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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1876)
THE WEST SHORE- January 8 THE CULTURE OF FLOWERS. This is the loth of January. The fires have been lit for over two months, and yet not a single plant of ours has shown signs of disease, and not a single vermin has made its apjwarance. And why ? Simply because we treat our pets as recommended in. our November number. In that issue wc gave instruction how to eradicate the green-fly if it made its appearance through neglect of the amateur florist. Another enemy of plautdom is the lumps, an active little insect of leaping j proclivities. The engrav ing snows one 01 natural size (fig. ), and the same magnified (fig. A). The color varies from a whitish-yellow to a dark brown, and they are so Rmall that they readily escape notice, (he largest not being over one-tenth of an inch in length. They attack young shoots and tender leaves, which become brown and shriveled, and crumble to dust if rubbed between the fin gers. The same treatment recommended or the green-fly in' our November number serves for this unwelcome guest also, but it docs does not succumb so readily. The fumigation must be more frequently prac ticed. Syringing and washing plants, as before recommended, will, to a great extent, prevent the thirjntfrom multiplying. The kkd si'iiiKK (annus ttlfarius), a troublesome insect, flourishes generally in an over-heated, dry atmosphere unhealthy for ourselves as well as for plants. As the name denote)), it is red in color, and its natural size is the tlot if. The same magnified ( tj gives some idea of its gen eral appearance. If you catch a glimpse of the red spider, you may be sure that the atmosphere of your plant room is too dry. If it is your living room also, it is entirely too dry for the health of its human occu pants. A plant infested with the red spider will in a short time show some leaves turn ing yellow, indicating premature decay. When they arc numerous, they will work els on the under side of the leaves and sometimes all over them, until the plant becomes a mass of decayed and half-dead leaves. Water is fatal to the red spider, and, as before remarked, with an atmo sphere of prnKT humidity, this insect wjuld never get a foot-hold. When once firmly established n the plants, the t-tMX-dicst way to destroy them is by the luines of sulphur. This remedy, however, must lie used with much caution, as the free use of it will cause most plants to shed iheir leaves. Fortunately, but little of It is required; and in the green-houses it has been found sufficient to mix a little flour of sulphur with water, or with milk (which it said to be better), and to paint or smear with it a small surface of the healing pic, or the flue. A very little of it in the at mosphere proves sufficient for the destruc tion of the insect. In the case of a few bouse plants, we think that swinging de leaves on IhhIi sides, and syringing the plants so that the waler is thrown on the tinder as well as the upiier sides of the leaves, will lie effectual without recourse to seilphur. Another excellent remedy is said to tic as follows: Take each plant separate ly, holding it bottom side up; then dust red epier all over it, taking care not to allow any to fall on the soil. j I lie coccts, or scai.r insect, most gen- j rauy mints the orange, the myrtle, the camelia, the olean der, and many oth- cr lurd wooded "M,i- 1'bere are many species of coccus, varying slightly from each other. One kind of plants is the borne of one variety, aiul another son devotes its sum. lion exclusively to some other kind. The ' grape, the pear, the elm, and almost every ' kind of our cultivated and forest trees has Us special representative of this class of insects. In tlie engraving the insect of natural size is shown, (a); when magnified, the upper side ( b), represents a shield, and the legs are only seen when it is turned on its back ( c ). The remedy in this case is by washing the plant by hand, and forcing the insect off w ith the thumb or finger-nail ; or take a small stifl brush and soap-suds and brush the plant until it is thoroughly clean. The name of the siiecics that infests the myrtle, orange, oleander, etc., is the coccus htsptridum. The m;ai.v bi'Ci ( itjuus tiiluitiJuiu J is sim ilar to the previously mentioned insect, except that it is covered with a white, mealy or downy substance. Both of them insert their beaks into the bark or leaves, and draw from the cellular substance the sap that nourishes them. A weak mixture of whale-oil soap and water in the propor tion of 4 ounces of soap to 5 quarts of water will be found destructive to them. With a few plants only we would recom mend the use of a soft brush and water, and in this way they can be readily re moved. An excellent wash to keep off insects of all kinds can be prepared with a table spoonful of spirits of camphor to t pints of water. Plants in pots are often troubled with angleworms. The following will not only. destroy them, but w ill at the same time act as an