davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Jerusalem ArtichOkes.

A subscriber in Malcolm, Iowa,
has apparently heard of Jerusalem
artichokes for the first time. He
wants to know what they are, what
theyare good for, how to raise them,
and where to procure seed. He is
informed that the Jerusalem arti-
choke is a species of ~sun-fower,
having a stalk about six feet high,
and large yellow blossoms. 1t is
cultivated for its tubers, which are
nearly the size of ordinary potatoes.
The tubers will remain in the
ground all winter without injury
from frost. They make excellent
pickles, or are sliced or eaten with
vinegar without other preparation.
They are now extensively ra.sed for
hog food. Their fattening quail
ties are not great, but it is claimed
that they prevent disease among
swine. The culture of Jerusalem
artichokes is IN all respects a very
simple way of cultivation and har-
vesting. They drop the seed in a
furrow, cover with pillow, cultivate
the ground once with a harrow, and
allow the hogs to dig the tubers as
they want them. To raise a good
crop, however, it is necessary to
manure the land and to cultivate it
well during the early part of the
season. After midsummer the tops
will shade the land and prevent the
growth of weeds. Some farmers cut
the tops with a machine and cure
them for cattle.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Preparing Compost.

The best are made of stable man
ure, cotton seed and acid phosphate
or dissolved bones. Proportions of
ingredients vary with the crop and
land to which 1T is to be applied.
For cotton on medium lands, five
bushels each Of manure and seed to
one hundred pounds of phosphate
on poorer lands increase the guam
tity Of manure and seed, and de-
crease them on richer soils. For
corn, ten to fifteen bushels Of each
to one hundred pounds of phos-
phate. Put down a layer of cotton,
say two inches thick, scatter phos-
phate on this, then stable manure,
same thickness-cotton seed again,
and so on, finishing off with a layer
of rich earth. Wet the whole
thoroughly as it is being put up, and
tramp down very firmly to prevent
overheating. Thrust a stick down
in the mass at intervals, and if,
after letting it remain ten minutes,
it is found uncomfortably hot to the
hand, make numerous holes with a
stick or crowbar and pour in water
freely to quench the heat. 1t is
not necessary to protect from
weather, but do not put under the
caves of buildings. A compost pre-
pared as above may be used in four
weeks after it is put off-but two or
three months is better.
The same materials may also be
used without composing, by scat
tering the cotton seed and stable
manure iii a drill, and afterwards
the phosphate upon them. Do this
IN February, list with two burrows
and complete bed in April.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Information for Cotton Growers

In examining cotton don't allow
Yourselves to be deceived by a fine
growth. If more than n kind of
cotton is planted, find out which
grows It's limbs closest together on
the stalk and forms closest on the
limb. Figs are not gathered from
thistles. neither is cotton gathered
from stalk or leaf, but from bolls.
1t is a liberal boiling cotton You
want, and not a liberal grower. |
will try to demonstrate this: Your
land contains a sufficient quantity
Of the chemical elements to grow a
certain quantity of vegetable matter.
Now if these elements are exhausted,
or nearly so, in making weed there
must necessarily follow a dearth of
fruit. Per contra, if only a a
sonable portion Of these elements
are taken up by a medium growth,
the large balance left goes towards
making and fully developing fruit.
You may think this cannot be con-
trolled. My experience tells me
hat it can be by proper manurlng
and careful selection of seed. BY
careful selection for several years |
have succeeded in developing a cot
ton that matured almost to the last
form upon land that gave me a
yield (the same Year, Of two bales
to the acre. | mention the yield to
show the land was in good life.
Upon such land cotton ordinarily IS
expected to grow until checked by
frost. When this is the case, Of
oulse a very large part Of the forms
(Which make as long as the cotton
continues to grow + lost, and
consequently you have not derived
the full benefit of the chemical ele-
ments your land contains.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Improving Seed

