davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-27
condition, having nearly $4,000 in it's

condition, having nearly $4,000 in it's
treasury.
The formal part of proceedings hav-
ing been finished the reading of essays
followed. The first was by DR.. j G. Neal,
of Archer, on "Cross Fertilization,
which brought out warm and lengthy
discussion, and the "poor Navel was
again shown up in all it's awkwardness,
but no definite conclusion was reached.
The meeting then adjourned to 7o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
Prof B. T. Galloway, of the Department
of Agriculture, gave very interesting
talk on Diseases of Grapes" which was
illustrated with large drawings, and
showed that the speaker had made a thor
ough investigation of the different dis
eases, and his report will be very valua-
BILE, especially to the grape growers Of the
North.
s'The Kaki or Persimmon" was the
next paper, read by Mr. B. F. Livings-
ton, of Waldo While the essay was very
interesting, touching on home and for
eign varieties, the essayist certainly must
be in error when he claimed poor ship
ping qualities for the improved varieties
as grown in Florida.
On motion the meeting then adjourned.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-27
wednesdays session.

Wednesdays Session.
The joint report of the Sub-Tropical
and Florida Fruit Committee was read
by Messrs. Manville and Hubbard, and
proved very interesting paper.
Rev. Dr. Moore followed with a paper
on the minor "Citrus Fruits, in which he
treated of those varieties OF the citrus
family to which little attention is paid
by the average fruit grower in Florida.
At the conclusion Of the above, Mr.. E.
III. Hart, OF Federal Point, read an inter
esting chapter on ''Varic ties of the Or
ange," and in his usual manner convulsed
the audience with laughter while endeav-
oring to "make his points"
Mr.. Dudley w. Adams read well writ
ten article on Botanical Names in
which he encouraged the doing away
of scientific names in connection with
botany. He was ably replied to by
Mr.. F. L. Temple, OF Cambridge, Mass,
and several others, and in all probability
scientific names will continue to be used
in all first-class catalogues.
Mr.. VanDeman, of the Department of
Agriculture, then read an article on
Judging Citrus Fruits, and as it was
very interesting to our orange growers,
we publish it in full:
Mr.. President:
In view of the fact that the American
Pathological Society is, at this meeting,
likely to adopt some sort of rules for
Judging citrus fruits, it seems to me fit
ting to discuss the methods by which such
judgments are made.
Twas first broughtface to face with this
subject when, as one OF the judges of citrus
fruits at the New Orleans Exposition, it
became my duty to decide upon the mer-
it's of the numerous and extensive collec-
tions there shown. The Florida Scale
ofPointsa forjudging oranges, ashas been
said in some of the newspapers, was the
standard adopted at that Exposition, but
it should be understood as only for that
part of the competition in which Florida
was against Florida, and this in Difference
to the special request of the exhibitors
from that State.
When the committee came to consider
the matter of competition between fruit
from all parts OF the world, five members
were unanimously in favor of the adop
tion of what we deemed better scale. Ii
was positive necessity to adopt some
scale, for all thefruits were not, and could
not, be shown at once, because of the diff
ferent seasons OF ripening. This was par
ticularly true as regards Florida, Califor
MIA, and Mexico on that occasion, and is
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-27

