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About 1900 years ago there oc
curred in Bethlehem, a village
of Ju lea, the most notable event
in the world’s history. Ail event
that changed the calendar of
time and eclipsed the creeds and
faith of nations, and has establish
ed tlie Christian, religion in all
civilized countries. This event
was but the hi it h of a little child,
but no other child was ever her
alded by the angels singing,
“Glory To God in the highest, on
earth peace and got d will to men.
From the very first that child
was a suspect, and Herod was
alarmed.
He was not a Jew, but was a
convert to the Jewish religion,
and it was whispered to him
from ma. y sources that the child
was the son of God, and would
grow up and rule the people, and |
take his kingdom away from him.
lie did nor believe it, but it,
alarmed him, for it came to him '
from many wise men, and he de
termined to put an end to it by
killing the child. In the mean
time the angels came and spirited
the child and its mother, away
by night to Egypt. Nobody in
Bethlehem knew the child or its
mother, and so Herod’s cruel
murderers could not find them.
Herod said they were hidden
around there among the poor peo
ple, and so to make it sure he
ordered the murderers to go
from house to house and kill
every child under two years old,
and they did. Was there ever
such horrible brutality? It was
worse than Pharaoh, who ordered
the midwives to kill the male in- j
fants of the Hebrews, but to
leave the females alive. Is it not
strange that men could be found
who would kill innocent little
children just to please a king?
1 wonder how they killed them!
Did they cut their throats or
smother them or knock them in
the head or stab them to the
heart? Did they snatch them
from their mothers’ arms, while i
i
six? screamed and begged for
mercy? Did they leave them
there in their blood or throw
them in wagons and haul them
away to the potter’s held?
Historians say those murderers
probably killed a thousand, fori
they did not stop at Bethlehem,
but went all along the coast re
gion where the fishermen lived
What a creature that, man Herod
must have been! No wonder
that the Lord sent worms to prey
upon him and eat him up while
he was yet alive.
But the little child escaped and
with Joseph and its mother
stayed in Egypt until Herod was
dead. He grew up to manhood
and was crucified by his own;
people and then they began to
persecute llis followers. For
about 803 years the Christians
were pursued and driven from
place to place and suffered
martyrdom for- their faith.
They had no peace or protection
until Constant ine the Great came
into power and took pity upon
them. Before that they had no
friend at court in any kingdom, j
In the second century Diocle
tian pretended to tolerate thorn,
while they were quiet and made
no public demonstrations, but
onetime they secured the use
cf an old church and all gathered I
thereto have service and com
memorate the birlh of their
Saviour and start the Christian
lestival. This made Diocletian
very mad, ar.d after the men and
women and children were all in
inside and had begun service, he
sent some brutes there and locked I
the doors and barred the windows
and set the house on tire and
burned them all up. It is amaz
ing how Christianity could live
and survive its persecution for
the first Girt) years. Hi t -ry say
it is impossible D* estimate tlie !
number of those who sufDred!
martyrdom for their faith, I»ut
there were thousands and len
ot thousand-. Some wore be
headed, others flayed alive, other
thrown to wild beast* and others
: crucified. Nero had some of
■ them smeared with taraud fired
by night in the public streets.
; Marcus Aurelius had them
chained to the seats of red-hot
iron chairs. St. Blaudina and
St. Feliciias, who were noble
Homan ladies, wore compelled to
witness the torture and death of
their children and were then be
' h‘Slued These are only men
tioned as examples of what
t h o usa nd s s u 1 ft? red.
But neither the world, the
: flesh nor the devil Could stop tlx.*
sure and steady progress of Chris
tianity. Christianity has come
to stay, It means a ceremony,
a festival of love and loyalty to
j Him who was born on that day.
In Protestant Germany it is
called tlx* children’s festival, and
they are taught that the Saviour
j loves them and cares for them
j and said, “Sulfer little children
jto come unto me, for of such is
j the kingdom of heaven.”
