Newspaper Page Text
JNoftl)
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
—AT—
BKLLTON, GA.
By JOHN T. WILSON Jr,
Tium— *l.oo per an sum SO ce«U for v>
oaonthi; 25 cents forihree months.
Parties away from Bellton are requested
to send their names with inch amounts of
money a. they can pare, 'rom 2cc. to *1
NEWS GLEANINGS.
Geneva. Ala., has four bar rooms and
is without a church.
Last year North Carolina spent $337,-
000 for education.
Some $273,000 worth of liens have
been filed in Spartanburg county, S. C.
The Sewanee coal mines, in Gr undy
county, Tenn., have been sold for $525,
000.
The net earnings of the South Carolina
railroad so far in 1881, exceed those of
1880 by $50,000.
Mississippi is premised a larger crop
than she has ever had.
North Carolina has 1,759 bat-keepers
and 1,275 preachers.
Two thousand men annually fall ink
drunkards’ graves in North Carolina.
The fire in the ovens at the Selma gas
works has been constantly burningsince
1855.
Os 125 newspapers in North Carolina
only five oppose the prohibition move
ment.
Florida will raise eight million water
melons this year.
The wine crop of Georgia last year
was 903,244 gallons, worth $1,325,521.03.
Virginia mockingbirds are getting
scarcer every year, as the sportsmen kill
them, wantonly.
Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North
Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia
produced in 1880 no less than 335,950,
765 pounds es tobacco.
A large force is at work on the Nat
ural Bridge, Virginia, improving tin
grounds and enlarging the hotel.
Larger than the State of Rhodi
Island, yet Baldwin county, Ala., wit!
a population of 9,000, has not a resident
lawyer and but one physician.
The Willimantic Spool-cotton Com
pany will bring seventy live to one
hundred girls to the Atlanta Cotton
Exposition.
The new mineral spring is attracting
considerable attention at Athens. All
who have drank of the water pronounce
it excellent—much better than the old
one. It is bold and cold.
The old sea-wall, erected at St. Au
gustine in 1835, to protect that city
against inundation, is fast yielding to
the dashing waves, and, unless soon
repaired, may be swept away at any
time by a gale.
The whole stock of the Charleston, S.
C., manufacturing company, being half
a million dollars, has already been sub
scribed, and the books are closed.
In two years New Orleans has realized
over one million dollars from the sale of
street railroad franchises, and the money
is being used to extinguish the city debt.
DIXIE FUN.
Worms make a fine fish dinner, you
bait.
The next comet that comes should
have an owner.
Reversible cufFs—Boxing one ear and
turning the other also.
This is rather warm work, as the
thermometer remarked t» the comet.
It a man has a shot gun, he is wast
ing time trying to kill two birds with
one stone.
The stage robbers out West seem to
have given up their attempt to ferret
out the authorities.
Vulgar peogle who become rich like
to go to Europe and stay where they can
forget themselves.
A Texas paper says: “There will
soon be another paper in town to divide
our poverty with.”
A ten-pound lump of ice is smaller
now than at any other season of the
year. It is just big enough to run away
if left on the sidewalk.
In North Caroline it is feared the lo
custs will not be able to harvest the
crop, it is so large. Tho attention ot
Mr. Bergh has been called to the out
rage.
An Austin doctor met old Uncle Mose
on Austin avenue, and said pleasantly:
‘ How do you feel to day, Uncle Mose.”’
“I ain’t gwine ter tell yer until I knows
how much you am going to charge me.”
An Austin boy came home from school
uery much excited, and told his father
that he believed all human beings were
descended from apes, which made the
old man so mad that he replied angrily
“ That may be the ca-e with you, hut it
ain’t with me; I can tell you that, now.”
The North Georgian.
VOL. IV.
OUR COUNTRY I.X( HANOI'S.
