davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
AuNEGAR FACTORY

Please give me your ideas as to the prob
able cost and maintenance for one season
of a vinegar and pickle works on a moder-
ate scale. Our farmers must do something
to save themselves from the ruin threaten
ing if cotton continues in the lead, and to
the exclusion of all other products. My
idea in asking the question is this: If the
necessary machinery, and necessary skilled
labor for the first year don't cost too much,
let the farmers and merchants of our town
and vicinity form stock company-mer-
chants subscribing and paying in enough
cash to run the plant one year, exclusive of
cost of materials to be worked, and farmers
taking stock and paying it out in vegetables
at reasonable market value. This done
through the first season, or for two sea-
mons, would, it seems to me, bring
the concern out of debt and
leave it in a paying condition ever after
wards. A solid and paying concern of this
kind, would, think, make our farmers iu-
dependent and enable them to get along in
a tirst-class style. Please give US your
opinion through The GAZETTE. We shall
await it with no small degree of anxiety, as
we always find your opinions based on re-
liable data ]. G. JONES'
Troupe, Tex.
You would want your plant to be can
ming factory as well as a pickle factory,
prepared to put up the various fruits and
vegetables grown in your region, such as
are usually sold in cans as canned goods.
The canning addition would not largely
swell the cost of the plant. About $1,000
would fit out plant of moderate capacity,
exclusive of cost Of buildings. No special
form of buildings is needed, hence one can
usually drop upon buildings that would an
swer every purpose, and yet not cost very
large sum of money.
Much cheaper plants might be put into
operation, but we take it that you
would want one costing not less than $1,000.
OF course this would be a comparatively
small plant, for there are plants costing
5000 exclusive of buildings.
As to the cost of skilled labor we could
not speak so positively Imported skilled
labor would come comparatively high, of
course, but you would not need great deal
of it, as your own citizens would soon learn
to do the work as well as anybody. There
is nothing very complicated about the bust
ness, hence it is one that may be soon
learned by handy persons.
The cost of running such plant you will
have to learn from some plant now in opera
ton. A few years ago we could have told
you all about it, but things have so changed
of late that we would not now feel safe in
venturing on an offer Of figures.
We feel quite sure that your proposed
plant would pay you well, and be Of great
advantage to your locality, under good
of course.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13

main. or shipping, spring crop, the early
dwarf varieties, which may be expected to
mature before May; that is, before the
weather becomes dry and hot, are the
kinds to be selected The every Early
Dwarf Erfurt," the "Short-stemmed
Lernormand, " and Early Paris" in the
order named, are the choice varieties.
The varieties are of such dwarfsh habit
particularly is this so with the Erfurt)
that it is not advisable to sow earlier in the
open air, and to prick out under glass.
When of sufficient age to ''curd," if
growth is retarded, they may in the seed
bed form heads no larger than marbles. It
is therefore important with this.vegetable
that the plants suffer no hindrance or
stunting in growth, but be pushed forward
from the start, without, however, allowing
them to become spindling or too delicate.
From eighteen to twenty-one inches in the
rows, and these three and half feet apart
(seven thousand one hundred and eleven to
eight thousand two hundred and ninety
seven plants to the acre. is sufficient dis
lance for the early varieties. The prepara-
ton Of soil for the crop and the subsequent
cultivation may be regarded as identical
with that Of cabbage, differing only
in the fact that more moisture is
needed for the caulifower than for the cab
bage, so far as relates to early growth. As
the plants advance there must be ''pro-
lection" Bright sunshine tans or furnishes
the snowy whiteness of the ''curd, " deterio-
rating its quality. AS soon, therefore, as
the head commences to be visible, it should
be protected from the light, either by tying
up all the large leaves over the head, or
by pinning two of them together by little
stick Protection is given more expedi-
tiously and the light excluded by using one
Of the larger leaves, torn from the plant, to
cover the ''curd' closely, tucking it be-
tween the head and the surrounding leaves.
When the cutting of the crop has been COM
menced, leaves for covering are to be taken
from plants already cut. If the pro-
tecting leaf has been carefully adjusted,
the operation need rarely be done more
than once, as the heads mature three or
four days after they become plainly visi-
BILE. The several lobes forming the head
should not be allowed to separate, or the
head to become loose and expanded, before
cutting for market; solidity being one of
the requisites of good quality.
This is about all that could be said with
reference to caulifower culture. OF course
there are some further details relative to
harvesting and packing for market, which
we will give in due time should we be
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
THE PEKIN DUCKS.

