davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
THE LANTASAIN TEXAS.

While in New Orleans two weeks ago I
saw growing upon some of the suburban
grounds beautiful Towering plant. known
as the lantaEa Never having seen it in
any of the yards here, I have concluded to
write you for information as to whether or
not il could be made to succeed in Texas.
If in your opinion we could make it a sue
cess. any additional information with refer
ence to it would be thankfully received by
Fort Worth, Tex. A LADY
The lantana Lantana camara) could not
help succeeding here, for it is a native Of
Texas. Peter Henderson, in his handbook
of plants, page 115. says it is an introduce
ton from the West Indies, made in 1892.
The plants in general cultivation may have
descended from that introduction, but the
extent to which one finds the lantana spread
over the hills mountains about Austin,
and thence all along the range to San An
tonic. can leave no doubt as to its being in
digenous there. We have seen as fine spec
linens among those hills as We ever saw
under culture-in some localities, especially
about San Marcos, the hillsides are literally
covered with Il.
Once understanding it the lover of flow
ers could not help approaching the lantana.
1t is perennial and continuous boomer,
giving more flowers and in a greater va
riety of shades, as to color, than any flower
we know of. No plant co I'D be more easily
propagated or cultivated, 1t grows from
slips or cuttings as readily as sweet po-
tato, and in the lower Southern states when
set it is there TO stay. Frost bites the top
down in the fall, out early in spring the
shoots start up anew from the old root and
begin blooming in few weeks, growing
larger throughout the season and increasing
the quantity of flowers. It starts up in
wide-spreading punches or clusters and
grows with such rapidity that by fall the
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02

have three tea plants obtained from the
United States department of agriculture.
As vet they are i'll boxes. and since do not
understand how to cultivate and manage
them. | have taken the liberty of applying
TO you for information.
Gatesville, Tex. J. B. FAUNTLEROY.
We suppose you refer to culture in the
open ground, of course. If so we are afraid
that your tea would prove too tender for
winter exposure at Gainesville. Our exper-
fence with tea on the Gulf coast, which has
been considerable, has shown it to be al
most identical in hardness with the Camelia
japonica of which plant it is near relative
botonically. If the '.iaponica," as most
people call it. viii stand the winter unprO-
tected, at your place, then your tea will get
along all well enough, but if not then your
tea would be apt TO require winter protec-
ton.
There is nothing in the culture and man
agement of the tea plant differing materi-
ally from that of most other broad-leaf ev-
ergreens. 1t likes deep rich and well
drained sofia soil inclined to sandy suits
it best if rich, though almost any other
good soil will do. In preparing the land for
receiving the plants it is well to work into
it goodly quantity of thoroughly decom-
posed vegetable matter. like woods, earth
or leaf mold from beneath forest trees. In
case of excessive drouth an artificial appli-
cation Of water will be necessary now and
then, as the tea plant is j native of a hui
mid climate.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
WATERMELON VINEGAR.

see that you have been giving an Ar
fngton correspondent some directions for
making watermelon vinegar. No doubt
YOUR plan will work all right. have often
IN ade vinegar from watermeons on Il small
scale for family use, but my plan was more
simple than yours. | simply pressed or
rather squeezed out the melon juice and
placed it in a vessel without further prepa-
ration, adding i little molasses to start il.
| never made so much as L barrel at one
time. but were l making that much would
give about one gallon of good moldsSeS TO
an ordinary whisky barrel filled with the
juice. My plan always made very sharp
vinegar, but never having made much al il
time, l could not say how well it would
keep. | fermented in sunshine.
Tarrant County, Tex. Patron.
Our correspondents plan might work.vcry
well-we know nothing whatever against
it. The plan given by us was one we could
vouch for, having known it resorted to
often. II IS probable that in our plan the
boiling of the juice made it about as much
sweeter than in the natural condition as it
would be made by the added gallon of mo-
l1SSaS
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02

