California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



EXCHANGE NOTICES. 



As the time of the year is near at hand 

 when most families should be thinking what 

 periodicals thov will subscribe for, for an- 

 other year's reading, we make notice of some 

 of our best exchanges and will continue the 

 list another mouth. 



First we call attention to Stock Jonrnala : 

 The Fabmebs' Stock Journal 



Devoted to the development of the agrioul- 

 tnrnl resources of the gieat west, and advo- 

 cating the breeding and improvement of live 

 stock whether in the hands of breeder or 

 farmer, and pviblished monthly by Alexander 

 Charles, Ceder Rapids, Iowa, at $1.50 a year, 

 is an excellent Journal of its class, and broth- 

 er Charles is a practical man, schooled to la- 

 bor on a farm, and knows how to run a paper 

 for farmers. (See advertisement iu our 

 columns.) 

 Thk Nationai. Live Stock Journal 



Published at Chicago, Ills., by Geo. W. 

 Kust &*Co., is one of the Staudai-d Stock 

 Journals in America. It is nicely gotten up, 

 contains much valuable matter for stock men 

 and farmers and should be seen by all. _ $2.15 

 a yeai-. Sample copies. 18 cents in postage 

 stamps. 

 The Iowa Fine Stock Gazette 



Is another lively little journal, only $1.10 

 a year ; published at Vinton, by C. R. Wilkin- 

 son & Co., and devoted exclusively to the im- 

 provement of live stock raisers and dairy 

 men. Sample copies, 10 cents. 

 The Colouado Farmers' \kd Ln'E Stock Journal 



Is pulilished monthly at Denver, Col., $2 

 a year, by J. F. Wilber <fe Co. Sample copios 

 18 cents. It contains a variety of reading on 

 agricultural subjects. 

 The Drovers Journal 



Is published at the Union Stock Yards, 

 Chicago, 111., weekly at $2.00, by L. H. 

 Goodall & Co. Its live stock market reports 

 are copious and correct, also other matters 

 quite comprehensive. 

 The Awkrioan Swine and Poultry Journal 



Is another Iowa publication, published at 

 Cedar Rapids by Ward & Darrah at only 

 $1.00 a year. It is a very nicely gotten up 

 monthly, and for those who are iu search of 

 information in any branch of these speciali- 

 ties, we reccommend it. A samjile copy will 

 be sent for 10 cent?. 

 The NoKTH- Western Poultry JouRNiL 



And Pigeon and Pet-Stock Advertiser, is 

 published monthly by T. T. Bacheller, 

 Minneapolis, Minn., at only $1.00 a year, 

 and will be found interesting and instructive. 

 Sample copies, 10 cents. 



We fiud upon our table tw 5 excellent com- 

 pact httle monthlies devoted to Bee-Keeping. 

 The Bee Keepers Magazine. 



A journal devoted exclusively to bee-cul- 

 ture, is published in New York City by King 

 & Slocum, at $1.50 a year. Send 15 cents 

 for gample. 

 The American Bee Journal, 



And National Bee Journal consolidated, 

 rnblished at Chicago, Ills., by Thomas G. 

 Neuman at $2.00 a year is the other one. 

 Sample cpies, 20 cents. 



These Journals are similar in style and 

 contents, and we are puzzled to choose be- 

 tween them if we would. 



Of Health Journal's we now notice : 

 The Science of Health. 



A monthly advocate of correct habits, de- 

 voted to health on hygienic principles. It is 

 pubUshod by S. R. Wells & Co., New York, 

 at $2.00 a year. Single copies 20 cents. 

 This is a sterling health magazine. 

 The Laws of Lu-e 



By Dr. Jackson, published at the celebrated 

 "Home on the Hillside," DanesviUe, New 

 York, monthly, $1.50 a year, is a choice 

 health periodi(;al. 15 cents a sample copy. 

 The Health Reformer 



Is published by the Health-Reform Insti- 

 tute, Battle Creek, Michigan. $1.00 a year ; 

 single numbers 10 cents. This monthly is 

 devoted to physical, mental and moral culure. 



Send for copies of each and select for your- 

 selves and you will be satisfied, no matter 

 which one you take, that you must have 

 chosen the best. 



Next month we will notice several of our 

 favorite agricultural exchanges. Indeed, they 

 are all favorites with us. 



Some Hints about Raisin Making. 



A correspondent of the Agricultural De- 

 partment at Washington, writing from Mal- 

 aga, gives some very valuable hints in refer- 

 ence to raisin making which we lay before 

 our readers at this time for their instruction. 

 According to this writer, the Muscatal grape 

 is the one from which, as he styles them, 

 "universally known Malaga raisins" are 

 made. We give only extracts from the cor- 

 respondent which relate particularly to dry- 

 ing and packing raisins : 



In the neighborhood of Malaga and its 

 ' ' vey er, ' ' or valley, there are some very fine 

 vineyards which produce large quantities of 

 fruit; but in the opiuiou ot tne writer it will 

 bear no compartsou with the carefully grown 

 fruit iu the sod from the mountain-side, as 

 first described by him ; as in the rich, alluvial 

 soil of the valley the grajie fills out too read- 

 ly, making jiuco instead of tiesh, which lat- 

 er is the indisijonsable requisite for fine pack- 

 ing raisins. 



