California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



■jj 3 think for an instant of avoiding an 

 "i onest obligation by legal dodging. 

 ^' Please allow me to state a few reasons 

 i. 'hy I think it is good jjolicy to issue 

 ." nd show intention to issue these bonds 

 jiS promptly as possible. 

 'j: It is right, and right is always No. 1 

 [ cod policy. 



.. A large share of the settlers are more 

 j, r less indebted to the merchants and 

 leehanics of San Jose. AA'hatever brings 

 elp to the settlers, brings pay and in- 

 reased custom to the city. For the city 

 ) do justice to the settlers, is but for 

 ne hand to put money into the other. 

 S has been observed that a mountain 

 sttlement once broken up is hard to re- 

 sttle. The old settlers are strongly at- 

 iched to their homes. They take in 

 lousands of dozens of eggs and pounds 

 f butter to trade with San Jose for 

 Dods, etc. Nearly every dollar earned 

 Y this settlement goes directly to the 

 asiness men of Sau Jose. 

 You have all heard of the goose that 

 lid golden eggs for her master. You 

 jubtless remember her tragic fate and 

 sr master's disappointment. 

 This settlement, once broken up, will 

 3 very likely to become a sheep range, 

 id the profit on a range is about as apt 

 > be silent in San Francisco, New York, 

 • Germany, as iu San Jose. Seven 

 lousand acres of sheep range will bring 

 at a small part of San Felii^e's present 

 ade to San Jose. 



We have now good roads, and a No. 1 

 rosperous school; many settlers have 

 mquered from obstinate nature a small 

 )ot for an orchard and grrden, and 

 early every man, woman and child not 

 fiicted by hereditary disease or accident 

 in the best of health. 

 The city's bonds for principal paid, 

 id a fair rate of interest, will do much 

 iwards lifting the, at present, unbear- 

 ile load of debt that has been coiling, 

 ke an anaconda, around our hard-work- 

 ig community. There may be obsta- 

 es in the way of the immediate issue 

 f the bonds, but where as capable a 

 immunity as yours feels a rcill, they 

 ill certainly find a icay to ease the pres- 

 ire, if not to remove a part of this 

 ."ushing strain before January 1st, 1877, 

 nds many flying homeless through 

 pace, like pumpkin seeds from between 

 giant's thumb and finger. God grant 

 lat any that may be squeezed out may 

 ght on, land take root in more genial 

 jil covered by peace titles! 

 Most honorable Mayor, City Fathers, 

 ad influential citizens, may this settle- 

 lent still exist and pack eggs to your 

 vely city? 

 Most respectfully and kindly, 



Y'ours, Chas. A. Wtjjan. 



.ETTER FROM KERN COUNTY. 



Panama, Kern Co., July 9, 1876, 

 Ed. Ageicultukist ; I have had to al- 

 lost leave ofl' all le'ter-writing, because 

 f the press of work consequent upon 

 tarting a new place. Making ditches 

 nd breaking hmd put planting so far 

 ehind that now, when we ought to be 

 ating green corn, mellous, tomatoes, 

 tc, they are only half grown. I have 

 ast harvested the few 



ONIONS 



■lanted for home use. They did finely; 

 ome weighing from 1% to 1% pounds 

 Bch, and were grown on moist land that 

 leeds no irrigation. Many of those on 

 he moistest pait of the laud sent up a 

 talk and made sets again. Will they be 

 ood to plant? I think they will be more 

 aclined to go to see again. 



[Such buttons as are produced the 

 ame year the buttons are planted are not 

 ood to plant for onions, as they will be 



likely to go to seed again the same way. 

 Only such buttons as are grown from se- 

 lected onions — perfect bulbs grown one 

 season and transplanted the next to pro- 

 duce buttons — should ever be used for 

 planting. — Ed. 



POTATOES. 



Early Rose potatoes produce well and 

 do not incline to rot. Early Goodrich, 

 the same. Peerless produces fine tubers 

 and are keeping well; on hill weighed 

 3-^ pounds; all large. Early Ohio has 

 proved a failure for two years. New 

 York Late Hose has not done well, and 

 rotted badly. I have Burbanks, Dun- 

 more and Excel.sior yet to dig. Brinnell 

 Beauty has not yielded well. 



Pie-plant roots, seedlings, set late last 

 spring have furnished some good stalks 

 for pies. It is going to bo a success 

 here. 



I set one Houghton's gooseberry bush 

 last spring, and it produced a full crop 

 of fine fruit. It seems as if almost 

 everything will grow upon this Island. 



DAIRYING, ETC. 



