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Modern Farm Methods
As Applied in the South.
Notes of Interest to Planter,
Fruit Grower and Stockman
Packing Fruit* and Vegetables.
My experience in this line has
been largely in the capacity of re
ceiver. Consequently, I should
rather suggest than dictate.
In my long experience as re¬
ceiver, I note very little change in
methods of packing. No package
is properly put up for shipment that
contains an article in several stages
of growth or maturity.
Take tomatoes, for instance. The
common practice is to put half-grown
and ripe in the same package. The
consequence is, the half-grown never
ripen and the ripe ones rot. Of
course tomatoes that are put up for
shipment to distant markets should
not be perfectly ripe, but should be
at least fully grown.
All spotted and deformed stock
should be rejected. The six-basket
carriers or the flats make satisfac
tory packages.
Lettuce should receive especial
care. It should not be allowed to
wither, but packed as cut. All de¬
cayed leaves should be picked off
and in packing use both hands to
tuck the outer leaves around the
head to preserve It. Pack in layers
with a side pressure. Thus packed
it.will carry long distances, and keep
fresh and crisp.
Beets should be packed with the
beets in centre of barrel instead of
outside, which is the common prac¬
tice.
Radishes should be put up same
as beets, as nearly as possible. About
100 bunches to the hamper.
The great error in packing lies
in the fact that the grower will not
resist the temptation to put a few
aunmi ’
£ Z i
A SORTING TABLE FOR PACKING PEACHES.
inferior or worthless specimens in
his package, I cannot conceive why
they persist in doing It when it
should be as much to the grower as
it is to the receiver, that a few
Inferior specimens will often make
a two dollar package sell for one
fifty, I have paid $1 per hamper
on a shipment of radishes that could
not be sold for twenty-five cents.
Each hamper contained about twen¬
ty-five bundles of weeds and grass
and about 200 wormy radishes in
each bundle.
Of course not all growers are so
careless, but enough are to bring
distrust on the whole business.
The time is at hand when the
Southern grower to be successful
must identify himself with his pro¬
ducts. His name and address on his
packages should be a guarantee that
they are properly graded and packed.
If the Southern grower could visit
our receiving centres and see how
certain marks and packs were
sought after he would be surprised.
It is not a surplus of desirable stock
that gluts our markets at times, but
an accumulation of unmarketable
trash tvlilch is a loss to the shipper
and a hardship to the receiver.—W.
J. Grounds, in the Southern Fruit
Grower.
Should Use Cotton Oil.
We ask you to consider one other
matter of no small importance to the
cotton interests of the South. This is
the use of cotton oil instead of lard
in cooking. In value and healthful¬
ness there can be no question but
that this splendid vegetable product
of our sunny cotton fields is as wor¬
thy, if not more worthy, of use than
hog lard, and if cotton oil were a
Northern product, its use by now
would doubtless be almost universal
among housewives, so manifest are
its merits. May we then utilize this
opportunity to urge our Southern
housewives to help this Southern in¬
dustry by giving it the preference
over lard in their kitchens? The
Yorkville (S. C.) Enquirer recently
published an article on this subject,
which is so appropriate here that we
reprint it entire:
“Why don’t the Southern people
have sense enough to recognize cot
tonseed oil as the principal basis of
practically all the so-called lard they
are now using and go in directly for
cottonseed oil rather than lard?
“We confess our inability to give a
satisfactory answer to this question,
The chemist tells us that there is no
harm in cottonseed oil and practical
experience not only tells us that it
measures up to every reauirement
lard, but that it Is just as wholesome
and ever so much cleaner. But still
we have a prejudice against the oil
and won’t use it until the Northern
packer has mixed it with more or
less questionable hog fat, labeled it
under a different name and sold it
back to us at a higher price. By the
way, is it not possible that our objec¬
tion to cottonseed oil in food is really
a matter of Yankee suggestion? If
there were any way t.o trace the mat¬
ter to the bottom this is about what
we would find. And yet, it is as
plain as the nose on one’s face that
if the Southern people would assume
a frank, open attitude toward the
subject, determine on the use of cot¬
tonseed oil themselves, brag on it and
do all in their power to remove the
prejudices of others, the result would
be a still more wholesome product
than we are now getting at much less
cost.
