been able to get her with foal4 ,she takes service and then refuses service for three or four months1 and about the time ,i come to the conclusion that she is safe with foal she will pass off great quantities of mattery substance4 ,i have had her thoroughly washed out with ,lysol previous to breeding1 but so far she has repeated this performance each time about three or four months after service4 ,this is a disease of the ovaries or uterus2 perhaps mumification of a foetus4 ,irrigate with a normal salt solution 7teaspoon salt to each pint of warm water7 only daily4 ,insert the solution through the neck of the womb into the uterus4 ,give internally #a_/b ounce daily of ,fowler's ,solution of ,arsenic4 ,deep-,seated ,abscess4 ,i have a mule which has a swelling on the throat about where the throatlatch touches4 ,it just seems to be swollen hard and not sore4 ,i am using caustic liniment to fester it so it will come to a head and ,i can open it1 but the liniment does not seem to do much good4 ,the mule is losing flesh and does not eat much4 ,this mule should be operated upon at once by a qualified veterinarian4 ,the application of liniments or blisters are useless2 the knife only will effect a cure4 ,the fact that the mule is losing flesh makes the case serious4 ,cure for ,cocked ,ankles4 ,i have a #d-year-old mare that has cocked ankles1 and would like to know what treatment to give her4 ,cocked ankles are due to an inflammation of the tendons back of the ankle and a drawing up or contraction in consequence4 ,put on heel calks one inch1 no toe1 to rest and relieve the back tendons from strain4 ,apply the following liniment at night1 after which put on cold-water swabs and let them remain all night3 ,soap liniment1 #h ounces2 tincture iodine1 #b ounces2 oil cedar1 #d ounces2 sulphuric ether1 #b ounces4 ,mix and apply once daily4 ,dehorning4 ,which is the best way to dehorn cows and calves8 ,the best time to dehorn cows is in the spring1 before the fly season starts4 ,it is best not to have a cow too far along in calf before dehorning1 as she is very apt to lose her calf4 ,it is also better to dehorn before your cows freshen1 because when cows are milking and are dehorned they will go back in their milk a great deal for the first month after the dehorning has taken place4 ,calves can be dehorned by blistering the little buttons before they adhere to the skull4 ,this is very simple and not painful4 ,first clip the hair about the horns and wet the little loose button and apply caustic potash1 in stick form1 by rubbing it on the damp horn4 ,remember1 this must be done before the horn adheres to the skull4 ,also remember not to use water enough to run the lye away from the button and rub until the skin reddens4 ,also1 look out to keep your end of the potash stick dry or you may dehorn the tips of your fingers4 ,paralysis ,during ,pregnancy4 ,i have a cow that will freshen in a few days4 ,about six days ago she seemed weak in her hind legs and on going downhill would drag or stumble for #aj or #ab feet1 then catch herself and go on rather wobbly4 ,pregnant animals about to bring forth their young sometimes show a paralysis or loss of power in their hind parts due to pressure of foetus4 ,nature corrects this after birth4 ,bloody ,milk4 ,what can be done to stop bloody milk8 ,milk each teat in a separate glass jar1 let stand to ascertain which teat the red specks are coming from1 then milk the teats clean and inject the infected teat with equal parts of hydrogen dioxide and water4 ,after a few hours inject #d drachms of ferric chloride in #a ounce of water4 ,then milk clean4 ,to ,cleanse ,cows4 ,my cows are healthy and calves all right1 but seem to have trouble throwing the afterbirth4 ,wash out twice daily with about #a gallon of normal salt solution 7teaspoonful of salt to each pint of warm water74 ,give internally the following powder3 ,pulv4 gentian1 #d ounces2 puv4 slippery elm1 #a ounce2 puv4 charcoal1 #a ounce2 pulv4 hyposulphate of soda4 #h ounces4 ,mix and give a heaping teaspoonful twice daily4 ,treatment for ,caked ,bag4 ,i have a cow whose udder is caked hard and has been swollen from the udder to the forelegs4 ,this latter swelling has gone down by applying equal mixture of turpentine and lard1 but the udder itself still remains hard4 ,when first noticed1 one teat caked1 then another1 until all four are caked alike4 ,insert a milk tube and inject the following3 ,hydrogen dioxide1 #h ounces2 tincture iron chloride1 #a ounce2 water1 #g ounces4 ,inject into each affected teat4 ,apply the following externally3 ,camphorated oil1 #h ounces2 tincture belladonna1 #b ounces2 oil eucalyptus1 #b ounces4 ,mix and apply twice daily4 ,garget4 ,i have a cow which gave rich milk all the time1 but now every time ,i milk her some yellow1 hard substance will come out instead of milk4 ,first from one teat1 then the next1 and when ,i strain the milk the strainer will be full of hard yellow specks4 ,your cow has undoubtedly been affected with garget4 ,this milk should not be used4 ,the condition is best treated by massaging the udder every day with camphorated oil4 ,it will also be necessary for you to continue to milk her regularly until about six weeks before she is due to freshen1 at which time you should proceed to dry her up4 ,infectious ,mastitis4 ,we have a #b-year-old heifer1 which1 two weeks before she was due to freshen1 had a large udder slightly caked4 ,upon pressing the teat a discharge of blood issues from each teat4 ,this is infectious mastitis4 ,it may be due to a bruise or blow or infection introduced through the milk duct4 ,the first is most likely4 ,apply camphorated oil externally and inject into the affected udder some hydrogen dioxide 7peroxide of hydrogen4 - ,,editor474 ,after ten minutes1 milk out again4 ,repeat once daily4 ,a ,mangy ,cow4 ,i have a milk cow with some trouble about her head1 neck and shoulders1 which causes her to rub herself enough to make raw spots and take off most all of the hair from the parts affected4 ,the trouble has been standing for #ah months1 but ,i have been using medicine at different times1 which stops the rubbing1 and the part will cover with hair nicely again1 but in due time the trouble shows up again4 ,this cow seems to have mange or scabbies1 which is caused by a parasite and is easily spread by contact to other cattle4 ,it should be treated by two or three applications1 ten days apart1 of a hot solution of creolin1 well scrubbed into the skin4 ,the solution is made by mixing five tablespoonfuls of creolin in a gallon of hot water4 ,the treatment should be applied pretty well over the body to cover all the affected parts1 and needs to be repeated in ten days to destroy the younger generation4 ,the sheds should be cleaned and whitewashed4 ,irritation on ,back of ,udder4 ,i have a yearling heifer which has sore teats and blotches just back of her bag which seem to itch4 ,her mother had a sort of eczema on her neck4 ,i fear her sore teats will spoil her for milking when she comes in next year4 ,the following treatment is advised3 ,drench with #a pound of ,epsom salts dissolved in a couple quarts of water4 ,the sores may be treated by washing them with a #b per cent solution of one of the coaltar disinfectants1 such as creolin4 ,after the sores have been allowed to dry naturally1 a very little powdered calomel may be dusted thereon4 ,do this every other day for a few days4 ,enlarged ,gland on ,neck4 ,i have a calf that has a lump on her neck1 which appeared when she was two days old4 ,the lump is getting larger4 ,this is probably an enlarged thyroid gland4 ,apply the following once daily for several weeks and let it alone unless it becomes too large or gets very soft1 which is unlikely4 ,churchill's tincture iodine1 #h ounces2 turpentine1 #a ounce2 sulphuric ether1 #b ounces2 oil aniseed1 #a_/b ounce4 ,mix and apply once daily4 ,lumpy ,jaw4 ,some of my cows have hard lumps on their jaws1 or lumpy jaw4 ,can that be cured1 and how8 ,this is ,actinomycosis 7lumpy jaw7 and is due to ray fungi 7actinomyces7 which are found originally on plants which enter the body in various ways4 ,the trouble usually appears in the upper or lower jaws of cattle1 where it generally produces tumors of bone or soft tissues4 ,for treatment give #a #a_/b drachms of iodide of potash in #a_/b pint of water daily for #ad days4 ,increase to #b drachms for #ad more days1 and then gradually decrease4 ,divide the tumor and insert gauze saturated with tincture of iodine for #d days4 ,in #h days a visible improvement will be noticed1 ,a ,neck-,swelling4 ,my cow has a swelling under her neck between her jaw bones about the size of a baseball and almost as hard4 ,it is not attached to anything apparently1 but largely suspended by the skin at the entrance to the throat4 ,cut directly through the center of the enlargement1 clean to the bottom1 splitting it wide open4 ,clean it out with peroxide of hydrogen1 after which saturate absorbent cotton with tincture iodine1 pack in tight and sew the skin to hold it in place4 ,remove the dressing in #dh hours and wash with sheep dip 7tablespoon to #a quart of warm water7 twice daily4 ,this may be tubercular1 or the result of foxtail1 etc4 ,cow ,chewing ,bones4 ,one of my cows is continually chewing bones4 ,what can ,i do to prevent it8 ,give the cow good clean hay2 some root crop1 cocoanut meal1 bran or soy-bean meal4 ,if the cow does not stop mix in the drinking water twice daily a little dilute hydrochloric acid4 ,also1 have boxes arranged near feeding stalls which contain wood ashes1 slaked lime and salt4 ,swelling on the ,dewlap4 ,i have a cow that has a large lump at the point of the breastbone1 the dewlap4 ,this lump is as large as a cocoanut1 and was caused1 ,i think1 by friction against a low manger in eating4 ,get equal parts of tincture of iodine and soap liniment and rub onto the swelling twice daily for a week4 ,barren ,heifers4 ,i have three heifers1 #c years old1 which have run with the bull right along and have failed with calf2 have had three different bulls to them2 what can be done8 ,there is a possibility of contagious abortion causing these heifers to fail to breed4 ,if this has occurred in the herd1 the heifers are very apt to be affected4 ,if apparently healthy1 reduce me feed and make the heifers take considerable exercise to reduce flesh4 ,give each a dram of powdered nux vom,ica and one-half dram of dried sulphate of iron once daily in a little feed4 ,breed to a healthy bull when the heifers come in heat4 ,a ,sterile ,cow4 ,i have a very fine ,jersey cow4 ,i have had her to the bull every month1 and can't get her with calf4 ,in an isolated case of this kind there is probably some disease of the generative organs or some condition whereby the impregnation cannot occur even when the animal is bred4 ,the ovaries may be cystic2 there may be chronic inflammation of the womb and possibly the mouth of the womb was injured at last calf birth and the scar prevents its admitting the fertilizing cells4 ,if possible1 a veterinarian should make a careful examination of this cow in order to determine what the trouble is4 ,however1 this treatment may be tried3 ,about the time of coming in heat1 give the cow a large dose of glaubers salts 7one pound7 and the nux vomica and iron treatment advised for ,barren ,heifers in another paragraph4 ,before breeding the cow1 apply a little extract of belladonna and glycerine to the mouth of the womb and breed a few hours after4 ,supernumerary ,teat4 ,on the upper part of one of the hind teats of a young ,jersey cow that freshened recently for the first time1 there is a small growth from which the milk comes more plentifully than from the natural opening below4 ,how1 if at all1 can this opening be closed without drying the cow8 ,the milk from it runs all over the milker's hand and makes milking very disagreeable4 ,the only thing that can be done until the cow is dry is to tie the small teat up before milking4 ,this can be done with a string1 rubber band1 or an ordinary clamp4 ,if it is so small that the opening cannot be tied1 there is nothing to do1 except1 perhaps to use1 her as a nurse for