davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
The Manure Question.

A correspondent of the Germantown
Telegraph gives his way of making and
spreading manure as follows:
My horse and COW stables have double
doors and the space behind the animals
Is wide enough to admit of cart to take
put the manure. prefer not to clean
put the stables oftener than twice a
week, but if the COW manure is very soft
[ clean them out every day, or every
second day, according to the circum-
stance of having an abundance or
scarcity of litter. After the manure is
put in the cart, if there should be any
urine in the channel behind the COWS,
it is carefully baled out and poured on
top of the load of manure, and by the
lime it reaches the field the liquid is
trickling on the ground, but not much
is lost. The dripping manure is then
drawn out of the tail end of the cart and
deposited in some half dozen heaps
with dung drag, and Immediately
spread. The land thus receives all the
virtue that is in the manure, which
sinks down in the ground, and none of
the gaseous matter escapes up in the
clouds" After the essence of the ma
nure has all sunk in the ground, the
which is an effective agency to improve
land. By this method of manuring get
my corn ground covered during the fall
and winter, thus avoid having the
leached carcass from the barnyard satu-
rated with water, and dragged out
through the mud in the spring at busy
time. While manuring my field in win
ter l keep the manure spread in q
straight line, and put up guide poles at
each end of the line SO that if snow
falls will know where to spread the
manure. I find by experience that ma
nure and snow when in partnership
make strong fertilizing firm, which
when dissolved by the sun shows quite
as good result in the following crop
rs any other mode of applying manure.
For more than thirty years l have
tied my cows in the stable every night
in summer just the same as in winter,
without any detriment to single ami
NAL. My object in doing this is two
fold. First, make an extra quantity of
manure; second, my cattle are in safe
place, which relieves me from care and
anxiety, consequently can sleep
soundly. During the winter my horned
stock have only couple of hours each
day out in the yard just long enough
to eat their mess of corn stalks and get
drink. Cows when used to being
stabbed dislike to stay long out in the
cold. and evince great alacrity to get
indoors where it is warm and comfort
able. My procedure in manipulating
manure by handling it only once and
placing it where none of its virtues can
be lost, I think is much better than the
old fashioned way with the wheel bar
row, taking the manure in the barnyard
to lay in the drenching rains till spring,
then to be handled again, being soggy
and heavy, with the ammonia pretty
much percolated through it and lost.
Oftentimes it is not convenient to apply
the manure in some corner of the field
whereon it is to be spread.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

orally it could not be obtained at any
price. Slices of ham, parched brown,
made tolerable coffee. Drowned
wheat, also, and corn were tried; but
the best substitute discovered was the
seeds of the okra plant, which, when
carefully parched, made coffee that
could be drank without wry face AS
for tea, they tried the leaves of the
raspberry, blackberry, and huckle-
berry, all of which made tea which
some people found it possible to drink.
A good many of the ladies made dis
covery still more valuable. They
found that they could do without both
tea and coffee, and all the substitutes
for the same, without the slightest in
jury or even inconvenience after the
first few days.
Sugar and molasses very soon be-
came unattainable. In the extreme
South, where the slaves had always
been accustomed to raise little sugar
cane for their children to suck, the
sugar cane was extensively planted,
and tolerable sugar was raised from it.
One ingenious woman, left alone upon
a farm, made notable discovery. She
lived in the watermelon region Of Ala
bama, where the fruit grows to great
size and excellence, She conceived
the idea Of boiling down the water
melon juice into syrup, The expert
ment was brilliantly successful, the
syrup being fully equal in quality and
flavor to that which was made by her
neighbors from the juice of the sugar
cane. Next she made sugar and candy
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
HOUSEHOLD AND AGRICULTURAL
TOPICS DIsCUssED.
A Budget OF Useful Information Relating
20 the Farm, Orchard, stable, PAriOr. and
Kitchen
THE FARM.


