344 



CALIFORNIA CLOVER. 



Victoria, Texas. — The California clover is doing finely. It is at iircseiit about IG 

 inches high. The burs or seed-pods are produced at every joint, tlie joints being 

 about li inches apart. At each of these there springs np a flower-stalk half an inch 

 in length, terminating in a cluster of small yellow flowers, from four to six in number, 

 from which the burs are formed. These runners or stems grow to three or four feet 

 in length, putting out laterals, jointed lilvc the main stock, and filled willi seed-pods 

 which cover the surface of the ground from one to three inches deep, and of which 

 both fowls and animals are exceedingly fond. 



JAPAN CLOVER. 



Elmore, J7a&«ma.— Thousands of acres have remained unfenced here since the war, 

 and many farms have been abandoned. The lauds have grown up in pine, and most 

 of them are now covered with wild clover, (Lespedcsa striata,) on which cattle and sheep 

 browse daily, and get seal fat ; even our liorses and mules fatten quickly on it. I 

 know some regard it as worthless, butthis is a mistake ; it is far superior to our native 

 grass. The red and white clover are both doing well hero on small patches. 



FARMING IN KANSAS. 



Atcltison Counii/. — I Lave traveled through fourteen States and Territories west of 

 PeuDsjlvania, and this is the best " lazy man's country " I have found. Our pasture8 

 are the unbroken prairie, upon wliich stoclv runs at large seven or eight mouths iu tho 

 year, and from which their supply of winter food can be drawn by simply cutting and 

 stacliing the native grass. Corn grows with but little work, one hand attending from 

 40 to GO acres with a sulky-plow, on land only half broken up in the spring, and planted 

 with a horse-planter. Some lanil whicdi has been planted in corn for tlie last sixteen 

 years still averages from 30 to 70 bushels of shelled corn per aero. 



ALKALI SOIL FOR CORN. 



Los Aiiffelos, California. — We think here that it is owing to the presence of this 

 alkali, (which abounds here,) more than to any other reason, that corn produces from 

 50 to 140 bushels of shelled corn to the acre, with almost no cultivation alter planting. 

 Would this alkali added to other soils make them produce greater crops of corn ? 



A FRUITFrL PROSPECT. 



Lee, Alississijijji. — The declaration of all men is that they never saw, at this sea.son of 

 the year, so good a prospect for fine crops in this county, and the cultivation l:as been 

 belter than ever before. The freedm^u are working better than foimerly. 



* BENEFIT OF :\H:CK AND LIME ON SANDY SOIL. 



Ocean, New Jersey. — There is nothing like muck for our sandy lands, a liberal use of 

 which, having previously pre])ared with lime, will produce most satisfactory results. 

 It holds the moisture when nothing else wilL Our poorest laud can be made to bloom 

 ike a garden. 



A FRUITFUL COUNTRY. 



Stanislaus, California. — The wheat and barley, the staples of our county, have been 

 harvested, and thrashing is going on rapidly. I have counted thirteen thrashers and 

 separators iu oi>eration all in sight. I have visited forty-seven, and find the yield to be 

 over 14 bushels to the acre on the average. From my own observation, and that of 

 my assistants, I place the product of this county at 2,500,000 bushels of wheat, and 

 300,000 of barley. Our thrasher and separator has been at work twenty-four days 

 with 18 horses and 1:3 men ; has thrashed 24,600 bushels of grain, mostly wheat. 



INFLUENCE OF DROUGHT ON THE SOIL. 



Jlan-ldns, Tennessee.— Onn wheat crop is the best we have had for fifteen years, both 

 tvhite and red. Tlie dry weatiuM- of last summer, that ruined our corn crop, seemed 

 to put tile land in good condition, so that the best crops were made where corn had 

 been grown the year betbre. 