calves4 ,two of these might run with her at a time1 making way for others as soon as they are able to look after themselves4 ,quite a number of calves can sometimes be handled in a single year by a cow affected this way and the benefit to the calves might be nearly as much as by using the cow for butter production4 ,when the cow is dry the teat can be amputated and the opening will close when the sore heals1 or a stick of lunar caustic can be inserted into it1 causing a wound that will heal solid4 ,infection of ,udder4 ,last year one of my cows had milk fever which affected her udder4 ,this year after freshening she milked two months when she suddenly went dry on one side of her udder4 ,she is now badly stiffened up in her hind quarters and off her feed4 ,the cow has infectious mastitis due to introduction of some infection4 ,give a saline purge 7#a pound4 glauber salt71 inject peroxide of hydrogen1 after which pump in1 sterile air4 ,apply externally camphorated oil once daily4 ,camphorated oil has a tendency to dry up the secretion of the gland and is used advisedly4 ,lumps in ,teats4 ,my cow has hard lumps in1 her teats and lower part of the bag4 ,these cause pain to her on milking1 but there are no other symptoms of disorder4 ,this condition has prevailed several months4 ,give #a drachm4 iodide potash daily for one week2 #b drachms the second week #c drachms the third week1 add reduce as you began4 ,if tumors are small and interfere with the flow of milk they can be removed4 ,wound in ,teat4 ,i have a cow with an open slit about one-fourth to one-third of an inch in the side of one teat4 ,i have lacerated the edges and stitched the slit well together many times but the milk will ooze out and prevent healing together4 ,i have used numberless milk tubes to no avail1 as the flange on the tubes loose out4 ,when ,i remove the flange the tubes creep up into the udder and it is a trouble to get them out again4 ,wounds of a quiescent udder usually heal1 but if the cow is in milk and the lesions involve the teats it is exceedingly difficult to heal the wound1 as the irritation delays or interrupts the healing process4 ,the following lotion is one of the very best to use for teat wound3 ,tinct4 iodine1 #b ounces2 tinct4 arnica1 #b ounces2 glycerine1 #b ounces2 comp4 tinct4 benzoine1 #b ounces4 ,mix and apply twice daily after washing with #e per cent solution carbolic acid and castile soap4 ,your milk tube must be an ancient one as all milk tubes of today are self-retainers and could not slip into the udder4 ,care must be taken to boil the tube previous to each using as you may cause an infection of the udder by a filthy tube4 ,injury to ,udder4 ,i have a cow which has a gathering in the back of her udder which seems to be some sort of injury4 ,it has been there but a few days4 ,this injury was caused by a blow or traumatism4 ,thoroughly scrape out the diseased tissue and after washing with sheep-dip water 7tablespoon to one quart7 apply the following powder3 ,mix the following powder and apply it to the wound3 ,iodoform1 #a drachm2 boric acid1 #a ounce2 alum1 #a_/b ounce2 zinc oxide1 #a_/b ounce4 ,be sure and insert this powder into the bottom of the wound1 so that it will reach all diseased parts4 ,blind ,teat4 ,what can ,i do for a blind teat8 ,the cow has just freshened and that quarter of her udder is very full1 but there is no milk in the teat4 ,i have been rubbing and greasing the udder4 ,the blind quarter is slightly inflamed4 ,an artificial opening should be made in the teat at once4 ,call in the nearest physician unless you have a regular graduate veterinarian near4 ,cow ,pox4 ,i have a yearling heifer which is in fine condition and making good growth4 ,but all four of her teats have sores on them and are mostly covered with scabs4 ,it is probably cow pox4 ,give a physic of glauber and epsom salts mixed #d ounces of each to the heifer and double the dose to the cow4 ,apply externally1 once daily1 after washing1 the following prescription3 ,zinc ointment1 #d ounces2 iodoform1 #a_/b ounce2 glycerine1 #b ounces2 carbolic acid1 #b drachms4 ,mix thoroughly and apply4 to sores4 ,cause of ,loss of ,cud4 ,about three months ago a pure-bred ,jersey commenced to fail on her milk and soon went dry1 although on good feed4 ,did not seem to be sick1 but did not eat ravenously as she generally did1 and little was thought of it4 ,during the past six weeks she has failed rapidly4 ,does not chew her cud1 froths at the mouth1 runs at the eyes1 and when she eats anything much it bloats her4 ,in fact1 she seems bloated all the time4 ,she is lifeless and will hardly move around1 getting very thin1 and hair standing the wrong way4 ,is there such a thing as a cow losing her cud8 ,most people imagine a cow's cud is something material4 ,as a matter of fact1 in a certain sense the words appetite and cud are synonymous4 ,you can say a cow has lost her appetite or a cow has lost her cud4 ,now1 any sickness severe enough will cause a cow to lose her appetite4 ,the bloating is caused from indigestion secondary to some organic disease1 probably tuberculosis4 ,keep up the cow's strength by giving condensed floods or drenches of egg-nogg1 gruel or greens4 ,give warm salt-water injections twice daily and give the following mixture3 ,quinine sulphate1 #b ounces2 ,antipyrine1 #a ounce2 ammonia muriate1 #c ounces2 alcohol1 #a quart2 water #a quart4 ,mix2 give #b ounces every four hours4 ,calf ,dysentery4 ,i would like to know the reason for bloody discharges from the bowels of a young six-day-old calf4 ,there is a looseness of the bowels and the blood is intermingled with the excrement4 ,there is not a profuse amount of blood1 nor is it very dark in color1 and it seems to be accompanied with mucus or light1 thick substance4 ,this is dysentery1 due to scours so prevalent in calves4 ,give #f ounces olive oil1 #d drachms bismuth subnitrate and #a drachm ,pearson's creoline4 ,the discharge is very dangerous to other animals4 ,bovine ,rheumatism4 ,our ,jersey cow got somewhat lame one year ago in one hip or leg after calving but soon got better4 ,last ,june when she came in one leg was lame4 ,it seems to be in the stiffle joint and the first one above4 ,when she walks she gets real lame4 ,rheumatism is the trouble here4 ,give the following powder3 ,soda salicylate1 #c ounces2 salol1 #b ounces2 pulv4 gentian root1 #b ounces4 ,mix and make #bd powders4 ,give four daily4 ,apply ,pratt's1 a good veterinary liniment4 ,bleeding for ,blackleg4 ,i have read several articles on blackleg1 and it seems strange to me that no mention is made of an operation that is an absolute preventive1 namely1 bleeding in the feet4 ,the reason that no special mention of bleeding is made is that it is not now considered the preventive that it once was4 ,some people appear to have fair success with it1 and others no success at all4 ,the ,bureau of ,animal ,industry states that the evidence indicates that bleeding1 nerving1 roweling or setoning have neither curative nor protective value and1 therefore1 should be discarded for vaccination which is now widely used as a preventive4 ,poor ,feeding1 ,depraved ,appetite4 ,i have three cows4 ,they have been fed alfalfa hay all winter and are in very good condition and seem otherwise in good health1 and have salt to run to4 ,every time they chance to come to the yard they will pick up on old bone and chew it for perhaps a half hour4 ,i always take the bone away from them when ,i discover it4 ,these cows have a depraved appetite1 owing to the fact the tissues of the body are crying out for something lacking that is required in the system4 ,administer the following powder2 also put a lump of lime in the watering trough3 ,pulv4 gentian1 #a ounce2 pulv4 elm bark1 #b ounces2 pulv4 iron sulphate1 #a ounce2 pulv4 bicarb4 soda1 #d ounces2 pulv4 aniseed1 #b ounces2 pulv4 red pepper #a_/b ounce2 pulv4 oilcake meal #aj pounds4 ,mix thoroughly and give a tablespoonful in scalded grain once daily4 ,cows ,swallowing ,foreign ,substances4 ,we recently lost a valuable cow1 and when we opened her we found a large tumor or abscess at the top of the heart as large as a gallon jar4 ,what caused it1 or is there any danger of other cows taking it1 and if so1 what can we do8 ,this is a common disease among cows and is called traumatic pericarditis4 ,the trouble arises from the habit of the cows picking up foreign substances such as wire1 nails1 or hairpins1 and swallowing them4 ,they are taken into the paunch and the digestive movements of this organ cause the foreign body to penetrate the lining and enter the heart1 where it gradually causes death as it enters deeper4 ,it is very common to find nails1 etc41 in the stomachs of old dairy cows which are killed at the slaughter-houses4 ,if you had examined the animal carefully1 you would find that some foreign body had penetrated the heart and caused death4 ,there is no danger of any contagion arising from your cow4 ,defective ,urination4 ,i have a cow that seems to be in good health and gives plenty of milk4 ,nearly every morning when she is being milked she seems to want to urinate and will stand letting the water drip from her4 ,this trouble often results from the cows eating alkaline hay4 ,give her two quarts of flaxseed tea daily4 ,mix it with her food in which there has been placed one-half teaspoon of powdered ,buchu4 ,infectious ,conjunctivitis 7,sore ,eyes74 ,i have several cows and heifers that are affected with sore eyes4 ,the disease first makes its appearance by excessive watering of the eyes2 then the center or pupil becomes white and later turns red of bloodshot4 ,bathe thoroughly with the normal salt solution 7teaspoon salt to #a pint warm water71 after which place in the eye and all around the mucuous membrane of the eye the following3 ,twenty-five per cent solution of argyrol1 one-half ounce2 apply thoroughly once daily and keep out of the sunlight if possible4 ,another treatment is3 ,bathe the eyes once daily with boracic acid #a teaspoon1 water #a pint1 after which thoroughly saturate the eyelids and eyes with #a to #aj1jjj solution of bichloride of mercury4 ,you are dealing with a disease that will spread throughout your herd if you do not take proper means to separate the affected from the well ones4 ,what to ,do ,against ,tuberculous ,milk4 ,i should like to know what could be done with a dairy where cows are dying with tuberculosis and the owner knows1 but is selling the milk4 ,the case should be reported to ,f4 ,w4 ,andreason1 ,secretary of the ,state ,dairy ,bureau1 at ,san ,francisco1 for investigation by an inspector4 ,if conditions are found as represented1 the sale of milk will be prevented1 as it is contrary to ,state law to sell milk from sick cows4 ,county boards of health have also authority to prevent the sale of such milk in the county on the ground that this is a menace to the public health4 ,effects of ,ill-,feeding ,pigs4 ,i have a couple of pigs1 out of about #ge head farrowed last spring1 which seem to have the staggers4 ,they are looking fairly well1 feed well on pasture and at feeding time are right there making as much noise as the others4 ,they run around as if they had a shot too much4 ,your pigs are suffering from acute indigestion1 undoubtedly due to improper feeding4 ,cut down the rations1 especially if they are getting grain4 ,give sick pigs two tablespoonfuls of castor oil each4 ,sore ,eyes in ,pigs4 ,what is the matter with young pigs when their eyes swell shut8 ,before they shut they look as if there was a white milky scum over them4 ,there is some infection present1 and a good cleaning up in needed4 ,the sows and pigs should be dipped in a warm solution of some coal-tar disinfectant1 and the quarters thoroughly cleaned and disinfected or changed to a dry warm place4 ,the pigs' eyes should be washed with warm water and a few drops of the following solution dropped into eyes once a day for a few days3 ,have druggist prepare a #a per cent solution of silver nitrate4 ,after applying this the eyes had better be washed a few minutes later with water to which a little common salt has been added4 ,hog ,cholera4 ,i have a number of pigs which