California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



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We have in California liundreds of farms, 

 situated in the foothills, which could be made 

 to j'ield a handsome revenue by setting out 

 orchards of late apples. Late apples always 

 command a good price and are never a drug 

 in the market. Early fruit must be sold as 

 soon as picked, whatever the i^riee; but late 

 or winter apples seldom have to be sold for 

 less than two dollars per box. Besides this, 

 there are many other fruits which are adapted 

 to the foot-hill climate. Tl^''^" i** i^o better 

 vineyard land in the world, and it is surpris- 

 ing that more vines have not been planted in 

 the mountain sections. It is far easier to 

 cultivate grapes on sidling laud than to i^low 

 and reap grains, and that, too, when the ex- 

 pense of harvesting hilly laud is so much 

 heavier than valley land. A few years wiU 

 probably make a wonderful change in the 

 hills of California. — Ex. 



Value of Evbegkeens Among Fruit Trees. 

 — A well-growu evergrgreen tree gives off con- 

 tinually an exodium of warmth and moisture 

 that reaches a distance of its area in height; 

 and when the tree-planters advocate shelter- 

 belts, surrounding a tract of orchard of fifty 

 or more acres, when the influence of such 

 belt can only trace a distance of the height 

 of the trees in said belt, they do that which 

 will prove of little value. To ameliorate cli- 

 mate, to assist in prevention of injury from 

 extreme climatic cold in Winter, and of the 

 frosting of the germ-bud of fruit in the 

 Spring, all orchards should have evergreen 

 trees planted in and among them indiscrim- 

 ately, at a distance of not more than 1.50 feet 

 apart. Such a course pursued will give 

 health to the tree and be productive of more 

 regular, uniform cro2is of fruit. — Ex. 



Planting Foeest-teees. — For the purpose 

 of making tall, limbless trees valuable for 

 timber, close planting is advisable — say four 

 by three feet apart. The larch is planted 

 three feet apart each way in England. In 

 five and one-half years, one-half is cut for 

 poles for hurdle-fence, and in ten years one- 

 halt of the remainder is cut for posts. The 

 remaining trees, thus left six feet apart, are 

 allowed to complete their growth. 



"What shall I cook?" is a short but vexa- 

 tious question, engrossing more serious 

 thought probably than any other one ques- 

 tion in ttie world. Many a good and Indus 

 trious wife can be greatly relieved, and many 

 a farmer's table bless his sight and appetite, 

 1)3' jjrovitling now for a good garden. If you 

 love your wife and daughters, do not put it 

 off for money-making enterjiirises on the 

 farm. 



Two Ceops in One Season. — The Gilroy 

 Advocate is informed that Geo. Headen & Co. 

 of that place, are tilling a piece of land — 50 

 to 60 acres —from which they have raised 

 this year a good crop of barley and a second 

 crop of potatoes. The barley was cut in June 

 and the potatoes planted afterwards. They 

 are now bringing the latter to market. They 

 have realized 5,000 sacks of 100 pounds each, 

 of as line potatoes as any the country affords. 

 A sample may be seen at the Bank of Gilroy, 

 which weighs 2 -'4 pounds. Of course this is 

 a picked one, but the average is exceedingly 

 prolific. 



France, but for whose aid and sympathy 

 given to our fathers a hundred years ago, 

 America would scarcely have been a nation 

 at all, is likely to do herself great credit next 

 Summer at the Centennial, and is to occupy 

 twice the space originally designed for her in 

 the dinerent buildings at Philadelphia. 





The Ventura Signal tells of a beet weighing 

 over 1,100 pounds avoirdupois which has 

 been grown in Williams' gardens at San 

 Buenaventura. "Beet" this who can. 



®lic ^Umx (Baiilcu. 



Gillyflowers. 



^LD-FASHIONED? yes, I know tlMyare^ 

 LoDg exiled from the gay parterre,. 



Aud buuishtd from the bowers; 

 But not the faireht foreign bloom 

 <Jan match in beauty or perfume 



Those bonny EngliHh tlowors. 



