EECENT FACTS. 451 



to seed. Oue gentleman reserved 40 acres for seed 5 estimated value of 

 their product, §2,000. The hay crop of the valley had been increased 

 fully c5,000 tons by the introduction of alfalfa, and there ^Yas an oppor- 

 tunity for a much greater addition. It is stated that the average yearly 

 crop, three cuttings, after the third year from seeding, is fully live tons 

 l>er acre. The alfalfa is found peculiarly adapted to a dry gravelly soil, 

 and aftbrds an excellent feed for purposes of milk as well as for beef. 



Encovragcmcnt of hectsugar manvfacturc. — In April, 1872, the legisla- 

 ture of New Jersey ]>assed an act, oi)erative for ten years, exempting 

 beet-sugar factories irom taxation. 



Preparation of heet-leavcs for fodder. — The method of Mehay consists 

 in placing the beet-leaves in baskets and immersing them in ii tank con- 

 taining dilute hydrochloric acid of 4P Beaume, then removing and allow- 

 ing to drain. The leaves, condensed in bulk by this treatment, are then 

 bedded in dry earth until needed for use. This prepared food is said to 

 be very palatable to stock, and, when given to milch-cows, to increase 

 the quantity of milk and improve its butter quality. 



^l jj/«?if destructive to oces. — Mr. H. E. Norton, of Lehi City, Utah, 

 observes that the large podded milk- weed almost invariably causes the 

 death of every bee alighting upon it. The bee either adheres to the 

 plant, or else l3ears away a small scale sticking to its feet, and cripples 

 itself fatally in attempting to remove the annoyance. 



Thenerv curcuUo-catcher. — Dr. IIulFs new curculio-catcher resembles in 

 shape his wheel-barrow machine, alreadj- widely known. But the new 

 machine, instead of being mounted on a wheelbarrow, is suspended from 

 the shoulders of the operator, who stands- in the center. A slit is left 

 open in order that the machine may be pushed against and around the 

 tree, and when this is done the aperture is closed by a strip of cotton 

 and the tree is jarred by striking Avith a covered mallet. The machine 

 weighs 8 to 10 pounds. Dr. Hull states that he has been able, with this 

 invention, to go over OGO three-year-old trees in threeand one-half hours, 

 but in this case the rapidity of operation was facilitated by the trunks 

 being clear of branches to a considerable height. 



Flax and Unseed oil in Oregon. — G. P. Holman, agent of the Pioneer 

 Oil Company. Salem, Oregon, in a letter to the Department, in Decem- 

 ber, 1872, writes that the company's factory is the first and only one 

 in Oregon manufacturing linseed-oil. The first linseed-oil manufactured 

 was at date of December 25, 1SG7. The capacity of the mill is 180,000 

 gallons per annum, but only about 50,000 gallons are madeyearhf, owing 

 to the restricted market afforded by the Pacific coast. The only other 

 mill on the coast is at San Francisco. Sales in Oregon are increasing 

 at the rate of about 8,000 gallons yearly ; during 1872 shipments were 

 made to the Hawaiian Islands, British Columbia, and Puget Sound. 

 There being no manufactories in Oregon for utilizing the straw, the fac- 

 tory uses the Bombay, or large seed flax, which yields very little lint, 

 and the supply of seed has been obtained chiefly from Linn County, at 

 a price of 3 cents per pound. The oil-meal finds a ready sale for cattle- 

 feed. The company expects to secure, in 1873, 5,000 acres of flax, grown 

 luidcr contract. Mr. Holman adds that his experience, as well as that 

 of old flax-growers, shows that the Willamette Yalley will produce flax- 

 lint of the first quality, and that the introduction of factories for work- 

 ing the fiber will secure to the farmers a very remunerative business. 



>Suf/ar-la.nds in Florida. — Mr. E. W. B. Hodgson, of Levy County, 

 Florida, writing in the early part of 1872, says that the county is 

 specially remarkable for its rich and inexhaustible hammock-lands, rich 

 loam, vt'ith clay subsoil, based on shell-lime, and marl, admirably adapted 