have been ailing for three weeks or so4 ,they discharge a yellowish kind of manure at times1 running of the bowels4 ,the most striking symptom seems to be a partial paralysis of the hindquarters4 ,the hogs will be walking along and seem to lose control of their hing legs4 ,it seems to be spreading to the other hogs and a number have already died4 ,their appetite is poor4 ,this is undoubtedly hog cholera4 ,the owner should appeal to the ,experiment ,station at ,berkeley for serum and treat all well hogs and clean up as thoroughly as possible4 ,the matter should also be reported to the ,state ,veterinarian at ,sacramento4 ,pneumonia in ,pigs4 ,what is the disease which may be said to confine itself1 with few exceptions1 to young pigs weighing #ajj pounds or less8 ,its symptoms are at first sneezing and a mild cough4 ,these quickly change to hard coughing and labored breathing1 which as the disease progresses shows evidence of much pain4 ,the appetite is lost and the eyes become gummed and inflamed4 ,in some cases the pig lingers on for weeks1 while in others death occurs almost immediately4 ,vomiting sometimes occurs4 ,it is pneumonia and in its treatment an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure4 ,once pneumonia gets a foothold in a hog1 the chances are so strongly in favor of death that recovery may be considered out of the question4 ,since remedies are not certain in the cure of pneumonia1 it will be found that the prevention of the disease is the only real way to combat it4 ,the main causes of the disease are exposure to draughts1 sudden changes in temperature1 damp beds1 manure heaps as sleeping quarters1 and exposure to the disease itself4 ,pigs in thin condition or weak constitutionally are more liable to contract the trouble than pigs in good flesh and healthy specimens4 ,good1 dry1 warm1 comfortable sleeping houses1 well ventilated and so arranged as to prevent crowding and piling up1 will1 ,i think1 do more to prevent pneumonia than any other one thing4 ,some such preparation as advocated by the ,government for the prevention of hog cholera will help keep the stock in a good healthy condition1 the better to combat exposure4 ,it is the little attentions that keep the herd healthy and in a vigorous condition1 and by using simple preventatives1 remedies will he found unnecessary4 - ,h4 ,b4 ,wintringham4 ,general ,prescription for ,hog ,sickness4 ,my hogs seem to be mangy and scabby1 but am unable to find any lice on them4 ,they eat well1 but vomit a good deal and are falling off in flesh4 ,they may be affected with a chronic type of cholera1 and this should be determined by some one who can see the hogs4 ,make a general cleaning up of the hogs and quarters1 using a dip and repeating in ten days4 ,hogs have a true mange as well as other animals4 ,a change of feed may also be needed1 depending on what is being fed and how the hogs are managed4 ,green alfalfa pasture with a moderate feed of shorts or middlings of wheat and ground barley made into a slop would be a good ration4 ,evidently there is some digestive trouble here1 and a dose of croton oil 7#c drops7 mixed in a teaspoonful of raw linseed oil for each hog would be beneficial4 ,charcoal1 ashes1 salt and a little epsom salts would be of benefit to tone the digestion4 ,the oil should be carefully mixed in the slop4 ,pigs ,out of ,condition4 ,of a litter of pigs weaned about a month several of them have itchy scabs on their legs1 ears and noses1 and those having white feet show reddish spots through the hoofs4 ,they did not get it until after they were weaned4 ,they are fed on soaked whole barley and have alfalfa pasture4 ,put the pigs on a slop composed of wheat middlings and barley ground fine1 with the hulls removed1 and milk1 or1 in the absence of milk about #h or #aj per cent of meat meal to which add some good stock food4 ,dip them with some standard brand of dip or apply crude oil to be sure that they were free from lice1 fleas1 etc4 ,give them good1 clean1 comfortable sleeping quarters and trust to nature to do the rest4 ,paralysis of ,sow4 ,during the last few days one of my sows appears to be paralyzed in her hind quarters and now cannot use her hind legs at all4 ,she is about a year old and is due to farrow her first litter in and about six weeks4 ,it is paralysis due to advanced pregnancy4 ,give #d ounces castor oil and #d ounces olive oil4 ,she will recover after parturition4 ,rickets in ,hogs4 ,a fine boar1 #af months old1 weight about #chj pounds1 well built1 with little surplus fat1 until lately has been very thrifty1 but appears to be losing control over his legs4 ,can't step over the smallest stick without falling forward and acts like a foundered animal4 ,he carries his back rather arching since this trouble came on4 ,during my absence from home a hired man gave this boar a good beating with a pick handle1 and it appears to have been the beginning of his troubles4 ,this disease is ,osteo ,rachitis 7rickets74 ,the abuse has probably aggravated the symptoms3 ,this condition is due to a lack of hardening principles in the bones4 ,give #d ounces of cod liver oil daily and plenty of lime water to drink4 ,it will be all right to use him for breeding when he recovers4 ,in addition to good food and pure water give daily a handful of a mixture of principally ashes and burned barley 7charcoal7 with the usual addition of salt1 sulphur and soda4 ,this mixture is good3 ,pulv4 dried1 iron sulphate1 #d ounces2 soda bi-carbonate1 #h ounces2 soda salicylate1 #b drachms2 pulv4 aniseed1 #d ounces4 ,mix and give one-half teaspoonful twice daily4 ,pigs ,losing ,tails4 ,we have five pigs1 #ag days old1 and when they were farrowed they had rings around the roots of their tails1 and now their tails are dropping off4 ,this is caused by interference with circulation before birth4 ,apply tinct4 iodine around the affected parts once daily and if it shows no signs of improvement after one week amputate4 ,over-,fat ,sow4 ,my brood sow is awfully fat2 how should ,i feed her so that she don't get too fat8 ,she is bred and it will be her third litter4 ,she was running in the vineyard all winter1 and ,i fed her a handful of barley every day or a few potatoes4 ,now she has free access to my growing barley field1 and ,i give her half a dozen potatoes every day4 ,you need not worry about getting her thin4 ,she simply requires less food4 ,an animal excessively fat brings forth an inferior offspring4 ,musty ,corn for ,pigs4 ,would ,egyptian corn that has been musty and then dried in the sun be fit for pigs8 ,it heated and musted quite a good deal1 but is dried well4 ,the idea is1 to grind it and then feed it in milk if good4 ,it is very dangerous to feed any stock moldy or musty food1 especially pregnant animals4 ,it is this kind of food which causes a majority of the abortions4 ,mold or smut in food is poisonous both to man and beast4 ,it is usually almost impossible to get out of feed because it runs throughout the structure of the hay or grain4 ,wounds and ,wound ,swellings4 ,what is the proper treatment for a fresh wire cut on a horse8 ,how should saddle galls be treated8 ,is there any way to make the hair come in its natural color where saddle galls have been8 ,how can an enlargement of a colt's leg1 caused from a wire cut1 be reduced8 ,after all foreign matter has been removed from a lacerated wound1 like that made in a wire cut1 the wound should be carefully fomented with warm water1 to which has been added carbolic acid in the proportion of #a part to #ajj of water4 ,it should then be bandaged to prevent infection4 ,zinc ointment would be a good thing to use under the bandage4 ,for a simple saddle1 or harness gall1 some ointment like the following should be applied and the wound rested up3 ,one pint alcohol in which are shaken the whites of #b eggs2 a solution of nitrate of silver1 #aj grains to the ounce of water2 sugar of lead or sulphate of zinc1 #bj grains to an ounce of water2 and so on4 ,or advertised gall cures may be applied4 ,if a sitfest has developed1 the dead hornlike slough must be cut out and the wound treated with antiseptics4 ,there is no way we know of to make hair come in with natural color after a wound4 ,the swelling on the colt's leg may he reduced by rubbing it well several times a day and at night rub in some #aj per cent iodine petrogen4 ,fly ,repellants4 ,can you tell me what to use as a spray to kill the flies in my stable8 ,in the early1 morning the ceiling and sides are thickly covered with the pests partly dormant but not enough so that they can be swept down and killed4 ,what spray can ,i use that will destroy them8 ,it is difficult to kill flies by spraying them4 ,you can1 however1 spray the sides and ceiling of the barn with a spray of epsom salts 7sulphate of magnesia7 using about a cupful to the gallon1 which will prevent them from gathering there4 ,and since prevention is better than cure1 flies can be kept from gathering around by1 destroying their breeding places1 if those are under one's control1 by having all manure and litter removed before the flies have a chance to develop4 ,the following may be found useful to readers as a spray to keep away flies3 ,fish oil1 #b quarts2 kerosene1 #a quart2 crude carbolic acid1 #a pint2 oil of pennyroyal1 #a ounce2 oil of tar2 #aj ounces4 ,mix thoroughly and apply in a fine spray4 ,the following has been successfully used to repel flies from cows3 ,nitro benzine1 #e ounces2 carbolic acid1 #c ounces2 kerosene oil1 #c ounces2 sol4 formaldehyde1 #a ounce2 fish oil1 #a #a_/b quarts4 ,mix and just touch the hair with the mixture4 ,to ,destroy ,fleas4 ,my barn1 is full1 of fleas ,i tried to destroy them by using creso-dip1 but did not kill them1 all4 ,fleas can only be permanently checked by destroying their breeding places which are in the dust6 and dirt that accumulate in cracks and corners around barns1 sheds and dwellings4 ,follow the cleaning up with a thorough distribution of flake naphthalene4 ,this is most effective where the stable or room can be closed tight for half a day1 or even #bd hours2 ,an ingenious suggestion is made that if a sheep can be let run in and around the buildings where the fleas breed1 they will soon be less numerous and as new batches hatch out the sheep will soon get them picked up1 and after a while the place will be entirely free of them4 ,but the sheep must be allowed to run all around the sheds and breeding places1 as the flea jumps up1 gets into the wool1 and can never get out again4 ,a hog can also be used as a flea trap4 ,one reader says3 ,pour a little of the crude oil on the hogs' heads and along their backs1 about a gill on each hog2 ,this would run down the sides of the hogs and kill all the fleas on them4 ,the oil also remains on the hogs for several days1 and all the fleas that jump on the hogs from the ground stick fast and never jump off again4 ,in about three weeks the fleas all disappear and the hogs look fine and sleek from the use of the oil4 ,part ,,viii4 ,poultry ,keeping ,largely compiled from the writings of ,mrs4 ,w4 ,russell ,james and ,mrs4 ,susan ,swapgood4 ,teaching ,chicks to ,perch4 ,what is a good method of breaking in young brooder chicks to use the roosts8 ,at from six to eight weeks old the chicks should be taken from the brooder quarters to the colony houses and range1 or wherever they are to be located1 and at this time they should be taught to perch4 ,have the new quarters arranged with low wide perches 7#a by #c-;inch scantlings72 also make slatted frames by nailing lath or other such narrow strips two inches apart4 ,set these frames against the wall so that they will extend slant-wise under the perches1 and have the corners on the other side of the room cut off by nailing boards across them4 ,the chicks will run up on the frame to find a huddling corner and land on the perches1 as they cannot rest on the open slanting frame4 ,a little care for a few evenings in putting up those that remain on the floor and straightening them out on the perches will teach them the ropes4 ,where there are but a few to be taught1 all that is necessary is to provide the low wide perches and shut out