Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

SEAWEED HARVEST. Where French Peasants Get a Precious Fertilizer. Each Year They Meet to Reap the Briny Reefs. The seaweed harvest along the northern coast of France is an im¬ portant occasion to the agriculturists of that region. Tins precious fertiii- zer is protected rigidly by the govern- meat, and any one wlio is found guilty of gathering any of it before the legal permission to harvest it has gone forth, is liable to be severely fined. The harvest lasts but one week, and i 9 always proclaimed by the town- crier in the public squares and in front of the churches after the cele¬ bration of High Mass on the Sunday preceding the highest soring tide of the year, which generally occurs in March. Early on the morning of the ap¬ pointed day the whole populace, from the peasant possessor of half an acre, with no other help than that of his own family, to the wealthy farmer heading his large band of hired help, turn out armed with short, sharp sickles. As soon a6 the receding water per¬ mits, all fall diligently to work. Soon every rock and ledge is shaven of its brown, slimy fleece and left as bare as the back of a shorn sheep. Then preparations are made for an attack on the reefs, so numerous along the southern coast of the English Channel. Everything that will float is pressed into service. Huge rafts, roughly put together, are constructed, and next morning, with the current of the ebbing tide in their favor, are towed by the people in the boats eight or ten miles out from the coast. Low water leaves them stranded on the reefa and all hands make the most of their time, laughing and singing as they work, for the seaweed harvest is always hailed with joy by all classes of the peasantry, particularly by the young people, who get almost as much fun as labor out of the expeditious to the reefs. Yet the work is hard and extremely trying, even to the most robust con¬ stitution. The worker kneels on the dripping weed, grasps a handful in the left baud and with the sickle in the right, cuts it off close to the rock and places it in a bag. As soon as, one has cut as mucti as be can carry, the sack is taken on the back to the raft, upon which it is received by men •with pitchforks, stacked aud securely In a little time all employed are wet to the skin. But they pay no at¬ tention to their discomfort and work gaily on nntil the rising tide compels them to desist from the work of harvesting, and geutly lifts the strand¬ ed rafts and boats on its shining sur¬ face. As soon as they are well afloat the start is made for the shore. Towing aloug the heavily loaded rafts is tedious work, and the prog¬ ress is slow. The wet harvesters arc soon chilled to the bone by the keen east wind which prevails in this latitude during the month of March. The morning ebb tide leaves the rafts and tlieir spoils of seaweed high and dry on the smooth white beach. They arc instantly surrounded by a crowd of noisy, eager people and all descriptions of vehicles—wheelbar- rows with a woman between the handles and ahoy harnessed by a rope >n the front; , dilapidated donkey- carts drawn by decrepit old donkeys; or heavy two-wheeled wagons drawn by four, or often six, of the sleek dapple-gray horses of the country, harnessed in a long line one before the otiier. All work together, hauling the weed to the fields already prepared to re¬ ceive it aud the spring crop of barley and potatoes. That it may be success¬ fully used as a fertilizer, the seaweed must be got into the ground as soon as possible after it leaves its native element. So much hardship is always under¬ gone during the seaweed harvest that ite close is always marked by a large increase in the cases of pneumonia and severe bronchial disorders, which often terminate fatally. However, these facts never affect the popularity of the occasion. Every succeeding year the proclamation of the “Goc- mcnrie” is welcomed with equal en¬ thusiasm and the passenger lists of the crazy old boats arc just as well filled as if there was nothing but pleasure in store for their merry crews. — [Youth'- Companion. A Troublesome Model. Not long ago I bad a nonpareil or 1 ‘painted finch,” a South American bird, from which I was making s drawing. JIo was a blight little bird, but ceitainly was not a good mode!. I caught him at work one day ? “touching up” a drawing I bad just finished. It happened in this way: 1 was called out from the studio to speak to a caller, and during my short absence my feathered friend—who seemed to be a meddlesome fellow— punged into the bowl of painting water to take a bath. With wings and tail he vigorously spraye.1 the colored liquid all over the drawing, anu