Newspaper Page Text
10 PER CT. INCREASE.
The Cotton Acreage Has Increased
Alarmingly.
Indications for a Fine Fruit Crop
This Year.
The first weather crop r.port of the |
year is issued this morning by the
weather bureau.
Crop reports from nil but lour coun
ties Clii.vi >n, Mclntosh, t'ido !i- and.
Twiggs are incorporate I in ibc report,
w hioli ■ a valuable guide to every sen
•ible . riuer iu the state. |
This is only the e.-ond year of the
crop report idea, and the thorough ar
ringeii/eiit of every detail speaks volumes
tor Mr. Park Morrill and b- efficient!
corps of nssislauls. • iya I'lie Constitu-1
tion Last year an effort was made be-,
fore the legislature to get. the slate to,
take » part-to lend u helping hand
ns the department foiled it dillicull to j
secure appropriations from congress to
get the necessary printing done. I lie
legislature paid but little attention to,
the effort ol Mr. Morrill, as it doubtless,
f illed to realize the good such a report
does. In many states, however, this |
lethargy does not exist, and appropna- j
Hons are made to assist the weather bu
reau especially where its work chimes
in so closely with the people of the state.
There are 450 crop reports in the con
solidated reports, and throughout the
entire state a splendid showing is made,
and especially is one deplorable fact
brought forward.
The cotton acreage, instead of decreas
ing, has increased, and the actual in
crease is 10 per cent. The southern pa
pers, and the northern ones, too for that
matter, have attempted to show for
the last two years where such an exist
ing state of affairs would be harmful,
and the danger signal was hung out.
'l’he farmer was told also not to take it
for granted that every other num was
going to cut down his cotton crop by
half, and thus by jdanting more cotton
than usual, be would make a pile of
money. But it appears that each man
was determined to take advantage of
the cutting down in acreage of cotton,
and the result is that a larger crop than
ever before is anticipated.
'rhe cold kept the fruit trees from
blooming so early, and the indications
are that this will be a most prosperous
year for fruit growers, and that there
will be fruit in abundance. The truck
farms were slightly damaged by the
late frosts, but to no appreciable extent.
All in all. everything is flourishing, and
the outlook, except for those who planted
cotton, is most encouraging.
MR. MORRILL’S REPORT.
With the opening of the growing son
son in the northerly section of the state,
the weekly issue of the weather crop
bulletin of the Georgia weather service
is resumed. We commence under the
most encouraging conditions. Each of
the 137 counties of the stnte is repre
sented by one or more correspondents,
with the exception of only sou
ton. Mclntosh. I’ictens and Twigg*
Already 4511 able gentlemen have signi
fied their desire to co-operate in this «er
vice, so I think we may feel sure of re
deeming our promise to make the Georgia
crop service second to none in the
country. If we had the recognition of
the legislature and the aid of the state
in the way of better facilities for print
ing and distributing reports as is con
templated in a bill which awaits con
sideration at the next session of the gen
eral assembly. I think we could have a
weather ami crop service in Georgia as
good as the best. A large number of
states have already taken action, ami it
is beyond question that the advantages
of such service nre greater in the south
than in most sections
At this time it may be well to make a
brief explanation of the method uses!
in the collection and compilation of
these reports. Publie spirited persons
who appreciate the advantage to farmers
and to all honest business monos re
liable information upon the condition of
crops, have volunteered to furnish to
this office a weekly report. As noted
above 450 such gentlemen have signified
their willingness to perform this duty.
For more ready digestion of the great
mass of information thus received, the
state is divided into nine geographical
districts, after the plan used by the
postofliee department. As n rule crop
conditions will be considered with ref
erence to these sections. Oftimes the n
port given for a section will differ from
that made by any individual reporter.
This divergance will be readily under
stood by the latter upon remembering
that the report is the average of some
fifty reports. Sometimes, even in county
reports, there will be similar divergence,
especially in the case of very large coun
ties. some of which contain eight or ten
reporters.
The unusual cold, since the beginning
of the year, while having the effect of
rendering the opening of the sea
son a few days later than usual,
is not without compensation. By hold
ing back the buds of fruit trees until
the sudden coming of really warm weath
er. gives good assurance of the escape
of serious damage by frost, a better
prospect of a good yield of peaches,
pears, apples and minor fruits was never
had at this season. Other crops, also,
while planted a little later than usual,
will very likely attain a sturdier growth
and more perfect development by reason
of the favorable conditions under which
they will germinate. The chief injury
done by the cold seems to have been to
the earlier sowing of oats, and to early
vegetables and garden crops.
