The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-08-11

is typified by his stature; and the in
significance of his suitors is symbol
lied in the same manner. He is a
good representative of the sturdy,
horny-handed tiller of the soil who
earns an honest living by honest
work. His upright, manly bearing
shows that he feels himself superior
to thebetter dressed, but little crea-
lures that fawn upon him and profess
their admiration of his noble qualities
till election day has passed.
AS he stands surrounded by the
molly crowd of syncophants, smile
of amusement mingled with contempt,
may he seen lurking in the corner OF
his mouth, and one can imagine that
he is debating whether he should con.
tinue to tolerate the pestilence or kick
them Off the premises.
The farmer is only an cold hayseedn
and "bumpkin," unfit for the society
of gentlemen, in every day life,
but as election times comes
round his virtues are discovered by
the patriots who are willing to sacri-
flee themselves on the altar of public
duty, and ne is tlattered and fondled
as the nOblest example Of the genus
| homo.
This treatment is no doubt agree
able to a large proportion of the agri-
| cultural class, or it would not be so
universally practiced, but men of in
dependent spirit and endowed with a
proper amount of self respect, esti
mate the business at its true value and
hold such sordid, grovelling, double
dealing actors in contempt.
GRABBING FOR POTATOES.
Most potato growers have grabbed
for them before the vines gave EVIL
dence that they were fully ripe and
rea 1y for harvesting. After q long
term without the tuber, the prospect
of dish of new potatoes is tempta-
ton to scratch for and snatch the big
gest ones, which few can resist, even
when OF the belief that such action
will injure those left behind. Some,
however, have held that the removal
of few potatoes from hill
did not injuriously affect
the balance, but the reverse.
This subject has been investigated
and the Experiment Station Record
gives translation from a German
publication which throws some light
on the practice of potato grabbing.
1t says: In the vicinity of European
cities where there is demand for
early potatoes farmers follow the
practice of digging into the hills before
the tubers are all ripe and removing
such as are large enough for cooking.
The soil is then replaced and the
others allowed to grow. This may be
repeated two or three times during
the development of the plant.
Since it has been claimed that by
this means the yield has been in
creased, the effect of this practice on
total yield of potatoes was made the
subject of investigation. From 1888
to 1891 large number of different va
rieties of potatoes, including both
early and late, were grown for the
test. The large tubers were removed
from some of the plants of each variety
once before the final harvest, from
others twice and three times, and on
still others they remained undisturbed
till all were dug. In every case from
twenty to thirty plants received the
same treatment.
The conclusions from the results are
that the total yield of tubers, where
they were removed once or oftener
during the growing season was larger
in number but less in weight than
where the plants remained undis-
turbed until ripe. In general the dis
advantageous influence of fractional
harvesting on the weight of the total
yield was more noticeable the earlier
and the oftener the tubers were re-
moved.
ANT KILLING.
This has been an exceptionally
favorable season for the DEVELOPMENT
of every kind OF insect pest, and their
number and variety is legion. Ants
have been particularly numerous and
aggressive, to the worriment of all
compelled to approach their haunts.
DR.. c. M. Riley, writing in Insect
Life. tell how the vineyard of Mr..
kessler is surrounded by extensive
and very dense shrubbery, which was
full of lnts: AT first these did great
injury, but owing to the
nests could not be discovered.
Mr.. Kessler finally fought them in
the following way: Armed with
lantern and large bottle containing
a solution of cyanide of potassium in
water, he made every evening the cir
cult of his vineyard. The columns of
ants moving from the woods towards
the vines could thus readily he found,
and across each of their pathways q
strip of about 3 inches in width and 5
inches in length was moistened with
the cyanide solution.
The ants never went around the
poisoned spot, but always attempted
to cross it, when they were at once
killed by the poisonous fumes. This
performance was repeated night after
night, except in very rainy weather,
and the vineyard was effectually pro-
tected.
All scalp and skin diseases, dand-
ruff, falling of the hair, gray or faded