punches, if not cut back, will in fair soil,
have attained a diameter Of five or six feet,
rounded up TO height in the middle of from
four TO five feet. And throughout the sea-
son every part of the bunch is closely set
with clusters of rich flowers The flowers
are produced on the heads Of the numerous
branchlets in verbeua-like masses from one
10 two inches in diameter They are in
colors usually yellow, orange, scarlet, Grim
son. pink or white, and they present a
special interest in the fact that several
shades of color are often 70 be seen in the
same bunch, due 10 different degrees of ex-
pnsure TO shade or sunshine. For instance,
the flower that opens this morning rich
orange color Will most likely have changed
10 bright scarlet or crimson by tomorrow
morning.
The foliage of the lantaua IS of a dark
glossy green shade: the stems are angular
and somewhat pricllly: the leaves are pro
duced in pairs. opposite. ovate, accumulate,
roughish, deeply veined, with the edges
finely notch. 4. They give OF a peculiar
though not disaGrecable odor. 1t Is Al fine
plant for center or background in the
flower garden, presenting q most pleasing
effect
Single specimens when planted ouc in the
lawn contrast finely with the green grass.
Though naturally inclined to grow in
punches. as already stated. II may. never
theless. be trimmed into tree form and thus
converted into a beautiful object for the
open lawns where such forms are desired.
While the lantana may be readily grown
from seed, and seed may be bought at al
most any prominent seed house. the best
method of propagation is from either slips
taken from the base Of the bunch or from
cuttings. \ single plant started, and the
owner will have no trouble in obtaining
from it all the plants needed. Cuttings
should be taken of in fail tied into bundles
and kept buried in the ground through win
ter, as one would keep grape cuttings.
to be set in open ground early the next
spring. The plant Will stand slight frost,
hence it becomes a hardy shrub a little be
low the northern range of the orange. IT
will stand humid atmosphere, and our
mention of the region of Texas in which it
grows wild so abundantIy proves that 1t
can not be seriously affected by drouth.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
The Basket Worm Again.

Mr.. !. 7. Burt would like for you to state
| in The GAZETTE what this envelope con-
| tainS, and whether or not they will XII the
| cedar trees. Please give him a general
| idea of their origin and what they termi-
! nate in. j. t. ORCHARD.
Fort Worth, Tex.
The envelope contained specimens of the
notorious basket worm, alias bag worm,
alias drop worm. alias hang worm, described
! by Us week before last in compliance with
the request of a correspondent. Its scien-
tiic name is Thyridopteryx ephemere-
| forms
a somewhat full description of the insect,
giving its natural history, was published in
the Sunday GAZETTE of May 10, but since
| so many people, who seem TO have over
looked that article, are now interesting
themselves in the pest Wen briefly run
over the main points once more.
The basket worm is motto ed as cocoon
like formation suspended from the small
| branches of tree, and held there by the
front feet Of worm whose head is seen
protruding. This basket. as we cali il, is.
at full maturity of the insect, a little over
in shape, the smallest end of the cone being
downward. A cone scarcely describes it, as
the upper end of the baske. rounds off ab-
ruptly to the opening from which protrudes
the head OF the worm. When disturbed
the head of the worm is drawn in out of
sight, but the basket still hangs in place by
means of single web attached 10 the limb.
When by accident the basket falls the web
plays out, usually stopping the fall and leav-
ing the basket suspended in mid-air, from
whence the insect finally works its way
back TO the limb by drawing in the web.
The basket is of a dirty brownish color
composed of silky materials and usually
covered outside more or less by leaves of
the tree upon which the insect has been
feeding
When the basket worm has attained to
full maturity it secures its basket to twig
by strong silken loop, draws itself into its
house, closes the opening and remains hang
ing without exterior change throughout the
winter, If you open these baskets in win
ter You will find many of them empty with
break in the lower end through which the
insect has escaped. These are the males.
The females never quit the basket. but
practically i'll it with soft yellow eggs and
then die.
Early next spring these eggs will hatch
out minute worms, which will at once begin
feeding upon the foliage of the tree, and in
closing themselves in minute baskets. At
first these little baskets will be seen stand
ing erect on the leaves and looking about
like grains of wheat, though considerably
darker in color. Eventually when they
have grown too large and heavy for the in
sect to longer hold them erect they fall
over, and thence on the basket hangs
down from the limb as already described.
There is but one generation of these in
sects annually, the baskets hanging through
the winter and the new brood starting the
following spring as just mentioned.
The basket-worm appears to prefer feed
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
4 CrRE FOR HOG CHOLERA.

