158 



stalks and sweeter juice, and an after-growth when cut green. Egypt- 

 ian corn, doura, comes in and claims all the advantges of the last 

 and the heaviest yield of grain of any cereal. These are all approved 

 by farmers of standing. 



LEGUMES. 



The great pulse family (Leguminosse) deserves our special thanks 

 for its many choice gifts. They are of great value in maintaining 

 and renewing fertility. Some of its members, as bur-clover (Medi- 

 cago denticulate) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), have enriched many in 

 this State. The "cow-pea" of the Southern States should be tried. 

 It is noted as forage, and to plow in green as a fertilizer. 



PREVENTIVE OF HOOVE. 



It is said that if, before turning cattle out to pasture on peas, clover, 

 etc., they are fed moderately, with something else, with a large dose 

 of salt on the feed, and then watered, there is no danger of hoove. 



The carob tree ( Ceratonia siliquaL.) is another of the leguminosae that 

 deserved especial attention. Its natural home, in the countries about 

 the Mediterranean, has just such a climate as that of California. As 

 far back as history goes, its pods have been used as fodder for horses, 

 cattle, and swine. The pods are from six to ten inches long, and 

 about one wide, and contain, besides the seed, a sweet pulp that is 

 relished even by man. It is said that ship-loads of them are sent 

 from Palestine to Constantinople, and that they are sometimes found 

 in the fruit shops of London, under the name of "St. John's Bread." 

 They are sometimes ground, and a sort of molasses expressed, which 

 is used in making sweetmeats. The tree is of good size, with ever- 

 green foliage, and will grow in almost any soil. The yield of a mature 

 tree is given at from half a ton to more than a ton of the pods. In the 

 southern part of Spain the blossoms appear twice each year, in Feb- 

 ruary and September, and are both times followed by the fruit. For 

 planting by the roadside, and on rough ground, there are few trees 

 that would be likely to prove more profitable, giving shade, forage, 

 food for man, and ultimately wood. It is closely allied to the mes- 

 quite tree, but is larger in every way and bears better fruit. About 

 seven years ago I called public attention to this tree as a very valu- 

 able one for introduction here. 



Since that time there have been several importations of so-called 

 " carob beans," but most of them have been from the mesquite and its 

 allies in Mexico. In Spain the name for the genuine tree is Algarrobo 

 (from the Moorish for the "carob"), and the Spanish invaders applied 

 it to its nearest relative which they found in the new world. With 

 this new application its spelling has been changed to Algoroba. 



Mr. Charles H. Shinn, of Niles, in this county, claims to have the 

 true carob growing in his nursery. He bought his seed from a 

 respectable seed dealer in the east, and kindly gives me the follow- 

 ing directions for starting them. They will probably be found 

 equally good for locust and other similar seeds that germinate with 

 difficulty: "Pour scalding water over the seeds, and when cold add 

 a spoonful of spirits of camphor. Let the water stand on the seeds 

 for five hours." 



