rabclfr. 
CALIFORNIA.—III- 
Brief Nmc« of n Horticultural Vtait to 
California by illnmlinl I*. Wilder, flm*. 
Downluu, Kllwniidt-r. mill I*. Horry. 
July 9.—Left Sacramento for Stockton, 
forty-three miles distant in Ran Joaquin 
county, ami there took carriages to the cele¬ 
brated grove of ‘* Hig Trees,” Sequoia Oi- 
(janted, in Calaveras county. The distance 
from Stockton is seventy-two miles, which 
we made in about a day and a half each 
way. 
On our way, as soon as we passed off the 
plains and began to ascend the mountains, 
we met the Hnus Sabiniana, .just as we did 
in going to the Geysers. 
Passing out of the region of this tree, we 
come to Finns ponder oho (called Yellow 
Pine,) mixed with Libocedrus decurrens and 
Thuya gigantea, the lust being scattering. 
As we ascended higher, and came closer 
to the grove of Sequoia, the forest became 
thicker and the trees larger, until they 
reached a magnitude surpassing anything 
we had ever seen. 
Besides the trees named, Finns Lumber- 
liana , (Sugar Pine) became abundant and 
of immense size. This is the finest timber 
tree <>f that region, and like the Fonderosa, 
distinguished in the forest by its beautiful 
shining bark, resembling mosaic in its ele-. 
gant tracery. Here are also found the Abies 
(1 ranch's —noble speeimens. 
Words would fail to describe the sensa¬ 
tions we experienced in riding through this 
giant forest, on a road as smooth as a park 
drive, just ns the sun went down on our ap¬ 
proach to # tbe grove. As we entered the 
grove the moon had got sufficiently up to 
throw her light on the two “big trees” Se¬ 
quoia, which form u grand gateway, ami are 
called the Sentinels. As we passed between 
. them we were filled with amazement, and 
uncovered our beads in reverence to these 
glorious mouarchs of the forest. We saw no 
more till the next morning. 
In the morning, after breakfast, wc started 
on our journey through the grove, which is 
in close proximity—indeed, surrounded our 
hotel. The grove is said to extend over 
filly acres, but the largest specimens are as¬ 
sembled iu a comparatively small space. We 
have already alluded to the Sentinels, which 
form a gateway, sen it were, to the grove. 
The largest of these is three hundred and 
fiftleen feet, in ’night, the other, over three 
hundred feel, and twenty-three feel in di¬ 
ameter. There are ten trees in the grove 
thirty feel or over in diameter and upwards 
of three hundred feet in high! . Most, of I lie 
trees have been named, and the names are in¬ 
scribed on tablets which are nailed to the 
trees in a conspicuous place. Rome of the 
names — as, for instance, those of a State or 
city — are appropriate; but some of them 
are scarcely short of desecration, according 
to our view of such matters, viz: — Old 
Bachelor, Old Maid, Siamese Twins, Salem 
Witch, Ac., Ac. 
As these trees have all been described so 
often by travelers, it would be superfluous 
for us, and foreign to our purpose, to give a 
detailed account of them. It is sufficient to 
say that there are in all in this grove about 
eighty trees, many of which are over three 
hundred feet in flight and sixteen feet to 
thirty-two feet in diameter—clear of branches 
one hundred feet in bight, or more. There 
arc fallen trees reported of greater size than 
any of those now standing. The Father of 
the Forest, the hollow of which is large 
enough to admit a mail oil horseback or a 
carriage to be driven on the outside surface 
of it; the “ Pioneer’s Cabin,” thirty-two feet 
in diameter; a group of twelve trees, stand¬ 
ing close together, two hundred and fifty 
feet in bight and fifteen feet in diameter, and 
the “Three (traces,” three beautiful trees 
standing together in a row, each about three 
hundred feet high, are among the most in¬ 
teresting specimens in the grove. 
Next to the “Big trees” in interest to us 
were noble specimens of Abies Jfobilis, which 
abounds here. These trees, many of them, 
exceed two hundred and fifty feet in bight 
and six to seven feet in diameter, Finns 
Lambertiam is also plentiful, and some of 
them reach the bight of three hundred feet. 