A Texas lady writes US for an article with
reference to Pekin ducks, but asks that
neither her name OF any portion of her let
ter be printed. Mr.. F. A. Mortimer of
Poultry World, is probably the best author
ity on ducks that that we have, therefore
we shall draw upon his writings for data
in compliance with the request He says
Of Pekin ducks, that they are, quite likely,
the most valuable breed of ducks now
known. They are very large. mature early,
and have snow white plumsge. Their eggs
hatch two or three days. earlier than any
other variety. The ducklings hatch out
stronger and seem to grow faster than the
young of any other breed, and they can be
raised anywhere that you can raise chick
ems. The young ducklings feather up rap
idly and grow to good size in from six to
eight weeks. This makes them well
adapted for raising for early markets. They
are excellent foragers and excellent layers
With good range they require but little
feed, and the young are not subject to roup,
cholera or gapes. Like young turkeys
they invariably command good price on
y
they viii weigh from fourteen to eighteen
pounds per pair without much fattening.
AS egg producers their record is remarka-
BILE and they come as near being perpetual
layers as any of the breeds of fowls.
The crumbs and scraps from the table
and parings and waste from vegetables, all
Of which usually go to the garbage barrel,
will be relished by them. and will contri-
butte largely towards the sustenace of con-
siderable fcck of Pekin ducks.
Like all other ducks the Pekins do best
where they can have access to plenty of
water They like to go into water to keep
themselves washed clean, and they like to
forage along the edge OF streams or shallow
ponds. It is amusing to see them foraging.
They will go down to the bottom where the
water is shallow and fasten upon something
that pleases their fancy, and if it does, not
come up easily you will see their feet
kicking up above the surface at least a
minute. 1t would not seem possible that
an air breathing animal could remain under
water so long. When they can stand it no
longer they come to the surface for breath,
and then, should they have failed to secure
what they are working for, they will
Immediately go down again, find it and re-
peat the performance. And thus the bust
ness will often be kept up after single
thing for an hour or more.
The Pelzin ducks may be raised without
water to swim and forage in but not near
so well as with it.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
YELLow AND WHITE CORN.

Some months ago correspondent wrote
US for information relative to the different
feeding value, etc. Gf any existed), be-
tween yellow and white corn. We gave him
everything we had on the subject and now
comes the Kentucky. Homestead supple
menting our remarks by stating that there
are differences between yellow and white
corn, independent of the color The former
contains more starch and viii make more
whisky, and is preferred for animal food
when fattening is the object in view. The
latter has more gluten and oil, and is almost
universally preferred for bread. As feed
for horses, when nerve and bone nutriment
are more desired than fat, white corn has
the preference. White corn is considered
as coming nearer to oats than yellow corn,
and IS therefore better food for working
animals. So far as the results of analysis
are known, white corn has about per cent
more of the muscle-forming elements than
yellow corn, but the relative value of the
two varieties in this respect has not been
very accurately determined
Our wen-informed contemporary goes on
10 state that the corn plant is one Of the
most widely distributed, but every section
has type best suited to its soil and lati-
tude. therefore the interchange of seed,
or Southern grown, is not safe
practios If the distance to tbs North or
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
TIE SMOKING HABIT.