One of our correspondents sends for pub
LEGATION in The GAZETTE ''never-failing
cure for hog cholera 1t is a clipping
from some newspaper, and tells that one Of
the most important ingredients is for sale
by certain party named in the clipping,
and can be had from no other person. We
must beg to be excused, even though our
declining to publish should be ever so much
against the hog industry generally. But
We're we not able TO so plainly see an adver-
tisement in the paragraph, we'd still beg to
be excused all the same The world is full
room in this department of The GAZETTE
for any of them. They have already had
all the circulation that is necessary. Since
hog cholera first attracted attention they
have been going the grand rounds of the
press as never fails and vet we feel en-
tlrely safe in stating that hog cholera
abounds just as much at the present time as
it ever did Doubtless all of those never
falling remedies have been tried and doubt
less the people going 10 the trouble of try
ing them have had bits of their mind TO ex-
press with reference to the unreliability of
newspapers No wonder it is SO hard to make
all the people take kindly to agricultural
literature -
So far as the best talent and the best
science has yet been able to decide with re-
ference to the matter, hog cholera stands as
q malady without n cure
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
A GRASS EOR NAME.

Herewith please find specimen of grass.
What is it. please9 1t forms thick sod
hard to plow. Comes up from both root
and seed. Spreads rapidly ana stands
drouth well. Have man engaged grubbing
ii out of my field. Don't want il. Has run
ners that take root. Would it do. to plant
as hay cropi T. B. HART.
San Saba, Tex.
Your grass is the Beckmannia erucafor-
mis- of botanistS, but we know of no com
mon name for it. The botanist to the
United States department of agriculture
describes il, and says it grows abundantly
in the Rocky mountain region, from Cali
fornia and Oregon eastward. Does not
seem to be regarded IS grass of much
value, though while yet young it is u good
deal relished by stock, making fair range.
There exists little probability that it would
pay as hay crop.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02

the fellow that contributes most towards
/ building up our towns and cities. The
large farmer works hosts of hands but they
are with US only temporarily. as a rule
The small farmer is mainly his own work
ing force, and he stays with US the year
round, locally investing most of his in
come-the dollars and cents often carried
away for investment somewhere else by the
employees of the large farmer
But to get back to the subject as indi-
Gated by our heading. the really good
farmer seeks to make the most possible
from each acre under his care som ething
which should be the aim OF every person
who owns a farm. If he does this intelli-
gently he is good farmer, even though his
acrea ge is comparatively small, and the
region of country in which he lives is the
better for having him.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02

gion up TO that Of California, and as con-
sequence her horticulturists are seriously
considering the construction of works for
the application of irrigation to their or
chards, orange groves and truck farms We
can add that many of them have such works
already. and are highly pleased with the
resultant success.
The Floridians assign as reason for
wanting irrigation, continues Mr.. Holt,
that while they may have rainfall sufficient
to meet all the requirements of agriculture,
if given at exactly the right time through
out the season, there is not near enough as
it comes. At the very periods when most
needed the chances are that it will not
come But the irrigationist, with water
under his control, applies it promptly as
needed by his crops. The value of irriga-
ton. whether in dry or humid sections can
not be doubted, especially for fruits and
garden vegetables. The world is now de-
manding superior fruits and superior vege
tables, and all other kinds are becoming
duller on the market every year. The su-
perior products. says Mr.. Holt, are not the
result of superior soil, as a superior soil is
generally known, but the result of a su-
perior climate with ample water supply.
Speoking of our many regions of fine soils
that are not certainly productive to their
fullest capacity on account of uncertain
natural water supply, Mr.. Holt says:
''Irrigation with such soils, and under
other favorable circumstances. makes pro-
duction as certain as is that of the weaver,
the iron molder or the shoemaker. The
sunshine is there, the soils are there filed
with fertile elements, and water
added will, combined with the skill Of the
cultivator, rop agriculture of the uncer-
tainty that has heretofore belonged to il as
a pursuit =
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
THE HOME OF THE PECAN.