Christmas signifies a new era
j— a new date to time and chro
nology. The figures on every
I letterhead and on every note and
account and receipt prove the
birth of Christ. Jews, Gentiles,
atheists, infidel, skeptics, every
civilized nation and every man
and woman have to use these
I
figures whether they believe in
them or not. It is wonderful,
wonderful. And now we are
passing the Christmas week and
the New Year is at hand. Decem
ber 25 may not bo the exact
anniversary of the Savior’s
| birth. Shepherds di<l not watch
their flocks by night in mid
winter, nor were taxes given in
until about April. He that as it
may, the good Christians of the
third century, the fathers of the
church, met and made it a mova
ble festival to be held in April
or in May. But a hundred years
; later St. Cyril had (he-Hope and
the priesthood to meet and fix a
[day, a day certain, and after
long consultation December 25
was^i greed upon by the majority
and the rest concurred. ?vot be
cause any of them believed that
[was tiie true anniversary of the
j Saviour’s birth, but became that
I day would belter suit tiio mass
es of the people.
But, iny young friends, Christ
inas is a time for love and kind
ness, a time for peace and good
will. It is a time to give gifts
and make little presents, and
to brighten up the homes of the
poor. This is better than fire
works for the Fourth of July.
The wise men brought to the
infant Saviour gifts—costly gifts
—and if we have nothing else
to give, we can certainly give
a smile to those we meet and
wish them a happy Christinas.
But what about the New Year —
1908? Why does it begin with j
January? It looks .'ike that |
everything those old Homans did j
has come- down the corridors of
time and sticks to us. Old Janus
was one of their favorite gods.
He had two faces, one to look
back and the other forward.
Until 250 years before Christ the
Homans had but eight months in
the year, so Niima added two
more and named them January '
and February, imtor on .Julius,
Caesar and Align tus Caesar add d
two more, and named them for
themselves—July and August, i
But the Christian world was not
satisfied to let January be tliei
first month, and until the!
eighteenth century they began
the year with March 21 or April]
JjWlien the spring opens up the*
earth and the sun crosses tliej
hue. It has been only 200 years
since the hading Christian
nations agreed to the changes. 1
It was a great mistake, and they
should not have done it. The New
Year ought to begin with the
spring, when the birds begin
to t lug and tlx; flowers to bloom.
Don’t you think So? hill aid*.
* fllK MONTGOMERY MONITOR--THURSDAY, -I'M'AR! S, p.-C
Cultivation of Wheat
On tie: rgia’s Soil.
The wheat crop :or this year, owing
to st \ ( tat adverse causes welt known
to r H the wheat growers of Ucorg-u,
did not come up to the average, lxit
this partial failure should no luoi e
cause a diminution in the area devoted
j to tills valuable grain than ail tiu
| favorable season for corn or cotton
i should cause a falling off in the acre
! age of those crops.
The sale reasons which led to tlx*
great revival of wheat, growing • n
Georgia in ISfiff and lfiOO still prevail.
One of the ehiet arguments in saver
of wheat glowing, so persistently
urged at the tins , was that ttu n«-.ao
j farmer by reason of l.is manner of
life can make a living for his faintly
] at far less expense than is removed
by the white man, and hence can
afford to soil his cotton at a lower
price.
Therefore the competition between
the white and black planter wouul
prove disastrous to the former unless
he could he self-supporting and have
cotton for his surplus money crop.
A farmer's life should be one of
financial independence; but. unless he
can live in the main at home on the
fruits of his own industry and supply
the market with those products that
are ever in demand, he is in danger of
becoming a hewer of wood and drawer
of water to his more enterprising
neghboi’B. It he raises enough to live
upon, he can hold his cotton for good
pricesrs
An attractive looking homo, a well
filled storehouse and ready cash for
himself and family are necessary, If
he would bind the affections of h!a
wife and children to their ceunffy
horse. Diversity of crops is an abso
lute necessity for successful farming,
and no crop that can he raised adds
more to tlie comfort of a home than
wheat, which in its flour gives that
bread which by most people is pre
ferred to every other kind, and in its
bran supplies one of the most whole
some feeds for stock.
