Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-04-13
ITEMS OF INDUSTRY.

reads lesson, the study Of which may
at least prove not Improbable. Some
years ago the demand for Swiss straw
goods was so good that merchants and
work people alike applied themselves
more to the production Of quantity
than quality. The result was what
might naturally have been expected.
The deprecated article gradually went
out Of favor, particularly in the Ameri-
can market, and now the demand has
entirely passed away. In several of
the cantons the machinery is standing
idle, and the people are betaking them
selves to other pursuits. Steps are be-
ing taken to restore the old state Of
matters, to improve the quality of the
goods, and make the lengths of the
pieces what they were before short
sighted greed acquired ascendency. 1t
Is thus hoped that the old prosperity
will be recovered, but the Swiss manu-
facturers will soon discover that the
difficulties in the way Of regaining a
lost trade are not easily surmounted.
Wasps are such an obstacle in the
way of English fruitgrowers that one
of then, Mr.. William Taylor, thinks
1t worth while to pay Spence each for
queens. And last season he bought and
destroyed no less than f,192. About
go nests have been annihilated with
in mile of his premises, and still there
is enough left for seed. He declares
that the price paid Is not too high,
''since 1t takes considerable skill to
catch them" and because of their enor-
nous fecundity, of which he says in
The Cottage Gardener: Understand
that every wasp seen before the middle
OF June Is queen, and liable to have
= nest Of 10000 at least. lately esti
mated the number of cells in rather
large nest, and made out 5000 of them.
A great many Of the young had flown,
and fresh eggs were laid in their places,
and 1 have reason to believe that there
Is often more than one succession of
young insects from the same cells,
therefore 10000 is a comparatively
small family"
The fertility of the soil of Costa
Rica is said to be very great, and the
climate could not possibly be more
favorable for the growing coffee, but
the absence of hands to work, of CAPT.
tai and Of means Of transport, arrests
the development Of this powerful fac
tor in the prosperity of the place. The
republic possesses only single road
between its principal inland towns and
the port Of Pintatenos, on the Pacific
coast, through which all imports and
exports go. The freight from this
port to the capital amounts often to
eighty plaster per ton for distance of
eighteen leagues. OF 100000 sacks of
coffee harvested in one year recently,
the half only could be exported on
account Of the bad roads.
1t is to be regretted that the mineral
and other resources Of Ireland are not
opened up. Oxide of manganese is
found at HOwth and at Glandore.
where it Is worked to a small extent.
Anthony is found in County Clare,
associated with lead, and in the shape
Of gray sulphuret at Clontibret Gar.
magh). Blonde or zinc ore, used in the
preparation of sulphate of zinc, is
worked slightly at Conorree, while Sir
Robert Kane mentions that nickel,
chrome, arsenic, and bismuth are all
known to exist, but that nobody has
thought it worth their while to expert.
ment upon them. These resources, il
developed, could not fail, it is said, to
repay those who might engage in the
work.
On April and the Missouri Woo
Growers association is to meet in Sc
dalia. The officers say: cit is conf
IDENTIFY expected this meeting will bt
the largest and most satisfactory meet
ing of sheep men ever held perhaps il
the United States. The programme II
the most practical and interesting a!
the subjects and speakers will show
The shearing will equal, if not surpass
that Of last year; and that was per
feet success. Five prizes will be givel
to the best shearers (men who shea
the sheep in order: First, SIS; sec
ond. $40; third, $3.50; fourth, IS; fifth
$3.50. These will be paid In cash. Al
heeces shorn will be positively subjec
to selection for securing.
The order withdrawing from entr,
homestead lands along the line of tn
Ouhouo Il 0CAuC AolWoy ID Causing
considerable amount of discomfort a
Winnipeg among the settlers Just AZ
. irving, who do not fully understand it
import. 1t is said to have been don
at the demand Of the syndicate to bat
fle spectators who <,are outwittin
them in the matter of town sites. Tn
trouble is increased through not know
ing whether it applies to the whole O
a portion Of the first railway belt.
Licorice is most troublesome plan
to the French farmers in Algeria.
is as hard to kill as Canada thistle.
III the roots are covered with Dat stone
they are devoured by insects.
1t Is reported that much of the Glow
er seed sold this year is adulterate
with Hungarian or millet seed. tn
fraud may be detected by the Use of
magnifying glass.
The Farmer Boys.