Special inquiry was instituted for this
report into the increase in the acreage
of cotton. of which much has been said
in the public press of late. It will, of
course, be understood that tn the north
ern sections of the state this is a pro
posed rather than an actual increase at
this time: and. perhaps, the publication
of the deplorable fact that a consider
able increase is certain, may lead some
to wisely reconsider the matter before
entering on a new experience of low
priced cotton. The results arrived at are
ns follows: There is an estimated in
crease in cotton acreage in the north
west section of 14 per cent.; northeast.
5 per cent: west. 10 per cent.: central.
11 per cent.: east, 11 per cent,; south
west. 10 per cent.; south. 7 per cent.:
southeast. 9 per cent.
For the entire state the estimated in
crease is 10 per cent. An encouraging
feature is an accompanying slight in
crease in the acreage of wheat and oats,
except in the south and southeast dis
tricts. The acreage of corn has also
kept np to that of last year in the cen
tral belt of the state, but elsewhere is
diminished from sto 10 per cent. The
increased consumption of guano seems
to have been in part for use on corn as
well as cotton.
The weather of the nast week has been
favorable to most farming operations.
The rainfall has been confined to occa
sional showers, which were very light
except in the three southern seetipns.
Although there is no serious need’ of
rain, a few showers would be beneficial
to sprouting seeds and tender plants in
many northerly districts. For the first
time this year the temperature is up to
its normal point for the season.
Corn planting is about finished except
in the northern sections, and there it is
well undir way on uplands. Cotton
planting is well in hand ar southerly
points. The reports of the condition
of fruit orchards are universally encour
aging. In the melon districts extensive
-reparations have been made for the
next crop. In several western counties
much attention has been given to the
setting of vines this spring, and some ex
tensive vineyards will come into bearing
thio year. The truck farmers of
I
8
the southeast section report peas
nearly ready for shipment. Except from
some damage from late rains and cold
to spring oats, the out crop iu iu u fair
condition. Wheat Jins stood the cold
rather better tlinn outs. If no lute frosts
should come, the season of 181)3 will
have opened most satisfactorily.
EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS BY
COUNTIES.
Bartow—Farm work is ton days later
Il in last season. Corn planting i* com
uieneed on uplands. Cotton planting will
begin this week. Wheal d outs are
doing well, but are late. Some early
plumed ••urn is np.
< Turke The sermon i- bile. Very lit
tle •i is up. mid nm all planted. Acre
r.-e .'il.i.Ht ilie same f.r corn, h-ss for
■ •wing to ivei. weather, and slightly
luvrc.i-od for cotton. Farmers show a
si-oirg disposition to raise supplier.
Franklin—Corn is about half planted;
no cotton as yet. The fruit crop was
injured by cold during March. Owing
to the prb’o of cottiei seed every bushel
that could be spared was sold, ami
guano will b„ used in its place.
I’uwctn Wo had a good rain on the
29ili, and the remainder of the week bus
been ex, client for f irm Work. Farmers
are a little behind. Upland corn is
about all planted and some coming up.
Colton planting commenced today Small
griiui has a good stand and looks well.
Bibb -The weather Ims been favorable
for planting. C »r:t is coming up with
the promise of good stands. Some have
bi'gim planting cotton and melons. There
will probably be n slight increase in the
acreage of both those crops.
Burke The Increased use of fertii
zers is largely for corn, farmers having
sold nearly nil their cotton seed. Corn
planting is about completed, anti cotton
planting begun. There is a fair pros
pect for fruit.
Cluy—Farming operations are well ad
vanced; corn generally planted, and much
of it up. Small grain is looking well.
Farmers are turning their nttent'on to
food crops and stock raising. Acreage
of cotton is increased 5 per cent, over
last year. Planting lias begun. Cotton
seed was add and the proceeds invested
in fertilizers.
Brooks—While the acreage of cotton
will be considerably increased, then is
n greater interest in food crops. There
is n large acreage of oats, rice and
melons. Crops are in good growing con
dition. Cotton planting is iu progress.
