California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



force incident to breeding, caring for, and 

 nursing the young, detracts from the 

 tieece production of breeding animals. 

 The wethers keep in more uniform and 

 better order on the same feed, and their 

 fleece is not only line and heavy, but 

 uniform in texture during its growth the 

 (.utire year. 



About Stockton X' Buffum's manage- 

 ment, we learn that they drive their 

 tlocks to the mountains during the sum- 

 mer, where the animals have at once the 

 advantage of a cooler atmosphere and 

 greener feed, which conditions are favor- 

 able to fleece growing and the general 

 growth of the goat. These gentlemen 

 have this season sheared some 2,000 

 pounds, which is probably the largest 

 shearing ever made in our State by any 

 one breeder in a single season. 



The Gilmore Angora Goat Breeding 

 Association has made a report, and gave 

 weights of best fleeces G% pounds rang- 

 ing to -i x^ouuds. The entire fleece, we 

 understand, was about 1,600 pounds, 

 from some 2,000 goats. Of course, many 

 low grades did not shear much, if any, 

 mohair. This association claims, we 

 l>elieve, some -4,000 acres of laud near 

 Shingle Springs, and about 10,000 acres 

 near lake Tahoe. The association also 

 claims to represent some $350,000 in 

 capital. Also, that it designs briuging 

 lo this State a large flock of pure-breds 

 from Asia, soon. The breeders of goats 

 in the State are anxiously awaiting the 

 advent of this fresh supply. 



The San Francisco Chronicle says: 

 "Little pure mohair has been marketed 

 as yet, because it is too costly an under- 

 taking to import both bucks and ewes 

 with which to stock the State, but the 

 more expedient and slow method has 

 been adopted of crossing pure bucks 

 upon our native ewes. These half- 

 breeds in turn will be bred to imported 

 bucks, and as these animals breed so 

 often, it will only be a few years at most 

 until we shall have a stock of high-grades 

 which will be so near thoroughbred that 

 the difference cannot be distinguished, 

 and i^roducing a quality of mohair equal 

 to tjiatof the pure-blood animals. In a 

 few years there will be goats enough in 

 this State and in Oregon and Nevada to 

 justify the building of a factory on this 

 coast to work up the mohair, and when 

 that event happens there will be profit in 

 the business." 



L. H. Gaskill writes from Campo, San 

 Diego county, to the JUfral Press as fol- 

 lows: 



"I have been the Angora goat busi- 

 ness only two years, and I think that it 

 will not be long before it will supersede 

 the sheep business, for several reasons. 

 The goats do not need as tine quality of 

 food as sheep. They will live entirely 

 in the mountains, subsisting upon the 

 browse of this lower county. I have a 

 band of GOO and they range in the moun- 

 tains all the time. I was afraid that 

 they would pull out their wool, but they 

 are as careful about that as a person 

 woirld be about pulling his hair. The 

 mohair I have worked right at home, 

 the women work it the same as wool, 

 into yarn, and knit it into socks and 

 stockings. It is the old-fashioned style, 

 but a very economical way of putting in 

 long evenings. They work it by hand. 

 It would be much better if there was 

 some machinery for carding and spinning 

 it into yarn ; then they could afford to 

 knit it very well and make it profitable 

 to the manufacturer and the consumer. 

 These socks sell from seventy-five cents 

 to one dollar a pair, when you can get 

 sheep's wool for three to four bits for a 

 pair made in the same way. One pair of 

 mohair socks will last as long as four 

 pairs of wool. They are more elastic, 

 and the fiber is so long that the yarn is 



as strong as^hemp twine, and very soft 

 and white. I hope to hear from some 

 other experimenters with the mohair." 

 In previous articles, we have written 

 up other advantages and profits of this 

 industry. There is no doubt in our 

 mind that the Angora goat will yet be 

 admitted to be the most profitable fleece- 

 producing animal, and will discount the 

 best breeds of sheep. 



The Farmer. 



Of all pursuits by men invented 

 The plowman is the best contented, 

 His calling's good, his profit high. 

 And on his labors all rely. 

 Industrious plans by him are laid; 

 Mechanics all by him are fed; 

 His hand gives meat to everythin, 

 Up from the beggar to the king. 



