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M® CAR<§)IL!IMAo :
GEOHGI V.
The Western Union telegraph will soon
be extended from Waycross to Douglas.
A mule belonging to J. T. Morris of Ma
ker county died of hydrophobia last week.
Ware county is in the list of twenty
counties in Georgia that pays more into
the school fund than It takes from it.
Katonton Messenger: Eggs remain un
changed—the price, not the yolk. Hens
shou’d lay eggs enough to keep the price
down.
Mr. J. D. Smith, the big farmer, of
Lowell, says that he intends to sow all of
his cotton land in wheat. He says he had
rather raise wheat than 4-cent cotton.
Effingham County News: Hon. J. F.
Berry, one of our best citizens of the
county, expects to go in business in Sa
vannah. We wish for him abundant suc
cess.
The election for eight aldermen in Co
lumbus wili take place Saturday, Dec. 10,
and so far as heard from there is no op
position to the ticket which has been an
nounced for some time.
South Georgia Home: C. W. Cooper of
Thomasvilie sold $2,000 worth of Georgia
evrup last, week to customers in different
parts of the state. Another Thomasvilie
firm received an order for 500 barrels.
Last Wednesday evening Mr. Ollie
Groover was married to Miss Florence
Thomas at the home of the bride's mother
In the Grooverville neighborhood, near
Quitman, Rev. M. A. Morgan performing
the ceremony.
Carroll County Times: Some of our farm
ers are paying 50 cents per 100 to have
their cotton picked out, while others are
plowing it In and making ready to plant
their wheat crop. This certainly has been
an unusually hard year fon gathering
crops.
Mr. Charles Herbst, an old citizen of Ma
con, died Saturday morning at 9 o’clock,
in his room on Mulberry street, of Bright’s
disease. Mr. Herbst was 70 years of age
at the time of his death. He had been sick
for some time, and his death was not un
expected.
Meriwether and Heard counties have
raised the quarantine against Hogansville,
and that plucky little city is again a free
port of entry. No new cases of smull-pox
have developed within the past few weeks,
and nearly all the patients in the pest
house have been discharged.
Sparta Ishmaelite: The bill to prevent
riling on free passes on the railroads
ought to become a law, but it will not be
apt to pass. Legislators dearly love free
riding. II makes their mileage so much
clear money, and enables them to come
home whenever they wish it.
Warrenton Clipper: For the last two or
three weeks our people have been killing
their pork, but we have hoard of no one
who surpassed the success of Messrs. J.
C. and Brewer Johnson. The former has
killed two 1-year-old pigs weighing to
gether 550 pounds, and the latter a hog
about 15 months old weighing 250.
One hundred and twenty-five Atlanta
men, prominent in the Baptist Church of
that city and state, met in the Kimball
House the other day, and formally organ
ized the Baptist Social Union of Atlanta.
The family of Columbus Dennis, colored,
bought a mess of collard* from a peddler
at Columbus, cooked and ate them and
the next day all were seriously ill. The
rolored doctor called In and said that
strychnine caused the sickness, and he had
to work to save the lives of the negroes.
One theory is that the truck farmer had
placed strychnine in the greens to punish
thieves who might steal them, and that
the poisoned produce was offered for sale
by mistake. The negroes will recover.
FLORIDA.
A representative of the agricultural de
partment at Washington is in Quincy in
vestigating the curing process of tobacco.
Under the head of "Intensely Interesting
Items," the Key West Herald says: "The
city ‘pound’ was completed yesterday and
last night special police arrested two mules
and three horses."
There have been acres and acres of mul
let schooling near New Smyrna for some
time past, and the fishermen are making
a great harvest. Every day great quanti
ties are being shipped to Northern mar
kets.
Brookville News-Reporter: MaJ. G. P.
Healey of Volusia county is named as a
candidate for speaker of the next House.
No man in the legislature is better fitted
for the position. He is well-posted, quick
in perception, firm and yet always genial
and pleasant.
Says the Heather Island correspondent
of the Ocala Evening Star: Either your
intelligent compositor or your correspond
ent did Mr. W. W. Smith a grave in
justice in last week's Star, for he certain
Jy did not go fishing Sunday; it was Sat
urday. Those who know the excellent
Christian gentleman need not be told dif
ferently.
The several fish companies located at
Miami are making great preparations for
a heavy winter's business. One firm sent
forward twenty-five barrels of Spanish
mackerel one night last week. Every day
they are adding new boats to their already
large fleet. The Miami river presents a
lively scene, the entire northern shore be
ing filled with boats.