As you appear ready and willing to work
up almost anything in the question column
of your excellent Agricultural Department
of the Fort Worth GAZETTE, | take the lib
erty of writing to ask that you give US your
views relative to the much talked OF evils
of cigarette smoking. The cigarette smok-
ing habit is said to be rapidly growing
among our young men, though l am not en-
tirely sure that this is the case, for it seems
to me that the habit now has not much
room for growth. They all smoke cigarettes
(or near ALL though one does not see all the
smoking that goes on, for hundreds,
ashamed to be seen at it, smoke in private
places; and most of those who smoke
cigarettes smoke about all that fire will
burn in the time devoted to the perform
ance. On this account | cannot see how
the habit could grow much more. notice
in the papers that promising young law
yer of Galveston lately lost his life by ex-
cessive cigarette smoking-if this is so the
thing ought to be brought out prominently
as a warning to the hundreds of young men
who are now travelling the same road that
he Travelled.
Please give US through THE GAZETTE
your opinion of the cigarette habit; and, in
deed, of the smoking habit generally. Do
you consider cigarette smoking more injur'
ious than other kinds of smoking.
Dallas, Tex. PATRON.
We must own up to actually knowing
very little about cigarette smoking and its
effects, having never smoked cigarette in
our life Hundreds of people who don't
smoke cigarettes say cigarette smoking is
highly injurious, and what so many say
ought to be accepted as having at least
some truth in it, though we must have our
suspicious that there is good deal Of ex-
or,roro+ior in tho oaca until rpora ooe;fiva
evidence is laid before the court De
Quincy's Confessions Of an Opium
Eater" laid bare the opium habit, and it
was on good authority, for De Quincy was
himself an opium eater. Now, when some
cigarette smoker follows the example laid
down by De Quincy and gives US the ''Con-
fessions of a Cigarette Smoker we shall
be able to talk more intelLgently with ref
erence to the habit than we are now able
to do. We shall have positive evidence,
whereas at present the evidence is mere
supposition or hearsay.
As to other kinds of smoking we are in
clined to the opinion that some of them, at
least, are not so bad as cigarette smozingis
said to be. We have before our minds eye
a case that well backs US up in this posi-
ton. There is in Fort Worth a most
inveterate smoker by the name of Col John
R. Hoxie, president of the Fort Worth
packing house. He smokes almost con-
stantly, and though a man well along in
years, he still appears to remain in excel
lent health. We do not think he smokes
nor are we sure that he smokes
tobacco in any form, but he has been known
to smoke so much as one hundred hogs in
a single day without its appearing to hurt
him in the least.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13

South is long one From East to West
the transfers may be longer. Corn planted
in the North from a Southern seed grown
in longer seasons is almost certain TO be
caught by frost. Corn planted in the South
from Northern seed is corn dwarfed by
climate TO meet Northern climatic condi-
lions, and hence is not corn so perfect as
would be corn grown at the South. The
plant has faculty of becoming aeclimated
and of adapting itself to local conditions.
It takes several years to bring this about,
and therefore no small amount of energy
cannot be otherwise than expended in that
effort. Under these circumstances it is en-
tirely reasonable to suppose that the
naturalized or adapted corn would be the
best to plant in the expectation Of best re-
suits.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
FRENCs poTATo CULrURE.

We are an earnest advocate of the So
called trench system" in potato culture
for both Irish and sweet potatoes. This
system consists in simply opening a deep
trench or furrow and planting the Irish
potatoes in it, or setting the sweet potatoes
over it, and leaving the surface of the patch
entirely level after the planting; that is,
making no ridges. The trench or furrow
must be worked well do wn and filed with
good friable soil to afford the tubers plenty
of room to grow below the common surface.
Last year we wrote several articles for this
department of TIE GAZETTE urging our
Texas potato raisers to adopt the trench
system. And those articles were based
upon no mere theory, for we have ourself
been testing it through many years with
the most happy results. We started it on
foot in Alabama and Florida, where it is
now being pracuced quite generally, and to
entire satisfaction.
Mr.. T. B. Terry, one of our country's
leading Irish potato growers, now writes Of
this system that it has no equal, and comes
nearer securing a perfect exemption from
the effects of drouth than anything else,
unless it should be perfect system of irri-
cation. On field cultivated level, and the
surface all mellow, the rain goes right down
where it falls, wetting all the soil and car
rying what fertility it has in it right to the
growing roots that extend all through be-
tween the rows. Where the land has been
ridged much of the falling water runs II
along the depressions between the ridges,
carrying all surface fertility of the soil
with it. The ground of the ridges has two
thirds more surface exposed to evaporation
than level land could possibly have. and
hence dries out, becomes hard, aud thus
cuts short the yield. VIII you old style
potato raisers please ask yourselves why
you make ridges for your potatoesl Your
grandfathers may have planted potatoes on
that plan, but this is certainly no reason
why you should do the same thing, pro-
vided reason tells you that there is better
way. Your grandfathers rode over the
country in stage coaches drawn by horses
at the rate of thirty miles day, but now
you go over the country by steam at the
EllAo VI lOIbl. VI MY AA44cS al
There is such a thing as modern pro-
gress, and it is being made in agriculture
as well as in other things. Why did your
grandfathers ride in those old slow coaches?
Because they knew Of nothing better Why
did they plant their potatoes in ridgesl Be
cause they knew of no better way. You
have learned a better way of getting over
the country, and you have adopted it. To
say that you would not adopt better way
of planting potatoes than your grandfathers
knew Of, simply for the reason that it was
the way of your grandfathers, seems ex-
ceedingly strange Under the circumstances.
a level surface, continues Mr. Terry, is
always ben for potatoes. Some one might
contend that ridges would be best for land
not veu drainea- This notion could not be
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
HOG MEASUREMENT.

