davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
TRAINING TOMATOES.

Referring to the mato-trellis re-.
Gently described, l would say that for
several seasons l have used wire net
ting in my garden for training toma-
toes in preference to stakes and strings.
Netting three feet wide, securely tack
ed to strong stakes set Mt intervals of
three and half or four feet apart, was
formerly used, but greater width Is de-
sirable. This forms perpendicular
trellis about four feet high, as the wire
should be placed ten or twelve inches
from the ground. Stakes two by four
first season, although have used three
inch hard-hack fence-posts. A light
strip Of wood may be run across the top
for staying the upper end Of the wire,
but this Is not essential unless heavy
blankets are to be used for protection
against light frosts in autumn. Raffia,
once used for tying the vines to the
wire, will never be superseded by
strings. 1t is always soft, pliable and
strong, never stretching in wet weather
or slipping if properly tied.
This method of training tomatoes ad-
mits air on all sides, and does not in
terrupt the suns rays. The fruit rip
ems evenly, is easily picked and readily
protected on cold nights.
An ideal trellis of this sort was de-
veloped in neighbours garden the
past season. Ten-foot stakes and net
ting two fet wide were used. But the
growth of the Ponderosa is phenome-
nal, and two other strips of netting
were added, with space Of a few
inches between them. The result was a
handsome screen fully eight fet high,
thickly decorated with crimson fruits.
The aspirations Of the vines, however,
were unsatisfied, and a foot more Of
netting would have been covered. The
expense Of such an arrangement is
light, and the profit and pleasure aris-
ing from clean, well-ripened fruit are
satisfactory in every way.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
Hindoo Eakirs.

Herr Kuhn not long ago presented a
communication on this subject to the
Anthropological Society Of Munich. He
had the opportunity Of personally OBJ
serving two cases as to the genuine
ness of which he had no doubt what
ever. One Of the fakirs referred to had
been buried alive for six weeks, the
other for ten days. The condition which
the fakir has the power Of producing
artificially is in all respects identical
with the cataleptic trance. The fakirs,
who are all hysterical subjects of a
very pronounced type, put themselves
through regular course Of training be-
fore the performance, weakening them
selves by semi-starvation, taking inter-
nally various vegetable substances
known only to them, keeping their
bodies motionless in the same position
for several hours at time, etc.
When the fakir has by this means
got himself into the proper condition,
he has only to lie down in one Of the
positions enjoined by the sacred books
and fix his eyes on the end of his nose,
to fall into state Of trance. The ia
kris are also believed to use hashheesh
for the purpose of lessening the force
of respiration; that hypnotic agent, as
ISOLATED with other vegetable sub
stances and used in a special manner,
is believed by them to supply the want
of both air and nourishment. At the
beginning of the trance the fakir has
Authorizations, hearing heavenly
voices, seeing visions, etc. Gradually,
however, consciousness becomes an
nulled, the body becomes rigid, and, as
the fakirs themselves say. 1.-The spirit
rejoins the soul Of the world."-British
Medical Journal.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
IMPROVED ONION CULTURE.

The usual method Of transplanting
onions by hand and dibble is hard and
tedious work. Often onion plants are
set too deep in this way by the inexper-
fenced, and the bulbs do not so readily
form underground. During the first
two years in my work with onions I
have tested a method of transplanting
young onion plants with common
turning plow, and found the method to
work WELL A furrow is opened with
the plow, and the young onion plants
are laid along on the straight
side of the furrow, and then
soil Is thrown back on the roots with
the same plow. After the earth is
thrown on the roots it should be press
ed with the foot by walking upon it, or
a small roller may be used for the same
purpose. In this way all the work
may be done without bending the back
except in dropping the young plants.
Small boys may be employed for this
work, and the setting of an acre can be
done at cost of $3.50.
In starting onions early at the
north, Mr.. G. l.. Hill writes to Ameri-
can Agriculturist: With varieties
which require long season for their
full development, an early start In the
spring is necessary. plant the seed
under glass in hotbeds, early enough to
have plants of good size by the time the
ground can be put in condition for set
ting out. The transplanting is some
thing of Job, and yet it is scarcely
more than would be the task Of the
first wedding that has to be done when
the seeds are sown directly in the field.
There is also a great gain In having
well-filled rows Of plants evenly dis
tributed. Even if the seeding should
be faultless, some seeds will fail to
come up, and the rows will be more or
less uneven. But the transplanting
plan gives such even rows Of fine plants
as does one good to look at.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
Bet His Whiskers.