Why Some Farmers DO Not Succeed
A writer in the Progressive Farmer in
giving list of the reasons why some
hrmers do not succeed mentions these.
they give no attention to details. They
ihink small things not important. They
AXE no pleasure in their work. They
regard work as q misfortune. They
Weigh and measure stingily. They are
iretful and impatient. They ruin stock
BY low fencing. They let their gates
Iag and fall down. They will not make
compost. They let their fowls roost in
Iees and on the fence. They have no
Ihelter for stock. They do not curry
heir horses. They leave their plows in
ihe field. They hang the harness in the
dust. They put OFF greasing the wagon.
they starve the calf and milk the COW.
They let their pigs sleep in the dust.
They go to townwithout business. They
10 not know the best is the cheapest.
They have no method or system. They
90 too often "to see d man." They have
40 ear for home enterprise. They never
lse paint on the farm. They plant very
late in the spring. They stack fodder
In the field. They prop the barn door
with rail. They let the horse stand in
the rain. They let the clothes dry on
ihe fence. They let the hoops fall from
the tubs. They neglect to trim the fruit
rees. They milk the cows late in the
iav
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

the hospital. AS passed the long rows
of sick veterans, my eyes rested on a
sick lad, mere boy, whose pale face
and sunken eyes told of his sufferings.
His name, he said, was Arthur Perry,
His home in Ohio, his mother widow.
The child said Sometimes I was so
cold and hungry that I thought I would
never see home again; but will, won't
I, Lieutenant |? I assured him that he
would, and after giving him q clean
pair of blankets departed. The next
morning called-again and he seemed
much better. He said he was captured
and wounded while with an ammuni-
tion train. He talked freely of home
and mother in the early part of the
day, but the latter part of the day he
became reticent and did not seem
aware of my presence, and he said in
tones that almost broke my heart: L
know what it means now, Lieutenant; !;
I shall never see mother again He
begged me to take him in my arms,
which did, and there in the4deep twi-
light, with one arm around my neck
and the other over my shoulder, the
brave little fellow was summoned to
the better home on high"
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

to be as dry as possible, but Of course IL
contains some moisture, and gathers
more on damp days and in handling.
Now, when piano is put into An over
heated, dry room, all this moisture is
dried out, and the board loses its
belly" and gets habby, and finally
cracks. Even If it does not crack, the
tone loses its resonance and grows thin
and tinny, the felt cloth and leather
used in the action dry up, and the whole
machine rattles. Now how to prevent
this. Nothing is easier. Keep a grow
ing plant in your room, and so long as
your plant thrives, your piano ought to,
or else there is something wrong with
it. 1t should be noted how much more
water will have to be poured into the
fower-put in the room where the piano
is than in any other room. In America
it is the practice to keep large vase or
urn with sopping wet sponge in it
near or under the piano, and keep it
moistened. This is kept up all the
time the fires are on.-Iron.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
THE HOUSEHOLD.



After housekeeper fully realizes the
worth of turpentine in the household,
she is never willing to be without sup
ply of it. Tt gives quick reliefto burns;
it is an excellent application for corns;
it is good for rheumatism and sore
throats. Then it is sure preventive
against moths: by just dropping trifle
in the drawers, chests, and cupboards,
it will render the garments secure from
injury during the summer. 1t will keep
ants and bugs from closets and store
rooms by putting a few drops in the
corners and upon the shelves. It is sure
destruction to bedbugs, and will effectu-
ally drive them away from their huunts
If thoroughly applied to all the joints
of the beadstead, and Injuries neither
furniture nor clothing. A spoonful of
this added to pail of warm water is
excellent for cleaning paint Weekly
Press.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
Marketing Honey.

If all bee-keepers placed ON the
market honey only in nice clean pack
ages it would be to their financial inter-
est. Marketing half finished or dirty
sections, broken combs, and trading
with your grocer at whatever price he
chooses to fix, depresses the entire
honey market. Avoid this and your
customers will always be willing to pay
q reasonable price for nice article. See
that the sections are all sealed and clean,
and place them in neat shipping case.
Your honey will soon make you o repu-
tation and there will be no difficulty in
disposing of the crop in almost any sea-
son. What is worth doing at all is
worth doing WE'LL, holds good most de-
cidedly in grading and preparing honey
for the market. Bottles and glasses con-
tanning extracted honey should be
washed just before sending to market.
They will then appear clean and fresh.
Best packages for extracted honey is
those who have had but limited ex-
past few years we have handled tons OF
extracted honey and have had every
variety of package. What we want is 0
will pack we'll in shipping. There is
nothing SO trying on wooden vessel as
honey. In granulating it expends and
it is most sure to spring leak. While
we want some glass receptacles, for re-
failing, we shall use the square cans al
! most exclusively. Besides the sixty
pound can there is now twelve pound
square can which is often more conve-
nient, and aboutthe right size for sell
ing honey to families Western Bee.
| KeeDeT
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
THE APIARY,
Give More Room.