• hatham--The latter part of the week
has been beautiful growing weather. A
sni.'ill amount of cot.ton is being planted.
Food crops are increased 20 per cent.
Irish potatoes are up six or eight inches,
mid doing well; beaus up; peas nearly
ready to ship. The cabbage crop is
hot up to the general average.
Atlanta, Ga., April 4, 1893.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA WAY.
Ilio Joint Debate In Postmaster Bissell’s
< nio-.
The News and Courier's account of
the meeting of Senator Butler and ex
Representatives Hemphill and Johnstone
with Senator Irby and Congressmen
Strait, Latimer and Talbert, is as fol
lows:
Washington, April 5. —(Special.)—There
was a sensational discussion in the of
fice of the postmaster genera) this after
Jiopn between the rival political factions
in South Carolina. As has been already
stated in these dispatches, the president
designated Postmaster General Bissell
to act as arbitrator between the Tillman
and anti-Tillmau factions in congress,
who are hopelessly divided on the sub
ject of federal patronage.
A joint discussion of the subject, was
arranged for this afternoon, and- the
hearing took place in the office of the
postmaster general. Senator Butler and
ex-Representatives J. J. Hemphill and
George Johnstone represented the con
servatives or anti-Tillrnan faction, and
Senator Irby, with Representatives-elect
Strait. Latimer and Talbert represented
the Tillmanites.
Messrs. Strait and Latimer were
charged with being third party men, and
therefore not entitled to control the
patronage in their respective districts.
They protested, and asked to have an op
portunity to face their accusers. As soon
as the conference assembled the bad
blood ou both sides began to boil vigo
rously, and several times it appeared as
though the rival leaders would come to
blows.
Senator Butler denounced Messrs.
Strait. McLaurin and Latimer as third
party men, and insisted that they bad no
right, after their conduct previous to
the nomination at Chicago, to claim re
cognition as democrats. He then went
into a long discussion of the local troubles
in the state, aud indulged quite freely
in personalities reflecting more or less
upon the entire Tillman contingent. Ho
was inspired by the fact that Governor
Tillman has declared his intention to
capture the seat now occupied by Sen
ator Butler in the senate.
Senator Irby took the floor, and was
equally as vigorous in his attack upon
Butler and the faction he represents. He
said that only Butler's age and infirmi
ties prevented him from responding in a
more appropriate manner to the state
ments that he (Butler) had just made.
Postmaster General Bissell was fre
quently called upon to restrain the im
petuous South Carolinians, for they evi
dently imagined they were on the stump
at home engaged in one of the joint de
bates which rendered their last cam
paign notorious.
Senator Irby called attention to the
fact that he had been informed that Sen
ator Butler stated that be intended to
attend the conference then in session
with a pistol and a walking stick. That
charge was afterwards proved to be in
correct.
For more than an hour there was cross
firing from both sides, and Postmaster
General Bissell found it difficult to de
termine which side had the better of
the argument. Personalities flew thick
and fast from one side to the other, and
the dramatic climax was reached when
Senator Irby declared that he was re
sponsible for every statement he made,
"here and elsewhere.”
Ex-Representatives Hemphill and
Johnstohe. who were defeated by Messrs
Strait and Latimer, took part in the dis
cussion, and proceeded to show that their
successors were not pure democrats. In
their reply Messrs. Strait and Latimer
declared that they were elected on the
same ticket with Cleveland and Steven
son. and were voted for by their oppo
nents at the primaries.
It was the intention of the president
and the postmaster general to bring
about a reconciliation between the con
tending factions, but today’s proceed
ings widened the breach, and it is diffi
cult to tell what the outcome will be. A
stenographic report of the speeches was
made, and when the speeches are writ
ten out they will be submitted to the
president for final decision. R. M. L.
Make a note of It—Twenty-five cents
buvs the best liniment out. Salvation Oil.
THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, APRIL 12, 1893.
FARM AND HOME.
"Don’t tell me or tomorrow
Give me the man who'll Bay
That when a good deed's to be done,
Let’s do the deed todayl
We may command the present,
If we act und never wait,
But repentance is the phantom
Os the past that comes too late,”
COW PEAS.