before long had changed my picture—a painting of birds—to something more nearly resembling a fireworks display on the 4t!i of July. When I came back to the sludio lie was putting on the finishing-touches: but as soon as be caught sight of me lie flew out of my reach. I will not attempt to describe to you my feelings at that time; but I will simply say that within a few days after this event I presented the feath¬ ered model to a delightful old lady who is fond of birds and flowers. She thought him “a lovely bird—lie was so cute;” but one day when the neat old lady bad finished watering her window-plants, the nonpareil saw an opportunity to show her how “cute” he could be. He proceeded to take a bath in the muddy water and spatter it over the clean, white cur¬ tains. This was a bit of fun just to his taste. In fact, whenever and wherever a chance offered he would bathe, If the faucet were loft running he would get under it and almost drown him¬ self. I have seen him on a cold win¬ ter’s day bathe and bathe again, until lie was so thoroughly chilled that 1 feared he would die. On these occasions I would take him in my hands and hold him by the heater until he was warm aud dry; but I have always suspected that lie had yery little sympathy with my method of making him comfortable, and lie plainly showed that lie much preferred the “water cure” to this drying process.:—[St. Nicholas. A (Jueer Find. It was a queer find, that of Antone llageiiloeker on Thursday, and none can blame him for being surprised. Autonc is an engineer in the employ of the Ansonia Brass and Copper Com¬ pany, and as lie placed an extra large lump of soft coal under the holler he had no thoughts of what that lump of coal contained. A few minutes later be opened the furnace door again and what was his surprise to see in the furnace a handsome plant resembling a species of cactus. It was bright red from the heat, every vein in the leaves being defined. He carefully removed it from the fire without breaking, aud when it cooled it turned to a dull gray color. It rests on a base of coal and then stands out a well-defined petrlied plant, but not carbonized, so that it burned as readily as did the coal sur¬ rounding it. He has shown the for matiou to mauy and nothing like it lias ever been seen hero. The stalk of the plant where cut from the parent 6tem is well defined. Mr. Hagenlocker is to have it mounted and placed under a glass case.—[Waterburv (Conn.) American. Duelling on Bicycles. Duelling on cycles is reported to be a new diversion in Spain. Two mem¬ bers of the bicycle club of Granada recently met in a knife duel, which is probably the first duel ever fought on wheels. Accompanied by tlieir ser¬ geants they wheeled out some distance on the road to Malaga, to a secluded spot. There posted 700 feet apart, at a sign they wheeled for each other, each directing liis wheel with the left hand and brandishing in the right that terrible knife of Spain, “navaja.” At the first clash Perez pierced the left arm of Moreno, but at the third encounter Moreuo thrust his knife into Perez's right breast In a few minutes the latter died of internal hemorrhage. — fXew Y’ork .Journal. FOR FARM ANl) GARDEN. SUNFLOWER SEEDS. Fortunate indeed is he who has a plenty of sunflower seeds for his poul¬ try. They are especially excellent for use right now while the fowls are moulting. The oily nature of these 6ecds tends to assist the natural drop¬ ping out of the old feathers aud their rapid replacement with the new, fresh growth. They are also useful for feeding in small quantities right along, as they keep bowels regular and active and the plumage of the birds glossy and smooth, a very desirable condi¬ tion in the case of fine exhibition stock.—[Farm, Field aud Stockman. SHIPPING GRAPES. Grapes should be picked after the dew is off the vines. The picker should cut the stein with a sharp knife, holding it with the other hand, and should carefully place the bunch in the picking box stem upward, not filling the box too full. The grapes should not bo exposed to the light or heat of the sun, but should be carried as soon and carefully as possible to the packing room and there stacked up in such a manner as to give com¬ plete ventilation. They should re¬ main there at teast twelve hours. Then it will be found that the stems are wilted and flexible, and the bunches can be handled softly without break¬ ing the skin of the berries at the in¬ tersection with the stem. — [Florida Fruit Farmer. BULBS. In making a selection of house plants for winter growing the different kinds of bulbous plants should not be overlooked. Probably the most beauti¬ ful and fragrant of the Holland bulbs, which are noted for