davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-11-27
For THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIsT.
Root-Knot and Fertilizers.

4 D.
An examination of the U. S. Agricult-
ural Departments Bulletin No. 20, Divis-
ion of Entomology, which is devoted to
the rOot-knot disease due to the work of
the microscopic anguillula, gives rise to
some startling suggestions with regard
to the development of groves and gar
dens in those parts of the Sou' hern States
that are within one hundred and fifty
miles of the sea coast, and makes plain
the cause of many failures. This publica-
tion is of especial Importance, and when
the obstacles to success are clearly known,
mans inventive genius will be very likely
to make known way to overcome them.
To this end both the State and Congress
should make ample appropriations to
continue the Investigations that the great
losses from this cause may be diminished
as speedily as possible.
AS rapidly growing, soft-tissued roots
are the most affected by the AnguiIlula,
or Nematoid worm, the ideas suggested
in this bulletin, if accepted, will have a
tendency to make a radical chang in the
treatment OF groves, especially in the
character of the fertilizers and the en-
deavor to promote rapid growth. Also,
as regards drainage and sub-irrigation,
promoting the former and discouraging
the latter.
AS a thorougly pulverized soil filled
with decaying vegetable matter, humus,
compost and ammoniacal manures not
only gives the most rapid plants growth,
butalso promotes the destructive develop
ment of Anguillula, the course Of the
grower of fruits and vegetables is beset
with many difficulties especially as all
vermicide fertilizers sufficiently strong to
kill the worms will seriously injure the
trees or plants. The favorite COW pea, it
seems, is a great breeder of root knot,
and hence must be abandoned; also, nit
rogenous manures, guano bone, fish, cot
ton seed meal ammOniacalcO cOmpOsts, etc.
If this be accepted then we must revise
our study and applications of fertilizers.
Fortunately, however, according to DR..
Meals experiments, tobacco dust, which
is rich in nitrogen, hard wood ashes, mu-
riate and sulphate of potash and lime re-
main as reliable fertilizers if used in guam
titles of not less than ton and half
per acre, applied half in December and
half in May. This is certainly an argu-
ment in favor of intensive cultivation. He
also puts in good word for the little
ant, the wood louse, as that feasts on the
Anguillula. He also recommends burning
piles of wood or trash on the ground, but
that is open to the serious objection that
it destroys the vegetable matter in the
soil. Freezing temperatures destroy them,
also heat above 212o. Evidently passing
the soil to the depth of a foot or more
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-11-27
81 per AHnl1l, in advance.

| used to believe the snake stories
heard of Florida when in Mississippi and
Tennessee, but found in 1889, after
travelling all over Sumter and fernando
counties, that my mind had been shame
fully abused, for after wading in the
WithlochOochee swamp bee hunting, and
also Lake Harris swamp for half a day
at time, more than once, up to my
knees in mud aud water, where the suns
rays reached me only now and then, /
found but two snakes, and | never saw
finer looking snake ranges in all my trav-
els; Icould have found fifty snakes in the
same length of time in Mississippi, and
bad ones, too, where the territory for
snakes was by no means promising in
appearance.
Now, this dangerous moss theory is by
far the biggest lie of the two. And when
| tell you there is no truth in it, | tell you
that | know of number OF truthful men
of long experience in the moss and out of
it, who will corroborate my statement.
Moss localities are like many other
features met with in Florida, they are
queer "critters" 1t is confined only to
spots in the sand-hils, the flat-woods,
the river and the creek -swamps Any one
crossing Peace River at Fort Meade will
find some moss upon the bluff of the west
side, while in the swamp near the river,
and in the swamp from the river out to
the piney woods east, it amounts to al
most nothing; and this river has compar-
atively little moss in it's swamps, and it
is thought to be very damp. Now this
river swamp, if humidity controlled the
most, aught to abound with it, yet there
is comparatively little of it.
You know that it is held, that localities
supporting it are very damp and full of
malaria. Lake Weir, no doubt, has as
healthy location around it as any where
in the State, and would as readily risk
my health right under the long moss at
Col. BIS. place, as south, east or north
where no moss scarcely is found
In many localities, on both sand hills
cblLu IoU-WOOOo, y Ou VIII uIlu lctIS6 dTSdS
where there is no moss. and no atisfac.--
tory reason can be assigned for it's alb
sence. Much OF the fat-woods has
swamps and ponds, and must be damp,
but in many such places the mossis found
distributed very promiscuously, SO that
man looking after causes and effects
would too often be puzzled if asked the
question, "why is it that on one side of
this swamp there is moss, and on the
other side there isnone?" "And why is it
on this side confined to only one-half or
perhaps less?"
Lakes Clinch, Moody, Crooked and
Bean almost surround heavily timbered
locality four miles long by two wide 1t
seems as though this section would be
very damp, but it is almost entirely de-
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-11-27
For THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIsT
Long Moss of Florida.

