§74 
acre on six acres. The straw was stiff, of 
medium length, stood up well. This variety 
is hardy. . 
Fora acres were sown to Martin’s Amber 
with different amounts of seed: 
First acre. 45 ponuds bn.) of seed. Ylaid, 21 bu. 
Second aero, 60 pounds U bu.}seed. Yield, 24hf bu. 
Third acre, sown with 75 lbs. OM bu.) Yield. 26'^ bu. 
Fourth acre, sown with 90 tbs. ( 1 % bu.) Yield, 20 bu.... 
Five and a half acres were sown to Cham¬ 
pion Amber with 7% bushels of seed. The 
yield was 33 bushels to the acre. This kind 
has proven hardy for three years. Straw 
strong and of medium length. Heads medium 
size, smooth, white chaff. 
E. W. Stewart says, in his book on Cattle 
Feeding, that many flocks of poultry may be 
fouud that will not eat potatoes or barley or 
rye or millet or buckwheat, simply because 
they never learned to eat these foods. Yet 
they are all good foods for poultry, provided 
they are given iu due proportion, having re¬ 
gard to the several food elements they con¬ 
tain . 
If manure at 50 cents a ton is less profitable 
than clover, what may those farmers think 
who are paying $2 to $3 per ton for manure, 
is a question propounded by Henry Stewart. 
The cheapness of clover aud its far greater 
value as compared with manure render it es¬ 
pecially beneficial for farmers who grow 
grain, and for them the practice of growing it 
to plow under is most useful. 
Every person knows, says Mr. Stewart, how 
moist, substances, as wood, 0onr, flesh, grass, 
efe,, when kept in a warn place, decay in a 
short time and become entirely decomposed, 
but how long they may be kept iu perfect 
condition when kept dry aud cold. It is the 
same with mauure, which decays most rapidly 
when kept moist and warm. But when ex¬ 
posed to water for a short time and then dried, 
no matter how great the heat maybe, manure 
will remain undecomposed. It Ls then, he 
concludes, a mistake to spread manure on the 
surface, but the best practice is to plow it. un¬ 
der as soon as possible... 
A dead animal ou the dry plains does not 
decompose, but. dries up into a horn-like suit- 
stance, Decaying organic matter evolves 
much carbonic acid aud ammonia. When 
this matter is exposed to the sun’s heat and to 
the dry winds, aud the moisture in it is evapo¬ 
rated, these gases escape into the air and are 
lost. And these are really the most valuable 
parts of the plant food which ’is contained in 
manure. But porous earth has the property 
of absorbing a very large amount of gaseous 
matter, and the soil takes up the escaping 
ammonia and carbonic acid aud holds or 
changes them into other substances which the 
roots of plants can feed upon. 
In a book of stable maxims appears the fol¬ 
lowing very sensible advice, says our f riend 
the Kansas Farmer: “When a horse shows 
signs of being very unwell, do not try reme¬ 
dies which you do not half understand for an 
illness you cannot determine”.. 
Mu. P. Barry, referring to the fact that 
great quantities of the English walnut or 
Maderia nut (Juglans regia) are annually im¬ 
ported aud sold iu this country, says that the 
tree with him (Rochester, N. Y.,) is tender 
while young, but Decoiues hardier as it grows 
older... 
The Dwarf Prolific Walnut (Juglans prte- 
parturiens) is desirable for the garden, as it 
bears at the age of three years from the seed, 
and often at the hight of two or three feet.., 
Every garden ought to have a few filbert 
bushes. If the fence corners and hedges must 
have something growing in them, the filbert is 
as good as anything. As to varieties, the Cos- 
ford is an improved kind of the Euglish. It 
is very productive, bearing a large nut with 
thin shell and a kernel of excellent flavor. 
The Coburg bears a large nut, aud it is an 
abundant bearer. The Dwarf Prolific is per¬ 
haps as beautiful as any, though the nut is 
rattier small.... 
Mr. Barry says that of all the varieties of 
the Spanuh chestnut, that called by the 
French Marron cle Lyon is the best. It bears 
and ripens well as far uorth as Rochester, and 
it bears the second year from the graft and 
the fourth from seed... 
A good plan iu packing pears is to wrap 
each one in soft paper, packing closely enough 
to prevent all motion,in bushel boxes. 
The French, who export more pears than 
any other nation, cover the inside of the boxes 
with spongy paper or dry moss, which absorbs 
the moisture. Each pear is then wrapped in 
soft paper and placed iu layers in the boxes, 
the largest, and least mature in the bottom, 
filling all interstices with the dry moss. Thus 
they will keep a month or more. They are so 
closely packed that though they can not touch 
each other, all motion is prevented. If one 
decays the others are not harmed. 
