davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

It had long been a well established fact
that Central Alabama could not success
fully grow winter apples. People had
tried il time and again with all the pop
ular winter varieties recommended by
nurserymen, but invariably with the
same result, failure. Finally in an old
gentleman's garden in Butler county
appeared Seeding apple tree. How 1t
got there he had no idea, though the
most reasonable hypothesis put it that
his children, eating en- apple in the gar
den, had thouehtlessly dropped a seed,
which by soue means or other got Gov
cred up. The young tree grew with IN
usual vigor, and eventually came into
bearing, proving itself to be winter
variety of rare excellence, entirely
adapted to the needs of that particular
locality. Crafts from this accidental
tree were set to such an extent that now
the people of Central Alabama are be-
ginning to have their "Thornton s win
ter' "a very fine variety, kept IN first
class condition to the May succeeding the
season OF its growth. 1t is possibly
Seeding of the Ben Davis, as the fruit
carries several points of resemblance to
the fruit of that variety.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

lines six feet apart and short sticks set
in these lines seven feet from each other.
The sticks should be so placed rs to al
ternste each other in the adjacent rows.
This arrangement will throw the plants
seven feet apart.
At each stake q hole should be dug two
feet in diameter and eighteen inches
deep. Fill the hole with loose surface
soil having intermixed with it some WELL
decomposed stable manure. Fresh ma
nure should never be used. Set three
plants in the center OF each hole, a few
inches apart, and press the soil firmly
around them. IL the season of
setting out be dry little water should
be given. When the vines begin to run
theT should be stuck with poles ten or
twelve feet long. All weeds and grass
should be kept down and the ground
worked shallow TO prevent baking.
The plants will bear some hops the first
year, but scarcely enough TO pay for
picking over the field.
The old vines killed by frost in winter
must be cut away the next spring, ana
when the new growth has started only
three or four should be allowed to go up
each pole. The plants will come into
full bearing the second year, and con-
tinue on indefinitely.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
About the Parsufp.

never see the parsnip under cultivation in
the South, and parties here have told me that il
VIII not do to use as an article OF food If grown
IN a South .rn climate, being poisonous. There
may be something in this, SIS we never use ii at
the North until after it has been exposed to
severe frost in the ground. L. may be possible
that freezing, which you do not have, is neces-
sary to destroy its poisonous properties. How
is il! Ex-ILLISorsAN.
Fort Worth, Texas.
The parsnip is grown to some extent in
the Southern states, but not to the eX-
tent characterizing its production at the
North. Freezing greatly improves it +,
but is not necessary so far as relates to
the removal OF any poisonous properties.
For lack of severe freezing in the lower
South, parsnips are better at the North
than they are here; then, another thing
against its culture with us lies In the fact
that we have other root crops capable OF
standing out through the winter that we
like better. The parsnip is the only
root, save horss-radish, which last is
simply q condiment that can stand out
in the Northern garden through winter.
Up there We have heard the parsnip
called fths lazy mans CROP
No. the parsnip is not poisonous in the
Southern states. Analysis made of it in
ceniral Georgia, not far from the lati-
tude of Fort Worth, gives its chemical
constituents as follows:
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
On Hop Culture.

I have been much interested in what
you have lately been saying through THE GA
zETTE concerning the possibility of making the
hop crop a great success in Texas. There is on
my place hop vine that has been growing for
fifteen years and bearing heavily every year.
Never in my life saw anything more vigorous.
Please, at your earliest convenience. favor Us
with something more on the hop and its cuI-
ture. b. d. TowLE.
Kimble county, Tex.
The botanical name of the cultivated
hop Is Humulus lupu,us. It is q peren-
NAL plant, supposed to be native of
Europe, though the extent to which 1t is
found growing wild in many portions Of
North America leads not q few botanists
TO believe that it is native to the Western
hemisphere also. A writer for the pat
ent office report of 1854, page 354, says it
requires in cultivation deep rich soil
with dry subsoil-an open rock subsoil
suits it best. 1t may be propagated by
seeds or by division of the roots-the
most common plan Of propagation Is to
set out young shoots which rise from the
base of old plants in spring.
The ground, having been deeply pre-
pared for planting, Is laid of in paIallel
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
Poisoning Us Out.

