davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
TREATMENT OF ORCHIDS.

The essential cultural requirements
of orchids were not known until long
after they had attracted the attention
of horticulturists. 1t Is interesting to
note the struggles of our great-grand-
fathers to discover the conditions most
suitable for them, says a writer in
Garden and Forest. We who know all
about it are surprised that any intelli-
gent cultivator should have tried to
grow epiphytic plants Gin common soil
In plots plunged to the rim In a tan
bed" Teak baskets, sphagnum moss,
peat fiber and charcoal appear to us to
be exactly what any intelligent school
boy would have recommended as sup
plying the right material for an cpl
phytc. But, like all useful discoveries
and inventions, simple as they appear
to us they were not worked out with
out much thought, experiment and the
sacrifice of many plants. One Of the
shrcwdest of botanists working in the
van Of the horticultural art of his time,
DIR. Lindley, stated in a paper read to
the Royal Horticultural society in 1880
that ''high temperature, deep shade
and excessive humidity are the condi-
tons essential to the well-being of Or
chids." Thirteen years later another
authority, Mr.. Bateman, recommended
the same treatment, adding that a rest
ing season was necessary. This treat
ment became the only orthodox one,
and was persisted in for upwards of
thirty years.
We now recognize that fresh air ut
all times is essential, that many orchids
enjoy bright sunshine, that while some
require plenty of moisture all the year
round. others requOre 1t only for por-
ton of the year, and that some even
thrive only when treated as IL they
we're cacti. The temperature for ex-
oc.c orchids varies from purely trop-
ical to that of a few degrees above
freezing point, and while some species
during growth are kept In a hot steamy
atmosphere, and after growth Is COM
pletcd are removed to comparatively
cool and dry conditions to afford them a
rest. others suffer If the conditions are
not fairly uniform all the year round.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
PICKING THE ORANGE.
A Picturesque Scene In Grove In Cali.
fornia.

fornia.
The picking Of the orange in large
centres In California, such as the San
Redlands, is announced by an addition
to the floating population. Gangs Of
observation-disclosures, Chinese, Americans,
men and boys-gather from far and
near, and the groves are filed with
laughter and song. Everybody is at
work, and IL the crop, as it is this year,
Is large, every one is feeling cheerful.
The orange grove of the imagination Is
stretch Of trees filed with golden
| fruit, where one can lie in the soft
| grass and luxurlate in the sight. The
actual grove, when beautiful to the eye,
Is not a place for lounging, as the
ground Is, or should be, kept continual
ly plowed and irrigated. But the trees
are attractive. Ever green, showing
ripe and green fruit and white BIOS
SONS at the same time. they are an
enigma.
A gang of men, under a leader or
Oyerseer, takes possession of a grove
bright and early in the morning, two
or three men being appointed to tree,
and the picking begins. Tall step-lad-
ders enable the pickers to reach the
top branches and each orange is care
fully cut from the tree; If it is pulled
and the skin broken it will soon decay.
The picker wears bag about his neck,
and into this the fruit is dropped. When
the bag is filed the fruit is handed to
the washer or scrubber. The latter,
generally Chinaman, washes the
black stain or rust from the fruit, pol
ishing it with cloth, after which it is
passed to the assorter. Sometimes a
simple machine is used, runaway, so
that the oranges Of the same size will
all collect together. This accomplished
each orange is wrapped in various col
ored paper and placed in the box ready
for shipment. A counter keeps tally Of
the boxes.
In some groves various machines are
used Thus one patent is knife on
long pole, which is connected with a
canvas tube. The orange separated
from others in this way drops into the
Cllule, anu, w al arrangement VI tIdpS,
drops from one to another, and finally
rolls into box uninjured. The ordi-
nary method of picking, however, is by
hand.
The orange-pickers are usually jolly
lot, there being something about the
business, apparently, that enlivens the
spirits. The Mexicans and Americans
labor in harmony, but an orange-pick-
ing team composed Of Cinnamon and
Americans appears to work the reverse.
The Chinese picker finds that his ladder
gives way without warning, dropping
him into the thorny tree or upon the
ground. He is bombarded with oranges
from unseen quarters, or finds his
pigtail fastened to a branch. In other
words, as rule, his life in the orange
grove is not as pleasant as it might
be. He is strongly suspected by his
fellows Of working ut rates that will
not support a white man of family adj
dicted to tax-paying.-Globe-D
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
Sagacity of the Deer.

