davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-29
Mail Contracts Awarded.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23,--The second
assistant postmaster-general has
awarded contracts for carrying the
mails on the star routes in Wyoming,
Colorado, Oregon and California for
the next four years upon the condi-
lions Of the recent advertisement Of
tho denartment.
Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-29
CHAPTER V.

HOW The DOC bLba mhhI, AS hELAIED IN a
LETTER WRITTEN BY JOHN NoRBURY TO
HIS SISTER.
"THE New HUMMUMs HOTEL, LONDON.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
"MY DEAR SIsTER-The day CT sailing
Of the Ocean Queen from Liverpool has been
altered from to-day until Monday, owing to
some slight accident that occurred to her
when she was leaving dock. / I'm rather
glad of this, as 1t enables me to remain in
London a few hours longer, and to take
some letters to a judge in New York and to
a high state official, which are to be given
to me by Mr.. John Needham, N. p, who
was recently one of the lords of the treas
ury, a very amiable gentleman, and the
image OF myself.
Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-29
Senate Judlciary Committee.

V5IIdL5 JNNIOIdTy VVTTT'IIIEESC' =,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-The judi
ciary committee of the senate is in ses-
sion to-day, and is reported to be at
work upon a bill to provide for tn e
settlement of the Union Pacific in
d~ebtedneSs.
Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-29
NEEDHAMS FAILURE.
BY S E HATTON.
Author Of "rhe Queen OF Bohemia" 1.-THE
Three Recruits" Etc.
CHAPTER ".

DESCRIBES JOHN NEEDHAMs LAST DRIVE
ERox TIE CITY, AND CONTAINS A COPY
OF Y OF THE LETTERS HE WROTE o
DELIVERY AFTER HIS DEATH.
This was on Friday, this going home to
prepare for his last hours-on Friday in the
last week Of ''ths month of roses"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Stirring the Soil.
Field, Farm and Stockman.

There is something more in stirring the
soil than keeping down grass and weeds.
Not a blade of grass should be allowed to
grow out of place, it is true, nor should
weeds be given the slightest chance; but
while the loosening of the soil assists in
destroying such intruders, yet the real
benefits are derived from the air and rains.
When the soil becomes hard and compact
the air and heat can not enter, and when a
shower falls, unless 1t lasts long enough to
completely soften the upper crust, the
water required by the plants runs off and
no benefit is gained. By keeping the
earth loose the heat goes down and sur
plus water evaporates. Should a shower
fall the water soakes in, and large guam:
tity is secured compared with the soil that
is compact. The air is the great agent
that causes the chemical decomposition
of soils, and is also disintegrates and
renders soluble the plant food. If the
air can not enter the soil the substance
that should be appropriated by plants
remain inert, and but slowly perform the
work that should be done quickly. There
is another point which is overlooked.
The roots of plants have large feeding
surface when the earth is loose. If it is
compact and the roots are compelled to
push through the soil slowly, and with
effort, it is loss of so much energy, that
is in the one sense wasted, for the physi-
cal force expended in one direction is
lost, instead of being applied where the
greatest benefit might have been obtain
ed. In stirring the soil, therefore, many
advantages are seer red. The roots have
greater feeding capacity, large amount
of moisture is secured, the air penetrates
deeper, and the heat is more readily con-
verified into force. Keep the soil loose at
all times, and cultivate always after each
rain.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
FARM NOTES.

