davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-02


Mr.. Roosevelt had entered the room while
the Secretary was under examination, and at
this point he came to the rescue to explain
that there seemed to be confusion in the minds
Of the persons present growing out of the fact
that two cases were referred to indiscriml-
| nately. As matter of fact but two of the
men named had been accused by the commits
sion of violating the civil service law. They
were Roy and Fsnsley. s
As for Reed and Horner the commission had
found that. although they had not violated the
law, the attention Of the Secretary should be
called to their conduct
Mr.. Boatner remarked that the object Of the
Law was to divorce the public service from poli-
tics. These two men Creed and Horner) had
been shown to be active politicians.
Secretary Fostsr-But mot to have violated
the Law.
Mr. BoATNER STILL At II.
Mr.. Boatner, continuing, said that the men
were shown to have taken an sctive part in poll
tics and 70 have justified their practices .Now, /"
said he, 'Ntrying once moro, in your Judgment, ID
itconsstent with the good Of the public service
and the spirit Of the civil service law to keep
politicians Of this kind?"
"Well," replied the Secretary ct length, 81
should very much doubt IL, but I should want
TO know all Of the facts"
Then Chairman Andrew wanted 10 know
whether any government employs had been
indicted for violation Of the civil service law.
The Secretary replied that there had been
such cases IN the internal revenue service.
whore men had been charged with giving
money for political purposes. They GENERALLY
occurred In cases whore the district attorney
and the collector we're not in accord the eecre-
! tary e1plainsd. with smils.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
TO CoRREsPoNDESTs.

We are highly pleased to find that per-
sons are becoming so interested in this de-
partmeit of The GAZETTE as to send US a
liberal supply of contributions on the
various subjects handled by US, but, while
we are glad to receive such favors, we
must urge our friends not to make their
contributions too long. We have this
week received three contributions either
of which would have entirely filed page
of the paper. OF course we have not read
them as yet, and cannot now say when we
Will find time to DO so. Cut it short. Bet
ter for you to do it than for US to do it, for
if you do it you VIII be satisfied when the
article appears, but you will not be pleased
if the close-cutting is made by US, Tastes
differ, you know, and what we might cut
out would possibly strike you as the best
part of the article gone.
And one more word: We are always
glad to receive and notice specimens of
anything you may have grown, but don't
send US anything more in that line without
prepayment of freight or express
age. We often receive half dozen
sweet potatoes, or dozen or so of pecans,
or something of that kind, with the ex-
pressage unpaid Up to this time we have
paid bills and said nothing about it, but it
is becoming too heavy on US, and hence this
kicking. We simply cannot afford it.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
rHAr RAsKEr WoRnr.

1 am under obligations to you for what
you said last week relative to the basket
worm. They have since al gone to ashes
on our place, and 1 do hope that all the
people of Fort Worth will act in the matter
as I have acted. After reading your article
1 looked about over town a little and was
surprised at the large numbers of basket
worms that l saw hanging on trees in
almost every yard. Until then I did not
know that others than ourselves had them.
On some trees you will see only dozen or
so of the baskets, while other trees are
literally loaded with them. l think every
body ought to take down and burn every
one they can see. A LADY.
Fort Worth, Tex.
You are entirely correct as to what our
people ought to do A dozen baskets on
one tree will yield enough worms in the
new brood to actually load the tree this
summer If persons will make it their
rule to promptly destroy every basket on
their trees they may speedily cut short the
growth of this troublesome insect in Fort
Worth, but it must be done without delay.
They are easily seen now, while the leaves
are off-after the leaves are on there will
be no need of seeing them, for the young
worms will be Matched and at work on the
trees,
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
CASTOR BEAN CULTURE.

