davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
How to Make Spruce Beer.

As THE season is at hand when pleasant
summer drinks, free from alcoholic in
fuence, are frequently brewed by the
housewife, or the well brought up
daughters, who ought to be taught little
of everything In the way of household
duties-we append the following receipts,
which are claimed to be excellent:
1. Take three gallons of water of blood
warmth, three half piDts of molasses, a
tablespoonful of essence of spruce, and
the like quantity of ginger; mix well to-
gether with gill of yeast; let stand over
night, and bottle in the morning. 1t will
be in a good condition to drink in twenty
four hours. 1t is palatable, wholesome
beverage.
2. Those who prefer mead have only to
substitute honey for the molasses named
above, and for one-third the ginger use all
spice Half the quantity of yeast will be
sufficient, and the bOttling should occur
the second day instead of the next NOR
ming. 1t will be fit to drink in four days
after being bottled, and will keep for many
weeks. A small quantity of alcohol is
formed during the fermentation, and this
prevents the acetous fermentation so
common to spruce beer. The essence of
spruce is of course left out In the making
of mead. The alcohol formed from the
fermentation of honey resembles that found
inmetheglin, while the alcohol formed from
the fermentation of mOlasses is rum. Those
who imagine that they can make either
spruce beer or mead without entirely
forming any alcohol are mistaken; but it
is present in so light a proportion as not
to be sensible to the most delicate ten
perance nerves.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
Mulching and TOpdressing.

FRUIT trees which have been recently
transplanted will be much benefited by
having the soil around them freshened up
and pulverized, and then covered with a
mulch of some kind. This will preserve
moisture around the roots and protect
them from drought while they are becom-
ing established in the soil. Half-rotten
straw is good material for mulch, but it
is liable to one objection-it encourages
mice about the trees, and they girdle the
trunks when the snow is ON the ground.
Fresh grass is very suitable for mulching
fruit trees, etc, as 1t lies close, keeps its
place well, preserves moisture, and does
not encourage mice. The area covered
by a mulch should be in proportion to the
size of the tree and the extent of the
roots.
Some persons think they are doing
enough when they freshen up and mulch
or manure small spot around the trunk
Of a medium sized or large fruit tree.
This is an erroneous opinion and practice,
as the feeding roots are generally placed
at considerable distance from the trunk,
extending as far as the branches and tax
ing on food by their spongioles," or
mouths, which are mostly at their extremi-
ties. Very few soils contain all the in
gradients necessary for building up the
wood, bark, foliage and fruit of the apple,
pear, ounce, plum, peach, etc, and in
order to have healthy trees and fine fruit
the deficiency should be supplied by the
application of special manures, in the
shape of mulches or top-dressings. Wood
ashes, leached or unleached, bones, crushed
of dissolved, plaster, guanO, barn-yard
manure, lime, salt, SCOT, etc, may be used
for this purpose, with good effect. When
the trees are large, and growing in an
orchard at the usual distances apart, the
best plan is to top-dress the whole surface
of the orchard with wood ashes, plaster,
lime, etc, for the purpose of supplying
the roots with potash, soda, sulphuric and
carbonic acids, lime, etc. which are neces-
sary for building up the trees and enabling
them to bear heavy crops of fruit.-West-
ern Rural.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13

