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The Hemp Industry of the Philippines,. THE prospector seeking for in vestment need not dig below the surface in Ibe Philippines. The culture and harvesting cf hemp is tlie biggest gold mine he will find. 'i‘lie islands seem to have been especially made for the benefit of ihe abaca plant. The moist lliouglt not swampy country to the south of Manila, the Camarin-s, Samar, Leyte and Cebu, would produce a solid over growth of tbo abaca trees if left to take its own course. The tree itself resembles closely the banana palm, but differs essentially in the fineness of its fibre and its bar renness of fruit. The natives, too, seem to have been espeei. dy provided for the hemp coun try. Tending to improvidence and In doiency, the hemp industry furnishes them employment whenever they run short of rloe and tobacco, for hemp (•an lie harvested almost at any time except dining the short rainy season. Attempts have been made to trans plant the hemp trees, taking them only as far away as Borneo, but the inusa textiles refused to cohabitate with any but Philippine soli. The Pacific slopes of the volcanic regions of the islands produce the boat plants. Although the abaca tree coddles to thin soil, and rather dry, quickly drained localities, the trunk and leaves demand frequent and abundant moisture. Given the proper conditions, tlie vast plantations wfll thrive like asparagus beds. Very little cultivation is required; an occa sional weeding and a replanting at the harvest time and nature does the rest. The crop Is not gathered ns If it were a corn field, but the trees are found In all stages of growth, and the native passes through regular routes, slashing a plnut here and there, Ids practised eye the sole Judge of its ma turity. Three years Is the proper age for harvesting. The hemp-stripper goes forth mud) ns a huntsman 11AHVKSTING THE ABAC I, OR HEMr CUANT, would. With bin bolo in belt mul n Imniboo canteen full of rice slung over his shoulder, he liles himself to the uplands. After feeling the plants, which at the age of three years are about ten feet high, he proceeds to clip off n shoot and repaid it. After number of trees are cut the strip ping process begins. All the leaves are torn otT and the outer skin of the fc'nlk is peeled off. Inside of the trunk is n pithy suostanee, and around this are layers of fibre imbedded in h soft juicy substance. The fibre must be separated from the stalk at once V ' It rot. Many Americans have eti islied the Idea of exporting the tn Intact, but the enterprise is not fei Me because of the perishable naturt the pulpous segrement. A bamboo-made bench is luif vised, and at one end the stripper Id Flis bolo; the handle attached to I j ot by another bamboo strip. Act Ith \ *'h*de i*c draws the stalk until j.e Is thoroughly separated with try, preserving its length of fr t to ten feet, and leaving It I beautiful that the tropical .t has lick up the moisture stilt bleed! or Canothe operation. The work of many thal'g i- s very tiresome and requires gestion, tfl ~r a traiuwl hand. • legislature ll * to ,uan llns of *cn attempted for atttempi'*' " |H * n the brown man’s ~ \ , stripping the hemp, but de as the punishniv. jitures aIM , ingenious It is thought tha r j vnnoeß n0 luaehiue parts. As well try to produce a ma chine to comb the snarls out of a wom an’s hair as to make a mechanical hemp-stripper. The native Is paid for his work In hemp, dividing the product equally with the plantation owner. When lie cuts and strips all he can carry, he twists up the fibre into a great roll ami goes down to the plantation own er’s lions-, and there the division is made. 1 hey then liang up the rolls until the middle-man or contractor comes along and a bargain is struck. The bales are crudely fastened to gether and carried to the nearest port i • ! 'V.v., .i,Vv.J J ; ,.|. ' ' BALING HEMP. and shipped usually to Manila, where they are separated, rebaled and shipped either to Hong Ivong, where there is an Immense rope-walk, or to New York, Boston or London. Tlie rope-walk at Hong Kong is one of tlie largest in tlie world. Its product prac tically supplies China. Japan aiul Aus tralia. Very little hemp is made Into rope or twine in Manila. Although crude rope-walks exist in different parts of tlie island, their manufac tured article, although strong and durable, would not compete in tlie for elgli market. Ilemp subserves every purpose that leather might witli tlie native. lie twists it into sandals, uses it for harnesses, and It answers for blndcis in tlie building of bis ulpa lint. Tlie utility of hemp is well un derstood to the Filipino. Tlie finer quality is selected and reserved for weaving purposes, being made up into really handsome cloth, while (lie or dinary hemp Is universally used to make a coarse though durable mate rial, worn generally by tlie natives, who delight in gaudy colors and pic turesque though scanty costumes. There is still another texture woven from tlie selected strands of outer fibre, Intermixed with tlie fibre of tlie pine-leaf. The cloth has tlie semblance MICHIGAN... IU 14 r,C,BtW ' MINNESOTA.. 