No good farmer in North or Middle
Georgia should fail to set. apart a por
tion of tils land for wheat. What if
there is an occasional short crop?
Gan he raise anything that In not )1 1
tie to the same misfortune?
Thor** states of our Union and t hotel
countries of the world are the richest,
whose farmers raise abundance of
wheat and oats, and grass for pas
turage and for hay. Raise abundance
of these things for man and beast, and
add to them plenty of corn. Then you
can have the best of poultry, hogs,
sheep, beef and dairy cattle and all
your cotton will he a money crop, with
which to purchase the comforts that
should he found in every home, and
to provide a support for declining I
years.
The Variety of Wheat to Use.
Knowing well the many conditions
affecting the yield of win at, we would
again advise ihat you select a variety
must capable of withstanding the many
drawbacks attendant upon (he cultiva
tion of this grain. A kind having a
strong, stiff stem and posseting the
greatest power of withstanding ex- !
treme cold weather is the best. Ah
other things lining equal, that which
has a thin skin or bran is to lie pro*- ,
ferred.
Soil For Wheat.
A soil, whose predominating charac
teristics are loam and clay, and that j
having also an abundant supply of tii i
trogenous matter with sufficient phos- j
phoric acid, potash and lime, is host
adapted to the growing of wheat. It i
tlx'.-u* el* mi nts are lacking, u: i Jenty
of bainyard manure, if available, and
concentrate it. Ton tons to the acre
will not tie too much. Also apply
plenty of wood ashes, for these con
tain phosphoric acid, potash, lime an 1
soluble silieia, all essential elements
for the growtli of the wheal plant. For
most land some high grade commercial
manure is the best The soil must bo
dry, under-drained, if necessary, for
wheat cannot lm made on land 'which j
has an excess of water. An excellent I
soil for wheat is a gray, loamy top ;
soil, witli an under soil of stiff red
clay.
Proper Depth to Cover Wheat.
We have from time to lime given to
the readers of these talks the results
of experiments made to determine the
proper depth to cover wheat. The re
sult of these experiments caused us in
one of our let!ers to advise that it is bet
ter to harrow the wheat and fertilizers
in. from one to three inches deep, ac
cording to the character of the soil,
remembering that a thinner covering
is required in close, heavy land than
in that which in light or sandy. A
(letter plan, when practicable, is to
use the wheat drill after having first,
thoroughly plowed, fertilized, liai
rowi-d, raked, pulverized and rolled
the land. This process leaves the lan I
In excellent condition for the propa
gation and growth of the wheat plan*,
ami gives, moreover, a smooth sui fa-- -,
so important for the future harvest.
Mr. W. J. Bridges, one of our most
successful Georgia farmers, in telling
how he raised 05 bushels of wheat to
the acre, said that he put it in with a
drill, using about 400 pounds of a
special high grade potash fertilizer at
the same time. In planting the wheat |
ho put In 105 pounds, or one bushel
and three pecks to the acre. The him
t•'em variety is considered by manv
the best. It is claimed by those who
tx v rried it that the soaking of the
w c at in blix-stone will prevent smut,
a rii.-.'-ase more to be dc id'd than
rust. The bi*<. tone should is- dis
solved in boiling water anti about *t
gallon of this water should h- used for
every two bushels of wheat, about one
pound of the Id act,tom; being required
for each gallon.
Best Time to Flint Wheat.
The experience of oui best Carnets
is. ttint ,pp vviienr should he put in as
late in the t-vart u ns will allow it to
throw out a system of roots and
leave Luge enough to cover 111- entire
sui face of ground before the coming
of the cold lib ards. Our host Georgia
fa: mors plant from Octol—r Ist to No
vember Ist, Recording to latitude, soil
and climatic conditions. Home of ou"
most successful Middle Georgia farm
ers think that wheat should never ho
sown until after tin* first dug frost in
November, as it will then withstand
more successfully tiu* ravages of the
Hessian fly or email grub. Os course,
the farmers of North Georgia plant
earlier.
How to Preserve and Restore the Fer
tility of tlie Soil.
