davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
Cost of Keaning Sheen.

In long article on keeping sheep,
the Western Rural says that in estimat-
ing the cost of producing mutton and
wool it is not sufficient simply to esti-
mate the cost Of the stock and the cost
of feed and care. Disease, for instance.
is large element of cost of production
in this country. Our imperfect systems
of winter care-carrying the hocks
through the winter without roots or
with ensilage, and keeping it in poorly
ventilated stables or not housing it at
all, break the animal down, anC thou
sands of sheep die every spring as the
result Of such treatment. Now raising
sheep and growing wool is not so profit
able as to stand such q leak as this. A
writer recently said that ''on farms
where there is no foot-rot there is more
profit in wool at 30 cents than there is at
80 cents on farms where the nuisance
exists. Every sheep that dies OF paper
skin, grub in the head, or of kindred
diseases, adds go much to the cost Of
the remaining part of the flock. This is
the hydra headed monster that destroys
the profit on many farm in the older
states. The time is past when the
sheep could not die in its owners debt.
1t is true that oitentimes there is APP
parently no remedy for these diseases,
but for the most part they are caused
by neglect. A thrifty sheep has no
time to be sick"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18

this will protect them from the alter
nate thawing and freezing out at least.
They must, of course, be protected
against the rabbits. A very good plan
OF managing, both as defense against
the mice and as protection from in
jury by frost, il to bank up well around
the stem and then draw this away with
hoe in the spring after the season
opens.
When the other farm work will per-
NIT | should prefer to get the trees in
the fall and heel them in carefully.
Plow the ground in the fall and during
the winter haul out the manure and
scatter broadcast and when time can
best be spared mark out the ground
and set stakes where each tree is to
grow and then as soon as the soil is in a
fit condition for work set them out. II
they are set in the fail | should by all
means advise careful mulching.-Practi-
cal Farmer.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
Telling A Snake Story.
From the Punxsutawney Spirit.

1t Is not without q certain degree of
chagrin and humiliation that we pro-
coed 10 whack several feet off the tail
ofthat serpent We spoke of last week but
careful investigation has led US to be-
lieve that it was not as large as at first
reported. AS a rule, we do not believe
In economy in giving the dimensions Of
snake. When telling a snake story,
a large yellow serpent, with a spring
calf in its stomach, comes just as cheap
as common garter snake with toad
in its mouth. BY buying in large guam
titles and paying cash, we are enabled
to give our readers the benefit of the
discount and furnish them larger and
better authenticated snake stories for
the money than any of our contempt
raries. But this boa-constrictor we
spoke Of last week was several sizes too
large for even those Of our customers
VINO have the most voracious appetites
for the marvellous. They could not,
somehow, swallow it. Some of them
made heroic attempts to do SO, and
were willing to make still further at
,tempts.
But we do not wish to be too exacting,
and will therefore take our little hatchet
and cut it down somewhat The main
outline of the story was correct, but a
more conservative estimate of the size
of the serpent places its length at be-
tween eight and ten feet. And then il
was not yellow, either. 1t was, it ap-
pears, a common black snake. We are
constrained to add this foot note to last
weeks snake story after protracted in
terviews with Messrs. Pantill and Dilts,
who it seems are not willing TO stand
over sixteen-foot snake, and have no
desire to detract anything from the fame
of the author of the "Inferno" or the
arabian nights"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
Hot-weather Dali v Work.

A. T. d. Curtis, a noted dairy authori-
ty, gives the following advice through
the Michigan Farmer: eve are in the
midst of hot weather, and the air is tull
of animal and vegetable microbes,
ready to seize upon 81 highly nitrogen
GUS a substance as milk, and not only
prey upon its elements, but make it
indus for the further propagation Of
their kind. Hence great precsution
should be taken to properly scald milk
things and to look after the sJrainers,
comes in contact with milk. or the
things that come in contact with it.
Drains, slop-holes, and all possible
sources of bad odors should be thor
oughly cleaned and disinfected. The
walls and ceilings should be freed from
mould, cobwebs, dirt, and every lurk-
ing chance for the development or
lodgment of bacteria, fungoid growths,
or other causes OF decay and disease.
In case dry weather should prevail, see
that the COWS do not have access to
stagnant pools, and that they are sup
piled with plenty Of clean water.
without going far to get it. The
germs generated in foul water, if
taken into the stomach of the cow, have
been found to enter into the general
CAO OlOOO duu
diseasing the milk secretions. Clean
water is indispensable to the healthful-
ness of the COW and the wholesomeness
of her milk. Even the germs inhaled
by breathing foul air work much in the
same way. A stay of fifteen minutes in
a foul stable has been known to give
the milk the smell and taste of the
barnyard. 1t is therefore necessary to
keep stables and other milking places
clean, dry and airy. Wbitewash
should be freely applied wherever i
can be. Dry earth and common land
plaster should be freely used as deodor-
izers. The plaster is specially recon-
mended, and there is no better way Of
applying it to the soil than through the
manure spread over it. Cleanliness in
milking is more than ever necessary in
hot weather. No haste or press of 9TH
er business should be permitted to in
any way cause neglect Of duty in the
dairy
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
Fall or Spring Planting.