Libocedrus decurrens also abounds, and reach¬ 
es the bight of t wo hundred feet, with a di 
ameter of five feet. 
On our return from the big trees we took 
a different route from that which we went, 
and met much finer groves of the Finns 
Sabiniana —-young trees of elegant form— 
than we had met. before. The “ poison oak,” 
(Rhus iniaha,) we saw all along in great 
abundance. The California buckeye also 
abounded along our way and was just pass¬ 
ing out of bloom, especially on the dry, 
rocky places. 
Wo found fruit trees thriving and bearing 
well clear up into the mountains, and we 
were told that the fruit was finer flavored 
than that produced on bottom lands. 
The Viue is also being "planted far up, 
and is said to yield better wine than is made 
on the plains, and this we presume to be the 
case. 
At a hotel where wc stopped for dinner, 
in a wild mining district, we found fruit 
trees bearing abundantly in the garden, and 
fig trees in front of the hotel, on the road¬ 
side, were laden with ripe fruit, of which 
we picked and ate plentifully and relished 
well, the day being warm and the roads 
dusty. 
Tills ride to the big trees in the warmest 
of summer weather, over dusty mountain 
roads, was necessarily fatiguing, but we felt 
amply compensated for it all; and, even if 
we bad not seen the big trees, we should 
have done so; the other vegetation and 
scenery being so new to us and so grand and 
beautiful. 
Returning to Stockton we were met by 
a delegation of gentlemen, including the 
Mayor, Gen. Evans and Dr. Holden, who 
invited us to examine some vineyards and 
gardens there, and to see whatever else there 
might lie of interest to us. 
Stockton. 
Among the principal nurseries, orchards 
and vineyards are those of the Messrs. Geo. 
and Wm. B. West. They have a nursery 
of young trees, in which are specimens of 
several rare species of pines and cypress, 
among tlie latter, Quprcssus Lusi/anica , Gov- 
eniana, Macnabiana, Ac. The vineyard con¬ 
tains one hundred acres, fifty of which are 
iu hearing and fitly recently planted, mainly 
with Fronliginin, Zinlindul and Riesling for 
wine. Among the tattle grapes grown, 
Black Prince was named as the most, profita¬ 
ble, selling readily for six to ten cents per 
pound, some of these vines yielding forty 
pounds each -eight to ten years planted. 
Wc saw White Nice, the bunches of which 
already measured eighteen inches long, and 
Palestine fifteen inches. The vines are 
pruned, as most of the others, in tree form, 
stems eighteen inches to three feet in bight, 
removing the superfluous shoots in May; no 
summer pruning. The canes are allowed to 
spread on the ground. 
The Mission grape is the staple, and is 
said to yield occasionally as many as forty 
pounds to the vine, ten-year-old vines. 
The best fruit for table sells at three to 
five cents per pound, and the balance $20 
per ton for wine. 
Apricots, pears, peaches, figs and other 
fruits do well here, but do not pay so well 
as the grape, and consequently the vineyards 
are being extended more than orchards, 
WhiPH, 
Mr. West produces a large quantity of 
wine annually. We were shown through 
ids cellars, which are above ground, the 
character of the wine made not requiring 
deep underground cellars. The wines were 
mainly port and sherry, for which the fruit! 
is dried for about n week alter gathering. 
This produces a large amount of sugar, and 
consequently alcohol, which makes these 
wines heavy and rich. AVe thought His 
sherry quite as good as any we had tasted, 
having much real sherry character. The 
port is much like a burgundy. The light 
wines made are from Riesling and Fron- 
tignan and Mission and Front.ignan com¬ 
bined, both of which are good wines, His 
pure Frontignun is sold to the wine dealers 
to flavor the sparkling wines, and especially 
that, known as Muscatel. 
From Mr. West’s we rode about the town 
and visited several gardens, which were in¬ 
teresting. In the public square we found 
fine specimens of the agave coming into 
bloom, and two others in the garden of Dr. 
Reed. These plants were from eight to ten 
years old, and the flower stems about thirty 
l'ect in bight. 
Stockton is a handsome, flourishing town, 
surrounded by a splendid farming and fruit 
growing country. 