The cow pea has been termed the south
ern clover as a renovator of the soil. Like
the clover It draws from the atmosphere
a large proportion of the elements re
quired in Its production, and does not ex
haust the soil like the cereals, tobacco,
cotton, and those plants whose production
can only be iiiulntalucd by a continuous
application of manure. Since the war mil
lions of dollars have been spent by Geor
gia farmers for commercial fertilizers
that In DIOS' eases tthe good they were ’o
do never materialized) left the soil Iu u
poorer condition than before their appli
cation. They Impau'd no humus or veget
able matter to the soil but exhausted v but
little there was already In. Had their
use been accompanied by peas as a reno
vator to Impart vegetable matter, with a
Judicious rotation of crops, the land In
stead of being Impoverished would have In
creased iu fertility. Forty years ago
there were lauds In Maryland and Vir
ginia, as poor as any In Georgia, that
would not produce three bushels of wheat
to the acre, but now produce thirty and
forty bushels to the acre, and their fertil
ity has been developed by clover uud prop
er rotation of crops.
Mr. P. J. Berekmans, In an essay on
cow peus, read at the Agricultural Conven
tion In Milledgeville, In 1877, refers to
this plant as a renovator of the soil In the
following language:
“When, for a succession of years, the
plants of the exhausting class have been
cultivated upon the same soil. It becomes
impoverished In the elements necessary
to their production. If we plant corn after
and oats after corn, It Is only a
question of time, after this system has
been practiced for some years, to find our
crops dw.ndled down to small proportion*.
To remedy this, and return to the soli the
elements required to perfect grain or
cotton crops, we have the cow pea as a
renovator and nourishing plant tor our
exhausted soli. Even if we are unwilling
to return to mother earth n portion of the
elements of fertility she has been robbed
of In producing our cereals, by plow ing In
a whole crop of pea vines, we will find
that the roots which rema.n after the -re
moval of Ihe crop have returned a con
siderable portion of potash to it; and by
following a regular system of rotation
from grain to cotton, and from cotton to
peas, our lauds will retain the necessary
elements of fertl. ty with little loss."
“Aside from the value of the cow pea
as a renovator of soils, when used by it
self, it is the most valuable plant we
have In producing manure—making mate
rial. We need ammonia in our lands; this
cannot be produced by using green plants
us a crop for plowing .n, but we have It
in the manure produced by our cotton.
We have been too much dependent upon
commercial fertilizers containing ammonia
and forgett.ng that the fertilizer Is pro
duced by cattle fed upon grain and hay.
Too little hay Is produced to feed cattle
during winter, thus losing the recuperating
elements of abundant supply of stable
manure, not mention.ng the barren re
sults of Illy fed and l.ly sheltered stock.
With the cultivation of hay producing
plants in sufflc.ent quantities, we gain an
ainp.e supply of nourishing food for our
stock, an abundance of fertlliz.ng material
from the manure derived from their winter
feeding, all the element required to keep
our soil In good producing capacity and
the satisfaction of being freed from the
shameful necessity of depending upon
Maine and Vermont for the food of bar
stock."
HORTICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE.
Orleanders, which at oue time could be
had of the rose color only, now exist In
very many varieties, besides In both
single and double forms. Requiring but
cellar room In winter they are deservedly
popular. After attaining a year or two’s
growth they can be relied ou to bloom
every summer thereafter.
The Best Pear. —The Bartlett pear is the
best of all for general use, and pays
growers for market the best of all. Its
white flesh when used for preserving is
very much in Its favor. Those who like
a bright red colored preserve think a good
.deal of the Lawrence as the say it can
hardly be told from the quince.
Japanese Anemones are unsurpassed for
fine display iu the lute fall months.
There are purple, white and other colors,
allowing of their blendlug in a bed to good
advantage. The plants like a deep, moist
soil. Should the place they occupy be
wanted for the planting of bulbs they
may- be dug up and housed iu the cellar
until t\e spring.
Give Them Air.—Plants recently taken to
cellars for the winter need ail the air they
can get now. There Is decay of the foli
age, and the moisture from them tends
to breed fungus ou unripe wood. A great
many old leaves ou the plants can be cut
oft to advantage. Without air partly
ripened wood will rot. This is noticeable
in hydrangeas, which often lose their
wood in damp cellars when first housed.
