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THE BUFFALO. Raising the Large-Headed Bo vine for Domestic Use. A Veteran Hunter Tells of His Success in the Business. * C. J- Jones, the veteran builalo hun ter, recently sold a one-half interest in bis Buffalo herd iu Kansas. He is the -gentleman who fathers the ideaofrais iug the buffalo for domestic purposes, and in an interview gave some interest ing facts relating to his early days as a hunter and his pet hobby of doinesti i S ting this now almost extinct race of bovines. “I began hunting the buffalo in 1871. I have killed from 40 to 60 buffaloes in one hunt. I figured out a plan of my own to corral them upon the prairie. 1 made an effort to get in front of the herd when they were traveling, so that they would come within about 20 yards of me in passing. I then shot the leader through the heart and dropped her iu her tracks. The leader was generally a cow, the old bulls being lazy and usual ly lagging behind. The herd would fall back in the direction from which they came about 100 yards, stopping to turn around and look for danger. Iu a few minutes one of the cows led out to go around on one side or the other and I would drop her as I did the first. They would again fall back a short dis tance and huddle up together. After a short pause another cow might under take to go around on the other side and invariably met the same fate ns the ether two. The herd after this was sure to form a close group upon the ground, where they halted after the first, shot, as buffaloes never retrace thoir steps but a short distance. Now, they had trouble oa three sides aud on the other was their back track, and I was free to shoot down as many as I wanted, pro vided I did not fire too rapilly and alarm them. Whenever one would at temp‘ to lead away I made sure to kill it, all J this taught the others that it was sure death to the leaders. To bo sure it was very cruel, but I could hear the crack of guus on every side, and I tlsought I wouldmv share. I soon realized th.it ifk ose animals would soon be.extinct, Jpd 1 in 1884 1 began to gather up the cytres to atone for my slaughter, It waara very difficult < matter to raise C'Oni, and at first l lost fifty per cent of them, but after a littb experience I could save ninety per c ait. Tue calves when caught over three months old cannot be raised—the cage breaks their heart and they give up in disgust. I -continued my efforts, howevc, and soon had a fine stock of calves on my ranch, ncarGirden City. At the close of 1884 I had only succeeded in raising four, the next year seven aud the next twenty two, and this year 1 have twenty-one full blooded calves aud my herd today number nearly one hundred. “I bought the famous Man itoba herd, consisting of 60 full blood< and 20 i rosses, io 1887. “1 h ive sold a great many bulls to shows and menageries at prices ranging from $300 to $700. “The buffalo has a very fine, long coat of hair, which it sheds every year. and 1 tun saving this, which averages about ten pounds per year, intending to have it made into cloth, by way of cx pertinent. The buffalo grow much larger in northern climates, the bulls reaching a weight of 2500 pounds, with magnificent heads, which aro eagerly sought for by the museums, and for which they have to pay from $200 to $500 apiece when mounted. “The meat of the domesticated buf falo is as tender as the finest beef and has a delicious flavor. It is not like the the old tough “run down” bull meat, which we used to get and which was nothing but muscle and sinews, The vows are more valuable than the bulls, a number of the former having just been sold in Utah at prices ranging from $500 to $800. The half-breeds are uot *>o good as the three-quarter or seven e’ghttw. The lalter are splendid ani mals, carrying a fine coat of hair. “With the view of perpetuating the race of American buffalo, a syndicate has been organized in Ogden, composed of several well known gentlemen. A zoological farm will bo started and com pleted as rapidly as possible. Nego tiations for the purchase of a half in terest in my herd have l>eeu going on for some time, whicit were concluded last week, the price being $75,000. I anticipate no difficulty j a moving the animals, as I had none in bringing the Manitoba herd into Kansas.” A Japanese Flower Holiday. From an article by the artist Wores in the Century we quote the following: The love of flowers m Japan amounts almost to adoration. They are insepar able from the life, art and literature of the people, and to deprive the Japanese of them would be to take the sunshine out of their lives. On one occasion 1 received through my young frieud an invitation from his parents to accom pany them on a visit to a very celebrat ed grove of plum trees that were then in full bloom. After an hour's ride in a “jinrikisha, ” or ‘ kuruma,” as these little man-carriages arc more commonly ca led, we arrived at our destination, where great numbers of people were flecking from all points. ‘■The trees were one mass of fra grant and delicate pink blossom*. Hun dreds of visitors in holiday attire were stro.ling about under the branches with extreme delight depicted