AO113 UAOOS VI Z 4OI1ud.
| wish 10 place before your readers one
or two items concerning this long moss.
l have been in Florida long enough,
think, to learn, or know, more about it
than any man a thousand miles away
who never saw it in it's natural habits,
and who positively knows nothing but by
heresay
This moss has number of uses, but
wish to allude, alone, to one in particular,
and to it only, because it is too highly
useful to be so little understood. 1t is
one of the finest materials to stop water
with in the world For mill purposes,
center bitches, to build levies on and to
stop breaks or washouts nothing, in my
experience, though not extensive, yet suf-
ficient, can equal it. And as we have
much good water power in Florida, con-
fined mainly to streams, the beds of which
are usually of sand and muck, mill men
wishing to use water should be posted in
it's use. have but little doubt in my mind
that many man a thousand miles away,
working and fretting over bad breaks to
stop, would save largely to ship the green
material from Florida. And many dams
entirely uncomfortable otherwise, now in
ruins, might have been secured for ages
by it's use. | have tried it for foundations
for fish traps and to stop the water pas
sages around them, and they are there to
stay when well put in, unless water
spout swoops down and scoops them out.
To lay foundation of it in running
streams, stakes can be driven down pro-
miscuously over it, set at an angle up the
stream, and the moss spread over and
rammed to the bottom between them and
it will stay there until the foundation
timbers are laid on it, and it is there to
stay.
Once to the bottom and it is but a
short time until the sand and mud will
collect in it and deposit on it, and it stays
there. How easy ordinary washouts are
stopped with it, and if the extraordinary
one cannot be controlled by it's use, you
need not trouble about other material,
bnt just como out ond go 20 dinner, ana
locate another site.
But, please let me call your attention
to the general false idea abroad, and
known to many in the State, some of
whom perhaps, have learned the evident
falsity of it, if they have not been too
careless in their observations, which idea
is, that long moss localities are full of
malaria and very liable to chills and
levers Reader, how much credit do you
reckon some people in other States, who
have often heard this, will give to my as
sertion when affirm that | know that
there is no more truth in it than there is
in the great snake stories they have heard
of Florida?
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
Studies OF Conscience.

-, The studies Of conscience furnished b,
Shakespeare In his Macbeth and Richard III,
and by Hugo in his "Les Miserables," are
Significantly suppleme tied from another
point Of view. Inspector Barnes Of New
York is not genius but detective, and in
speaking of methods with a reporter the
other day, he said:
THE great lieutenant Of every police Of
hcer Is that mysterious thing called con-
science. Yet let a man try to deceive him
self and lie to hims.f about himself, and
that something comes knocking up against
the shell Of his body, and humping on his
rn,nd,nw rlSs with ~ every hbeartbeat and
head aches and he wishes he were
dead, and groans in agony for relief. It is
the same conscience that makes a criminal
give himself away If one only knows how
to awaken 1t or stir it into activity. never
let man know for what he is arrested He
may have committed a dozen or more crimes
Of which ! know nothing. II lock him up
alone and leave him to the black walls and
his guilty conscience for three or four hours,
while he pictures the possible punishment
due him for all his crimes, he comes present.
~ into my hands like the soft clay in the
hands of the potter Then he is likely to tell
me much more than had ever suspectedn
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
Silent Forces.