An application of lye will restore to
rough trunks and branches of orchard
trees their original smoothness.
Honey Of different grades should be
kept separate. An inferior grade put in
with the best will set lower price on the
whole. AT the close of each season of
bloom grade the whole product.
Deep tilage of heavy lands is one of the
surest safeguards against draught, for it
constitutes provision for storing moisture
in the place where it is most readily avail
able for the support of plants.
A contributor to an old number of the
Iowa Homestead says that the secret of
raising winter squash is to plant late, aud
inches deep with earth. Burying the
worm kills it and saves the crop.
Bees do not work well in hive exposed
to the sun. In midday, when very hot,
all work on the inside, such as comb
building and storing honey, has to be
suspended. Sometimes combs melt dopn,
and the brood dies in the heat of the
sun.
A good animal should be heavy feed
er. 1t has often been considered an ad-
vantage that an animal eat but little, but
just the opposite should be desired. It
takes liberal supply of food and good
appetite to derive the greatest amount of
produce.
Although flat turnips are mostly water,
there is nutriment enough to make them
an important addition to food food for
cattle and sheep, and it is therefore de-
sirable that in a season of scarcity they
be raised to the full extent of opportuni-
ty.
Do not have too many plants in the
hills. If the late corn is backward and
growth apparently slow, thin out the
plants, so as to allow of more room and
plant-food. It is better to have one or
two good thrifty stalks than three or four
weakly ones.
Don't kill your hens that multi now, as
they will make your earliest layers, and
also be the most serviceable in winter, as
they will mott before the cold weather
dome on. Hens that do not finish multi
ing until late in the season seldom begin
to lay until spring comes on.
For growing cucumbers, squashes or
similar plants put on old sawdust or rot
ten wood about them. Those who have
never tried cucumbers on strong, bushy
stakes like pea-sticks will be surprised
to note how they enjoy it. Tomatoes do
better trained to stout stakes than any
other way.
Onions must be made before the sum-
Iner drought begins, hence they are usual
ly put in the ground early. Each onion
is said to occupy, with its roots, circle
inches in diameter and 10 inches deep,
which necessitates the land being very
rich, SO as to supply plenty of plant
food
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Train the Calves to Lead.
New England Farmer.

1t should be considered as much part
of every heifer calf's education to be
broken or trained to lead by the head as
for the steer to work in the yoke. Before
a calf that is to be raised has reached the
age of four weeks, it should follow the
lead of halter or cord around the neck
as kindly as an old horse. It requires
but a few lessons at this early age, and
the lessons once learned, will never be
forgotten.
It is a serious fault in heifer or a
COW that it will not lead easily by boy
or a person of only ordinary strength.
power Of heavy pair of horses to lead
them at the tail of a cart and sometimes
to drag them upon the ground to the
great risk of the lives and usefulness of
the animals.
Officers of the Humane Society have
had occasion to arrest farmers for cruelty
in leading unframed COWS in this way,
and very bitter feelings and some ex-
pensive law suits have grown up from
such treatment of animals. All this
might have been avoided by a half hours
leading of the animal when it was calf,
'As a twig is bent, the tree is Inclined y
is applicable to the training of calf as
to the bringing up of a child.
The best trained steers at our cattle
shows are those which farm boys have
handled freely when but two or three
weeks old. We have seen a four weeks
steer calf that was ''handier'' than many
mature oxen.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
FARM, HOME AND GARDEN
THE CITY.
FROM 1.-THE CITY OF DREADFUL NIGRT."

lt is full strange to him who hears aud feels
When wandering there IN some deserted
street,
The bounling and the jar of the ponderous
wheels,
The trampImg cash of those heavy ironshod
feet;
Who in this Venice of the Black Sea rideth!
who in this city of the stars abideTh
To buy or sell as those in daylight sweet.
The rolling thunder seems to fill the sky
AS it thus comes on; the horses snort and
strain,
The harness jingles as it passes by:
The hugeness of an overburdened vain;
A man sits nodding on the shaft, or trUdges
Three-parts asleep beside his fellow drudges:
And so it rolls into the night again.
What merchandise! Whence, whittier. and for
whom!
PeTchance it is a Fate-appointed hearse
Bearing away to some mysterious tomb
Or Limbo of the scornful universe
The joy, and the peace the lifephope, and the
abortions
OF all good things that should have been our por-
tionS
But have been strangled by that City's curse.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19