oa their coun tenances. Others again had spread rugs under the trees, where they were served with delicious tea from the neighboring tea house. Tho brightly clad children were dancing and frolick ing in the shade of tho blossoms and a more perfect picture of sunshine and happiness can hardly be imagined. In numerable little strips of paper flutter ing amidst the blossoms attracted my attention. Miss Okiku informed me that it was the happy custom of the peo ple to give vent to their delight on these occasions by inscribing poetic senti ments, too brief, perhaps, to be called poems, and hanging them up in the boughs. Aud, sure enough, as I looked about me, I obseived several persons w.th paper and pocket inkstands in hand engaged in composing these little sonnets in praise of the blossoms. “Yasumaru was at some pains to ex plain to me that these poetic effusions were supposed to be composed on the spot—that the expression, the form of the idea, was derived from the inspira tion of the scene; but his father added, with a twinkle in his eye, that many came with their poems already prepared. 1 was honest enough to confess to the old gentleman that this proceeding was not altogether different from the habit of our after-dinner orators who surprise their fiiends with impromptus com posed, as the French put it a loisir; that is to say, at their ease. Some months later I painted a picture entitled •Springs Inspiration,’ in which two young girls are represented walking over the hu ^ e stepping-stones through a grove of blossoming plum trees and reading these pcetns; for, although it is not recorded that the Japanese lover takes this means of praising bis Rosa lind, none the less do Japanese maidens delight in passing from tree to tree per using the fluttering inscriptions.” The First Cannou. The first cannon which came into use after ihe discovery of the explosive properties of gunpowder, during the four eenth century, were called bom bards. They consisted of iron bars bound together with hoops of the same metal. Tile first cannon balls fired from these primitive weipons were round stones. It is a mistake to suppose that breech-loading guus were not tried till recently. They were made when can non first came into use, but were soon abandoned because no one knew how to make them strong enough. Among the early cannon were Culverins, which were made four times the length of a man, the early artillerists having con ccivcd the idea that the longer tiie gun the further it would carry. Windmills. The census report of 1880 shows that in that year there were 69 windmill es tablishments in the Union, of which California claimed 11. paying out a to tal of $244,197 in wages and producing windmills to tho value of $1,010,542. Since that time the manufacture of these articles has largely increased,and though the competition of in >re powerful and tractable motors is also increasing, it may sa fely be said that the days of the American windmill are by no mean? numbered and that they will be used for many years with economy and sue cess. _ gm Frandsc > Chronicle. Dr. Oscar Montelius estimates that the Stone Ago ended 3500 years ago in Sweden, where it reached a very high development. SCHLEY COUNTY NEWS. COFFEE PLANTING. An Interesting Talk with an India Coffee Raiser. Picking the Berry, and It’s Prep aration for Shipment. Responding to the request of a re porter of the Detroit Free Press for information concerning the culture of the coffee plant. Georgs Auderson, an India coffee planter, at preset stayiug in Detroit, said coffee plants or tw> e8 nre planted five l'ect apart. Tne tops 0 f the coffee shrubs are cut to force them to shoot out horozontally, instead of into the air. But the coffee bushes on a plantation arc not the only adjunct of the business which requires cultivation. On account of the drought and the torrid suns, every inch of the plantation must be fully protected by shade trees. Where this is not dene the fruit shrivels up and becomes worthless without ripening. Experience has taught us in India that the only really desirable trees for shade purposes arc the silver leafed variety. The rays of the suu seem to penetrate all others and the labor of cultivating them is wasted. We gener ally shade our coffee p’antations with part or all of the eighteen, or twenty varieties of fig trees indigenous to tho couutry. Where these trees are not properly located, they must be planted and cultivated. No branches are allowed within 25 or 30 feet of the ground,an I annual trimming and pruning of both the coffee trees and the big trees which shade them ave absolutely necessary. You can doubt less form some idea of the immense amount of labor which this process en tails. There is no more beautiful sight, however, than a properly cared for cof fee plantation after it lias reached ma turity. The green bushes in regular rows below and the equally green trees towering above them with projecting arms form a very pretty picture. In May the coffee bushes are in full bloom, the white blossoms, something after the mignonette order, causing the per spective to resemble a waving, palpitat ing field of virgin snow. The picking of the