[Address read by President 11. G. Ba
ketle, before tin- Tennessee Press Assoeis
tion at Chattanooga, .luue 1
Tne mute inglorious journalists, who
lack only the opportunity of startling
the world, appear to be numberless. In
every community there are scores of
people who, having no conception of the
scope and aim of journalism, and hav
ing no proper notion of tile duties, re
sponsibilities and labors of the journal
ist, seem profoundly impressed with the
belief that they could step at once into
the editorial harness and conduct a news
paper with notable ability and. success.
Certainly there are net a tow in every
town, city and country who. however
modest they may be in estimating their
own abilities, are ready to tell you ex
actly how a paper should be managed.
Indeed, it is often the case that men
whose self-conceit and assurance are
only exceeded by their ignorance, are
instant and active in obtruding their
crude and unwelcome suggestions upon
the attention of the painstaking editor
who is endeavoring to supply the de
mands of the news-mongers and cater to
the intellectual wants of tae community,
rhe opinion seems to prevail among a
certain class, that all that is necessary
for the making of .1 newspaper is a print
ing presy and suitable material, a suf
ficient number of intelligent composi
tors, and for an editor—any man who
can handle a pair of scissors and write
a passable paragraph. Too many forget,
or do not know, that in the profession
of journalism, as in other professions, a
special talent and a special preparation
are required. It is generally conceded,
that, to become a lawyer of worth, one
must not only possess certain mental
endowments, but must also understand
the principles and be familiar, to a de
gree, with the myriad precedents of the
law. It is agreed that to he a physician,
able to heal diseases, and to invest
death with a scientific interest, one must
by diligent study acquire a knowledge
of the several sciences which make up
the science of medicine, to which
knowledge must be added the wisdom
gained by the intelligent application of
these principles in the practice of the
healing art. It is generally admitted
that the clergyman, whose methods and
labors, like those of the editor, are con
stantly subjected to captious and carp
ing criticisms, is, if he be worthy of his
high office, better prepared than the
majority of his critics to address him
self to the difficulties of his position
and deal with the many ponderous and
nndemonstrable theorems of his theolo
gy. Y’et, strangely enough, it is hard
to convince some people that the com
petent journalist knows more about his
own business than the average relider of
a newspaper. They cannot understand
that tne editor must not only have a
peculiar talent and aptitude for his
work, but he must also undergo a spec
ial training if not in a college, of jour-
nalism, in the dearer and harder and
better school of experience. There may
be rare geniuses that have stepped into
journalistic distinction without having
served a severe apprenticeship, hut it
must be borne in mind that many a
brilliant editorial writer is simply a
writer, and not properly an editor, and
is only a journalist in so far as he writes
fora journal. There lie men who well
deserved reputation as writers upon
leading metropolitan dailies, who it
given charge of a country newspaper
would, in all probability, make an utter
and inglorious failure. It must l>e noted,
however, ami emphasized, that many of
the ablest and bnlliantest journalists of
our day have been first educated in the
school of country journalism. Upon
the other hand, it is also true that many
a capable and promising country editor
has been hidden out of sight under the
veil of impersonality, and lost to the
world, and forgot, by being merged into
the editorial corps of the city daily.
I am prepared to assert that the man
who ably and properly conducts a coun
try newspaper, keeping it at its truest
and highest standard of excellency, must
possess a rarer combination and versa
tility of talents, and have a more varied
fund of resources at his command, than
is required in any other position he may
hold in the field of journalism. The
country weekly should be in every whit
the equal of the best city paper, so far
as the quality of the work is concerned.
I can admit of no lower standard. In
this competition the daily paper has a
decided advantage. By a well regulated
and necessary system of division and
sub-division of labor each separate de
partment of a daily paper is entrusted
tn special workers, who have been .«•
lected with regard to their peculiar fit
ness and qualification for the work
assigned, and who are responsible only
within their particular spheres. The
country journal, with all of its depart
ments, is generally in charge of one
editor, who must perform a distracting
variety of work, which does not often
admit of well sustained efforts in any
I given direction. We often find a man
j who is proprietor, editor, reporter, busi
ness manager, solicitor and compositor.
! ft is not unfrequently the case that to
I this manifold function are added the
1 offices of printer’s devil and office boy.