choAA w PuOb1AlS3 ia WOICA. OAO SAOC
sinks is never lacking in juice, and may
be considered perfect. This is not a very
pleasant part of a judges duty but |
think it should not be neglected. The
two following characteristics are partly
covered by this one, but cannot feel sat-
isfed to ignore them.
f. A certain degree of thickness of peel
is quite essential to the shipping qualities
of an orange, but when it exceeds one
eighth of an inch it becomes simply so much
waste and worthless matter. The de-
ment after picking, have somewhat to do
with this feature, but an experienced and
reasonable critic can easily detect about
how much allowance a certain sample
should have. When the peel exceeds one
eighth of an inch in thickness itshould lose
one point for every thirty second addi-
tional.
5. The core of a good orange should
be very small and the segments dividing
the pulp should be very thin and tender.
Whatever space they occupy means just
that much less juice, which we know is all
there is edible in an orange. These inter
nal structures form what is called pulp
by many pomologists, but this appears
to me term quite out of place and
have thought to adopt the less elegent
but to my mind more descriptive term
"rag." Indeed it is somewhat like a wet
rag in texture and appearance. The
pulp is more correctly speaking the part
which contains the juice, and certainly
the same name should not be given to the
two parts of the same fruit.
A cavity at the core is equally undesir-
able and in reckoning should count the
same as if a like space is occupied with
the fbrous placenta.
A perfect orange in this respect should
have acore notmore than one-eighth inch
in diameter, for absolutely no coreis never
found. Maltese Blood is a variety that
every one-sixteenth of an inch increase 1
would deduct one point from ten that l
have allotted to this characteristic.
AS all experienced judges of oranges
know, a perfect one should have no seeds.
Yet a few seeds are not specially objec-
tionable and it is rarely that there are
enough to be very much so. [ have
therefore, in the arrangement of my scale,
allowed but ten points to this character
The presence of one or two seeds should
take off one point, and three or four
seeds, two points, and should increase as
the Judgment may indicate.
7. When the flavor is tested (and by
the flavor | mean the taste) the vital
point is reached. Whatever else an or
ange may be, it must please the eater.
The palate is an invisible scale that only
the possessor can Use, nor can another
person do more than surmise what it may
indicate to the mind. We may descant
on acids, and divide the taste into "vin-
Gus flavor" and Sweetness" but they
are all sooner or later brought under the
one general term ''taste," which expresses
all that there is good, bad, or Indifferent
in the qualities of the juice.
Chemical ANALYSIS will not reveal, nor
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-27

likely to occur in other national and in
ternational fruit shows. The principal
objection to this horizontal ''Florida
Scale, . it seems to me, lies in equal stress
upon all points Of character.
For convenience the scale under discus
sion is quoted as follows:
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-27


of the subject would suggest:
NEW OR SUGGESTED ORANGE SCALE.
(Standard ,2a to 3 in. diam
eter, with point off for
l. Size............1 to 1O{ every s inch less than
21a in. Nothing credited
for over size.
Freedom from all bem
g General apear- ishes, such as rust, scale
ance.........1to to 201 decay, bruises, andlack
of properly cut stem.
(Should sink n water,
g. Weight t. L to 151 points deducted accord
ing to buoyancy.
(Standard-A inch or less,
T. Anck HesS VI ,o{ two points off for every
Peei''' ''''''A W Az 1-16th additional
(Standard-B inch diane
s. Absence of rag. / to 1O} ter of core, segments
thick and tender.
g. Abs 'ce of seed..1 to 1O{ standard-seedless.
,, az Judged by satisfactory
= A"' oi taste.
Total .....1O0
Regarding the suggested scale would
offer the following explanations on each
point in the order in which [ have ar
ranged them.
/. Very large oranges are generally
Objectionable for the general market,
which is, by the way, the criterion to be
needed by the orange grower. Very small
ones are quite Objectionable also, because
of the small price paid.
Two and one-half to three inches in
diameter seems to be about right, and
such oranges pack 176 to 200 to the box
and bring the highest price paid except
for few of large size and high flavor
sold to special customers. This is es-
pecially true of the "NaveP' varieties.
Mandarins and Tangerines are OF such
peculiar qualities and usually of small
size that they should be judged by them
selves.
g. The outward appearance OF the or
ange has so much to do with it's sale
that this point should not be passed
lightly by. Whatever pleases the eye of
the buyer goes to make up general ap-
pearance." Anyone who has sent rusty
oranges to market needs no such re-
minder, and [ presume the proportion OF
suchgrow ers is largein Florida. Bruises,
decayed spots, scale insects and lack Of
stem, are also points that should be con-
sidered even more closely by the critical
pOmologist than by the tradesman. No
specimens should be considered perfect
that have any of these defects. What is
termed ''smoothness Of peel" according
to the ''Florida Scale" is to my mind only
part OF general appearance" and
should be so considered in Judging on
this point.
AS this second division of the scale is
very important have allowed it twenty
points.
3. A heavy orange is always juicy
one and quite certain to be rich in sugar.
It's specific gravity cannot be determined
more easily by the ordinary fruit tester,
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-27
OLD FLORIDA ORANGE SCALE.