The milk and honey, corn and wheat, 

 Are by his labors made comple; 

 Our clothes from him doth first arise, 

 To deck the fop or dress the wise. 

 We, then, by vote, may justly state 

 The plowman ranks amoug the great; 

 More independent than they all 

 That dwell upon this earthly ball. 



All haill ye farmers, young and old, 

 Push on your plow and courage bold; 

 Your wealth arises through the clod. 

 Your independence from your God. 

 If, then, the plow supports the nation. 

 And men of rank In every station, 

 Let kings to farmers make a bow, 

 And every man procitre a plow. 



At last she nursed a new desire; 

 She sighed, she wept for William Brown, 

 She watched the splendid sun go down 



Like some grc-at sailing ship a-flre; 



Th<;n ruse and checked her trunks right on. 

 And in the cars she lunched and lunched. 

 And had her ticket puuclied and punched, 



Until she came to Oregon. 



She wore blue specks upon her nose. 

 She reached the limit of the lines. 

 And then set out to reach the mines, 



In rather short and manly clothes; 



Her right baud held a parasol. 

 Her pocket held a testament. 

 And thus equipped right on she went — 



Went waterproof and waterfall. 



She asked a miner gazing down, 

 Slow stirring sometbiug with a spoon. 

 To tell her true and teli her soon 



What had become of William Brown. 



He looked askance beneath her specs. 

 Then stirred his cocktail round and round, 

 Then raised his head and sighed profound, 



And said, "He's handed in his checks." 



Then care fed on her damaged cheek, 

 And she grew faint, did Mary Jane, 

 And smelt her smelling salts in vain. 



Yet wandered on wayworn and weak, 



Until at last she sat her down 

 Upon a eloping hill alone; 

 And there, good gracious! stood a stone, 



And lo! thut stone read— William Brown. 



" O William Brown 1 O William Brown! 



And here you rest at last," she said, 



"With this lone stone above yuur hea^^i, j 

 And forty miles from any town. Q^ 

 I will plant cypress trees, I will, 



And I will build a fence around. ^QT!^ 



And I will fertilize the ground 

 With tears enough to run a mill.", Z^ 



ShCiWent and got a hired man. 



She brought him forty miles frum town; 



ORNAMENTAL "WINDOW FLOWEK BEACKET. 



^Villiam Brown, of Oregon. 



AFTER JOA^>UIN MILLER. 



They call him Bill, the hired man. 

 And she they call her Mary Jane; 

 And lovers often drew a rein 



To chat and sigh as lovers can 



Across the gate in snatch and catch; 

 And women winked across their tea, 

 And said, and truly so thought he. 



That she would make a splendid match. 



The hired man had loved her long, 

 Hud loved her best and first and last; 

 Her very garments as she passed 



For him had symphony and song. 



So when one day, with brow a-frown. 

 She called him Bill, he raised his head, 

 He caught her eye, then faltering said: 



"I love you, and my name is Brown." 



She fairly walized with rage; she wept; 

 Y'ou would have thought the house a-tire; 

 She told her bire, the porlly squire, 



Theu smelt her smelling salts and slept. 



Poor William did what could be done- 

 He swung a pistol on each hip. 

 He gathered up a great ox-whip 



And drove towards the setting sun. 



He crossed the great backbone of earth; 

 He saw the snowy moxiutains rolled 

 Like mighty billows, saw the gold 



Of awful sunsets, saw the birth 



Of sudden dawn upon the plain, 

 And every eve would William Brown 

 Eat pork and beans, and then lie down 



And dream sweet dreams of Mary Jane. 



The teeter board of life goes up, 

 The teeter board of life goes down; 

 The sweetest face must learn to frown; 



The biggest dog has been a pup. 



Her lovers passed. Wolves hunt in packs. 

 They sought for bigger game. Somehow 

 TLey seemed to sea about her brow 



The forky sign of turkey tracks. 



Then in the tall grass she sat down, 

 And bade him build as she should plan. 

 But Digger herders, with their bunds. 



They saw and hurriedly they ran 



And told a bearded cattle-man 

 That some one builded on his lauds. 