A Mistake.—A writer In a floral maga
zine says that public opinion has decided
that the woodo f the cross was made of a
species of holly, di ex vertlcillata. As this
is the deciduous holly of our swamps, a
shrub, which bears bright scarlet berries
in the fall, aud which is known as swamp
alder, either public opinion or the corres
pondent will have to try again.
Window Flowers.—lt is very- often the
case that flowering plants in windows are
set there that they may afford a pleasing
picture to passers by. In this case the
plant’s should not be turned around occa
sionally as they should be where the in
side picture is of the most consequence-
Turning the pot around halt way, presents
the plants showing too much to one side.
Young Pansy Plants can be left out of
doors all winter if they are not wanted
for winter blooming. Even It they are
they can be left out and lifted and potted
towards spring. The slightest covering of
forest leaves Is sufficient in winter, in
deed were it not that frost Is apt to trow
them out of the ground towards spring no
covering would be required.
The Residue of Wine Grapes.—ln the
wine making districts of France the resi
due of the grapes after being pressed is
preserved in cement cisterns for cattle
feeding. A little salt is added to It, form
ing a mass which cattle relish very much.
We arc less economical in these matters
than Europeans are, but as wine making is
getting to be such a large industry with
us, what to do with the refuse may be
worth considering.
GREEN SEEDS AND EARLY FRUIT.
Correspondents of Garden and Forest re
mark upon rhe evidence afforded by re
cent experiments that seeds from Imma
ture fruit will give a product requiting less
than the usual time to ripen, and that the
earliuess thus gained can be Increased by
continuing the selection. This has been ob
served. according to Dr. E. Lewis Sturte
vant, at the New York Experiment Sta
tion, in the varieties of corn, turnip aud
cabbage. At Purdue University, Indiana,
a gain of from fifteen to twenty days has
been obtained by early selection. Prof.
Arthur, of Purdue University, has ob
served further that the plant as well as
the fruit thus cultivated tends to early
ripeness, and hence the period of frultful-
ncR«, or the time between the first and the
last ripe fruit, is much shortened. With
the Increase In amount of fruit, according
to Prof. Arthur, there is also a correspond
ing decrease In the size of the vegetable
parts of the plant—that Is. the stems aud
foliage. A tomato plant grown from green
seed Iu the fourth generation was found
to bear three and a fourth times as much
fruit us top or stems and leaves together,
while a similar plant from ripe seed had
only one and an eighth times as much
fruit as tops. It follows that, while earli
nes* may be considered ns a usual condi
tion In all crops from unripe seed, an In
crease In the amount of the crop occurs
only when the true fruit Is the pint har
vested, us In fomutoen nnd pm*, and a de
crease In the nniOimt of the crops wtieu any
part licslde* the fruit Is bui vi -ted, as in
turnips ami potatoes.—Popular Science
Monthly.
TO GET AT THE FACTS.
Regarding Hood'* Sarsaparilla, ask the
people who take the medicine, or read the
testimonials often published in this paper.
They will certainly convince you that
flood’s Sarsaparilla possesses unequalled
merit, and tl.at Mood’s cures.
Hood’s Pills cure constipation by re
storing the appetite action of the ali
mentary canal. They are the best family
cathartic.
MEWS FROM LEXINGTON.
The Blue Granite Company Reorganized—
Farm Work in Oglethorpe,
Lexington, Ga., April 6.—The Lexing
ton Blue Granite Company was reor
ganized on Saturday last at a meeting
of the stockholders in Athens, Ga. Col.
John 11. Winder, the superintendent of
the Georgia, Carolina aud Northern
railroad was elected president of the
company. Official tests at Washington
City praise this granite to be the best
in the United States.
Rev. I). L. Anderson, a missionary
to China ami who is now on a visit to
Georgia has been in Lexington since
Sntiirady last. He preached at the
Methodist church here on Sunday morn
ing and at night at the same church
gave an interesting and entertaining talk
on China and missionary works in China.
He has two very bright ami hinqlsome
little sous with him. He preached hero
tonight. lie is a son of Mr. J. H. An
derson who lived a number of years in
Augusta and is no doubt well known
in your city.
The Lexington Skating Club had a
brilliant carnival at their hall on Friday
night lust. The costumes were decided
ly attractive, and the hull was filled to
overflowing and every availbte place
occupied by spectators.