Indeed, instances might be cited, where,
. in addition to this curious conglomerate,
I the able editor constitutes a large put
of his own subscription list. Many
country editors, in older to keep the
wolf from the door, are compelled to
engage in other employments, which
take much of their time and attention
from thru putiuals. these facts may
serve to explain tn a measure why a
greater number of weekly newspaper.:
BELLTON. BANKS COUNTY, GA.. JULY 21. 1881.
do not attain to a high standard. Any
one familiar with newspaper work can
readily apprei iate the ditlieulties to
which 1 have barely alluded. If any
embryo journalist is inclined to be
skeptical he can have his doubts elfi-et
ually removed by a trial. Let him
undertake some day to indite a few
thoughtful articles on grave ami im
portant subjects, turn a number es
pungent paragraphs, pencil oil a eoluiuh
of local news items, condense another
column if telegraphic news, boil down
several badly written and fearfutfv
constructed contributions from rm‘,|
■correspondents, write a sly'ish marriage
notice, and tearful obituary of a prom
’ineni citizen, furnish a report of court
proceedings, mid a detailed account '.of
commencement exercises, make a person
al mention of distinguished arrivals, cor
rect market quotations, dash oil a lotpf
notices of new advertisements, answer
the numerous vexatious calls made u|rtn
him, entertain esteemed subscribers who
come to complain or congratulate, ntul
his letters and papers, keep his eye in
th<' exchange fiend, and be in and oilt if
office, anywhere and everywhere at the
samemoment of time: let oiirskepticsl
friend attempt this, and if at the close of
the day he is not conscious of a heavy
drain upon his nervous energies, he m:i v
consider himself engaged. Ile is wanted.
Even when relieved of the biisim*
management of the paper, the time »>f
the editor can be fully occupied, if l\ ■
be painstaking and thorough. Os courA
I refer to journals that ate edited. Th<
editor! I work on some weekly exchanges
could be done in an hour. When :•
paper has several editors, the labor i.
divided, ami we have, a right to expect
better results, although we do not alwayt
find them. We are .all disposed at times
t« slight work, especially when we s<
that our best eflorts are not properly
appreciated. It is easy to get into a
careless habit, ami in no department of
activity is carelessness nioie sensibly
felt. Idleness in a newspaper office i j
absolutely inexcusable. Incapacity i. 4
even more tolerable. Either or both
will make a newspaper of no account.
As in other professions, there are many
incompetent iflen in ottrs. 'There are
lawyers who aspire to be ornaments to
the bar, who would better adorn a hoe
handle. There are doctors who would
make better pile drivers than pill driv
ers. Many a preacher lias inist-'kei. a
call to the cotton-field or the brick yard
for a call to the ministry. So it is that
there are men connected with the mess
who would better fill their mission in
life if they were pegging shoes, measur
ing tape, or engaged in some other
equally honorable employment which
makes fewer demands upon the brain.
The proportion of really imeompetent
journalists, however, is not as great as
many suppose, and in Tennessee it may
bs- said with pride ami pleasure that
there is a wealth of journalistic talent,
ami that there are very many excellent
journals that would do honor to tiny
State of any country. No pleasanter
duty devolves upon the editor than that
of looking through his exchanges. Os
course the daily papers with their well
filled columns of telegraphic news, ami
their generally well considered editorial
comments upon current events, stand
first in his estimation. These are abso
lately indispensable. Through them
the country editor keeps himself in
formed of what is going on in the world,
ami it is the first duty of the journalist
to keep informed. Yet his country ex
changes are no less acceptable and nec
essary. Aside from the information he
gleans from them ami the practical in
formation they afford him, he enjoys a
peculiar personal satisfaction iu receiv
ing these weekly visits from his esteemed
rural contemporaries. As they are laid
on his table, a new interest is given to
his labors, and the monotony of the
sanctum is broken for a time. They are
familiar and constant, visitors and he can
name each one of them at a glance be
fore the wrappers are removed. Os
course he has his favorites. These he
opens with pleasurable anticipations
that are rarely disappointed. Others he
glances over more hastily, and a few, it
must lie confessed, he sometimes allows
to remain unopened.