Belle Meade, the home Of General w.
III. Jackson, near Nashville, Tenn, is
not only one Of the finest stock farms
in the United States but 1t boasts also
a splendid deer park with a magnificent
herd. The stud groom tells a marvel
fous story which exhibits the intel
ligence and sagacity of the deer. Dur
ing the severely cold winter Of 1894 and
1895 an old dam that had shown I'M
mistakeable signs of illness for some
time went down to the pond In the
lower end of the park to get drink of
water.
The water was rapidly congealing,
and the old deer stood SO long with her
forefeet in the pond that the Ice formed
around them, holding her hard and
fast. her weakened condition render
ing her entirely helpless. She would
doubtless have remained in this condi-
ton until she froze to death had not a
couple of bucks CHANGED along and
gone to her assistance. They seemed to
take in her pitiful condition at a glance
and lost no time in breaking the ice
from about her. stamping and paving
with their hoofs until she was quite
ree.-Philadelphia Times.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
UNCLE SAYS SCALES.
HOW THE GOVERNMENT WEIGHS
THE MAIL EVERY FOUR YEARS.

During the Next -Four Years % Much q
sIo.ooo.ooo VIII Be Paid TO The
RaIIroads-.-oblsct Of the Work.
The quadriennial weighing of the
malls for the fourth division Of the
United States has been completed.
Every four years the government or
ders q weighing Of the malls on all the
mail trains In the United States. This
il done for the purpose Of ascertaining
what sum of money is due the various
railroads Of the country for transport
ing the mail pouches Of the govern
ment.
Though not precise method by any
means this plan enables the govern
ment to make close approximation
and to reach something like a definite
conclusion. The proper method Of
course would be to weigh the mail each
day and to make settlement on the
basis Of each days showing. This,
however, would only tend to compli-
cate matters as there would be no
limit to the work that would be reQuir-
ed. In addition the expense Of such a
plan as this would be enormous and
the employment of a vast army Of
clerks for this special purpose would be
necessary.
In order to obviate this expense and
to adopt at the same time convenient
and proper schedule the government
has conceived the idea of having the
mails weighed every four years. Ac-
cordingly the postal domain Of the
United States, which includes the geo.
graphical area of the government, is
divided into four general divisions and
the weighing Of the mails Is carried on
successfully in each division. AS for
example the mails belonging to the
fourth division will be weighed this
year while, for next year, some other
division is taken. In other words
system Of rotation is adopted and while
the mails in each division are weighed
every four years there are no two divis-
ions whose mails are weighed at the
same time.
Having made this much clear the
next question that arises is, in what
manner is this weighing conducted and
how can correct results be ascertained?
In order to make the scale Of meas
urement fair one the government pro-
vides that the mails shall be weighed
on each train for not less than thirty
successive working days. After care
fully weighing the mails each day for
thirty consecutive days general aver
age is taken and from this average the
volume Of business for the next four
years Is determined.
This weighing of the mails is ordered
every four years fer the purpose OF
keeping apace with the industrial
growth and development Of the country.
AS matter Of fact the volume of bust
ness increases from year to year, but
the same approximate results can be
obtained by having the mails weighed
only once in four years.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
IMAGINATION IN WAR.
More Injurious to the Courage OF Soldiers
than Bullets.

