davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

l notice in your agricultural department OF
The GAZETTE some inquiries from cores pond
ents relative to the raising of alfalfa in Texas.
etc. and prop ose upon this to give you some
directions founded on my own experience.
In the hrst place, YOU must selec. a rich and
level piece of land, clear of stumps, or brush or
rocks. Break the land deeply and get it cor
rectly ready for crop of small grain. Next,
mix about twenty pounds OF alfalfa seed with
from three pecks to a bushel of rye, barley or
wheat and sow the mixture on the usual plan
Tor small grain: the same as if the alfalfa seed
was not in it. The alfalfa seed must be evenly
mixed all through the grain. This quantity is
for one acre. Sow on the freshly-plowed land
and cross pillow it in, and afterwards use har-
ruary or March.
The alfalfa will not prevent you from raising
a full crop OF the grain sown, and the grain will
be OF advantage to the alfalfa, protecting it from
enects OF sunshine until we'll rooted. The Sec
ond year after sowing, if the season be season.
able, you will be able to cut your alfalfa four
times, getting one ton of hay to the acre at each
cutting-four tons per annum.
live in the Rio Grande valley, ten miles be-
low FL Paso, where our crops are mainly alfalfa.
ready market for our alfalfa hay at from $40 to
Sl2 per ton.
Alfalfa certainly makes the finest hay known
for horses. cattle and hogs, and when once well
set in the ground it is there to stay for genera
tons. No weed or grass can crowd it out. All
You have to do after getting a set is to cut your
nay when the 7lants are in bloom. cure IT, bale
it and send it to market. G. C. McGINNIs
Hsleta, Ell Paso County. Tex.
There is nothing left us other than to
thank our correspondent for the inter-
esting information given. In a portion
of his letter, evidently not intended for
publication, he states that there Is plenty
of alfalfa seed kept on sale by Texas
dealers, and THAT, could our readers
hear of it, they would probably be able
to procure supply at the rate OF about
SIS per 100 pounds.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

"The goat is Create with the averag g
Floridian, for no matter how poor the
soil and how non-nutritious the vegeta-
ton, that region OF country too poor to
sustain goats has not yet been found.
This is why the goat so abounds in
Florida. And the Floridians seem to be
bringing science into association with
their goat crop-they make what they
call "a goat roost" for the accom- mo-
dation of the sagaciOus and shifty little
quadruped. A correspondent of tine
Florida Farmer and Fruit-Grower tells
how il is made. rough shed is erected
and under this is arranged a series OF
perches good deal on the plan of
perches in poultry roost, only all the
perches, instead of being round poles are
boards eight or ten inches wide. They
are placed about three feet above the
ground, and far enough from each other
10 permit the easy passage of q goat be-
tween. The goats mount these perches
and lie down, Testing on, TO them,
howery beds of ea!e, as it were. No
her.srrangemeut could be made that
would seem to give them so much whole
sale satisfaction. It is said, unreason-
able as 1t may appear 10 the well-in-
Informed, that the! will even turn away
from man 8 finelr- painted and highly
polished front galley in disgust, when
they find his yard gate accidentally open,
and at once repair 10 the goat roost for
night 8 lodging.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
t:hould be addressed to

groves that vhIn few years would be
in profitable teariugs, becoming more
profitable in each succeeding year
through doZsn generations. We feel
fully satisfied nat, CO uld our foregoing
suggestions With reference to the pecan
be generaIly carried out, the next decade
would fud Tx as lands, rs whole,
valued at million s of dollars above the
valuation that Flll be placed upon them
if our bottom lsI ds are left TO remain as
at present.
1t may be added that the best time in
the season for pdnting pecans is imme-
diately after the huts have fallen from
the trees. Where this Is not convenient
we would recomfnend placing the nuts in
sacks at once and burying them in the
ground, to remain till needed, the object
being to prevent drying out. Nuts en-
tirely dry will usually terminate, and we
would plant IN that condition if We could
not get them fresh from the trees, though
in our opinion the youue trees from dried
nuts do not start off so vigorously as in
case where the nuts have not been per-
mitted to get dry.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
Nonsensical Notions