HUI MANAifEmENI-
The editor of Swineherd says no matter
what the climate, sunshine and plenty of it
is factor Of special Importance in the
growth of young pigs. The hog raiser who
keeps his very young pigs in shaded place
commits grave mistake, winter or sum
mer. 1t IS a natural requirement that they
should bask in sunshine.
It is always best, he continues, to have
mixture OF pulyerized clay, ashes, charcoal
and salt in trough or shallow box which
the pigs can get into when they desire to
do so. ana they viii desire to do so often.
The sow will eat moro or less of it every
day. and the pigs as they increase in size
will partake of it freely also.
The most prevailing disease of little pigs
is diarrhea, caused mostly by improper
food of their mother, but another principal
cause is wet and dirty pen. To prevent
this TIE pen. if the pigs are kept in a close
pen, should be on sloping situation where
all liquids will at once run of. Pigs do
better on the ground than on floor, pro-
vided the pen can be kept clean and en-
tirely clear of mud. Plenty of lime thrown
into the pen from time to time to prevent
bad odors is very good thing.
If the diarrhe trouble appears it can usu-
ally be checked by changing the feed of
the mother, provided it is not caused by
foul pen. Administering quack remedies
is not only nonsense, but decidedly against
the welfare of the pigs.
The hog fattens very quickly compared
with other animals, but it requires a cor
responding amount of food in quantity as
well as in quality. A cheap and quick fat
tening depends greatly upon the health and
age of hogs, as well as upon the season
and the condition of the food. For the fat
tening of meat hogs, that shall produce
nice, tender meat, strealsed with fat, select
from early developing stock at the age Of
four to eight months. On account of the
rapid digestion hogs cannot assimilate all
the nourishments from the dry foods, and
it should, therefore, be prepared in such
manner as to make The loss as small as pos
sible-either cooked or bruised. To feed
hogs until all parts have changed to
fat he does not consider profitable,
for the fatter they grow the slower
they increase in weight To begin the
fattening with rich food from the start is a
waste. Corn ought to be left for the latter
part of that process. Some rules have to
be observed in fattening to insure success.
The best rule is to have the previous food
succeeded by one more nourishing, and
when the appetite begins to diminish, to
feed less in quantity but more in quality.
The time for feeding should be kept as
punctual as possible, else the hogs will
grow restless. The pen or other Enclosure
should be kept clean; that is. not allowed to
become filthy, and no more food should be
placed into it than the animals will take.
The old plan of fattening hogs by piling
food in upon them till they were cloyed,
and hence would eat but little, was all
wrong. If the hog does not eat, he caunot
become fat-there is no such thing as get
ting something from nothing.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13

authority, tells US to let the young chicks
out of the coop in pleasant weather so soon
as they are able to walk well, but keep
them cooped Of mornings, if the run IS at
all damp, especially if it is grass run. If
this rule is followed, the chicks will thrive
much more rapidly than otherwise. he
never lets his young chicks run in the morn
ing unless the dew is OF the grass. Young
chicks that are subject to weakness in the
legs, which people sometimes call ''strad-
dies do not get the trouble from beng
closely cooped. It IS simply a weakness
supposed to come of forced growth either
in or out Of the egg. They will usually
come of it if proper treatment be resorted
TO, and that treatment consists in giving
them very small proportion Of fine bone
-four in their feed.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
CAuI1FLnWFR CuLruRE.