In private letter to Us Mr. ". r. Stuart,
the noted pecan grower of Ocean Springs,
Miss, says:
You may say Texas is the home of the
pecan but | would add. while not denying
your statement, that even out Of Texas
pecan culture is one of the safest things
that can be gone into, especially in the
lower portion of our southland. Mr.. H. A.
Swinden of Brownwood. in your state, has
pecan grove of ll.OO0 trees now four years
old. They are planted forty feet apart each
way. He spent three days with me re-
Gently. Mr.. George Tying of Victoria, Tex,
has also been visiting ME OF late. He has
grove of 5000 trees one, two, three and
four years old. l mention these gentlemen
because they are the largest pecan planters
in your state: indeed theirs are the largest
pecan groves in the world.
am now seventy-one years of age. When
fifty-six years old began planting pecans.
pecan culture helps me to live in my old
age. Were but fifty years old I would
certainly be found planting pecan grove in
Texas.
In this extract from MIR Stuart's letter
there is certainly an important lesson for
our young men OF Texas. They hesitate 10
start pecan groves on the plea that lit will
take them SO long TO come 10 anything"
Here is man who began planting at fifty
SIX years Of age, and now the grove then
planted is giving him good living If he
had planted at the age OF twenty-six his
grove IF large oueI would have made him
Independently rich before the age at which
ha bepau his nlanfinc
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
TEXAS wATERMELONS.

The watermelon crop has been immense
in Texas this season, but this is nothing
| specially new, for it is usually immense
| here With a view 10 learning something
with reference to the best variety of melon
| for North Texas we have been paying par
ticular attention to the melons offered for
sale in Fort Worth. BY FAR the largest
melons seen by us were of the Cuban queen
variety. Not q few Specimens of this vari-
! ETY. weighing well on to one hundred pounds
each have come under our observation 1t
! IS good shipping melon OF very fair quail
| ity and always sells well on account of its
| great size. Shape oval. color pea-green
with lighter irregular stripes.
The melons next in size, as seen by US Oh
the Fort Worth market, were of the Geor-
gia rattlesnake variety. Specimens
weighing SO much as forty pounds have been
by no means uncommon. Is also a good
shipping melon with quality about same as
that Of the Cuban queen. Shape longish-
we have seen specimens measuring near
three feet i'll length. Color q good deal
like that of q Cuban queen, though the
outline
Kolb's gem comes next in point of size,
though lacking considerable of being up TO
either of the other varieties named. 1t is
an otfshoot of the Cuban queen, and there
fore has taken somewhat the shape of the
parent. Color lighter, generally speaking,
and stripes more regular. 1t is probably .
cross of the Cuban queen with some other
variety. BY dint of much advertising it
has been worked into extensive culture
here. ana though it appears to be rather
falling off rs TO size and quality, it IS still
quite popular melon.
Following holb's gem come the unnamed
melons in endless variety. some fairly good
and some fairly otherwise. The quantity
Of melons of this character grown. is truly
amazing. II would seem that large per
cent of our melon growers go in on the
principle that melon seed is L melon seed,
aud that one kind is about as good as
another so they plant without regard to
anything other than that the seeds planted
are melon seeds. Evidently this all wrong
"Blood" tells in the melon as much as in
anything else, and those raisers who plant
only named varieties known to be good are
the raiSers who invariably get the best
prices for their products,
y better melon for Texas than any yet
grown might be obtained by careful selec-
ton and isolated planting, therefore the
thing IS well worthy of attention at the
hands Of Texans. Most of our fine named
varieties of the melon were secured that
way; III fact all of them, so far as we know,
save one-the Cuban queen-which was an
Importation from Cuba.
melon growers as to what named varieties
OF the watermelon they have found best
adapted to profitable production in Texas,
and Why best.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
HENDERsON's BUSH LIMA BEAN.