William Sells has deserted the circus
business to go into the theatrical bust
ness. He now manages a New York
theater, but he likes to tell Of the old
show days. He had in those days a
partner known Familiarity as "Jim'
Hamilton. Hamilton had q black,
bushy beard-hair that would have
driven Paderewski into seclusion-and
a general intellectual air. One night
some one suggested that Hamilton
would look better IL he would shave Off
his whiskers. Sells, who knew OF Ham
ilton's fondness for his whiskers. Of
fered to bet $25 tina; Hamilton wouldn't
shave. Hamilton, who was present,
replied, II will take that bet He did,
and a barber was sent for. Hamilton
submitted quietly to the operation.
Then he asked gently If sells would bet
$50 he wouldn't have his hair cut. Sells
said he would. Hamilton took it, and
then had his hair trimmed until he
looked like a convict. When he got all
through he said, musingly: II have
been intending to shave and clip my
hair but this makes it easier" Sells
did not hear until later that it was all
a put-up job, and that Hamilton had a
habit of letting his hair and beard
grow to such proportions just to get
some one to bet him that he wouldn't
shave.-New York Tribune.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
SKILLED FARM LABORERS DE-
MANDED.

Notwithstanding the fact that ma
chinery has been introduced that does
away with much Of the hard labor that
was performed on the farm by hand
n few years since, laborers seem to
grow scarcer year by year, and at times
1t is very difficult for the farmer to
command all the help needed to push
forward his work in busy seasons; and
il is skilled farm laborers that are need
ed. The man who doesn't possess
enough intelligence to hitch up to and
operate most any sort of farm ma
chinery isn't wanted any longer on
most farms. In looking for n good
hand the farmer now counts skill
worth as much as muscle. He knows,
from sad experience, that in unskilled
hands n machine will, in all probable
ity, suffer injury and damage far be-
yond the amount of wages paid, and he
strives to steer clear of this sort Of I'M
profitable labor.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
curious Cuban Forts.

The most invulnerable and curious Of
all the forts erected In this part of Cuba
says letter in the Philadelphia Times
are made of old steam boilers. At
every factory of any age there were n
number of worn out boilers which had
been thrown aside. Each was about
thirty feet long and six feet in diam,
eter, and made of steel 5-S to "a of an
inch thick. These were taken i'm hand
at the machine shops, the braces and
heads were knocked out and a doorway
and loopholes cut in them. They were
then carted to the top of knobs and set
up on end and braced i'm place with
railroad iron. Three floors were put
In each. and n ladder was hung against
the inside Of the shell as means Of
communication from top to bottom.
These novel forts are so secure when
the steel door Is once closed upon the
garrison that some of the planters have
lost confidence in them for outposts.
They believe that the men of their
garrisons feel such confidence that they
60 to sleep as soon as they get inside
New Orleans Picayune.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09

win lose more Of them. Not only are
they caught by hawks, but there are
other dangers which beset them. Most
provoking of all Il to have your neigh
boris cat dine or chicken daily, while
You wonder how Blackie manages to
lose one or two chickens every day. By
and-by you catch the innocent-looking
pussy in the very act OF springing upon
the chick. and the mystery is solved.
1t must never be forgotten that the
coops, as well as the feeding and drink
ing vessels, must be kept clean. Filth
breeds disease always and everywhere.
The mites which are so annoying, es-
pecially in warm weather, soon infest
an unclean coop.
For the first four or five weeks Of
their lives they will need to be fed at
least five times daily. 'Little and Of
ten" is good rule to follow In feeding.
Corn bread made by mixing the meal
into batter with buttermilk, using
twice as much soda as the measure Of
milk, as IL for the table, makes one OF
the best foods for small chicks. This
quantity of soda will make the bread
crumble readily. Possibly the crust
may need soaking. 1t Is not great
deal Of trouble to bake once a day
enough to last until the next day, and
as food 1t Is certainly an improve
ment on raw cornmeal mixed with
water, which some Of us can remember
used to be the regulation food for young
chicks. II the skim milk is not fed to
the calves or pigs 1t can be given to the
chickens to drink; or, better still, after
it has clabbered, heat until the curd
and whey separate. There is nothing
better than the curd for young chick
ems, especially during the first three or
four weeks Of their lives. AS soon as
they are old enough to eat wheat, give
all they will eat of this grain for the
last feed at night. Cracked corn may
alternate with the wheat, and at later
period whole corn.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
Cleanliness and cheerfuIncss.