AS fast as surplus honey receptacles
are filled, give more room. Negligent
apiarists often lose much by neglecting
to do this in season, thus compelling
their colonies to a very unwilling idle
ness. The apiarists will bear in mind,
that all small swarms which come of
late should be either aided, doubled, OF
returned to the mother colony. With
movable frame hives such swarming may
be prevented by timely destruction OF
queen cells. Throughout the entire
swarming season, as we'll as other times,
when breeding young queens, it is inn
portant to be certain that the hives con-
tanning them, succeed in securing fer
tile mother.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

from her watermelon juice with con-
siderable success.
But the great triumph of the ladies
was in supplying themselves and their
servants with clothing. In many dis
tricts all the clothing devices which
has been long supplanted by machinery
had to be acquired again, such as spin
ming and weaving, in all their varieties
and degrees, dyeing, tanning, shoe
making, bonnet-making. There were
many ladies in the South, before the
war ended, who we're dressed, and
pretty well dressed, in clothes which
were wholly of.their own making, even
to their bonnets, their shoes, their
hoopskirts, their buttons, and their
stockings. A great number of negro
women were kept carding and spinning
and weaving. Wool growing was re-
sumed on many farms, and q great
many wonderful discoveries were made
as to the dyeing properties of common
roots and plants. Occasionally lady
would be so lucky as to get a bale Of
unbleached factory sheeting, but it
would not be used for beds. The Ia
dies of the family made themselves
dresses of it, which they learned to
dye and to trim SO prettily that the re-
suit, when they wore the dresses to
church, was triumphant.
Leather was serious problem, but
it was solved in time. Planters
learned how to convert the skins of
hogs into tolerable leather. Some
ladies even contrived to make very
good backing for their shoes, after
having made the shoes. They learned
even to cobble them, to put on o new
half-sole, and to use thorns for avis.
At the close of the war all the fabrics
in q house, such as sheets, curtains,
carpets, table cloths, had been used in
making garments, so that in many ex-
tensive settlements nothing of the kind
was left.
One thing was very inconvenient to
the ladies. They took infinite pains to
make good sewing cotton and thread,
and, although they succeeded pretty
well, they never could make it smooth
enough to use in the sewing machine.
All their sewing, therefore, had to be
done by hand, which added greatly to
labors already too great They bore it
all, however, with admirable cheerful
ness and unfagging resolution, never
doubling the final success of their
cause, until General Sherman rudely
dispelled the illusion. Soon they had
to provide, out of their nearly exhaust
ed stores, for their returning soldiers,
some wounded, some sick, and almost
all ragged and destitute.
Seldom, perhaps never, were peo-
pie so hardly tried by war before.
None ever bore the trial with more
courage and constancy. We may now
also say that none ever acquired so
much imperishable good from the trial.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
Hints to Houaekenror,.


STRAW hats, straw mats, willow furni-
ture, etc., may be cleaned almost like
new if salt and water be used for wash
ing them.
1T is good idea for tall woman to
have her kitchen table and ironing
board little higher than ordinary. It
will save many backache.
AFRENoH cook tells us that piece of
dry bread, tied in bag and placed in
the water while cabbage is boiling, will
prevent the unpleasant odor which
usually arises. /,
GLUE that is delicate and nice for
mounting ferns and sea- weeds is made
of five parts of gum arabic, three parts
of white sugar, two parts of starch, add
a very little water; boil until thick and
white.
HEARTBURN may be relieved almost in
stantly if half a teaspoonful of table
salt be dissolved in wineglassful of
cold water and then drunk. When the
eyes are tired and weak, if they are
bathed in slightly saline water they will
soon become soothed.
To CLEAN carpet thoroughly, throw
damp salt upon it and then sweep it
briskly, and it will be found that all the
coloring will have been vastly bright
ened; or if the carpet has been we'll
swept, go over it afterward with clean
cloth and clear salt water, and the result
will be almost as good.
For the removal of foreign bodies
from the stomach, the highest authori-
ties are now recommending the eating
of potatoes only, in large quantities,
cooked in different ways to stimulate
the appetite. Cases are cited in which
articles of jewelry, brass weights, nails,
pins, etc., were successfully elected,
after few days of the potato diet.
Nothing should be eaten but potatoes
during the time required, which varies
from two to nine days.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
what Comrade Jim Would Say.
By J. p. PRIcKErT.