It would be difficult to properly clas
sify and discuss our country exchanges
within the limits of this paper. I can
therefore only refer briefly to a few
characteristics which attract my atten
tion at a casual glance, one or more of
which may apply in a greater or less
degree to this or that contemporary.
Here, for instance, is a valued ex
change whose able editor exalts and mag
iiifies his editorial page, almost to the
exclusion of other mailers. His pon
derous leaders stretch from column to
column, dreary lengths of logic, cheer
less deserts of dialectics. He grapples
with great problems, wrestles with
mighty mysteries. He goes deep into
the philosophy of things, and settle.-
questions for all time to come, 'flu
slightest, political movement draws from
his pen an exhaustive dissertation upon
the policies of parties. He even writes
his editorials a.s serials, ‘‘to be contitim-d
in our next.” They are well written
and contain a world of information
What a pity that they are not read 1
, Here is a journal which furni.-hes ti
an illustration of the other extreme
The editor is a paragrapher. Ile eschew
long articles. If he were to write -:
history of the late war, he would put it
in a ten or twenty-line paragraph. IL
changes his subject as often as a dic
tionary. It matters not what the t >p:e
may be, it is never too momentous nor
too trivial for him. Indeed the raison
d'etre of -,omeot In. paim-1 iph.s i- ■ ome
times too obscure for any felloiv to find
out. He is generally sparkling and
witty, and makes capital hits; only
occasionally you find yourself dropping
a tear over one of his choice bits of
humor.
Then them is the journal with a hob
by. Probably the hobby is the State
debt question. For the past ten years
its editor has scarcely missed an issue in
presenting his views on this novel and
captivating subject. He has discussed
it in every possible phase, week in and
week out, but he has presented thesame
idea every time. He might save himself
some labor if ho would clip out his last
year’s editorials and republish them in
the regular order, lie never gets tired
of the subject. It has an indescribable
and irresistible charm for him. When
ie puts his pan to paper he may fall
asleep in liis easy chair, and the dutiful
pen, out of sheer foiee of habit, will
splutter oil'like I 1 lanehette and write an
article on the State debt question. Men
may come and men may go, but his con
stantly recurring platitudeswill g - on
for 99 years, or until he pays the debt
of nature and gels hold of a new idea in
another World.
Here isoilr pessimistic friend. Every
thing goes wrong in the world, and he
takes infinite pains to let the world
know that lie is not pleased. Dismission
is to reconstruct things, and as he meets
with limited success, he grumbles at
fate, and makes awful predictions of
impending ruin. Strangely enough,
however, the sun continues to shine,
the stars look down as calmly as evert
'lie seasons come and go, mid the 00-tinate
-tinate world persists in wageing on.
Several of mv esteemed conteiupora
fies have an easy way of writing edi
torials. They write with the scissors,
which they esteem as mightier than the
pen. They give their readers the opin
ions of other men and none of their own.
This may be a judicious plan, but it
would be interesting to have an occa
sional opinion from them. It is pleas
ant I > note, however, that they generally
give the proper credit.
I take up from my table a trimmer
fur there are trimmers among news
papers as there are among politicians.
The editor of this paper neverexpresse;
mi opinion until he is satisfied that is
will be popular. When a question of
public importance: is presented lie touch
es it in a cautious, evasive way, if he
speak of it at all, until he finds out
wi-.at the miiißKiliil v will think of it.
If a majority regard a proposition fa
vorably, he becomes eloquent in itssup
po t ; if the indications are clear that a
majority condemn it or consider it with
disfavor be comes down on it, like a
thousand bricks. What the people want
lie wants, what the popular mind re
jects he rejects without, hesitation. He
itoes with the tide and is the only true,
genuine, unadulterated and disinterested
I iend of the party. Patent applied for.