The present agitation in the Salvation
Army recalls a description given by a
visitor after an hour or two at the slum
quarters. 1t is interesting, as showing
the methods pursued by these young
women who lead lives of sacrifice and
privation in their efforts to reclaim and
assist distressed humanity.
Two young women, not dressed in
the customary Salvation Army uniform
but wearing dark-blue calico dresses,
gingham aprons, and SLOUGH sailor hats,
rent a room in the most disreputable
part of the city. Their first task is to
clean or rather shovel out the dirt.
While they ply broom and brush, they
sing cheerful songs, not too religious
and in no way referring to the army.
When the room is perfectly clean, few
pieces of broken furniture are set up
chair with only three legs, a stove
with brick doing duty as the fourth
foot, and rickety table. Nothing is
allowed in the room that will give an
air Of comfort to it. They believe that
cleanliness is next to goodness and
cheerfulness a close third, and ascribe
much Of the success of their work to
scrubbing and singing. In few days
tenants in the neighboring rooms be-
come interested in the newcomers. and
attached to them because they are
cheerful and clean, two qualities rare
ly found in these places. Pals of broth
are made and carried to such sick per-
sons as are unable to procure for them
selves, the children about are combed
and cleaned, and the scrubbing and
sweeping processes gradually invade
tie neighbOring rooms. The lowest and
most ignorant persons are not wanting
in a sense of gratitude, and slowly obli-
CATION for comforts developed and APP
preciated appears. The slum sisters are
50 thoroughly i'm touch with the lives
of those to whom they minister, that
their success is almost assured. Fully
seventy per cent. Of ali approached in
this way reform and are persuaded to
undertake new and better fe."-New
York Times.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.


Keep a cat for the rat, and the pig
may get fat.
If you work yourself those around
you will work.
One fat cow is worth a poor coach
and scrubby six.
No need to buy new farm so long as
you can make the old one better.
AS n manure-spreader the sheep
beats all the modern contrivances.
1t is not he that sows, but he that
manures well that gets the big crop.
Double the manure pile, and you may
double the crop. 1t is better than buy
ing a new farm.
If all that is wasted in the kitchen
could get back to the farm the farmer
would become rich.
The farm that is without windmill
lacks one Of the greatest conveniences
that farm can have.
Peach and plum trees are not bene-
fitted by little trimming, while cherry
trees need but little trimming.
There is no danger of manuring soil
too early for vegetables, while the
crops all grow much more tender and
the growth is more rapid.
Even under the most favorable con-
ditions after tree Is transplanted some
time must elapse before its roots secure
such hold upon the soil as to supply
the plant food necessary to make Wig
orous growth.
If you have occasion to kill hen
from your flock and you find her rolling
In fat put that down as the reason your
hens are not laying. Just let up on
the food for few days, and you will
see an Improvement. Don't waste your
food.
There Is no better cross for general
purpose fowl than the Brown Leg
horn and the Plymouth Rock. The
Rock increases the size and the Leg
horn carries with 1t the laying quail
ties. What more can you expect to
accomplish with any other cross?
If any of your fowls snore when they
breathe it is because they have caught
cold through that crack or knot hole
you neglected to plug up last fall.
Nothing will invite cold to locate in a
hens head like an overhead draught at
night, and in this respect hens and
people do not materially differ.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
Farm AND GARDEN NOTES.
ITEMS or TIMELY INTEREST TO THE
FARMERS.

Grooming neutrality-suspicious. OF Tubsv.
euIosls--.skIlIsd Farm laborsrs De-
handed.
Grooming horses il quite common
among farmers, for far more men and
boys take delight In working around the
horse than will do the same thing for
the COW. Yet to brush and curry the
cow, especially ut the time she is she'd
ding her coat, is even more necessary
than TO groom the horse. 1t will aid
greatly In keeping the milk free from
the dust and hairs which introduce
bacteria into 1t, and make 1t impossible
to produce good butter from 1t. Be
sides, no domestic animal enjoys thor
ough currying better than does the
cow. Try 1t and see.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
Fed by Hawks.