Fernandina Mirror: Capt. D. E Max
well and Dr. J. D. Palmer were very suc
cessful on their bird hunt on the main
land last Wednesday. They each succeed
ed in making a bag of birds up to the
legal limit. They tested on this occasion
the two guns presented to them by Presi
dent Frank Thompson of the Pennsyl
vania Railroad and found them all that a
sportsman could desire.
The statement coming from Tampa, that
the citv possesses the only firm which has
adopted the plan of ra.sing tobacco under
cover, and that the attempt Is progressing
satisfactorily, has caused much interest
among tobacco producers in this section
of the country. it is said the covering
stands ten feet from the ground, and forms
un ample protection from heavy rains and
wind. whicß would injure the leaves of
the tender plants. It is said the culture
can he cHrr'ed on economically, the cost
to the producer being only about 8 cents
per pound.
Jacksonville Florida Metropolis: Mrs. Jen.
n j* r °'‘’ of thl- city is in New Jersey en
deavoring to collect pm uut remains due
her lioni ihe soldiers of the Second New
Jersey Regiment. Mrs. Cole started a re
freshment stand near the camp of the Sec
ond New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers,
in this city, early last summer and trusted
the boys tor m ala and refreshments. She,
of course, thought that the little amounts
that each owed her would be paid, but
they were no:. They left here for Sea
Girt to be mustered out, owing to the
lady s*ioo, and she followed them to that
place to collect the debts. She has suc
ceeded in getting about S2OO of the amount.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The South Carolina annual conference
of the M. E. Church, South, meets in
Greenwood this week.
A negro woman was seen on the streets
of Spartanburg, the other day, with a
full set of whiskers, mustache and side
burns.
Gov. Ellerbe has appointed ex-Capt,
Claude E. Sawyer of Aiken solicitor of
the Second circuit, to take effect on Jan.
1. The appointment is to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the resignation of Solicitor
Eellinger.
The Summerville postofflee Is doing a
big business since the military camp was
established, und Capt. Ladd and his effi
cient corps of clerks have all the busi
ness ou hand that they can attend to
conveniently.
The residence of Dr. W. G. Sexton on
South Liberty street, Spartanburg, was
completely consumed by fire on Thursda'y.
and Dr. Sexton had difficulty in saving his
children. He did not even save his cloth
ing and lost S2OO in money that was in his
pants pocket. He had no insurance. Tne
house belonged to R. 11. F. Chapman. The
loss on this is about $1,300, with SBOO in
surance.
It is said that Gov. Ellerbe will suggest
to members of the legislature that the
newly-elected slate officials be inaugurated
on Jan. 18, and that the precedent be es
tablished by installing them on this day
hereafter. The confusion created by the
change in the fiscal year will be thereby
to a certain extent obviated, and the term
of the Governor and state officials be ex
actly two years hereafter, Instead of ap
proximating as has been the custom in
the past.
A meeting was held a few days ago at
St. Matthews, Orangeburg county, for the
purpose of arousing some interest in the
cultivation of tobacco, and unless all signs
fail, there is no doubt about these people
meaning business at last. St. Matthew’s
farmers are conservative, and they count
costs long and carefully, but tvhen con
vinced lhat it is to the interest of their
pockets to move, they burn the bridges
and go ahead. It was demonstrated at
the meeting lhat there Is more money in
tobacco than cotton, with equal and care
ful attention.
Anizi Dunovant and Frank Castles, who
were to have been hanged at Yorkville
Friday, for the murder of Ben Goore In
March, have been given a respite by the
Governor and given a longer time in which
to prepare for eternity. The case Is a pe
culiar one. The condemned men claim
that they did not mean to murder Goore,
but to frighten him because ho was a
"conjure doctor." The murdered man,
tnev claim, was strangled to death before
they knew it. The body was concealed
in an unused well, where it lay for months
liefore its presence was revealed.
The South Carolina Masons are about
to be called upon to declare themselves
on the matter of recognizing negro Ma
sons. The grand lodge will meet on
Tuesday, Dec. 13, in annual communica
tion. The most important matter to come
before the grand lodge will be the negro
question. The matter has been discussed
considerably recently in view of the grand
lodge, and there is but little doubt that
South Carolina will place herself along
side of other Southern communities and
cut ott all communication with the grand
lodge of the state of Washington, which
has admitted negroes Into the body on a
plane of equality.