“We are allowing ourselves to be
duped in this matter, and we are
paying tribute on a commodity that
is absolutely our own.”
The Hay Crop.
The area devoted to hay and pas¬
ture in this country stands next to
corn and is equal to more than one
third of that devoted to cereals. Not¬
withstanding its vast importance, I
think that I am justified in saying
that hay is the most neglected crop
grown on the farm to-day. I think
that there is no other crop that would
respond more readily to better meth¬
ods than hay. Hay is neglected for
a number of reasons. In the first
place, the preparation of the seed
bed is often poorly done. Often far-
mers buy cheap seed with a low per¬
centage of germination and not
enough of it is -own to secure a good
stand. Meadows are left in hay so
long that the yield falls off and many
weeds and fine grasses come in to
lower the quality. There Is quite a
general opinion that a variation of
several days in the time of cutting
hay does not make any serious dif¬
ference in the quality. Therefore in
sections where the wheat and hay
harvest come on together the wheat
is invariably cut first and the hay has
to wait until later.—From address
on “The Culture of Grass Crops,” by
H. B. McClure, of Dept, of Agricul¬
ture, before the National Hay Asso¬
ciation.
Plant Nut Trees.
It cannot be said too often that it
is wise for our people to plant nut
trees. Consider the destruction of
our forests, and the rapid increase of
our population. A scarcity of nuts
and high prices for them can be seen
in the near future. In all sections of
our land there are some nut trees
that do well. . Pecans for the Gulf
States, chestnuts for the East, hick¬
ory and walnuts for the Mississippi
Valley, etc. Let the soft timber shel¬
ter belts about the home be replaced'
by nut trees. • They will steadily
grow into money. Fifty years from
now the income secured through the
suggested change would amount to
millions of dollars.
The States should encourage tim¬
ber planting, and especially, by wise
premiums, the growing of valuable
timber and nut trees.—The Fruit
man.
Barnyard Mannre.
The importance of saving and us¬
ing barnyard manure is understood
at this time, and yet no one can get
much about in the country without
seeing that there is still waste in this
respect.
A farmer who for many years has
watched and practiced the leading
points in his business, so succeeding
in a very decided way, in talking
about the matter recently said:
“Barnyard manure is the most im
portant form of organic matter to
add to the soils. The production
and proper treatment of barnyard
manure is just as necessary in good
farming as the 'growing of a staple
crop. The vital need of some sec
tions of the United States is a great
increase in livestock to produce ma
nure and make possible the growing
of a greater variety of crops, such
as are required in a judicious rotation
of crops.”—Home and Farm.
Household Matters.
Steamed Beefsteak.
Cut pieces of round steak in a con¬
venient size for serving. Dip them
in egg, roll in cracker crumbs, and
brown quickly in butter in a very hot
frying pan. Place the meat in a deep
dish or basin; make a brown gravy
of butter, flour and water, with salt
to season, and pour it over the meat.
Then steam three hours or longer, if
there is time. The meat will be ten¬
der and delicious. Veal is nice cooked
in this way.
Maple Souffle.
Melt three tablespoonfuls of butter,
add three level tablespoonfuls of flour
and when frothy, also, gradually, one
cupful of thin maple syrup. When
the mixture boils remove from the
fire and slowly pour over the well
beaten yolks of four eggs, then fold
in the stiffly beaten whites of four
eggs, and bake in a moderate oven
thirty minutes or until well puffed
up and firm to the’touch.—American
Home Monthly.
String Beans Salad.
Select young, tender beans, cut the
strings from both sides, then cut each
bean in two lengthwise, then across.