Good alfalfa hay can be had in the 

 field for $4 per ton, or $5 in stack, or 

 give half for cutting and putting in stack. 

 While butter is 37 cents per pound, and 

 cheese 16 cents, what a chance for dairy 

 business. 



This is the best place I have yet found 

 for a poor man who is ^willing and able 

 to work, for there is no time of the year 

 that he cannot be planting some crop . 

 Our worst trouble is the rabbit; but a 

 petition is being circulated now to have 

 the county pay five cents for each 

 pair of ears, and if they decide to do 

 that, it will thin them some, as parties 

 can take off the ears, then ship the rab- 

 bits to San Francisco, and thus get 60 

 cents per dozen over those from other 

 places. Many have been killed with 

 phosphorus, which the farmers are put- 

 ting out, mixed with shorts or corn meal. 



We are still planting corn; have heard 

 of good crops made as late as July 13. 



We are testing the banana here. We 

 received six plants the other day, which 

 are in the hands of three dift'ereut parties 

 for trial. 



I am too tired to write a letter; can 

 only jot down ideas for yon; may send 

 send more such notes in the future if 

 you like them. Yours, J. B, R. 



[We would like to get such notes from 

 every district iu the State. — Ed.] 



A WORD OF CAUTION. 



Santa Claka, July 12, 1876. 



Ed. AGEicnLTUEisT: In this hot, dry 

 country, is it not wisdom and economy 

 to supply ever}' means in our power to 

 avoid destruction and ruin by fire? Steam 

 threshers are excellent, it must be ad- 

 mitted, for threshing grain; but they are 

 also very destructive. Would it not be 

 well for the farmers if the manufacturers 

 would attach a force-pump that could be 

 thrown in and out of gear in a moment, 

 and be driven by the engine, also a piece 

 of hose to direct the stream? And, fur- 

 S^er, I would advise to have ready about 

 six pails full of water, iu case the pump 

 should fail to work properly. Farmers 

 are very apt to say there is not much 

 danger; but there is, nevertheless, and 

 wisdom says. Prepare! 



I have received many valuable ideas 

 from your interesting and instructive 

 little paper. Please accept this poor one 

 in return. Y'ours, respectfully, 



Geo. M. Beown. 



Stack your straw. Somebody's stock 

 will want it if yours does not. Its actu- 

 al vahie is one-third that of good hay. 



lisricttlttttt^ 



Concerning Fish and Fish Cui- 

 ture. 



^3 



§HAD in the Hudson river had be- 

 come nearly extinct until the Fish 

 Commissioners of New Yrrk caused 

 it to be stocked with 100,000,000 

 per year for several years; the con- 

 sequence is that they have not been so 

 plentiful and cheap for forty years as 

 now. The rascally pot-house netters, 

 however, take every opportunity to 

 stretch their nets surreptitiously across 

 the third of the stream reserved to lot 

 them come up the river to spawn. Seth 

 Green, that veteran pisciculturist, is now 

 stocking the river with sturgeon in im- 

 mense numbers, that in a few years will 

 go through their nets as if they were a 

 piece of gauze. The Hudson river stur- 

 geon grow to an immense size, attaining 

 frequently to the length of len or twelve 

 feet, and weighing from four to five hun- 

 dred pounds. 



Another gratifying practical result of 

 fish planting is that in the Potomac 

 where black bass were entirely unknown 

 until it was planted, they are now caught 

 in strings of from thirty to sixty, weigh- 

 ing from two to four and a half pounds, 

 in a day's fishing. 



This breeding of fish and stocking all 

 the inland lakes and rivers is simply a 

 question of food for the people, as much 

 as raising grain, beef, pork, etc. The 

 United States make an annual appropri- 

 ation of $30,000 to procure fish from 

 foreign waters which are unknown to us, 

 and to change the breed of such as we 

 have, which is as much required as to 

 change the breed of everything from the 

 human race to potatoes. Almost all of 

 the States have now efficient fish laws, 

 and very many make liberal appropria- 

 tions to stock all the public lakes within 

 their borders, under the supervision of 

 their boards of fish commissioners, as 

 well as the rivers. Canada does the 

 same. — Cor. Chicago Journal. 



GoLD-FisH. — " How beautiful!" she 

 exclaims, as she stands gazing at my 

 window, iu which is hanging a globe 

 containing a couple of ruby gold-fish. 



" Such a lot of time and trouble it 

 must take to keep them!" declares her 

 companion, at the same time gazing with 

 admiring eyes on the brilliant golden 

 beauties as they float, dive and execute 

 the most indescribable twists and turns 

 in their crystal palace. 