Ex-President Cleveland and party, who
are guests at the Santee Gun Club, at
Georgetown, have had some splendid
shooting during the past week. The
launch Natonia, which was recently pur
chased in New York by the club, and
which arrived last Monday. came
from the club preserves yesterday, and
brought a large number of fine mallards,
which were expressed to the homes of the
members of the party. Besides the unex
celled ducking grounds which the Santee
Club owns and have leased, they have
many acres of splendid uplands, which
abound with all the best game birds, and
forests stocked with deer. The club is
composed of men of large means, and
great lovers of hunting naturally, and
they intend to have everything that money
can purchase to make their club house
an ideal one, and in time they will be
more famous than any gun club on the
Atlantic coast.
A VICTIM OF THE MAINE.
He Wit* Dan Sprntlin, of W likes
County, Georgia.
Washington, Ga„ Dec. 4.—lt lias just
been discovered that one of the lost on the
ill-fated Maine was from Wilkes county,
a Dan Spratlin. A few years ago the
young man left home and ins family lost
sight of him. They never heard from him
again till. In trying to trace the rela
tives of the dead in the Maine disaster for
the purpose of pensioning them, the gov
ernment wrote to purtles here and located
the family of the deceased young man.
A DOUBLE MARRIAGE.
I’orter-Sinttli and Porter-Smith, to
Occur In Washington.
Washington, Gu., Dee. 4.—A double mar
riage will take place at the residence of
Mrs. Belknap Smith, who owns the gold
mine on the line of Wilkes and Lincoln.
Joseph Porter and Miss Kate Smith and
Arthur Porter and Miss Sophia Smith, two
brothers, will marry two sisters. The
Porter brothers are from the North and
own interests in the mines near there.
earTmJ?
Sent by prepaid express on receipt of ;i.v,
Alligator Liniment Company, P. O. Box
N. 243, Charleston, 8. C.
THE MORNING NEWS, MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 189S.
] For a summer cough, (
j Ora winter cough; )
J For a night cough, j
J Or a slight cough,
j Or a cough which
< “hangs on,” j
Auer's
jcnerry Pectoral j
M \GAZINES.
Continued from Seventh Page.)
Horned Alexander," Is even more surpris
ing than the beginning. The number is a
particularly good one. The Century Com
pany, Union Square, New York.
The special features of the December
number of the Review of Reviews for De
cember are excellent. Among them are
the following: A sketch of the life and
work of the late Col. Waring, by Albert
Shaw; an article on the Empress Dowager
of China and her relation to recent events
in the Celestial empire, by William Eleroy
Curtis; sketches of the late Empress of
Austria and the late Queen of Denmark,
by Alexander Hegedlus, Jr., and Grace
Isabel Colbron, respectively; two articles
on the French painter Tissot and his se
ries of painting® of the life of Christ, Illus
trated by reproduction of the paintings; a
survey of “World Politics Through a Rus
sian Atmosphere,” by W. T. Stead; and a
paper by Lieut. Parker, of the Thirteenth
Infantry, U. S. A., dealing W’ith the army
supply departments and the need of a gen
eral staff. The editorial department of
"The Progress of the World" summarizes
the results of the elections and the work
of the peace commission at Paris, and the
books of the season are reviewed in an
elaborate illustrated article by H. W. La
nier. Review of Reviews Company, 13 As
tor Place, New York city.
The December North American Review
is emphatically a number devoted to an
authoritative consideration of some of the
most vital topics of the day. Its opening
pages present an effective and important
symposium on "The Reorganization of the
Naval Personnel,” contributed - to by the
Hon. Francis H. Wilson, formerly member
of the naval committee of the House of
Represen iatives; the Hon. Theodore Roose
velt, late assistant secretary of the navy;
Commodore John W. Philip, U. 8. N.;
Commodore George W. Melville, engineer
in-chief U. 8. N., and the Hon. George
Edmund Foss, chairman of the sub-com
mittee on personnel of the House naval
committee. Dr. Alvah H. Doty, health of
ficer of the port of New York, writes in
terestingly of “'The Scientific Prevention
of Yellow Fever, and Max O'Rell furnish
es the first Installment of an article on
"Studies in Cheerfulness." Corry M. Stad
den treats of the "Latest Aspects of the
Nicaragua Canal Project,''’ while the Hon.
Thomas L. James, president of the Lin
coln National Rank, New York, discusses
the question "Do National Bank Examin
ers Examine?” The foregoing are only a
few of the good things of the number.