Throw them in cold water as fast as
cut. When ready to cook cover with
boiling salted water, cook twenty
minutes and drain, throw into cold
water ten minutes, then cover again
with boiling water, to which two or
three tablespoonfuls olive oil have
been added. Cook fifteen minutes
or longer until tender. Season with
salt and pepper and serve hot for the
first day. Put the beans remaining
in the ice box. When ready for the
salad, drain free from liquor, arrange
on lettuce leaves and cover with
French dressing or sauce tartare.—
Washington Star.
Tomato Sauce.
Add to one cupful of hot stewed
and strained tomato one tablespoon¬
ful of butter rubbed with a teaspoon¬
ful of corn starch. Stir until smooth
and thickened, add one-half teaspoon¬
ful of salt, a few drops of onion juice
and a tablespoonful of piquant sauce.
If too thick dilute with a little
boiling water. A richer sauce is
made by putting a pint can of toma¬
toes into a saucepan with a bunch of
seasoning herbs, salt and pepper to
taste, and add one-half cup of water.
Put over the fire, cook about three
quarters of an hour, stirring often.
Put a tablespoonful and a half of but¬
ter in a saucepan over the fire with
a scant tablespoonful of flour. Add
the strained pulp from the tomatoes
and a small cup rich broth, graduat¬
ing the amount to make the sauce
the consistency required.—Washing¬
ton Star.
Egg Fritters.
Three eggs, hard boiled, one table¬
spoonful chopped cooked chicken,
pepper, one tablespoonful chopped
cooked ham, one teaspoonful of an¬
chovy sauce*
Cut the eggs in halves, lengthways,
and remove the yolks. Pound to¬
gether the chicken, yolks and ham in
a mortar, add pinch of pepper, and
replace as much of the mixture in the
hollow of one of the whites as fills
it; put the other half in its proper
place. Do this to the three eggs.
Make an additional egg with what of
the mixture remains, and make the
following batter:
Batter.—Put two tablespoonfuls of
flour into a basin, add a pinch of salt,
mix well, add one tablespoonful of
salad oil, three tablespoonfuls of
warm water and make into a smooth
batter. Beat up the white of one
egg stiffly and ad'd it next. Dip one
of the eggs in the batter to completely
cover it, and put it into smoking hot
fat and fry till brown. Repeat. Serve
on a napkin with fried parsley to
garnish.—Boston Cooking School
Magazine.
ft
Hints for. the
'housekeeper.
ISs&i
Watch your dish cloths and keep
them clean. Otherwise you will be
supporting a microbe paradise.
Never break eggs on the edge of a
crock or pan. Use a knife instead;
it is much easier.
Keep a pumice stone by your sink.
When there are brown streaks in
your granite, porcelain lined or steel
kettles, rub them off with the stone.
After washing children’s frocks, a
hot iron should never be pressed over
the colored embroidery itself, as this
is apt to fade the colors and spoil the
look of the garment.
W hen boiling cabbage, kraut, tur
nips or other loun smelling sub
stances, put a lump of charcoal. or
red pepper pod in the kettle to neu
tralize the odor therefrom.
The backs and handles of ebony
brushes should be rubbed over with a
very little boiled linseed oil after
washing, and then rubbed with a soft
duster until every vestige of oil is re¬
moved.
Egg stains can be removed from
silver by wiping them thoroughly
with fine salt and a dry, soft cloth.
Dip the cloth in the salt and then
rub on the silver and the stain will
soon disappear, leaving the silver
bright and clean.
To remove the odor or onions from
fish kettles and saucepans in which
they have been cooked, put in wood
ashes or sal soda, potash or lye; fill
with water and let it stand on the
stove until it boils; then wash in hot
suds and rinse well.
If you will spread newspapers over
your bed or dining table when you
wish to cut out a dress or waist, you
will never cut your table cloth or
spread, and you will have a smooth
surface to pin your pattern against
and save all scratches and mars.
To clean ironware, take two table¬
spoonfuls of concentrated lye to
three quarts of water. It will make
pancake griddles like new and the
c«.ke will not stick. Set the griddles
or any vessel to be cleaned where
they will keep hot, but not boil, for
three or four hours.
