davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1897-11-14
A Potato Crop That Paid.

Cornell university at Ithaca, N. y,
is a noted agricultural college and ex'
nprimeut station. Usually most of the
nxncriments are made without caring
much for profit. But this year the man
uccrs determined to grow potatoes on a
scale sufficiently large to determine
whether this crop can be grown cheap
" enough under scientific treatment to
make the crop profitable The season.
asnIl know, was very unfavorable for
notatoes wet through the summer and
,Iry as the potatoes should bs maturing
Vet as reported by American Cultiva-
tor IN the field fertilized with ~ loads
If stable manure per acre the yield per
acre was $50 bushels and on lana uh-
fertilized was 800 bushels. AS the gen
cral average of the potato crop IN new
York is only 65 bushels per acre. .ne
farmers at Cornell have reason to con-
cratulato themselves on their success
The station potatoes were also free lrom
rot dne doubtless to the liberal use OF
hordearx w mixture and other fungicides'
At present prices Of potatoes the crop
,rown this year is undoubtedly pay
ng one.
:,,, nrin,ing at "Thc Sun" office.
The sun., 1897-11-14
Minor Points Of Manners.

In American homes a visitor staying
for night should indicate when he or
she desires to retire. In England it is
the mode for the house mistress to in
dicate this Not go here. Amusing per-
plcxities arise from one nationality not
understanding another, even on such a
minor point Of manners
Before paying visit it is best to
have the time Of departure understood
by all parties Should the time be pro-
longed. from the hostess, not the host,
must come the invitation 1t is the wo.
man who should have charge of the in
terror arrangements Of a house.
A few days after leaving the guest
should send an appreciative letter to
the hostess, who should in due time
make recognition Of the same Good
Housekeeping
The sun., 1897-11-14
RETURNS FROM AN APIARY.

A Modersts Estimate For . Fairly Good
/ Locality.
Agriculture, like all other branches Of
agriculture, depends largely upon the
natural resources Of the location, and
the favorableness or unfavorableness Of
any particular season, no matter how
skillful the management, may make
great differences in the years return.
The knowledge, skill, industry and
promAtness of the one who undertakes
the care of the apiary have likewise
much to do with the return. Further
more, profits are of course largely affect
ed by the nature and proximity of the
markets. Frank Benton assistant ento-
mologist Of the agriculture department
at Washington, writing in this connec-
tion, says:
A moderate estimate for fairly good
locality would be 80 to 35 pounds Of ex-
tracted honey or 20 pounds OF comb
honey per colony. This presupposes
good wintering and all average season.
When two or more of the important
honey yielding plants are present in
abundance and are fairly supplemented
by minor miscellaneous honey plants,
the locality may be considered excellent,
and an expectation Of realizing more
than the yield mentioned above may be
entertained. With extracted honey OF
good quality at its present wholesale
price of to Z cents per pound and comb
honey at IL to 13 cents, each hive should
under favorable circumstances give a
gross annual return of 50. so to So. From
this about one-third is to be deducted to
cover expenses other than the item OF
labor. These will include. the purchase
of comb foundation and sections, repairs,
eventual replacing of hives and imp'e-
ments and the interest on the capital
invested.
By locating in some section particu-
larly favorable to apiculture-that is,
near large linden forests, with clover
fields within range, supplemented by
buckwheat, or in section where alfalfa
is raised for seed, where mesquite, Cal
ifornia sages and wild buckwheat
abound, where mangrove, palmettoes
and titi, or where sourwood, tulip trees
and asters are plentiful-th net profits
here indicated may frequently be dou-
bled or trebled.
But these favored locations NJ also
subject to reverses, the result of droughts,
great wet, freezes which kill back the
bee pasturage, etc., and, though some
years the profits are so much larger
than those named above as to lend a
very roseate hue to the outlook for the
accumulation Of wealth on the part Of
any one who can possess himself Of a
hundred or two colonies Of bees, the
beginner will do we'll to proceed eau
tiously, bearing in mind that much ex-
perience is necessary to enable him to
turn to the best account seasons below
the average, while during poor seasons
it will take considerable understanding
of the subject, energetic action and some
sacrifice to tide over without disaster.
On the whole, there should be expected
from the raising of bees for any purpose
whatever only fair pay for ones time,
good interest on the money invested and
sufficient margin to cover contingent
cies. With no greater expectations than
this from it, and where intelligence di-
rects the work, agriculture will be found,
in the long run, to rank among the best
and safest of rural industries.
The sun., 1897-11-14
News and Notes.