'J'heir velvet petals, fold on fold, 

 In every shade of flaming t,'old 



And richest, deepest brown, 

 Lie close with little leaves between, 

 Of slt-ndt-r shape and tender green, 



And aoft at suftust down. 



On Sabbath mornings, long ago, 

 When melody began to flow 



From out the belfry tower, 

 I used to break from childish talk, 

 To pluck beside the garden walk 



My mother's Sunday flower. 



In Sprihg she loved the snow-drop white. 

 In Summer-time carnations bright, 



Or roses newly blown; 

 But this the flower she cherished most, 

 And from the goodly garden host 



She chose it for her own. 



Ah, mother dear! the brown flowers wave 

 In sunshine o'er thy quiet grave 



This morning, far away; 

 And I sit lonely here the while. 

 Scarce knowing if to sigh or smile 



Upon their sister spray. 



I well coiild sigh, for grief is strong, 

 I well could smile, for love lives long, 



And conquers even death. 

 But if I smile, or if I sigh, 

 God knoweth well the reason why, 



Aud gives me broader faith. 



Firm faith to feel all good is meant, 

 Suru hope to flU with deep content 



My most despairing hours; 

 And oftentimes He deigns to shed 

 Sweet sunshine o'er the path I tread, 



As on to-day, these flowers, 



And chose He not a bearer meet 



To bring for me those blossoms sweet — 



A loving little child? 

 And child and bonny blossoms come, 

 Like messages of love aud home, 



O'er waters waste and wild. 



— [.\11 the Year Eonud. 



QUERIES. 



1. What will prevent mildew from acciimuliiting 

 upon ruse-bushes.? 



2. How can the parasites which attach them- 

 Belves to Oleander and Lilac bushes, and also to 

 aoint: vareties of the Acai.i i, be best removed? 



1. Nobody has yet found out how to prevent 

 or eradicate the mildew on rose-bushes, without 

 destroying the bushes themselves. A gentleman 

 in San Jose who has been trying for years to do 

 yo, says be wiil give .^100 reward for a practical 

 method of preventing mildew on roses. This mil- 

 dew attacks the growing, tender stalks aud ends 

 of shoots fiist, then blights the buds, and finally 

 withers up the leaves without killing the bushes- 

 Carbolic soap-suds, ashes, lime, sulphur, blue vit- 

 riol, tobacco, suuir aud smoke, hellebore, etc., have 

 been tried in vain; alsopruniugof root aud branch, 

 charcoal about the roots, irrigation and dry culture 

 have been tried with little eHect. The Giant of 

 ]5attles is the variety that appeals to be affected the 

 worst. 



"2. A wash of caiholir soap-suds is found to be 

 efficacious in removing the scale louse. Lime wash 

 or blue vitriol will do it; also tobacco wash and 

 many other things. This is laborious but essential- 

 Where one wishes to destroy the scale " on a large 

 frcale," the Babcock Fire Extin^uishei, which 

 throws a stream of carbonic acid gas and water 

 is good. In case this is used, a quantity of car- 

 bolic acid or whale oil soap should be put into the 

 water first. This will also destroy the woolly 

 a[)hiB in tree tops and other insects as well. A 

 thorongh washing in some shape with either of the 

 above named remedies is good for the scale louse. 



Now is the season to clean tip the flower 

 garden. Trim roses, shrubbery, vines, etc., 

 and remove all decayed stalks of plants. Hoe 

 up weeds while they are small. 



Potting Plants. 



The mold for jiotting should be light and loamy, 

 the Ifertihziug material used being well decayed. 

 If t?ie soil i8 rich ot itself it is better to be either 

 veryspaiing with the fertilizer, or to dispense 

 with it altogether. In the bottom of the pot place 

 several small pieces of crockery or similar material 

 to assist the drainage; aud in setting the plant, be 

 careful to keep it well down in the pot anu to press 

 tlie mold moderately around the roots. The sur- 

 face K-f the mold should hu about half an inch be- 

 low the level of the top of the flower-pot. Slips 

 shoulii be planted close to the sides of the pot, and 

 in small pots. 