the corners1 and a few of the smart ones will soon take to the perches1 and gradually others will follow until all will be roosting4 ,liver ,disease4 ,i have hens which seem well in every respect up to the time of their combs changing color1 when they die within three days4 ,the combs turn a faint yellow1 almost white2 they are heavy1 have their usual appetite up to the lost #bd hours4 ,i have treated by giving small doses of castor oil and ,douglas mixture in the drinking water1 feeding on dry mash with plenty of green feed4 ,there is no tendency to lameness nor limp neck4 ,the droppings are loose and very white4 ,the fowls were victims of jaundice1 which is a form of liver disease and caused by over-feeding on rich starchy foods that also cause fowls to become overfat4 ,however1 at the end of the laying season and the beginning of the molt the poultry keeper will lose some hens1 even when kept under the best conditions1 and especially hens of that age4 ,in doctoring such cases in the way described1 if the fowl does not improve in a couple of days1 the hatchet cure is the most profitable4 ,rupture of ,oviduct4 ,i have had two other hens die suddenly when on the nest4 ,the second one - we opened and found one egg broken near the vent and another with shell formed ready to be laid4 ,rupture of the oviduct was probably the cause of the hens dying on the nest and is due to the same condition in the hens2 that is1 the straining to expel the egg necessary in the engorged condition of the internal organs from overfatness4 ,melons for ,fowls4 ,have stock melons or citrons any merit as a green food for laying hens8 ,are the seeds of the above injurious to hens or cows8 ,stock melons are desirable for chicken feeding if other succulent materials are scarce1 but they are inferior to alfalfa and other clovers4 ,seeds are not injurious to stock unless possibly one should feed to excess by separating them from the other tissues4 ,if melons are fed as they grow1 no apprehension need be had from injury by seed4 ,rape and ,vetch for ,chickens4 ,what time do you sow rape and vetch and are they good for chickens8 ,they surely are good for chickens or for any other stock that likes greens4 ,they are winter growers in ,california valleys and should be sown in the fall as soon as the land is moist enough to keep them growing1 or just as soon as you can get it moist either by rainfall or irrigation4 ,neither plant likes dry heat or dry soil4 ,preserving ,eggs4 ,what is a good way to preserve eggs for home use8 ,in a cool cellar1 eggs will keep very well in a mixture of common salt and bran4 ,use equal parts1 mix well1 and as you gather the eggs from day to day pack with big end down in the mixture and see that the eggs are covered4 ,waterglass eggs are good enough for cooking purposes1 but when boiled anyone that knows the taste of a strictly fresh egg can tell the difference in an instant2 when fried the taste is not so pronounced1 but it is there just the same2 besides1 when broken1 they are a little watery4 ,this watery condition passes off if left to stand for a few minutes4 ,the best way is to use the waterglass method1 is one quart of waterglass to ten quarts of water4 ,boil the water and put away to cool1 when cold add the waterglass1 mixing well1 and store in #c or #e-;gallon crocks in a cool place4 ,they will keep six months if good when put in4 ,in all cases the eggs must be gathered very fresh1 for one stale egg will spoil the whole lot1 so great care is needed4 ,dipping ,fowls4 ,how do you dip hens to kill lice8 ,to dip fowls you must have a very warm day1 or a warm room where you can turn them in to dry4 ,i have know people to use tobacco stems1 but it requires good judgment as to the right strength to use4 ,the dips usually sold already prepared are safer1 in my opinion1 because they give directions as to quantity4 ,get a can of zenoleum or creolium - either is good - and have the water a little over blood-heat to commence2 be very careful that the liquid does not get in the fowl's throat4 ,if there are no directions with the cans1 put enough in to make the water quite milky and strong smelling4 ,it is best to make the hen sit down and with a sponge wet the back and head thoroughly1 then under the wings and breast2 if there are nits1 don't be in a hurry to take the hen out1 but let the dip get to the nits and skin on the abdomen4 ,if the water is too warm it will be dangerous1 as some fowls have weak hearts2 that is the only danger1 providing you dry them quickly4 ,cure for ,feather-,eating4 ,what is the cure for feather-eating8 ,feather eating is the result of idleness or a shortage of green feed4 ,the best way to cure it is to furnish the fowls with exercise4 ,boil some oats until soft1 and when cooked stir in salt enough to taste and about a quart of good beef scrap2 feed this for breakfast several mornings together4 ,make them scratch for the rest of their food in deep litter and give them sour milk to drink if you have it4 ,if sour milk is not available1 put a tablespoonful of flowers of sulphur in the boiled oats4 ,the object is to cool the blood and furnish exercise4 ,see that the fowls are supplied with mineral matter1 such ash shells1 bone meal and some1 sand if it can be had4 ,it is surprising the amount of sand that chickens will eat when carried to them in yards1 so there must be a necessity for it1 and if they cannot get to it1 it pays to carry a good box full once in a while4 ,cannibal ,chicks4 ,what can ,i do to cure my chicks of eating each other8 ,some kind of animal food is necessary when the chicks begin to pick toes1 wings and vents4 ,but the meat must always be cooked1 the least bit of raw meat drives them wild as does the blood they can bring on each other4 ,for that reason a strict watch must be kept to detect any case before blood is brought4 ,remove all weak chicks as they always go for the weakest1 and as soon as one chick is picked on for a victim1 remove it at once4 ,some people paint the toes with tar or liquid lice paint1 but ,i have had the best success with bitter aloes mixed with water4 ,a nickel's worth covers a lot of toes4 ,it is best to buy a powder1 then dissolve in a little water and paint wings1 vent and toes4 ,they won't take many pecks at them when they find they are so bitter4 ,sunflower ,seeds for ,poultry4 ,what is the food value of sunflower seed as a ration for fowls1 mostly laying hens8 ,should it be fed whole or crushed8 ,sunflower seed is rich in oil1 having the same proportion as flaxseed2 otherwise it rates in value the same as grain4 ,a little1 not too much1 fed whole is well relished by fowls and is said to give luster to the plumage in fitting birds for shows4 ,sunflower is greatly overrated for poultry purposes4 ,it is an ungainly plant of no use for forage and its seed is so well liked by the sparrows that the only way to keep them till ripe is to cover the heads with netting4 ,clipping ,hens for ,cleanliness4 ,my hens foul all the feathers below the vent2 they appear healthy1 but do not look nice4 ,what can ,i do8 ,take a pair of scissors and clip the fluff away from that part of the abdomen1 give a teaspoonful of olive oil1 and notice of they have any discharge that is of an offensive color or odor4 ,sometimes it is nothing but pure laziness with hens of the large breeds that causes this matting together of the fluff below the vent4 ,we rarely see hens of the small breeds so affected4 ,whenever a hen soils her feathers clip her at once1 and1 in fact1 it is a good custom to follow in any case4 ,when hens are very heavily fluffed it interferes with the fertility of the eggs4 ,in such cases there is not anything for it but the scissors4 ,bowel ,trouble in ,chicks4 ,what is the cause of bowel trouble in young chicks1 and what to do for it8 ,bowel trouble in very young chicks is usually caused by a chill4 ,it is very hard for us here to believe chicks get chilled because1 not feeling the cold ourselves1 we forget that chicks have really undergone a violent change from incubator to the outside atmosphere4 ,in the ,eastern ,states1 great care is exercised in moving chicks from incubator to brooder oven1 and also in seeing that the brooder itself is warm and fit to receive the chicks4 ,but we are1 as a rule1 very careless in these little matters and the chicks feel the change and suffer from bowel trouble4 ,sometimes1 of course1 the trouble may be traced to the food1 but more often it comes from a chill4 ,the best way to cure it is to remove the chicks to new ground at once1 or if in a brooder1 clean it out well and spray with some disinfectant4 ,boil all the water that is given to the chicks and feed boiled rice once or twice a day in which a little cinnamon is mixed4 ,do not put in too much or they will not eat it1 keep all meat away and just feed dry chick feed and boiled rice4 ,no oatmeal or any other cereal but the rice2 if chicks won't eat it1 feed dry chick feed and boiled water and a little lettuce4 ,quick ,roosters and ,laying ,hens4 ,how can ,i get the young roosters off quick and the hens to lay in winter8 ,these two happy results come from correct methods of poultry keeping from the ground up4 ,to get the cockerels off quick1 they must be hatched from strong-germed eggs1 incubated properly and kept growing from the first jump out of the shell4 ,to get eggs in winter the pullets must come from the same conditions4 ,very few hens will lay in the early winter under any conditions4 ,the pullets must be depended upon for that season and the hens kept properly will drop in some time in ,january4 ,poultry ,tonic4 ,what is a good poultry tonic8 ,the following is a very good tonic for general purposes3 ,tincture of red cinchona1 #a fluid ounce2 tincture of chloride of iron1 #a fluid drachm2 tincture of flux vomica1 #d fluid drachms2 glycerine #b ounces2 water1 #b ounces4 ,mix and give one teaspoonful to a quart of water1 allowing no other drink4 ,poultry in the ,orchard4 ,kindly advise me about keeping hens in an orchard4 ,i would like to know if they will injure the trees in any way if kept in large numbers4 ,in what way would they benefit the trees8 ,from the point of view of the trees there is no doubt that they would be advantaged by the presence of the poultry1 providing the coops are not allowed to interfere with the proper irrigation and cultivation4 ,if it is practicable to handle the fowls in coops without causing the soil around the coops to become compacted by continual tramping1 and if they are not kept upon the ground long enough to cause an excessive application of hen manure1 which is very concentrated and stimulating1 the result would unquestionably be beneficial4 ,from the point of view of the tree1 this benefit of injury would depend upon how long the fowls were kept around the tree and the maintenance of them in such a way that the soil should not become out of condition physically or too rich chemically for the satisfactory performance of the tree4 ,if they can be moved frequently1 and if they are only put in place when the soil is in such condition that tramping around the coops will not seriously compact it1 the presence of fowls would be an advantage4 ,on the other hand1 if the coops are to be kept in place for a long time and all the ground outside of them crusted and hardened by tramping and the soil under the coops overloaded with droppings1 the thrift and value of the trees will be seriously interfered with4 ,caponizing4 ,can three to four month old cockerels be caponized successfully in summer1 and if so1 what care1 feed1 etc41 do they require afterwards8 ,the birds should be between two to three months1 not over four1 unless some very large variety that matures slowly4 ,size is equally important as age1 and a bird to be caponized should not weigh more than one and a half pounds4 ,the work can be successfully done in the summer season1 but the fowl must be kept without food or drink for at least #bd hours1 longer is better and keep in shady place4 ,after caponizing1 feed the bird what soft feed he will eat up and let him have plenty of water4 ,then leave him to himself as he will be his own doctor4 ,in two or