excellent fertilizer. Slack a small piece of lime in hot water; then add enough cold water to make a liquid of it. I'ut a small piece of the lime in a bottle, pour the liquid into it, and cork up for use one pint to one gallon of ordinary water. Don't use oftener than once a month. Fertilizers, as a rule, are used so inju diciously that it is best not to use them at all. If, however, a little judgment is ex ercised, any ef the following five of the most useful fertilizers known applied once in two weeks, will benefit most all plants. Fertilizers must lie applied to the soil only; never to the foliage: No. 1. One tablcsiioonful of' guano to I gallon of hot water; stir until dissolved. An excellent substitute for guano can be found in any pigeon-house or chicken coop. No. j. One-quarter ounce pulverized ammonia to 1 gallon of water. No. 3. A icaspnonftil of aqua ammo nia to 1 gallon of water. No. 4. One tablesnoonful of lione- powdcr to 1 gallon of water. No. 5. Sulphate of ammonia, 4 ounces: nitrate of potash, ounces; white siurar. 1 ounce. Add to this one pint of hot water, and, when dissolved, cork tightly for use. ( hie tcasiioonful of this mixture to even' gallon of water. Six or eight drois of this in a hyacinth glass wilt improve dowering wonderfully. STATKMF.NT OF FLAX RAISKI) HV MF.SSRS, PARRISH A MII.I.KR, JFFFKRSON, MARION- CO. There were cightv acres sown, with two bushels of seed tier acre, making "160 bushels in all. This seed cost U in I. flV-r. sun, and was the imported Dutch seed. The flax yielded ten bushels per acre, which will all grow, and not take more than one and a half bushels per acre to make it as thick as that which they sowed Not more tlun three-fourths of the seed sown came up, tieing, it is thought damaged, by a long sea voyage. The entire crop of seed is saved for sowing, and that which they do not sow themselves thev will sell for $4 per bushel or 7 cents per pound. Samples of the lint have been sent to the manufacturing firms of Smith, of Me- chanicsville, I-ai A Co.. of Hart's Fall's : Thompson A Canter, of Valley Falls ; and II. M. Crane of Schenectady ; all of the State of New York ; also, to II. G. Akin, of Johnsomillc. X. V, an experienced man in growing and dressing flax, he hav- ing been in the business for over thirty years. Mr. Akin went to these manufac turers, and they pronounced it worth twenty cents per pound, when North Kiver llax was worth only sixteen cents, and of a Utter quality than any North River flax they ever saw, and equally as good if not better than the Dutch. The last named manufacturer, Mr. Crane, is expected here in a short time, to locate in Salem or Portland, to manufacture shoe thread and all kinds of twine. Mr. Crane is an experienced manufacturer, and will make flax worth as much here as in New- York city, if he locates here. The cost of pulling this flax was as fol lows : Ohlnamen, Slay davn S'219 SO Whim iNbor, 253 days 2itl on 103 00 Cost of pulling per acre, $6 ifi. Cost of whipping the seed off, rotting spreading, taking up, binding, drawing to barns, cleansing, and drawing seed to werehouse about two miles : Chinamen, 250 days $250 00 White labor, llio'duys 223 60 473 50 Cost per acre, $5 915. There were 25,000 bundles of the flax, yielding, as far as dressed, one and a half pounds per bundle, equal to 37,000 pounds of lint, which is a yield of 462 pounds per acre. The lint is worth twenty cents in New York city and fifteen cents in Port land, gold. ! $69 37K iv uu. per acre so uu Value of lint per aci Seed, at 14 per bu., Total Yalue peracr.1 $109 37 wo ui aeuu, a uu. per acre (S IS 110 00 ToUl colt of labor 12 085, Total ooat per acra $22 08 Net profit par acre $87 29 Farmers will perceive that this statement does not include the cost of putting in the land and of braking and scutching the land. A future statement will be made to cover these things. Messrs. Parrish A Miller have their mill in operation, which is located ij miles Irom Jefferson, near Mr. Miller's residence. Any farmers wishing to sow flax can call on Messrs. Parrish A Miller and get all the information they desire. , Having superintended the work on the above flax, I will vouch for the correctness of this reiwrt. F.dward Akin. Willamette Farmer, Cirf.ry A Co.'s Printing Establish ment. We have received from the nuh- lishcrs of the Pacific Churchman, Messrs. Cubery A Co., 414 Market street, a copy of that piier containing a description of their printing establishment, which is one 01 tne most complete on this coast. In connection with their business as printers, .Messrs. Lubcry A Co. have opened a pur ging and collecting agency for the hene- fit of country trailers and others w ho require the aid of a reliable agent to make pur chases of goods. They announce that they have made ample arrangements to do any misincss entrusted to them such as the purchase and shipment of men-hn.i;A collecting and disbursing of moneys and iransacting the Imsinessof a General inn- for any who may entrust their orders to tncir care. I he head of this firm has an establishedsreputation as a reliable hiui man, and gives as references the names of many ol the best men in San Francisco. The firm has done collecting for us, and we have found them prompt and reliable, .nu uicrciore tane pleasure in recommend ing them. Tin Wild Gave or niinnv We. much doubt if in any State of the Union so varied and excellent or so abundant a sup ply of wild game, larce and .mill be found, as wc enjoy in this State. Just .... in our markets mere are wild geese, wild ducks delicious canvas back, mal lard, teal, etc.