The late DR.. Alexander Clark thus beauti-
fully illustrates the efficacy of silent forces:
Workmen in stone quarries sometimes find a
very hard kind of rock. They pick little
grooves for tho iron wedges into the finty
rock. And yet, once In a while they fail to
divide the solid mass. The iron wedges and
sledges prove useless, and the workmen Won
der at the stubborn rock.
There Is another way. The iron wedges
are removed from the narrow grooves. Then
little wooden wedges of a very hard fibre are
selected. Now You begin to shake your heads
and think: "Well, if iron wedges will not do,
how is it possible for wooden wedges to be
used successfullyT' Just wait until we ex-
plain. The sharp, well-made wooden
wedges are first put Into water. They are
then inserted into the grooves tightly, while
wet, and water is kept in The grooves, and
no sledge is needed to drive them. They
would break under the severe blows of the
hammer. But the workmen just let the
wedges alone. They will do what the iror
failed to do. How SO? The damp wood
swells. The particles must have room
enough to enlarge. And the granite heart
of the rock cannot resist this silent in
hu"nce. In a little while the solid rock
parts from top to bottom, and the work
mems will is accomplished.
1t Is so, often, in other things; what
noise and visible effort fail to do, some
quiet power when applied will surely
achieve. Teachers may remember this fac
in mechanics, and manage some stubborn
natures by the application of the silent
TO ces. The iron and the sledge hammer
often fail, but tears, prayers, and a patien
example under God never fail.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
In q Demons Power.

The physiological secret of that progress
siveness of all stimulant passions, says Dr.
Oswald, in the oice, is the gradual increase
of the depressing reaction, which infallibly
follows every abnormal irritation of the ner.
vous system. The jaded nerves fail to re-
while more and more irksome depression OF
the vital spirit prompts the patient to relieve
his torpor at any price-too often the prizes
of lifelong bondage, clinched by more com.
plete surrender to the power OF the demon
whose caressng embrace only secures
firmer hold upon the throat Of his victim
Mild stimulants soon become insipid, and by
degrees positively distasteful, to the mora
and more decided appetite for stronger stimus
appetite thus not only constitutes constant
temptation to worse eScesses, but also pre-
vents the topper from retracing his steps on
the road to Iuin
There Is, in that respect, a curious analogy
between the influence Of moral and physical
stimulants The chief objection to mind
enslaving passions is, perhaps, not their di
rect temptation to acts OF recklessness, but
the circumstance that their influence tends TO
| annul the attractiveness of less exciting en-.
joyments. The historian Lecky, In his re.
fections upon the moral berrations OF pagan
| Rome, traces the decline of art and harmless
| pleasures to the indirect influence of the
| gladiatorial games. ITO men who were ac-
customed to witness the fierce vicissitudes OF
deadly combat" he says, 'any spectacle
that did not elicit the strongest excitement
stage became unimpressive to those who
were habituated to the intense realism OF the
amphithe stre. All tho genius Of Siddons
or Ristori would fail to move an audience
who had continually seen living men fall
bleeding and mangled at their feet"
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
Awake!

Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee lightr
Awake before the archangel trump 6ali on
thee to awake. Shake off your spiritual
slumber before you be called on to shake oF
your mortal coil. Lift up your eyes, even
now, to the Saviour lifted up for you, that
you may not have to lift them up at last
where there is no Saviour to
look to- Say not, "If I am asleep, I am
not responsible" You are not In this
sense asleep. You are responsible; for
you are anagent rational, intelligent NOR
al, voluntary, unfettered, and free You
are responsible, for God loves you; Jesus has
died for you; the Holy Spirit is now striving
with you; full aud free salvation lies at
your hand; and a tide OF saving influence
has all along been setting in upon you, and
seeking ingress into your mind and
your heart. You are responsible;
for, II You believe man, you can
believe God; you can give that atten-
ton to the Bible which you lavish on the
sfss sssss S III M%s S aF and
II you are reluctant to do so, this Is not your
misfortune remember, but your damning
crime. Awake, then, thou sleeper; live, ye
dead Hear the hfe-giving voice of the Son
Of God-hear, and your soul shall live. Flee
In time from the wrath to come 20 earth,
earth, earth, hear the word Of the Lordp'--
DR.. Guthrie.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
The House.

