The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-05-15

horse cultivator are the best ii
ments under the circumstances.
Prof. Shelton tells of an experimeA
he tried in his corn field with hay
rake. He had cultivated his corn,
which was in drills, with a two horse
cultivator. Being unable to cross-plow
he struck the idea of running stub
toothed hay rake across the rows to
break the crust and kill the young
weeds. He tried the plan and found
it worked beyond his expectation.
The teeth were weighted down with q
stick of timber, and the operation
killed all young weeds and grass and
left the soil in fine condition, without
injuring the corn in the least.
IRISH POTATOES.
After the freeze on February %, last,
1 was cultivating my potato patch
when a neighbor CHANGED to pass.
"What are you doing?" said he. "Tm
cultivating my potatoes" 1 replied.
"Why your land is clean and your
potatoes not up, you don't need to
pillow them yet" 1 explained that
my seed had been planted in the
middle of January, that they had been
inches above ground, that the frost
had killed them down till not green
leaf was left, and that 1 was now try
ing to encourage a second growth.
"Oh, pshaw, you're wasting your time
and your land, pillow them up and
plant corn or something else there,
they'll never make later" said my
friend. He assured me as an old and
experienced farmer that potatoes
killed to the ground would "never
come to life again." 1 explained that
had planted two and three eye pieces,
that the first growth came from only
one eye, which left reserve stock of
seed for another crop, and that all that
was wanted was favorable season
thereafter to make a full crop.
He said that sounded very we'll in
theory, but it wouldn't pan out in
practice.
Having faith in my own judg-
ment, for had no personal expert
ence to guide me, continued the cul-
tivation of my crop and have now as
good a crop of tubers as ever I raised.
This is an instance where theory
triumphed over practice and may
serve as hint for potato growers in
future years.
FARMERS AND THE PRIMARIES.
In a very short time the political
machine will begin to grind and the
"free and Independent" citizen will be
invited to attend the primary" and
exercise his franchise in the selection
of delegates to the county convention.
Said free and independent" don't
need to give himself any concern about
this primary, all he he has got to do
is to attend or not, just as it suits his
convenience, for he will find that the
usual patriotic spirits have been at
work and got everything nicely ar
ranged so as to save him trouble and
worry. If he should attend he will
find the leaders of the different cliques
and coteries in his ward or voting pre-
cinct have got everything fixed up
nicely and the delegates all chosen
and Only waiting the vote of "the peo-
ple." This has been the modus oper-
andi in the past and will be the plan
of campaign for the future unless the
people rise in their might to run their
own affairs in their own way instead
of quietly allowing lot of ward bum
mers and little 1x4 oily-mouthod law
yers to pull the wool over their eyes
and swallow the political mixtuce they
have prepared for them. Farmers,
you have great interests at stake
prepare yourselves for the coming
primaries, attend them and run
in your own interests. Post yourselves
as to what Is best for the people and
what remedies are required for the
grievances under which you suffer,
and select as delegates men of intelli-
gence and honesty, who will cast their
votes for party candidates on account
of their superior fitness for Office, and
not because of a thousand other
causes that usually determine the Sc.
lection.
There are issues now before the
people of momentous consequence to
the prosperity of our State and happi-
ness of the people, and it is duty
every farmer owes to himself, his fam
lily, his county and his State to come
out and take an intelligent and indie
pendent part in the selection of candi-
dates for Office.
ADVANTAGES OF THE SMALL BALE.
There is a scheme on foot to have
the standard bale of cotton reduced in
size from 500 pounds TO 200 pounds.
1t is being endorsed by some of the
most intelligent farmers of Georgia.
1t is proposed to make the new bale
18 inches square and the same length
of a bale of hay. The advantages
claimed are that it can be handled
much easier and at less expense. That
more of it can be stored in car. That
any kind OF cloth will do for bagging.
That a small wire will do to bind it.
That it will do away with the necessity
of compress. That it will save
enough handling, etc., to add l and l 4
per cent per pound to the producers
| profits. This matter should receive