When a plant becomes pot-bound, that is, when 

 the roots become matted around the sides and bot- 

 tom of 'he pot, the plant after it has ceased bloom- 

 ing,|Bhould be re-putted in a larger pot. It is not 

 necessary to remove any of the mold from the 

 roots, but simply to iill in the space in the large 

 pot with new and rich mold. 



Plants kept in the windows should be turned ev^- 

 erv morning, or the light, striking one side only, 

 will draw the plant to that side so that all its 

 branches and leaves will turn towards the window. 

 The water in saucers should never be applied to 

 the j)lants. In cutting slips of any plant always 

 choose the youngest branches, and cut ofl" the slip 

 at a junction of a joint or leaf, since the roots shoot 

 more readily from the joints. If you follow these 

 directions, and put sufficient sulphi.te of ammonia 

 to just taint the water applied to your plants, you 

 may cultivate with success almost any plant, even 

 though you are an entire novice. — ScieutiHc Amer- 

 ican. 



How TO Sow SftiALL Seeds with Success. I 



Novices in floriculture make frequent failures witn 

 minute seeds, like those of the Lobelia, the Mim- 

 ulus and the Calceolaria, nud even experienced 

 fl<u-ists do not always succeed with every sowing, 

 as such seeds are very delicate and germinate oniv 

 uudtr^^lhe most favorable conditions. Have the 

 soil in the pot, pan or box — a bhallow box is best — 

 composed of leaf mold and clean sand, two parts 

 of the former to one of the latter, sifted, or other- 

 wise made very flue. Make the surface even and 

 smooth and press slightly; then aprinkU it by 

 holding a wet brush over it and drawing the hand 

 acioss the bristles ao as to throw a line spray upon 

 the soil. On this prepared surface sow the seed, 

 and scatter over it the finest possible sprinkling ot 

 flue clean sand. Now cover the pot or box with a 

 pane of glass, and keep it in the shade, watering, 

 when nece^sary, with the spray from a brush, as 

 before directed. The soil must not he permitted to 

 get dry, nor must it ever be deluged with water. 

 if the seeds he sown, as is generally the case, on 

 a loose surtace, and then watered with a watering 

 pot, they are mostly carried down with the water 

 so deep into the soil that it is impossible for them 

 to germinate. — liural Carolinian. 



Wa9HIN(; HoL'sE Plants. — Have a large pail 

 or tub filled with warm soapsuds. U'hen spread 

 the liiigcr.s and palm of the left hand over the soil 

 iuthejiut, turn the branches topsy-turvy into the 

 warm suds, swing the plant briskly in the water 

 till every leaf has become completely saturated, 

 then put it through a pail of dean water and rub 

 each ieat with the thumb and finger. Give it a 

 good shake, and when dry return it to its place in 

 the window. The leaves of a jihint are its lungs, 

 each leaf being furnished with huudreds of minute 

 pores, whence the plants breathe in carbon and ex- 

 hale oxygen. The perspiration of plants is said 

 to be seventeen times that of a unman being. 

 Many plants never bloom an accouu*. of the accu- 

 mulation of dust upon lhi»ir leaves. A plant too 

 large to lay down in a tub may be syringed and 

 each leaf rublnd with the finger and thumb, which 

 are better for llie purpose than a brush or dolh. — 

 Land and \\'ater. 



The Boston Commercial Bulkiin writing of 

 the trade in flowers, says : The great specialty 

 of Boston is rosos, which are not only varied 

 in Buflicient quantities to supply the home 

 demand, in even tht) busiest season, but iiro 

 sent to New Ytu'k in largo bulk, probably half 

 of the immense number sold in New York 

 coming from Boston. Other specialties are 

 lilies-of-the-valley and carnations, which are 

 grown in immense numbers by our leading 

 florists ; while successful attention is paid to 

 all varieties. The New York specially is 

 ttibe-roses, and that of Philadelphia camelias. 



Thanksgiving. — Governor Pacheco has is- 

 sued a proclamation for Thanksgiving, No- 

 vember 2r)th, the same day as fixed by the 

 Presidcijt. 



07 



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