A Southern correspondent o! the
y. ]. Times writes: l have ocen
making seed-wheat and seed-corn a
specially for SIX or seven years, ana,
of course. made them a careful
study. | have experimental with
as many as thirty-eight varieties o!
wheat and made six hybrids, two OF
which | raised quite successfully.
Six wears agoI commenced lmprov-
inc a variety Of corn. The stalk |
started with had two r and q
nubbin. On this theory | com
menced, viz, that the top ear con-
tains the tru seed !; that selecting
those stalks every season that rlpen-
ed first would shorten the period OF
its growth, and that taking for seed
only those talks that bear the
greatest number of ears. Another
idea | acted on. hat nature made a
flute, groove, OF hollow on every
node or joint of "A stalk, and 1t
would make an ear if properly fed
and cultivated. | now have four to
six good ears on hundreds Of stalks,
and four on thousands. From 621
stalks | shelled out IA bushels. |
send this week to the Agricultural
Department at Washington 800
bushels Of it. Last month | sent
Hon. VIM. CT. LIE Due goo bushels
of my wheat. His agent came to see
nv wheat and corn, and pronounced
both very fine.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Keep the Stock Clean.

The following sensible remarks
on cleanliness of domestic animals
are from the NeW York World:
1t is a fact that no domestic ami
NAL is unclean from choice. Natu-
rally they have an aversion to un.
cleanliness, and if their movements
are noted it will be found that they
invariably choose clean, dry places
to lie upon. If stock are unclean,
it is owing to no fault Of theirs. but
entirely to the neglect and careless
ness of their owner, or the persons
having charge of them. In this
country too little attention is paid
by farmers in general to the clean
illness Of their stock, the general
excuse being that an attempt to keep
animals clean is of little use, be-
sides taking up too much time.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
American Ramie.

The production of ramie-a richly
fertile perennial, unequaled among
fbres for beauty and strength, has
been monopolized for centuries by
China.
Knowing its value, since 1903,
England has tried to raise ramle IN
India. 1t offers "a premium Of
$4,000 (:25, 000) for the invention
and production of a machine to
elk" Indian ramie worth III Eng
land $50 (s250) per ton, at a cost
not exceeding f15 $50 per ton.
Such a machine has been patented
bv Mr.. Emile Lepauc, Philadelphia,
Pa, cleaning from tie green 1000
pounds per day.
DR.. Forbes Watson. London, ably
shows that in Belgium, England
and France, ramie Is mixed with
fine cotton. fax, hemp, silk and
wool, giving fabrics of great beauty
and strength. Personally, we know
that for Shoe and sewing thread,
ramie ranks next TO silk.
The Agricultural Report Qs13,
page 2S1) states that ramle trials on
Twitchell's Island, California, gave
800 to $50 per acre, yielding four
fold interest.
In 1877, ramie five feet high,
equal to imported, grew on the
sandy soil of Camden, \. j., and
at Philadelphia, Pa. The climate
and soil Of millions of acres IN Anne
RIGA are well suited for ramie. Were
Government offering bounties for
its development, these would return
in taxes with a hundred-fold lnte-
rest, marking an important era IN
our country's industrial history.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Rats Eating Horses Feet.

Editor Ruru1 World: The rats .
the rats! How are farmers to get
rid of these pests They have at
last got to eating my horses feet SO
as to make them lame. Did you
ever hear Of such a thing before ? |
never did. How shall | protect my
horses feet from their injurious
teeth Is there any way it can be
done? The rats will yet drive me
to a lunatic asylum, | fear.
j. II. S.
REMARKs.-You have our SYM
pathy, for we have been troubled as
you are, and know how you suffer.
But we have learned how to get rid
of them, and a drive them all
away within two weeks. We have
published a score of remedies within
the last few months, almost any
one Of which, properly used, Will
exterminate the rats.
We drove them from our prem
Uses as follows We selected four or
five places for feeding them corn
meal. Every day for a week we
supplied fresh meat to these places.
The rats finding nothing wrong
would eat the meal with great avi-
dity. These feeding places were
made where no other animal could
get at the meal. After the rats all
got to eating in them, We got a sup
ply of arsenic and mixed, just at
nightfall, with the meal, and putt
as usual in the feeding places. The
rats ate it as usual, but the next
morning a sicker set Of animals no
one ever saw. Some died soon {;
others had not eaten quite enough
to kill them, but were in great
misery. Those that had eaten
nothing perhaps knew that some
thing was wrong, and left in hot
haste. In three days not a rat was
to be found on the premises. Those
that could get away left-the bal
ance died. 1t was many months
before we saw a rat again. They
have visited us since, but we made
the feeding places again, dosed
them again, and soon not a rat was
to be found. Any person who will
follow our directions car get rid of
them.
Rats frequently eat the frogs and
tender part of the hoofs of horses.
We have seen them eaten to the very
quick. The rats viii wait till the
horses lie down to sleep, and then
they cautiously 60 to work to eat
their feet. They cut away the frog
as clean and smooth as a man could
with a knife. The remedy for this
is an application of tar. Every
night clean out the feet and apply
a coating of tar, and it viii prevent
the rats from eating the frog or
hoof. If you follow our directions,
we feel sure you can drive the rats
away, and if they visit you again,
use the same remedy and it will
prove effectual.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
MARCH :. ISIS
Wonderful Climate