man 6ulIetS.
'Tn my opinion" remarked the col
lege professor, who rose from the ranks
during the last war to the position Of
colonel, 1.-THE imagination of men does
more injury to the cause than all the
appliances of war yet discovered"
'Tn other words" caromed Star re-
porter, "if man didn't think he
wouldn't be afraid Of anything?"
That's about it," admitted the pro-
fessor. 81 had a remarkable case hap
pen to me during the battles around
Richmond. That is to say, it happened
to another man, but was part of it, 1t
was on skirmish line, and was lying
behind log with two other men-I
was only a private then-one Of whom
was an inveterate joker, and the other
was one of the imaginative kind of
soldiers. In fact, he was so imaginative
that he WIS almost scared out of his
wits, and when the bullets and shells
began flying through the woods, cut
ting off saplings, clipping limbs all
around us and barking the top of the
log behind which we lay, thought the
fellow would burst blood vessel or go
crazy or do some other fool thing I'M
becoming a soldier. Tom, the joker, no.
ticed the mans terror, and called my
attention to it.
"Then he reached out and dragged in
a stick cut from the tree above us by
bullet, and fixing pin in it proceeded
to have his fun. The man was at the
far end of our log, ten feet from Tim,
and 1 was just beyond Tom on the
other side, and, / am free to confess,
was nervous enough to wonder at
Toms manner at such a time. How
ever, I couldn't help watching his
movements, and actually laughed to
see him sliding the pin-pointed stick
along toward the unsuspecting victim.
Having got 1t at the right distance, he
waited for a smashing volley of bull
lets, and just as 1t came he prodded the
soldier in the back with the pin. Well,
it was really funny to see the chap
jump and yell and roll over and we
both fairly howled. But it wasn't so
funny when the man didn't move after
his first startled action,and Tom looked
around at me In a scared kind of way.
His surprise found expression in an
oath, and he called to the man. There
was no answer, and he called again,
with the same result. Then he crept
over to him and gave him a shake.
That brought no response, either, and
Tom dragged him around so he could
see his face. 1t was an ashy blue, with
the eyes staring wide open, and the
man was as dead as julius Caesar,
with never mark on him, save, per-
haps, that one pin scratch In his back"
II should you think your joking
friend could never have forgiven him
self for that cruel joke" suggested the
writer.
I'm sure he never would have" con-
cluded the professor, because Tom
was good fellow and brave soldier,
but he never had much of chance to,
for when the next volley came he was
on his knees beside his dead comrade
trying to do something for him. and his
head was just high enough above the
log for a shell to clip the whole top of
1t off.-Washington Star.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
PoToToEs IN DRILLS VS.. HILLS.


We never knew of potatoes to be
grown in drills until after the potato
beetle had become numerous and some
of the old varieties showed signs of
running out. When the farmer who had
always planted in hills, found that &C.
casional hills were defective, produc-
ing only spindling plants and a small
crop Of tubers, he took to planting in
drills, SO that as the planting was
twelve to fifteen inches apart there
might not be so wide spaces IL few
sets failed. But this business Of Sc
lecting and caring for seed is better
understood than 1t used to be. Planting
In hills Is returning In favor, and the
chance it gives for more thorough cul-
tiyation by going through the crop both
ways saves labor and adds to the crop.
There is great advantage in narrowing
potatoes before they come up. 1t is
best done when they are covered with
cOverer, which leaves the potatoes
under ridges, which the harrow par
tally levels. After the potatoes are
up the coverer can again be used, piling
the earth over the new shoots. When
this is narrowed down a second time
the field will be nearly free from ridges
and the cultivatOr can be run across
in the rows, cutting the ridges down
and making the hills nearly level with
the surface.-American Cultivator.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07

