davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
BEST p1cruKE OLE TExAs.

The editor of the Gainesville Post says
the very best advertisement for Texas, to
show at the Columbian exposition, or any,
where else, for that matter, would be true
picture, mot imaginary of Texas husband
men curing their own pork, grinding their
own grain and cane, tanning their own cow
hides and making the cotton crop-only a
secondary but an important consideration
their surplus The ground work of such a
picture to be entirely true), can be created,
our contemporary thinks, alone by individ-
ual effort on the part of Texans tilling
Texas soils. No meetings or conventions
could bring it about, and ne looking afar off
for the things that rest in their own indi-
vidual hands can contribute anything to-
wards it.
We fully endorse this, though we would
suggest slight amendment. That amend
ment would leave cotton entirely out of the
programme, filling its place with ''any sur
plus crop that, under existing local circum-
stances, pays the husbandman the best re-
turns. If cotton be that crop, then let it
be cotton; if wheat be that crop, then let 1t
be wheat; if barley be that crop, then let
it be barley; if hogs be that crop, then let
it be hogs; if cattle be that crop, then let it
be cattle; if sheep be that crop, then let it
be Sheep if horses be that crop, then let it
be horses, and so on through any length of
list that might be proposed. The surplus
crop must be left wholly with the indi-
vidual, and when the individual settles down
to it as the best paying surplus that he could
possibly produce, we shall step into an era
of prosperity for Texas not now so much
as dreamed of by the philosophy of such
ink-slingers as are now exhausting their
minute energies in opposition to any partic-
ular crop that our people are attempting to
raise.
The first great principle in farming is for
the farmer to feed himself. The next is to
make money. If ne is to make money it
would be simply business and good sense
for him to set his plans for making it out of
the product calculated to yield him the most
of it
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04

never known it to '.spitp in any persons
eyes. or evince any disposition TO 40 so.
Possibly the devils riding horse'' that
has been SO much abused BY your cores
pondents is something else-a something
similar TO the Spanish broncho. In that
EVENT. it might be classed as dangerous at
certain times, and under certain circum-
stances. Surely the ssdevil's riding horse"
of your correspondents cannot be the harm
less little insect we have here in Burleson
county going By that name. 1t must be
something capable of enduring an
immense amount of hard riding-if not it
will certainly go into history as one of the
extinct species, judging from the way it
has been ridden by your correspondents
within the past few months. If it lives
through the ordeal and comes out minus
even SO much as a 'tsit FAST on its back, 1
would suggest that it be at once adopted
by the state Of Texas for the use of Texas
negro-riders and that class-of white people
among US who cannot ride common horse
without hurting his back.
FARMERS DAUGHTER.
Clay Station, Tex.
It is to be hoped that they VIII ride the
creature to extinction before that carload
or two of him promised US in the spring get
to our pastures; that is, if he is anything
like so bad as many of our correspondents
are making him out to be.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
FAvoRs IRRIGArIoN.

Professor ]. P. STEELE, the able agricultu-
raj editor of the Fort Worth GAZETTE, is a
firm believer in the value of irrigation for
Southern farmers, especially Tor truck
farming. He has published several
lengthy but very timely and valuable ar
ticles on the subject. The Cultivator has
long been an earnest advocate of terracing,
ditching and irrigation, with proper irriga-
ton of the soil for successful farming
TSouthern Cultivator, Atlanta, Ga.
We must come to it In times when the
farmer could get along after way on a
half crop, irrigation did not loom up as an
absolute necessity, but those times have
now gone to the past. The farmer, as well
as the man in any other line of business,
mus get out of that business all there is in
it to make him irst-class success, and it
is utterly impossible for him to get the full
est returns In his farm operations, every
time, unless he IS able TO control the water
supply Of crops. There must be no short
age from drouths in these modern days of
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
WHAT BIRD Is 1T?