Col. Polk brought from HIST,
in Arson, q well developed.
maturcd June apple. the
crop from the same tree TIM.
4 gentleman In the same cr
has produced three crops Of
Rose potatoes this season v
planting after each crop was da,
Farmer and Mechanic.
Yes. We nave a wonderful
mate and Incompatible resar
and advantages. Virginia and
Carolinas can beat the world
good and cheap living
Dd.) Messenger.
In one of the Southern com,
of North Carolina, durinv
past year. a crop OF oats Mas
cred III the month OF june, a..
aging Y e two tons per acre.
land was planted in corn imma
ately after harvesting the oa.
the yield was very fine. The a-
tiyation Of the cor crop prals-
the land for another crop II e
which j. growing beautifully
promises an abundant crop for
present year, besides. furu.,hr
excellent winter p~aSturagc. Tins
process Of raising two crops IN a.
season IS exhaustive unless the Ian.
is continually improved, Ne. a
are convinced that two crop, If M
reals can be made a success in t
latitude if we Will only try the sE.
pertinent. We have already c....
an instance of five tons OF oats ...s
several hundreds bushels OF ,R..
potatoes having been raised durrr
the past year on two acres Of land.
We doubt If any other section ~
the South presents a finer field tu-
agricultural Improvement than rLa
two Carolinas. Besides its aaar-
tedness to Il great variety Of rr.-
ducts this section has uucNpl0u..
mines Of untold value. and water
power uncqualled by any country
on the globe. 1t may surprise ou..
readers TO know that tea, cqua. To
the best imported article. ha, been
raised with perfect success in las
tern North Carolina.
Truly we have "A wonderful c'-
mate, and considering the present
state of agricultural i~mprolcmru.
we have a wonderful people, who
are SO slow TO appreciate and dee
velope the almost boundlcs> aIyaa-
tages with which nature has ble- u.
us.-(0rOIno Furmpr.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Making a Hot Bed

If the soil be sufficiently dry that
water never stands within two feet
of the surface, excavate to the depth
Of about Is inches, using the earth
thrown out to bank up around the
frame placed over the bed. About
ten days before making the bed,
have a sufficient quantity Of fresh
horse droppings with the wet litter
which accumalates Herewith, into
a compact pile. If it heats strongly,
turn it, mixing long and short well
together.
If the pile again becomes very
hot, turn again. Select a still day
for making up the bed. Spread the
manure evenly in the pit prepared,
making the whole firm from time
to time with the back Of the fork,
and taking out or shaking up all
hard Jumps. SO proceed until you
have a depth of Is inches of the
heating manure. Over this place
the frame to receive the glass.
Sashes three feet three inches wide,
by five and one-half or six feet long,
are Of a suitable size. Bank up all
around to the top Of the frame, and
put over the manure say two inches
of soil. If the heat rises SO the
bulb Of a thermometer, thrust in
the heated material, shows about so
degrees of heat, it is right. Put on
four or five inches more of we'll pre-
pared compost, or rich sandy loan,
and the bed will be prepared for
planting. and the seed may be sown
thinly in drills four inches apart,
to be thinned and tr~ansplanted as
wanted.
During stormy weather or cold
nights the glass must be covered
with mating or slough hay, to ex-
clude frost and conserve heat, and
the plants must have plenty of air
during mild or sunny weather.
Water slightly warmed should also
be given as needed. This your judg-
ment and experience must decide.
Novices, however, as a rule, give too
much water and too little ventlla-
tion.-Pr0irie Farmer.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07