Aft -i tin- wheat has been harvested,
it is an excellent plan to plant t b *
entire acreage in cow-peas: for there
is no crop as far ns wo know, that
- will produce such permanent good ef
fect upon the soil. By this method
the land is put in good condition for
the next crop of wheat.
Much of our land in Georgia lias
been run down by unwise cultivation
in the past. These exhausted lands
need nitrogen anil available phosphoric
acid and potash, and, especially, lime.
To restore these elements to our wast
ed lands, sow cow peas afler grain au-l
turn them under in the fall after hav
ing first broadcasted barnyard manure,
ashes and lime. The repetition of
this process from yea rto year will
steudih Increase the fertility of the
| soil and the wealth of the farmer.
Best Fertilizers For Wheat.
Some soils are naturally so rich that
no fertilization is required; hut these
aro tlie exception, and even the moat
of these will, after a few years, require
some sort of fertilizers in the form of
plant food. These should lie in n
form for immediate use. Barnyard
manure, if pulveris'd <1 very fine and
tlii'ii applied, is very valuable.
Tlie planting of clover on wheat
lands in some sections, tiut of cow
pens in most parts of Georgia, and
plowing tlx . muicr s -verat weeks be
fore sowing the wheat, ns Inis been
tin ill. will prepare (lie land well fu'
this crop. In Fngland, and in our
J western states, the droppings of the
j sheep and cattle have added much to
[ the productiveness of wheat lands.
Hut the majority of our farmers aro
j not slock raisers, and need a fertilizer
} that is immediately available. There
fore artificial fertilizers, or com mer
mercial nianun s, must lie used, for
the reason that farm manures cannot
always tie had in sufficient quantity
and are rarely applied in a nieclmnlc.il
condition to be readily assimilated by
the wheat plant. But the commercial
manures have* been scientifically pro
\ pared with special reference to the
needs of different kinds of soils and
crops, and, though they involve some
outlay of money, the increase of (In
crop will well repay the expenditure.
Kxperlments have frequently proved
that a judicious application of .$lO
worth of the proper fertilizers wBl
often bring a return of from S2O to SSO
worth of grain.
In the management, of tin* Depart
infill of Agriculture, It has ever been
my aim to subserve the best Interests
n r (be farrier:-- of Georgia. After inn.
tore reflection T still advise: Do I- it
dimin : -i -mr wheat ncr- a •<>. I *oi
vein* and cultivate your wheal land
after the most approved method. Turn
not liacl ; Imt go forward in tills good
work, feeling assured that the final
outcome will tic Increased prosperity
for yourselves rind for all the interns;.!-
of our beloved Georgia.
ft. li. STKVRNS,
(Jmunis:-ion i of Agrlculluro.
CROP CONDITIONS.
At ibis time the general condition
of crops Is far from encouraging.
The drought which has prevailed up
t- the 2d of July, accompanied by higa
Iciiipornt.ures and parching winds, has j
caused a material deterioration of,
most, crops, especially cotton and up- ]
lto-.d corn. Not with lauding showers
of rains have fallen in many sections
of the state since the first of tlie!
month, it is still true that a drought!
which is becoming very serious, now
prevail:; over tie- greater portion of i
Georgia. In some sections upland corn !
is almost past redemption, while cot
ton in some section:: is doing fairly
well, tlie reverse is true iii most of the
counties. The feint is below normal
conditions, and the watermelon crop
is far below an average, boi.it ig quanti
ty and ’Vitality.
STATIC AGKIGOI.TIIRAI. li.GI’T
July 8, 1!>02. , Atlanta, Ga.
TOBACCO.
The census reports also show (hit
tobacco is getting to be a crop of sontu
importance in Geoi gin.
