The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-03-10

lion. and where applicable a reform
should be inauguraIed.
THE ROAD PROBLEM.
/ agricultural Editor OF The S atesman.
VIII you give space IN your depart
ment for "A lew brief suggestions a. e
the best methods to improve our pub
lie roads?
| have read your articles in the late
issues of The STATESMAN bearing on
this most important question, IL
which due credit is given To the efforts
now being made 10 build good roads
and though all Is being done thai
could possibly be done with the means
at command, Iponsider this enterprise
of sufficient IMPORTANCE to the people
of both city and county, to inauguratt
a plan by which sufficient fund may
be provided to extend this noble and
praiseworlhy cause.
The legislature gave us liberal
law, under which each county can tax
themselves to build such roads as
they wish. Now, instead Of a
direct tax to make good roads
| think u better policy would
be for each county or state to issue
bonds payable in twenty or thirty
years, as may be decided On taking,
the people to pay only the interest on
these bonds. | would not name the
amount that might be raised in this
way, but surely enough to push the
good work already commenced to a
speedy completion. Good roads we
all want, they are indispensable to
progress i'm civilization. True, we are
behind many countries as 10 good
roads, but it is our duty to bestir our
selves and regain lost time, and to do
this it is only necessary to arouse the
people to the Importance of lettering
our condition, then, instead Of this
wOrrysome task of road patching, we
will have a policy which will give US
many miles Of turnpikes, and that
Immediately.
The advantages derived from this
policy are too numerous 10 mention in
this short article, but allow me to
state briefly few as follows First,
il will make the burden lighter, as
we are only taxed to pay interest on
the bonds, while we will enjoy the
benefits of good roads so much sooner,
as they will be constructed in way
that all other great enterprises are
done. When would our granite capi
tol have been completed, ii butenOugh
money had been appropriated to
build u layer each year? Or, when
would we be permitted to celebrate
the completion of our Colorado dam,
il there had not been bonds issued and
sold to carry on the work with intel
ligeDce and dispatch. In the second
place, n few thousand, or even mil
lions, turned loose among the people
Of each county in this way would |
think, work a benefit to the farmers,
rs much of the work could be done
by them, and when finished, could
haul their produce to market during
lines of wet weather, when other
wise their teams would be idle, while
commerce would be benefited, as it
would enjoy steady trade from the
country. 1t is enough to say the
benefits Of immediate good roads will
more than pay back the expenses i'm a
ew years, and when the bonds fall
iue, instead of being a hardship to
lay them, it will he seen to be an in
yestment that shall have paid hand
Iome dividends. d. X. ALLISON.
Austin.
BROOM CORN.
| have suggested the cultivation of
room corn as a ltial substitute for
ottOn as it is u profitable crop and is
veil adapted to our soil and climate.
The Country Gentleman says the first |
equisite in the culture of broom corn
) a good soil, which may be similar
o that required for Indian corn, or q |
ich, warm loan. An inverted green
ward does well, and river bottom APP
,ears to succeed best. If the land is
lot already rich enough, rotted ma
iure broken fine, in moderate quaDti-
Y may be useful, and on some lands |
load of ashes and few bushels of
inely powdered lime may be added.
When the ground il Thoroughly pre-
JARED by narrowing after blowing, the
eed may be planted in rows three
nd a half feet apart, in hills
wo or three feet asunder in the rows.
Iigh or ten seeds may be planted in
hill, and if six plants to a hill grow,
hat number will be enough. The
lanting should be done late enough
0 escape frost. The seed being
mailer than the common corn, should
Q buried hardly so deep, an inch
Nth fine, moist soil being about
nough. Thick planting gives the
nest and toughest brush. The crop
! cultivated with horse and with
nch hand labor as will thoroughly
lear the rows of starting weeds. This
hould be repeated many times, as
Feeds not only iniure the crop, but
realty increase the labor when over
alf an inch high. When the seed is
little past the milk breaking the
ops is done by bending the rows to
'ard each other, loot or 80
Glow the brush. When the seed are
lilly ripe they are cut and placed
nder shelter and thoroughly dried.
he remaining portions of the stalks
! cut and worked into manure, after
eng chopped with stalk cutter.
he seed may be cleaned from the
rush by horse power, or in the alb
ence of such machinery it may be
one by hand by means of long
)othed curry comb. From 500 to 500
ounds Of brush may be obtained
'om an acre, varying with soil and
aasons. The production of seed is
ncertain, but sometimes twenty to
,rty bushels are obtained.
CASTOR BEANS