For the benefit Of myself and your read
ers generally, will you please give through
The GAZETTE an article on castor bean
culture2 Please let US know whether or
not the crop has ever been tried in Texas,
and made anything of a success. 1 would
be glad to hear from any farmers who have
had experience with the castor bean.
Whitney, Tex. j. D. REED.
A good deal on castor bean culture for
Texas has already appeared in these
columns, but considering that we now have
hosts of new subscribers who were not
taking the paper year ago, we shall en-
deavor to get up the desired article in q
short time. We may add here, however,
that the castor bean appears to do wei in
all parts of the state, and that it is quite
extensively grown in Parker county, where
Cat Weatherford) a castor oil mill has been
established. We think it highly probable
that you might get circulars giving you
much valuable information by addressing
''Castor Oil Mills, Weatherford, Tex"
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25

dividual can be seen from the fact that in
one night single female has been known
to kill and deYour eleven Colorado potato
beetles, leaving only thei wIng-cases and
parts of the legs" Prof. Comstock then
goes on to state on reliable authority that
they have often been seen deyouring cot
ton worms. The only trouble about it
would seem to rest on the hypothesis that
there are not enough of them in the cotton
fields to exterminate the worms. He adds:
st is probable, however, that these in
sects are more abundant than it would
seem at first glance, and when the cotton is
well grown, will probably be found in all
parts of the field and not confined to the
bushes around its border. They should
never be thoughtlessly killed"
We could fill the paper with similar
statements all from our best authorities
men who have made scientific study Of
insects the whole work of their lives. But
the foregoing is enough, so we now
close the discussion with the latest
letter received from correspond
ent. 1t comes from boy who is evidently
taking an intelligent view of things as they
exist, and who will probably be leader
among the people of the next generation
who do not merely guess at things.
MARsHALLvILLE, MACON Co., GA,
FEB. s, 1889
Professor j. P. STEELE.
I am country boy, and have been
watching with decided interest the devils
riding horse controversy for some time
going through the Fort Worth GAZETTE.
think the insects so much abused by some
Of your correspondents are the most useful
insects we have, especially to the farmer.
Last. year 1 saw two of them operating on
nest of caterpillars in our apple orchard,
and they were certainly making sad havoc
for the worms. And have also seen them
in the cotton field eating cotton worms by
the dozen.
Ard, Furthermore, l don't think there is
the least danger in them, or the least harm
TO be apprehended from them in any way.
| have carried them about in my hands,
and have even allowed them to Chamber
overmy face without sustaining the slight
est injury. l have further seen cats catch
and eat them as they often do grasshoppers
without any bad effects whatever.
l last summer had a pet devils riding
horse. that 1 fed regularly on flies, which
he seemed to enjoy hugely: indeed, he be-
came so familiar that he appeared to know
me when ! came about, and to show from
his actions that he was expecting his feed.
JOHN c. BRYAN.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
SEED FARMs ROE TEXAS.


1t is now being generally accepted as a
fact that Southern grown seeds are in
every way better for the South than are
seeds from far North. For long time our
people thought differently, but this impress
sion was made by Northern seed dealers.
1t IS now beginning to be felt that Southern
grown seeds would be better even for the
North. for a large proportion OF Northern
grown seeds are more or less damaged by
the early frosts Of those regions. Here
our seeds would really be spring crop,
and hence could not be damaged by frosts.
A late issue ofrBen's Messenger says the
Northern seed harvest Of 1891 has been
very disappointing. The greatest care viii
be needed by the purchaser OF seeds this
coming season to avoid buying old and
worthless rubbish, such as has always
been largely sold in previous scarce years.
The severity of the great frost of the
spring of 1891 destroyed large acreages of
mangels, swedes and turnips put out for
seed, and seriously diminished the yield of
those roots which did not actually sue
cumb.
Early in June, however, there was, not
withstanding, better prospect than could
have been reasonably expected, considering
the abnormal conditions under which the
crops had passed. But the heavy down.
pour of cold rain in July and August finally
dispelled any hope of even tolerable yield,
and had it not been for the one week of
brilliant weather in September large
breadths would never have been harvested
at all
Tue termination of seed imperfectly
ripened under such unfortunate climate
influences win be very poor, and it is most
fortunate that some of the larger houses,
foreseeing the scarcity last spring, were
able to husband their resources and carry
over large quantities of more perfectly
ripened seed of the previous harvests,
which is of far higher terminating power
than any of the little saved this autumn.
The foregoing remarks apply to root crop
seeds especially, but are almost equally ap-
plicable to the English crop of other seeds.
The cabbage plants of last winter, con-
tinues Bells Messenger, were largely de-
stroyed by frost, as were carrot plants, so
that both cabbage and seeds will be very
short.
1t was hoped that garden peas, which
had been lying on the ground for weeks,
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25