GOOD cook knows that . good ouDDV &
the various herbs and mints u an a.
most invaluable help In her Work, and
| that in many cases the dash OF some
particular one makes all the difference
between q perfect dish and one that
lacks the finishing touch that proves y
| to be the work Of skilled cook. Nearly
all herbs are SO easily grown that they
should be counted among the inois'
| penrables in every garden.
Sweet basil is used in highly seasoned
dishes of nearly all sorts, such as soups
slows, sauces, gravies and salads. Fen
mel leaves are boiled In water that IL to
be used In making fish sauces and the
green leaves are used as garnish
around the fish platter. Tarragon IL
used fresh as seasoning for many
dishes, and is prepared In vinegar FOL
use when the fresh cannot be had. Dc
not fail to include spearmint In the list
of "musthaves," for to many people
lamb is not lamb without its accom-
paniment Of mint sauce. The list OF
valuable herbs is long one and they
VIC hot Ouiy vdludDic " TIC SOOhS Ous
many of them are very valuable as to
their medicinal properties, and consti-
tute the only sort of home remedies
that many houses afford. The surplus
over and above the needs Of one house
hould should find ready sale at hotels,
restaurants, grocery or drug stores, II
properly prepared and put up in attrac-
tive shape.
L only throw out the hint, but 1t
would seem that one who took suffi-
cient interest in the work to thoroughly
post herself as to the best methods Of
growing and preparing such things,
might find a profitable market for
them. When either public places or
private families once learned that they
could be had of certain persons, neatly
and perfectly prepared, there would be
a yearly demand for the goods. An
other opening might be found for the
sale OF them in larger quantities by cor
responding with the manufacturers OF
patent medicines. With many sorts,
the season for furnishing them fresh
can he very much prolonged by having
plants in different locations. In bed
with sunny southern exposure, they
Will be ready for use early, while cool
and shaded spot will furnish a supply
long after the first has grown tough.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
Farm AND GARDEN NOTES.
ITEMS or TIMELY INTEREST TO THE
FARMERS.
Feeding Pigs In paIry---our insect En-.
Potatoes In Drills W. hills.--
Treatment Of orchIds--.Etc., Etc.
FEEDING PIGS I'M A DAIRY.

Pigs Will feed very well on the spare
milk of dairy, with cornmeal and
bran mixed with II. Ensilage may be
fed to pigs thus kept with great ad-
vantage, and as much growth as II on
good pasture. For 100 pigs make a
house 100 feet long and twenty feet
wide, divided by middle passage, and
into ten pens on each side, five pigs
being kept in each pen. There should
be a yard on each side of the house for
each pen with a swinging door to let
the pigs out and In at pleasure. The
floor should be Of plank.-New York
Times.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07

Mr.. De Style-Nhy, my dear, I'm
glad to see you so composed. When
left this morning you were weeping and
wailing and tearing your hair, because
Fido was sick"
Mrs. De Style-Well, you see, just
after you left, MRS. Tiptop came in and
she told me that dogs 70 Fldo's breed
were going out Of fashion. So dried
my tears and kicked him out.--New
York Weekly.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
Calf With Two Heads and Two Tails.

DIR. A. r. Youngs, of Cooperstown, n.
l., has In his possession n two-headed
and double-tailed calf. There are two
heads and two tails and eight legs sup
porting one body. All of the parts are
well framed and developed. The two
headed calf lived several days.-New
York Press.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
RAISE YOUR OWN HERBS.

noticed an article under the heading
''Raise Your Own Sage" and 1t was
good sound sense, every word Of 1t, but
let us go q little farther and say, "Raise
your own herbs" writes Eva Gaillard
In The American Agriculturist. Every
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
Ear Boring and Tattooing.

In Burmah there are two ceremonies
which mark the important passage of
the borderland between childhood and
womanhood or manhood. In girls It 10
the boring Of the ears and In boys the
tattooing of the legs above the knees.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
A Brave Captain.

Lloyd's silver medal has been warded
to Captain huffman, Of the steamship
Aidar, who, when his ship foundered
refused to be taken of, in order not to
leave an injured man. He went down
with the ship, but managed to hold on
to his man and to get him on the bot
tom Of an upturned boat, from which
they were afterward rescued.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07
APPLES.