their ease of cul¬ ture, are hyacinths. These can be grown either in earth or water. When they are grown in earth a single bulb should be set in a five or six inch pot. Use common garden soil, mixed with sand, in pro¬ portion one-third. Press the earth down around the bulbs until the upper part can just be seen. Water well and set aside in a cellar or unused room or attic. Allow them to remain in this way a few weeks until they are well rooted. If planted by the 1st of September these bulbs should be well started by the middle of Novem¬ ber, and should bloom in about three months. It is much easier to bloom hyacinths in water, using the familiar bulb glasses made for that purpose. Let the bottom of the bulb just touch the water, and change the water when it becomes discolored. The bulbs should be set away in the cellar as is recommended when grown in earth. Hyacinths require an even temper¬ ature of from 65 to 70 degrees, and after being kept in seclusion until rooted, need plenty of water, light and air. Other bulb9 that may be grown like the hyacinth in either earth or water, arc the crocus, polyanthus, narcissus and narcissus trumpet major. Tulips do well in pots, but cannot be grown in water.— [Cottage Hearth. CRACKING OF TOMATOES AND PLUMS. One cannot always vouch for the scientific accuracy of newspaper arti¬ cles but there is a reasonableness about the following idea which we find among our exchanges, that gives it a semblance of truth. The writer speaking of the passage of liquids through their membranes says: “If a bladder filled with syrup be immersed in a vessel of water, the water will, after awhile, become sweet; the syrup passes through the membrane of the bladder into the water, and correspon¬ dingly the water passes into the in¬ terior of the bladder. But this interchange is not an equal one; the light liquid—the water— passes in many times more rapidly than the heavier liquid, the syrup, passes out. The consequence will be that the bladder will be distended to its utmost, and at length burst. A ripe tomato or plum may be consid¬ ered in the condition of the bladder of syrup. The rich juice9 of the fruit correspond to the syrup, and the tlun membrane, which forms the skin of the fruit, represents the bladder. When the ripe fruit is kept constantly wet by a rain, osmose takes place and tiie water passing through into the fruit distends the skin which, not being very strong, issoon ruptured.-— [Farm, Field and Stockuiau. PACKING BUTTER l'OR WINTER. That butter may be kept for use in the winter it is indispensable that it be very well made. The best kind of butter may be packed so that it will improve in quality, but some special methods are required for this end. Butter that is quite free from butter¬ milk undergoes a very slow change of flavor, and the most desirable taste and odor, which are commonly called the nutty flavor, are produced by a gradual producton of a volatile acid, known as butyric acid, and by the action of a ferment in the cheesy matter of the butter. If thi 9 is in excess the production of this acid is quite rapid, and the butter soon be¬ comes rancid from the excess of it. So that butter for immediate use may contain a small quantity of buttermilk, and need not be washed so carefully as that to be kept until the winter. For this use every particle of milk must be got rid of, aud the washing should be continued until the water passes off quite clear. Then the butter is salted with a full ounce to the pound, and packed in clean or new tubs, and pressed down to exclude all air. The tub i9 first scalded and then rinsed with cold water, then with cold brine, and then rubbed lightly with fine salt; the but. ter is then packed to within half an inch of the edge, when it is sprinkled with salt and covered with a clean cloth a little larger than the top of the tub. The edge is pressed close to the tub, and salt is spread on it. The edges are turned over the salt, and the cover is then put on and fastened down tightly. The cloth is steeped in brine before it is put on Hie butter. The tub is then set in a cold, dry clean cellar. It lias been kept a year in excellent condition in this way. —[New York Times. LATE PASTURAGE. One way of providing late pasturt is to have the regular pastures divided a tid then by keeping the stock out oi one, permitting a good growth now, it will furnish plenty of pasture later, especially if well set to blue grass. After it has become established there is no grass that will excel blue grass for either very early or very late pas¬ ture, while at the same time it will furnish good pasturage all through the growing season. But, rightly managed, almost any good pasture or meadow grass