The state OF Vermont has fixed il up at
last, yet there is, in our opinion, one
more step IN the same direction that
might be taken with equal propriety. The
latest issue of the Massachusetts Plow-
man tells Us that the state legislature of
Vermont has just passed an act prohibit
ing the sale in thSt commonwealth of
anything in the line of butter or cheese
not made wholly from milk, nc matter
under what name unless it is coiored pink
with some kind Of pink coloring matter.
The main stab seems to be at cotton seed
oil. There is now upon the market in
ever7 state, and in large use a substance
known as ''cotton seed oil lard. A
little butter added to the substance fits it
for the market as 'cottOn seed oil but
ter. No one pretenfs for either that
they are other than the name implies.
BY many consumers they are greatly
liked. Chemists have pronounced them
entirely wholesome. They are cheaper
than ordinary butter and lard aud hence
they go off with q regular rush. Then,
again, cotton seed oil Is now entering
largely into the manufacture OF cheese,
enabling the manufactu ers, it is
alleged, to make a really better cheese
IMAM tDeV cOulu mhhe WHuoub IL. NOt
the slightest effort at concealing the
presence of the oil Is resorted to; indeed
its guaranteed existence ia a cheese
selling at comparatively low figures is
now being held up as good selling
card. People are beginning to regard
cotton seed oil as entirely wholesome and
the equal in every respect to olive
oil, and when they can buy an
excellent cheese made cheap bv its addi-
tion, that particular cheese Is the cheese
for their patronage. They know 1t to be
a cheese not made cheap BY some kind
Of injurious adulteratiou. 1t presents
one of the extremely few cases in which
adulteration actually lifts the article in
point OF value as far as relates TO nutri-
tiousness. But from this time on the
people OF Vermont, II they use those pro-
ducts at all, must take them adulterated
with some KIM of poison. There is moth
ing particularly broad in this assertion.
The legislature does not prescribe the
kind of coloring matter that must be en-
pioyed. hence it Is but reasonable to sup
pose that 1t will be found IN some of the
very cheap gas tar dyes. Gas tar is
virulent poison. so high is the per cent.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
A Good Dairy Contr,vance.

In the course of recent conversation
with MIR. W. Il. Sawyer, well known
Fort Worth dairyman, that gentleman
told US of very simple contrivancs en-
ployed by him in the winter season for
hurrying his milk into readiness for the
churn. II appears TO be continuance
peculiarly his own, though it is not pa.-
enied. He makes 4 tight wooden box,
say, for the sake of understanding the
case, four feet square and eighteen
inches deep. OF course the needed size
of the box would be governed by the
quaint Y of milk TO be handled; depth
the same in any case. The box is bot
toned with sheet OF galvanized iron.
Six inches above the bottom of the box
is placed a second bottom OF lattice or
wire work. To prevent sagging of this
second bottom q sufficiently heavy piece
OF wood may be placed across the top OF
the box and supporting wire extended
down from il to the lattice or wire work
in the middle of the box. To the outer
side of the box uprights are nailed, not
projecting above the top, but extending
below to fern legs that will hold it above
the floor sufficiently to admit OF working
beneath, a Kerosene lamp. Mr.. Sawyer
uses an ordinary kerosene stove with the
upper works taken OF.
To put il into use, the box is filled with
water and the milk vessels placed into IL,
resting upon the second bottom. OF
course. The lamp is then placed in the
middle, underneath, which soon brings
the water up to the proper temperature
for souring the milk. When the desired
temperature has been attained, as shown
by Thermometer, 1t may be SO held by
simply turning up or down the wick of
the heating lamp, as the case may call
for. Once the correct height of the wick
has been arrived at, the contrivance de-
mands little further attention, other
than TO fill the lamp as occasion requires.
BY an employment of this arrangement.
MIR. Sawyer can sour his milk as quickly
as it would sour of itself, in the wsrmest
summer weather.
The dairyman. conducting operations
on large scale, has his milk room
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