For instance, "smoothness of peeP' and
"absence of seed are given as much prom
inence as general appearance" and
Sweetness" That these are equal as re-
CARDS the makeup of a good or
ange no one can justly contend. 1t seems
to me unnecessary to have justten points
and to grade them all alike-1 to 10.
If may be allowed asubstltute the fol
lowing is what my present understanding
of the subject would suggest:
NEW OR SUGGESTED ORANGE SCALE.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
TIE CARLEs BLESSINGS.

One of the privileges of life in these the
declining days of the nineteenth century,
which every American citizen cannot but
prize, is the constant supply of information
about the Prince of Wales lame leg, Queen
Tictoria's latest fad for mixing whisky and
apollinaris, and other matters of supreme
importance which the cables bring to us
daily.
Think of the immense gain of the present
generation over its predecessors in the mat
ter of polite royal and even imperial intel
ligence provided for its edifcation! If
Queen Victoria adopts new cough lozenge
Emperor William discharges cook, or the
baby King of Spain cuts tooth, we are not
kept days, weeks or even months in ago9iz-
ing expense before we learn what happened
next If one of the royal chickens at Wind
sor swallows lozenge dropped by its i'm
perial owner and incontinently turns up its
toes, we are informed of it instantly. Be-
fore Emperor Williams cook has secured a
new place the whole life history of the chef
is before us, and so realistic is the descrip-
tion of the yells of the young monarch
of Spain in his tussle with healthy tooth
that it would hardly be more agonizing to
have him next door.
The triTialities of royal Europe are very
serious matters to free American citizens.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
THE LONDON sTRuGGLE.

Although public opinion and the efforts
OF the shipping interests most closely con-
nected with the London dock yards have
been thrown in favor of an equitable settle
ment OF the great strike there. the obstinacy
of the officers of the corporation has pre-
vented any such satisfactory termination of
the struggle. The strike is said to be gain
ing in bitterness, and the dispatches indi-
cate the general uneasiness which is felt
The gravity of the affair has its lesson for
this country, in its illustration of the prin-
ciple that as corporations are able to CEN
tralize the control of industries and gain
exclusive privileges they are certain to be-
come oppressive to labor, simply because
they have more power and less personal
responsibility. Great corporations pitted
against large masses of ill-paid laborers are
sure to produce dangerous strikes.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
Armies of Nice.

Some old European histories seriously tell of
an enemy of Henry ". of Germany. who was
eaten up by mice. AS the story runs, the man
vas at banquet, when he was suddenly at
tackled by whole army of mice. which in no
way molested his ne1ghbors, who went to the
assistance of the victim and spared no pains in
their efforts to free him from his small but
vicious foes. After he had been badly bitten,
his friends got him on board smack and took
him out to sea. But the rats followed him and
gnawed the planks of the boat SO viciously that
it had to be run ashore. They then got pos
session of the unhappy man and gnawed him to
pieces, after which they disappeared as if by
magic. This apparently absurd tale was re-
peated as evidence of Henry's divine pro-
lection.
Herodotus tells a wonderful story of how
mice once secured the defeat of great army.
The Biblical account of the defeat of Sennach-
crib before Jerusalem is not Endorsed by the
father of history who gives the Egyptian story.
According to this, the Egyptian armies were
afraid to resist the great warrior, and the
priests humillated themselves in the Temple.
While the high priest was praying he fell
asleep, and in a vision was assured that there
was no danger. Acting upon divine instruc-
tions, he collected small band of tradesmeD,
mechanics and suffers, and advanced. In the
meantime an army OF field mice had attacked
the enemy and eaten up their bows and quivers
and the handles of their shields. Thus disa-
bled, the great host was unable to offer any.
thing like concerted resistance.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
NOT a TRUST.