BIRDS AS FOREST WARDENS.
Perform Great Service to Man in Pre¬
serving Trees.
The robins and other familiar
birds are struggling heroically to get
their young on the wing, where they
can be independent of the predatory
cat and small boy, and also the tom¬
boy. This is the season when it
seems peculiarly fit that the school
authorities should instruct teachers
in all grades to admonish their pu¬
pils as to their duty toward the birds
and their nestlings at this time. It
is quite apparent that the parents of
the children are for the most part
neglecting this ,most necessary bit of
instruction; at least, it has so im¬
pressed one who has by heroic ef¬
forts preserved for a week a nest of
five robins from spoilation at the
hands of various children. How much
longer the nestlings have to live is a
problem from which an actuary
would probably shrink.
At the recent meeting of the Gov¬
ernors in Washington for the purpose
of conserving the land, water and
forest resources of the nation, the
work of the birds in protecting crops
was freely acknowledged; but it was
also shown that they have an impor¬
tant part in forest preservation. The
government recently received a re¬
port from one of its departments to
the effect that insects cause an annu¬
al loss to trees of more than $100,
000,000. On the oak alone 400 spe¬
cies of insects, which are sought and
consumed by the birds of the forest,
prey continually, the experts of the
Biological Survey have discovered.
On the willow 18* such spedies at¬
tempt its destruction; on the pine,
165; one the hickory, 170; one the
birch, 105, and on the elm, 80. Care¬
ful analysis of the stomachs of wood¬
peckers, titmice, creepers, kinglets,
wood warblers, wrens, fly catchers,
swallows, nut-hatches and other birds
shows that their constant labor is to
consume those devastating insects.
The National Society of Audubon
Societies has declined to offer its co¬
operation in aid of the movement be¬
gun at Washington, and reminds the
Governors that if they would urge
and work for the enactment of uni¬
form laws for the protection of birds,
they would find no better means for
forwarding their great work. And
to our way of thinking, the work
could be immensely aided by the
adoption of a “bird day” in the pub¬
lic schools, to be celebrated early in
May of each year. The exercises
should be of suen nature as to in¬
sure an impression upon the mind
of the predatory small boy. Their
effect might also reach the mind of
the thoughtless or indifferent adult
who keeps a useless cat as a “pet. ft
—Rochester Herald.
Quantity of Radium in the World.
Madame Curie possesses fifteen
milligrammes of radium, Prof. Bor
das ten, M. Becquerel ten, Sir Will¬
iam Ramsay twenty, Sir William
Crookes twenty, Prof. d’Arsonval
twenty, and Thomas A. Edison twen¬
ty milligrammes. About twenty mil¬
ligrammes more are in the posses¬
sion of other professors. All this is
in the form of pure or nearly pure
radium and its salts, and the entire
amount is 135 milligrammes, or
about two grains troy.
Commercial low grade radium is
distributed among a great many
hands and its strength is very vari¬
able. Hence exact statistics are not
obtainable, but it is estimated that
the entire amount of commercial ra¬
dium contains less pure radium than
the quantity in the possession of sci¬
entists, as stated above.
To these samples must be added
the comparatively enormous quantity
0 f three grammes of radium which
profs. Exner and Wien have lately
extracted from half a ton of Joacb
imsthal pitchblende, the value of
which is estimated at $80,000. One
gramme of this is to be lent to Sir
William Ramsey for experiments on
radium, emanation.—Scientific Amer
icaa.
The
General Demand
of the Well-Informed of the World has
always been for a simple, pleasant and
efficient liquid laxative remedy of know I!
value; a laxative which physicians could
sanction for family use because its com¬
ponent parts are known to them to be
wholesome and truly beneficial in effect,
acceptable to the system and gentle, yet
prompt, in action.
In supplying that demand with its ex¬
cellent combination of Syrup of Figs and
Elixir of Senna, the California Fig Syrup
Co. proceeds along ethical lines and relies
on the merits of the laxative for its remark¬
able success.