three days look them over and if there are any wind-balls1 simply prick with a needle to let the air out2 this may have to be done two or three times before the wound heals up1 but after it has healed1 treat just as you would other chickens and feed them about twice a day4 ,there is nothing made by trying to rush nature2 it takes fifteen months to grow a good capon of the large breeds4 ,roup ,treatment4 ,up to a week ago the chickens had been exceptionally well in every way4 ,now they seem to have a cold and a running at the nose and with it a bad odor4 ,it was suggested that this might be the beginning of roup1 but ,i see no swell-head4 ,the distinguishing characteristic of roup is not so-called swell head or other form of cold1 but the offensive roupy odor4 ,when the cold has reached this stage it is a pronounced case of roup1 and highly contagious4 ,separate all the ailing fowls and segregate them in comfortable hospital quarters1 warm but with one side partly open for fresh air4 ,disinfect the quarters of the well fowls by spraying with distillate or cheap-grade coal oil and sprinkling the floors and about the houses with air-slaked lime4 ,use some simple remedy like coal oil or permanganate of potash to cleanse the throat and nostrils4 ,with coal oil1 first wipe the eyes and bill with a clean cloth dipped in the coal oil1 then inject with a sewing-machine oil can enough coal oil to open and thoroughly clean out the nostrils4 ,if the throat is affected1 give a tablespoonful of sweet oil and coal oil1 half and half1 two or three times a day until relieved4 ,one of our correspondents has sent us the following treatment with permanganate of potash which he has found the best roup remedy he has ever tried3 ,dissolve #a ounce of permanganate of potash in #c pints of water1 hold the fowl's head in this for a second1 then open the beak and rinse out the mouth in the solution4 ,wipe with a clean1 soft cloth and apply a very little witch hazel or carbolated salve to the eyes1 nostrils and head4 ,repeat the operation as often as the throat and head become clogged with mucus4 ,until the disease is eliminated from the premises1 keep permanganate of potash in the drinking water of all the fowls1 both sick and well4 ,about #a ounce to each #b gallons of water or enough to give the water a claret color4 ,the sick fowls should be allowed no other feed but a little stimulating mash three times a day4 ,where the fowls do not show a decided improvement in the course of a few days1 or where the disease has assumed a violent form1 all such birds should be killed and the bodies burned at once4 ,bad ,food for ,chickens4 ,my chicks are about three weeks old and have always been strong and sturdy1 but when taken sick first appear a little dumpish1 then the head seems a little heavy and the neck lengthens out4 ,as the disease advances they become staggery4 ,your chicks have eaten soured food1 decayed vegetables or tainted meat4 ,baby chicks are just like other babies and the same care should be used that their food be always sweet and fresh4 ,wet food should never be given chicks1 nor raw meat nor anything the least bit tainted or stale4 ,put a teaspoon of coal oil in each pint of drinking water and see to it that the latter is kept pure and cool4 ,mix a teacup of sulphur with enough bran or shorts for each #ajj chicks1 moisten with sweet milk and feed it on clean boards1 what the chicks will eat up clean in some1 twenty minutes4 ,give them one feed of this each day for three days if the weather is dry4 ,clean the brooders and runs daily1 then dust white with air-slacked lime and cover the lime with a sprinkling of clean sand4 ,rake and clean up the yards where they range and never let them eat any of their grain or food out of dirt and filth4 ,you cannot doctor such small chicks and must depend upon the coal oil in the drinking water4 ,keep the water fresh1 but add the coal oil until the chicks are relieved4 ,open-,front ,chicken ,houses4 ,in what direction shall ,i face open-front poultry houses8 ,north or northeast is the proper direction to face the open fronts of poultry houses and coops in the ,pacific ,coast climate4 ,the prevailing winds are from the south and southeast in the winter1 and from the west and southwest in the summer4 ,the occasional north winds or northers1 may be called dry winds1 in fact1 are an indication of dry weather1 and so do not harm the fowls even when cold4 ,we like the upper half of the north-end or slide of our poultry houses open with inch-mesh covering the open space and the eaves extending several inches as a protection4 ,in case of an unusual storm from that direction1 one thickness of burlap may be tacked to the edge of the extending eaves1 and to the lower part of the opening4 ,this will admit plenty of fresh air while breaking the force of the wind4 ,we also have a large trap door for the use of the fowls1 in the solid lower part of the open end1 and the large door1 for cleaning and sunning the house1 in the west side4 ,a ,point on ,mating4 ,i have fine roosters a year old this ,april2 would you advise keeping them for mating with the same hens next season1 or do you advise selling each year and getting fresh stock8 ,the young males will be all right to mate with the same hens next season - that is1 if they come through the molt with vigor4 ,they will be just two years old and at their best4 ,the molt is the test for both1 hens and cocks4 ,if they show no signs of ailing or weakness during that period1 it is proof of the proper stamina and vigor4 ,age for ,mating4 ,at what age may a cockerel be mated with hens8 ,from nine months to a year is the proper age to mate a ,leghorn cockerel4 ,cockerels of the larger breeds should not be mated before a year old4 ,white-,yolk ,eggs4 ,why are eggs watery and light-colored8 ,the trouble is in the feed somewhere4 ,too much green feed1 especially green feed that springs from wet1 soggy ground1 will sometimes make the eggs watery4 ,or if you are feeding more mash feed than dry grain1 it will have that tendency4 ,some people claim that the feed a hen eats does not affect the egg at all2 but if it does not1 why do eggs differ in color and quality8 ,eggs that are laid by hens fed wholly on wheat1 or the by-products of wheat1 such as bran1 shorts or middlings1 all have a pale yolk4 ,now feed the hens some green feed - any kind will do - and the eggs from the same hens will have a yolk several degrees or shades darker4 ,poultry ,diarrhea4 ,will you kindly tell me the cause and cure for bowel trouble among hens8 ,the quick cure for chick diarrhea has not yet been found4 ,prevention is the only sure remedy4 ,the first treatment in diarrhea 7which must not be confused with simple looseness of the bowels7 should be a mild physic to clean out the digestive tract4 ,epsom salts is probably best for this purpose where a number of fowls are to be treated4 ,this is usually given in the drinking water1 but ,dr4 ,morse1 who has charge of the investigation of poultry diseases in the ,bureau of ,animal ,industry1 gives the following directions for administering the salts3 ,clean out by giving epsom salts in an evening mash1 estimating one-third to one-half teaspoonful to each adult bird1 or a teaspoonful to each six half-grown chicks1 carefully proportioning the amount of mash to the appetite of the birds1 so that the whole will be eaten up quickly4 ,for a few days afterward1 feed only lightly with dry grain and tender greens1 such as fresh-cut mustard and lettuce leaves4 ,keep plenty of pure1 cool water1 with just a thin skim of coal oil - one drop to each pint - for drinking2 also plenty of sharp grit and fresh charcoal broken to the size of grains of wheat4 ,limber-,neck4 ,a very peculiar disease is taking off my fowls4 ,the head of the fowl bends down to the breast and the fowl looks like dead1 there is also a slight discharge from the mouth4 ,the head and tail droop and if the fowl could stand up they would almost touch4 ,when a fowl loses partial or entire control of the muscles of the neck the common name of the affection is limber-neck4 ,in medical science limber-neck is regarded as a symptom rather than a disease1 and may be due to a number of causes1 such as derangement of the digestive organs1 intestinal worms and ptomaine poisoning4 ,the affected fowls should be given immediately a full tablespoon of fresh melted lard or sweet oil1 to which has been added a scant teaspoonful1 of coal oil4 ,in an hour repeat the dose4 ,for a few days the fowls should be fed on some light food1 such as shorts scalded with sweet milk in which has been dissolved a level teaspoonful of baking soda to every pint of milk1 and also allowed plenty of crisp1 tender lettuce or similar greens4 ,a little ,epsom salts should be added to the drinking water for a few days4 ,this treatment1 if resorted to at the start1 will be effectual1 but if the poisoning has had its course long1 nothing will save the bird4 ,chicken ,pox4 ,my one and two-year-old fowls are getting scabby combs4 ,it starts with a round blackish spot and swells into many spots1 finally nearly covering one side of the comb4 ,sometimes accompanying this is the closing of one eye1 and later both eyes4 ,the trouble is chicken pox1 which is a very contagious disease4 ,a treatment which has been successful consists in bathing the sores with strong salt and water and giving the fowls a mash containing one teaspoonful of calcium sulphide for each #be hens4 ,with a large flock of hens the method successfully employed by one of the large coast ranches in stamping out an epidemic of the disease was to place a sulphur smudge1 to which had been added a little carbolic acid1 in the poultry house after the fowls had gone to roost4 ,this was allowed to remain till the fowls began to sneeze1 when it was instantly removed4 ,the affected fowls were also treated by dipping the heads in a solution of permanganate of potash4 ,roup in ,turkeys4 ,my turkeys have a disease that is spreading rapidly4 ,they commence with a running at the nose1 have swelling under the eyes which are filled with pus4 ,this is clearly a case of cold developing into roup4 ,get one ounce of permanganate of potash and pour a quart of boiling water over2 after it is cold1 bottle for use4 ,now take an old tin can1 three parts full of warm1 not hot water1 and drop in enough of the permanganate of potash to make it dark red4 ,hold the turk's head under in this can until it needs breath then give it time to breathe1 and dip again4 ,press the fingers along the swollen parts towards the nostrils and get out all the pus you can1 then take a sewing-machine oil can and fill it with a little of the mixture1 and part olive oil1 inject the liquid up the nostrils and in the cleft of the mouth4 ,put a little of the permanganate in the drinking water for all the flock4 ,make the water a light red1 later it will turn to a dirty brown1 but don't mind that4 ,disinfectants4 ,what can ,i use to disinfect poultry belongings8 ,sulphuric acid spray is good1 but you will need to be very careful that you do not get it on the hands or clothing4 ,get #af ounces sulphuric acid 7#ej per cent solution71 water #f gallons4 ,have the water in a wooden tub or barrel and add the sulphuric acid to the water very slowly1 in order not to splash it on the flesh or clothes4 ,but mind3 nothing but wooden vessels to mix it in4 ,when made according to directions1 and of this strength it is a very valuable disinfectant1 but is dangerous to use of any stronger mixing4 ,after mixing1 it can be stored in glass bottles or earthenware jugs4 ,another very good disinfectant for poultry houses and runs is the formaldehyde disinfectant4 ,formaldehyde #a pint 7#dj per cent71 water #b gallons4 ,this is fine for houses that you can shut up4 ,turn the fowls out of the building1 close all windows1 and spray thoroughly1 then close the door and leave it do the work4 ,air well by opening windows and door several hours before the fowls go to roost4 ,cloth for ,brooding ,houses4 ,would some good grade of white cloth on a frame do as well1 or would it be better than glass1 for a brooder house1 or would it keep