berries begins in November and continues until February. The process is natu rally a tedious one, but labor is cheap in India. If such were not the case, coffee would bo a luxury which few would bo able to afford. ‘■What does the collie berry resemble before it is plucked from the bushes?” was asked. “I fear you would have some d ffi culty in recognizing it at that stage of the proceedings,” he replied. “In color it is a brilliant red, looking very much like a large ripe cherry. The berries of which the beverage is made arc, in reality, the stone of tho fruit. The pulpy substance by which they are surrounded is sweet in taste, but has never been utilize 1 for any purpose. At one time a sort of liquor was manu factur'd from it, but it failed to win its way into public favor. After tast ing it, you would not be surprised that such was the case. Two coffee berries are contained in each of these cherries or fruit bulbs. After being plucked from the bushes the fruit is placed in vats and a process of fer mentation ta es place which separates the pulp from the berry. The latter is then subjected to more mechanical de vices which removes the remaining film. When the product reaches the coast, a sort of scouring process is undergone which places it in the condition for mar ket—a condition with which you are familiar." “What is the average yic’d of a coffee bush?” “One pound of the prepared berry is a very fair average per bush. The yield more often falls under that figure than goes above it.” Discoveries in Babylonia. Professor Ililprecht, one of the Baby lonian expedition sent out by the Uni versity of Pennsylvania, has returned and brought with him a big collection of antiquities which the expedition dug up by the historic Euphrates. The professor visited the Nabo el Kolb, or River of the Dogs. Where this river empties into the Mediterranean the rocks are very high aud are covered with in iciiptions, forming, as he culled it, “a veritable album of the natives.” Here Prof. Ililprecht copied tho famous in scription of King Esserhaddcn of As syria. To do this he had to climb up on a crazy ladder tilted against the rock, hold his magnifying glass in one hand and prevent himself from fallinr* with the otherr Over head the sun beat down with terrific force, and the heat reflected from the face of tho rock camo against him as though it was out of a furnace. This inscription, he says, Layard ascribed to Sennacherib, but he is positive it was by Esserhaddcn, because the word Memphis occurs in it, and this is the King who made war iu Egypt. The expedition went to Niffir, which is about 22 miles southeast from Baby Ion. Niffir is one of the oldest ruined cities iu Babylonia. It is cloie to tho Euphrates, and when that river over its banks the water comes close up to the sof the ancient town, The beat there is v, n qg c On March 7 it was 106 degrees iu* ho shade> and (hey had to stop work in middle of April. Some of the members o« .i, e pedition were stricken with fever, with care they all recovered. In the rums of a temple at Niffir, be tween two bricks iu the wall, the ex plorers found a duck’s eggtha^had been laid there while the temple was build ing, at least a thousand years before Christ. They passed through several times, and the Professor says that what is held to be the remains of the tower of Babel is 180 feet high even now. Some of the walls are still stand ing. The bricks at the top bear the stamp, “I am King Nebuchadnezzar.” —New York Sun. Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt's Romance. A romance that has the charm of fic tion about it, is told of Mrs. Willie K. Vanderbilt, the wife of the famous New York millionaire. She was at Newport, R. I., after her father had lost his money, with some friends, when the announcement that the rich son of Wil liam H. Vanderbilt would arrive that evening was made. Of gowns she had but few—most of them had been worn, and she did not think that she could make an impression on any man if only she had a frock to wear. One of her trends volunteered to lend her a yellow silk. With great delight it was ac cepted; but the beauty’s eyes filled with tears, and her lips quivered with disap pointment, when she discovered that on one side of the bodice and far down on the skirt extended a white stain. But was this to daunt a spirited girl? Cer tainly not. When the time came, and the gown was put on, she took a black lace shawl, that by some mistake had been put among her things, draped it about her iu Spanish fashion, fastening it about the heal aud on one shoulder with amber pins. An admirer had sent her a bunch of yellow roses, and with these and her black fan her costume was complete. She came, she saw, and she conquered. The wicked friend never forgave her her success in hiding the defects of the gown, or the lovely picture she. preseated when she stood before Mr. Vanderbilt, anl the lookers on could read the admiration in his eyei. I don’t know whether this story is true or not; it was told me and vouched for, and I like to think that, Cinderella like, the maid of the nine teenth century can, if she will, find her Prince .