" Yes." replies the first speaker, with 

 an audible sigh, "if I could spare the 

 money, but you know — " And she 

 metaphorically clasps her purse, and 

 with heartless inconsistency turns away 

 from one of the most beautiful of God's 

 creation, and orders that "love" of a 

 bonnet, which you know to cost nothing 

 less than $25. 



Dear, oh dear! When will we learn to 

 discover the true and the beautiful? 

 When will we appreciate the wonders 

 that He has created and discard ihe hol- 

 low mockeries of to-day? But it is not 

 for me to moralize, and so to my sub- 

 ject. 



The first thing, after decided to keep 

 fish, is to purchase a globe; mine held 

 about three quarts and cost the enorm- 

 ous sum of $1. The globes may be ob- 

 tained of any establishment selling 

 chinaware. Be snre and ask for French 

 plate glass; examine carefully, and refuse 

 those containing flaws or irregularities. 

 If you cannot aflFord a globe, or wish to 

 experiment, you can procure one of 

 those old-fashioned wide-mouthed candy 

 jars. 



The fish, costing twenty-five cents each, 

 you can get of any bird-fancier. Lift 

 your ej-es from the tantalizing beauty of 

 the largo fellows, and select two not 

 longer than three or three and a half 

 inches. (I am supposed to be stocking 

 a globe holding three quarts of water. ) 



Take a quantity of silver or common 

 white scouring sand, and after thorough- 

 ly cleansing in several courses of water 

 distribute it on the bottom of the globe 

 to the depth ol an inch. Filling the ves- 

 sel to within half an inch of the top with 

 fresh river water, sink in the sand sev- 

 eral or as many pieces of water plant as 

 your fancy and good judgment dictate, 

 tute, being careful not to crowd the globe 

 and thus impede the free motions of the 

 iuiuates. 



Any pond or runniug stream contains 

 numerous varieties of delicate water 

 plant, which is absolutely necessary in 

 your globle. Slips or cuttings, when 

 fastened in the sand, will soon send out 

 their lovely little branches, adding great- 

 ly to the beauiy and cleann- ss of your 

 globe, as well as to the sasteoance and 

 longevity of the gold-fish. 



Several tadpoles — these are the best of 

 scavengers, and of course are necessary 

 — -a dozen of water-snails, and one or 

 more "dace," will make youroutfit com- 

 plete, and one of which you will never 

 tire. 



We have now come to the most im- 

 portant part of our subject, namely, 

 food. Garden worms, not more than 

 three at one time, cut in fine bits, are 

 greatly relished, and indeed are their 

 chief food. Fresh beef in winter is a 

 good substitute. Bread is not at all del- 

 eterious, as is a too common supposi- 

 tion. As fresh water contains any num- 

 ber of animalcules, never feed your fish 

 oftener than once in two weeks; and 

 when you think their appetite has been 

 appeased, you must change their water. 



It is a never failing sign when the fish 

 will persist in floating around the top in 

 search of air that the water is impure 

 and the globe needs renewing with fresh 

 water. 



Never let the fish hang for any great 

 length of time in the sun, and once a 

 day if possible, let the cool air upon 

 them. When it is desired to change the 

 water, the inmates must not be removed 

 with the hands, but with a sinifile little 

 net made of any thin material. — Uurper's 

 Bazar. 



The DisTRiBtTTioN OF Fish.' — Statistics 

 of distribution for the years 1874 and 

 1875: Shad, 18,689,550; Penobscot sal- 

 mon, 2,294,565; California salmon, 5,- 

 153,740; total, 26,137,855. To this is to 

 be added the hatching and distribution, 

 during the spring and winter of 1875-6, 

 of California salmon, Penobscot salmon, 

 land-locked salmon, and lake white fish, 

 not vet completed, but amounting to at 

 least 14,000,000 fish; thus making a total 

 of 40,000,000 supplied by the United 

 States Fish Commission in three years. 

 This, at the assumed ratio of 1 to 200, 

 would represent the proceeds of 8,000,- 

 000,000 eggs laid in the natural way and 

 subject to all the especial perUs of natu- 

 ral spawning. 



The little salmon will be ready to go 

 into the large rivers about the middle of 

 December, when fresh water fish that 

 might otherwise devour them, will be in 

 a state of torpidity ; and when the warm 

 weather comes will be acclimated and 

 able to take care of themselves. 



3Ib. Ccd married Miss Fish, in a Con- 

 necticut town, the other day. The af- j 

 fair passed off swimmingly, and termin- 

 ated in a Cod-Fish ball. 