The report of a trust to be organized
among the building and loan associations OF
the city, which appears in our local col
umns, refers to combination which may
have little likeness to the monopolistic ap-
plications of tie trust device, but is entirely
distinct from them, both in its intent and
effects.
The characteristic features Of the trusts
which have aroused the public protests are
that they are formed to suppress competition
and to array the strength of the combination
either against consumers or producers, or
both together. The nature of the building
and loan associations is that they comprise
their own loaners and borrowers of money,
and the purpose of the combination is to ad-
vance the interests Of both. The favorite
device of the trust is to suppress competi-
tion by artifcially diminishing the supply;
that Of the building and loan organization or
clearing house is to increase the supply of
money for borrowers, and to expand the
field for the loaners to their mutual advant-
age. In short, the trust is for the sake of
enabling the middleman to impose arbitrary
profits on the masses; combination of this
sort is for the sake of giving the masses the
fullest benefit of its business organization.
The success of such an organization is
likely to depend mainly upon its manage
ment. Under careful and conservative con-
troll it would necessarily impose the best
standard of conduct upon all associations
which make up its membership, and thus
enhance the solvency of the building and
loan associations generally. Loosely and
improvidently managed. it might have ex-
actly the opposite effect. Whether the close
supervision and careful accountability that
have made the separate associations success
flu, viii be as thoroughly attainable in a
centralized organization, is a matter that
the members of the different associations
will do well to carefully consider.
But In the interest of correctness it is well
to bear in mind that combination of this
sort has nothing in common with the mod
ern trusts except the surface resemblance.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04

plores the utterances of Mr.. Gladstone in
the past. To the surprise of no one who has
any acquaintance with Mr.. Gladstone's
career he finds that the great Liberal states
man has not always been consistent. With
a very apparent object he lays stress upon
Mr.. GladstOne's attitude toward the United
States during the Civil war; In these days
of extreme darkness Mr.. Gladstone un-
doubtedly erred in his Judgment of the
principles OF the combatants. He did not
grasp fully the real meaning OF the contest
and he said things then for which he has
openly acknowledged since his sorrow.
But Mr.. Hughes only object is plainly
to discredit Mr.. Gladstone with Americans
generally. He is successful in making
clear Mr.. Gladstone's mistakes of aquarter
of a century ago, but his statements of his
tory and his arguments based thereupon
will not suffice, we think, to avert the SYM
pathy of the bulk of the American people
from Mr. Gladstone in his efforts to procure
home rule for Ireland.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
PEOPLE OF PROMINENCE.

PROF. TYNDALL, though taking vacation
in the Alps is still ardently interested in British
politics.
MRS. JULIA d. GRANT, the widow of the
General, who has been spending the summer
in Vienna with her son, the United States
Minister, expects to return to this country and
pass the winter in Washington.
DIR. GEORGE MACDONALD, the novelist, has
been lecturing in the south of England and on
the Channel Islands, During his earlier Lon,
don season he was obliged to deliver his talks
from an armchair. This was due, however. not
to any abatement of physical vigor, but to a
badly sprained foot.
The Rev. Father Henselp Saragian, who was
sent by the Armenian Patriarch of Constanti-
nople to look after the spiritual interests of the
Armenians living in this country, held his first
service in Boston on Sunday. This is said to
be the first use of the Armenian ritual by a
genuine delegate of the Patriarch in America.
PRESIDENT HARRIsoN's visit to the Log
College, Bucks county, Pa, will remind him
that his wlfe's relatives were prominent people
in the last century. One of the original trus-
tees of Neshaminy Church was John Scott, an
ancestor of Mrs. Harrison. The old oven in
the Scott house has received a fresh coat of
whitewash and will do honor to the Presidents
visit.
WHEN the new Chinese Minister comes to
Washington where he is expected within
month. he will bring his wife with him; and
this will be the first instance where the wife of
an envoy from the Celestial Kingdom has ever
accompanied her husband to this country. The
titled and distinguished lady in question will
not however, be any addition to American So
ciety, as will be strictly a recluse, in conform
ance with Chinese customs
j. T. TRowBRIDGE, whose stories for boys
have made him famous, was born IN 1877 in
Western New York. He taught himself Latin,
French and German. He writes at the present
time almost wholly for the Youths Companion
and makes a handsome income. He is tall,
fresh-looking man, with very pleasant face.
His hair is white, but otherwise he does not
show his years. He has never cared for society
and lives in retirement in Boston. He has a
taste for speculation, but has never INDUCED it
to any great extent.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
TORRENTS COULDN'T STOP THEM.
A Pair OF Elopers Receive Very Timely
Assistance From n Friend.