Heuernl Conclusions, 
Having now given a brief account of (he 
various orchards, gardens and vineyards 
visited, it may not be improper for us to ex¬ 
press nu opinion as to the capabilities of 
California for fruit growing. Our opinion 
is, that in the several sections which we 
have visited, and doubtless many others 
which wc have not visited, fruit in general 
can lie produced at much less cost than at 
the East, for these reasons: 
1st—In most cases the land can be had— 
good quality—at low prices. Good fruit 
and grain land in the coast valleys except 
close to a town or village, can be bought for 
$20 to $100 per acre. In the second range 
of valleys, Sacramento, Ran Joaquin, Ac., 
at less. 
2d—The trees grow nearly twice as rapid¬ 
ly as with us, and come into bearing in less 
than half the time. 
fid.—The fruit is large and handsome. 
4th.—As yet they are almost entirely ex¬ 
empt from disease and insects. 
5th—The atmosphere is so dry during the 
whole season that rotting on the tree is un¬ 
known, and the fruit remain on the trees, 
sound, long after they are ripe, thus greatly 
prolonging the season of gathering. 
Gth—The ground requires much less cul¬ 
tivation than at the East. When the dry 
season commences weeds cease to be trou¬ 
blesome, and for a period of between four 
and five months very little labor is needed 
to keep the ground in good order. This is 
an important saving. Labor, at present, is 
quite as cheap as with us. The necessity of 
good culture exists there no leas thun with 
us, aud is probably greater, as we observed 
instances where a single year’s neglect had 
in a great measure ruined the plantation. 
This is no doubt owing to the exhausting 
nature of a climate where heat and drouth 
is so prolonged. 
Injects and Diseases. 
Although we have said that fruits and 
fruit trees were in a great measure exempt 
from insects and diseases in California, they 
are not wholly so, and It is reasonable to be¬ 
lieve that as fruit culture is extended these 
enemies will increase. Such has been the 
general experience. AVe saw the pear slug 
in many instances on the pear and cherry 
foliage, caterpillars, and in some cases borers; 
scaly aphis on the orange and olive trees; 
the tlirips on the grape. Among animal 
depredators, the gopher and ground squirrel 
were complained of in some localities. 
Diseases. —The peach in some places is 
affected with curled leaf, and the grape with 
oidium or mildew; both of these, however, 
in a slight degree. Spotting and cracking 
of the pear we saw in only two or three in¬ 
stances, and so slight as almost to escape 
observation. 
Mnvkein mid Prices. 
It seems to be the general opinion of the 
fruit growers of California that, the produc¬ 
tion already exceeds the demand. This will 
appear extraordinary when wc reflect that 
twenty years have not elapsed since the 
planting of the first orchard. We think we 
were told that, in 1853 peaches were first sent 
to market, and some sold as high as $6 per 
dozen, and even $5 for a single peach. Now 
they are selling at 50c. to $J per basket, and 
they have been sold much lower. Iu 1853, 
’54 and ’55 cherries were brought from Ore¬ 
gon and sold for $2.50 per lb.; apples at 
$1.50 per lb. A single apple was sold for 
$5. Of the first crop of peaches raised by 
Mr. Smith of Sacramento, In 1855-5(1, a 
single basket was sold for $60, containing 
sixty peaches. Until last year the fruit, grow¬ 
ers were confined to a home market. 
The Pacific and other railroads recently 
opened and in course of construction will 
open up new markets, and greatly augment 
the demand. Thr^uainess is now becoming 
systematized. arr being specially con¬ 
structed to carry fruit to Eastern markets. 
AVe examined four of them just being fin¬ 
ished at Sacramento, and two of them, 
loaded with Bartlett, pears, ten tons each, 
are on our train, July 28th, bound East. 
Judging from some, specimens tlmt wc have 
with us, picked at the same time, they will 
reach the market, in Chicago, New York or 
Boston in good condition. Though not 
more than two thirds grown, they are ripen¬ 
ing well, but seem to lose most of their pe¬ 
culiar musky aroma. 