I Mr. Barry mentions that some of the Paris 
dealers preserve fruits successfully packed in 
layers in barrels and the interstices filled up 
with charcoal. The barrels are kept in a dry, 
cool place, about 40 degrees, and not subjected 
to temperature changes. Apples, pears, 
grapes, almonds, nuts and potatoes are all 
preserved in this way. 
A good selection of pears is this for stand¬ 
ards: Bartlett, Clapp’s Favorite, Doyenne 
Boussock, Sheldon, Paradise d'Automne, Seck- 
el. Dana’s Hovey, Anjou, Bose, Doyenne 
d’Etd. 
If dwarfs are desired, try Anjou, Angou- 
leme, Howell, Tyson, Giffard, Louise Bonue 
de Jersey, Urbauiste. 
The Herat, would select, among apples, the 
following varieties for most of the Middle and 
Eastern States for a small collection: 
Summer : Williams’s Favorite,Primate,Ear¬ 
ly Strawberry. Red Astrac-han. 
Autumn: Grnvenstein, JefFerF, Chenango 
Strawberry, Oldenburgh, Ilawthornden, Por¬ 
ter, Stump, Lowell, Fall Pippin. 
Winter: Baldwin, Wageuer, Boxbury, 
Russet, Northern Spy, Jonathan, llubbnrds- 
ton Nonesuch, Fameusc, Red Canada, Pomme 
Grisc, Peck’s Pleasant, Yellow Bellflower- 
If we were about selecting a dozen kinds of 
grapes for what is usually designated an am¬ 
ateur's vineyard, we should include the fol¬ 
lowing: Brighton, Delaware, Moore's Early, 
Vergennes, Worden, Jefferson, El Dorado, El¬ 
vira, Empire State, Hayes and Ulster. 
The new Globe Peach is announced as hav¬ 
ing produced peaches 15 inches in circumfer¬ 
ence^ which is hard to credit. It ripens with 
Crawford’s Late. It is a good shipper, a 
freestone, and of the best quality. 
Mr. A. W. Cheicver, the experienced editor 
of the N. E. Farmer, says that Red-top grows 
as tall as Timothy and makes more stalks 
whieh give a finer qua lit.}’ of hay and more of 
it to the acre. It eudures drought after cut¬ 
ting better than Timothy aud is less injured 
by cattle—The Timothy being easily pulled by 
fall feeding. Red-top is a little later than 
Timothy and some object to sowing the two 
together. But there is not enough difference 
to cause much loss by either early or late cut¬ 
ting of the one to save the other at its best .. 
Mr. Cheever usually sows 15to 18 pounds of 
Red-top, with 10 to 12 quarts of Timothy and 
six or eight pounds of Red Clover. Red-top 
seed ranges from two to three dollars per 
sack of 50 pounds, 10 pounds being reckoned to 
the bushel. Timothy was formerly the fancy 
hay for stable keepers in and around Boston, 
but in recent years Red-top has grown much 
in favor ,. ..*. 
To decide the question: “Does pinching the 
terminal shoots of potato tops increase the 
production of tubers?” the New York Ex. 
Sta. planted eight short rows of Vick’s Early 
Gem Potato, May 2. The tubers were cut to 
single eyes. On June 22 the terminal shoots 
were piuched off of alternate rows. The flow¬ 
er buds were then just forming. The pinch¬ 
ing of the same rows was repeated on July 15. 
At this time it was evident that the pinching 
bad increased the number of branches above 
ground. August 28 the rows were dug and it 
was found that the pinching was positively 
detrimental to the yield of tubers. 
Writing of Canada ashes, J. J. H. Gregory 
says that, all ashes ought to be bought and sold 
on analysis. It is true a tnan may make a 
pretty near guess by tasting or by leaching a 
sample; but the test of a chemist, though a 
fool, can far surpass the best guess of the most 
experienced man. The result in one case is a 
certainty, in the other, at the best., an uncer¬ 
tainty. In dealing with some of the smooth¬ 
tongued fellows who have all the way to Cau- 
ada between you aud the facts, it is much 
easier to analyze the ashes than the men. 
Abes have been Bold as Canada unleached that 
proved on analysis to be nothing but oyster- 
shell lime aud a little admixture of wood ashes. 
Dr. R. C. Kedsie says that if trees are cut 
at any time after the leaves are fully devel¬ 
oped and in most active growth, the branches 
and leaves being left on till the leaves com¬ 
pletely wither and the bark is removed from 
the body of the tree, the best results w T ill be 
secured for lasting timber. The leaves draw 
out much of the sap which contains the most 
fermentable substance in wood, and that 
which furnishes food for worms which prey 
on wood. By cutting off the branches aud 
leaves as soon as the tree is cut down, the 
pumps are stopped which would nearly pump 
the tree dry ..... 
Prof. Budd says as the united result of 
many trials, made under the direction of the 
Russian Government, it has been decided that 
the best time to cut trees was near the end of 
June while the bark would peel freely. 