9 9 58,875 MLSBISSIPPI . . 9 ,and - I U’ MISSOURI 17 lk ~~3 NEBRASKA , 8 ll NEVADA. .. \3; turns litinSen. •>..•< an tut- onma man, and is averse to the Celestial get ting control of the plantations or con tracts. while scorning up-to-date meth ods himself. The “Cheno,” however, has made inroads in this industry, ns well as in others in the Philippines. Had he not, the development would tlie baling and local marketing of the liemp. The presses at the seaport towns are crude affairs. After tlie fibre is classi fied and separated into three piles or classes, it is dumped in bulk into a huge press and a screw applied. Af ter tills operation it is taken out aud put into another press of more regular design and of more imposing charac ter. The second press is operated by an eight-armed capstan on an over head platrorrn, and a score or more of naked coolies, usually Chinese, push it around. Tim sight is mofjt amusing. With grunts, laughs and confused jar gon and raillery they urge each otiiev on and manage to bring their strength together at loudly accentuated periods. A good sized press will turn out 300 to 400 bales a day, and in the course of a year a million or more bales are prepared lor shipment. In Cebu large quantities are handled, principally the products of Leyte and Samar, al though in Manila the largest presses are in operation. The classification of hemp requires the skill of an old hand, and the expe rienced eye of a buyer who knows all the tricks of the trade. The native will bring his hemp down from tlie plantation in a moist state and offer it for sale at night, hoping thus to fool tlie middle-man as to weight and qual ity, but ns this part of tlie business is mostly in tlie bands of the Chinese, there is little danger that they will be deceived or cheated. The China man is tlie sharpest bargain-driver in the world, and whether it is hemp, silk or old junk, lie is fully capable of looking after his interests. Fine ness of fibre, color, strength niul length determine tlie value and grade of hemp. If it be carefully stripped over a smooth knife, immediately and thoroughly dried, aud of good length, it will bring the highest price. If it lie carelessly stripped, juice being left in tlie fibre, it loses its color and be comes coarse. It then is considered of a second and third grade quality and brings a smaller price. The na tive watches tlie market, and if lie hear tlie demand is heavy lie takes advantage of the middle-man and compels him to pay first-grade prices for sceord and third grade pro ducts. Formerly hemp brought in Ma nila from 870 to $l5O per ton, always fluctuating according to tlie supply, at times going up to S3OO per ton. but at present tlie price Is practically pro hibitive, and it looks ns if it would remain so for the next two years.—Ed win Wildman, in Harper’s Weekly. k Wild Sheep Shooting;. The sheep began to move toward us. It had been a long climb to get be yond aiul above them, but now we had our reward. On they came, only two hundred yards away. 1 could see their white muzzles.as though they bad been sticking their noses into a flour bag. Now I could see tlie wrin kles in the horns of tlie rams. The hoofs of the advancing flock made a swishing, pattering sound, and they wore ouly fifty yards away. I took the nearest ram, and lie never drew breath again. Johnnie’s forty-four barked spitefully, lie made a neat bit on another ram, further away than my already dying victim, but failed to stop it. Those sheep did not sail away like deer, touching here and there a high place. They flattened themselves out, shot around a corner, aud were gone. Johnnie followed, and 1 was alone. In a few seconds I heard Johnnie's gun feebly thumping away. There was no echoing roar, such as you hear in tlie thick woods. I picked my way cautiously after Johnnie, and when I saw the jumps ho had made, and the chances he had taken, I knew there was much for me to learn about hasty mountain travel. Johnnie shot six times, nud two hundred yards ahead, on tlie crooked, rocky descent the sheep had taken. 1 found him ou his knees by the big ram. Three bul lets had struck.—Scribner’s. The Fiit Mho's FreKmliince, YVo are pretty sure for long gener ations of seeing the preponderance of northern races. One of their peculiar ities is that of being heavy eaters. This is inconsistent with a clean-built figure. The modern capitalist rarely conies from a climate like that of Ath ens or Naples, lie fortifies himself against the long winters of New Y’ork, London. Amsterdam, Berlin and Frank fort by substantial and oft-recurring meals. His body is a quiek-coiubus tlon stove wrapped up iu warm gar ments that prevent light, easy motion. Meu of the money-making class have considerable girth of waistcoat.