On the Corts ranch, four miles north of
Palo Pinto. where l am filing the Office of
superintendent, 1 captured large bird, APP
parently OF domestic character, after hay-
ing broken its wing with Winchester. It
is as white as the driven snow, with the
exception of some very fine light-red specks
on the back or top of the head. Beak
black, about five inches in length and an
inch and half in width Has dark eyes, a
long and graceful neck, but no conspicuous
piumaze. VIII measure about five feet
from tip of beak to end of tail, and about
eight and half feet from tip to tip of
wings. Legs short and black, with large.
webbed feet. The broken bone Of its wing
is about the size CT mans first finger
When fred upon it uttered an indescriba-
bic scream, and after a second shot, settled
to the ground. where it made no attempt to
either free or defend itself. II is still in
my possession, alive and apparently quite
at home. VIII you please name it through
TIE GAZETTE, and much oblige . sub
scriber2 II. II. PORTER.
Corts Ranch, Tex.
Your prisoner is evidently swan of the
species known to ornithologis.g. as Cygnus
buccinator. Its common name is the ''trum-
peter swan" A very nice bird and easily
domesticated.
There IS another species Of swan occa-
sionally met with in this country on its mi
grations between the South and the North
called the ''whistling swan - and known to
science as Cygnus Americanus, but your
excellent description makes Us quite certain
that you have the "trumpeter.'
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
THE SEED CORN QUESTION.

lam very thankful 10 you for information
given through the Agricultural Department
OF THE GAZETTE on various subjects. Your
advice and writings have sound, practical
ring about them. Your plan OF locating an
orchard on northward exposure. to pre-
vent premature growth, and hence killing
of the blooms by late spring frosts, IS a
novel one TO me, but seems entirely reason
able.
VIII you permit me to ask you question
or two for my own information and, no
doubt, of interest to othersl Is it well to
plant, here. corn grown in either Kansas or
Missouri last seasonl Some people say
such seed corn has a marked advantage
over Texas grown corn, the first season
anyway, as it natures in a:shorter time. Is
white corn as valuable for stock feed as
yellow cornR The distillers of whisky
claim that they can make a greater
per cent of whisky out of yellow corn than
out of white corn, but since whisky is
merely a stimulanr, IS this any proof that
yellow corn would produce more pork or
beef than white corpl
I am from denmark and have been in
this country only ten years. Have never
had an hour OF English schooling, hence
my letter may have serious faults il gram
mzrs-or otherwise, still, II yo6 sconsider-iti
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04

of general interest, hope you viii give it
your attention. MARTIN LoDAI-
Gordon, Pslo Pinto County, Tex.
1t IS now the opinion of our leading au-
thorities that Southern grown seed corn,
well kept, is best for general crop in the
South. There was time when quite the
reverse was the prevailing opinion, but
tests made by several OF our experiment
stations have pretty well upset the old
theory. OF course. Northern corn might
mature earlier than Sout hern corn, but
since we !. lave all the season needed
for maturing, with much to spare, early
maturing is of no particular Importance
with US. The fact is, Northern corn
has been dwarfed into maturing
earlieE, on account OF shortness of
season at the North, therefore it
is never at its best, naturally. It is Z lazy
of nature to adapt everything TO natural
local conditions; this being the case, it is
but reasonable 10 suppose that no small de-
gree of the energies of any crop grown from
Northern seed would be expended in bring
ing about that adaptation. The nearer we
can get crop to being naturally OF home
where grown, the better viii be the results.
This Northern seed theory once prevailed
with reference to Irish potatoes, but now
no truck farmer of the great truck-farming
regions east of the Mississippi river viii
think of planting Northern grown seed
potatoes if he can get Southern grown seed.
It is the same in the case of fruit-trees;
Northern grown trees are not worth the
planting, while Southern grown trees. en-
tirely acclimated, are all right.
Agricultural scientists are of the opinion
that yellow corn will feed further than
white corn. Of the two varieties yellow
corn is considerably the heaviest, yet from
some cause or other it is not near SO much
raised in the middle tier of corn states as is
white corn. In the northern tier of
corn states it is extensively raised
because of the fact that it is usually
earlier than white corn, thus calling
for shorter season to reach maturity. We
think white corn yields more to the acre
than yellow corn, generally speaking, and
this, we suppose, is why white corn is
most generally raised.
You have no cause for explanation with
reference to your letters-pot a few who
have passed all the days of their youth in
English schools do not write near so well.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
Fort Worth. Tex.
1r GAVE HIM THE J1,T-JAMs.