As stated by us 10 several articles
contributes to the good appearance of
city as correctly chosen street trees.
A city without street trees looks dreary
and uninviting, and a city with trees not
in harmony with its pretentions aud
aspirations looks worse than a city with
no trees at all. 1t is a hard matter to
get the people of city to working to-
gether in the selection of their trees. y
man owns the realty upon which be
lives, and if he happens to want some
trees on his grounds, he feels that the
selection OF kinds rests solely with him.
seit-his choice is his own business and
that of nobody else. AS n consequence
he goes TO the most Convenient forest
and makes his own selection, often with
out any particular regard to the general
effect.
This would seem all correct enough at
first thought, vet there are cities in
this free country of ours which take
different view OF ths case. They main
tain that the general effect is something
in which all the people of the place have
a common interest, and that, therefore,
the authorities have as much right to
pass laws STIMULATING the kind of trees
TO be planted, or not TO be planted, as
they have to pass laws stipuisting the
kind of buildings that may be put up,
or the kind of roofs that may or NAV not
be placed upon buildings. AS a conse-
quence several Florida towns have ordi-
nances governing the tree-plsnting mat
ter. And Florida does not seem to
stand as the only section of our common
country taking such action with refer
ence to town trees. The editor of the
Prairie Farmer, Chicago, H., has
lately been making tour of the Eastern
states. In his ''editorial correspon-
dence' from Albany. n. Y, he init
mates that there had long existed in
that city disposition 10 plant cotton
wood trees. 1t sprung from two causes,
perhaps: The tree was easily obtained,
and it made an exceedingly rapid
growth. But 1t gave bad appearance
to the city, and SO, after every effect of
moral srasiou to stop the people from
planting cottonwoods had been exhausted
without results, the city authorities took
the matter in hand and made the plant
ing of a cottonwood tree anywhere
within the corporate limits u misde-
meanor, punishable by three months IN
the Albany penitentiary. or course
this has put an end to the planting Of
cottonwoods in Albany.
We don't expect any town in Texas TO
copy after either Florida or New York
towns in this matter of street trees-we
could not favor any such thing-yet
report of what those other regions have
done in that particular direction is of III
terest as showing the special Importance
they attach to street trees, SO far as re-
lgtes TO their character.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
..The brotherhood of Farmers"

1t ia suggested by the Farm er's Home
Journal that the present tendency of
things in the United States would seem
to indicate that the day may eventually
come when farmers will have to go be-
fore an examining board and obtain a
certificate of qualification, and license
to carry on. the same as do doctors, law
yers, steamboat engineers, locomotive
engineers, aud so on. 'Why
not?'' asks the Journal. ':Is not
the business quite as important as either
of those named and many others?' OF
course there would be hosts of persons,
now living by agricultural pursuits, who
would be unable to pass the examination;
what would be come of them? The Jour-
nal points TO remedy for their trouble
as follows: "Ignorant men may work
as farm la borers, under an overseer, but
are unfit for farmers. We have no
comments TO add.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

of arsenic carried by il that. IN the form
OF London purple, it is employed as sn
inseoticide for destroying the cotton
worm. Under all these circumstances it
seems to US that the Vermont legislature
might just as well have gone one step
further to the enacting that certain
wholesome articles of food should
not be sold In the state unless first adult
terated with gas tar. This would have
been the plain English of the act as lately
passed, and coming, is 1t would then
have done, within the clear comprehen-
zion of the masses, there might not have
existed the danger of injury to the people
from use of the gas tarred goods that
may exist as the case now stands.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
The Enter That Sells.

