Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1891-06-30
Aluminium.

Mr.. v. NJ. Firor showed us last
last week souvenir with the Lords
Prayer engraved thereon, sent him
with the compliments of the Alumi-
mum Ase. The souvenir is an octa-
gon about the size of an old fipenny-
bit of silver. It weighs only five
grains, and is as bright as new silver,
which it much resembles. It is light,
and not corrosive. The new metal
(atuminnm) is distinguished for its
strength and ltghtness. The only
mandatory in this ocountry is at
Newport, KY, and the metal is ex-
tracted by the Hartsfeld process from
pure clay containing the mineral in
sufficient quantities. The metal has
been cheapened from S25 to 81 per
pound, and it is believed. that it will
soon be reduced to SO cents per
pound. Mr.. Firor is interesting
himself in it because he has reason to
believe that it exists in large quanti-
ties in this and Berkeley counties.
DIR. G. F. Millspaugh, the Botanist
and Horticulturist of the West Vir-
ginia Agricultural Station at Nor
gantown, has been visiting number
of places in this county noting the
condition of the farms and the char
acter of the weed growths of this sec
ton. He reports himself greatly
pleased with the high state of Guilt
walton most farms evidence, the mag
nificence of the wheat crops, and the
genial hospitality of the people. He
however wonders how it is that SO
many farmers who are SO careful and
prosperous with their crops can allow
such vile weed as the Canada thistle
to blossom and bear its seed upon
the less cultivated portions of their
farms. He says: 81 have noticed
in many places quite extensive patches
of the thistle spreading obnoxiously
and nothing being done to prevent it.
The blue thistle is judged by the
farmer to be miserable and often
painful weed to handle during har-
vest, but i warn the farmer of Jeffer-
son that if once the Canada thistle
gains a foothold in his wheat fields as
thoroughly as it now bids fair to
do, his harvesting will be matter
of terrible labor of the most exas-
'perating kind. The killing out of
this nuisance is now q matter OF
but little extra labor on the part of
each farmer whose land it occupies,
on account of the relative small guam
tity now in possession, but in the near
future if it is left to grow it sciI be
impossible to getrid Of it. Each farm
er should have one hand go over his
lands as soon as he can spare time
after the wheat is harvested, and dig
up and. burn, roots and all, every
thistle he finds. Let him make this
a part of his routine farm work every
year, and it will pay him an hundred
fold for the labor so employed"
DR.. MiIIspaugh, on behalf of the
Experiment Station, invites every
farmer in the county to use the Sta
tion freely as a reference to answer
any questions he may desire TO ask
upon agricultural matters. Write
freely and as frequently as you please,
and you will be given in the same
manner free answers to the best OF
the ability of the officers there. Those
/. who do not receive the publications
of the Station, which are given out
free, should send their postoffice adj
dress to the Station for entry upon
the mailing list.
The Station holds itself ready to
advance the interests of every farmer
in the State as far as possible: it was
for this that it was established by the
National Government, and for this
4I,ok - 3, :, -.