out too much sun-heat8 ,cheesecloth1 not heavy cloth1 would be better than glass1 so far as the sun is concerned4 ,there would be none of the overheating during the middle of the day followed by the chilling at night which are caused by a large expanse of glass4 ,on the other hand1 there should not be openings on opposite sides of the house to create a draft4 ,also1 the rat and vermin question must be considered4 ,it might be necessary to have wire screens made to fit firmly over the cloth at night4 ,grains for ,chickens4 ,what variety of grain adopted for poultry food will be the best to grow1 with and also without irrigation8 ,wheat is a standard grain for poultry feeding1 and ,egyptian corn is also largely used4 ,indian corn is also satisfactory1 under the general roles for compounding poultry rations which are laid down by all authorities on the subject4 ,egyptian corn is very successful in the interior parts of the ,state1 and1 on lands which are winter-plowed and harrow to retain moisture1 very satisfactory results can be secured by summer growth without irrigation from planting as soon as frost danger is over4 ,plucking ,ducks and ,geese4 ,i would like to know about how1 when and how often to pick old ducks so as to get the feathers for pillows and not kill the ducks1 either4 ,will they lay any eggs while growing new feathers8 ,neither ducks nor geese should be plucked until after the laying season is over1 which will be in ,july4 ,just before the moult1 when the feathers begin to loosen1 they may be plucked again4 ,those most considerate of their birds make only this latter plucking1 which does not greatly inconvenience the fowls4 ,at no time must they be plucked unless the feathers are ripe2 that is1 dry at the root1 so that no bleeding or injury to the skin is caused4 ,an old stocking is drawn over the head of the victim1 and the bird held in the plucker's lap on a burlap apron2 then the soft feathers on the body are quickly and very gently removed2 but those on the side of the body which support the wings should not be taken4 ,great care should be exercised not to injure the skin or pinfeathers or pull the down4 ,to grow new feathers quickly and resume laying are matters which depend largely upon the condition of the bird and the feed4 ,the latter should consist of some #ae per cent of animal food4 ,feeding ,hens for ,hatching ,eggs4 ,should soft feed be given to the mothers of chicks intended for broilers8 ,how about dry mash8 ,how would you advise feeding animal protein8 ,cut out all ground feed1 except perhaps a little wheat bran4 ,while you may not get quite as many eggs1 they will all have good strong germs and the chicks will stand forcing to the limit1 while if you force the egg output you reduce the vitality of the germs and livability of chicks hatched4 ,the only way to feed hens whose eggs are intended for hatching chicks for broilers is to feed whole grain and make them exercise for it1 good green feed1 or1 better still1 sprouted oats1 and feed beef scrap in a hopper all the time4 ,at first1 while it is new1 they may eat more than you would give them but don't mind that they will regulate the quantity in a few days better than you can4 ,get a good grade of beef scrap and keep it in a hopper that will not let rain in or keep it under cover and feed all the wheat and oats they require2 if you are short on green feed give them a bale of alfalfa hay to work on4 ,a ,dry ,mash4 ,will you give a formula for a dry mash8 ,wheat bran1 #ejj pounds2 middlings1 #bjj pounds2 cracked corn1 #bjj pounds2 charcoal1 #bj pounds2 alfalfa meal #bjj pounds2 bone meal1 #aej pounds2 blood-meal #ajj pounds2 meat cracklings1 if ground1 #bjj pounds2 ground oats or barley1 #cjj pounds4 ,give oyster shell separately and supply fowls with good sharp grit4 ,depluming ,mites4 ,my chickens are losing the feathers from their necks1 some three inches down the front and then extending around the neck4 ,the loss of feathers is probably due to the depluming mite4 ,dust well with buhach through the feathered portion of the bird and apply carbolated vaseline to the bare skin and the edges of the feathers where the insects work4 ,do this daily as long as needed4 ,when vaseline is not on hand1 a mixture of coal oil and sweet oil applied with a soft sponge squeezed nearly dry does as well4 ,we would advise that you make a general cleaning and spraying of your poultry quarters1 nest boxes1 etc4 ,part ,,ix4 ,pests and ,diseases of ,plants ,control of ,grasshoppers4 ,this county is having trouble with the grasshoppers as are other counties4 ,would you kindly inform me what ,i could do to exterminate them on my young orchard8 ,the best thing for grasshoppers is to fix up a lot of poison4 ,this is made in the proportion of #dj pounds of bran1 #b pounds of molasses and #e of arsenic1 mixed together as a mash4 ,they will take this wherever they find it1 even when nice green leaves are close by1 but it has to be kept moist4 ,grasshoppers can also be reduced by driving a hopper doser over ground where they are4 ,this is made somewhat like a ,fresno scraper1 but is much longer and the bottom is covered with crude oil4 ,when disturbed the hoppers jump up and fall into the oil4 ,besides the poison1 you should also protect the trunk of the tree to prevent the hoppers from climbing up it4 ,this can be done by applying tree tanglefoot1 or putting on one of the tree guards that prevent climbing insects from passing up to the leaves4 ,the combination of poison and tree guards will give you about all the protection you need4 ,sunburn and ,borers4 ,please state the best remedy for keeping the borer out of young fruit trees4 ,sunburn can be prevented in many ways4 ,the manufactured tree-protectors are good if they are light colored and are kept in place so that the sun does not scald above or below them4 ,wrapping spirally with narrow strips of burlap1 torn from old grain sacks1 from the base to the forking of the branches1 is also good4 ,a very effective and widely used method is to apply a good durable whitewash which may be made of #cj pounds of lime1 #d pounds of tallow and #e pounds of salt1 adding the salt to the water used in slaking the lime1 stirring in the tallow while the slaking is in progress and hot1 and then adding water to thin the wash so that it will work well with pump or brush4 ,gumming of ,prune ,trees4 ,i write to ask for information concerning my prune trees4 ,they are from two to six years old and the gum is exuding from them4 ,as ,i notice the branches dying ,i cut them out1 but this doesn't seem to save the tree4 ,i would appreciate any information you can give me4 ,this is a pretty hard matter to diagnose from a distance4 ,there is a good probability that the trouble is caused by sunburn1 a point you could determine on inspection4 ,whitewash would be a protection against this and more or less of a cure also4 ,furthermore1 borers may be the cause1 which can be determined by examining the points where the gum exudes1 seeing if any wood grains are present4 ,these borers should be dug out and whitewash applied1 which latter also protects against this trouble4 ,lastly1 your ground may be drying out1 which also you can determine and remedy4 ,borers in ,olive ,twigs4 ,there are quite a number of olive trees in this locality that have something wrong with them4 ,they make a growth of five or six inches and the center twig dies back1 then it sprouts out at the sides and makes another growth in the same way4 ,this makes a thick bush instead of the tree coming up as it should4 ,the dying back is caused by a beetle which bores into the twigs4 ,the twigs above the point where the beetle enters dies and then1 of course1 buds come out from healthy wood below4 ,no treatment has been devised against it1 though its breeding ground is limited if all dead wood and brush and litter is cleaned up and twigs are cut off below the point of injury whenever the work of the insect is seen4 ,raspberry ,cane ,borer4 ,can you tell me what to do for my ,loganberries and raspberries8 ,a small worm got into them in the new growth of wood lost summer1 right in the tips of the new growth of wood1 and then worked down through the pith of the wood1 and as fast as they worked down the can wilted4 ,this is the raspberry horn-tail1 or the cane-borer4 ,the adults are wasp-like insects about a half-inch long and very active4 ,they come out of the canes in spring and the females soon lay eggs in the tender tips of the young shoots4 ,these eggs soon hatch and the larvae eat their way up toward the tip1 which causes it to wither and die4 ,it is this injury that causes much notice4 ,as the tip dies1 the larvae turn and go down into the canes1 as in the sample sent1 also injuring them greatly1 though possibly not killing them for some time4 ,the only way to attack them is to pinch the spots where the eggs were laid2 then those that escape and cause the tips to wilt should be destroyed by cutting off the tips below the point of injury or cutting off the canes when they show damage4 ,likewise1 the insects work on the wild rose1 and cutting all those out around a place will prevent enough adults from developing to permit little damage to be done1 always provided the berries are well looked after4 ,control of ,red ,spider4 ,can you give directions for the prevention of injury by the red spider to almond and other trees in the ,sacramento volley8 ,the red spider on almond and prune trees is usually controlled by the thorough application of dry sulphur to the foliage4 ,on almonds the first sulphuring should be done as soon as the leaves appear in ,march4 ,a second application is advised from the #ast to the #ajth of ,may4 ,a third application should be made from the #ast to the #ajth of ,june4 ,prune trees should be treated as soon as the spider appears4 ,in the ,sacramento valley this usually occurs about the first week of ,july4 ,full-grown trees require about a pound of sulphur which should be thoroughly distributed throughout the foliage4 ,the old method of throwing a handful of sulphur in the branches of the tree or on the ground under the tree is valueless4 ,the use of a blower is economical in large orchards1 but a can with perforated bottom is frequently used on young trees or small orchards with good results4 ,in normal seasons the spider is easily1 controlled by dry sulphuring4 ,when the pest does not yield to this treatment1 a spray is recommended4 ,liquid ,spray for ,red ,spider4 ,is there any liquid spray ,i can use in my spraying that will kill the red spider without injuring the foliage of the almond8 ,a liquid spray for red spider is made by taking sulphur #cj pounds2 lime 7reduced to milk form by water71 #ae pounds2 water1 #bjj gallons2 or use commercial lime-sulphur1 #d or #e gallons to #bjj gallons of water4 ,these sprays can be applied without injuring the foliage4 ,they are more expensive in labor cost than dry sulphuring1 but are more effective4 ,apple-,leaf ,aphis4 ,i am sending herewith a small piece from one of my young apple trees4 ,if you can1 will you kindly tell me what the insects are an it1 and what ,i had better do for them8 ,the apple twig which you send is infested with the eggs of the leaf aphis or leaf louse4 ,these eggs are very difficult to kill4 ,a good thorough spraying with lime-sulphur might1 however1 get rid of many of them and would be good for the trees otherwise - diluting according to condition of tree growth4 ,the chief campaign against the leaf aphis1 however1 must be made early in the growing season1 just as these pests are beginning to hatch out and to accumulate under the leaves of the new growth4 ,they should then be attacked with properly made kerosene emulsion or tobacco extract with a nozzle suited to land the spray on the under side of the leaves4 ,unless these pests are attacked early in the season and repeated if necessary1 your apples on bearing trees will be ruined so far as they attack them1 being small1 misshaped and worthless4 ,on young trees the destruction of the foliage is fatal to good growth4 ,woolly ,aphis4 ,will you kindly inform me what you consider the best treatment for apple