At the meeting of the Boston Far
mers' club apple growing was under
discussion. The lecturer, o. b. Had
Wen, said that the orchard could not be
run by cast-iron rules owing to the
difference in soil, exposure and its
power to retain water and food mater.
ial. One man, with deep, fertile soil
may grow his trees successfully in
grass. but the man with shallow, poor
soil should not follow his example. He
of the deep soil may plow close and
work thoroughly, but he Of the shallow
soil could not without destroying the
root growth. Each must study the con-
ditions Of his own personal problem
and work accordingly.
Apple trees need sunlight, he said,
and should not be crowded. Wind
breaks are a necessity to the best work
of the tree in every stage of its fruit
growing. If the blossoms are exposed
to drying winds the pollen will have
its adhesive property destroyed, and
instead of falling where nature intend
ed IL should it will be borne away and
have existed to no purpose For this
shelter plant the white pine in belts
about the orchard, or the hemlock or
spruce. The injury these trees do to
grass will be more than compensated
in the gain in the fruit they have shell
tered.
If fruit is the return expected from
tho orchard than No othar nror, bo NJ ~
should be taken from the land, unless
the land is MANFRED for both. There
m:iy be exceptions where the land is
deep and rich, but in this there is the
limit of thus far and no farther, and
the least sign of exhaustion must be
met with replenishment. But no crops
should be grown in bearing orchards
where the trees are less than forty feet
apart without liberal feeding.
Cultivating the orchard is good when
the trees are young, but much blowing
among bearing trees, he said, is detri-
mental. In fact, the keeping qualities
Of apples have been proven to be better
when the orchard is not often plowed,
but enriched.
Salt and lime dressing, one thousand
pounds to the acre, was recommended
for canker worms-a barrel of lime and
bushel of salt. Stake the lime 10 a
powder, add the salt and let it stand
for Il week, then apply.
1t is with apples as with everything
else, If only the really first-class fruit
was sent to market there would never
be more than enough to supply the de-
mand, and at paying prices. But with
every sort and size and condition
rushed to market, as it usually is in
bearing year, the price for good quality
remains unchanged, but the quantity
Of all sorts can hardly be given away.
Anything below second quality should
not be sent to market in bearing year,
but should be made over into milk or
pork or vinegar or apple butter, or be
evaporated or canned. The mistake of
growers is in selling raw material in
quantity when 1t should be offered for
quality.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07

have quiet and gentle cows.
The demand for first-class butter Is
to-day greater than the supply.
The dairy business of to-day is suffer-
ing more from lack Of good men than
Of good cows.
Never rush the cows from pasture to
stable. Watch the dog and boy and
caution them frequently.
1t is claimed by good authorities that
there is less danger Of milk fever If the
cows are permitted to calve in the fall.
That troublesome pest, the daisy may
be utilized to advantage In fattening
beeves. but 1t will not do to feed mich
cows or for young stock.
Find out how much it costs to keep
every one of your cows and then what
her product Is worth In cold cash. Do
not neglect this any longer. Many cows
are not worth their keep.
II butter is overworked the granules
are mashed, the grain ruined, and the
value of the butter deprecated. The
hands should not come In contact with
butter, as the warmth OF them melts
and Injuries the grain.
Don't think you can cover the effects
of bad milk by the use of starters" in
the cream. Better never have the bad
milk. 1t costs no more to pursue those
methods necessary 20 a perfect condi-
ton Of the milk than 1t does to have II
bad.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07

Sarcastic .. Consistent Fatality - TrifIIng
with -.Rsgs Apprsciation---Lost
His Nsrvs--.Fov the Roguss' Gallery.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-07

dance that follows. This Is heralded
by a tremendous blowing of horns.
The noise grows louder and louder, I'M
til suddenly ten or more men run into
the corral, each of them carrying two
thick bundles Of shredded cedar bark.
Four times they run around the fire
waving the bundles, which are then
lighted. Now begins wild race around
the fire, the rapid running causing the
brands to throw out more streamers Of
flames over the hands and arms Of the
dancers. The latter applies the brands
to their own nude bodies and to the
bodies of their comrades in front. A
warrior will seize the flaming mass as
IL it were sponge and keeping close to
the man he is pursuing, will rub his
back with 1t as If bathing him. The
sufferer in his turn catches up with the
man in front of him and bathes him in
flame. From time to time the dancers
sponge their own backs with the fam
ing brands. When a brand is so far
consumed that it can be no longer held
1t is dropped and the dancer disappears
from the corral. The spectators pick up
the flaming lunches thus dropped and
battle their own hands in the fire.
No satisfactory explanation seems to
be obtalnable as to the means by which
the dancers in this extraordinary per-
Torrance are able to scape injury. Ap-
parently they 10 not suffer from any
burns. Doubtless some protecis)n is
afforded by the earth that is applied to
their bodies. 1t has been suggested,
also, that cedar bark ignites at n COM
paratively low temperatures, and thus
the flames in which the warriors battle
themselves and their comrades may
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-04-11

HOODS Pulls cure all LIVER Ills. Bilious
aess. Jaundice. indigestion. Sick Headache.
HOBRON DRUG COMPANY,
Wholesale Agents.