Seeing In THE GAZETTE so much about
something called 1.-The DEVILS riding horse"
leads me to think of putting in my testi-
! mony relative to the matter have been
raised in Texas, and am now twenty-six
years old. When l was yet quite a small
boy | was told by my mother that the
devils riding horse was dangerous, and
that it would spit in my eyes and put them
out if it got fair chance. OF course this
instilled in me great fear Of the devils
riding horse.
The first representative of the creature
ever saw was in Grayson county, Texas,
and the sight of it caused me to run two
miles on straight stretch, and lose my hat
in the run. l was herding sheep near
Whitesboro, where came across one of the
creatures. It at once caused my hair to
stand on end. Yes, was scared for GER
tain, having heard so much about the dan
gerous character of the insect. OF course 1
fully believed it to be entirely as bad as
represented. l left the herd of sheep on
the range and got up and got there, Eli,
and don't you forget it.
But since that eyentful time I have Guilt
waited more intimate acquaintance with
the DEVILS riding horse. l have handled
them and even dissected them, commencing
at the head and finally quartering them
out, and in all this venturesome operation,
supposed to be, have found no lot of stuff
about them looking like it might put out
anyone'S eyes. I have found them all very
nice in the course of my investigations,
with the exception of few bad teeth. 1
would not stand bail for them against
catching alligators or other Land fish, but
don't think they are near as bad as repre-
scented, so far as relates to the eyes of men
and dogs
1 furthermore consider them very useful
to farmers, for last fall / found them busily
engaged in, to me, the pleasing occupation
of eating cotton worms from my cotton
plants, and while they were at it, and l was
looking on with chuckle, l saw not one
attempting to scatter from the muzzle'' at
my eyes, Upon this must conclude that
the much said against the devils riding
horse, by the hosts who know more than
they do know is all bosh. For several years
l have been making myself quite familiar
with the little ''beast," and in not one in
stance have seen any ''spitting" or ''ker- I
spatting" from it, or anything else that II
could have objected to.
If 1 am to be witness in this case, u1t'
derstand that 1 am biased Co the side oEthe
defendant, and should / be called upon as a
juror, don't forget it that l have formed
I am for the DEVILS riding-horse, and have
room for all the little ''beasts' that may
decide to locate on my premises. If your
correspondents send you more
in spring than you can ac-
commodate, please consign a few carloads
of them to me. LIT. Sized.
Myrtle Springs, Texas.
Thus it begins to appear that there are
two sides even to this DEVILS riding-horse
question.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
THE EARN GARDEN.

| Farm and Ranch, that best of strictly
agricultural publications produced in Texas,
seems to be entirely with US in what we
have from time to time been saying with
reference to the Importance of a good
kitchen garden on the farm. An editorial
in a late issue of that paper says ga good
garden is half living" though the quota
ton could not, in all probability, be traced
| to its real author even by the librarian of
congress. But, regardless of who the au-
thor mi ght be, the truth contained in the
saying could hardly escape recognition by
any good farmer or farmers wife. A good
garden is to the family living what good
wife is o the farmer. 1t is the 'sbetter
half" There can be no good living with
out a good vegetable garden, and there
can be no good farming without good
wife; for if farmer has bad wife he
will degenerate into a scrub and if he has
no wife he was scrub to begin with. A
good garden is more than half living. In
the city of New York there are more than
forty Thousand people who eat only vegeta-
BILE food, and they enjoy health and. long
in no mental or physical equipment for the
duties of life.
Fresh vegetables are not only necessities
of life, but luxuries also, and in both these
characters the cheapest the earth affords.
The poor in cities suffer for need of them,
but that Texas farmer who does not have
them upon his table every day in the year
is ineXcusable. There is not a day in all
the year when, with US, it is not thing
comparatively easy to have an abundance
of vegetables ''fresh from the vine, y as We
say. Possibly the farmer might not be able
to have all the tender growths of summer
through all of our so-called winter months,
but there are many vegetables that we can
grow all through winter, and with proper
preparation and care during the dryest
summer. The progressive Texas gardener
Of the present day is no respecter of times
and seasons. AL times, all seasons and
all sorts Of weather are his. With a few
boards and well he can bid defiance TO
drouth. and with few cold frames, with
movable covers of oiled muslin or glass, he
is independent of the rudest blasts of
boreas. "And yet how many farmers,
even of those who are considered most ex-
pert in their high calling, have fresh vege-
tables all the year roundl Don't all an
swer at once. And don't say that it can't be
done, or that it is impracticable. The writer
of this paragraph knows better than that. y
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04