give the locality of the writer even with
fictitious signature, for without this the
letter, having local bearing, perhaps,
would be robbed OF its leading interest
AS to the other matter we can say 80 this
correspondent that he has been wrongly
informed. We are ever open to an attempt
at correction. even though we very rarely
take q position that we DO not know to be
entirely correct. We seldom give our own
opinion in any case, but base what we have
to say on reuderines made by the highest
authorities to be reached.
There is one thing, however, that we viii
here put in as new rule. Any person op-
posing positions taken in this department
OF THE GAZETTE must do it over his real
signature and address. He must make
himself responsible for what he is saying.
We are not willing to fight phantoms If
man writes Us long article in opposition
to the teachings of true science, he must
not expect it to get through the paper as
the work Of some unknown Regular
Reader or some unknown "Old Texan, -
or something of that kind-we intend that
the writer's neighbors shall know exactly
who the writer is, and therefore be pre-
pared to pass Judgment upon the correct
ness, or otherwise, Of what he is saying, es-
pecially so far as relates to local matters re-
ferred to in substantiahon of his position.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
MOVE on TIE BASKET WORM.

The basket worms described by you last
week are on my place. They killed two
beautiful cedars for me last year, eating all
the leaves Off I now find the cedars as
dead and dry as an old bone When they
had finished my cedars they went to an old
blackberry in the yard and well-nigh put an
end to it. l regard the matter as very
serious one, and do hope that our peo-
pie will go to work burning
the baskets. Several of my neighbors
laugh aud say it will amount to nothing
anyway, but L have my grave fears that
you are correct In your predictions that I'M
less destroyed on the plan suggested in
your article that it will eventually destroy
about all the trees in Fort Worth. l am
burning the baskets, but what can prom
Use myself when my neighbors laugh and
let them alonel OF course the supply my
neighbors raise will soon re-stock my trees
1 fully believe the city ought to take the
matter in hands and either destroy the in
sects while it is yet time, or compel their
destruction at the hands Of persons having
them on their places. G. o. W.
Fort Worth, Tex.
We had not thought of the city taking the
matter in hands, but the idea is not bad
one. If the city authorities have the right
to make people build sidewalks in front Of
their property, or to compel the removing
of weeds, grass, ETC., they would certainly
have the power to enforce the removal of a
nuisance, which unless removed, Will prob
ably destroy all our street and yard trees.
The great trouble in such cases lies in the
fact that you cannot make people believe
what you tell them, even when they have
no reason whatever for not believing it. a
city movement On the basket worms would
be little on the old principle that "a bird
capable of singing and still refusing to sing,
should be made to sing"
There is no devils riding horse'' joke
about the basket worms. They are here,
and "a mournful fact as Horace Greeley
said about the carpet baggers. Unless
some steps are taken looking to their exter-
mination there will be next fall at least 500
where there is one now.
AS stated last week, this is DO new thing.
Fort Worth is not the first city upon which
basket worms have dropped, claiming all
the street trees as their own, and finally
establishing the claim, as they will do here,
undoubtedly, unless checked by prompt
action this spring.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25