A Pair OF Elopers Receive Very Timely
Assistance From Friend.
MEMPHIS September 3--The mutual friend
acquitted himself nobly in an elopement at
Marion, Ark. Sunday night. DR.. T. o. Bridge
forth loved and wished to wed Miss Ella Bas-
sett, the daughter of wealthy merchant of
that town. The young lady was willing but
her parents were not so an elopement was ar
ranged. A heavy rain had fallen, submerging
the streets, and the broad ditch along the rail-
road track was waist deep in water. The friend
met the lady at the back door of her fathers
residence end escorted her to point nearly op-
posite the rear end of the sleeper attached to a
train in waiting. There was no time to hunt
for crossing over the ditch which was now
miniature torrent
Tho conductor called out "All aboard" and
the mutual friend caught up his fair charge,
and plunging into the stream bore her to the
rear platform of the sleeper and placed her
safely on board just as the wheels began to
revolve. The Doctor at the same time boarded
the train from the depot platform and joined
his bride in the sleeper, while the friend re-
tired from public view to change his trousers.
The couple went to Jonesboro, where they
were married.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
A COSTLY JOKE, PERHAPS.

The DISPATCH has already humbly un-
dertaken to bring into the prominence it
deserves the humorous side of the warfare
the United States revenue cutter Rush is
waging upon the Canadian sealing vessels
in Behring Sea. There has been no pause
to the fun. Confding Lieutenant Tuttle of
the Rush, keeps on overhauling the pratt
cal craft, keeps on putting prize crews of
one upon them, and keeps on bidding them
proceed to Sitka. The Canadian pirates
cheerfully continue to sail with their prize
crews to Victoria, B. C. AS long as pirates
and the crew of the Rush hold out, the roar
ing farce will continue.
But is there not in this laughable exhi-
bition of Uncle Sans vigilance a very
positive danger of serious trouble, real war
perhaps? In the latest capture reported the
danger looms up very large and plain. As
usual, q prize crew, consisting of one able
American seaman, was put on board the
captured sealer with orders to take the
vessel to Sitka. Again, as usual, the Cana
dians preferred to go to their home port,
Victoria, and when the prize crew protested
the Indian hunters on board were with
difficulty kept from throwing him over
board. If he had been thrown into the
sea this country would have had very
serious question to face. Smaller excuses
for war have often been found.
There seems to be disposition on the
part of the State Department at Washing
ton to let matters slide along, drifting in no
particular direction. England acquiesces
in the policy of leaving the
question of property in the Behring Sea
for future consideration. Canada is pro-
testing good deal, but not very effectively.
1t would be reassuring to know that Sec
retary Blaine has definite policy as to this
question. He may have, but it looks very
much as if he had not made up his mind
about this country's rights in Behring
Sea,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-04
CoNsTABLEs AND GRAND IuRY.

The reports of the constables OH illegal
liquor selling furnish indications that the
labors of the Judges in enforcing upon
those officials the necessity of discharging
their duty has not been without its effect.
While the number of places reported is not
up to the rumored abundance of "speak-
easies," it indicates that the constables
generally are aroused to the necessity of en-
forcing the law and allows the inference
that gossip may have exaggerated the total
number of illicit liquor sellers. The Court
also very clearly indicated to the grand
jury its duty in reference to violators of the
law. If the same measure of success in
making that body do its duty is attained as
has been secured with the constables, the
idea that the laws can be obeyed or not, as
may suit individual interests, is likely to
receive a severe shock.