have been received by Us since those arti.
choke articles began to appear in TIE Ca
zETTE. A reply to this letter must be ac-
cepted as a reply to all. We do not know
of any one who has the Jerusalem arti-
choke for sale, we are extremely sorry to
say. 1t is usually kept by Northern seed
andsplant dealers, therefore it might ba
well to look over their catalogues for it
No doubt plenty Of artichokes could be had
if we only knew where to apply for them
We are entirely satisfied that the Jeru.
salem artichoke might be made for Texas
everything that we have claimed for it IN
our recent writings, and we do hope that
some kind of avenue for procuring seed will
soon be opened to US. Judging from the
letters received thousands of bushels might
be sold at once. So who has Jerusalem
artichokes for salel The man who has,
and will advertise them in some prominent
Texas paper, will not fail to find plenty Of
patrons.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
A COUNTRY GIRL DEFENDS.

am country girl, farmers daughter,
and a regular reader of TEE GAZETTE, and
would like to say a few words in defence
OF that harmless insect called .'the devils
riding horse Ihave been familiar with it
all my life. and consider it not only entirely
harmless, but at the same time, a very use
fui little creature. see It on the rose
bushes and on the flower beds, and never
think of haruing it. 1 fad it engaged in
deFGuring allthe insects it can ind on the
rose, bushes and flower beds, and therefora-
k1oW that it's doing neaservics. Have
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

This department Is devoted to answering
SUCH questions as may be asked by our sub
seribers, which may be OF general information.
Inquiries Of personal character that require an
swer by mah should always nave stamp IN
closed Please give full name and postofhce
address in addition to any such signature as
Subscriber. or "A. G. d. not for publication
If against the will OF the writer, but to admit Of
direct communication should such thing be
deemed necessary. Address as directed at head
Of this mage. 3
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
ARrICHoKES FoR Seed.

have read number of articles in THE
GAZETTE about the Jerusalem ariichoke as
a feed for hogs and other stock. The repre-
sensations are so fattering that they have
given me the artichoke fever, and am now
very anxious to learn where 1 can get the
tuoers to use as seed in starting an arti-
choke field. We Panhandle settlers are
sadly IN need Of some kind Of good hog
pasture. If you can give me the desired
information I VIII accept it as high favor.
Amarillo, Tex. GEORGE 7. PAKKER.
AT least SEQ Letters. similar TO she above
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
aIEAT MANuFAoTuRING.

This is about as good term for it as
could be employed, for that leader among
our agricultural publications, the Southern
Cultivator, Atlanta, Ga, styles meat a
manufactured product. for the, making of
which large amount eff raw material is re-
qpirea.N The manufacture of neat is a
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
osHKosH TO FoRr WORTH.