It is to be presumed that the expert
enced hand at putting up butter for
market knows all about how to do it,
and that, therefore, any directions or
advice offered to such would be super
fiOus, but il is to be remembered that
new hands at the business are constantly
coming in as time rolls on, and to such
ths following substance of an article ap-
pearing in the indiana Farmer, may be
of interest:
The article mentioned says the price of
country butter offered to consumers is
regulated largely by the condition and
degree of care with which it was pre-
pared, and often really good butter
makers fail to realize top prices, by neg
lecting small and apparently unimpori-
ant details, that III themselves add
nothing TO real qualities, but. which are
powerful factors that work conviction to
the eye and mind OF the fastidious
buyer. Neatpess, attractiveness, and
convenience of the package should not
be overlooked. Each package or cake
should be wrapped in very thin paper
of some kind SO glazed or finished that
none of il will pull off on the butter.
Muslin cloths, SO commonly employed as
O wrapper, are m sbominetion, and
never fake well with the public eye.
They suggest the idea of old cast-off
garments washed up to be used rs butter
wrappers, but everybody knows that
nice, clean paper could never have been
used in any other capacity than that in
which it is now seen.
A very neat stamp on every ball or roll
of butter takes we'll. 1t seems to sug-
gest the original package just as finished
up from the churn. Each roll showing
exact weight or very little over is also
Il taking thing. Butter made into pound
or half-pound prints, ornamentsd with
neat design cut into the block, costs but
little more in time or labor, yet will
bring an advance, other things being
equal, in almost every case. Then there
is another advantage to be gained by a
neat print on every package, provided
the butter is really good. The print,
always the same, soon comes to be re-
garded as your trade mark and hence
persons who have used your product and
found it to their satisfaction will SOON
get in the way of looking for that par
,icular mark aud taking the goods benr-
ing it in preference to any other.
The highest prices are obtained for
butter by those who observe most care
and Judgment in preparing it for market.
No article of dairy food is SO critically
measured by the impressions of the eye
As butter, and while the palate may not
in all cases be deceived by appearances,
and the form does not improve qualities,
yet the neat and tasteful package will
always be the first selected at an al
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
Is Alfalfa n Pest? Etc.

I have heard and read a great deal about al
faifa, therefore would like to ask you a few
questions with reference to it. to be answered
through The GAZETTE. 1st. viii alfalfa spread
of itself. and can it be killed out when the land
is wanted for something else; or is it like John
son grass. a veritable pest? Where can get
alfalfa seed, and st what figures does it sell?
Caddo, Texas. c. S. ROBINSON.
Under favorable conditions alfalfa
may spread to slight extent, but it is
not pest. Turning under with pillow
promptly destroys it, the same IS turn
ing under red clover puts an end to that
growth. We can cite you to no one at
present who has alfalfa seed for sale,
though we have been told that there is
plenty of 1t in the country. Do not
know what the seed would cost.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

This table shows that there is nothing
injurious to human health about the
parsnip.
The parsnip likes a rich sandy loan,
and will not succeed to its best on stiff
clay lands. Our black sandy land would
suit it to perfection, especially IL liber-
ally fertlized with decomposed stable
manure. 1t needs vegetable matter.
There ia a wild parsnip growing on the
rich lands OF the South (Heracleum
lanatum). said to be somewhat poison
Gus, though medical scientists do not re-
gard it in that light. But it may be
easily told from the cultivated parsuip
(Pastinaca 'satiya), for the latter he's
smooth and very light-colored leaves
while the leaves of the former are of a
much darker green, and are more or less
covered with short hairs.
Discovers Phosphates.
Can you give me some simple method for
knowing phosphate rock when see it? l have
found something in this county that strongly
suspect of being real phosphate rock, like that
of South Carolina. Please answer throu gh THE
GAZETTE. NAMELEss.
LIano county, Texas.
1t is not at all probable that your rock
is what you suspect it to be, as you are
not in the right kind OF region for phos-
phate deposits. Phosphates are found
nearer the sea, and on newer formations
than you have in Llano We couldn't
think that you stand in any danger OF
soon having your wild range tramped out
By throngs Of people running over your
territory prospecting for phosphates.
However, we have no objections to CIV
ing you simple method for identifying
phosphate rocks, as recommended by
Professor Eugene A. Smith, state geolo-
gist of Alabama. The Carolina phos-
phate rocks usually appear in the form
of irregular noiules of a uirty-yellowish
color, varying III size from that of
hulled black walnut (Texas standard) to
that of peck measure. When you find
a rock OF this character break it and
brisklv rub the freshly broken surfaces
together for a minute or two, then ex-
pose the rubbed surfaces to the sense Of
smell. If they give off q strong and
dissgreeable fshy odor the chances are
that you have q phosphate nodule.
Don't mistake the bituminous odor COM
mon to the limestone Of Llano for a fishy
odor.
The most commonly accepted Theory Of
the present day accounting for the origin
of phosphate deposits is that they are
the "fossilized excrement of sea birdss
left upon island in shallow seas of the
Tertiary age. If Lleno county was ever
in position to offer the proper condi-
tions for making phosphate rocks on this
plan. all the deposits, with their under
lying formations, have long since been
worn away.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
A Pretty Snail Shell.