North American Review, No. 291, Fifth
avenue, New Y'ork city.
The Christmas (December) number of
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly maga
zine is a holiday. literary treat. It is
filled from cover to cover with timely and
entertaining facts and fiction, embellished
with fine illustrations. The leading ar
ticle is a well written-story of the ro
mance and tragedy of Schvenbrun. It is
a narrative of the love of the Emperor and
the late Empress of Austria and the tragic
death of the latter at the hands of an
anarchist assassin. Mrs. Leslie herself,
contributes an article on “Cuban By
gones,” a historical and romantic sketch
of charming interest. The magazine, as
a whole, is a compliment to the energy and
laste of Mrs. Leslie, who has resumed ac
tive control of her publishing house. Tiie
colored cover design, by W. Granville
Smith, will be admired for its richness
and artistic merit. Price 10 cents per
copy. Frank Leslie Publishing House,
141-143 Fifth avenue, New York city.
The New’ York Ledger has now become
a monthly magazine, under the title of
the Ledger Monthly. While the form of
the publication has been changed and its
typography greatly improved, the literary
standard remains the same; that is to say,
the Ledger Monthly stands at the head
of family story papers, just as the weekly
Ledger stood at the head of its class for
more than fifty years. The current num
ber of the Ledger Monthly (December) Is
especially rich in choice illustrations and
timely special articles, in addition to its
regular quota of high class fiction. One
well written and profusely Illustrated ar
ticle will bo especially ai>preelated. It
deals with Christmas gifts, telling how to
buy them, or, If one prefers, how to make
them. Pi ice 59 cents a year; 5 cents a
copy. Robert Bonner’s Sons, comer Wil
liams and Spruce streets. New York city.
The hol’dav number of the Woman's
Home t’ompanion is a Christmas gift in
itself, with its wealth of short and long
rtories appropriate to the season from
Francis Lvnde, Robert C. V. Meyers, Ople
Read, Ju'ia Truitt Bishop, Mary F. Leon
ard, Hester Caldwell Oakley, Harriet
Prescott Spofford and William O. Stod
dard. An illustrated page entitle "A Christ
mas Song Symposium," presents five beau
tiful poems of the Christmas-tide. Ed
ward A.Steiner, In relating the facts of the
downfall and death of the Prince of Aus
tria, tells a story stranger than ever im
agined in fiction. Aside from its many
literary features, the journal is a delight
to the eye in artistic make-up, and in the
beautiful cover page, by J. C. Leyendeck
er, typifying thf Magl's visit to the Christ
child. Published by Mast. Crowell A
Kirkpatrick. Springfield, O.; $1 a year; It)
cents a copy; sample copy free.
Check in l imaril Movement.
London, Dec. 4.— The upward move
ment in the market received a sharp check
by tiie gold withdrawals, stocks being as
much affected as money. Fortunately,how
ever, there was a recovery toward the
close o( the week, prloe* finishing steady
or will! good advances.
At one time, American *■ urilk-s showed
a distinct advance; but this rise has not
been sustained owing to profit-taking,
i bough the final prices were considerably
above (ho worst of the k.
We solicit articles for this department.
The name of the writer shou.d accom
pany the letter or article, not necessarily
for publication, but as an evidence of good
faith.
Questions ar.d communications relative
to agricultural and horticultural subject*.
If addressed to Agri. Editor. Drawer N.
Miil.-dgevllle, Ga., will receive immediate
attention.
Southern Seed Pecans.
From Mr. J. B. Wight, Cairo, Ga.. we
have a sample of paper-shell pecans
grown by him. We have In the past few
years received the finest specimens of
these nuts from Texas. Mississippi and
other states, but we have not seen any
thing superior to the nuts Mr. Wight
sends. We should be glad to have Mr.
Wight state how oid his trees are and how
and when they were established.
The Small Former and W heat.
We hope many small farmers will adopt
our suggestion recently made to sow one
or two acres of wheat in IS or 24-inch drills
and cultivate the crop twd, three or four
times as the condiitons of soil and weath
er may seem to demand, a repetition of
harrowing of sweeping. A half bushel to
three peeks of good seed should be drilled
in. It is well to wash the seed ia bluesione
water and them coat them with air-slaked
lime Just previous to sowing. If the crop
was not started in November or early De
cember it can be done any time in Feb
ruary. Why not, try nn acre or so after
this manner. Get the best seed to be had
in your locality.
Pruning; Grnpe Vines.