When the work can be done in good
season | prefer setting nearly or quite
all varieties of trees or plants in the
spring. But if the work is done at this
time it is very important that arrange
ments should be made in advance SO
that the work can be done early. / con-
slider it an important item to have trees
secure an early start to grow and this
cannot be done unless they are put out
fall setting is the liability of being lifted
up by the alternate thawing and freez-
ing and in this way having the roots in
iured to greater or less extent. There
is lees risk in this if The trees get well
started to growing and the soil becomes
frmer around the roots. The advan-
tage of setting them in the fall is that
the work is done and in the spring they
are in their places ready to start to
grow.
On the majority of farms as soon as
the soil is in a fit condition to work
there is 80 much to be done that it will
be found good plan to get everything
done in advance that is possible. One
Of the principal objections TO waiting
until spring is that the trees will not
usually be secured sufficiently early to
admit of the work being done as early
as it should be. But this is easily cured
by securing the trees in the fall and
heeling them in carefully. Then they
can be set out at the first opportunity
in the spring and this objection at least
be overcome. There is usually more
time for doing the work in the fall and
if the work of preparing the soil is care
fully done and setting the trees out
properly and then after the ground
! freezes hard mulching them carefully,
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
He COuldn't Move On.
From the Texas Siftipgs.

An Austrian lieutenant came upon two
private soldiers, one of whom was lying
dead drunk upon the ground, while his
comrade was standing near the inebriate
apparently in a quandary as to what to
do.
Is the man unconscious ?" asked the
lieutenant.
The soldier saluted and replied:
"No, lieutenant, he has only been
drinking little too much"
''Then why don't you tell him to
move on ?"
"Beg pardon, nobody can move or
who is as drunk as he is. You couldn't
move on, lieutenant, if you were Meth
er could the major if he was that far
gone. / really don't believe, lieutenant
that the colonel of the regiment him.
self could if he had as big load a,
that private has on board"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
THE "HORsE FAIR"
BY HELEN L. CAREY

BY HELEN I. CAREY.
The flying shadows meath the horses feet
Whirl down the wooded drive. Demure and
feet,
Two noble grays. the thronging gates press near,
Before them, hieing hoof aud CHANGING rear;
And, pressing close behind, what untamed
grace
OF Interviewing forms fired with the race
HI on and whoa Back, charger gently,
mare
10 Enid with the white and flowing hair,
And by her side Mazeppa rearing high,
Squirting restraint, the lightning in his eye!
The music OF their mingling forms see,
The poetry of motion Wild and free.
o master hand inspired to strike the keys
O one of Natures feeting harmonies!
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
Draln age.


One of the first and most important
chapters in every standard text book on
agriculture, says Farm and Fireslde, is
that on drainage. And yet, judging
from the condition of thousands of 9TH
erwise highly improved farms, it is one
of the last to be thoroughly studied and
applied.
The subject of drainage is much more
important than either that of fertilizers
or methods of cultivation. For what do
the best of these avail on undrained
land? Both manures and the labor of
cultivation applied to undrained soils
are totally wasted.
AS swamp lands are left uncultivated
If not drained, the greatest losses occur
on lands that are partly drained natur-
ally, and suffer from excess of water
only when the rainfall is above the nor
NAL quantity. Such lands often bring
fine crops in favorable seasons, and the
owner goes on year after year cultivat-
ing them, with his success enti1 ely de-
pendent on just certain amount of
rainfall
If the rainfall is great, the crop is a
total or partial failure; ii it is small, the
result is the same, for usually such soils
suffer the most from drought. 'My
crops were poor because the season was
too wet, or dry" truthfully should be
read, "My crops failed because I have
failed to drain the land" Drainage of
land that is subject to an excess of wa
ter, or to stagnant water ia the subsoil,
makes it easier of cultivation, increases
the available supply of plant food, and
insures large crops in good seasons and
fair ones even in unfavorable seasons.
And the whole cost of drainage will be
paid by the crops saved in very few
years.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
FARM AND HOME.
The Stage-Coach.


furnished, and battered, and old.
Heartlessly hidden away.
Left to the moth and the mould,
Darkness, and dust, and decay.
This was the pride of its day;
Now all its glory is DER,
Faded and vanished for aye
Gone are the driver and four.
How shall its story be told?
What shall song of it say
Once it was brilliant as gold.
Once it was gilded and gay.
Fine in their festive array,
Many the bride that it bore;
Now are they wrinkled and gray
Gone are the driver and four
Long through the heat and the cold.
Ever from May until May,
Over the highways it rolled.
Time has now made it his prey;
Never stately affair,
Never dash as OF yOre.
Never swing or sway
Gone are the driver and four
Over new roads that men lay
Rush we with rattle and roar
Only sweet memories stay
Gone the driver and fouri
-BisseU Clinton IN Harper S
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
a Courtesy Acknowledged.

