1881 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
401 
flour, especially where what is called the 
“new process” in milling is used, hence flinty 
varieties are more popular with the miller. 
The farmer naturally enough thinks more of 
quantity than quality, for if he grows only 
the best he cannot sell it for enough more to 
compensate for deficiency in quantity. The 
“ Mediterranean ” is the best and most gluten- 
ous fall wheat grown in the Middle States, 
but the straw is not stiff enough to bear up 
under a heavy crop. The “Velvet Chaff,” a 
glutenous variety, is early and prolific, has a 
stiff straw, but a loose chaff, and is apt to 
scatter badly if allowed to become fully ripe. 
The ‘ ‘ Silver Chaff ” has a good straw and 
chaff; it is also prolific, and the kernel is 
flinty, combining qualities which make it a 
desirable variety. The best kind that we have 
seen the present year, taking into account 
quantity and quality, is a recent importation 
from Hungary, known as “Theiss” wheat. 
Seasons are not alike, some years the early 
sown wheat is best, and sometimes the late. 
The experience of the past year teaches that 
an early variety sown late escapes the Hessian 
fly in the fall, and still has time to fill before 
the hottest and driest weather. 
Harvesting. — Wheat cut early avoids 
waste from shelling and makes whiter flour, 
but the flour from early cut wheat contains 
more starch in proportion to the gluten than 
the flour from wheat cut after it is fully ripe. 
The microscope shows that the starch and 
gluten are not formed in the grain at pre¬ 
cisely the same period ; the starch cells in the 
interior of the kernel are filled with starch 
granules some days before the gluten cells, 
next the bran, are quite full. Hence, wheat 
allowed to get as ripe as possible to avoid 
waste, makes, not whiter, but better, because 
more glutenous flour, than that from wheat 
cut early. The rather common practice of 
allowing wheat to stand in the shock until 
time to thrash, has perhaps the advantage of 
saving once handling, but if it remains in 
the field until one kernel in a hundred gets 
sprouted, irreparable mischief is done to the 
flour. Wheat taken from the field and se¬ 
cured in the barn, or a well-made stack, as 
soon as it is dry, will pass through a process 
called “ sweating in the straw,” which leaves 
the grain sweeter and much freer from musti¬ 
ness, than if it passes through this sweat¬ 
ing process in the granary. 
Attention to securing good and dry soil, 
through tillage, a selection of varieties, re¬ 
garding quality as well as quantity, cutting 
at the right time, and prompt protection from 
bad weather—if these essentials to good grain 
growing do not add greatly to the amount of 
the wheat crop of the country, they assuredly 
will add greatly to its reputation and value. 
Ice upon tlie Farm, and especially in 
the dairy, is more and more becoming a ne¬ 
cessity. The saving in food, meat, etc., by 
the use of ice alone should lead every farmer 
to build an ice-house this fall, and fill it with 
ice the coming winter. An ice-house can be 
built that will supply a family with one of 
the greatest comforts and conveniences of the 
hot months, at a trifling expense. It is wise 
economy to build one that is substantial, and 
will last for a long time. It has been care¬ 
fully estimated that, under ordinary circum¬ 
stances of harvesting the ice, and with a 
house to hold from 20 to 85 tons, the ice can 
be furnished for 50 cents a ton. At such a 
low rate, surely many farmers can not afford 
any longer to deny themselves of ice during 
the hot months of summer. Let an ice-house 
be built this fall in time for the ice crop. 
A Method of Bracing Wire Fences. 
Mr. S. G. Livermore, Linn Co., Iowa, sends 
a sketch of his manner of bracing wire fences, 
and writes ; “The brace should be at least 10 
feet long. Place it as near the center of the 
strain on the post as possible ; this will pre¬ 
vent the post from drawing out of the ground, 
as I have seen hundreds of them do when 
they are supported by a brace, placed near 
the top of the post,”—The position which the 
brace should occupy, and also that of the 
short post to which the other end of the post 
is fastened, are both shown in the engraving 
herewith presented, which was made from 
a sketch sent by Mr. Livermore. 
Forage Plants in California. 
BY T. S. TIUCE, FRESNO CITY, CAB. 