—New York Graphic. The Loss from Smoke. Efforts to solve the problem of con suming smoke are said to have met with considerable success in London. Tests made have shown that the value of coal wasted in smoko from the domestic fire places in that city amounts to $11,282,- 500 annually, xvhile the aggregate waste ol unconsumed carbon is $13,000,000 a year,and the damage to property caused by the smoky atmosphere i3 put down at $10,000, 000. The effect upon human life and health of an enormous volume of hydro-carbon and carbonic oxide gase3 pouring into tho atmosphere daily is fearful to* con template. Both from this point and that of economy, the gam that would arise from preventing the waste of uncon - sumed carbon would be tremendous. It is not too much to hope from the exper iments already made that this end will yet be attained. A gain of over onc-half lias been made by the use of stoves instead of the open hearths in general use even for cooking purposes in the early part of this century, and the still further im provement in stoves and other methods of disseminating heat is going on all the time. Perhaps in time we shall get rid of coal altogether in privute houses, at least, and use gas and elect ricity. —• DIAMOND FIELDS. A Natal Millionaire Tells About the Precious Stones. Their First Discovery, and How They are Obtained. John Agnew, a wealthy resident of Natal, who rec ntly arrived in t ds coun try, gave a reporter for the New York Times an interesting account of life and business iu the diamond fields, 4 -The centre of business in tho diamond fields,” he said, “is K imberly, a city of over 60,000 inhabitants, It has excellent police and sanitary regulations, and is situated on table laud in tho midst of a stbrile sandy plain, about 5,000 feet above the level of the sea. The climate is exceedingly cold in winter, and it is not unusual to find Kaffirs who have been drinking heavily at night frozen ^ath in is surrounded the streets in tho morning. J by the four prin Otd De Beers, mincs —the Kimberly, the w Dut0ll g aud the Bulfantmo. r “Evcrbody in and abou in the diamond business. Tim agriculture, Provisions are bio.. from Natal or Cape Town or by the Boers in wagons three or four hundred miles overland. Go ng there from Natal you travel about 300 miles by rail and 300 miles by wagon. Nobody is allowed to soli diamonds in Kimbery without a license, and nobody is allowed to buy them without a permit, If a stranger is found with a rough diamond in his possession without a permit he is arrested, taken .before a magistrate and is liable to be sent to jail for three years. I came very near being caught that way myself on my first visit. I had bought a nine -carat diamond from a broker whom 1 knew very well, when he asked me if I had a permit. I told li>m no and he replied: “Hero is your money; give me back the diamond. We will both get into trouble.’ Then I got a permit. The diamonds are taken now from a stratum of blue clay 800 feet below the surface. This clay, which is always as hard as a rock, is brought up in blocks and broken upon vast uncovered platforms. Sotno of the larger diamonds arc found in the break ing up. The work is done by natives, who are divided into gangs of six, with a white overseer for each gang. Both the overseers and the men get a per centage on the diamonds they find, as well as fixed wages. When tho natives quit work or come up from the mines they are stripped and searched, and even their mouths are examined. After the clay has been brokeu upon the platform it is sprinkled with water and allowed to dry in tho sun. Then it crumbles and i3 taken to th e washers. “ You remember, of course, how the diamond fields were discovered. It was in I860, I think, or thereabouts, that a Hottentot child playing in the sand found a bright stone. Its father carried the stone to a Dutch trader near the coast, who gavo him an old wagon, some oxen and goats for it. The Dutch man carried it io Cape Town and sold it for £5000. That stoue was tho fa mous Star of Africa, afterward pur chased by the Prince of Wales for, 1 think, £30,000. It was found on tho plains about thirty miles from Kimberly. J. B. Robertson, now one of the richest men in South Africa, was then a ped dler. He went into the interior shortly after the discovery of that stone and returned with handfuls of dia monds. Then followed the rush to tho diamond fields.” Pay of Chinese Servants. A rich man’s servant in China gets no salary, yet many are the applicants; while big salaries are paid to servants of the common people, but few make ap plications. The perquisites of the for mer often more than triple the salaries of the latter, which is the sole reason of these differences. To encourage honesty and sincerity confidential clerks and salesmen in all branches of industry re ceive an annual net percentage of the firm’s business, l e sides their regular salary. How Art Helps Nature. Miss Violet Wilde (wandering in the woods)—IIow glorious it is to gaze on this wild scenery, and behold nature in all her primitive maj -sty ! Mr. Arden Faxon—Il’m, yc-es! Es pecially when there’s a good comforta ble hotel only a couple of miles away. The man who is right is seldom loft.