The grape vine will have some fruit no
matter how much it is neglected. When
we consider how quickly a vine begins to
bear, what few failures there are of crops
and how nice and healthy the fruit is, it
is strange that more of it is not produced
upon the farm, says the Farmers’ Guide.
By proper management we can have it
nice and fresh for four or five months In
the year. So many people seem to be Ig
norant about how a grape vine should
be pruned so that It will start off In proper
shape, and after it is in bearing be kept in
proper condition. On account of this lack
of knowledge In pruning the vine runs
wild, fails to produce large luclous bunches
as we see them in the market, and thus
neglected is ehort-iivtd and not very satis
factory. A grape vine properly planted and
cared for is good for a lifetime. An exper
ienced grower tells how to prune a vine, as
follows:
Nothing easier than pruning grape vines
If you will first understand that fruit buds
are never produced on old wood.
That this year’s growth is the only por
tion of the vine that sends out stems on
which fruit is produced another year.
Hence, in pruning, preserve a supply of
strong young wood, and cut away the old
and weaker growth.
A one or 2-year old plant when sent
from the nursery may have only one
shoot, or it may have several.
In any event ail are cut off but the
strongest, and that cut back to within two
eyes of the base.
These two eyes will produce shoots, and
when they have made a growth of a few
inches, rub off the weak one aind. let the
strong one grow until September, when
the end of the shoot is pinched off to ma
ture and ripen the wood.
Late in the fall cut this shoot back to
three eyes. All side shoots and suckers
should be pinched oft. The second year
the strongest shoot from these three eyes
should be preserved as before.
Side shoots or laterals will appear on the
same. So soon as a leaf one inch in diam
eter has formed the shoot should be pinch
ed off wilh thumb and finger.
In a short time the leaf will become full
size and mature a bud at Its base and
send out anew shoot, which should be
stopped.
The third year two or more canes may
be permitted to grow, with branches to
compare with vigor of vine, and trained
in various ways. A few bunches of fine
fruit may also be expected.
Tr!mall the vines in the fail, leaving
spurs or canes of new wood containing
two or three eyes each for next season’s
fruit.
With strong growth at least three-quar
ters of the vine should be cut away.
With good care the vine will give abund
ance of fruit under almost all methods of
treatment, and should find a friendly trel
lis in every farm and village home.
A little study and observation will en
able one to prune and train the vine cor
rectly.
The essentials are good varieties suited
to your locality, a warm rich soil, well
drained, clean cultivation, severe pruning
and, in Northern states especially, winter
protection.
Origin it nit Nntnre of Soils.
Nothing is more common than the soil
under our feet, and yet how many of us
stop to consider it, says the American
Agriculturist. If you will take up a hand
ful of soil and examine It carefully, you
will see many mineral fragments, which
look like small stones. That is what they
are. All soils are composed very largely
of pieces of stone. In a gravelly soil these
pieces are large, some of them good-sized
pebbles, or even larger, possibly boulders
several feet In diameter. If you examine
a handful of clay you apparently do not
see mineral fragments, but under the mi
croscope this same clay does look like
sand to the naked eye. In fact soils are
composed, mainly, of these particles or
varying sizes, larger in gravel or sand,
and smaller to clay or loam.
The fertility of a soil depends largely
upon the size of Its particles. The min
eral food of plants (the portion of the
plant which remains as ash*-* after It Is
burned) is formed In the soil by the dis
solving of the mineral fragments. Natu
rally, which will dissolve more rapidly,
gravel or tine- sand? Why will pulverized
sugar dissolve more qutekly than roek
candy? Because Its particle* are finer,
and the liquid ha* more surface to act
upon. Thu* fine soli dl**olve* faster than
s coarse one, heme plant food I* formed
mo:e rapsdiy.
But soil* contain something more than
broken fiMgttssgta of worn and w*a’her<d
rock. It St heat s sample of soil to •
red heat, we find that after cooling it has
lost weight. This loss was partly water
and partly organic matter. All of our
soils contain large quantities of decayed
and decaying plants. This decayed mate
rial gives to the soil its dark color. Muck
soils are dark colored because they have
a large amount of decayed swamp grass
and weeds. Clay soli has among its very
fine particles a small quantity of sili
cate of aluminum, which gives it its
sticky or plastic quality. Loam soils have
more or less of this same sticky mate
ria!. The importance of soil to animal
and plant life cannot be estimated. With
out it we could not exist. All forms of
trees and all kinds of crops would perish
and ail forms of animal life, including
man, would perish with them. Only a
few mosses and lichens would remain.