A group of men In n Washington
hotel the other night were talking
about lazy people, when one told an
anecdote that broke up the meeting.
The relator, observes the Star, said
that a family of his acquaintance liv-
ing In southern Indiana subsist upon
fish entirely. A stream runs through
the little farm upon which they re-
side, and fish hawks are plentiful. The
boys of the household keep close watch
for fishhawk nests, and catch the birds
before they are able to fly. Then these
chicks are raised In a happy-go-lucky
sort of way until the older birds Of the
flock train them how to fish.
The hawks are let loose and the boys
lay in the grass by the side of the
stream watching them. When a hawk
catches fish, the prey is taken from
the bird, which, however, is allowed to
eat all It wants when the days fishing
is over. They have enough howks to
keep Ssh on hand sufficient to supply
them with food, and to sell few, by
which their scant clothing can be re-
plenished. Not one OF the family ever
attempts work Of any kind, and they
are supported entirely by the hawks.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09

the old company are renting telephones
at 81 per month, which Ii thought to be
the cheapest rate enjoyed by amy town
in the country. One result ID to In
crease the number Of telephones In use
five-fold. The demand for telephones
at the cheap rate has extended from the
city to the little country towns near by,
and even to the isolated farms. To
meet this demand three men, with little
capital, but with enough to buy some
wire, cut holes In their own wood lots,
and doing their own construction, soon
had connected eleven villages with
Shelbyville. They hope soon to have
every village In the southern half Of
their county In their circuit. 1t Is de-
scribed as the cheapest telephone sys-
tenn In the country.
Notwithstanding the one hundred
and fifty patents issued to inventors Of
hOrseless carriages, to be propelled by
electricity, steam, gas, gasoline, hot
air. springs and perpetual motion, the
Live Stock Journal thinks none Of
them are practicable, and their only use
thus far is to brighten farmers into sell
ing off their horses before the "horse-
less age" comes. City horse dealers
have worked this notion SO strongly
that they have bought thousands OF
horses of frightened farmers at less
than it cost to raise them, and shipped
them East and to Europe at two to four
times the price. Now that the supply
Of good horses is exhausted, and prices
advancing in city markets, those who
kept their courage and their horses find
eager buyers for good draught and
coach horses. Horses must be used In
cities to draw heavy loads and fine car
riages, and on the farm to plough,
plant and reap. Farmers who have
been frightened off from breeding good
horses now find they have lost three
years of valuable time, and must start
in at the bottom, with the best mares
gone, and but few good stations to re-
establish our once proud and profitable
horse breeding industry.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09

the footpad, with more brusquerie than
h permitted In social circles where dia-
monds are worn.
Permit me-" said the gentlemanly
book agent. opening his valise, ITO ofIer
you In lieu Of my Insignificant existence
this cali. bound, gllt-edge, hand-tooled
Life OF Napoleon In three volumes,
payable ON the instalment plan. Make
your own terms; we never disappoint q
subscriber and r.
He found himself alone.-Indianap-
ellis Journal.
afraid OF the other fellers CALM him
stingy, is that moral courage?"--Cin.
cinnati Enquirer.
While You Wait.
Fitfully blaxed the lights In the Bong
tong restaurant.
"Hullo, Beardsley," called Dumley,
ms he sat down Mt the next table; been
waiting long?"
Beardsley shook his head morosely.
''Half an hour" he answered in .
voice of gloom.
THAT sop continued Dumley;
whats your order?'
1.-TWO eggs, boiled four minutcs."-
Rockland Tribune.
Hardened.
81 just saw man slip on a banana
peel, and he came up smiling and never
said an unpleasant word"
Il guess he must be learning to ride
a bike."-Puck.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
THE CARE OF EARLY CHICKS.