That is one of many reasons why
Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna is given
the preference by the Well-Informed.
To get its beneficial effects always buy
the genuine—manufactured by the Cali¬
fornia Fig Syrup Co., only, and for sale
by all leading druggists. Price fifty cents
per bottle.
The Rock of Gibraltar is honey¬
combed with 70 miles of tunneling.
REMOVES CORNS WITHOUT PAIV.
Abbott’s east Indian coax paint removes
corns, root and all, without cutting or burn¬
ing and leaves no soreness, It cures soft
corns between the toes, bunions or sore,
callous spots. It cures all quick and per¬
manent. Get it at your druggist or send
25c. to The Abbott Co., Savannah, Ga.
The average woman is a good ac¬
tress off the stage.
Hicks’ Capudine Cures Women’s
and Monthly Headache. Pains, It’s Backache, Nervousness
diately. Prescribed bv Liquid. physicians Effects imme¬
results. and with best
10c., 25c., 50c.. at drug stores.
A dog wearing spectacles has ap¬
peared on the streets in Paris and
New York, but no dog has yet fallen
so low. as to wear a monocle, boasts
the Louisville Courier-Journal.
HAD ECZEMA 15 TEARS.
Mrs. Thomas Thompson, of Clarksville,
Ga., writes, under date of April 23, 1907: “I
suffered i5 yea^s with tormenting eczema;
had the best dootors to prescribe; but noth¬
ing did me any good until I got tetterine.
It cured me. I am so thankful.”
Thousands of others can testify to similar
cures. Tetterine is sold by druggists or
sent by mail for 50c. by J. T. Shuptrine,
Dept. A, Savannah, Ga.
THE TRAVELLER.
The shades of night were falling down
On a Western Kansas shack,
When up the alkali dust of the town
Rode a tenderfoot, dressed in black.
On a woe-begone broncho—an iron
gray,
At his saddle bow hung a rifle;
On his hack was slung a dress suit
case,
•Some 50 pounds yet a trifle
To the weight he bore in his tired
brain,
As he journeyed from day to day;
And these are the thoughts that went
and came
As he travelled his lonely way;
He thought of his home, by the sad
sea waves;
Of himself as a country jay;
Of the smell of salt hay and barrel
staves,
And he heard his father say:
R Rory! Rory! Get out the dory,
Don’t talk back and don’t get gay!
Go and tell the old man Morey,
‘A herring’s swam into Quincy
Bay.’ ”
Rogers Payne Scruton, in the Boston
Post.
BITTEN BY A HORSERADISH.
<< And so Smithers died of hydropho.
bia?”
“Yes; poor chap!”
u How did it happen?”
‘Tie put too much horseradish on
his bologna and it bit his tongue.”—
Chicago News.
HEALTH AND INCOME.
Both Kept Up on Scientific Food.
Good sturdy health helps one a lot
to make money.
With the loss of health one’s in¬
come is liable to shrink, if not en¬
tirely dwindle away.
When a young lady has to make
her own living, good health is her
best asset.
“I am alone in the world,” writes a
Chicago girl, “dependent on my own
efforts for my living. I am a clerk, and
about two years ago through close ap¬
plication to work and a boarding
house diet, I became a nervous in¬
valid, and got so bad off it was almost
impossible for me to stay in the office
a half day at a time.
“A friend suggested to me the idea
of trying Grape-Nuts, which I did,
making this food a large part of at
least two meals a day.
“To-day I am free from brain-tire,
dyspepsia and all the ills of an over¬
worked and improperly nourished
brain and body. To Grape-Nuts I
owe the recovery of my health, and
the ability to retain my position and
income. ” “There’s a Reason.”
Name given by Postum Co., Batt.e
Creek, Mich. • Read ‘The Road to
Wellville,” in pkgs. A new*
Ever read the above letter?
one appears from time to time, They
are genuine, true, and full of human
interest.