Mgr. Regnauld. bishop of Chartres,
whose death in his Goth year has just
been announced, was an interesting
relic of the courtly days of monarchical
France. Once when the Emperor Ma
pcseon III. courteously assisted him to
mount his pulpit he acknowledged the
act of politeness with characteristic
esprit. 1.-The arm which upholds
France" ne said with dignifed bow,
"can have no difficulty in supporting an
old man -
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18
About the MIX Business.

A writer to the Country Gentleman
says as follows:
The present disorganized condition of
the milk business is disgrace to those
engaged in it. Milk producers are at
the mercy of the distributors, who
manage the whole affair, and like the
monkey who adjudicated the dispute of
the two cats over the stolen cheese,
they divide the property of the pro-
Queer and consumer at their own will,
taking their own share as they may
choose; and they choose to take all they
can without fatally pressing on their
clients. The middlemen should be the
servants OF the producers, but now they
are the masters. and this is thus because
the producers permit it by failure to or
ganize their own distributing agencies.
The total value of the milk business
possesses every favorable possibility for
such an organization, and would no
doubt become as profitable to those un-
dertaking it as the present express
business is. The milk producers could
easily provide the capital to put such a
system of distribution in operation.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18

AT the battle of Malvern Hill Senator
Vance, Of North Carolina, was charging
up hill with the shot rafting about
him and the air breathing fire, when he
met an old hare with ears back running
for dear life. $50 it Molly Cottontail,"
exclaimed he eff / hadn't a reputation
to sustain I'd be with you.''
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18

. GUESS I'll take my vacation over
again, if you have no objection" said a
hashy young, clerk to his employer.
Not the slightest, sir. You can make
it permanent. "-Hartford Post.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18

that heavy helmet plays the very
deuce with ones hair"
CASTOR listened with due respect to
these well-mesnt exhortations, but
without the slightest intention of being
Influenced by them; and. On the arrival
of his division at Metz some days later,
had already, more than once, declined
to avail himself of the services of the
regirnental barber.
Nevertheless, he instinctiveiy felt that
continued refusal to conform to the
general custom must inevitably endan-
ger his popularity, and that the only
way to atone for this obnoxious singu-
larity was to distinguish himself by
some exploit which might obtain for
him an honorable mention in the order
of the day.
An opportunity soon came. On the
18th of August his regiment, posted
near st. Privat, behind an avenue OF
poplars bordering the road to Saar-
bruck, had been exposed for several
hours to a CALLING fire of the German
artillery, and had suffered severely
from an incessant storm of shells,
which were beginning to set the trees
on fire. The position of the French
corps became untenable, and the
colonel, deciding that the enemy's guns
must at any cost be silenced, ordered a
small detachment of dragons com
manded by de Langeais to charge, and
cut them off from the main body.
The Germans, taken by surprise and
| imagining they were about to be at
tackled by the entire regiment, ceased
| firing and hastily retreated, leaving one
of their guns on the field, which Cas-
| ton, at :the head of fifteen men, bore
down upon, and. sabring the gunners,
carried it triumphantly into the French
lines.
Bravo ~ cried the colonel, warmly
grasplng the young sub-lieutenant's
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-04
IT FARM AND GARDEN
Hints and Observations From
Every Day Life on the Farm.
WIRE WORMS AND THEIR RAyAGES
suggestions About Setting Fence Possible
vices for Keeping the Posts In Firm,
Upright Position.

The setting of fence posts not SO very
many years ago was tedious operation,
but now with the long handled, round
pointed shovels and scoops ingenuity has
devised, one can perform this labor in a
comparativeIy short time. In hard,
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-04

The food on which COW Is fed has
considerable influence on the length of
time required in churning. Generally
when the extra food given is rich in
nitrogen the butter comes quicker than
when such food as potatoes, distillers'
slops, etc., is made the sole extra food.
A prolific cause of trouble in fall and
winter that retards churning, is that the
milk and cream are not kept at an even
temperature. If the milk is allowed to
freeze and thaw, or to fall to low
temperature while being set for cream,
there is much difficulty in getting the
butter speedily.
As high an authority as Willard says:
milk and cream should not be allowed
to fall below fifty degrees" The author
ity quoted suggests that when no con-
veniences are had for keeping the milk
at the proper temperature while the
cream is rising in cold weather, fairly
good results may be obtained by scald-
ing the milk by placing it in pan over
hot water on the stove. AS soon as a
little crinkle is observed remove the pan
to room Of moderate temperature, or
where the temperature does not fall
below fifty degrees. The cream will not
only rise rapidly, but will generally
churn with facility. Do not scald too
much or the amount of cream will be
diminished.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-04