The mixture should be kept well
moistened. without being wet
enough to allow any drainage, and
in about eighteen months the small
bones viii have disappeared alto
cether, and the large ones VIII have
become soft enough to be easily
crushed with the shovel while mix
ing the compost. The result is a
manure which is far o. powerful
to use without mixing it with at
least ten times its bulk of muck, or
some fertilizing earth, and which
can then be applied with excellent
effect, especially TO turnlP land. |
am of the opinion that it is almost,
if not quite, as valuable as many Of
the purchased superphosphates, and
the plan is worth adopting if it is
only to get rid of dangerous ashes
and unsightly bones.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07

The colonlsts of Australia have
been much annoyed of late by the
depredations caused by large flock
of kangaroos, which have been
starved out Of the interior by sever
drought, and are destroying the
crops and vegetables IN large mum
bers. Large expeditions have been
organized to DESTROY and drive of
these undesirable visitors, and 81,
many as 100 kangaroos have been
killed IN a single day. The skim
are sold and made into an eXccllea.
quality of leather.
The turner's 1drocafe gives this
as the best whltewash for poultry
houses Into the whitcwash p-.
drop a teacupful Of soft-boiled rice,
and mix thoroughly. Then poll
into a quart pot Of cold water -4f
ten or twelve drops Of crude car
bolic acid. Nix this into the rest,
and swab the interior Of your hea-
house with it. For outside, u.e
rock salt dissolved, instead Of bo..ea
rice, and dispense with carbolicae acid.
No other preparation Of whitewa-a
ever equaled this for poultry build
ings.
System on thcfarm is essential To
permanent success. Nhatete-
branch of farmingis selected should
be stuck to, If only moderately sue
cessful. Aman is constantly learn
ing IN a business To which be
gives habitual attention, and tl-
knowledge is a part Of his capt.
just as much as the money inycs-e-
III stock, tools, Or buildings. The
man who makes wheat u lead-l-
crop, BY studying 10 lessen the co>.
Of production, by experience in the
best methods of preparing the soil.
the use of manure, and the cult
walton Of the crop, can raise whea.
cheaper than his neighbor, am
though selling it at the sane
price, Will realize a profit when
they barely escape a loss. On the
other hand, the man who IS ever
ready to abandon his usual pract,ce,
IN order to follow something t-a-
pa ysexceptionally well at the mo
ment-such as sheep %husbancrt
or h~op-culture, when mutton
wool or hops are fetching hi7H
priests pretty sure to los0
money.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Killing Rats.

The following cheap and simp.'
method is said to be used IN Ger
many A mixture of two parts Il
well bruised common squilIs, AND
three parts Of finely chopped bacon
is made into a stiff mass, with d.
much meal as may be required, aud
then baked into small cakes, which
are put down for the rats TO eat.
Several correspondents Of the Gn-
nun agricultural Gazette write To
announce the complete extirpatIoo
of rats and mice from the cow-sta..s
and plggeries inc the adoption ID.
this simple plan.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
American Jute.

Jute, an Indian annual, grows an
inch thick, s to 10 feet high, on
light sandy soils. England, hoping
to secure control of the worlds jute
trade, pressed its culture IN India,
at the risk of a bread famine which
actually arose in Bengal. Her fos-
tering, however, caused midas jute
exports to rise from &C, OO0 pounds
in 1928 to 700, 600, 900 IN 1872. In
1872, India had 900 900 acres IN
jute, employing three million PEG
pie, yielding one thousand million
pounds, worth one hundred million
dollars
The climate and soil Of New
Jersey are indigenous to jute, since
in 1877 Mr.. Emile Lepauc, found
it growing there wild 90 feet high,
superior to finest Indian.
Hon. Samuel G. Brown (Textile
Commissioner, n. J.,) believes
this fact establishes the commercial
and industrial value of jute. Citing
England and France, whose wealth
arose from developed industries,
through government bounties, Mr..
Brown wisely urges New Jerseys
Legislature to pay bounties for rails
ing and manufacturing jute and
ramie. He states that jute would
give 125 per cent. more than corn,
and $50 per cent. more than hay,
yearly adding many millions to New
Jerseys income"
Will not ourlmproyed machinery
with government bounties, soon
make jute as invaluable to America
as it is to India?
WILSON WATSON.
40 Beekman ST., n. Y, Jan. %, rs.
The foregoing is from the pen of
Wilson Watson, Esq, with whose
valuable contributions on finance
and agricultural topics our readers
are familiar. Though a Scotchman
by birth, he is thoroughly American
in all his instincts and aspirations,
embodying in himself the fires Of
our revolutionary ancestors, and a
love of American institutions truly
remarkable in one not to the manor
born. His wonderful knowledge on
the subject of jute and flax is inval-
liable, and if properly considered by
our people, will vastly increase their
exports, prevent imports, and
greatly enrich our people and coun-
try. He knows of what he dis
courses, being III of the most
capable IN the country IN the manu-
facture of all kinds Of linen goods,
his wide experience giving him a
thorough knowledge of the vast
wealth contained in jute and ramie,
the cure and manufacture Of which
for use and expectation he fully n
~derstands, and will give to the pub
lie in pamphlet form as soon as
practicable. AS an agriculturist,
he has no superior, and the method
of culture of every country, which
will also appear in his pamphlet,
will prove Of the greatest possible
value to every farmer in the land.
AS soon as issued we will notify u
subscribers, and thus more fully in
troduce them to one of the staunch-
est and most intimate friends Of the
spotless and noble patriot, Hon.
Peter Cooper.
New York, Feb. Is, 1873.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Homo Made Superphosphates.