I lore i; a familiar old friend. Itisan
organ, a parly organ. It goes for the
party right or wrong. It lives lor and
on the party ; it would probably die for
the party. Whatever the party does is
right. Everything in the party is sym
metrical and beautiful. The party can
didates are gentlemen of extraordinary
ability, and of unexampled integrity of
character. The opposing candidates are
wily demagogues, idiotic numskulls, or
designing conspirators, whose sole aim
in polities is to undermine the republic,
ruin and impoverish the country and
wantonly destroy the happiness of the
people. Il never publishes an extract
from an opposing journal, nor any news
item that in any possible way could re
flect credit upon the opposing party. Il
furnishes its readers with entirely ortho
dox matter, which praises its own party
leaders and glorifies the party methods.
Whatever the party managers dictate
the party organ proclaims and supports.
J must say that whatever may be its
merits, ami” the organ is often very ably
conducted, I do not admire its methods.
If a country paper must bean organ, it
should be the organ of its editor. Be
there never so earnest an advocate ol
partv principles, he should have inde
pendence enough to condemn when cen
sure is needed, and be liberal ami char
itable enough to commend what is
worlhvof commendation, even though
it be found in the conduct and purposes
of the opposition. I lie power and in
fluence of a newspaper depend upon the
power mid adaptability of the intellect,
which controls it, and to carefully and
conscientiously weigh the grave ques
tions which tilled lite public interests,
ami then to impress his own convictions
upon the public mind, directing, mould
ing and unifying the public thought,
constitute the highest duty and prero
gative of the journalist. Os course, in
this work there should be no exclusion
of the views of others. He should in
vite criticism, encourage the. pioper
presentation of contrary viewt, and
make his paper the free medium for the
communication of ideas, and the intel
ligent discussion of matters of general
interest. By this comparison of views
his own opinions, if they be valuable,
arc more forcibly impressed upon the
public mind, and bis influence and
usefulness a- .1 journalist are enhanced.
The journal-', upon my exchange list
which are avowedly independent of par
ties can be counted on one or two fingers.
While I think the idea of absolute in
dependence is essentially Utopian, there
is a degree of independence to be reached
which may be very exasperating Io the
or cins. The t'-iie idea of independence
is to be free to choose between parties,
for so long as political parties exist
there must be journals to uphold and
maintain partv principle-. The inde
pendent journal, if it deal with public
qtie-limi- it all. mud make a choice,
even though it bea choice between evils.
When the choice is made, for the time
at least, the quality of its independence
is decidedly strained. An armed and
bristling neutrality falls short of my
idea of independent journalism.
tu a large majority of country papers
the local department is made the leading
feature. This is as it should be. The
country weekly is essentially a local
paper. 11 should give especial attention
to home affairs, encourage in every legit
imate way the development of home
resources, foster home enterprises, and
furnish all information of a local char
acter that may be of interest to its read
ers. How well this function of the paper
is utilized is evidenced by the many
sprightly, newsy exchanges that come
omy table. But this can be carried to
extremes, and local journalism presents
some curious eccentricities. (tne editor
will devote almost his exclusive atten
tion to local paragraphs. Hehasacer
tain amount of space which must be
filled up with strictly local news,
whether there is any news or not. No
matter how insignificant an occurrence
may be, it is sufficient to point a para
graph. He pounces on tne trivialest
happenings liken duck upon a jnue bug.
A runaway horse elicits a feeling of
grateful appreciation. A dog light is a
bonanza. If an esteemed citizen fall
and break his neck the grief of the
enterprisintreditor, though profound and
heartfelt, does not exclude n bland
satisfaction as he rounds off a graphic
ami sympathetic description of the
occurrence. Business is business, you
know. If lie hasn’t anything to tell,
he tells it. anyhow, if the times are
distressingly dull and things move on so
lazily or so harmoniously that nothing
will happen to break (lie monotony, he
rises equal to the occasion. He manu
factures news something after the man
tier of making cannon as described by
Um Irishman. Said the Irishman. ‘'They
take a hole and pour melted iron around
it.” So, this editor takes any airy
nothing and gives it a living, aggressive
substantiality a local habitation and a
name. He is sometimes not averse Io
making a statement which is in the
highest degree improbable. A correction
will afford him a paragraph for his next
issue. He cares little for the outside
world. The historic Isle of Scio may be
convulsed by an earthquake and limits
amis of ill-fated inhabitants buried
under the ruins of their homes, but a
notice of the occurrence is crowded out
to give place to report of a street squab
ble. A revolution might shake Europe
to its centre, but it. will receive less
attention than farmer Jones’ three
legged chicken.