ping of his flowers and young fruit It is
always best to run the water into trenches
between the rows, or on either side of the
single row, off two or three feet from the
plants, never allowing drop of it to get
upon the surface of the bed From these
trenches the water will soak out laterally
to the roots of the plants, and give them
the needed moisture. and it will not call for
so much water to irrigate by this method as
by flooding. The trenches should be about
one foot deep, and not over one foot wide at
the surface. Water should be run into
them once week in time Of regular drouth
and should never be allowed to rise to
nearer than four inches of the top or CON-
mon level. Evening is the best time to let
in the water so that it will all be soaked
into the soil by morning. OF course the
trenches must be so located and arranged
that the water will stand in them and not
run OFF. This is regular irrigation as ap-
proved by our leading irrigation scientists.
Why this method is entirely best could
spondent, if he would take the pains to
look into the matter-better than by US.
Our Trinity waters, as well as our artesian
waters, are more or less mineralized, as he
suggests. Those mineral elements carried
by the waters are really advantageous to a
soil where the waters are let into it by the
trench system, but when thrown upon the
surface they act on our soil elements and
evolve certain gases, which floating up
ward affect the blossoms and very young
fruit. This chemical action few inches
beneath the surface does not throw off
these gases, as they are held back by the
untouched surface soil
Last summer we saw clear demonstra-
ton of this thing in several instances. To-
matoes watered by flooding or sprinkling
were doing no good to speak of, while to-
matoes on the same character of soil
watered by the trench system, were doing
as well as tomatoes could do.
We thank our correspondent for his ex-
cellent and timely article. It ought to open
10 hundreds of our people an easy way of
keeping themselves abundantly supplied
with that delicious fruit, the tomato.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25

sorghum. which l cut and fed to my milk
cow, and to my horse. Some time early in
November we had biting frost At noon,
after the frost, 1 cut and fed the cow a
moderate feed of the sorghum. not suspect
ing that it was at all injurious. When
milking time came in the evening / dis
covered that my COW was sick, apparently
suffering intensely. Several old citizens
said it was caused by the frost-bitten
sorghum: that frost-bitte8 sorghum would
kill cows. and that it was folly for me to
attempt doing anything for her But a
physician fixed up prescription and / gave
it to her. The medicine brought relief, but
it was week ere she seemed entirely well.
1 now began to inquire about frost-bitten
sorghum, and some reliable men told me
they had lost cows in short time after
they had eaten the frost-bitten cane. One
man said two of his cows got into the patch
OF frost-bitten sorghum at night and were
both dead next morning.
I like sorghum as q feed until it is FROST
bitten-after that make an invariable rule
that my stock shall have none of it NJ.
Italy, Tex.
We have several letters of recent date in
which the writers give it as their opinion,
based on experience in some cases. that
frost-bitten sorghum Is injurious to cattle,
and particularly to mix COWS. Nothing is
said of any bad effects on other kinds Of
stock
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25