AVhile t he growers are complaining of low 
prices, the dealers keep them up well. AVe 
visited the fruit market of Ran Francisco oqi 
various occasions between the 22d of June 
and the I Dili of July, and find the following 
prices on our memoranda:— Wholesale or 
by the box: Cherries, 10 to 35c. per pound; 
apricots, 8 to 10c. do.; strawberries, 10 to 
15c. do.; currants, 10 to 15c. do. 
July 1 ll.li to lOlh.—Peaches 50 to 60c. per 
basket; strawberries, fi to 6c, per pound; 
Jaime Hative plum, 4c. do.; Early Orleans 
do., 8c. do.; Washington do., 12c. do.; apri¬ 
cots, 6 to 7c.. do.; currants, 10c. do.; grapes, 
15c. do.; Early Harvest apples, 50 to 75c. 
per box; Rod Aslradian, $2 to $2.50 per 
box ; Rod June, $1.50 do.; figs, 4 to 5c. per 
pound; cherries, Royal Anil,(Napoleon,) 30 
to 85c. per pound; Belle Alagnifique, 15 to 
18c. do.; pears, Bloodgnod,$fi per box of 50 
pounds; Tyson, $1.50; peaches, 50c. per 
basket; blackberries, 10 to 15c. per pound; 
raspberries, 12 to 25c. do.; strawberries, 10c. 
do,; black July grapes, 25c. do.; peaches, 
$1 per basket.; plums, 12c.; Red Astraeliau 
apples, $1 to $1.50 per basket.; apricots, 
•l to 7c. per pound ; cherries, 15 to 20c. do.; 
strawberries, 5 to 10c. do.; raspberries, 25 to 
30c. do.; plums, 6c. do.; Duane's Purple, 
large and handsome, 8c. per pound ; peaches, 
75 to 85c. per basket; Bloodgood pears, $2 
to $2.50 per box : Dearborn, $2 to $2.50 do.; 
plums, damsons, 9e. per pound; gages. Sc. 
do.; sweet water grapes, rather poor, 5 to 6c.; 
Mission pears, $1.25 per box. 
It will be understood that these prices are 
all in gold or silver. Prices vary, of course, 
from day to day, according to* the supply 
and demand. 
Fruits keep much longer without rotting 
here than with us. Figs were the only fruits 
of which wc observed an over supply. The fig 
is produced in great abundance and of ex¬ 
cellent quality iu many parts of the coun¬ 
try ; indeed we saw it fruiting heavily along 
the wayside. AVhcn the process of drying 
becomes well understood, as it will be soon, 
the fig culture must be a source of great 
profit—will probably rauk next, to the grape. 
At present much of the crop is lost every 
year. 
In a country where fruits can he grown so 
cheaply, modes of profitable consumption 
will soon suggest themselves. For drying- 
fruit, California has advantages superior to 
most other countries in the world.—[To be 
continued. 
!$nbustrial (foptes. 
AMONG THE FARMERS.—I. 
The farmer is said to hold stubbornly to 
the old ways, and it is often thought strange 
that he does not sooner adopt new improve¬ 
ments; but his isolation, want of free com¬ 
munication with his brother farmers, is at 
the bottom of all this. All other industries 
are social, observing; anxious for every im¬ 
provement that will reduce labor, the cost 
of production; see the power of co-opera¬ 
tion, of union, jealously guard against all 
encroachments of other interests ; study the 
markets, supply and demand, protect them¬ 
selves from within and without. But the 
farmer, producing nearly all he consumes, 
feels himself so independent as to cave little 
for what, others arc doing, and after supply¬ 
ing his own wants, sells his surpl us for what¬ 
ever the sharpers in trade see fit to give him. 
Were the farmers organized into co-opera¬ 
tive societies, it. would bring those of a dis¬ 
trict into intimate relations to each other, in 
which they would see and adopt each others’ 
improved methods. Then, the prices of 
farm products would be uniform, at least, in 
the same market. 
The effect of such social and business in¬ 
tercourse, generally, among farmers, would 
be to advance agriculture more in a decade 
than in the previous half century. The ag¬ 
gregate knowledge among farmers is not so 
deficient as its general dissemination. The 
Agricultural Journal lias been almost the 
only channel of communication among 
farmers. 
