62 CALIFORNIA FRUITS! HOW TO GROW THEM 



too far from the dwelling, because the operation must be watched from time to 

 time by night as well as by day. It is not necessary to dig much of a "pit" in 

 the ground. Choose hard limbs of pine, spruce or whatever wood i most avail- 

 able of that kind. Dry, dead limbs, if not decayed, take for choice. Set them up 

 wigwam fashion, close together, fitting them as well as they will allow, the apex 

 forming the chimney. Be careful to keep the chimney free, because the fire 

 should be there applied to brisk "kindling" as far down as possible. Build round 

 and round, taking the precaution to lay three or four straight pieces, three or 

 four inches in diameter, along the ground from the outside to the center. These 

 may have to be withdrawn to promote the draught. 



The wood all being in place it is now required to cover it thoroughly. In the 

 absence of turf or sods, it must be thatched with leafy green boughs, or anything 

 that will prevent the earth or dirt that is now heaped on from running through. 

 Pack this soil covering carefully, exclude air as far as possible, except when the 

 port-holes referred to near the ground are needed. The direction of the wind 

 will determine which ones are to be opened. When the fire after a few hours, 

 more or less, according to the materials has got a good hold, close also the 

 chimney. Visit the pit regularly night and day; lessen or increase the draught 

 as may seem needed ; and in a week or ten days the two or three cords of wood 

 should be turned into good hard coal. When uncovered, water or dirt should be 

 thrown upon coal that is too lively when spread out on the ground. 



Cutting to Kill Brush. Just when to cut to kill depends upon 

 the character of the growth and of the season. One conclusion seems 

 to be that with deciduous growths the best time to cut is when they 

 have just made their most vigorous growth, and this is in the summer 

 but the month to be chosen for the work will depend upon the loca- 

 tion, though August is generally selected as the best time. 



In the case of evergreens, the cutting should be just before the cold- 

 est weather, in which they are the nearest dormant. Evergreens, 

 however, differ much in tenacity of life, for while most kinds are easily 

 killed, the California redwood will endure almost any abuse with the 

 axe or fire and still spring up repeatedly and persistently for years. 



The Use of Sheep and Goats on Sprouts. On sprouting brush, 

 there is, perhaps, no cheaper or more effective means of repression than 

 sheep and goats. They are used after the top growth is cleared away 

 instead of grubbing, if one can wait, for by the persistent cutting down 

 of growth, many small stumps and roots will decay enough in a year 

 or two to be plowed out with a strong team and plow. 



Burning of the Debris. However the trees and underbrush may 

 be wrenched from the soil, fire is the final cleaner. Where trees are 

 to be worked up into fire-wood, it should be done as soon as they are 

 felled, for the work is much less than after they become dry and hard. 

 If it is not designed to break the land the first winter, the wood is left 

 to season and it becomes lighter and easier to handle. The brush and 

 roots, if no use is to be made of them, can be left to lie on the clearing 

 to dry out during the following summer, and after the first rains of 

 the following fall the whole area can be burned over. Such stumps 

 as do not burn with the brush must be gathered in piles and re-fired. 

 Burning before the first rain should not be attempted, unless it be in 

 exceptional situations, because of the danger of communicating fire 

 to the surrounding country, which is a standing danger in our dry 

 climate. Under the present law it becomes necessary to secure permis- 