ITALY, ELLIS COUNT, TEX, July 81
In The GAZETTE of Sunday the 26th instant,f
notice a writer from Willow Point mentions
cuItivating the Henderson bush lima bean,
and states that il stands the dry. nor
weather better than any bean with which
he is acquainted. In your comments you
say this Notwithstanding quality Is some
thing new to you, so it occurred 10 mo 70
send you my experience with this bean. /
sent to Henderson Of New York, bought
some seed and planted them about the
middle of April. They came up and grew
of nicely. The 1st OF May we had a very
heavy rain and since that time have had
onlv an occasional light shower. All the
other bean vines in my garden were worth
less, but the bush lima bean stands there
beautifully green, full Of bloom and beans.
Not knowing that they would stand the
drouth 1 allowed all the first beans TO re-
main on the bush for seed, but now, since
our rain, they are bearing, and these shall
use. Do not think any one need hesitate
about planting Henderson, bush lima bean,
as they will stand q drouth and will repay
one for cultivation. Mrs. A o. MAGEE.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02

ing upon uarrow-leaf evsrgreens, as cedar.
arbor- Vita etc. though in case Of not find
ing full supply of these il will feed upon
the foliage of almost any species OF tree.
II is very destructive and where once fairly
started will soon destroy ones trees unless
checked by some means or other. Each
season of its unoppoSed sway will find it
far more numerous than on the preceding
season, so long as there is anything left for
il to feed upon.
Spraying the trees aSNut the middle of
May with some kind Of arsenical poison, as
paris green or london purple. will usually
cut it short Later in the season. when il
has attained TO full size. hand picking and
burning the baskets is about the only rem
edy that could be resorted TO with any fair
promise of success. There is no particular
hurry about this rs the baskets will hang
on all winter. BY taking them of now. be-
fore the worms are quite through feeding,
something might be effected in the way of
saving foliage.
But don't forget TO burn the baskets
merely throwing them over the fence will
do no good, for they will all get back again.
About this time last year a lady of Fort
Worth had them picked from her trees and
thrown out into the street. \ line of tele-
phone wires passed that way. and next day
basket worms We're thickly hanging along
those wires for hundred yards or more in
every direction from the post nearest TO
where the worms had been thrown. They
had made their way to the post, assembled
to the wires and were now on their way to
new fields, by telephone
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-02
WATERLELON SYRUP.

Last year the California newspapers had
much to say about new syrup industry
operating in that state and manufacturing
fine quality Of goods from watermelons
In consequence OF there now being large
melon surplus in this region of country you
might confer a favor on many of your
readers by telling how that syrup was
made. TRINITY.
Tarrant county, Tex.
A paragraph in our scrapbook cut from
the Maryland Farmer of some years ago
says the editor of that paper had long been
making his surplus watermelons into syrup.
He gouged the pulp from the rind, pressed
out the juice in common cider press and
then evaporated the same as one would
evaporate the juice of sorghum or sugar
cane. The syrup resulting was said TO De
very good.
The early settlers of the Southern states
east of the Mississippi river often made
syrup of watermelons on this same plan,
and pronounced i entirely good That was
in days before sorghum had been heard of
in America. We can remember of several
efforts that were made TO manufacture
graduated sugar from watermelons, but
without success. The sweet properties Of
watermelons is glucose and therefore eah-
not be grained.
Some days ago an old citizen offTexz
told Us he had often made molasSfs fsfn
watermelons, but he didn't much Ike it, -
it had kind Of 'isickish sweet-saste'
whatever that is. Mixing it with other
molasses would probably do away with any
such taste. Il swouId doubtless be more