63D DAY.-The Senate amendments to tho
Agricultural Appropriation bill were non
concurred in. The last week of the Fiftieth
Congress was ushered in by fiibustering, set
in motion by Mr.. Bland who raised the point
OF no quorum upon the approval of the
journal. After delay Of few minutes Mr..
Bland withdrew his point Of order. in order
to enable c. F. Booher to qualify as the sue
ccssor of the late James y. Burnes, of Mis-
souri, 81 Mr.. Crisp then called up the con-
tested election case and Mr.. Sayers. in the
interest of the Deficiency Appropriation bill,
raised the question Of consideration. The
House decided-yeas lis, nays l02-to con-
slider the election case, but Mr.. McKenna,
who had voted in the affirmative for this
purpose, moved a reconsideration. All efforts
to get a quorum to vote failed.
9th DAY.-The Speakers table having
been cleared of business, the Speaker, acting
in conformity with the special order, recog-
nizei Mr.. Abbott, who called up bill for
the erection of a public building at Fort
Worth, Texas. Mr.. Randall asked unani-
nous consent to report from the Committee
Of Appropriations the Sundry Civil bill with
Senate amendments. The recommends
setons St the S@hStee were agreeds to, asscou<
ference yns .orddfSd and Messrs. Randall.
Forney and Ryan were. appoihtst txeuns
into Comhitr Ut Tiifis Tfis i,,adfe etat ssp
in the Chair on the Deficiency Appropria-
tion Bill. After q brief concluding debate,
the Deficiency bill was passed
65THDAY.-The conference report on the
District Of Columbia Appropriation bill was
debated. The Indian Appropriations bill
was passed :. Obstruction tactics were used
to delay action on the Cowles bill, and this
consumed the rest Of the days session.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08

SUMMARY OF CONGRESS,
Tho Sanata

oorH DAY.--A message from the Pres,dsrt
returning without his approval a pension bill
s aor Euwm L. warner, was presented, read,
Among the Lighthouse bills passed were
those for lights at the western end of Conev
island, y: Y. t$25, COO, for lightship at the
wreck OF the steamship Oregon in New York
Oyster bed shoal, in Hudson River iS:35, ,OOO.
me house amendments for q lighthouse and
log signal on Orchard Shoals, Princess Bay.
New YORK, were non-concurred in. and
conference on the House amendments to the
senate Dill granting q pension to Mrs Sheri-
dan !reducing it from $500 to S2sOO was
Withdrawn, and the amendments were CON
CURED in. Resolutions were agreed TO an.
thorizing the Select Committee on IRRIGATION
20 20 take testimony at any place in the United
States, and authorizing the Committee on
ship Investigation.
59rH DAY.-Mr: Dolph reported bac K the
relief of William r. Wheaton and Charles
II. Chamberlain of California, with recon.
mendation that the bill pass notwithstanding
the objections Of the President The vote ro-
suited: Yeas 35, nays & So the bill was
passed. The House amendment to the
month to the widow Of Ma @ jor General ne AK Kill
patrick was agreed to. The amendment re-
resumed consideration of the Army Appro-
priation bill. An amendment to the Appro-
priation bill providing $50, 900 for the pur-
chase OF 225 acres of land directly south of
the military reservation at West Point, was
agreed to-. The Senate passed the Army
Appropriation bill with amendments.
GOTH DAY.--The Senate passed the bill
which prohibits the erection Of dams across
the rivers in Alaska fer the purpose Of catch.
ing salmon. Mr.. Platt reported two bills
Tor the formation and admission of the States
OF Idaho and Wyoming. Mr.. Hoar re-
ported an amendment appropriating S25, 900
for the detection and conviction of the per-
sons who illegally carried away and de-
stroyed the ballot boxes Of Plummerville,
Ark. On motion of Mr.. Cullom the Sen.
ate proceeded to the consideration Of the
Senate bill to amend the Interstate Com
merce law.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
A Costly Habit.