Wc like to take short trips out among our 
brother farmers, and always find, even with 
t he most un pretending, points of practice well 
worth observing. 
Fnltcnlmr Hobs on Whey. 
Our friend F., in a neighboring town, 
seems to have studied the genus hog atten¬ 
tively. He has bad long experience in fat¬ 
tening them on corn, still slops, and now is 
very successful on whey. He goes to the 
cattle yard, in Buffalo, and is careful to select 
hogs brought from Canada, rather than the 
AVest. He says lie wants a rangy muscular 
shout—not your short, dumpy, fat pig to feed 
on whey. He selects from the Berkshire or 
its cross if ho can. The small boned, fat 
breed get diseased ou whey. But the mus¬ 
cular, bony Canada Berkshire, will fatten 
splendidly, lie says, on whey alone in three 
to four months. - y 
If a bog can be fattened exclusively on 
wliey, (which see.nis in bis case to be true,) 
then this certainly is the kind of hog to 
select. Having been raised on peas and 
milk, as is the custom in Cauada, its bone 
and muscular system is already developed, 
and the office of whey is only to lay on fat. 
In 1869 lie fed five hogs on the whey from 
eightceen cows for four months, selling them 
the first of November and clearing $l(k) over 
their cost delivered at his farm. He fed 
more wliey, during the same time, to five 
calves, and although the calves were good; 
tho gain did not exceed $50. The present 
season he is feeding, on whey alone, nine 
hogs, bought 10th of May, averaging then 
one hundred and twenty pounds, and will 
now average three hundred pounds each, live 
weight. Tie estimates tiie whey from a 
cow, in feeding this kind of hog, worth $8 to 
$10 per season. But this feeding whey alone 
would not answer for hogs not already de¬ 
veloped iu frame and muscle. 
Jtnisitig I'iio* anil Calves ou Whey. 
Calling on farmer L., we found some fine 
shoals, weighing about one hundred pounds, 
that, had been raised upon wliey, with an ad¬ 
dition of one pound of pea meal to three gal¬ 
lons of whey. These shouts were a cross of 
Suffolk with common breed, and appeared 
as finely developed as any we ever saw, prov¬ 
ing that pea meal, in small quantity, supplies 
all the missing constituents of whey. L. also 
showed us some fine calves, four months old, 
raised (after two weeks) on wliey and oil 
meal. They were heifers, aud would weigh 
three hundred pounds. He has a high opin¬ 
ion of whey, but unlike F., thinks it should 
always be fed admixed with nitrogenous 
food. Everything about. L.’s premises ex¬ 
hibited order, neatness and economy. Ail 
bis plans are based upon knowledge and re¬ 
flection. He thinks the farmer’s success de¬ 
pends as much upon accurate brain work, as 
that of the engineer or master builder. 
Tie seems instinctively to know the wants 
of his animals, and never fails to supply them. 
Thu consequence is, he never raises a poor 
animal, and is never troubled, in liis herd, 
with “ horn-ail," or " tail ail.” 
But there is his neighbor N., who told us 
that he had “ tried the pesky whey for 
calves and pigs,” and he believes it is “ pizen 
to animals,” as it killed three of his calves 
and “ near a’mosl ” killed his pigs; those that 
wanted to "pizen” their pigs and calves 
might have his whey. He had tried “ile- 
meal ” to please L., but the calves “ run their 
inards out on it. AVell, it isn’t nuteral to 
the calf.” He knew L.’s calves were “ nice 
and slick,” but he believed they had “a 
darn’d sight more than ile-raeal and whey.” 
N.’s cows were spring poor in July. He 
didn’t see why they should he, but supposed 
“ it was natural for some cows to be thin 
when milkin’.” 
Weeds and Canada thistles were going to 
seed on N.’s farm, he had “no time to cut 
’em.” But, it, was often noticed that lie 
could spend nearly all the forenoon going 
two miles to the cheese factory. 
lie had been beguiled into sowing a piece 
of corn for green fodder, but a day or two 
before we saw him, the cows had discov¬ 
ered its tempting greenness and luxuriance, 
and easily pushed through Ids false pretense 
of a fence, and were enjoying it before their 
time. But good, easy soul! he “did not 
believe sowed corn amounted to much, al ter 
all. Cows may as well harvest their own 
corn. It’s more nateral to let the cow get 
her own livin’.” Now, N. is a representative 
man, and his constituents are very numer¬ 
ous- E. w. s. 