trees affected by woolly aphis8 ,the best way to kill the woolly aphis on the roots is to remove the earth from around the tree to a distance of one or two feet1 according to the size of the tree1 digging away a few inches of the surface soil1 ,then soak the soil around the tree with kerosene emulsion1 properly made1 of #ae per cent strength1 and replace the earth4 ,be sure you get a good emulsion1 for free oil is dangerous4 ,for the insects above ground on the twigs1 a good spraying while the tree is out of leaf will kill many1 but some will survive for summer spraying1 and for this a tobacco spray may be most convenient4 ,blister ,mite on ,walnuts4 ,i am sending you some walnut leaves with some swellings an them4 ,they are very plentiful on some trees here4 ,is the trouble serious and will it spread8 ,this is merely ,erinose1 or ,blister ,mite1 which is a very common trouble on walnuts1 but does not do enough damage to call for methods of control4 ,these swellings are caused by numerous1 very small insects which live within the blisters on the under side of the leaf amongst a felt-like1 heavy growth which develops there4 ,while this effect is very common1 it produces no appreciable injury and needs no treatment for its control4 ,scale on ,apricots4 ,i would like to know how to check the scale on apricot trees4 ,the most common scale on apricots1 the brown apricot scale1 is usually held in check by the comys fusca1 which is as widely distributed as the scale itself4 ,if it gets beyond the parasite1 you should spray in winter with crude oil emulsion4 ,if some scales are punctured or have a black spot on top1 the comys fusca is busy and you probably will be safe enough without doing anything4 ,fumigating for ,black ,scale4 ,i would like to know the best method of eradicating the black scale from my orange trees1 whether by spraying or fumigation8 ,spraying has been given up as a suitable method for controlling the black scale on citrus trees1 and the only recognized method of merit where the scale is bad is by fumigation with hydrocyanic acid gas4 ,you should communicate with your county horticultural commissioner1 who1 through inspectors1 will see that you have a good job done1 at the right time and at as moderate price as is compatible with good work4 ,it is impossible to 'eradicate' the black scale1 but there is a great difference in the amount that can be killed1 and it pays to have a job done as near perfectly as possible4 ,similar methods of attacking other scale insects on citrus trees are used4 ,finding ,thrips4 ,how can the presence of pear thrips be detected in a prune orchard8 ,will the distillate emulsion-nicotine spray control brown scale as well as thrips8 ,you can find thrips by shaking a cluster of blossoms1 as soon as they open1 over a sheet of paper or in the palm of your hand4 ,the thrips are very minute1 transparent1 somewhat louse-like insects4 ,the spray you mention would probably have little effect on the brown scale which would still be in the egg state and under cover1 at the time the early spring spraying for the thrips4 ,control of ,pear ,slug4 ,i am sending1 under separate cover1 some samples of cherry tree leaves that have been attacked by a small snail or slug4 ,kindly let me know what they are1 and how to rid the trees of them4 ,the creatures you speak of are the pear slugs1 or the cherry slugs1 as they are sometimes known4 ,although slimy1 like the big yellow slug that is a pest in vegetable gardens1 it is no relation thereto1 but is the larva of an insect4 ,its olive green color1 slimy appearance and the way it eats the surface of the leaves make it about the easiest of all insects to identify4 ,parasites and predacious insects usually keep it in fair control4 ,whenever artificial methods of control are needed the slugs can best be destroyed by sprinkling dust of any kind upon them4 ,if you can get a machine for sulphuring a vineyard and use some air slaked lime or other fine dust1 it will fix them quickly and inexpensively1 though any way of applying dust may be used4 ,cutworms and ,young ,trees4 ,what method should be used to protect young fruit trees from cutworms8 ,hoe around the trees or vines and kill the fat1 greasy grubs which you will find near the foliage4 ,put out a poisoned bait which the worms like better than the foliage1 viz4 ,bran1 #aj pounds2 white arsenic1 #a_/b pound2 molasses1 #a_/b gallon2 water1 #b gallons4 ,mix the arsenic with the bran dry4 ,add the molasses to the water and mix into the bran1 making a moist paste4 ,put a tablespoonful near the base of the tree or vine and lock up the chickens4 ,control of ,squash ,bugs4 ,we are troubled with pumpkin bugs4 ,please tell us what to do for them4 ,when the bugs first make their appearance in the field they can be easily disposed of by hand picking and dropping into a bucket containing about two inches of water with about one-fourth inch of kerosene on top to kill the bugs4 ,the picking should be done in the morning1 as the bugs are apt to fly in the warm part of the day and scatter where already picked4 ,two persons can pick over an acre in one and a half hours1 and two pickings are usually sufficient for a season1 as after the vines begin to run over the ground pretty well the bugs will not be able to hurt them much4 ,a pair of thin old gloves will help to keep off one's hands some of the perfume from the bugs4 ,the sooner the work starts the fewer bugs to pick4 ,cleaning up of all old vines in the fall and removing litter in which the mature bugs hide for the winter will permit less eggs to be laid in the spring and there will be fewer bugs to pick as a result4 ,the ,corn ,worm4 ,last year all my ears of corn were infested with maggot1 growing fat thereon4 ,can you help me scare them away8 ,you have to do with the so-called corn worm which is very abundant in this ,state and one of the greatest pests to corn growing4 ,it is the same insect which is known as the boll worm of the cotton in the ,southern ,states4 ,no satisfactory method of controlling this has been found1 although a great deal of experimentation has been done4 ,nearly everything that could be thought of has been tried without very satisfactory results4 ,a late planted corn has sometimes been free1 for the insect is not in the laying stage then4 ,if it were not for this insect the canning of corn would be an important industry in this ,state4 ,melon ,lice4 ,i have in about four acres of watermelons1 and there seem to be lice and a small gnat or fly1 and also some small green bugs and white worms on the under part of the leaves1 which seem to be stopping the growth of the vines1 making them wilt and die4 ,they seem to be more in patches1 although a few on all the vines4 ,can you please tell me what to do for them8 ,melon lice are very hard to catch up with after you have let them get a start4 ,spraying with oil emulsions1 tobacco extracts1 soap solutions1 etc41 will all kill the lice if you get it onto them with a good spray pump and suitable nozzles for reaching the under sides of the leaves4 ,the gnats you speak of are the winged forms of the lice2 the white worms may be eating the lice2 the small green bugs may be diabroticas4 ,if you had started in lively as soon as you saw the first lice you could have destroyed them in the places where they started4 ,now your chance lies largely in the natural multiplication of ladybirds and the occurrence of hot winds which will burn up the lice4 ,it is too late probably1 to undertake spraying the whole field4 ,wire ,worms4 ,is there any way to destroy or overcome the destructive work of the wireworm1 which ,i find in some spots takes the lion's share of crops1 such as beans1 potatoes1 onions1 etc48 ,we do not know any easy way with wire worms4 ,nitrate of soda is believed to kill or repel them1 but you have to be careful with it1 for too much will either over-stimulate or kill the kill2 about #bjj pounds per acre1 well distributed1 is the usual prescription for the good of the plants4 ,wire worms can probably be killed with carbon bisulphide1 using a tablespoonful poured into holes about a foot deep1 three or four feet apart4 ,the vapor would permeate the soil and kill all ground insects1 but the acre-cost of such treatment must be measured in its relation to the value of the crop4 ,the most promising policy with wire worms is rotation of crops1 starving them out with a grain or grass crop and not growing such crops as you mention continually on the same land4 ,bean ,weevil4 ,how can ,i keep certain insects from getting into my dry beans8 ,i have finished picking the crop4 ,every year a little1 short1 stubby beetle gets in them before spring and makes them unfit for use4 ,you have to do with the bean weevil4 ,the eggs are inserted by the insect while the beans are still green in the pods2 subsequently the eggs hatch and the worm excavates the interior of the ripened beans4 ,the beans can be protected after ripening by heating carefully to #acj ,fahrenheit1 which will destroy the egg1 or the larva if already hatched4 ,of course1 this heating must be done cautiously and with the aid of a good thermometer for fear of destroying the germinating power4 ,the work of the insect can also be stopped by putting the beans in a barrel or other close receptacle1 with a saucer containing about an ounce of carbon bi-sulfid to vaporize4 ,be careful not to approach the vapor with a light4 ,after treatment for one-half hour1 the cover can be removed and the vapor will entirely dissipate4 ,this is a safer treatment than the heating4 ,similar methods of control can be used on other pea and bean weevils4 ,slugs in ,garden4 ,can you advise me how ,i can get rid of slugs in my garden8 ,when barriers of lime1 ashes1 etc41 are ineffective1 traps consisting of pieces of board sacking and similar materials placed about the field prove inviting to the slugs4 ,they collect under these and by going over the field in the early morning they may be put into a salt-water solution or otherwise destroyed4 ,arsenical sprays applied with an underspray nozzle to the lower surface of the leaves will help control the slugs4 ,poison bran mash consisting of #af pounds of coarse bran1 #b quarts of cheap syrup1 and enough warm water to make a coarse mash1 is very good for cutworms and should be equally effective for slugs4 ,it should be placed in small heaps about the plants to be protected4 ,cabbage leaves dipped in grease drippings and placed about the fields also prove attractive bait for the slugs1 which may then be collected there4 ,if a person has a taste for poultry1 the keeping of a few ducks may solve the slug problem without further bother4 ,cultivation or irrigation methods that give a dry surface most of the time also discourage these pests4 ,cause of ,mottle ,leaf4 ,what is the cause and cure of mottle leaf of citrus trees8 ,there are apparently a number of causes of this trouble1 all more or less obscure and hard to overcome4 ,it is generally thought that it is due to poor nutrition1 whatever the reason for poor nutrition might be4 ,the presence of a nematode or eel worm on the roots has found to be a cause of mottle leaf in many cases4 ,poor drainage1 too sandy soil and a number of other things frequently cause it4 ,whatever the cause1 no one good method of cure has been found4 ,potato ,scab4 ,i think most of my potatoes will have some scab4 ,will you please tell me if my next crop would be apt to have scab1 provided ,i got good clean seed and planted in the same ground8 ,it seems demonstrated that a treatment of the seed will practically insure against potato scab4 ,one method is dipping the potatoes in a solution of corrosive sublimate4 ,dissolve one ounce in eight gallons of water and soak the seed potatoes in this solution for one and one-half hours before cutting4 ,gopher ,poison4 ,i have some alfalfa1 some hogs and some gophers1 also some strychnine and carrots4 ,if ,i put the strychnine on the carrots1 and endeavor to poison the gophers1 and the hogs get hold of the poison will it kill them8 ,you will find that hogs are liable to poison like any other animal1 and the safest way to poison the gophers1 