that the cost of all hoed crops upon 1t was
fully doubled. Their presence depreciates
the value of the oats and barley, and even
of grass No grain or grass seed fit TO be
sold can be raised upon ii, and even the
manure made from the feeding Of such
crops is less valuable by reason Of the foul
seeds. Yet many farmers press right on,
stocking their lands with weeds, as if they
were a most valuable crop. The potatoes
are dug and marketed in July, or early
August, and the ground lies waste for the
rest of the season. If crops are not
wanted, the opportunity should be I'M
proved to destroy weeds. Plow the land
as soon as the potatoes are of After
ten days 90 over it with harrow. This
will destroy q second crop of weeds. In
ten DAYS more go over it with q brush
harrow, which will destroy q third crop.
In two weeks, follow with harrow, and
so on, until the frost comes in November.
A second crop may be taken from the po-
tato ground. If not in good heart, SOW
good superphosphate, or Peruvian guano,
at the rate of 800 lbs to the acre, on the
old rows. Go over the rows once with
cultivator. Sow turnip seed sparingly
upon the fresh soil, and put them in with
a light one-horse harrow or bush. When
the turnips are up, cultivate between the
rows, and keep these spaces free from
weeds. The turnips will soon shade the
ground, and prevent the growth of weeds
in the rows. There are frequently three
months or more between the early potato
harvest and the closing of the ground,
and in this time a fine crop of white tur-
nips may be grown at cost OF less than
six cents a busheL They are excellent
for young cattle, and will assist materially
in making beef and mutton. Sometimes
the potatoes come off early enough for
buckwheat or the winter grains. If ma
nure is judiciously used, two crops in
season may be taken from the soil
American A0riculturist
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
Usefulness of willows.

FARMERS should have patch of osier
willows growing near the homestead, as
they are exceedingly useful for many pur-
poses. Baskets of various sizes are needed
in the house, barn-yaTd and field, and when
there is plenty of material they can be
made within doors in winter, when farm
work is not pressing. The Satir rtnsndsts,
or basket-willow, is best suited for this
purpose. Ofthe Purple willow, Sdtir put
Dursa, it has been said that "if there were
but one osier in existence, this would sup
ply more of the wants of willow workers
than any other one" Willow withes are
very useful in the garden, nursery, or
pleasure ground, as they supply an abund-
ance of ties for fastening vines or trellises,
tall-growing flowers to stakes, and also
serve for bands for the nurserymen. The
clear stems of two or three year old will
lows furnish poles for beans, etc, and when
split make hoops for vessels of various
kinds. The Golden Osier, (Sdlir citcltnd)
is very ornamental, even when entirely de-
nuded of foliage. 1t is also useful, for its
young shoots make good ties, and its me-
dunn sized branches and twigs furnish pea
brush, thing that is not always at hand
in some gardens.
Willows will grow in great variety of
soils, especially If moist, but not profitably
in any unsuited to their habits. Drained
swamps afford fine sites for willow planta-
tons. A deep, rich bottom of sandy loan
that is occasionally overfowed, is very
suitable for their growth. Any amount
of OVERLOOKING, not in the. growing
season, does no damage, but increases the
fertility. Richness of soil is important,
great depth indispensable, and easy culture
desirable and profitable Western Rurd
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
Romantic Incident.

THIRTY-THREE years ago there lived in
Lewiston, Logan county, farmer by the
name of Harris Hopkins, who had child,
a boy, between three and four years of
age. One day, while the father was at
work in the field some distance from the
farmhouse, the boy started from the house
across the fields to see his father. The
last seen of the little fellow was when he
left the house. Hundreds and thousands
of people turned out to search for the lost
child. The river was dragged, the woods
searched, rewards offered but all to no
purpose After days of weary and anxious
search, the little fellow was given up by
the parents and sympathizing friends. The
few Indians wing in the nelghborhood
were friendly and peaceable, and no
suspicion ever attached to them, and
like all 6thef even stranger eircum-
stances, the affair was forgotten, or only
talked of as mysterious disap-
pearance. The Hopkins family at
length left their old home and settled in
Illinois, and up to ten days ago none of
their old neighbors in Logan county had
expected to see any member of the family
again. The establishment of the old set
tiers in and about the neighborhood can
be conceived when week before last tall
man, Drowned by exposure to sun and
storm, and speaking the broken English of
the half civilized Indians, made his appear
ance at Lewiston; afd claimed to he the
child missed thirty-three years ago. He
stated that Cherokee Indian, wan
dering through that section, had enticed
him from the field as he was going in
search of his father, and had carried him
to the far West The old chiefha treated
him as his own son, and having been taken
away at so young an age the memory of
his parents and former life had faded from
his mind. For thirty odd years he had
lived as an Indian, and supposed that he
was the son of the old chief who claimed
to be his father. A few months since the
old chief, then high in rank in the Chero-
kee nation, and very advanced in age,
found himself upon his death-bed. Shortly
before he died, aid when he kneT- that re-
cOvery was hopeless, he called his adopted
son to his bedside and informed him who
and what he was As soon as the old chief
was dead and buried, Hopkins came to Lo-
gan county in search of his parents, whom
he found had moved to Champaign county,
Ill. He, however, remained during last
week at Lewiston to crafty the curiosity
of the old settlers, who had aided in the
search for him thirty three years ago: His
temperance has caused quite as much ex
citement in Logan county as did his sud:
den and mysterious aisappearanGe third
of a century ago The Joy of his parents
when he is restored to them can only be
imagined, but never appreciated, save by
those who have been similarly afflicted and
similarly rejoiced.-Sandusky Register.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
Exterminating House Flies.