Quite a lot of business was disposed
of in the Court of Ordinary here on
Monday last.
The County Board of Commissioners
on Tuesday despatched much country
business. The pauper farm, under
their supervision is well managed and is
almost self-sustaining and costs the
county very little to take cure of the
paupers. The farm has over three hun
dred acres of land and is well improved.
'i’he only property sold on Tuesday
was the lands of the estate of the late
W. B. Brightwell. Almost all of it was
wild lands scattered in different parts
of Georgia, and it sold very low, inas
much as very few care to own these
hinds which are generally involved in
litigation and desperate titles .
Farmers here on Tuesday report large
acreages in wheat, outs and corn in
this county. Oglethorpe is doing its best
to raise its own supplies. Large crops
of grain were raised here hist year and
the hog crops very much increased, and
the result now is that less corn and
meat have been bought in this county
this year than any year since the war.
The farmers are well up with their
werk, although they were compelled by
wet and cold weather to be late in com
mencing work on their lands.
The County Alliance will meet here
ou Wednesday next. Their purpose is
tc reorganize in its first fundamental
principles, and let politics alone. They
wish now to got the people interested in
agriculture and the best plans of sus
taining themselves ami improving their
condition.
Our big farmer. Col. James M. Smith.
sustained quite a loss a few days ago
in having a large number of excellent
outbuildings burned. His loss is $2,000
or more dollars. The fire was accidental.
OGLETHORPE.
A $2,500,000 COTTON MILL.
A Big Cotton Factory Soon to Be Erected
in New Orleans.
New Orleans. April 7.—lt is rumored,
and the rumor is believed by responsible
parties to be based upon substantial
facts, that New Orleans is soon to pos
sess another cotton factory. The report
is to the effect that the plant will be a
very large one and that the immense
sum of $2,500,000 is to be invested iu
the enterprise.
Very naturally the people interested i
in so important and considerable an un
dertaking are not prepared to speak of
their plans until all their arrangements
have been perfected and the site for the
factory secured, but there arc excellent
indications that efforts to procure the
necessary site are being made.
Another cotton mill of the proportions
that so large an investment, of capital
would warrant would be a great addi
tion to the manufacturing facilities of
this city and would afford employment
to a large number of people, besides add
ing substantially to the consumption of
Southern cotton in the South itself.
For some time past it has been rumor
ed that certain New England cotton
manufacturers were considering the ad
visability of establishing plants in New
Orleans, because of the facilities possess
ed by this city for securing cheap sup
plies of raw cotton and for shipping the
manufactured cotton cloth. The new en
terprise referred to. however, is believed
to be mainly backed by local capitalists.
SCHOONER GROUNDED.
Washington, April 11.—Superintendent
Kimball, of the life saving service, has
received a telegram from the keeper of
False Cape station. Virginia. stating
that the schooner Charles E. Balch, of
New York, bound for Norfolk, came
ashore at that point this monring. The
crew of nine men are still on board
the vessel, which is in good condition,
the wind strong aud the sea running
high.
JOHNSON CRASS
AND
Alelilotxi© ©eccl.
We have a good supply of choice, well
cleaned Johnson Grass and Melilotus Seed
for sale. Correspondence solicited.
C. YOUNG & BRO., Selma, Ala.
Highest of all in Leavening Power.—Latest U. S. Gov’t Report.
SHADOW ON THE SUN.
“■ '■
The Wonders of a Total Eclipse
Will Be Visible April 16.
Extensive Preparations are Beinff
Made for Photographing the
Beautiful Corona.
Astronomers, on Their Way to Southern
Countries to Obtain a Good View.
Princeton, N. J.. April 10.—Just now
the interest for astronomers is very much
taken up with the total eclipse of the
sun, which is to occur on April 10.
The shadow which, like a long black
tail, extends nearly 250,<M)0 miles beyond
the moon, will then brush its tip across
the face of mother earth, first touching
the I’aeifie ocean off the coast of Chili,
traversing the whole w’dtii of South
America, crossing the Atlantic, ami
finally leaving the globe in the middle of
the "Dark Continent.” Wherever it
touches there will boa circle of dark
ness, varying in width from 80 to 120
miles, and it will move with a speed
exceeding that of a cannon ball, occupy
ing from three minutes to four aud three'
quarters in passing over any spot which
is upon the centre of its track. The
fortunate observers so situated will, it
the weather is clear, witness the wonders
of a total eclipse.