Tlie inereie in loioago In the iIA
ado from I • ,'i to I was I - ■ pc, c«nt„
and in prodmtion .; I*> per ce/n. The
average yield per acr< shows an fn
crease sugg< stive of Improved inclli- 1
ods of cultivation, being J7b.fi pounds
per acre in ISfifi as compared with 32fi.7
pounds in 1870. The tobacco crop of
18fifi was 1,105,500 pounds, valued at
$150,551t. This was grown, by 3,525
farmers, and obtained from 2,30-1 acres,
on the Beaunie oil s< am.
fn spraying a tree the work u lou'd
bo done thoroughly, but quickly, mois
tening every poruou oi the n o ahov*
the ground without allowing the sub ;
stance to tun down the tins Bea r,
on the side of the t; • e opposite ill'
pump and wink complex ly around
spraying from the top downward, an.:
taking care to reach ike twig# ari
tie is. > of tie oi I ■ V'-n m».
spots or twir - l<dt the bent re
suits eanoot he expected. tm tie
otln-r hand, rno uie of an excess ol
oil will omianger the tree and gfaou <
he carefully avoided
•; as b u
•: »firi if fiiiF ! iifnfsp
: HH p A II p 111;PI
; & &W I Mm,. *% a
rmu i : \a 111«.jo » i iso n;< >:\ ir- »io r
;;
! \\ e havu (ho hollos! lino of
1 Honest Clothing,
you have ('vor soon, iiono oxooptod. Tho>
will strike you all over, prices, qualit and.
«.!style will stun vou.
If you desire to Strike it Right,
s
Call and lot us show vou a suit (or yourself
t/ t
or hoy.
: Ah new Stock, just from
! ISAT/miORH.
J
McRAE & BRO’S.
SUPPLY STORE.
f
! IST. VERNOR MACHINE WO KS,
; ST 1I,!. AT Ml', VKISNON, <«A,
W!n*ri“ I am still fpiin; l ; I:i do flood. honest
FOUNDR' AND MACHINE WORE
At I Reasonable |»ri <*<'s for ('ash.
1 , t
Somu |)iirti<‘>4 are clanninf: to move sum.- nntchmo Wovkn from Ml
1 Vernon to Uuldiu, but l do iml, know whirl one.
Yours Respectfully.
i i<\ a<;ji ion v.
t ~
HUNTER, PEARCE & BAITEV,
i
('O'I’TOIN UAdT'OnS.
i Over Thirty years’ Experience.
}
f
llnndlo Upland Uotfon, coinpressitd or 1111 >*<>i11[> r« ssnd, in «<|iia(V
1 ball's; also handle to tho’best advantage
THE LOWRY ROUND BffiLE-
Expi rioucod and c->,pert handlers i I
SEA ISLAND COTTON.
i
Liberal cash advune.es againsl consignments.
Money loaned to Colton Shippers on approver 1 rdii’ v, L
Laige dealers in Sea Island and Lpland Bp, r nr 1 , ait-*
gar idol h, (wine and lies.
W i ite ;or terms.
1 2() Bay Street East,
SAVANNAH, GEORG A
J.fl DENT, # YiDSLIfI.GH
is carrying a large and well assorted line of tin latest
, styles in silk and all other ladies’ line Divas (Join! which
I he is oli'ei ing I >: I lie lovvc.it prices possible.
M.'ll's.' lliits, Men's b'ui rustlings, Notions.
( | Shoe ~ L \DIES’ SHEIiS Cutlery.
FANCY AND FAMILY GROCERIES.
>..« ! >il< ! J >lOl * \ ItTM M\ r r,
i'ianos and Organs sold lor ra di or on Me installment plan.
_ ■ T ■'^S*rw
, MHI BFIRHfG '
' new iin aid; :s 4ii §y
SEWING MACHINE.
Tiir nroj «n u»* [Lj i\ \
lilt Ul.ul Jiiai t.< i today, mid //Cfo b. T HU 1
Hold Uil in lie 11 !'■ * limn lli** fiA onP'’ '• wAIV' |
|,lii-|, of otlici . cliiiiin d lo l,i E\ ; -AvV .
~s -*~x>
IV r iwfe and mi • mi- Ei|'<ug buy jug,
WE DELIVER THEM ON SHORT JOTiSS
1 W. H. HcQUEEN,
Mt. v ornon, G».