Please give me through The GAZETTE
some plain directions for cultiYating the
caulifower. 1 was going into it on a small
scale this year exactly on the plan of rails
ing cabbages, but have been told that the
two crops are not cultivated precisely alike,
nation. Young TRUCK FARMER.
Dallas County, Tex.
It is not at all likely that we could do
much with the cauiihower in North Texas
without irrigation. It wants much moist
ure, and if possible, very humid atmos-
phere. The Florida Farmer and Fruit
Grower says Erfurt, in the interior of Ger
many produces perhaps the finest caulif1ow-
ers of the European continent. They are
grown between open bitches, or small
canals on Glands" SO narrow as to admit of
water being thrown by hand from each
marginal ditch to the middle of each ''land. -
In watering, scoop attached to a some
what elastic handle, is used, thus drench-
ing the whole crop.
The culture is often impracticable at only
short distance from favorable location.
While the northern shore of Long Island is
par excellence, the caulifower garden of
the United States, the southern shore Is
comparatively unfit for its growth.
Owing to the heat and dryness prevailing
during the season of ripening, the seed of
caulifower is rarely grown in this country,
but is imported from Europe.
1t is necessary, even in a greater degree
than with the common cabbage, to secure
seed of good strain. Though all the other
elements of success may be present, with
seed of poor quality failure is certain. In
stead of the beautiful, snow-white ''curd, 4"
more like a flower in its delicate beauty
than an edible vegetable. the green leaves
push their way through the loose, deformed
head, or the plant grows up into stalk
without heading, being perfectly unmar-
ketable and only fit for cattle feed.
AS in the case of cabbage, crop of cauli-
flower may be grown for winter and one
for heading in spring, and, as with cabbage,
success with the winter crop is most uncer-
tain. Different varieties are adapted 70
each season. While resistance to the effects
of the cold is tie chief requisite of the first,
ability to withstand the heat is a necessity
of the spring crop. The 'Algiers," the va
riety grown so extensively in the French
African colony for the winter supply Of En-
rope (whence its name), is good sort for
the winter crop. Il makes an enormous
plant and forms large, massive, fine white
head. The seed is sown, ike that Of cab
bages, from May to September, but owing
to the greater susceptibility Of caulifower
to heat it is even more difficult to grow the
plants. Another drawback in this latitude
is the liability to have the crop killed out
by freezing about the time it commences TO
mature An amount of cold several degrees
above that injurious to cabbage viii Kill
canlifower plants outright.
The distance apart for the Algiers and
other bulky varieties is two by four feet.
This variety is recommended to Southern
growers for marketing IN early spring, the
seeds being sown in September; for the
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13

overflow from our streams does not at all
hurt the wild sunhower, and therefore it is
not likely that the cultivated varieties
would be injured by short inundation. If
such is the case then we might make the
cultivated sunfower safe crop for lands
along our streams that are considered I'M
safe for ordinary crops on account Of occa-
sional inundation. The seed could be
worked, no doubt. IN any of our ordinary
cotton seed oil mills.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-13
ANorHER TEXAS FREAK.

I send you by to-day's mail limb of ee-
dar: the tree from which 1 cut the limb
grows near here. It is evidently what sou
call q freak, and is something entirely new
to me. The tree has weeping or dropping
habit very much after the style of the com
mon weeping willow, as you will see by the
specimen sent. We want you to tel US
through THE GAZETTE something about IT,
Should it prove easy Of propagation think
it could be made highly interesting as an
ornamental tree.
The tree from which this limb was taken
is over twenty years old. 1t was found in