while the hogs are running in the field is to bury the poisoned carrots very deeply in the gopher hole and then put a row of sticks or branches over the mouth of the hole so that the hogs cannot root around and get at the poisoned carrots4 ,how to ,make ,bordeaux4 ,use copper sulphate 7bluestone7 #e pounds2 quick-lime 7good stone lime71 #f pounds2 water1 #ej gallons4 ,put the bluestone in a sack and hang it so it will be suspended just under the surface of a barrel of water over night1 or dissolve in hot water4 ,use one gallon of water to one pound of bluestone4 ,slake the lime in a separate barrel1 using just enough water to make a smooth1 clean1 thin whitewash4 ,stir this vigorously4 ,use wooden vessels only4 ,fill the spray tank half full of water1 add one gallon of bluestone solution for each pound required1 then strain in the lime and the remainder of the water and stir thoroughly4 ,the formula may be varied according to conditions1 using from #c to #h pounds of bluestone to #ej gallons of water and an equal or slight excess of lime4 ,use the stronger mixture in rainy weather4 ,keep the mixture constantly agitated while applying4 ,formula for ,lime-,sulphur4 ,to make lime-sulphur take quick-lime1 #bj pounds2 ground sulphur1 #ae pounds and water #cj gallons4 ,slake the lime with hot water in a large kettle1 add the sulphur and stir well together4 ,after the violent slaking subsides add more water and boil the mixture over a fire for at least one hour4 ,after boiling sufficiently strain into the spray tank and dilute with water to the proper strength4 ,if a steam boiler is available1 this mixture may be prepared more easily on a large scale by cooking in barrels into which steam pipes are introduced4 ,this mixture cannot be applied safely except during the winter when the trees are dormant4 ,a large proportion of the lime-sulphur used in the ,state is purchased already prepared in more concentrated form4 ,index ,fruit ,growing4 ,almond ,grafting on ,peach ,pruning ,budding and ,grafting ,planting ,pollination ,roots for ,longevity of ,seedlings ,do ,not ,plant in ,place ,stick-,tights ,and ,peach ,apples ,shy-,bearing ,not on ,quince ,stock ,for ,and ,alfalfa ,top ,grafting ,mildew on ,seedlings ,pruning ,will ,they ,be ,same ,kind ,places for ,grafting in ,place ,resistant ,roots ,for ,hot ,place ,die-,back of ,storage of ,root-,grafts ,apricots ,pruning ,shy-,bearing ,propagation ,renewing ,old ,summer ,pruning ,bananas ,in ,california ,berries ,pruning ,himalayas ,hardiness of ,hybrids ,with ,perfect ,flowers ,pruning ,loganberries ,strawberry ,planting ,blackberries for ,drying ,planting ,bush ,fruits ,strawberry ,plants ,strawberries in ,succession ,gooseberries1 ,limitations of ,carobs ,in ,california ,cherries ,for ,hot ,place ,wild ,pruning ,training ,grafts ,restoring ,tress ,pollination ,citron ,curing ,citrus ,fruit ,temperatures ,filbert ,roots ,filbert ,growing ,figs ,stickers ,no ,gopher-,proof ,roots ,trays1 ,cleaning ,fruit ,trees ,depth of ,soil ,what ,slopes and ,overflow ,roots for and ,sunburn ,budding ,starting from ,seed ,square or ,triangular ,planting ,planting on ,clearings ,dipping ,roots of ,preparing for ,planting ,depth of ,planting ,in ,wet ,place ,cutting ,back at ,planting ,branching ,young ,coal ,tar and ,asphaltum ,regular ,bearing of ,avoiding ,crotches ,crotch-,splitting ,strengthening ,covering ,wounds ,covering ,sunburned ,bark ,gravel ,streak ,transplanting ,old ,dwarfing ,seedling ,filling ,holes in ,deferring ,bloom ,repairing ,rabbit ,injuries ,crops ,between ,scions for ,mailing ,scions from ,young ,trees ,whitewashing ,deciduous ,planting ,on ,coast ,sands ,over ,underflow ,grapefruit and ,nuts ,grapes ,dry ,farming ,cutting ,frosted ,canes ,dipping ,seedless ,zante ,currant ,vines for ,arbor ,pruning ,old ,vines ,bleeding ,vines ,scant ,moisture ,sulphuring for ,mildew ,sugar in ,canned ,planting ,grafting ,wax ,june ,drop ,killing ,moss on ,tree ,interplanting1 ,wrong idea ,lemons ,citrus ,budding ,no ,citrus ,fruits on ,roots ,mulberries ,pruning and ,grafting ,nursery ,stock in ,young ,orchard ,orchard ,replanting ,plowing in ,young ,pigs in ,forage ,under ,sprayed ,trees ,oranges ,water and ,frost ,thinning ,wind-,blown ,trees ,handling ,balled ,trees ,navel ,not ,thornless ,over-,size ,budding or ,grafting in ,orchard ,under-,pruning ,trees ,keeping ,trees too ,low ,dying ,back of ,trees ,young ,trees ,dropping ,fruit ,training ,crops ,between ,trees ,navels and ,valencias ,seedlings ,acres to ,one ,man ,roots for ,trees ,soil and ,situation ,transplanting ,protecting ,young ,trees ,not on ,osage ,no ,pollenizer for ,navels ,water and ,frost ,frosted1 ,what to do ,pruning ,frosted ,trees ,pruning ,olives ,cultivating ,moving ,old ,trees ,darkening ,pickled ,seedlings ,must ,be ,grafted ,oranges and ,peppers ,budding ,seedlings ,budding ,old from ,small ,cuttings from ,large ,cuttings ,trimming ,up ,canning ,renewing ,trees ,growing from ,seed ,neglected ,trees ,peaches ,lye-peeling ,aged ,trees ,renewing ,orchard ,will ,he ,have ,fillers in ,apple ,orchard ,grafting on ,almond on ,apricot ,replanting after ,root ,knot ,buds in ,bearing ,trees ,pollen ,must ,be ,same ,kind ,grafting on ,young ,trees ,fail to ,start ,planting in ,alfalfa ,sod ,pecan ,growing ,pears ,pollination of ,bartletts ,comics ,not on ,peach ,dwarf ,pears ,yield in ,drying ,problems ,blight and ,bees on ,quince ,plowing1 ,young ,orchard ,plums - ,pollenizing ,prunes ,on ,almond ,re-grafting ,silver ,french or ,italian ,myrobalan ,seedlings ,drying ,sugar ,glossing ,dried ,price on ,size ,basis ,pruning ,times ,shaping a ,young ,tree ,late ,too ,much ,in ,frosty ,places ,low ,growth ,are ,tap-,roots ,essential ,for a ,bark ,wound ,bridging ,gopher ,girdles ,roots1 ,whole or ,piece ,soil1 ,binding ,plant for ,winter ,spineless ,cactus ,fruit ,stumps1 ,medication to ,kill ,sucker1 ,what will it ,be ,walnuts ,early ,bearing ,handling ,seedlings ,how to ,start ,planting ,pruning ,grafting on ,oaks ,eastern or ,california ,blacks ,ripening ,cutting ,below ,dead ,wood in ,alfalfa in the ,hills ,increase ,bearing ,temperature and ,moisture from ,seed ,high-grafted ,vegetable ,growing4 ,artichokes ,jerusalem ,globe ,growing ,asparagus ,growing ,beets ,leases for ,sugar ,topping ,mangel ,wurzels ,brussels ,sprouts - ,blooming ,bean ,growing ,hoeing as ,nitrogen ,gatherer ,yard-,long ,why ,waiting ,blackeye ,are ,cow-,peas ,horse-,bean ,growing ,growing ,castor ,inoculation ,on ,irrigated ,mesas ,california ,grown ,seed ,cloth for ,hotbeds ,celery1 ,blanching ,chili ,peppers ,corn in ,sacramento ,valley in ,warm ,ground ,sweet1 in ,california ,cucumbers ,forcing ,growing ,continuous ,cropping ,ginger in ,california ,in ,cold1 ,dark1 ,draft ,licorice in ,california ,lentils1 ,growing ,lettuce1 ,transplanting ,melons ,winter ,ripe ,onions ,seeds and ,sets ,ripening from ,sets ,crops from ,seed ,peas ,canada for ,seed ,growing ,niles ,peanuts ,harvesting and ,adobe ,potatoes ,cutting ,planting ,northern ,seed ,planted ,early ,balls ,seed-ends and the ,moon ,planting ,whole ,how to ,cut ,seed ,scab ,double-cropping ,keeping ,yield ,new for ,seed ,growing ,after ,alfalfa ,flat or ,hill ,bad ,conditions for ,on ,heavy ,land ,storage for ,seed and ,frosts ,sweet1 ,plant ,growing ,growing ,between ,trees ,less ,water1 ,more ,heat ,radish1 ,giant ,japanese ,rhubarb1 ,rotting ,soil for ,vegetables ,squashes ,dislike ,hardship ,sunflowers1 ,harvesting ,tomatoes ,irrigating ,big ,worms ,loss of ,bloom ,grain and ,forage ,crops ,alfalfa ,improving ,land ,cultivating ,suburban ,patch and ,bermuda and ,salt ,grass and ,alkali on ,adobe and ,soil ,depth ,irrigating ,curing ,preparation of ,land ,where ,grown ,sowing and ,foxtail ,which is ,best and ,dry ,land ,inoculating ,unirrigated ,time to ,cut and ,overflow ,no ,nurse ,crop ,re-seeding ,taking ,bloat from ,what ,crop for ,seed ,siloing ,first ,crop ,soil ,for ,handling ,young ,with ,gypsum ,alfileria1 ,winter ,pasture ,barley ,california ,varieties ,chevalier on ,moist ,land and ,alfalfa ,beet ,sugar1 ,home-made ,beets and ,potatoes for ,stock ,stock1 ,summer ,start ,berseem ,bermuda ,grass ,objectionable ,black ,medic ,broom ,corn ,buckwheat ,growing ,clover and ,drought for ,wet ,lands ,crimson for ,shallow ,land for ,high ,ground-,water ,not an ,alfalfa ,sweet1 ,cover ,crop ,corn for ,silage ,irrigation for ,eastern ,seed ,suckering and ,cow ,peas ,cover ,crop for ,hop ,yard ,cow ,peas in ,san ,joaquin ,cowpeas ,growing and ,canadian ,peas ,crop ,rotation ,dry ,plowing for ,grain ,fall ,feed ,forage ,plants in ,foothills ,winter ,poultry ,flax1 ,new ,zealand ,grasses1 for ,bank-holding ,grass ,seeds1 ,scattering ,hay ,midsummer ,sowing ,loose by ,measure ,oat1 ,when to ,cut ,rye for ,frosted ,grain ,summer ,crop ,heating and ,fermentation ,insect ,powder ,johnson ,grass ,jersey ,kale ,kafir and ,egyptian ,corn ,lawns1 ,mossy ,moonshine ,farming ,oats and ,rust ,pasturing ,young ,grain ,hurry-up ,california ,winter ,rape and ,milo ,rye in ,california ,rye ,grass1 ,italian better than ,speltz ,spurry1 ,giant ,soil ,light1 ,scant ,moisture ,sunflowers and ,soy ,beans ,russian ,spineless ,cactus ,sorghum ,smutty ,late ,sown ,sorghums for ,seed for ,planting ,sacaline ,special ,crops ,teosinte ,vetches for ,san ,joaquin for ,hay ,wheat1 ,seven-headed ,soils1 ,fertilizing and ,irrigation4 ,alkali ,soil and ,trees ,treatment of and ,gypsum ,distribution ,plants ,will ,tell and ,litmus ,alfalfa over ,hardpan ,ashes and ,tomatoes in ,garden and ,poultry ,manure ,blasting or ,tiling ,effects of ,barnyard ,manure and ,alkali ,bones for ,grape ,vines ,can a ,man ,farm ,charcoal1 ,medicine1 not ,food ,cover ,crop1 ,best ,legume ,cowpeas1 best cover crop ,cementing ,soils1 ,improvement ,cultivation1 ,depth of ,draining ,wet ,spot ,dry ,plowing ,treatment and ,sowing ,dynamite1 ,more ,needed ,electro-,agriculture ,fenugreek as ,cover ,crop ,fertilizer in ,tree ,holes ,best for ,sand ,prunings as ,suburban ,wastes ,composting ,garden ,wastes for ,sweet ,potatoes ,pear ,orchard ,olives ,consult ,trees ,nursery ,almond ,hulls and ,sawdust ,fruit ,trees ,oranges ,seed ,farm ,refuse ,slow ,stuff ,alfalfa ,corn ,scrap ,iron ,kelp as ,nitrate of ,soda ,strawberries ,ground ,water ,gypsum on ,grain ,land and ,alfalfa ,what it ,does ,how ,much ,garden ,peas for ,green ,manure ,grape ,pomace ,handling ,abuse of ,hardpan and ,low ,water ,humus ,burning ,out ,straw for ,irrigating ,palms ,condensation for ,winter ,young ,trees ,alfalfa ,how ,much for ,crops ,sewage ,creamery ,wastes ,house ,waste ,intensive ,cultivation ,irrigate or ,cultivate ,irrigation ,underground of ,potatoes of ,apples of ,walnuts ,summer and ,fall and ,fertilizers ,liming ,chicken ,yard ,legumes1 ,two in ,year ,lime ,caustic not ,absorbent on ,sandy ,soil ,alfalfa ,sugar ,factory ,fertilizer ,manure ,water1 ,cultivation ,ashes ,poultry too ,much ,stable and ,bean ,straw ,pit ,roofing ,value of ,animals ,fresh and ,dry and ,shavings ,sheep1 and ,goat ,hog and ,potatoes ,vineyard and ,nitrate with ,clover ,nitrate1 ,late ,applications of ,oranges ,over ,ground ,water ,organic ,matter1 ,needs ,oranges ,how ,much ,water ,damping ,off ,planting in ,mud ,potash or ,water ,reviving ,blighted ,trees ,soils and ,oranges ,crop ,changes ,moisture ,defects ,refractory ,suitable for ,fruits ,blowing ,improving ,heavy ,reclaimed ,swamp ,improving ,uncovered ,sand for ,clay ,sour and ,old ,plaster ,handling ,orchard ,depth for ,citrus ,summer ,fallow ,sub-soil1 ,plow for ,stable ,drainage for ,fruit ,seeds1 ,soaking ,trees over ,high-water ,plowing toward or from ,irrigated or not ,too ,much ,water ,too ,little ,water ,thomas ,phosphate1 ,applying ,water ,artesian from ,wells or ,streams ,live ,stock and ,dairy4 ,buttermilk ,paint ,butter ,going ,white ,fat1 ,what it is ,why not ,come ,fat in ,cream ,breeding ,young ,mare in ,purple ,line ,cream ,that ,won't ,whip ,cows in ,hill ,country ,concrete ,stable ,floor ,drying ,persistent ,milker ,foot-hill ,dairy ,free ,martin ,grade1 ,what it is ,granary1 ,rat-proof ,hogs1 ,best ,breed ,jersey 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