Oliver Wendell. Holmes says that when 
one of ns who has been led by native vanity 
or senseless flattery to think himself or herself 
possessed of talent arrives at the full and final 
conclusion that he or she is really dull, it is 
one of the most tranquilizing and blessed con¬ 
victions that can enter a mortal’s mind. 
(tmvywlj eve. 
TRANSCONTINENTAL LETTERS.-LXVI. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
Homeward bound; California at her best in 
March; the San Joaquin Valley; scenes 
along the road; despernte-loolcing idlers; 
an alien principality ; Fresno; hard lot of 
hired hands; a gossipy waiter; work not 
words the best recommendation. 
We left San Francisco the last day of 
March, 1886, homeward bound, with our line 
of travel definitely marked out over the line 
of the Southern Pacific Railroad, via Los 
Angeles, San Autonio on to New Orleans. 
Outside trips included the Grand Canon of 
the Colorado—which we chose in lieu of the 
Yosemite Valley—the environs of Los Angeles, 
and a run down to San Diego. 
Before starting out for “pastures new,’’ we 
always made it a point to obtain all the in¬ 
formation concerning them that was readily 
available, and the laddie, as well as his elders, 
was pretty thoroughly posted as to the things 
he was to see, aud the chief features of inter¬ 
est. California was looking her very best— 
low' hills and valleys green, and the whole 
country' fairly aflame w ith the bloom of wild 
flowers. It was hard to realize that iu a few 
w'eeks the hills would be browu, the country 
roads a foot deep with dust, and the only 
green grass to be seen, that kept so by irriga¬ 
tion. 
The daily overland train left San Francisco 
at half-past three in the afternoon: but by 
studying the schedule we found that a local 
train, going as far as Tulare, left in the morn¬ 
ing, reaching its destination at seven in the 
evening, and the overland could be boarded 
the following morning at two. This arrange¬ 
ment would give us daylight for almost the 
entire route to Los Angeles, and for this rea¬ 
son we chose it. It hail rained the previous 
night, and the “splendid scenery of the sky'” 
was unusual for California—lovely fleecy 
clouds floating against the blue of heaven, 
and California skies are as a rule, either quite 
cloudless or all clouds. Wheat was waving in 
verdant billows on all sides, and near Vallejo 
Juuction, some 30 miles south of San Fran¬ 
cisco, was a large,clean-looking brick flouring 
mill. There it was claimed the best wheaton 
flour in California w-as made. Every little 
town planted on San Pablo ami Suisun Bay's 
and the connecting straits, wore a pretty and 
thrifty air. 
We soon entered the San Joaquin Valley, 
through which we rode for the entire day—less 
level and less attractive as a farming region, 
as Been from the raihvay, than the Sacra¬ 
mento Valley', aud the wind-mills for raising 
water were iu greater abundance. Indian 
pinks—a rich magenta in hue—rayless yellow 
composite? aud California poppy of brilliant 
orange—as much red as yellow—lay in solid 
masses of color, acres in extent—a wonderful 
sight and recalling'Wordsworth's lines: 
“Of flowers that with one scarlet gleam 
Cover a hundred leagues, and seem 
To set the hills ou lire.'’ 
On both sides of the broad valley rose moun¬ 
tains—to tho east the Sierras, to the west the 
Coast Range, the foot-hills brilliant with 
flowers, purple pbacelia, larkspur of royal 
blue, aud always the poppies and Indian 
pinks. The further south we rode the less at¬ 
tractive appeared tho country—houses more 
remote, and the smaller railway stations com¬ 
posed of the distressing “palisade front” saloon 
and corresponding architecture. We crossed 
the Stanislaus, Hau Joaquin, the Tuolumne 
aud the Merced Rivers—the latter bring the 
stream that flows through the Yosemite 
Valley. At Bereuda, 177 miles from San 
Francisco, a branch road runs off to the east 
toward this valley, making the tiresome stage 
ride some 20 miles less in extent, and year by 
year the fatigue of making this trip will be 
gradually lessened. Madera, the point fur¬ 
ther north ou the road where one takes stage 
for the valley by a different route, Is a forlorn 
little place, aud at all the ugly little stations 
there were great, groups of idle men, some of 
them desperate looking-fellows. We passed 
a bubacli plantation white with bloom. 
For several miles wo rode through one of 
the largest ranches in California, owned by 
Miller & Lux, who are suid to bo Gormans, 
and who camo to this country as adventurers, 
and have succeeded, like a good many other 
foreigners, in fencing in a large patch of our 
country’s domain. A man in the car told uh 
that the railway ran for 56 miles along one of 
their fences; that they raised a great, deal of 
stock and controlled the meat market iu San 
Francisco; also, that they own land so located 
that in driving their cattle ftoiu Mexico they 
can halt every night on their own ranchos. 