Another conteinpo ary lia.-a penchant
for personals. He publishes every ar
rival and departure, and then to be im
partial mentions everybody else, for the,
use of whose name he can frame the
slightest excuse. If you salute him on
the street you get your name in the
paper. One might have reason to sus
pect that the name of “Col. Blankety
Blank, our popular and much esteemed
townsman,” and “the beautiful and ac
complished Miss So and So” are stereo
typed and thrown into the forms when
ever there is a Lack of other matter. It
cannot be denied that the majority of
people like to see their names in the
paper. They may deny the soft im
peach incut or even express a disgust at
such publicity, but in 99 cases out of
100 such denial is sheer affectation.
When, however, personal mention be
comes so cheap that anybody and every
body ■■■ets a benefit, they certainly
should, if they do not. be greatly lowered
in the public estimation. The personal
column is a legitimate and useful feature
of a newspaper, but we must all admit
tfiat ills unconscionably abused.
Some country journals depend almost
entirely upon their rural correspondents
for local news, and they get it with n
vengeance. Time will not permit me to
do the average rural correspondent jus
tice. He is unique in his methods, in
defatigable in his labors, terrible in his
importunity. He only needs encourage
ment. to be always on hand. I pass him
by, for he deserves to be made the special
subject of a paper.
There is a class of papers which are in
one respect identical. I refer to the
“patent outside” or “inside,” as the ease
may lie. I am not going to inveigh
against these papers. Some of them arc
among my best, exchanges. I have this
to say, however: I think the system a
bad one. I think its tendency is not. to
elevate journalism. The demand for
patent outsides is based upon a wrong
idea.
1 hail infinitely rather edit a five col
umn |>aper than to edit half of a ten
column paper. It is a mistake to sup
pose that a large paper is essential to
marked success. Some of the very best
papers I get are small papers. A few ol
them are model country newspapers, ami
each one contains more good and well
digested matter than two or three of
other journals I might name that are
twice as large. If I were called upon to
start a new paper in a town, upon limit
ed means, I would print all of my paper
at home, even though it were small, no
matter what the competition might be,
I would endeavor to the best of my poor
ability to pit quality against quantity,
knowing that it I fell in the struggle it
would only be because I could not fur
nish the qunlity of work that is essential
to well deserved success, ami not bi
eause quality will not win in the long
run.
Some journals, aud excellent journals,
too, have a strange and altogether un
necessary practice of sandwiching read
ing advertisements with their local new
items, and even in some instances with
tlufir editorial paragraphs. What can
be gained by this I am unable to see |t
\Wth Gfeofgfiaii,
Published Every Thursday at
BELLTON, GEORGIA.
RATES OF SUBSCRIPTION.
One year (52 numbers), $1.00; nix months
l°6 numbers) 50 cents; three months (13
numbers), 25 cents.
Office in the Carter bttilf hi I, wwit ot th
depot.
M). 29
is only demanded by advertisers when
they have been taught to expect it. It
certainly disfigures a paper, and compels
the reader to fish industriously for his
local news. I don’t think it. is best for
the advertisers, it certainly is not for
the readers. The reader should be aflbrd
ed every facility for getting at the mat
ter he wants to read. The classification
of matter is the best and only means to
this end. 1 like to read advertisements.
They are very interesting and profitable
reading. But when I want to read news
1 don’t like to be beguiled into reading
about Mr. Smith’s ribbons, or the re
duced price of Mr. Jones’ cabbage seed.
In this connection let me mention a
class of advertisements that have became
common, ami which are nuisances. I
refer to the reading notices of patent
medicines, etc., which must, in accord
ance with the contract, be made to fol
low regular reading matter. Many of
these notices have attractive heads,
which delude you into the belief that
they are readable news items. You
think you are reading a choice para
graph, only to find at the close that. Hr.