A VERMoNTER gives tn the Farmers
Institute his method Of destroying these
pests by means of kind of net secured
in doorway. He says: l am enabled
by means Of a net made Of proper mate
rial and suitable size, attached slightly to
a door passage In horizontal position, to
entrap all the flies in the house in few
minutes, and scald or destroy them. L
find that flies can be driven out of room
through doorway with facility, and net
attached to the passageway receives all the
flies, care rot how numerous, that are
driven from the room. The net being
light, with open meshes, they will light on
the same and stay there till you drive all
the flies in the room into the net; then
quickly remove the net from the doorway,
inclosing the mouth in your hand; shake
it, and the flies will quickly be gathered
at the rear end of the net, just like a
swarm of bees, and then destroy them by
dipping the bunch of flies In hot water or
soap snds. A few applications Of the net
make the flies very few in number in and
about your house By using our contriv-
ance once or twice week, in any dwell
ing, during fly time, will give peace and
auietude that such as detest flies and YER
min as do will fully appreciate"
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13

two parts being filed at different times,
win not settle alike, and of course will not
unite, so there will be no use for hay
knife in winter. The principal benefit of
this plan is derived by lessening the hard
labor while unloading. One-haf of the
NOW being lower than the other, the top
Of the load may be thrown on the highest
part, and the balance below, which saves
pitching from the rack over the big beam.
After trying this mode of moving away
hay, it will not be abandoned.
There is still another advantage; the
greatest heat caused by fermentation is
always in the centre of the NOW, and the
seam here gives escape to the generated
gases.
There is very generally neglect among
farmers to properly prepare the bottom Of
their bays for hay to keep well. In most
cases the hay is allowed to lie upon the
ground, or at best, to rest upon few
poles or rails laid on the earth. The best
construction we ever used was to put in
logs fifteen inches through, across the bay,
once in eight or ten feet, and upon these
spread rails or poles, leaving a space be-
tween them of about two inches. This
gives free circulation below the NOW, and
not pound is injured if it remains there
for years-Ohi0 Farmer.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
The Chinch Bug.

