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AUG-. 16, 1873-lbui**iu' lt;»i3 2 A I la I i a .Despite all that has been said on the subject of the productiveness of alfalfa d ubt is still rxprt ?scd by many relative to the rapidity of its growth. On this subject we an* now in a position to add pralt; tieal testimony, as strong as any yet adduce d, that of Solomon Jewett, of Kern county. Mr. Jewett is ono of the oldest and largest sheep-rais rs in the State, and has probably done as much to improve the breed of our sheep, by the importation and growth o! fine blooded animals, as any one in the business. He was one of the first to recognize the v.duc of alfalfa a; fi i forstock, and to engage in its growth. He lias now 470acres sown in alfalfa m Kern countv. With its aid,lie avoids all suffering among his sheep during there-13 I onre-ukIIllsOf the broug] tial ck bcrs, 1 than a ing af was be lions t the ad too. ri no exj Hu r in th( scrip i thousi were with ■ False sand, quive safe 1 profes and gi All he offron ulatio into a widefact tl005034©000000000 ; oo! 40 » 00 I 85 : 50 I 00lay,ley.redtrying period bctweefi tlio first rains and first grass.Nor is this the only or the highest use to which Mr.Jewett is putting alfalfa. He feeds his most, valuable fine blooded Merino stock on it eelnsively, and that it is admirably adapted to their sustenance will be patent to all doubtless who will inspect the one hundred animals of the finest blood which lie has now on exhibition at the stock yards corner of Tenth and I Toward streetsMr. Jewett feels certain that an acre o{ alfalfa will keep —and keep in fat condition, ton twenty sheep.He does not say that this could be done in every county in the State. His experience is confined to Kern county, the climate and soil of which seem to offer a most congenial place of growth for the alfalfa.' was n Illustrative of the production of the clover in that re- Wash gion, Mr. Jewett informs us tliar on a.twentv-acre ex«.to field of alfalfa—after mowing in May last—he put 160 mere] bucks and 20 head of horses and cattle. Each of the* ecu tic latter, when full grown, as they were all ill this ease, is estimated to be equal to ten sheep. The twenty acres not only fully sustained the number of animals named, but the clover finally got so high in one of the two patches into which the tract was divided, that it had to be mowed in the middle of July. Ten acres of the above twenty were seeded last year and ten other only this year. j any (Mr. Jewett sees no reason to doubt that the growth of alfalfa will be perpetual. Irrigation is beneficial the first year, until the deep-reaching root of the plant has shot down far enough to reach moisture.After that, irrigation is only useful as a stimulus toeannc svstci fraud the pi is not ThatTlA i from to tilan extraordinary yield, or a* a means of drowning out tbe tera I ):gophers. Outside of these uses it is not needed.It is estimated that slieep grazed on alfalfa all thethe v the 1r toyear will produce an average clip of six pounds w lm ! against five on ordinary wild feed. The fleece, be- aria) 00 ) 00 i) 85 S 40cause of its greater cleanliness and superiority and aiuoi equality of staple, will be worth two-or three cents POSOi per pound more; each sheep fed on alfalfa would *1,11 therefore yield 32 to 38 cents more than if grazed on !llve wild feed. These facts, the result of experience from IU(;U such a reliable and practical source, prove beyond a 111doubt the great value of alfalfa in the sheep and rat-i wastie raising bu*inlt; s in California,- Bulletin, Aug. 11. jstunolatiwas
Newspaper Details
Bakersfield Kern County Weekly Courier
Bakersfield, California, US
Sat, Aug 16, 1873
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
USA 17 Apr 2025
Other Publications Near Bakersfield, California
The Berkshire County Eagle
Southern Californian and Kern Weekly Courier
The Weekly Californian
Kern County Californian
Daily Californian