—Lou don Truth. The tonnage of the whole mercan tile steam marine of Russia, Japan or Holland does not equal the tonnage the merchant vessels taken over English government as trails- A FIELD FOR NEW WOMEN. Feminine Wnge Kerners a Success as Farmers—Fair Kunch Owners. Of all the new vocations in which men are amazed to see women excel ling, farming is, as a feminine achieve ment, tlie most astonishing. But when it is considered how large a share women have always had in the hard work of the farms and how much the thrifty fanner has always owed to his thrifty wife, the cause for astonish ment lies, not in the success of women as farmers, but in the fact that not till very recent years has she thought or proven herself equal to assuming the responsibility of field culture. Heretofore she lias made the dairy and poultry product furnish the gro ceries and the wearing apparel for herself and children, besides many ex tras in the way of carpets and furni ture, and in doing this she was sup posed to reach the limit of her capa bilities. She was not supposed to know anything about tlie reason for rotation of crops, nor of methods of draining and fertilizing. These the farmers discussed with each other, if the “women folks” were present, iu the way they talked politics—as far above feminine comprehension as the planets are above the earth, and yet to-day women are working wonders on farms that are under their abso lute control. The latest prodigy is Miss Margaret liogers, of Monterey County, Cal. She rounds up the cattle on her father’s ranch and her own, oversees the branding, clips tlie lambs’ ears, breaks the colts and races all over the foot hills In divided skirts, and on a fiery horse, chasing the stampeded steers, and has even pursued Mexican out laws, and recaptured some of her sto len sheep. Tliere are other women in the West running large ranches profitably, and throughout the Middle and Southern States they are farming small places iu a way that insures them a comfort able living when, but for this venture, they would have to Join the vast army of bread-winners crowding the cities and depending upon sewing, boarding house keeping or factory work for a very* uncertain maintenance. But successful farming on a moder ate or small scale is not the proud achievement of country-bred women alone. Just as it has often proved that the city girl makes a most ener getic farmer’s wife, so it is now prov ing that a city woman of fair intelli gence and education can rent a little farm and manipulate its various inter ests and products oftentimes quite as successfully as her country sister. One reason for this is that the city woman thoroughly understands the needs of different classes of people, and goes iu for specialties to cater to | them; appreciating the fact, because of her wide range of observation iu i tlie competitive market, that appear ; antes have a vast deal to do witli the | salableness of the kindly fruits of the ; earth. According to the last census there were 312 commercial greenhouses ! owned and managed by women, or ' about seven per cent, of the total nuni : her of such floral establishments, and all were reported as prosperous and ; flourishing. A New Jersey woman is ' raising mushrooms and netting sixty cents a pound for them. | Outside ot New Y’ork there is a woman who is laying up big money ou the sale of violets, and she, too, | was a city woman who knew that the ! rich would pay well for the biggest and sweetest blooms, j Bee keeping is another profitable source of income for tlie woman farm er. The honey sells readily In the lit tle pound boxes iu which the bees make It, or It is strained and sold to wholesale druggists, aud as the wax sells by the pound to the sailmaking establishments there is no waste in the hive. There Is always ready sale for fine poultry for the table, while if she goes in for egg farming the product of a hundred good hens will alone maintain her and a small family. And then women are going beyond these industries to knowing how clo ver, rye, wheat and corn should bo planted, harvested and sold, and their success with small fruits proves con clusively that for an intelligent wom an who has not had the special train ing now demanded of every applicant for all the bread-winning professions or clerkships, is a living to be bad on a few acres—gained in a way that is healthful, agreeable and in close touch with the beauties of na ture.