The Massachusetts Ploughmau says
every now and then some amateur
"scientist'' or fruit gfower "discovers
that certain dechdbns made from
tomato or tobacco Leo, g are very often
sive by their smell 81, iotherwise to such
insects as the curnf D, the ant, mite,
etc. and that an alton of the said
decoctious will drill lie insects away
possibly kill them. 20 doubt the smell
is disagreeable, and SO Inlay be the taste,
as few insects show AMI such liking for
tomatoes or tobacco as human being do,
but the decoctions that can be made IN
this way will not go far to clear an or
chard or garden of plant or tree YER
min. Had ourroTtemporary have
been a Southern 2. blication leaves of
the China tree would have been added to
the list. OF courss this would have
necessitated the Changing of one of his
best points; that r4tating to the taste
human beings have Tor the plants that
insects can't stomaCt for man, as yet,
does not seem to hav worked up in him
self any particular Ia .nkering after the
China tree in eithsr leaves or fruit,
though we are expecting every day to
hear that he has done It, When II is dis
covered that thereI a thing nothing will
eat man usually falls tb work cultivating
taste and adopting his system to con-
iitions that will enable him TO eat it
himself.
But, as the PlougIhman intimates,
these wonderful discoveries so often pop
ping to the surface relative to insect
remedies or preventives existing in our
vegetable growths, almost invariably
pan out as nonsensical. Science has
carefully worked everything we have in
that line, and had any such properties
have existed in any o! them those proper
ties would have been found out long ago.
Pvrethrum offers the only perfect vege-
table insecticide known to science, and
that calls for special preparation into
what we call buhasoh or Persian insect
powder. Other plants might give us
something that would DroTe annoying to
certain species of insects, but mere an
noyance is not worth mu,h to horticut-
ure. Insects, like people, sooE get used
to thing they don't like at first, and so
manage to get along where it is, well
enough TO stay. The only thing worth
the trouble of application against insects
must be something that will kill the in
sects outright.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
An Art and n Science.

Mr.. II. Reynolds says agriculture is
not only an art, but science as well.
The practice OF the art requires expert
ence and skill, while an understandings
of the science requires knowledge of
several associate sciences. OF course,
this does not mean o technical scientific
knowledge, but plain knowledge of the
why's and wherefores associated with
agriculture. There is no other art that
does not require experience and skill for
means, and no other science that does
not require knowledge of its principles
in order to be understood. The art and
science of agriculture are not different
from othsEarts and sciences in requiring
experience, skill and knowledge for their
successful practice. The farmer who Is
rnosr skil!ful in the practice of his art
will carry on all the operations of
the farm in the most workman
like manner aud bring forth the
best results attainable by skillful Guilt
walton and good management. He who
most thoroughly understands the science
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

have often heard it said that leaves Of the
chinaberry tree packed through the corn crib
with the corn would keep it entirely clear of
weevils. Do you regard it as remedy to be re :
lied upon? II not ~hat can you recommeu d
that would protect the corn from weevils.
c. N.
Houston, Tex.
We think cabbage leaves packed with
the corn would be fully as effeotual
against the corn weevil as china tree
leaves, and if these are not convenient
we are sure cockleburs or corn blades
would dc fully as well as either. You
will. have your own opinion as TO how
much good cockleburs or corn blades
would do, and that opinion of yours NAV
be accepted as exactly our opinion with
reference to the china tree leaves. The
weevils would never know that the leaves
were there, and hence would go on with
their work all the same rs If they were
not there. The whole thing Is simply
unaduiterated nonsense.
We know of no remedy against the
corn weevil. There are intelligent per-
sons who maintain that salt scattered
freely through the corn where put up in
the husk acts rs fair preventive to
weevil depredations. We shall not say
either yea or nay to this, for we have
never tried it. nor have We had any good
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