"Early Livingston - 4 large, smooth, pink
ish or red tomato. I bought the plants
from my nurseryman-they were stoclSy
and about six inches tall-an1 put them out
early. Watered them once a week, food
ing the ground to thorough saturation each
time, until they began to blossom
/ soon found that every time l watered
the plants all the blossoms as well as the
young fruit would fall OF, aud when the
plants were two feet tail had no fruit;
1 then concluded TO water every two weeks;
at the end of the first two weeks
had quite a nice crop of fruit set from an
inch in diameter down to the blossom
The plants by this time began to need
support, and for this purpose, planted six
posts four feet tall, three on side, and
nailed frame around the top, which
was. sixteen feet in length and four
feet in width; and with Stats
six feet in length placed foot
apart inside of the frame, with the lower
ends planted in the ground one foot from
the plants on either side, had a substan-
tial support.
I continued to water every two weeks
during the entire season. as we had no
rain, and every time the plants were
watered the young fruit just shedding the
blossom, and many of the matured BIOS
SONS would drop, but the older fruit would
remain and prosper, and in three or four
DAYS the young NOuiQ De2ln 10 SCI,
and in Two weeks another crop would be
set; thus had a succession of crops during
the entire season, furnishing more toma-
toes than 4 large family could use. The
plants so completely covered the frame be-
fore the end OF the season that l was COM
PEELED to extend the frame two feet taller.
All of the lower leaves and barren
branches should be removed from time to
time TO allow free access to air and sun
shine. which hastens the perfection of the
fruit and encourages the growth and vigor
of the fruiting branches.
The body of the plants will attain great
size and length; some of them were more
than an inch in diameter, and ten feet in
length.
OF course if you have rains you must take
the season into consideration.
In irrigating it is absolutely necessary to
thoroughly saturate the ground, but not
necessary to wet the foliage of the plants;
and allow me to remark here that with the
present system of city waterworks which
furnishes in some localities all arteSian
water, and in all parts mixture, that it is
better to allow no water on the foliage, as
the artesian water is injurious, when
applied in this manner, to most plants.
The preparation of the ground Is impor-
tant. but simple. Well rotted vegetable
mould makes the best fertilizer for toma-
toes. II. O. WARD.
Fort Worth, Texas.
Our correspondent, who, by the way, is
one of the best informed men in the city,
has evidently made slight mistake in his
method of watering. He mentions flooding
as his method, which means, we take it,
that he ran water upon the surface of his
bed until the bed was thoroughly saturated.
To this method is doubtless due the drop.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
SEED ARTICHoKEs.

L have been reader Of your very Ealua-
bic paper for a number Of years, and of late
have seen much in it relative to the Jerusa-
lem artichoke as crop for Texas. but
none Of your people seem TO know where to
obtain seed. Many of our Northern seeds
man keep the tubers for sale. will write
to some of them to advertise their stock in
The GAZETTE, as I am satisfied from what
I see in your paper that it would be great
accommodation TO your patrons, and, at the
same time, good thing for Texas.
Wautoma, Wis. 5. n. Obs.
There is now a wonderful demand in
Texas for seed Jerusalem aTtichokes, hence
the house that would put the article on our
markets at reasonable figures, without de-
lay, would secure a fine patronage.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
FIcT1cIous WRITERS.

l would like to write an article or two in
opposition to some positions you have taken
in the Agricultural Department Of the
Fort Worth GAZETTE, but have been told
that you would publish nothing in opposi-
ton to your views. Is such the fact2 Please
let me know through the paper.
a REGuLAR READER.
Fort Worth, Tex.
While we are willing to admit that this
correspondent is regular reader Of THE
GAZETTE we must contend that he does not
read everything in the paper, else he would
not have sent rs the above on postal card
without appending his real name. See
standing note at the head Of these columns.
We have published his favor in violation Of
our rules, thing we are not at all apt to
do There are now more than a hundred
letters on file at our Office which have
appended no name of the author, and some
that have q name and no postof-
Zee address. These letters, some of them
very interesting, can never appear unless
the writers straighten up the matter by
letting Us know who they are and where
they live. It is not absolutely necessary
that the name should be printed in every
case, though we always prefer TO give real
name and address, Sut it is absolutely
necessary that we have the real name and
address on file, and we make it rule 70
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25

had been picked up in the bright interval
of September less damaged than at first
supposed. But now that they are being
threshed, it turns out that the wet had so
got into the pods that the peas, particu-
larly the w2inkled kinds, divided in half
in the threshing machines, and thus the
marketable seed is again still further re-
duced in quantity.
No such troubles would ever be en-
countered in Texas, hence it is certainly
plain that Texas offers the finest openings in
the world for a seed farm. California is
finding out that our seeds must sbe grown
in a warm climate, and is acting on her in
formation by the establishment of many
seed farms, but Texas could beat
California in that line of industry by a
large per cent.