The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-05-04

AAC I1A0 T1uA.ES0 tS1lu NG8080nOCks
He believes that the quality of our DO.
tatoes are deteriorating, and that the
day may not be far distant when they
will cease to be used as q food. He
has this to say of soil and zplanting:i
"New sandy loan produces the best
quality Of potatoes. ANY sandy loan,
not wet, especially in: clover, will Rrow
good potatoes. Low, mucky, black
soil, which becomes very. hot in. the
middle Of the day and ,coo1s rapidly. at
night, will produce a large crop IN, q
favorable season, but the potatoes are
generally too large. for .theysmaIket
and not Of good quality: .A4medium-
sized :tuber suits the market best.
Clay land will sometimes grow good
crop, but in a dry, season tho tubers
are small, and in a wet one they are
inclined to rot. Gravelly soil, If rich,
answers well. Under favorable cir.
cumstances they will grow in almost
any soil, and they are always q failure
where water stands on the land. - .:
''Seed potatoes should be of good
size and free from long sprouts. Sew.
eral days before planting, cut them in
to medium.sized pieces, each contain.
ing two or three eyes. It is we'll to
cut them in warm room and sprinkle
warm water over them, 80 as to just
start the sprouts: they will then come
up quickly. Furrow the ground in
rows about 3 1-2 feet apart and plant
in hills or drills, according to circum.
stances. New land works best in hills.
Put one piece in hill and cover with
the hoe about four inches deep, so
that light harrow can pass over with
out disturbing them.
Soap From Rocks.
San Benventura (Cal Reporter
The rock.soap mine is situated in
the lower mountains or foot hills of
the Coast Range, in Ventura. County,
five miles from the city of the same
name. 1t was discovered by A. F.
Hubbard, while prospecting for coal.
He accidentally dislodged some, that
fell into water and dissolved. It be-
ing new experience to see rock dis.
solve, he gave it his attention, found
it soapy, and took it home to expert.
ment with, and soon learned it's virtues;
yet, strange to tell, his family used it
for nearly a year before it was given
to the public, when Mr.. Hubbard asso.
ciated himself with Messrs.. Cronk and
Bickford, forming the present compa-
ny, who are sole pr0priet0rs of this
Wdhaerful mine.
1t is accessible only through can
yon leading through and opening upon
the beach. The cost line stage road
passes the mouth of this canyon three
miles below the mine. This canyon
or ravine penetrates one of the widest
possible volcanic regions. A little
stream follows it's course, an almost
s'1ost cause in summer, but in winter
a raging rushing torrent, which, after
draining immense heights, and many
a rugged mountain.side, finds its way
to the ocean, often bearing along in
it's fearful strength huge boulders and
entire trees. Along the side of this
ravine, sometimes in the bed Of the
stream, sometimes high up its precip-
itous banks, winds a little trail leaid.
ing to the soap mine, travelled only
by the safe pack-mule and hardy
miner. The rock resembles chalk or
lime.
At the southern extremity is an ex.
tensive deposit, veined, marbled and
parti-colored, resembling CASTLE soap.
The ledge at it's opening is fifteen to
twenty feet wide, crops out for 1000
feet with an unknown depth. The
lode is we'll defined with wall rocks Of
hard stone, and has, in common with
the slate and sandstone stratas about
it, been thrown up from thedepths and
turned completely on edge. In it's vi
cinity is mountain of gypsum, also
turned up on edge, indeed the entire
country bears evidence of fearful con.
vulsions, also of sometime having lain
peacefully at the bottom of the ocean,:
for on the highest mountain tops can
be found nearly perfect sea-shells and
various specimens of marine matter.
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