They are talking Of monument to those who
Where the iron hail of battle fell, and, tring
In their blood
Lay the mangled forms Of comrades dear, who,
marching at our side,
btricken down by deadly missiles were, and,
like true patriots, died,
With Pray,r upon their pallid lips that we
To our country and its banner-stars in azure
field Of blue
True to Freedoms cause and Freedoms flag, to
Justice and to Right;
That the sun of Freedom ne'er might set In
Wrongs eternal night
courtyard square,
To the memory OF those who fell in battles
deadly glare,
And to those old crippled heroes who were
mangled in the strife;
Who to country gave all men could give, except
aremnant-life.
Well, tis meet that grateful hearts, aglow with
Should appreciate the sacrifice of those who felt
the steel,
And went down in smoke Of battle-wrote in
blood the hero's story
OF life to Freedom sacrificed, life to coun-
try's glory
There was Sergeant James Dewater, better
known as Sergeant Jim"
Who was stricken down at Gettysburg
not forgotten him
ingly would say,
That from homes he'd wrecked his life to save
he'd ne'er be turned away;
That, though more human wreck he'd find q
home among the free;
That a soldier, manned in Freedoms cause,
would ever welcome be
At the homes his sacrifice had saved the doors
would open wide
AZ the portals OF that home above would open
when he died.
Swiftly few the passing years, and wars dread
horrors all were DER;
Crippled MANNED q human wreck Door Jim
was turned from door to door
He who braved thousand perils that our
country might be free,
Died q poor, neglected pauper, in the poorhouse
that you see
Over yonder on the hilltop, and the grasses nod
and wave
Der the unmarked spot that holds his dust-a
heros unknown grave.
Sleeps he In a lowly, unmarked grave; by pau
per hands twas made,
And the hallowed spots almost within that
monuments deep shade.
Well, II Jim from his lone grave can see, upon
the scroll of fame
Gut upon that granite monument his own un-
honored name;
That q grateful {? people placed it there upon
that tow ring spire,
Jim would call unless he's changed in DEATH
that monument q liar.
Ask you, comrade, what poor Jim would say, IL
up there near the throne,
Where he's ever now on duty, he could see this
glittring stone2
Well, If @cuss-words" are permitted in that
realm of brightest day
Ill not hesitate in saying that's what Comrade
Jim would say.
ALBION, Ind.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
THE POULTRY YARD.
CarboIIo whItewasli.

Neatly whitewashed roosts and fences
make the poultry yard look clean, but
the whitewash has more effect in sub
DUNG or preventing the multiplication
of lice, if some DEATH dealing substance
is incorporated with it. Carbolic acid
is death to lice, and if mixed with the
whitewash in the proportion of an ounce
of the acid to gallon of wash, it will
not only destroy the lice that it touches,
but because of the porous character of
the wash, the acid will continue to be
effective for several months. A good
plan is to whitewash as early in spring
as possible, thus making the coops in
viting to the sitting hens. Such labor
pays.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

cheer and comfort the suffering. On
one occasion pretty miss of sixteen
was distributing flowers and speaking
gentle words of encouragement to those
around her, when she overheard sol
dier exclaim, 20 my Lord"
Stepping to his bedside to rebuke
him for his profanity, she remarked:
Didn't 1 hear you call upon the
name of the Lord? I am one of his
daughters. Is there anything I can
ask him for your
Looking up into her bright, sweet
face, he replied:
II don't know but.there is"
"Well," said she, what is it ?"
Raising his eyes to hers and extend
ing his hand, he said, "Please ask him
to make me his son-in-law.'
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