Where does soil come from? How Is it
formed? All soils are formed from rock.
Geologists tell us that at one time the
surface of the earth was covered with
nothing but solid rock and water. Now,
how was the rock changed into soil?
pocks decay when exposed to the weath
er. Freshly quarried stone has bright and
angular surfaces, while stone that has
been exposed to the action of rain and
freezing looks dull, and the edges are
rounded. All rocks absorb water. Even
the hardest granite will absorb .4 of a
pound for each ICO pounds of rock. When
the water in the stone freezes the ice
expands and breaks off small pieces of
stone. Rains come and wash this mate
rial away, and at the same time wear
away the surface of the rock. Running
water is a good soil former and soil mov
er. Every year the Mississippi river car
ries into the Gulf of Mexico 72 sections
of land 4 feet deep.
To Grow Watercress.
The cultivated cresses are larger and
superior in flavor to those grown wild,
and the market for the improved sort Is
good, writes W. E. Farmer in American
Cultivator. Wherever there is a good
swamp with a fresh water brook flowing
through it on the farm, watercresses
should be cultivated as a side crop, and
if the markets are near by quite a little
income can be made from the crop. The
method of culture is simple, although it
requires considerable initial labor to start
the beds. The swamp should first be
cleared of the trees and bushes as much
as possible, and then be cut up into
ditches running parallel to each other
and at right angles. Each ditch should
be about four feet wide and two feet
deep. A space between the ditches should
be left on either side large enough for
a man to pass along to gather the crop.
Cross ditches should intersect these par
allel ones about every twenty feet. All of
the ditches should start from the head
of the brook, and the fall in them should
be very slight, so that the water will
flow away very slowly. If one end of the
swamp is much lower than another the
depth of the ditches should vary just
enough so that the water will be kept
distributed evenly through them. Every
thing depends upon having the water un
der control. If the swamp is low on one
side the mud from the ditches should
be thrown up to form an embankment.
At the lowest point a dam should be con
structed to let off the water when need
ed. In the spring and fall the water will
collect too rapidly, and it will be neces
sary to drain off considerable of the sur
plus and a good dam will then fully pay
for itself. When the ditches are all ready
the cresses should be planted In the bot
tom of them by securing cuttings from
old beds. The cuttings can often be tak
en from the wild cresses in some neigh
boring swamp. They will Improve in fla
vor and quality under their new condi
tions. They can also be raised- from seeds,
and the seeds are sown broadcast into
the ditches. The cuttings are pushed into
the muddy bottom about a foot apart
each way. They will in a season spread
all over the bottom and form a complete
mass of green. In the winter and early
spring the plants are harvested for the
market. In doing this care must be tak
en not to destroy the plants, but simply
to cut off the edible part and leave the
root growing. The harvester should take
a bunch in the left hand, and then with
a sharp knife cut oft the stalks about
four inches down. The plants should not
be pulled. The cresses are packed usually
In half-peck baskets, which in turn are
packed in crates. In winter these baskets
sometimes sell as high as $1 apiece. This
is the most profitable time to gather the
cresses for market.
A Chapter on Humua.
A bulletin of the department of agricul
ture sets forth the importance of vegetable
matter in the soli:
"Humus is the partially decayed animal
and vegetable substances, which give a
dark color to fertile soils, and increase
very largely their capacity for the reten
tion of moisture, and constitute one of the
most important matters in connection with
soil fertility. It has been repeatedly shown
that a decline of fertility is not entirely
due to the removal from the soil of the
essential elements of plant food—nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash—but in many
cases Is due to the loss of humus. Tins
loss may be caused by the continuous
growth on the soil of a crop that does not
return any residue to the soil, or by a
system of cultivation that leaves the soil
bare to action of the oxygen of the air,
as in summer fallowing and fall plowing
or it may be caused in uncultivated land
by forest fires consuming the organic mat
ter. Investigations at stations have show-n
that all these causes have operated in the
removal of humus from the soil, and in the
continuous culture of wheat in Minnesota
it was found that the soils thus long crop
ped were in many cases abundantly sup
plied with nitrogen, phosporic acid and
potash and were not benefited by the ap
plications of these plant foods, but that
there had been a decided decrease in the
humus contents of the soli, which was
•he only thing to account for the diminu.
lion of their productive capacity. That
this w-as true was shown by the fact that
where methods of farming in which humus
making matter was returned to the soil,
its productive power did not decrease, or
did not decline as rapidly as where a con
tinuous grain culture was practiced. It
was shown by actual experiment that in
continuous wheat raising there was a loss
of 1.800 pounds of humus per acre annual
ly. From the continuous culture of corn,
oats and barley there was an annua) loss
per acre of 1,500 pounds of humus. But
where a proper rotation was practiced and
crops grown that returned vegetable mat
ter to the soli, there was an annual gain
In one instance of 1,500 pounds per acre
and in another of over two tons per acre.