-- 
HORACE GREELEY’S FARMING. 
In his 28th chapter of “ AVfiat. I know of 
Farming,” Mr. Greeley tells farmers who 
would go to the wild West, that, a much 
more profitable farm than can be got iu (lie 
West, may be made on the pine barrens of 
New Jersey; yet to fertilize aud bring those 
barrens into a paying state of tillage, by his 
own figures, lie makes the farm cost $180 
per acre. But he counts on the genial fruit¬ 
growing climate, and the high market price 
of ail fruits and farm products to give the 
excess of profits over that of farming in the 
far off West. 
But, in making the Jersey barrens as pro¬ 
ductive as the alluvial soil of the AVest, he 
incurs an enormous expense t.o begin with; 
and then, without annual manuring, it is 
quite ascertain to wear out under cropping 
as any virgin soil. Hence, under Mr. Gree¬ 
ley’s programme, no farmer, even with or¬ 
dinary luck, could make the “ increase pay 
the malting.” Yet a very industrious, eco¬ 
nomical farmer might, with a little capital, 
by the aid of inexpensive manuring, clover 
growing, Ac., make a farm by slow degrees, 
even out uf a pine barren, and In the end, by 
continuous, patient industry, make himself 
a more paying farm than those of the far 
AVest, where farm products are cheap, owing 
to t he great expense of railroad transporta¬ 
tion. 
Had our model Seneca County farmer, 
John Johnston, followed Mr. Greeley’s 
programme on his stubborn clay farm, and 
mad' all Ids improvements of underdrain- 
ing. muck-hauling, and manure making at 
once, us Greeley proposes, he never could 
have paid the interest on his hank account; 
for interest runs nights and Sundays. But 
when Johnston improved one field at a 
time l>y the labor of himself and hired men, 
the extra crop of wheat and clover paid the 
expense; and in this way with true Rcotch 
perseverance he continued, year after year, 
to make one hand wash the other. Now, in 
his “ sere and yellow leaf,” with every field 
drained, lie makes his teams earn their liv¬ 
ing through the long winter in hauling 
muck two miles to compost with farm yard 
manure. Thus the muck to manure an acre 
which Greeley sets down sis costing $ 50 , 
costs our model farmer nothing. s. w. 
mgicnic Jlnfonnatiou. 
HYGIENIC NOTES. 
Aulidoie for Lend. 
The American Artisan says:—“it. may 
be worth mentioning, for the sake of peo¬ 
ple employed in white-lead works, and other 
occupations which expose them to the same 
risk, that milk taken as a drink has been 
found as useful as the dilute sulphuric acid 
in preventing colic.” 
Work on Hotnnic Prnclice. 
L. A. Crawford, in answer to the inquiry 
of “An Invalid," page 130 , Rural New- 
Youkek, August 20, says:—“We have used 
‘Howard’s Domestic Medicine and Family 
Companion,’ in our family for the past thirty 
years, and found it reliable in all cases. In 
it will be found all recipes for sirups and 
compounds. Tlie work was advertised in 
the Rural New-Yorker three years ago, I 
think.” 
ltriiii-d.v for (linfiiia. 
Among tlie annoyances to which persons 
of an obese physique are subject in hot 
weather, especially if they walk much, is 
chafing in those parts where a conglomera¬ 
tion of muscles unite. Nothing is better, as 
a remedy anil also as a preventive, than a 
lotion of alum in water. It should He ap¬ 
plied with a soft linen or cotton rag at night, 
before retiring- A piece of alum as large 
as a hazel nut, dissolved in half a pint of 
water, is sufficient. It will quickly heal 
excoriated skiu [and harden the unabraded 
cuticle. The use of this for years with the 
most beneficial results, is sufficient, author¬ 
ity for a trial of this simple remedy, it is 
good also for tender feet and soft corns. 