more, for keeping than good ones do.
Suppose that with a good team two acres
per day at blowing would be a fair day.
work, while with a poor team an acre or
an acre and a quarter would be all that
could be accomplished. The hired help
is paid the same in either case, while with
a poor team nearly quite half their eff
cheney is lost.
And yet the poorer the farmer is the
poorer inv ariably his team will be. The
two things always go together as cause and
effect, and the poor team is oftener
the cause of general poverty than the re-
verse.
Having good team of horses, the
farmer should either work them himself
or employ some one who will not abuse
them, who will feed them we'll, and so
manage as to keep them employed near
ly or quite all the working days in the
year. Stormy weather will interfere with
this somewhat on the farm, and it is
difficult to get more than two hundred
days of profitable team work on most
farms in our Northern climate. Many
get not much more than half this number
and horses lying idle in the stable in
fair weather, because no work has been
provided for them, furnish proof of the
Encouragement that so often results in
failure. It is a difficult matter to keep
teams proftably employed all the time
during the working season, and the effort
to do this has, as it should have, much to
do with methods of cropping and the
kinds of crops to be grown. Keeping
the teams busy, and men as well, is one
of the best arguments for growing a
large variety of crops rather than only a
few.
No positive or definite rule can be
given as to the number of horses or
teams that may be kept on given area.
If the horses are good animals their
numbers may be greatly increas ed with
profit, as the land is made more fertile
and suited to a greater variety of crops.
Market gardeners often keep several
teams on few acres, but they are always
busily employed either in drawing manure
or marketing produce. Where so to 100
loads of manure are used per acre in a
single year, this alone requires a great
deal of team work, and the crops to be
marketed need proportionately as much
or more. Even for ordinary farming
on very rich land, four horses, and some
times more, may be proftably kept on
farms of fifty or seventy-fve acres, since
this amount of team help will be needed
to crop the land as it should be, and do
the work at the right time. Yet there
are very many farms of this area of poor
land where so much blowing and cultiva-
ting would never pay. Very poor land
will not pay much anyway, but is least
expensive when kept in grass. Where
this is the case keeping five or six horses
on fifty acre farm would use up most of
the produce.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Economy With Team Work.
American Cultivator.

One of the economies which most needs
to be learned by farmers is the best man
agement of team help. A great proper
ton are oyer-stocked with horses, by
which we mean keeping more horses than
can be profitable employed all the year.
There was possibly some reason for the
notion that prevailed at an early day
that teams cost little or nothing for keep
ing. Much that they ate was either I'M
salable or cost about as much to get to
market as it brought. On land worth
little or nothing only the most valuable
grains would pay for transporting to
market. 1t was possibly true under such
circumstances that horses keep may
have been small matter, but now that
the coarsest fodder can be sold, even
straw bringing much more than either its
manurial or nutritive value, the food that
a horse eats is as good as cash and
amounts to fully 81 per week, and when
working hard and well fed often to twice
that sum. A working team will cost to
keep nearly or quite $3.50, and if we allow
$3.50 per day for use of team it must
work 100 days, or one-third the working
year, under, favorable circumstances, to
merely pay its way, allowing nothing
for accident, disease and depreciation in
value.
On thousands of farms, where only few
kinds of crops are grown, teams get little
if any more than 100 days work per year.
All through the wintet, weeks and some
times months pass without getting horses
out except for exercise. When the busy
season begins, it is altogether too busy
for a little while, though even then the
farmer is lucky whose teams are not kept
idle one or two days in the week by
storms,
Team help at seeding time in spring
and in harvest is well worth whatever its
owners conscience will allow him to
charge. We have known good farmers to
pay $3.50 or even 81 per day for man and
team at blowing in order to hurry in
crops in season. Even these seemingly
high prices are less expensive than keep
ing through the year extra team help
which is required at these special sea-
sons.
Without doubt the greatest and most
common loss in team management is
from keeping poor horses, unable at any
time to do a full days work. 1t is the
most difficult thing possible for many
farmers to get the idea into their heads
that horse capable of doing but little
is entirely valueless. An old, worn out
horse will always sell for something, no
matter how poor he may be, and always
for greater price in proportion to his
value when most worthless. For farm
purposes, with the dear wages now paid
to farm help, it does not require much
reduction from a full days team work
each day to make up the value of first
class team in every respect. The poor
horses cost fully as much, and generally
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Protection to Fruit.
Rurel HaO,a