atsiy measured either by weight OF
keeping qualities.
9. Cooking qualities appear to be
largely individual rather than varietal
characteristics.
10. The following varieties appear,
from the seasons work, 70 be the best
market tomatoes; Ignotum, Beauty,
Mikado, Perfection, Favorite, Potato
Leaf.
IL. The following recent introduc-
tions appear to possess merits for mar
ket: Bay State, Atlantic, Brandywine,
Jubilee, Matchless, and perhaps Loril-
lard, Prelude and Salzer.
IL. The following recent introduc-
tions are particularly valuable for anna
teur cultivation: Dwarf Champion,
Lorillard, Peach, Prelude.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
Dark Chocolate Cake.

One half cup of butter, one cup Of
sugar, one and a half cups of -four, one
half cup of milk, two eggs beaten sepa-
rately, one teaspoonful of cream of tar
tar, one-half teaspoonful of soda and
two and one-half tablespoonfuls of
chocolate. Dissolve the chocolate over
the steaming teakettle, in saucer, beat
into it little of the cake mixture, then
beat it into the whole of the cake
mixture. Flavor with vanilla, and beat
it briskly just before putting into the
oven. 1t makes one large loaf. If de-
sired darker in color, putt more choco-
late.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
.,allex Cake.

Beat one egg very thoroughly, add
four ounces of sifted sugar. half an
ounce Of butter, five ounces Of -four and
little milk; to this put quarter Of On
ounce of carbonate Of soda dissolved in
milk, and last Of all half an ounce OF
cream of tartar, also dissolved in q little
milk; pour the mixture into shallow
tins, we'll buttered, and bake in quick
oven. When cold, pile the cake one on
top of the other, with any sort of pre-
serve or chocolate icing between each.
If icing is nsed, the top Of the cake
should be iced as we'll.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

Put the washed eggs in saucepan Of
cold water and let them just come to q
boil, then take them up. Or, lay them
in hot tin pail, cover them with boil
ing water, put the top on the pail and
leave them on the kitchen table for five
minutes, Drain off the water, pour on
more boiling water and replace the top.
Wrap hot towel about the pail, and
leave it four minutes before dishing the
eggs. They will be like soft custard
throughout, and more digestible than
if cooked in any other way.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
THE ORCHARD.
Trees as Grape Trellises.

Some farmer recommends planting
trees and training grape vines on them in
place of building trellises. He says the
train is more natural" than tits to train
the vine on post and wire. and is also
less labor. For the first cost he is
probably correct, but the vine, to be good
for anything after few years, needs
careful pruning, and on high tree the
extra cost of pruning more than offsets
the expense of managing, cultivatine
and harvesting in the usual way.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
Carolina Queen Cake.

Work quarter of a pound of butter
to a cream, dredge in it half o pound Of
flour, add quarter of pound sifted
sugar and quarter of a pound of cur
rents; whisk two eggs, and mix with half
teaspoonful of thin cream and few
drops of lemon essence; stir this into
the -four, and then add teaspoonful Of
baking powder; beat the paste we'll for
ten minutes, then bake in small buttered
tins for from a quarter to half an hour.
The mixture should be stiff and doughy.
This amount is enough to make dozen
cakes.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26
Fruit Cake That win Last a Year.

Wash. and drain we'll one pound of
currants, chop coarsely one pound of
raisins, chop or slice half pound of
citron. Beat five eggs and two cups of
brown sugar together, then add to them
one cup of butter, one cup of moiasses,
one-half cup of sour milk, one tea
spoonful of spices to taste. Stir into
this mixture six cups of -four, reserving
one-half cup to mix with the raisins to
prevent their settling to the botto m.
Add fruit last.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-26

It is remarkable how very oddly peo-
pie proceed about taking care Of their
pianos, from sheer ignorance. II is q
popular notion that pianos ought to be
kept very dry. Nothing could be more
fallacious. Pianos are not affected
nearly so much by heat Or cold as they
are by dryness, but, reversely, also by
dampness. It 10 not generally known
that the sounding board, the life Of a
piano; is forced into the case when it is
made go tightly that i lbulges up in the
center, Or has belly" as It is called
BY pianoforte makers, on thesame prin-
ciple as violin. The wood is supposed