gravelly land the soil may be first loos-
ened with sharp pointed crowbar, after
which with shovel or scoop the post holes
are easily dug. Among new inventions
designed to tighten the labor of fence
n1aking are post hole diggers made pur-
gosely for the work. The patent post
digger is double round pointed shovel
or spade, the two parts of which arecon-
uected like the two blades of a pair of
scissors. In using this instrument it is
uiunged into the soil the length of the
blades some ten or twelve inches, and
after COMPRISING the earth by the lever
age afforded the jointed handles, the
contents are lifted and dropped on the
surface. A few plunges will clear hole
all ready to receive the post.
The expansion of soils filled with water
by freezing has a noticeable effect on
posts standing in damp ground. Posts
fhus situated are liable to be gradually
lifted out of position and thereby rem
dered useless in keeping a fence in up
eight position.
A World correspondent, who has ex,
perimented successfully in setting posts,
claims that the figures shown in the an
naked cut represent two modes of setting
POSTS that resist the heavings caused by
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-04
Agricultural Stations and Schools.

A bill has been introduced into the
New York legislature which appropriates
$4,000 to establish schools for teaching
the art and practice of dairying, includ-
ing the best modes Of making butter and
cheese. The schools are to be in charge
of the dairy commissioners of the state;
skilled professors and tutors are to be
employed. The art of raising poultry is
to be included.
Maryland has an agriculturist college
and experiment station, but as yet no
state board of agriculture. At recent
meeting of the Farmers association it
was decided to recommend legislation to
secure the creation of a state board
The weight of opinion at the recent
Vermont dairymen's convention seemed
to be that warming water for stock pays
well, except where warm spring or well
water is supplied in warm stables.
Georgia is to have an agricultural ex-
pertinent station, with Commissioner J.
T. Henderson at the head of it.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-04
Feeding Farm Horses.

A veterinary surgeon recommends
that those who have charge of horses,
especially farm horses, be taught that
the stomach of a horse is not like the
rumen of a COW, a mere receptacle for
food, but an essential organ of digestion
of limited capacity, which does not need
TO = crammed in order to perform its
proper functions, and that it cannot be
so treated without danger to the animal;
that the teeth of the horse are provided
Cor the purpose of masticating the food,
and that food which does not require
r,astication should be sparingly, if ever,
used. He further recommends that no
horse be put to work Immediately after
= full meal, and where a horse has done
a ;.e.. = days work it should be allowed
20 stand in the stable until it is cool and
comfortable before being fed. A little
water may be given, and if little good
hay be put into the rack it will occupy
his attention, and besides requiring
proper mastication will further have the
effect to slightly stimulate the stomach
to secretion, and prepare it for the recep-
ton of the feed which is to follow.
Should horse require more food than
usual to supply the extra waste of tissues
caused by hard work give it by all
means, but let it be in excess In its al
bsIninoids or nutritious constituents and
Let the horse be fed oftener and not In
Sucreased quantities at time.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-04

them, and, working, as they do, beneath
the surface of the ground, they are ex-
tremeIy difficult to reach and destroy.
The noxious wire worms are slender
grubs of yellowish white color and I'M
usually hard bodies. The form and
density Of their bodies suggest their COM
mon name The body consists Of the
head and twelve segments. The head is
distinct and extended horizontally but
with no neck. Wire worms are the larvae
of click beetles, and the members Of this
family are easily recognized by the form
of their bodies and by peculiar habit
that has given them the popular names
or click beetles. swapping bugs and skip
jacks.
Without going into the details of ,ex-
periments made at the Cornell University
station by Professor Comstock, it is suf-
ficient to say that the most feasible
method of preventing the ravages of the
worms was found to be in trapping and
poisoning the beetles before they had
laid their eggs rather than in attempting
to destroy the larvae after they are par
TALLY grown. Fresh clover and sweet
Cned cornmeal dough were the most at
ttactive bats. The best results in poison
ing were with small punches of freshly
cut clover dipped in a solution of Paris
green and covered with boards to pre-
vent the drying out of the clover. Such
poisoned bats can easily be distributed
once or twice a week in the early part of
summer, and it is recommended that,
where troublesome, these pests be fought
in that way.
Other experiments demonstrated that
the beetles fly both by day and by night,
but are most active in the night time;
also that, although they fly readily, they
seek their food chiefly by running over
the surface of the ground. Experience
at the station and the testimony of writers
on the subject show that these wire
worms are much more likely to do seri-
GUS injury in land that has remained in
grass a number of years, and upon low
grounds of peaty quality and black
color.