VEGETABLE GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



There could be no greater recognition of the fact that California has an all-the- 

 year-rcund growing climate than this action of the Weather Bureau. What is known 

 to the Weather Bureau as the "Orange-Growing Thermal Belt" extends from San 

 Diego on the south almost to Mount Shasta on the north, a distance of nearly seven 

 hundred miles. The mean annual temperature in this belt is between 60 and 70 de- 

 grees Fahrenheit. 



Of course, your vegetable garden must have the same care that it would in other 

 States. One can grow vegetables the year round because the climate permits it, be- 

 cause proper soil may be selected, and because irrigation can take the place of rain 

 at a period in the life of the plant when rain would naturally fail in other countries. 



An all-the-year-round growing season suggests constant use of the ground and the 

 possibility of turning the soil over several times in the course of the year. This can be 

 done by quick revolution like the following: 



Where water is handy, two, three, or even four crops can be grown on the came 

 ground in the year. Start April 1st and sow the plot to lettuce, and with proper culti- 

 vation it will mature in two months. Resow with turnip or radish, which is a good sum- 

 mer variety. These will be fit to use in three weeks, or by the first week of July, 

 when the ground will be ready for late cucumbers, which will occupy the ground un- 

 til the first frost, or till the nights become too cold for them to fruit. Now plant to 

 carrots, beets or onion sets, and any of them will be ready for use in February or March. 

 Here we have four crops within the twelve months, and no two of them occupying the 

 ground at the same time. There are other combinations that would do as well. 



Though this rapid work is quite feasible, as shown, and many plants can enter 

 into such combinations, the two crop plan will probably be as fast movement as most 

 farm gardeners will keep up with, and that consists in fall sowing of hardy vegetables 

 for winter and spring use, followed by spring planting of tender vegetables for sum- 

 mer and fall use. Occasionally there will be intervals in this rotation for a third or 

 catch crop of lettuce, radish, etc., which takes a very short time. This will be a vast 

 Improvement on the present popular conception of gardening possibilities, and if the 

 hint of a fall crop of tender vegetables, like melons, beans, corn, etc., planted in 

 July to come on fast in the heat, followed by fall planting of the hardy list for winter 

 use, these two crops will be gained before the outbreak of the usual "garden fever," 

 which rallies all garden forces in February and March. The agencies to demonstrate 

 this broader conception of our gardening possibilities are will and work and water. 



TEMPERATURE AT WHICH CERTAIN PLANTS ARE LIABLE TO 

 RECEIVE INJURY FROM FROSTS.! 



PLANT DcgrccsFah. PLANT Di««csFah 



Asparagus 29 Beans 11 



Cantaloupes 32 Celery 28 



Cucumber 32 Onions 28 



Potatoes 30 Sweet Potatoes 81 



Spinach 21 Squash 81 



Turnips 26 Watermelons 81 



f —From "California Vegetables," by Edward J. Wlckaon, Profesitor of Agricultural Practlte la MM 

 vflnlty of California ; published by the Pacific Rural Press, San Franelaoo. 



REALTY SALES IN FEBRUARY. 



During the month of February, 1905, the realty sales numbered 646, and the total 

 value represented was $4,075,442. This record of sales has never been equalled in Feb- 

 ruary since 1867 (shortly preceding the completion of the transcontinental line — 1868), 

 and the closest approaches to the sales were in February, 1875 and 1903. The sales of 

 February of this year show an advance over the preceding month by $1,140,317. 