I place side by side two old -four
barrels, in one of which l put what
v bones come to hand. In the
other | put a bucketful of wood
ashes from the house stove, moiSten
them well and scatter a few bones
on the top. The process is repeated
as the bones and the ashes are pro-
duced, and at the end of the year
some five or six barrels are the result.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07
Cheap Formula for Composing.
DIRECTIONS


Mix Nos. l, ?, and thoroughly
together, dissolve Nos. 5, 6, and !
in five (5) buckets of water, and
add to the first mixture: when
these are well mixed, add the No.
4 article and mix thoroughly and
let stand 80 or 40 days before using
it.
In following the above recipe, be
careful not to change the ingre-
dents, as they have important
chemical effects upon each other.
Three or four hundred pounds is
good manure for one acre of land
for wheat tobacco, corn, Cotton.
&c.
In the West Indies trees are cut
down by the electricity, controlled
by a wire connected with a galvan-
lc battery. 1t is said to be a great
saving of time aud labor.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-07

Always cook the meat which you
give to poultry. 1t will 60 twice as
far as food, and is more nourishing.
Chop it fine and salt it, as you do
for family use. Mkt with scalded
wheat OF corn-meal.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-04-12

consciousness of weakness. The bias
of his mind was melancholy, and it would
have been a rare adjustment of circum-
stances that could have given him a
happy lite. Wounded vanity and
disappointed ambitions are not the
only causes that can make miaer-
able such extreme sensibility as his
He was the least noted of men to
bear the struggle he was engaged in or to
endure the strain of the contrast between
the actual and the ideal, both of which
pressed upon him so keenly."
Edgar Poe seemed to have inherited
all of his parents intellectual powers.
Mrs. Clark said that his sister, who was
rather pretty and resembled him some
what in appearance, was as different as
possible in mental capacity. And yet
she was his full sister. She was amiable,
patient and sweet-tempered, but utterly
uninteresting and monotonous as a COM
paniOn. She seems to have little or no
individuality or force of character. She
thought great deal of her brother and
he was fond of her, but he had not been
reared with her, and during the greater
part of his life had seen nothing of her
There could never have been much in
tellectual sympathy between them. The
family of DR.. Mckenzie treated hel
affe ctionately ana kindly, and until the
breaking up of the household she re
manned with them; she then went Il
Baltimore, whereshe died. Correspond
ent New York World.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-04-12

A novel use of the telegraph has lately
been adopted by the Norwegian govern
ment. As is well known, the herring
fishery forms one of the most important
sources of income for the country, the
captures being made as the great shoals
come from the depths of the sea to
deposit their spawn in the Norwegian
fiords. It frequently happens that the
object of their visit is accom- plished, and
they return to the ocean before news of
their arrival reaches the fishers on dis
tant parts of the coast. This difficulty
Is now obviated by the construction of a
telegraphic line, two hundred kilome-
tres in length, composed chiefly of sub
marine cables, by means Of which the
fishers along the whole coast are enabled
to gather at once on the approach of a
shOal to any particular ford. The
abundant captures made in this way
show the investment in telegraphic wire
to have been a most profitable speculs-
tion.-- From Nature.