For mildew on grape vines, dust on
flowers of sulphur, either early in the
morning while the dew is on, or after a
shower while the foliage is wet. For the
grapevine beetle, shaking the vine early
in the morning will bring them to
the ground, when they can be very
readily destroyed. Spreading a cloth or
piece OF paper under the vines will aid
2aterially in catching them. Stacked
me sprinkled over the foliage will de-
troy the larvae. Plant lice of all kinds
can be destroyed by dipping the plant
Or part affected into kerosene and sour
milk, one part kerosene to three of milk.
5prinkling with strong tobacco water is
2lso recommended. For the strawberry
leaf roller the wisest plan, if they have
become firmly established, is to pillow I'M
er after the fruit is taken Off and set out
new planting. If taken in hand early
enough Manipulating may destroy them,
Nut it requires considerable care. For
rust, either with the currant or goose
berry, mulching with coal ashes is strong
" recommended. [ have never had any
trouble on this score, as have made it a
rule to mulch we'll around these plants
soon after setting out.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Late Pasturage.
Indiana Farmer.

Mr.. n. j. Shepherd, writes:
1t is often quite an object to secure
good late pasturage. This can only be
'one by making preparations ahead so
is to give at least portion of the pasture
L rest. If this is done now, especially with
blue grsss, so that a good growth can be
secured, 1T can be saved and made to
furnish large amount of feed late in the
fall, when other pastures have failed or
'iven out. 1t is always a good plan to
ave the pastures divided, and not allow
ne stock access to all at once This will
Enable one pasture to make a good start
7hile the stock is eating down the other.
lust at this time many of the pastures
there they are pastured closely will be-
gin to fail, and if they are kept down close
dlring this and next month they will fur
,ish but small amount of feed late in
he fall. But by giving them rest dur
ng the next six or eight weeks, and al
owing the grass to recuperate, twill con-
niue to grow all fall. When the weather
ecomes hot and dry the grass at best
makes poor growth and especially is this
ne case when it is eaten down too close.
will be more economical to furnish a
apply of cut corn or cane, giving good
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Pine Lands Purchased by the Chippewa Log
Pool

EAU CLAIRE, Wis, Aug. 9.-More extern
sive transfers of standing pine have re-
Gently been made on the upper Chippewa,
the property passing into the hands of
the wealthy corporation known as the
Chippewa log pool. The transfers are
the interest of Stocking Bros, in all of
their lands up the river in one deal, for
the consideration of $4,000. The same
firm has sold to the pool their ene-half
interest in town AZ, range 6, for the con-
sideration of $4,000. The tracts are
very valuable, and were not purchased
for speculative purposes.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
The Irish Gentlemen Defeated at Game of
lacrosse

New YORK, Aug, 10.-The Irish gentle
men lacrosse players, who arrived in this
country on Sunday last, played their first
match at Staten Island, to-day, meeting
a picked team of United States Irishmen,
and were defeated by four goals to two.
The heat affected them considerably, and
the voyage over had rendered them out
of condition. The Americans were not
slow to take advantage of this, and forced
them to make long runs. By the time the
first two games had been played the
Irishmen were pretty badly used up.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19

feed night and morning, if by this plan a
portion of the pastures can be allowed to
rest and and make a better growth. A
good pasture during the late fall even as
late as early winter, can often be made
very profitable in securing agood growth,
and thrift, so much so that it will pay to
take necessary pains is secure it, and the
easiest way to do this is to give portion
rest now, SO they will have plenty of
time to secure a good growth before the
frost
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
Cattle Affected With the Black Leg.