was much interested in your article of last
week on barley culture for Texas. In my
opinion it suggests new industry that will
prove OF much value to Us. The great brewery
now building at Fort Worth would doubtless
take all the barley could raise for miles and
miles around. II We can give them as good a
quality of barley the imported article they
would, suppose, be glad to have it, giving
an advantage over distant growers by adding o
the price paid at least portion of what they
would be forced to pay out as freights on the
article from lar away.
think every farmer in Northern Texas and
especially in those regions tributary to Fort
Worth, ought to promptly risk small acreage
to barley. That it will succeed well does not
seem to admit of doubt, but even supposing IT
should not turn out well as grain crop. there
would still be no risk on the part of the farmer,
for barley makes in every way as good stock
food as either rye or oats.
for one will at once put in small barley
crop if can get the seed, and it is highly prob
able that many others will do likewise on the
same condition. Can you tell us through the
GAZETTE where supply OF good seed barley
could be had? TARRANT TEXAN.
You get US on the seed barley question
in about tie same way that they have
been getting us with reference to alfalfa
seed-we don't know who has any for
sale. 1t is possible that some OF our
gram dealers might set you on the right
track, and doubtless any brewer could
do it. The people building the new
brewery at Fort Worth would possibly
take an interest in the matter, hence 1t
might be well to consult them. You
ought to have the best seed going, of
course, and therefore it would doubtless
be best to apply for your information to
some one entirely well posted on the sub
ject of varieties, qualities and so on.
We have strong faith in barley culture
for Northern Texas, and therefore
earnestly hope that thorough tests will
be made all over the region. Small
tests have already been made at several
points, as you saw in our article referred
to, and they have shown up as mag
nificent success. This fact, with the ex-
isting certainty of finding home market
Tor the product, ought to be stimulous
enough to lead many into barley cul-
ture, even on goodly sized scale. AS
stated in our former article, there is
much more money to the farmer IN grow
ing barley than there is in growing
" heat,
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
intnsive Farming.

Mr.. Henry q Wallace writes for the
Prairie Farmefan article on intensive
farming in the ,rairies, much Of which,
though NortnFn state ia held in view,
tacks on ratherFell to prairie farming
IN Texas. He Sys the prairie farmer, if
he desires rapid Success, must draw in
his boundaries I'D bring all his farm
lands into use. 70 other words, he must
practice intense farming, not of
course as it il prtticed in the trucking
regions, but all p same intensive. He
may not think 1t psf to buy commercial
fertilizers and fdte around with garden
truck and smallfruits, but he must
make the farm produce as much of
everything as he beds himself, and as
much more to SELF possible. On many
prsirie farms therfs strip of low land
allowed TO run TO leeds and rank grass
for the reason tha1it Is not considered
well adapted to fneral crops. This
land might as welPs paying SIS or $40
an aero. Ii Is theery best hay laud We
have. There is al tys TO be found some
species of grass thsI would do we'll on IL.
1t should be clearsPur and put TO some
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

A farmer who says it Is utterly impos-
sible for him to lift the mortgage off his
farm has $50 sheep, and he has lifted
them every one, one at time, clear off
the ground and can do it any time
within the irving of the sun and the
going down thereof. There's nothing
strange about this; you say. Yes there
is. The sheep can lift the mortgage If
properly cared for and the farmer can
lift the sheep. but can't lift the mort
gage. Well, how is this, anyhow
Farm and Ranch.
1t may be possible that the ease with
which the gentleman is able to lift his
sheep has something TO do with his ina
bility to lift the mortgage.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
opportunity of looking after the effects
where others have tried it.
The Mexican Pepper,

