The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-29
Home and Farm.

ecA0Db. In rural districts this would
cultivate simple and very useful art.
Gray's first lesson in botany, and the
study OF vegetable physiology, may be
taken up by advanced classes in country
schools with advantage. Children
should learn the principle, of the bust
ness which they are TO follow through
life. Every year science comes little
nearer to the youthful mind, and more
within its grasp Of thought. Il time,
. child's best instincts will have a
purely scientific organ. The human
brain necessarily reflects back on So
eiety the light it has received. Horti-
culture, in its most advanced state,
may find some difficulty in making its
way into schools as something worth
considering, teaching and learning,
but from the hanging gardens Of
Babylon Zone of the seven wonders Of
the world down to the Kew garden Of
London, science and industry have met
and joined hands for the advancement
Of q common interest.
There can be do doubt that a census
Of 1880 will prove incOntcstibly that
this republic of ours is the greatest
wool-growing country in the world.
Our latest figures are several years old
and make the total clip 200, 600, 900 of
pounds, while the Australian estimate
for 1875 is only 1875, 600, 900 pounds
while our yield in 1870 was 1877, 000,-
900 pounds. The interest is steady
growing one, but great cry was raised
against the "wool tariff" when Con-
tA hn A
can wool-grOwer. Since then the clip
has become immense, and is really the
main reliance of the American wooden
factories. There are still all sorts of
reasons for importing foreign wool,
Just as there are for importing foreign
iron, lead, copper, salt, cotton goods,
silks, etc. Some want foreign coarse
goods because they are cheaper. 9th
ers want special grades of foreign fine
woods. But the quality of the AmerI-
can wool is such as give our wooden
goods the command of the home mar
kets. With our vast extent of land,
great varieties OF soil and climate and
large developments of agricultural and
pastoral interests, there is no grade or
quality of wool VIC cannot produce,
and NO good reason why we cannot
compete with foreign wool in price.
The war gave great impetus to the
production of wool and the manufac-
ture of wooden goods at home, and II
has been firmly held out and increased.
Scientific american.
The News and Courier declares the
Scuppcrnong to be ''thc lazy mans
grape" and il it be SO, then we would
advise to plant the root in some well
MANFRED spot, and as the vine grows
simply give it a horizontal trellis to run
upon about eight feet from the ground.
This arbor, II made Of wood, will in
time decay, and cause deal of trouble
to renew. II made Of rock posts and
galvanized wire it lasts always, SO fal
a. the builder is concerned. SO as fal
a. the arbor is concerned, ''you pays
your money and takes your choice.
We have seen a Scuppernong vine that
shaded the ground so thoroughly fol
one hundred feet square that not 6
spear of grass grew under it, and ye,
II cost the owner nothing but the
trouble of taking out the dead wood
in the fall, and inserting here and
there fence rail, perhaps once u year,
either to extend his arbor or replace
decayed rails. The owner was de
cidedly a man of leisure, probably 1
''lazy man." for he delighted IN tInk-
sring with that old vine. There are
maLy of our farmers well acquainted
with the cultivation OF the Scupper
nUng; and Soma of them, we know
from personal experience, made CAPT
tai wine from this grape. VIII the,
not give us their experience for publ
ostion2 Don't hide your light under
bushel, but give it to us that we ma
scatter 1t far and near, and enccuTUg
others to do as well as you, and per
haps improve upon your method, anc
In return give you the benefit Of thei
experience and success.
The improvements that DO most t
increase the comfort and to reuder farm
life attractive are not Of the most cost,
character, ard are within the reach o
every enterprising farmer. In making
the home attractive, costly ornament
may be left to those who have TIT
means to lavish upon them; but ever!
country mansion or cottage should b.
surrounded by shade trees to protcc
It, or rather its inmates, from the colo
blasts of winter, as well rs the intcns,
heat OF summer. The trees are within
the reach of all, at u tritling expense
Tho roadways, too, could be lined will
trees, with little or no diSadyantag,
TO the adjoining lands. If the patrons
OF husbandry would lake hold of thi
important subject in earnest, how
easily they could line the highways o
the whole country with beautiful orna
mental and fruit trees, and tax them
selves but lightly in time and money
Does anyone doubt the deSirabilit,
Of such improvements Let such al
enc drive along q public road wher
even one farmer has 10y foiethough
and little enterprise, years befor
such visit, planted such trees and con
trast his impressions, with q look a
his own barren highways, and thel
judge. The fact is, such lnvcstmen
costs but little, and never fails to pay
No one can pass such property wIthou
half wishing that he owned it, and
he 10 ready and able to purchase he i
willing to pay well for such improve
ments.
With the substantial comforts o
country life It is the same. They ar
within the reach of every farmer, grea
or small, and cost comparatively little
All that is needed is Judgment and
little well-timed labor, for such com
forts IS fruits, which many farmer
never see in their dwellings.
Most of the drudgery and monotop,
Of farm life results from mere stupid
ity. Ii 10 commonly thought by thos
Who live for years on corn bread, ba
con and sweet potatoes that such lux
uries as delicious, heallhful fruits ar
toe costly for poor farmers. This i
ell nonsense. No class of people in tn
world can secure them so easily and 5,
certainly. City people know little O
the.a luxS.S~- - VtirIr perfection, q
they rarely get them fresh from tn
1slds; ana II the farmer would onl,
ase his opportunities his family woul,
seldom complain of their situation.
The cetton crop of 1875 was (, 669,
60 bales. On the first of January las
che crop of 1876 was estimated by tn
knowing ones TO be- at least 500 00j
bales leSs than the crop of 1875. Dur
Ing January there was a short receipt,
which seemed to confirm their view
and cotton stitfened little in price
Bat In February there were al, coo bale
more forwarded TO cur ports than il