The difl'erence is readily perceptible after 

 they have been packed for a few months. 

 Those of the Vidley shrink up with a sharp 

 edge and acute wiiukle, becoming very hard; 

 whereas the mountain-grown retain their 

 fleshy fullness and soft plastic nature. The 

 former, when first packed, have a bluish, vel- 

 vety hue, whereas those from the hilly land 

 assume a clarety, transparent color. 



The process ot drying this gi-ape is natu- 

 rally a very simple one, Imt at the same time, 

 there are so many little circumstances attend- 

 ing it which so materially att'ect the subse- 

 quent operation of packing, that the subject 

 is worthy of some consideration. 



Iu picking the bunches of grapes, scissors 

 should be used, so that iu this operation the 

 fine ones should not sutt'er any rough treat- 

 ment or handling, as above everything the 

 beautiful bloom of nature sfiould be preserved 

 intact. 



The gatherer should, on the spot, sort out 

 superior fruit, and from the vineyard convey 

 it in flat baskets, of about two feet diameter 

 and holding about forty pounds of grapes in 

 a single layer, (as they must never press upon 

 each other) on his head, to the drying floors, 

 where he must lay the bunches most carefully 

 close up against each other, so as completely 



to hide the ground, especially taking care to 

 place them with their finest, handsomest and 

 most perfect sides downward and next to the 

 ground. The object of this is to preserve tha 

 beauty and bloom, so that they may subse- 

 quently adorn the face of the packed layers. 

 The drying floors require nothing but the natr 

 ural earth on which the grapes have been 

 grown, except that they must be neatly and 

 nicely laid, and be kept free from dust. 



The practice has always been to shelter the 

 flats with boards or canvas tents at night or 

 when it threatens rain. It is not a good plan, 

 however, to cover the grapes the first two 

 nights after they are laid down, for it is found 

 to be a good thing to let them enjoy the dew 

 and freshness of the night, which counteract, 

 in some degree, the tendency to dry too rap- 

 idly. The writer, however, has introduced 

 into his establishment covers made of galvan- 

 ized corrugated iron, which, although more 

 expensive, he finds incomparably superior to 

 those hitherto used. They are placed more 

 rapidly, more completely , do not sufler through 

 the sun as do the planks and canvas; and 

 aliove all other considerations, instead of ab- 

 sorbing the damp, which iu a slight degree is 

 drawn out of the ground, they rather retain 

 it ou the flat, thus keeping the stalks of the 

 raisins tough and pliable, whereby the pack- 

 ers are enabled to arrange and lay their layers 

 without such a large amount of fine fruit be- 

 ing snapped off and condemned to the loose- 

 raisin class. 



The time required for raisin-drying varies 

 according to the season, the aspect of the 

 flats and many other causes, but I should say 

 the average consumed may be computed at 

 fifteen days; and one of the most important 

 things attending the process is the selection 

 of the proper moment for picking them up off 

 the flats and packing or storing them. 



One of the latest discoveries in Pompeii is 

 a small woolen manufactory, situated very 

 near the house where the fresco representing 

 Orpheus was recently discovered. Several 

 charred fragments of tapestry were found in 

 this place, besides various machines for card- 

 ing and weaving wool. 



. ~^^~*-^ ■ 



Industkial Expositions are of modem 

 birth. They are now taking a front rank 

 among the things which stimulate industry 

 and help humanity. Their purpose is to en- 

 courage and glorify labor by displaying the 

 grand aggregate of its triumphs. 



* m »• 



1^" The National Gold Medal was awarded to Brad- 

 ley & Bulofson for the best Photograplis in the 

 United States, and tho \ ienna medal lor the best m 

 the world. 



129 Mantgomery street, San Francisco. 



E^ Did you ever see how confectionary is 

 manufactured. We lately dropped into the 

 California Candy Factory, near the Opera 

 House, and became convinced that Mr. 

 Schroder understands the science of sweet 

 things. He is always ready to eniertain vis- 

 itors, and what he does not make in his line 

 it would be hard to find anywhere. 



j;y Mr. F. Klieu, who keeps the store and 

 tin shop near the Post Office, San Jose, is a 

 business man after the old times*pattern. Ho 

 is always hard at work when not waiting upon 

 customers, of which he has not a few. Hi 

 prices for goods are low, and we are glad to 

 note that he is prospering .as he deserves. 

 ..< • * 



We regret that a letter from our representa- 

 tive at the State Fair came to hand too late 

 for this month. But as it contains matters 

 of much interest, we will give in connection 

 with our notes of the Santa Clara Valley 

 Fair next mouth. 