For the past three months l have re-
ceived the Fort Worth WEEKLY GAZETTE,
and have been much interested in the in
formation relative to Texas products and
Texas capabilities offered through the agri-
cultural department of the paper. But,
while much may be gained in this way, an
outsider, especially in the far North, as is
my case, would like to have more accurate
information as to the climate, rainfall, ETC.,
of Tarrant county. | find no statistics
given either in TIE GAZETTE or in govern
ment reports, so L address you now with
regard to the voluntary weather service.
In the state normal school Of
this city there is voluntary station.
and during the summer vacation, and at
other times in the absence of the regular
observer, I take observations and receive
the government reports. So far as l am
able to learn there is no voluntary station
in Tarrant county, and ! am certain that
there is none at Fort Worth. 1 would sug-
gest the establishment of such a station in
your city. Here follows along set of closely
type!written instructions as to how we
might manage to secure such station, how
it would have to be managed, etc.-AG.
ED. Possibly the question discussed here
may have been considered by yourself at
some previous time and rejected.
1t is the desire of the government that at
least enc station be established in each
county, and believe, as said before, that
there is none in Tarrant.
ALBERT S. ALBEE.
Oshkosh, Wis, State Normal School.
We accept the foregoing as a veritable
compliment to Fort Worth, coming, as it
does, from Oshkosh. Everybody reading
Peck's Sun, published at Milwaukee has
heard of Oshkosh through funny punches
at the short ribs of a rival town. OF course
the Sun was not attempting to advertise
Oshkosh, but Oshkosh has grown famous
all the same-such is the way newspapers
do it. Notoriety is big card, nowadays,
you know, hence our keen appre-
citation of the compliment. But our
well meaning Oshkosh correspondent
is just little OF in his ideas of the position
occupied by probably Texas in general, and
certainly by Tarrant county in particular,
relative to the lines of civilization, and to
set MIN right in the matter we take the
liberty of mailing to his address some
copies of the Daily GAZETTE containing the
diurnal reports of our very efficient United
States signal officer at Fort Worth.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
THE CoMING SEASON OF ROSES.

As the season is approaching for those
who contemplate purchasing roses to lay in
their supplies, desire TO make a sugges-
ton as TO the best and surest boomers and
growers for this section. have been test
ing the merits of the various kinds in
Fort Worth for the past ten years and
have tried all new and a old ones
during that time. Briefly, no selection will
be complete without Mad. Charles Wood,
Souv. de Mal-Maison. Duchess of Albany,
Souv. de Wooten, Papa Coulter, Marie
Guillot, White Bon Silene, Meteor and Mrs.
James Wilson. These are all safe, and
grand beauties.
Put young roses out from the 1st to the
Goth of April, not before the first of April
as we generally have a severe freeze about
the Goth of March. which would destroy
the tender plant.
1t is not necessary TO send away for
these roses as our home nurserymen have
them as cheap as they Gamble had elsewhere.
j. c. MARTIN.
Fort Worth, Tex.
Than MIR Martin, no man in Texas has
made more careful or more intelligent
study Of the rose, therefore this note from
him is not only timely, but also of much
value to the amateur Mr.. Martin is de-
voted to the rose. In the course of con-
versation with him some days ago, he told
US that he grew many kinds Of Towering
plants on his grounds, but of these the rose
interested him far the most, for he well
knew that when he grew a good line of
roses he was sure of an abundance of fine
flowers
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-04
AGRICULT URAL DEPARTMENT.
j. P. STEELE, EDITOR.

prsnrHs
r.
The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-08-20
DErEw,s TRIBUTE TO CLEVELAND.

DEPEw's TRIBUTE TO CLEVELAND.
Chauncey NJ. Depew's famous speech
in introducing Mr.. Cleveland at ban
quet in New York on Oct. 8, 1890, de-
serves to be reproduced nov to show
what leading orator thought Of
the Democratic candidate when he
was not the standard bearer of his
party. Here is what he said:
eff were asked to name the most
forceful character in American life,
! the man who best represents the ener-
gy, the answering determination and
the courage Of the true American; the
man who knows duty, and it alone,
when public services commands it; the
man who wars in war and is for peace
in peace, would name General w. T..
Sherman. But if / am to name the
| typical American, the man who loves
and believes in his country beyond
everything else; the man who, deter
mining once in what direction his duty
leads, cannot be swerved from the
path--the man who is doggedly per-
sistent in what lie believes to be right
the man who thinks not of self, but of
his country and its needs, | would
name Grover Cleveland.
"What he has accomplished is the
very highest attribute to the possible
ties Of American citizenship. A coun-
try lawyer in the city of Buffalo, he
shed luster upon the high profession
which he had chosen. AS the mayor
Of his native city he presented as his
record clean and economical admin
istration. Coming into the highest
| position in the land without previous
experience, and with scarcely pre-
cedent to guide him III the conditions
which surrounded him, he won the af-
lection Of his party. and commanded
the respect and admiration of his oppo-
nents. | find myself in one of the
proudest positions of my life in being
permitted to present to" you Grover
Cleveland, as the typical American"
And it was Depew who nominated
Harrison at Minneapolis,