Since humus Is one of the chief sources
of nitrogen tn the soil, these variations
show a great difference in the nitrogen
content, and show also how short-sighted
those are who Insist that humus Is of no
Importance so long as the p.ant foods are
supplied in the form of commercial fertil
izers. Humus is not only the chief source
of nitrogen tn the soil, but it Influences
to a marked extent the available potash
and phosphoric acid, since the decaying
vegetable matters like green manures and
stable manure, have the power In their
de< iy of making combinations with the
phosphorh acid and potash In the anil
,ii an insoluble shape and thus converting
them Into forms traddy utilized by plants.
I |i wss shown thst where proper rotation
was pactleed, then was a gain of ov r
slgly-one pounds of nltrogeg |e-r sere, and
u,• 100. nmwlthsiandlng the fact that
i larger cups had teen grown lit tins soil
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than on those continuously cropped. At
the North Carolina station it was shown
that on plats side by side and to which the
same amounts of commercial fertilizers
were applied, the plats In which cow
peas were grown and plowed under when
dry, produced four times the crop of wheat
that was produced by the plats which were
continuously cultivated in wheat and to
which only commercial fertilizers were ap
plied, and this, too, when the natural
growth of grass and weeds on the plats
was turned under annually. The loss of
humus not on.y entails a loss of plant
food, but altars the physical character of
the soil injuriously, decreasing the reten
tive power of the soil for moisture, and
for fertilizers also. It is a well-known fact
that applications of lime give -best results
on soil well-stocked with organic matter,
and that commercial fertilizers have a bet
ter effect on such soils. Hence, soils that
have a liberal amount of humus will with
stand the effects of long continued
droughts far better than soils deficient In
vegetable matter. Careful experiments
made to determine the moisture content of
the soil invariably showed that there was
a greater moisture content in the soils
where rotation of crops was practiced. On
sandy soils the absence of humus is more
severely felt than on those of strong clay,
for sand has the least moisture retaining
power and clay has a power nearer to that
of humus, which is the highest. Hence,
the prime importance of the growth of hu
mus making crops on sandy soils. A new
ly broken prairie soil, and a soil rescued
from a peaty swamp do not, of course,
need to have their humus content increas
ed for many years at least, and as such
soils are naturally of an acid character,
the use of lime will be found an efficient
means for increasing their productivity.
These muck or swamp soils when well
drained are usually among the most pro
ductive soils, but there are swamp soils
apparently fertile, still unproductive, be
cause of lack of minor matters or the
available condition of the soli.
The Scrap Hook.
Dehorning Young Calves.—Preventing
horns from coming is better than cutting
them oft after they have formed. If when
a calf is a few weeks old the head is ex
amined, the place where the horns will
appear can be plainly seen. Get a stick
of caustic potash and apply it to this spot,
first removing the hair, and holding the
potash there until it makes a slight core.
There are few or no nerves where the
horn is formed, and this sore will not af
fect the calf injuriously in any way.
Water Horses Frequently.—lt is not nat
ural for the horse to go long without a
drink of water. His stomach is small and
cannot hold a water supply for a ’ong
time. Wuterng morning, noon and night
when at work in summer time Is none too
often. If the work is very heavy two ta
blespoonfuls of oat meal stirred in the pail
will make the horse drink better, and will
also prevent so much cold water from in
juring his stomach. It is a mistake to sup
pose that a horse or any other domes ic
animal prefers to drink water only a few
degrees above the freezing temperature, if
It Is lukewarm the,horse will drink more
freely and the water will be less apt to
Injure him.
Coal Ashes for Fruit Trees.—That coal
ashes are beneficial when spread on the
surface of apple orchards in grass cannot
be disputed. But they contain scarcely any
mineral fertilizer, and are, of course, hav
ing passed through fire, destitute of any
other. Vndoubtedly they benefit by setting
as a mulch, and where they cover grass
causing it to die out and rot. In this way
they supply considerable fertility and
moisture indirectly. Wherever coal ashes
have long luin under fruit trees there will
be an abundance of free roots Just under
the ashes where the grass has been killed.