—Philadelphia Record. Some Manicuring Hint*. The nail as it should be Is about one ; nud a half times as long as it is broad, and always shows a crescent at the base. Highly polished or pointed nails are not indicative of good taste. They should have a natural .gloss aud be neatly rounded at the top. If tlie nails are rounded off with the file every day they will not need to be cut with the scissors, which is inju rious. In order to keep the crescent at the base well formed the skin should be pushed back from the nail with the towel, or. if necessary, with a blunt orange stick every time the hands are washed. The orange stick is excellent also for cleaning the finger naijs after they have'-been soaked for a few minutes in warm water containing a little lemon juice. If the nails show a tendency to brit tleness a little soaking in warm oliva oil after removing them from the lem on water and an application of cold cream at night will prove beneficial. In polishing the nails with the cha mois polisher neither paste nor pow der should be used. Powder makes the nails brittle, and paste gives an undesirably high color. After using the file to round the finger nails in shape it is well to use an emery strip to remove any rough ness that remains. Persons upon whom nature has not bestowed taper shaped fingers some times try to attain them by the use of various devices. Metal cones reach ing to the second joint, to be worn at night, are supposed to secure this re sult, but unless one begins at an early age, when the fingers are soft and amenable to external appliances, it is doubtful if tiiey would produce the desired effect. Tn*te vs. Clieck-lSook. The woman who may at her pleasure order her wardrobe from the most ex clusive dressmakers, tailors and mil liners, who is able to give carte blanche to these artists and fulfill her part of the contract by being fitted, and signing a check in settlement of her bills, however large, is often re garded with envy by her less fortu nate acquaintances. Tailor-made gowns of exquisite fit and costly fab ric, evening toilets filmy witli lace and dainty with jewels, make great in roads on a limited income, and ouly the rich have a right to array them selves in these, without a thought of tlie price to be paid. Yet a woman may spend an enormous sum ou her apparel and still fail of securing the chic and modish effect which makes one well dressed. Once for all, it must be observed that attire which shouts at one, which proclaims the shekels that it cost, which is in any way loud or inharmonious, or, again, which de tracts attention from the wearer and fixes it upon itself, Is a failure. It may be a good advertisement for ihe merchants who sold the materials, and for the modistes who manufactured them, but it acts as an extinguisher on the lady whom it was meant to adorn.—Collier’s Weekly. Autumn Novelties. Wide, folded belts of satin or panne velvet are still fashionable, adJJrare on many of the gowns now being de signed for the autumn. They are not easy to make, and require to be care fully fitted. The only time when they are possible for a short-waisted per son is when they are worn under a bolero jacket. A smart gown is light blue cloth that has just been made up (fortunately for a long-waisted, slen der woman) has one of these belts in black satin that is nearly a quarter of a yard wide. Small watch-charms or bracelet cliaVms are now quite a fad with smartly gowned women, quite a clus ter of them being seen on bracelets or watch-chains. Some of these charms are of stone, like topazes and nme tysts, and there aije many set in heart shape or points, with a thread of gold around them, or with what looks like a shank of closely set brilliants.—Har per’s Bazar. Newest Fashions. Laces are used on everything this fall from chiffon to fur. The use of chiffon, choux, loops and soft draperies on liqts of velvet, panne, fur-trimmed satin, taffeta, etc., will continue in marked favor. Embroideries aud spa-ngled galloon are among the foremost trimmings of the fall and winter, and very hand some new designs are put forth every day. Children's shoes, like those of their elders, have ■ the broad, comfortable toe and the heavy sole, the little girls’ shoes being made on the same lines as those of their brothers. There Is nothing new in bicycle skirts. The simple “saddle back” with large pleats is still the only style seen, and the Eton jacket supplements the cashmere or French flannel shirt. One new fad is a tiny mirror in an enamelled locket that is worn on a long gold chain. At the side of the locket is a pretty design, generally with a figure upon it, then when the slit opens the mirror is disclosed. Some of the cold-weather street bo lero and Eton jackets of black, royal blue, Russian green and Grenat vel vet or velours de Nord will be finished with long pointed revers and a Robes pierre hood of otter, seal, mink, or other costly fur. It is said that separate waists of velvet will be worn next winter in colors and fancy designs. They will open over a waistcoat of white moire silk or lace, and the elbow sleeve will be completed by a full undersleeve of lace or silk to match the waistcoat. Many of the newest hats, though they are still woru low over the fore head, are turned up sharply at the back with a big bow of black velvet, smartly tied, serving as a cache-peigne and recalling almost exactly the modes of some three or four years ago. A revival of red is indicated for winter. Broadcloth and two-toned camel's hair of rather soft red tint will be among the most conspicuously fa vored. Navy and Y'ale blue Yjenetian cloth, satin Victoria, anew fabric, and the silk and wool Mikado cloth will appear largely also. Everywhere the binding of