Early-hatched chickens seem to have
stronger constitutions than those which
are Matched after the weather becomes
warm. 1t is surprising how much cold
they will endure IL they are kept dry.
If it Is possible, 1 like to have one or
two broods out by the first of March.
When one has no incubator and must
await the pleasure Of the hens this can
not always be done. A Slated coop,
which will confine the hen and allow
the chickens to run about, placed In a
dry shed, into which the sun can shine,
Is a very good place for them for the
first four or six weeks. II the presence
of rats is suspected. there should be a
tight box-coop In which to fasten them
ut night. In some localities this Is abb
solutely necessary as protection from
minks and weasels.
IL the hens have as free range as
they have on the greater number of
farms, the young chicks may also be al
lowed to run at large after the first few
weeks. but they should be kept In the
coops until the middle of the forenoon.
It Is well to remember that limp and
apparently lifeless chick whic has
been caught in sudden shower may
often be warmed back to life by bring
ing 1t to the fire. 1t may be necessary
TO bring them In by the basketful some
times, and have seen some surprising
resuscitatIon In such cases. A hen
running mt large will raise her brood
with less feeding than one confined in
. small lot, but the chances are that she
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
SYMPTOMS OF TUBERCULOSIS.

SYMPTOMS OF TUBERCULOSIS.
These are first cough, accompanied
by quick breathing, then a discharge
from the lungs or throat, brightness Of
the eyes, loss of flesh, bad-smelling
breath, in a COW thin blue milk, def
cient in caseine (the curd) and rich in
fat. The skin becomes drawn and the
hair harsh and erect, the cough be-
comes worse; II the bowels are dis
eased, there is an incurable fetid diar-
rhea, and as the disease progresses the
animal becomes skin and bone only,
and very weak and lettering. Finally
it lies down for the last time and slowly
dies. If the milk organs are affected,
as they may be, although the lungs and
bowels may show the effects most, the
milk is likely to affect persons who
may use it, or the meat will be diseased
and unfit for food, as carrying the
germs Of the disease with it, unless
thoroughly cooked.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
Where Tea Is Not Popular.

IL you call for tea at n restaurant I'm
Caracas, the proprietor will send to the
nearest drug store for it, and express
n regret that you are i'll. The native
Venezuelan regards tea as most I'M
pleasant beverage, and to be used only
incidentally. 1t is not kept in any Of
the hotels, and when 1t Is especially or
dered the quality is simply abominable
for all the world like dose Of SIENNA.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09

In one season the rice yield IN the
Rangoon Province Of India has ex-
ceeded 1000, 900 tons.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09

Fifteen men and twenty-three wo-
men died In Great Britain during 1895
aged over 100 years.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09
YHB J0KRRS BUDGET.
SEsTs AND YARNS ~ FUNNY MEN
or THE PRESS
No Reason for Haughtinsss.--Mads Light
oflt--Two Birds With One Stone---An
Improvement. ETC., Etc.
Made Light Of II.

Mr.. Dolley-What do you mean BY
saying that your father made light of
my proposal?
Miss Giggles-Well, he did. He used
1t to ignite his cigar with.-Detroit
Free Press.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-09


poor farm, which, according to the Spy,
is well managed both for the inmates
and the taxpayers. The leading feat
ure is the raising Of swine on city gar
bage. Over two thousand animals are
kept, and about one thousand feet In
pasture, the feeding grounds being
changed from time to time and plough
ed In. About eight hundred Of the hogs
are butchered In the fall, and their
sales make the scavenger department
self-supporting to within 500. Wor-
cester claims to have set the pace for
other American cities In the disposal of
sewage and of garbage. There has al
so been some profit from the sales of
surplus farm produce. The leading
products have been: 1856 bushels pota-
toes, 4O6 of onions, $40 Of beets, 2OG of
beans, 75 of peas, 76 of tomatoes, IL
of Lima beans, so of currants, 101 of
pears, 475 of apples, 1900 baskets field
corn, 1902 dozen sweet corn, 5000 Gu
cumbers, 400 melons, III pounds rhu-
barb, S63 quarts strawberries. IA tons
squash, 800 punches celery, 6O4O cab
bage, 34S dozen eggs.
Shelbyville, Ind, is one of the many
places west and south where the war
of rates Is on between the Bell Tele-
phone Company and its new and less
powerful rivals. The Shclbyville Com
pany is winning thus far, perhaps be-
cause 1t was shrewdly conceived as n
mutual company with great number
of stockholders. 1t has fifty years.
franchise from the city, and both II and