They manage personally all their luud and 
have no tenants. 
Fresno is a “city” of some note on this route, 
and is reached from the north after a long 
ride through what is locally' called hog-wallow 
land—the surfa-'o a continuous stretch of 
“hummocks” of which there is considerable in 
California. Fresno has trees—eucalyptus— 
some pretty buildings, and is rather a pretty- 
town in spite of its crudities. We were told 
that for 25 miles toward the Sierra Nevada 
the country was a succession of vineyards and 
that the chief industry of Fresno was wine 
making. Tulare has a population of 2,000, 
and it was here that we were to pass the frac¬ 
tion of the night, in the endeavor to get some 
refreshing sleep. A we were eating supper in 
the hotel, the waiter, a gossipy fellow, in¬ 
formed us that they were preparing the din¬ 
ing room for a ball-room supper at midnight, 
but assured us that we would not be disturbed 
by the clatter. He said there were always a 
great many balls in California—that it was 
the great amusement of the country people— 
they came in from tho ranches for miles 
around. He said he had worked on a ranch— 
that hired men were not treated as men, but 
as tbings,nud that to sleep in a house on abed, 
as hired men tio in the East, was a thing un¬ 
known in California. They either rolled 
themselves up in a blauket aud slept under a 
tree, or slept in a bunk under cover; that the 
owner of the rancho would practically say to 
his men “Here are a thousand acres”—or ten 
thousand as the ease might be—“you can 
sleep anywhere it suits y-ou best, the only 
thing that I require of you is that 
you put in an appearance on time iu 
the morning.” He said that there was a 
great deal of malaria at some places, and that 
quinine was given even to the dogs and chick¬ 
ens! The waiter seemed to be quite a nice fel¬ 
low—had accepted that kind of work tempor¬ 
arily because he could find nothing better to 
do—and, like so many y-omig men on the 
coast, had drifted around from one place to 
another, without taking root anywhere. He 
said a great many young men came from tho 
East bringing letters of recommendation, and 
expecting to obtain a situation at once at $100 
a month. It amused him and he always ad¬ 
vised them to take $30, if they had the good 
hick to be offered that much. As for recom¬ 
mendatory letters, they amounted to nothing 
in San Francisco—ft statement I often heard 
confirmed—that employers didn’t care a straw 
for a young man's previous position, but val¬ 
ued him only- in proportion as he ausweredto 
the requirements demanded of him. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Canada. 
Frederickton, N. B., Sept. 18. —The rain¬ 
fall in New- Brunswick was exceedingly light, 
the past Spring and Summer, and has been so 
thus far this Fall In consequence,the hay crop 
is not more than two-thirds of an average 
yield. Oats and barley are well filled, but the 
straw is light. Potatoes are a good erop and 
mainly free from rust. Apples are yielding 
enormously; two of my trees have broken 
down under the great weight of fruit. 
G. D. s. 
Michigan. 
Cadillac, Wexford Co., Sept, 25.—This 
has been a disastrous season for us. Absolutely- 
no rain all Summer and frost every month in 
the year. No hay at. all and small prices for 
all crops; too much “shipped iu.” The late 
heavy rains have started fruit trees iu a new 
growth and they will get badly injured next 
Winter, I think. h. l. k. 
(Vehrmtkn. 
Madison Co., Sept. 23.—Crops in general 
along the Elkborn Valley are good. Late pota¬ 
toes a little short of the average. s. s. c. 
Oregon. 
Antelope, Wasco Co., Sept. 17. —Crops 
about one-fourth. Grass short. Season very 
dry. Gardens poor except where irrigated. 
M. J. w. 
Virginia. 
Richmond, Henrico Co., September 25.— 
This week the tobacco market has been 
uniformally dull, and until the new crop has 
lieen secured no cluuige of note in transac¬ 
tions can well be expected. The w-eather has 
continued to be very favorable to the erop, 
both as to ripening anil growth, particularly 
so on dark tohaecos. Tho cool nights and 
dews thicken it, and the warm, sunshiny day-s 
spread the leaf and ripen it; aud much that 
has been lost in quantity planted will be 
again made up in increased weights, and 
consequent improved quality-. This im¬ 
provement as a rule holds good in this State 
to date. Brights may not come up to this 
estimate of improvement, but will show a 
more favorable condition, even though re¬ 
ports conflict. Leafy full wrappers must be 
comparatively scarce. Some cutters wore 
soil at good prices this week. Wrappers re¬ 
main quiet. T. H. M. 
Washing(on Territory. 
North Yakima, Yakima Co.—A mistake 
was made here by irrigating too much iuthe 
t ore part of the season. This irrigat ing system 
is but improperly understood as yet on our 
alkaline loams. We have more sunshine to 
the square acre than any other farming 
country in the United States. We are iu the 
midst of hop picking now. b. f. v. 
