The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-11-08

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-The nut
grass, or cocoa, is proving to be almost
as much iQfliction in the South as the
Russian thistle is to the Northwest.
For that reason, the agricultural de-
psrtment will soon issue O. special
bulletin urging a general campaign
against this grass before it gets too
firm hold, Tnis plant is not grass
as its common lame and its appear
ance Indicate, but a hedge. 1t b s
many local names in the different re-
gIons in which it has been introduced
The species Of it is sub-tropical origin
and is said to have reached the United
States at New Orleans among garden
plants brought from Cuba. IL now
extends from Texas to Southern IL
linois, in the coast region to Florida
ard New Jersy, being most abundant
ia sandy soils. The kind of campaign
needed to extirpate nut grass is sim
ply to prevent it maturing seed above
ground. Neary every body knows
that the nuisance produces itself from
the nut alone, whereas it propagates
a thousand times more for the seeding
Hence to effectually and quickly de.
stToy nut grass on any land infested
with it, the soil should be frequently
stirred during the growing period of
summer so as to stimulate each nut
tuber and seed to sprout. The best
time for fightipgit is between midsum.
mer and frost time. Although myriads
OF the sprig will show themselves
above in day or two after each work.
ing of the soil, even in the spring
months, yet no seed stem will shoot up
till late in the season aud the effect of
success is merely in the cut of every
tall stem while in the Towering stage
at the latest, and the sooner the bet
ter. One cause that has enabled cocoo
so long and so defiantly to hold its
sway in the South is that we have so
few crops which are hoed or plowed in
the fall OF the year. This, together
with the popular error that cocoa pro-
pagates from the cut alone. explains
the whole story of its universal tri-
umph over the patience, sweat, curses
and blows of the millions who have
warTed on it.
THE INCOME TAX
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-The work
preliminary 10 the carrying into effect
Of the new tax law is going forward as
rapidly as its nature will permit under
the direction OF Mr. VIM, II. Pugh,
who. in Oct. last, was appointed sup
erintendent of the income tax. A
number of complicated and interesting
questions have arisen under former
laws. and anticipating that questions
will arise in the future of equal i'm
portauce it is essential for their solu-
ton to understand what has been the
former legislation of congress, the de-
cision of the courts aud the rulings OF
the department of the income tax.
With this view Mr.. Pugh has been oc
cupied since his appointment in ex.
and preparing digest of the
court decisions and the department
rulings customary under their res pee
tive headings. He has also pre-
pared comparison Of all the former
laws upon the income tax ranging
so that all the provisions heretofore
made upon the same subject shall APP
pear properly grouped and anyone at
and notifications that have taken
place. There have been several acts
upon the subject of income tax. The
first was passed Aug. 5, 1861. Under
this act, however. nothing was done.
The act failed to provide any provis>
ions contained iu the subsequent leg
both as to the subj CTS o. leg
.slatoa and the methods OF col ection.
These were provided for in subsequent
acts The second act wa, passed July
Z, 1852; the third act, june 30, 1864; the
fourth act, March 3 1865; the fifth act,
March q, 1861. Under the tax $50
was the amount reserved from taxa
ton aud the rate of tax was
per cent on all sums over that
amount Under the act of July /, 1862.
the amount reserved for tax were as
follows. Where the income exceeded
5000 and did not exceed $40, 900 duty
of 8 per cent on the amount above