Growth of Strawberry Plants—As the
strawberry plant Increases it* root growth
even in cold weather, when the ground is
not Dozen, anil ripen* Us fruit early in the
spring, a pert of the manure should be ap
plied in the fall, especially if jt [>,. stable
manure. As a lop dressing its value 1*
then doiibied. for if* fertilizing powers are
most effective. A* a mulch it protect* from
cold, and it lessens the freezing and heav
ing of the ground, so damaging to the
roots.
Poison Ivy—poison ivy (Ithus toxlcoden-
dron) is known also as three-leaved ivy
and in some localities as poison oak. In
growth it much resembles the harmless
Virginia creeper or American ivy (Ampel
opsls quinquefolia). To avoid mistaking
one for the other, remember that the poi
son ivy has but three leaflets on a stem,
while the Virginia creeper has five. Chil
dren distinguish them as "three-leaved
ivy” and "five-leaved ivy.” The poison ivy
bears clusters of small smooth berries,
greenish white when ripe.
Japanese Morning Glory—A writer on
floriculture recommends the Japanese
morning glory as a window-vine for win
ter blooming. If it can be successfully
grown in-doors what a charming window
deeofation it must make with its unique
foliage and brilliant flowers! We one*
planted some seeds of the common morn
ing glory in a hanging-basket, training the
young vines up the cords by which the
basket was suspended. They were in bloont
at Christmas and were beautiful, although
both flowers and foliage were not more
than half as large ns when grown out ol
doors.
Saving Coal Ashes.—Although the asheg
from coal have very littie fertilizing value,
they are well worth saving'for use In the
hen house as a dust bath for fowls. They
are much better than sand or loam, which
is often recommended for that purpose, for
these last, and particularly the sand, only
act mechanically to rub vermin from the
hens, while sifted coal ashes are so fine
that their dust fills the breathing appara
tus of hen lice, and thus destroys them.
So for putting into hen houses the bits of
coal that are mostly present should b*
sifted out. Wood ashes may be used for a
dust bath where coal is not burned, as it
is not in many farmer’s homes. The fowls
will eat bits of charcoal from wood ashes,
and they will not injure them, though like
ly to make the colored spots that are
often seen in egg shells where fowls get
at coal and eat it.
Propagating Grapevines—The easiest
method of propagating grapevines is by
cuttings. These should be cut in the fall,
using the best ripened wood of medium
size of the same year's growth. These
are to be cut into lengths of from nine to
ten inches so that each cutting has from
two to three buds. They are then tied
into bundles of about one hundred each,
having the lower ends even. These bun
dles may be buried in the soil outdoors or
they may be kept in sand or soil in a cool
cellar. In spring, as early as the ground
Is fit to be worked, they are planted in
rows two to three feet apart and about
two inches apart in the rows. It is very
important that the ground around them
be thoroughly worked. With proper cats
they will make a growth of three or four
feet the first season. The grafting of
grapevines Is a little more difficult than
the same operation on fruit trees, yet it
has many advantages and the process may
easily be performed successfully by any in
telligent person. There is a difference of
opinion among vlneyardists as to the best
time of performing the operation. Some
hold that the work should be done during
winter, while others prefer to do it when
the sap is flowing freely.
Hedges as Vermin Breeders.— Nobody
now talks about the hedge as a cheap
fence, though Its other recommendation of
being permanent unfortunately still holds
good. Except for a border around some
suburban residence the hedge is a nuisance
and is new little planted. In the country
it Is especially objectionable, as it keel’*
on growing unless cut back every year
or two. and Its roots extend on either side,
robbing the cultivated land of moisture
and plant food that the crops require. Most
commonly the hedge Is built around the
orchard, possibly with the Idea that It will
protect the fruit from thieves. Instead of
this, the hedge is apt to stir the ambition
of all the boys in the neighborhood to try
whether they rttnnot gel through it, an< *
we never saw the hedge that could k" ■’
an active lioy out of where he wanted to
go. 1 at, the worst of all the evils of thn
hedge around an orchard Is that It is sura
to is- surrounded by tall grass, making the
i- st possible harbor for rabbits, which wl 1
go through and strip the bark from sl’l"*
trees. In most eases, too, the rubbll will
strip the bark from ttio hedgerow
thus killing them and destroying
hedge.