The moon will appear to first strike tie
surface of the sun. und little by little
will encroach upon it until the whole oi
the blazing, disk is covered. Then, while
the shadow is passing the scarlet chro
mosphere, the so-called “prominences,
and above all the mysterious corona,
the most beautiful of all celestial ob
jects will become visible for a fewt brie,
moments, until the sunlight again bursts
forth.
On such occasions the exact moments
when the moon’s edge first touches anu
finally leaves the sun,- and when "totali
ty” begins and ends, are carefully noted,
since .such observations, made at known
stations, are of great value iu deter
mining the moon’s place and motion. But
at present still greater interest attaches
to the "astro-physical” observations
which are possible only during the few
seconds of total obscuration —observa-
tions with tsp i-troscopes. photometers,
polariscopes, and especially with photo
graphic apparatus of various kinds.
With the spectroscope the
will try to study the peculiar phenomena
which accompany the beginning and close
of totality, when for an instant the fa
miliar dark-lined .spectrum of the sun
is transformed, and is filled with line*
that are bright instead of dark; lines
which, thoroughly observed and identi
fied. would yield a most instructive recora
of the constitution of the solar surface,
and settle instantly a long docket of
disputed questions.
But the visual observations are nec
essarily hurried and difficult, and afford
great scope for personal bias; if the pho
tographic plate can be made to registe*
the fleeting facts—and the attempt w>
be made on this occasion with better
prospects of success than ever before—
then the record, if less complete than
that, given by ocular observations, will
be more certain and trustworthy. Hith
erto, it is true, photography has not been
very successful in dealing with this ph
nomenon, but since the last attempt the
instruments and plates which are to be
used have been greatly improved.
During the three or ftfur minutes be
tween* the critical instants at the be
ginning anil ending of the totality, the
spectroscopists will be busy with the
prominences and the eOrona, seeking to
utilize the advantageous circumstances
to obtain some new information as to
their constitution and physical condition,
and in this deliberate work there is no
question that photography will be most
successfully employed.
There are a number of problems con
nected with the absolute and relative
brightness of the different parts of the
corona, aud polarization of it’s light, am.'
these will occupy the photometers anu
polariscopee.
But the most prominent part by sat
in the observation of the eclipse will b,
taken by photography. As already in
dicated, many of the spectroscopes wi!
work photographically; but besides this
there will be a multitude of cameras ot
various construction designed to obtain
pictures of the corona and prominences;
Some of them use reflecting telescopes,
some refracting telescopes of the ordi
nary construction, nnd soimf are large
cameras, with specially constructed com
binations of lenses. Some of them employ
plates sensitive only to the invisible vio
let ultra rays which are peculiarly abun
dant in the light of the corona, while
others will use iso-chroma tic plates,
giving a picture more nearly resembling
what Is seen by the human eye. At
present the study of the corona consti
tutes distinctly the main object of
eclipse observations, because the phenom
enon in itself Is so beautiful nnd wonder
ful, *S so imperfectly understood, and be
cause, while other solar phenomena are at
all times more or less accessible to mod
ern methods of observation, this alone
can be observed only while the sun is
hidden by the moon.
A large number of parties are now on
their way to observe the eclipse at var-
I ions points in South America aud As
! riea. There is no government expedition
from the United States, but two small
parties go from this country to Chili,
one of them is under the charge of Prof.
Schaeberle, of the Lick Observatory,
and takes an outfit almost wholly pho
tographic. devoted entirely to the' study
of the corona.’ The observations are to
be made fifty or' sixty miles inland and
at an elevation of 4,000 or 5.000 feet, so
as to avoid the haze which in the early
morning usually envelopes the coast in
this season of the year. Another party,
hailing from Harvard observatory, is iu
charge of Mr. Bailey, who has had a
long experience in astronomical photog
raphy in California nnd Perue. It is
quite possible that his party may be
; joined by Prof. IV. H. Pickering (broth
; er of the . director of the Cambridge ob
servatory.) from Arequipa, where the
new Boyden Fund observatory is being
erected. The writer does not know cer
tainly of any other parties which will
observe in Chili, though it is under
stood that the Chilian government has
taken measures to secure observations.