He took a rifle from the rack, 

 He girt bim in his battle-pelt, 

 He thrust two pistols iu bis belt. 



Then mounted on Ids charger's back, 



And plunged ahead. But when ihey showed 

 A woman there, about his eyes 

 He pulled his hat, and he likewise 



Bulled at his beard, and chewed and chewed. 



At last he got him down and spake: 

 "O, lady, dear, what do you here?" 

 "I build a tomb for my own dear. 



I plant some tiowers for his sake." 



The bearded man threw his two hands 

 Above his head, then brought them down, 

 And cried, "O, I am William Brown, 



And this the corner of my lauds." 



Her specks fell off, her head fell back. 

 Some like a lifted teapot lid; 

 She screamed— thip ancient maiden did— 

 Then, fainting, split herself, alack! 

 Right in the beard of William Bro\vn. 

 Then all the Diggers were amazed. 

 They thought the lonely maiden crazed. 

 And circling there, they squatted down. 



******* 

 The preacher rode a spotted mare; 

 He galloped forty miles or more; 

 He vowed he never had before 

 Seen bride or bridegroom half so fair. 

 And all the miners, they came down, 

 And feasted as the night advanced. 

 And all the Diggers drank and danced, 

 And cried, "Big lujin. WiUirm Brown." 



^__ ^ 



Up to the date of our going to press^ 

 the season is remarkablj^ promising for a 

 large fruit crop, as well as for grain, hay 

 and vegetation generally. If we have no 

 heavy, late frosts, all is well. 



Oh! dainty baby foresters, 



That hide in silent nooks. 

 That linger by the cow-paths. 



And peep into the brooks, 

 To me yon are the warders 



Of the realm of Long Ago, 

 At whose soft beck unnumbered forms 



Like shadows come and go. 



By mossy rockfl and nodding feme 



You lift your timid eyes. 

 And by the wounded maple tree 



In smiling groups arise. 

 No more the shrieking winter winds 



Affright the naked woods, 

 But all the scented aisles are gay 



With Flora's dappled hoods. 



Though years have sped since first for me 



You made the meadows bright, 

 And many a sunset-tinted dream 



Has faded into night. 

 Still do I hail with boyish love 



The violets' sweet perfume — 

 Still Joy to see the crocus burst 



Like Lazarus from the tomb. 



I thrill to gee the buds again 



Upon the apple tree. 

 Where every branch is eloquent 



Of glories yet to be; 

 Where soon the winged Argonauts, 



From lands beyend the main. 

 Will sing their merry love-songs, 



And build their homes again. 



litraco the tints of deathless Hope, 



Sweet flowers, in all your beauty; 

 You come as meek interpruttra 



Of man's exalted duty. 

 You whisper of a dawning heaven 



Beneath ua as above. 

 When earth shall melt with poetry. 



And man be full of love. 



CULTIVATING FLOWERS. 



Jp, HEKE is 80 much that needs to be 

 t" said, and that should be said, under 

 'I this department, that we are almost 

 puzzed where to begin or leave oft'. 

 But as we cannot get it nil into one 

 paper, and us it is necessary, to be a suc- 

 cessful gardener, that one should learn 

 well what he or she does learn, it may be 

 well to give short lessons, and request 

 each reader to commit to memory and to 

 practice, each month, as much of it as 

 possible. We can all be pupils, and all 

 are requested to be teachers, too, by giv- 

 ing such advice as experience suggests. 

 Every lady reader, especially, should 

 feel an interest iu this as her own de- 

 partment, whether residing in city or 

 country. So far as we are concerned, 

 we will try to give the best and most 

 seasouable advice, whether original en- 

 selected matter. 



HOW TO DESTRY PLANT LICE. 



A lady subscriber near Virvinia City 

 wants to know how to destroy lice 

 (aphidsj on house plants. It can be 

 done bj- fumigating with tobacco smoke, 

 also bj- dusting fine snui? upon them. 

 To fumigate, place your plants in a small 

 room, or into a large dry goods box 

 where they can be closed from outside 

 air; then upon live coals, or a hot stove 

 cover, diop pulverized tobacco, and close 

 the entrance for several minutes. The 