black velvet at the edge of the brim appears upon the prettiest hats for autumn. Even the newest French sailor hats are niaile with wide brims, bound at the edge with black velvet and trimmed round the crown with a band of black velvet through a long steel buckle, bent to follow the line of the crown. NEW IDEA ABOUT BOXERS, Every Watchman or Doorkeeper iu FeUin a Member. Writing of “The Revolution in Cliinv and Its in the Century, R, Van Bergen gives considerable infor mation as to the Boxers. Any intelligent man who has lived at Pekin for six months knows of these so-called Boxers, and has. know ingly or not, employed one or more of them. By the term “intelligent” is meant a man who does not suppose that every human being must neces sarily understand his own language, but admits the fact that there are other tongues, and also that, when he trav els or resides in foreign countries, it becomes him to familiarize himself with such foreign languages. Every resident of Pekin employs a watchman or doorkeeper, and that per son is, in every instance, a member of the Ta-cliuan (literally, “Big Fist”); or, as it is now called, “Boxer,” soci ety. Properly considered, it is not a secret society, but bears a great re semblance to our labor unions. Its purpose is mainly benevolent, namely, to provide for old or disabled mem bers. Tlie society of tlie Boxers is made up of meu whose physical and muscu lar strength has been trained purpose ly and from early youth, not that they may enter the athletic arena, but that they may engage in a perfectly lawful and recognized career. They are en gaged as watchmen by wealthy resi dents and as guards by travelers car rying a large amount of money, or to convoy species for great distances. Such a guard or watchman insures perfect safety, for it places the prop erty or person unde) - the protection of the Ta-cliuan Union, and thieves oi* malefactors dread arousing its ven geance. Not a single instance is on record where a member of the Xa-eliu an was faithless to his trust. . The Government recognized tlie un ion and frequently employed it to con voy treasure. The father of Prince Tuan, and grandfather of the heir ap parent, is, and lias been for years, the official patron of the union. It is evident from this explanation that a member of the Ta-cliuan corre sponds somewhat to the modern call ing of private detective in our social arrangements. This is further con firmed, since, in either case, men may be hired for specific purposes, and not always in strict conformity to law. The history of the United States con tains instances where corporations, in fear of depredations by striking workmen, have engaged a body of pri vate detectives to repel any attack ipon their plants. A man in possession of a well-filled purse could, at Pekin, engage any number of Ta-chuan mem bers for purposes which would not hear publicity. WORDS OF WISDOM, All our progress is an unfolding like the vegetable bud. You have first the instinct, then an opinion, then*a knowl edge, as the plant has root, bud and fruit. Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason. It is vain to hurry it. By trusting it to j the end, it shall ripen unto truth, aud you shall know while you believe. A good conscience is to the spul what health is to the body, lt jim serves a constant ease and within us, aud more than countervails all the calamities and afflictions which can possibly befall us. He who asks of life nothing but the improvement of his own nature, and continual moral progress toward ward contentment and rightful f mission, is less liable than any e to miss and waste his life. If you want to be miserable tin about yourself, about what you wL what you like, what respect pel© ought to pay you and what p('l think of you. Some of the best lessons we ver learn we learn from mistakes am all ures. The error of the past is thwis dom and success of tlie future. Mere ideals, unsecured by deed arc like unframed pictures. They c not long retain their freshness and hole ness and beauty. ' It is a maxim that those to whom everybody allows the second place have an undoubted right to tliefirst. , Self-knowledge is that aequantauce j with ourselves which shows is what I we are, and what we ought to be. ■ Hope is like tlie sun, whicl, as weß journey toward it, casts the shadow™ of our burden behind us. If we c'luld but conquer our ‘ enemies we cou.d stand thousands our outw-rd cues. Providence lias given utf hope sleep as a compensation folytiic cares of life. Feminine Snp^ijori There is a little si-ry tiuirHHBHHB ihe i ill v - .sfaetion mind asiseius .®|||||l|Sl| Lucy and George are this: Kn-I ; I.n<T Geee-C. is live. She has primary <h m-.runent of HHHH 5c1;...,.1 just f< ur months. u-■: h. i evuv. VKitit iWBMgm two: I.Uey v. :-h a greatly pafIHHHH . r. teli y-'u are only five. H- ' wheat.” i,--::- iv.-;,e hams to :i -.1 - ~ —is —" in: y caking pity on ifIfHHH si, - ra , ye; at.v don't hr no Li.-t n to as rat y. Wl-.or.t is 'vi gt- - it. •: v.: t 1' ’ ah, i 1 el, i ■