was lately on tour of Southwestern Texas,
where saw the hills completely Redeemed with
a small species of red pepper. growing Wild
that the people there called the Mexican pepper.
Carolina (ny native state) called bird-eye pep
per. On test. found it extremely hot" Do
You think the same pepper could be made to
grow at Fort Worth? Y. w.
Fort Worth, Texas.
The pepper to which you refer is not
the bird-eye pepper, but a different spe-
oies. Its botanical name is Capsicum
frutescens. The berry of the bird ~
pepper ID perfectly round and about &he
size OF ouckshot, while that of he
Mexican pepper, though the same sin
Is oval in shape. 1t is first-class peps
per for culinary use, and is extensively
employed by the Mexican in their various
cookertes. ~ q
The Mexican pepper, wsstch Era1$
throughout Mexico, as we'll Bin 81 al
western Texas, is a peren9SH; th8&s,
it lives through the VIII 3sr as:<Sm&i
shrub. 1t would, no do ebt Sind TIN
climate of Fort Worth, AeeHslusion to
which we arrive from haThg grown it
successfully on line of latitude consid-
erably above ours. Ten years ago, while
in Mexico, we hired the boys to gather
for us five pounds of these peppers for
distribution In the gulf states east of the
Mississippi river. They were scattered
broadcast among the people and now
almost everybody in that region has q
Mexican pepper III his garden. None
had ever been seen there prior TO our in-
PRODUCTION of the seed from Mexico.
The Mexican pepper may be III Fort
Worth already for ought we know,
though we have not seen II plant of it ss
yet. II not here it ought to be brought
and tested, for the person having taste
for red peppers will find it as good a
thing in that line as he wants. The
soils upon which it grows wild in South
western Texas and Mexico are of pre-
cisely the same general character as the
soils here. Nothing save climate could
possibly be against it in our region, and
as already stated, we have grown it in
regions colder than this.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

This department is devoted TO answering such
questions as may be asked by our subscribers,
wrch may be of general information. Inquiries
OF personal character that require answer by
mail should always have stamps inclosed. Please
give full name and postoffice address, in addi-'
ton to any such signature as Subscriber" or
"A. q. D.. - not for publication, but to enable
us to communicate promptly with the inquirer.
Parties desiring answers by mail must inclose
lamp for return postage.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

of exhaustion of the soil. II is highly
possible that the mineral elements of
plant food IN our soil will never fall
short. AS crops use them the disinte-
grating rocks run in new supply, but
humus, which comes from decomposed
vegetable matter, soon runs low, and it
is an element of as much importance to
crops as is any other. The manure of
our stockyards is the very thing needed
for supplying humus.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
A Very Small Garden.

Those of our young folks IN the city
who have little room for a flower garden
outside, or whose flower garden outside,
if they have one, will not look we'll after
the frosts have visited US, can, il they
desire to do SO, make something very
pretty for indoors, qualified to last all
winter, by sowing seeds IN a sponge.
Get large, fiat sponge at the drug store
Gt will not cost much, for it may be of
cheap quality, and fill one side of 1t full
of fine seeds of some kind. The seeds
can be worked down q little into the
openings OF the sponge. Next place the
sponge in shallow plate or fancy dish
as taste may dictate, with the seeded
side up. Pour rain water into the dish
SO long as any is absorbed by the sponge,
or until q little water remains in the bot
tom of the dish. Place near sunny
window and the seeds will promptly GER
inmate, grow and give you something
entirely pretty. The sponge must never
be permitted to dry out, that is little
water must always be standing in the
bottom of the dish.
Almost any kind of fine seeds will an
swer your purpose, though for the eli
mate of Fort Worth We would prefer
Texas blue grass, seeds of which may be
had at almost any Texas seed store. We
like blue grass for the reason that it is
winter growth, and hence will not be in
jured by cold should the temperature of
the room happen to get below the freeZ-
ing point; then it is of a very rich bright
green color. The little garden may be
placed in any quarter of the room most
desirable after the crop is well up, and
may be s grounded by any kind of deco
ration that taste or the character of the
room may dictate. 1t will give out
through the winter months decidedly
cheerful and pretty effect.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23
POPULAR SCIENCE.
Shooting stars-strange Spots on Jupiter-The
Moons Rotatfon-Air Washed by Rains.
Fast Mail Line, Etc.

Our astronomical phenomena for this
week are q conjunction of the moon with
the planet Mars on Monday evening, the
goth, and with the planet Jupiter on
rapidly approaching Jupiter, and the
two planets will pass each other about
the middle of next mouth.
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