A series of valuable papers concerning
this destroyer of farm crops has been pub
lished In recent numbers of the american
EntomolOgist. We quote here a recapitu-
latiOn of important points which the writer
regards as firmly established:
list: Chinch-bugs hibernate in the per-
feet or winged state in any old dry rub
bish, under dead leaves, In old straw, in
corn-shucks and corn stalks, among weeds
in fence-cOrners, etc, etc. Therefore all
such substances should be burned up, as
far as possible, in the spring.
ED. The earlier small grain can be
sowed in the spring, the more likely it is
to escape the chinch-bts. for 1t will then
get ripe before the spring brood OF bugs
has had time to become fully developed at
the expense of the grain.
3d. The harder the ground is where
the grain is sowed, the less chance there
is for the chinch-bug to penetrate to the
roots of the grain and lay Its eggs thereon
Hence the Importance of fall=plowing
and using the roller upon land that is loose
and friable And hence, fold corn ground
is sufficiently clean, it is a good plan to
harrow Id cfCp of small grain upon it
without blowing it at all:
"4th. A single heavy rain Immediately
checks up the propag CATION of the chinch-
bugs. Continued heavy rains diminish
their numbers most materially. A long
continued wet season, such as that of 1865,
almost sweeps the whole brood of them
from off the fare of the earth but from
the rapid rate at Which they multiply there
will always be enough left for seed for an
other year. 1t may be laid down, not only
as general, but as universal rule, that
this insect is never ruinously destructive,
except in those sections of country where
there is continued hot, dry weather; and
that if, in two adjoining districts, there
has been dry summer in one and much
wet weather during the summer season in
the other, however plentiful and destruct-
i've the bug may be in the first district, it
will scarcely be heard of in the second.
Certainly this state of facts is not exactly
that from which any reasonable man would
infer that the paucity of chich-bugs in a
wet season Is caused by an epidemic dis
ease taking them off We might as well
maintain that, although there was no cpl
demic disease among the children of Israel
that had just crossed the Red Sea, or
among the Egyptians that staid at home,
it was simply and solely an epidemic dis
ease that slew the pursuing hosts of the
Egyptians and covered the bottom of the
Red Sea with their carcases."
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
The Currant Worm.

Ar the horticultural exhibition in
Rochester, recently, several gentleman
stated that the currant worm would not
disturb bushes under which coal ashes
were literally sprinkled. In confirmation
of this correspondent of the Express of
that city says: "That to prevei4t the cur
rant slug on currant bushes persons have
only to mulch thoroughly all the ground
under the bushes with anthracite coal
ashes. This should be done late in the
autumn or early in the spring of the year,
before the bushes leave out, as the worm
that feeds on the leaves, after its growth,
drobs off and goes into the earth imme-
diately under the bushes. The grub, when
it comes up to change into fly, cannot
make it's way through this coarse, sharp,
gritty ash heap, and perishes there. Thus
far my bushes are unmolested by fly or
slugs this year, while last year they were
almost entirely stripped of their leaves
by slugs. An easy and cheap remedy
SURELY"
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
California Girls i'm the Yosemite.

A CORRESPONDENT of the San Francisco
Chronicle, writing from the Yosemite Val
lev, says that he yields The palm to women
for hardihood and endurance as explorers.
They climb higher, ride harder, get wet.
ter, scream louder, eat more turkey, and
drink more stimulant than most men, You
should have there seen, he says, our San
Francisco shcoolmistresses ride! Riding
their horses over boys, in boys, down
precipices, across rivers, astride, man fash
ion, pantaioons, hair Hying-thus did this
branch of the public school department
disport themselves They burst their con-
ventionalities. The inner spirit of fenni-
ninity, crushedand smothered as it is by the
conventionality of the city, is entirely free
in the valley. As for the men, blush for
my sex. They crept along after those
girls like lot of old cows. In plotting
the girls about, they got lost and remained
lost. We met one wet and dismal wretch
coming out of the storm of mist, just above
the Vernsl Falls. He had become partly
demented by the whirl and uproar through
which he had passed. During the period
of our observation he did nothing but
merge and emerge, in aimless goings and
comings after the girls, through that
chronic rain-storm.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
How Bad Boys are Reformed in New
Jersey.