The laborer who pays the saloonist twenty
cents per day, for four glasses of beer, or
two glasses OF whiskey, spends seventy thrAe
dollars annually for the beverage With this
money, as prices now are. he could purchase
six barrels Of flour, two hundred pounds OF
sugar, twenty five bushels Of potatoes, ton
pounds Of tea, and twenty-five pounds of
coffee. So far as these several articles are
concerned, the above amount would be ap.
ample annual. supply for, q famiiY lof six
persons, Perhaps . family iufz e;ghts parents
S %6ch 1Sata SSilffa Sc aiiR sa pa BE- Iet.sI
paternal affectionl Suppose he belongs to
the knights Of Labor, can no plead for
a strike consistently so long as he worse
than wastes seventy-three dollarsl Must he
not strike against the saloon before he
can strike for higher wages, il he would
challenge tho sympathies of thoughtful men,
1t was this thought that completely changed
the life and purpose Of a bootmaker in Nor
folk County, Mass, a few years ago. He
was a very moderate drinker-stepped from
his shop into saloon near by only twice n
day, and paid five cents each for two glasses
said within himself. II could buy three bar.
res of flour, five pounds of tea, ten pounds Of
coffee and fifteen bushels of potatoes with
that money" He took his pencil and cast
the figures on a piece Of leather. "My
family need it, to-" he thought; and the out
come of his thinking was: II will never
spend another cent for beer as long as hve;'
and he never has.
Was he not wise' Is there any discount to
made on his Judgment. None ut all, cs
pecially when the reader learns that his deri
sion became an era to his family. From that
day, a laudable ambition, desire for better
education. love Of books and journals, aspi-
ration for higher social life, grew in that
family; and at the end of ten years, the
members Of it moved in the most intelli'
gent and influential circles There is nothing
like a good, commanding idea to lift q
father and his family into q I.obler life. And
this is what is needed, and all that is needed
in thousands Of families in our land to-day
The total abstinence idea is but one idea, and
it may seem a small one to many men; but
it is big enough and strong enough to save Q
multitude of laborers whom nothing else cal
save-Ndtionat Record.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
RELIGIOUS READING.
ION Great waters,n

"On Great Waters"
The ship has crossed the harbor bar,
And leaving home and friends afar.
Sails forth beneath the evening star.
With prayer of watchers left behind,
IL sails before the springing wind:
strong Is the bark, and God is kind.
., baby souls, sent forth from heaven,
10 you the sea Is also given
A weary struggle to be striven!
Ye too have left the light of home
For warning winds and waves-to roam
Across dreary waste Of foam;
And what shall be the end for ye2
Dark shipwreck In the midmost scar
Or triumph to eternityP
Fear not; for If ye brave the blast
: ttn GODS own cUlUrS at the mast s,.-.-s...
Tho hnycn will bs sure at last.
Arthur L. Salmon in Good Words.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08
pismantled His saloon.

During a recent revival meeting at
Arkansaw Village, Pippin County, Wis.
William Manierea, a saloon. keeper, rose aud
with tears streaming down his cheeks de.
c!ared that he had been made to see his sins
and would no longer sell liquor. Followed
by a curious crowd he went to his saloon,
where with the assistance of Methodist
Clergyman, he smashed up his bar and
billiard tables and poured his whisky and
beer into tho streets. Mr. Manierea then
cal cd the crowd into the dismantled saloon
and held a prayer-meeting. de then posted
up the following notice:
"To Ny Friends Having been led to see
the error of my ways have cleared out my
saloon business 1 am determined by the
grace OF God to lead an upright and Chris
Chicago Times.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-08

By PEARL rYrIsos.

osoody thinks the world all wrong
some body sings the whole day Iona
!, Lt&es the world and all its ways.
SWWseoody says It's queer old place.
wnero none OF the people do as they should !:
somebody thinks it full OF grace
a,,,n Mn1 w1uldn,t change the folks II no could.
somebody oalls it cruel and cold
BuIl OF sin and sorrow and pain.
Wnero life Is but search for cold
and souls are lost In selhsh gain
ccWeoody merr;ly laughs, and cries:
- Idurrsh for such a dear old eorthi
SUCCESS snail crown the man that tries
q, 10 mnke his mark by honest worth !"
somebody groans and shakes his heal
:, CaiiS his lot q wretched one;
sonlebody wishes that he were foad
"a =. ror somebody else has all the fan.
~ IN good or evil, pain or care, ---1
one lining sure. you may make up your
Somebody at,caps gets his share.