Mr. Thome, the successor of Dr. Gould
in the directorship of the National ob
servatory of the Argentine Republic at
Cordova, will occupy a station at Ros
ario de la Froutora. a little northeast of
Tucuman So fa' - us we can learn there
will be no other observers in nil the in
terior of the vast continent; the <M>u iry
is iuii'-'oesslble, ami the weather <ondi
lions are unfavorable. Ou the Atlautie
coast, where the eclipse track passea
into the ocean not far from Ceara, tlieti
will b<- at I’ar.-i ('lira a thoroughly equip
pod party of Lnglisli observers under the
charge of A. Taylor, who. ns I’rof. Lock- 1
.ver's assistant at South Keusiug
tou. has had an cxiensive experience iu
spectrum pliotography.
Jlic Brazilian National Observatory
of Rio Janeiro is also expected to send
a party to that neighborhood, nnd the
Brazilian government has offered to put
n gunboat at. the disposal of foreign as
tronomers who may wish to reach .he
station from Pernambuco. It has been
reporti-d that Prof. 11. S.
St. Louis would take a small pprty to
this station, but we have seen no sUi e
meiit that he has actually gone. At
Para Cura the eclipse wilt nnve a dura
tion of four minutes aud forty-four sec
onds—unusually long—with the sun
nearly overhead; but the weather pros
pects are rather doubtful, as April is in
the rainy season.
The line of total eclipse after crossing
the Atlantic strikes the African const
at Senegambiti, «l little south of Cape
Verde. More two large parities, one
French and one English, will be esta r
lished. The French party, sent out by
the bureau des longitudes under H"
charge of M. Deslandres and M. Bigour
dan. will be on the coast very near .loal.
Count de In Baume Plnvinel will aho
have a small private party in the
vicinity. Their observations will be botn
spectroscopic and photgraphic.
The English party, in charge of Prof.
Thorpe, will ascend the Salem river
for some distance in a gunboat to a
place called Fundium. a station put at
their disposal by the French governraeno
This party is the largest nnd most per
fectly equipped of all that have coni"
to our knowledge. It consists of four
principal observers, all of them men or
eclipse experience, with a number o.
assistants, aud they take with them a
verv complete outfit of appajatus. in
cluding photometers and polariscopes, a* l
well as spectroscopes and camera< me
chances of fine weather are regarded as
almost amounting to certainty, and the
duration of the eclipse will be about
four minutes eight seconds. There is
everv reason therefore to hope tor
teresting and important results from
African parties.
THE SPRING,
Os all seasons in the year, is one fi r
making radical changes in regard to brailL
During the winter, the system becomes.’
a certain extent clogged with waste, ami
the blood loaded by Impurities on mi, o
lack of exercise, close eonflnemeut in
poorly ventilated shops and homes, ail
other causes. This Is the cause, >«•
dull, sluggish, tired feeling so /
this season, and which mus. !>•/
or the health may be entirely i
Hood s Sarsaparilla has attaliJX R I
est popularity all ever the ert 1 IXI
favorite Spring Medicine, bf I M
accumulation of impurities
bowels, kidneys, liver, lungs
gives to the blood the purity
necessary to good health aud
that tired feeling. > clllU
miners to
Nashville, Tenn., April nX-TT-’
quite generally conceded that thert ;
a possibility for further troubles in i
mining districts in May. It is an cp
secret that a general strike is in prepa
ation to take effect May 1, and sta--
civil and military authorities are prep
ing for another attack upon the conrij
working iu mines. Positions are bet
strengthened, fortifications and eve
thing being put in readiness for the atiai
The Legislature Ims passed a bill
thorizing the governor to use the j
force of the state to suppress disordf
It is not believed that Tennessee
are back of the movement to any g).
extent, but that agitators from Ken
ky are trying to manipulate
threatened strike so as to cause trou
MOB VIOLENCE FEARED. I
Louisville, Ky., April 11.—Mob (
lence was feared at Morganfield yei
day and the jail was strongly guai
to prevent the assassins of Mrs. Hi
DeLaney, nee Oliver, from being tl
out and lynched by infuriated citfr
Lewis Land, who made a confes
has been taken to Henderson for sa
Albert Carter is still at large.
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