THE New Jersey State Reform School,
at Jamesburg, has sixty boys in charge.
A Newark paper gives the following ac
count of the discipline of the institution:
The school has farm of 500 acres con-
nected with it. The boys thus have an
opportunity to engage in all kinds of farm
work-plowing, preparing manures, fit
ting the soil for seed, planting, haying, etc.
The smaller of the inmates are mainly en-
gagged in planting, wedding, and training
the small fruits-a work in which they
seem to take great satisfaction. 1t is de-
signed to turn the farm into purely fruit
farm, and thousands of peach, pear and
Last year the whole products Of the farm
amounted to $5,9O2.51, of which there
were consumed by the families products of
the value of $92650
In the school the boys are divided into
two grades, according to their proficiency
One is in the school in the forenoon, and
the other in the afternoon. They are
taught all the common English
commendable proficiency. Many who
when they entered, now read quite fluent
~, duu III OehS' oeoN1NS'
Just now, when the growing or ripening
crops make pressing demands for labor to
cultivate or secure them, the exercises of
the schoolroom are temporarily suspended.
These barvests and other vacations are,
however, made up to the students. When
snow covers the ground, or the weather is
inclement, the school hours are doubled.
In summer the boys rise at 5 o'clock, and
after washing perform the tasks assigned
them, assembling for prayers at a quarter
to z, this being followed by breakfast and
the departure of all to their various points
of labor. At half past II all come in, and
at 10 have dinner An hour is then al
lowed them to play, and at half past 1
they return to work, at which they re-
main until halfpast 5. In the evening
they have various exercises, another hour
for play, etc, and at half past retire for
the night. In winter the order of the day
is somewhat different, the time being given
rather to study than to work.
A careful examination into the expenses
of the institution during the past year
shows that the cost of the pupil averages
three dollars per week for board and cloth
ing, fuel, light, salaries and incidentals.
The cost to the State per pupil is about
$1.20 a week, the proceeds of the farm
equalling about $3.50 each week to every
inmate of the school.
1t u confidently believed that as the farm
becomes developed the institution can be
made selfsustaining. The addition to the
building authorized by the Legislature is
now in course of erection, and will very
materially enlarge the capacity of the in
stiution, which has hitherto been entirely
too small for the purpose designed.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-13
The First Locomotive.

PEN-Y-DARRAN, Wales, is chiefly remark
able for its connection with the first tram
way, for which an act of Parliament was
obtained in 1903 for the first locomotive
ever tried-and with the able inventor,
Trevethick, who there made his first essay.
The first run of the locomotive occurred
in February, 1904. Previously there had
been a whisper in the scientific world of
the use of steam and of its employment
in propelling vehicles, and abortive at
tempts having been frequent. Samuel
Homfray by some means was brought into
connection with Trevethick, and the re-
suit was that this able but eccentric man
visited Methyr, and in conjunction with
self-taught mechanic, one Rees Jones,
whose homely portrait can be seen in the
Kensington Museum, began to build his
locomotive. Building is not an inappro-
pirate word in this case, for the stack was
actually built up of bricks the same as an
ordinary chimney, and the whole affair
was peculiarly odd. The stack was tall
and clumsy, the body dwarfed, perched
on a high framework, so as to approx
innate to the spider fashion; the cylinder,
in addition, was upright; the piston
worked downwards, and at every revOlu-
ton of the wheels there was monstrous
clang produced, which, heard now days
with the asthmatic puffs of steam, would
provoke the gravest mechanician to
laughter. When completed Homfray in
PRODUCED his friend Richard Crawshay to
the novelty, doubtless much to that
individuals amusement certainly to
his incredulity as to its being fit for any
thing, for he readily accepted a wager
with Homfray for 81 900, maintaining that
1t would not convey load of iron from
Pen-y -darran to the navigation-a distance
of nine miles The eventful day arrived
for the trial, and never had there been 20
much excitement. The sturdy English
men were there, and natives from every
Welsh county lined the road, and mounted
every eminence that commanded the tram
way, and when Trevethick jumped on
his iron steed, and began slowly to move
UPWARDS amidst changing iron and putting
steam, the uproar was terrific BY the ar
engagements made, no one was allowed to
assist the dauntless Cornishman, and for a
time he did not seem to want it. Sur
rounded by host he passed down the
valley, making about five miles per hour,
when a sad misfortune happened-the
clumsy stack came in contact with bridge
and was ruined Trevethick stood for a
moment amongst his bricks but only a
moment. Fertile in resource, he was soon
steaming onward again, and not only con.
veyed his load of iron to the navigation,
but crowd of exultant passengers along
with it, who, to their latest days, prided
themselves on their glorious ride. 1t was
fortunate for Homfray that the wager was
loose one. The iron was taken down
and the bet won; but Trevethick failed to
bring his empty train back, and for some
time the new invention as a mode Oftrans-
port remained in abeyance-London En-
gineer.