send you by mail large and most beauti full
shell that would like to have you name and.
if not too much trouble. return. Several OF
your young readers are interested in it.
Austin, Tex. SCHOOL GIRL.
Shell q univalve of the 'tperiwinkle'
shape, ''periWinkls being the common
name usually given to all the longest
univelves found in our fresh water
streams. This is land shell, however.
Size, near two inches in length and one
inch in diameter at the thickest point.
Very thin and highly polished. General
shade, cream color, but marked with
darker stripes tending to brown.
The name affixed to this species by
scientists is Orthalicus zebra. Common
in Mexico, though we have never yet
met with O specimen in Texas. You
don t say where the specimen was found.
We'd expect to see 1t eparselY repre-
scented all along our Southwestern Dor.
der, and possibly as far east as Austin.
A closely allied species was collected by
US ten years ago in the neighborhood of
San Antonio.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

Cal BrIce, with painful recollection
of the fatality Of his friendship, said
when asked as to the probable effect Of
the late election upon the next presiden~
tial contest: "That is a matter / am
not prepared to discuss until after the
election Of 1891. While l am chairman
of the national Democratic committee
don't propose to indorse any candidate.
II 1 should decide to make known my
preference should Immediately resign
my position on the committee.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

This department is devoted to answering such
questions as may be asked by our subscribers,
wr;ich may be of general information. Inquiries
of personal character that require answer by
mali should always have stamps inclosed. Please
give full name and postofiice address, in addi-
ton to any such signature as .Subscriber.' or
"a. G. d. - not for publication, but to enable
rs to communicate promptly with the inquirer.
Parties desiring answers - mail Must inclose
lamp for return postage.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

Ben Butler is one of the picturesque
figures of Boston, but he is seldom seen
save in the quiet locality OF Ashburtoh
place, or when he drives up to the door
Of the courthouse and steps cautiously
out and ascends the steps little labor
ously. When he does this O little KNOT
OF spectators instantly gathers, for every
one knows the general by sight, and MS
presence always excitss unusual Interest
among the passers-by.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

heated from a furnace, or in some other
way. and therefore would stand in no
need of such contrivauce as tbs one
employed by Mr.. Sawyer, but the small
dairymau Will, in our opinion, find IL
working greatly to his advantage.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
A Cook Book Free.

To every subscriber Of the Weekly GA.
ZETTE who sends us 81. 80 in cash We vii
send the Weekly GAZETTE o1sssEsarsEa
the Household Cook pages,
bound in aslestk Ordering paper
paesa6 sfftfon this offer. Send Sl.51
and address THE GAZETTE.
Fort Worth. Tex.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

Old Groggs (pounding the table)-H
you ever want TO amount to anything
take that butter-dIsh out OF your eye
and drop that club you are carrying up
side down. Young Groggs Ito himself
%, gwacious! That should evaw hav'1
to inhewit fswtune fwom such q faW'
Their as this!.-G Munssy 4 Weekly.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04
POPULAR SCIENCE.
The Noon and saturn-RaiIroads and the For
ests ~ ae,era-A Cold wave-Ths Worlds
Greatest Water Power-soms Won
ders Of Electricity.

On Thursday night. December 4, the
moon will rise little before midnight
in close conjunction with the planet
Saturn. There are, for the week, no
other Astronomical phenomena worthy of
mention.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-04

According to the soisntino American a