Somebody’s cure-all is just Hie thing foi
lin'itch. You naturally feel that it is
an imposition, mid that you have been
treated badly. When I buy any patent
medicine I will buy from the man who
odvertises in the regular way. The man
who tricks me into reading his notice,
shall not have a chance to trick mo with
his medicine. <lf course I do not mean
to imply that every one who adopts this
style of advertising is a trickster; far
from it. I only say that I condemn the
method, and I don't cure how soon the
public rebel against it.
In this rambling, hastily prepared pa
per 1 have dealt chielly with the editor,
and have not referred at length to the
business man of the paper, a most im
portant personage, upon whom the suc
cess of the paper largely depends.
Whether be bo editor or not, his work
demands a thorough practical knowledge
and skill. The best edited paper will be
of little value without typographical
neatness. Many mi editor lias seen his
work waste 1 on a badly printed paper.
Without skillful management, which
brings the money, the editor’s occupation
is gone.
In throwing out these observations I
trust J may not be misunderstood. If I
have indulged in some criticisms and
pleasant exaggerations of wlia. maybe
regarded as some of the faultsand foildes
<>f journalists, it is notbecniv*- 1 am silty
enough to affect any superior knowledge,
or ability, nor (hat I desire to assume the
office of censor. Indeed it is not im
probable that, I have hoist myself with
some of my own petards. 1 owe too
much to my contemporaries, and am too
sincere an admirer of their excellencies
to be guilty of any such folly. Ever
since 1 entered the profession of journal
ism I have been an earnest and faithful
.student, though perhaps a slow learner,
and the best teachers I have had and
those most valued and esteemed have
been my bright faced, ever welcome
country exchanges.
Timber Planting.
To make timber plentiful and to render
our climate more genial we must reclothe
all rugged, broken land and rocky crests,
in fact, every acre that is not cultivated
or is cultivated at a loss, with valuable
forest trees.
First—All ravines and steep hill-sides,
all land too rocky to bo thoroughly
cleared of stone aud plowed, should be
devoted to trees.
Second—Protecting belts of timber
should be planted wherever buildings,
orchards, gardens, etc., are exposed to
cold, sweeping winds.
Third -The banks of streams, ponds,
open ditches, etc., should be so planted
with trees that/ they will be protected
from abrasion by floods and rapid cur
rents.
Fourth All public roads should be
belted by graceful, stately trees.
We should preserve, improve and
extend our existing forests by keeping
up a constant succession of young grow
ing trees of the best varieties. To do
this it is necessary:
First—To allow no stock to run in
wood lots for the purpose of forage. This
should be a rule inflexible and relent
uess.
Second Young growth in forests
should be thinned moderately and judi
ciously. Worthless varieties should be
ent out ami the valuable sorts should ba
trimmed up so that they will grow tall,
forming trunk rather than branches.
Third— Timber should be cut with
intelligent reference to future growth.
Valuable trees that you wish to propa
gate should be cut in the spring. Those
that you wish to exterminate should be
cut in August.— Profennor Lastenby.
Cornell University.
A Paris Fancy.
A peasant ball is one of the fancies of
fashionable Faris. No expenseis spared
to give it the proper rustic coloring. All
the elegant Parisian furniture is cleared
away to give place to deal benches,
three-legged stools, and the lik<-; the
walls are hung with evergreen garlands
and streamers, and in the center the
hostess, in all her village bravery, stands
receiving her guests, supported by a
knot of country officials the Mayor
and Municipal Council. Every thing is
in keeping; even the beer mid cider
which hide the champagne on the rustic
rehesliment stull, ami tiie accessories of
the inevitable cotillion. After the dance
there is a supper, at which distinguished
poets, artists, dramatists, and civilians
me gathered together, and make brief
amt fumiy spe.-ehes. The hoaltli ot the
hostess is duly proposed, ami she returns
thanks iu the traditional style.