A change is gradually taking place in the 
culture of forage crops in this State, from the 
old plan of wheat and barley hay, to others 
equally valuable and much more convenient 
and productive. In the earlier history of the 
State, “wild hay,” such as “Filaree” (Era¬ 
dium), and Wild Oats were cut and cured as 
an addition to the customary feed of grain or 
grain hay. While this was very good, it was 
not adapted to pasturage, nor could more 
than one crop be harvested in a year. This 
void has, to a considerable extent, been filled 
within the past few years by the introduction 
of several new forage plants; these have been 
more or less successful, owing, in a great 
measure, to culture and climatic conditions. 
Alfalfa, or I,uceriie iMedicago sativa). 
This is particularly adapted to our soil and 
climate. It has been in succussful cultivation 
in the central and southern parts of the State 
for a number of years. Here from two to 
five crops a year are harvested, the yield vary¬ 
ing from five to eight tons, and in 
some instances as high as ten tons per 
acre in a single season. The first cut¬ 
ting is usually considered the best, be¬ 
ing sweeter than the succeeding crops. 
As a pasture it is highly appreciated, 
owing to its almost perpetual growth; 
there being only a short period (the 
cold wet season) in which it does noc 
thrive. Care must be taken when 
stock is first turned on it to avoid 
bloat, afterward there need be no uneasi¬ 
ness on that account. Some such pasture 
is especially necessary to the success of the 
dairy interests. It is claimed by some that 
Alfalfa (both fresh and cured) affects the 
flavor of milk and butter, but if fed, mixed 
with other feed, there seems to be no such 
trouble. If it be fully cured, and cured with 
especial reference to dairy feed, it undoubt¬ 
edly will not affect either taste or scent of 
the milk or butter. This subject has been 
very ably discussed by gentlemen of this sec¬ 
tion, through the columns of the “ Pacific 
Rural Press,” on invitation of that journal. 
In the issue of January 22, 1881, Mr. C. Tal¬ 
bot says “ I would advise, when cutting for 
cattle, to cut young; but in putting up for 
horses, I think it should be well matured.” 
This is corroborated by'Mr. A. J. Scoggins’ 
statement, when he says “But hay should 
always be one week older for horses’ feed than 
cows.” It is not claimed that it is the best 
dairy feed, but it is far superior to anything 
else that has yet been introduced on account 
of its longevity and continual productiveness. 
Next in importance ranks the 
Durra, Dhourra, or Egyptian Corn. 
Two varieties of this, which is also called 
millet, are cultivated with great success, the 
white and brown; as feed they are about 
equally liked at present. Prof. W. A. San¬ 
ders, botanist, was the first to introduce it into 
this (Fresno) county; to him also much credit 
is due for raising it to the status which it now 
occupies as a forage and food plant. As a 
ride it is an abundant producer, and is now 
being extensively cultivated in this State ; not 
only as a feed for stock, but also as a substi¬ 
tute for rice and meal. The white variety is 
preferable for home consumption, while for 
shipping and milling purposes, the brown 
seems to be equally esteemed. A fair price 
can always be realized, and to those who do 
not wish to harvest, as much as from ten to 
fifteen dollars per acre, is often paid for 
the crop to be used as hog-pasture. As this 
crop requires two or three gatherings, large 
areas are most convenient. 
Pearl 3Iillet, (PennlcUlaria spicata ). 
Though evidently possessing much merit, 
has not, as yet, had a fair test; it is grown to 
some extent by small farmers, but like all 
novelties grows slowly in public favor. There 
are a few others recorded as having a most 
prodigious growth, but to a great extent they 
remain to be tested. During the last decade, 
the central part of our State has changed from 
a stock-rearing to a farming country, the 
success of which is sufficiently marked by 
its numerous colonies and many factories, 
and the energy of its inhabitants. In this 
state of affairs we expect great things from 
our forage crops and general agriculture. 
•*» -- 
A Useful Root Hook. 
Mr. P. S. Dorland, Saratoga Co., N. Y., 
sends a sketch of a hook that he has used for 
A HOOK FOR PULLING STUMPS, ETC. 
pulling up roots, etc., and finds very conven¬ 
ient—more so, in fact, that any other imple¬ 
ment he has employed for the same work.. 
The hook is made of iron, and is of sufficient 
strength to withstand all the pulling of a 
strong team. The method of using this hook 