will furnish good pasturage lots in the fall. Rye or wheat may be sown early in the fall, as soon as the season will ad¬ mit, and then after a good growth has been secured it will furnish a con¬ siderable amount Of late pasturage. If cure is taken not to pasture too closely these crops will not only sup¬ ply late pasturage butalsogrow a full crop the next season. With all growing stock late pastur¬ age is of considerable importance, as it will maintain health and growth at a less cost than if the animals are con¬ fined. In doing this, it is not by any means necessary to expose the stock. They can be confined and fed dry feed at night and on cold and stormy days and be permitted to run in the pastures when the weather will permit. The food they will pick up and the exercise they will take in this way will be of benefit well worth the trouble. Stock reiish a variety and a change. Ordinarily, pasturage is (lie cheapest feed that can be supplied to breeding or growing stock, and, although it is not best to depend upon late pasturage alone, yet it can be used to lessen the quantity of dry or grain feeding nec¬ essary to keep the stock in thrifty con¬ dition.— [St. Louis Republican. FARM AND GARDEN NOTES. Clatter of the guineas scares aw r ay the hawks and saves the chicks. Learn the character of your foods and combine your own rations. One evil result of over-feeding dur¬ ing the summer is bowel disease. A Toulouse gamier crossed with an Embdcu goose gives a good market¬ able product. Ou large farms there is no reason why the chickeus’ runs should not be very large, as the ground can be put to few uses that will nav better. SCIENTIFIC snul\ Lightning is now pliotogr^ The reign of the dog star j u forty days, from July 3 to AnJJ Naturalists assert that a li swallow will devour 6000 fl; es day. It has often been observed ft rails actually grow on the stiia, amputated fingers. Hr. E. Canon of Beilin, Gen lias succeeded in finding the L of measles in the blood of patied Macrocyslis, a seaweed of the Pacific, often grows to be iM forty inches in diameter aud l 2000 feet in length A process for making tit stones out of crystalized alumi been discovered in Glasgow, Set Some years ago a Paris artifice cessfully produced imitation rnl The Brazil nut containsfreal to twenty-four seeds, which i] minate at one time. The most! oils one gets through a small the top to the open air, and I strangles and feeds upon the re Flies have long been accta spreading disease; but it is now from Havana, Cuba, quitoes have a use, for if late anyone after biting a fever patient, the disease lows is so mild that fatal rest! rare. The German Government citled not to use any white the army in the future. It that owing to the adoption of less powder animals of this could be seen from a diten a battle, and could be easily fij by the enemy. I if The rate of progression hour] of] is often fifty miles an series lias often been traced im line from north to south a dish 400 miles. The average altih thunderstorms has been found not over 500 feet above the stir the earth. To ensure sawing steal rail uniform temperature, thus aij variations in length, GennanB men now uso tinted glasse*! make the rails invisible at a temperature, and saw the vails the point of invisibility is Dane blue or orange yellonj causes a red-red hot rail to disi It appears that the adhesions under favorable circumstanced to a force of at least 715 poniB square inch. In an experime! formed, a force of 1260 ponndl plied gradually, was found »! to separate two cylinders of ! wood, the ends of which pres! surface equal to 1.76 square i! which were glued together end! and allowed 24 hours to set. ! According to Science the | very prolific. Assuming that productive season extends March to September, ami d further that the snail lives aW years, we have the following < of the total number of the 01 of a single pair: At the f -!ot season, 1900; 950 pairs at of second season, 1 , 805 , 000 , pair at close of second Total number of offspring 1,808,800. Pets for the Young Children naturally take to J if given a charge of small d taste for stock raising nta[ velopcd at an early age- they must be instructed lw>* and manage at first, and - they will take pleasure in w and be on the watch f° r i meats. A mau who gives lWJ 1 to his children except tog et of them will not be »P l'? tt0 1,0111 Jj on the farm after they ] — [New York Observer. Dangers of Boutin*' Clara-—When George * 11( i 1 ried, I’m to have my ofl everything. Dora—Guess you won t Clara—Indeed I will- : bargain. Don’t yon rcui« lU you he proposed to me in s aud asked if I’d flo at ^ with him just that wav ' “Y'es.” “Well, lie was rowi"? 1 steering.”—[New York ^