People see what they call Hshootine
stars OF course they are not stars at
all, though not few persons regard
them as such-thsy are meteors. Pro-
lessor G.. c. Hutchins, the noted SCENT
list, has lately been making careful
study of them. He SAYS the particles of
matter composing them may be aston
ishlngly minute, but they are held to-
gether in loose body by attraction. The
body may be as large as one of the aster-
ODDS, and il is calculated to travel
through space at a rate of about twenty
five miles second. When it strikes the
atmosphere it is destroyed by friction.
A meteorite Is something different,
being solid body of iron-like matter
1t, too, is bound by friction when 1t
strikes the atmosphere-usually entirely
destroyed before it reaches the earth,
though not always. Meteorites in rare
cases fall upon the earth.
For a dozen years astronomers have
been studying peculiar large red spot
appearing on the surface of Jupiter.
They have lately been astonished by dis.
covering that large black spot has ap-
peared on the planets surface, and Is
slowly approaching the red spot. No
satisfactory explanation of the phenom-
ena has yet been reached.
-.
Some months ago Professor SchIapa-
relli announced the astonishing copclus-
ion that the planet Mercury rotates on
its axis in the same period of time in
which it revolves around the sun, and
the eminent Italian astronomer has now
brought forward evidence tending TO q
similar conclusion with regard to Venus.
If these views prove correct, both Mer-
curry and Venus must turn one side con-
staEtly to the sun, just as our moon al
ways turns the same side toward the
earth.
Speaking Of the moon leads us into the
reflection that some of our young read
ers may not know that we never see
other than one side of that body though,
like our earth, it is constantly turning OH
Its axis. This fact explains why we
always have presented TO view what
We call "the man in the moon. - The
Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

moon has its day and night the Nine as
our earth has, but its day is mucff1onger
than ours; in other words ,ths moon turns
on its axis in exactly the same time re-
quired for making its circuit around the
earth. This, as will be readily under
stood, keeps it constantly with the same
side towards US.
Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-20
rha ralhn. rnnntr Falr.

The annual fair of the Talbot County
Fair Association opens en- Tuesday next,
At Tdlewild Park. near the town OF Eas-
ton, and promises 70 exceed In displays
and attractions all former efforts made by
the Association. Every arrangement has
been made BY the managers with the
railroads and seeamboats 10 convey pas
sengers at reduced rates. The exhibits
OF blooded stock viii be the finest ever
made. The display of improved agricul-
tural implements aud products viii sur
pass ell their former exhibitions. In fact
every department viii be fully represent
ed, aud well worth seeing. The races.
which take place each day. will embrace
some OF the noted trotters OF the race
course. The public schools OF the coun-
~ will exhibit some OF the work done by
their pupils. Among the other attrsc-
tons will be Madam Mar antette and her
wonderful horse, Woodland. Professor
Parkers circus of trained dogs and cats,
File Maker, the champion jumping horse,
and many others. Fare from Annapolis,
including entrance to the fair grounds.
81 IS, round trip; or $3.50 round trip
without fair ticket.
Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-20

The State board of public works held
meeting In Baltimore yesterday. The
comptroller was not present, aud had be
been . vote would have been taken on the
commandership of the oyster navy, aud
also probably upon the tax-commfssioner
ship. which Is now held by Col Levin l..
Woolford. Col. Legg and Mr. jacob
Plowman, the incumbent, are said TO be
the only candidates TO be considered for
the position OF oyster-navy commander.
AS yet no opposition TO Col. Woolford
has bean announced. though the Fumor
has st different times prevailed that there
would be opposition. A special dispatch
last night from Hagerstown stated that
Attorney General Whyte was there with
an order passed by the board of public
works In Baltimore recommending the
appointment by Judge Alvey of the canal
receivers as trusteest TO conduct its sale
The attorney general also said that the
order is with no prejudice so the boards
former recommendation of Thomas. NJ
Lanahan. The attorney general himself
was unable TO serve as trustee Jno. p
Poe. Bernard Carter. 8. T. Wallis, Gen.
B. Il. johnson and Keedy and Lane, at
torneys 10 the canal case. are also In Ha-
gerstown. and another step will bs taken
In the case to-day. The attorney general
says in regard to the petition lied yestsr
day In behalf of the bond-holders OF 1874
asking the court to allow them to take
charge Of the canal and run 1t and pay off
the bond holders of 1878, that 1t is not be-
lieved that the new petition will change
the condition Of things. as the same state
of facts was brought before the court at
the hearing 10 August. Judge Alvey fixed
September Both as the day for the hearing
on the new petition, but by agreement Of
counsel the argument will In all proba-
bility take place to-day.-Eun.