-pheasant, grouse, quail, prairie chickens, elk, dear, bear, squirrels hears and several varieties of choice fish. And at all prices Out would make an epi cure from any other Staie-the Adantic aide, especially,-! once opens his eves and then his pockets, in the resolve for a lug feasting time at dinner.-frrt,V cur. W. MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT. WAR DnrARTMEST, SIGNAL SKRVTCR V. g. ARVv UIVIHKI? Of TBI, RIKA US AND RR PORTS roR THR ' " " wvuivaK, Jlibfe ihoH'tny the Dally and Monthly Mean of Bar. ometer ami Thrrmomrtpr, Monthly Velocity r K'uwr anil amount of Hainfall, with the Prevailing Direction of Wind for the Month of Ifolember, UTf. Itate, Mean liauy Mean uatly Aatt 1875. barometer. Thermometer, all Dec 1 ai.7tt3 53.2 v , " 2 29 879 52.2 .51 " 3 20.788 55.2 .81 " 4 30.225 .1.2 .a S S0.201 .7 ,jo - 0 Su.lSi SJ.5 ,os " 7 .10 SB 57 J " S U0.1U8 57.2 .go " 9 3H12I S10 01 " 10 80.817 58.2 " 11 8WM 60.2 .17 " 12 3U.2W 4S.0 .JT " 18 80.211 .S .01 30.8TA 50.8 .OA SAW! 30.1' IH " 17 80216 .10.2 " 18 20.858 45.2 .35 18 28.010 80.5 Via " 20 .10.123 51.5 ,14 " 21 30.213 58.0 .11 22 30.1RI 65.0 .37 21 30.175 45.8 .07 " 34 28.789 87.2 . ' 25 29.1W0 41.0 .at " 20 20.1151 38.2 1.1s 27 20.003 45.3 .95 " 28 20.523 45.0 ,5t 41 29 28.887 40.8 ,lfl " 30 30.UU7 42.8 .58 " 31 29.S09 45.7 2.79 Mouthlytnean,80.075 47.8 OBI Highest barometer. Decombor 15, fl A. H.t80.Mi Lowest barometer, December 20, 8 p. M,, 27.404 Monthly ratine or imrometir, 1.030. lllsliest temperature, December B, 8 p. n., 03 ilt-Kreea. Lowest temperature, JJecember 17, lis, Monthly ranae ortemDernture. so dam-eea. Hrrrttest dully nuige of ttilliperuture, December 11, in m-green. M,nn ol muxlmum temperatures, 52.3, Mean or minimum tempernturea, 42.6, Mean dally range or temperutores, 9.4. Total rainfall or melted snow, 18.01 Inches. PreviilllllK wind, sooth. Total number of mllea traveled. 4.010. Muxlmum velocity of wind, December 31, Number of olondy days, other than those 0 nuitii mill leu. iiiiuo o.l Number ot days on which rain fell, twenty- I. E. EVANS, Bergeant, Signal Service, U. & A, People who accuse Oregonians of telling big stories about the mildness of the cli mate should be here just about now and cured of their skepticism. What other country that has none of the inconven iences of an extreme southern climate caa tell of roses, pansies and other flowers blooming out of doors in the middle of Uecember. There are now to be seen i this city many instances of this. The grass is green as in May and growing only less rapidly. And instead of the eternal rains which our State is reputed to have in winter, the sky is bright overhead and the Sir as balmy as a New Orleans winter. Tktis fact of the case may be said to be exctjrtional. miwever, as our clear weather here in winter is usually a little colder than the present; but it is nevertheless true almost every winter ecnerallv a little later than this we have more or less of just such weather as we are having now. Think of this, or even of the warm rainy weather which constitutes our ordinary winter, and contrast it with the freezing weather they are now having at the East rivers closed by ice, water pipes bursting, the mercury ranging from zero to fifteen or twenty de grees below, and no hope of its "letting up" for two or three months, and then say what you think of Oregon climate. An O gonian who would not do a little bragging now ami men, would deserve to be trans ported to Greenland. Origtmian. Writing Mastvr Wivr.n If von don't believe it read the following re- ceiveo irom Samuel, publisher of the excellent West Shore ; " I can't make out the name of the P. O. you desire to liave Mr. Pickering's paper sent to. Please write again." We shan't do any such thing, we'll print it in this aragraph " Hornelsville, N, Y." That's better than writing it no danger of it being sent back. Kail Ortgoman. Correct brother Bull, here are a few guesses we and a dozen others made at the name: Hamsmill. HuniUmill Him- esmill, Hounsinill, Himmelsdonnerwcttef our own guess. Real aetata .. f enonal . The city of Portland with a nrtntttatinn r ' - r"i ol 12,500, makes the following exhibit of ner riches. Can any city of nnr siie ia the United States beat it I 6,ti7. 4,U2,ow J'0'' - $10,179. :"T, $2,719,4Je taxable property 7,460,2111 Tba rollowiiuj real estate la exempt : Churck property $ S3,.V ".' property 74,30! - uiiiuuuna . City, county and otaer public 82701 Total untaxable tU7l The nreaent nonnliHnn f ct. 1ii- sive of Indians and Chinese, it estimated it 3,4co. s