EAU CLAIRE, Aug. "a leading farm
er from Barron county, north of here,
brought the report, last evening, that q
number of cattle are affected with the
black leg, and out of herd belonging to
W. L. Downs, at Prairie Farm, six cases
proved fatal. The farmers In that direc-
ton are naturally greatly alarmed at the
appearance of the disease.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
THE HOUSEHOLD.

Among other trifes to be coquetted
with are delicate little love cakes to eat
with claret cup, made of three eggs, five
ounces of sugar, six of -four, little salt,
and rose water; to be dropped and
sprinkled with bits OF loaf sugar before
baking.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
FRIED SCALLOPs.

Wipe each roll in beaten egg, then in
fine crumbs. and fry in hot lard or drip
ping to fine brown. Shake off the fat
in split spoon and lay in rows on hot
dish. Garnish with parsley. Pass hot
crackers, hot potatoes, and cut lemon with
them
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
a Good Barber,
Merchant Traveller

"Oh, Fweddie," said one of the freaks
of modern civilization to another, Give
found the best bahberr'
'Have you. weally?"
"Iaws. Whenevah I 60 in his place
he ahsks If [ want my mustache left and
says:
"'Does the wazor pulp
Il think shall offer him a cigawette
one of these days."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19

"Mathilden is the name just given the
small planet picked up in the vast of
heaven by DR.. Palisa's sky-sweeper on
Nov. IL last.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
CHOPPED POTATOES.

Mince cold, boiled potatois coarsely
with a sharp chopper and stir with a tea
spoonful of chopped onion and three
times as much parsley into a little hot
dripping. Toss until hot all through and
dish at once.
BLACKBERRY JAM.
Weigh the hlackberries, then mash
them finely, and to every pound of fruit
add three-quarters of pound of granu-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19

lated sugar; then boil until the mass is
thick as jelly, stirring frequently to pre-
vent scorehipg. 1t is well to cook the
berries fifteen or twenty minutes before
adding the sugar. 1t is better to seal it
up while hot. The jam ought to be cook
ed sufficiently in three-quarters of an
hour.
RASPBERRY SHORTCAKR.
Next to strawberries, raspberries are
the incest for shortcaks. In my estima-
ton indeed, if made when the berries are
in their best condition, it can hardly be
excelled. I make the crust as for tea bis
cult except thas little sugar improves it
to our taste, and bake it in two or three
layers, rubbing little butter on the low
er layer before putting another on. When
baked butter, and cover with the sugared
berries. Cream is valuable addition to
this as well as to strawberry shortcake but
they both can be made very palatable
without it.
HOW TO USE STALE BREAD.
Bread dries so quickly in hot weather
that Iwant to tell you how to renew it,
and make it almost as good as when
baked. Cut it in slices, then with small
skewers fasten them closely together in
the loaf shape. Then dip it quickly in
hot water, place it in the pan, and put
in a quick oven for 10 minutes. Another
way IS to lay the sliced bread in close
steamer, over and under which is thick
cloth to absorb the moisture, and steam
a few minutes. Both ways are desirable
for using up stale bread.
TO REMOVE GREASE FROM CASHMERE
Benzine will take grease out of alpaca,
without soiling the cloth; on cashmere
it would do the same it is thought. Am
mOnia and al cohol is excellent, but dust
will soon bring the spot to view again.
Take soft coarse brown paper, and plac-
ing 1t on the spot, put on a very warm
fiat iron. When it cools use another. If
possible to get at the wrong side of the
goods, put magnesia quite thickly over
the spot, and then use the brown paper
and hot iron. I have removed bad grease
spots from silk in this way. 1t takes
some time and several renewals of the
hot iron when the spots are very bad.