Electricity is being extensively used
Oh the large German farms.
Manure made from animals fed on
ensilage is free from weed seeds.
From the western states and from
Canada come reports Of great scarcity OF
beef cattle.
The official report Of the condition of
corn makes the October average u
while the average for the past ten Yeas
is 50.
The importance of the rye crop is in
creased by the reduced European supply.
Feeding buffaloes on ensilage is done
at the great Corbin game preserve in
New Hampshire.
The government report estimates this
years potato crop at 1856, 396 bushels
Government statistics give as the av-
erage cost Of raising an acre Of wheat in
this country Sill and varies from $40
in the eastern states to $ll in the south
and west.
1t has been estimated that the United
States wool crop Of 1897 is 259, 1853, 900
pounds against 272,475, 900 pounds in
1896 and 294, 297, 900 pounds i'll 1895.
The sun., 1897-11-14
Keepiuc Sweet Potatoes.

An Arkansas correspondent OF Rural
New Yorker SAYS:
To keep sweet potatoes successfully
requires moderately dry atmosphere
and temperature from so to 10 f. A
tempe rature much below 45 degrees for
any length of time would be likely TO
result disastrously. An ordinary potato
cellar requires the temperature to be
kept too low to be an ideal place for
sweet potatoes. If had few potatoes
and wished to keep them, would use
a good sized box or barrel, stratify the
tubers with perfectly dry sand or chatf
and put them in some warm room IN
the dwelling where the above conditions
could be secured. If no such place could
be found, then would set the barrel or
box in the potato cellar. Being thus
stratified would at least keep them from
sudden changes of temperature, even III
the cellar, which would be no little adj
vantage to them.
The sun., 1897-11-14


seen in the counting room CT the mer-
chant and on the table Of the artisan.
Moreover, we are all countrylnen. The
citizens are always abroad in the land.
Every summer Sends thousands Of the
town people into the country. Every
day sees the city and village bicyclist
or cxcursionist by carriage i'll the most
remote places v here he can find a road
bed good enough for him.
1t is easier to begin Il movement or
organize IL society in the city than in
the country, lut tie good roads organi-
cations which may begin in town may
be expected to spread everywhere. The
people who use the roads most and who
have the most to gain ly their improve
ment may be expected to welcome
every movement which will do them
good. Thoughtful people must, on re-
tlection, conclude that something is
wrong, since in all the advances made
in transportation methods there has
been little or no reform in road trans
portaticn, which is at the beginning of
all movement of commodities and u
persons.
Railway travel today is greatly I'm.
proved over what it was quarter Of a
century ago. Steamship transportation
has been made more luxurious and
cheaper. Yet the average country road
of today is no BETTER, and in many places
worse, thu. it was in the days Of our
fathers. We have faster horses; we
have vastly more elegant and comfort
able carriages, but we are content to
work our horses and rack our vehicles
over the same sort Of highway that
served fer the old two wheeled cart.
Moreover, there is reason to believe
that the amount of time and money
spent i'll keeping up the roads would. if
properly expended, produce better re-
suits than are now obtained. Railways
are built by engineers and experts ac-
cording to well understood systems.
Every improvement that can be devised
is applied to all the railways as soon as
it satisfies the test of experience. The
builders Of steamships do not adhere to
the old methods day longer than they
are known to be the best, but IN the
making of TIE highway there is as yet
in this county very little attempt to
oppiy the latest and best methods or to
utilize the skill of oxperts.
Road reform is che CT the neeGsof the
day. The riission has nothing scnsa-
tional Or thrilling about it, but it con
tains the premise Of large saving in
horses, mcn,y and in the tissues Of
men and women 1t promises cheaper
transportation, increased travel by road,
more life and stir in the country places
and new attraction to rural life.-St.
John IN. B. Sun.
The sun., 1897-11-14

ties Of papyrl than had ever before been
obtained from one site. The discoveries
included literary fragments, accounts,
business contracts and numerous docu-
ments relating to the conduct Of mu-
nicipal affairs
Many large rolls were obtained in
perfect condition, and of these no fewer
than l50 were presented to the Gizeh
museum, but tho greatest treasure Of
the collection, and one OF which it
would be difficult to overestimate the
Importance, is small leaf Of papryus
about six inches long by four wide,
upon which is written a collection OF
logia, or sayings of Christ The leaf
had evidently formed part Of book
which in all likelihood contained a COL
lection of "sayings" Of our Lord
1t is probable that this collection was
made before the second century, and the
character Of the writing affords incon-
testable proof that it cannot be OF later
date than the third. Hence it is at least
100 years older than any known MS. Of
the gospels, and consequently OF the
greatest interest to all students Of the
Scriptures.
The sun., 1897-11-14
The First Sugar Factory.

The beet sugar factory at Rome, N.
Y, is the first one to operate east OF
the Mississippi river. The factory is
cooperative one, the farmers raising
beets, taking for this season their pay
in stock. The company expects to use
about 10000 tons of beets this season
and will turn out white and brown sug-
ar. J. M. Hiaes, an agent of the agri-
cultural department, claims that some of
the beets analyzed show percentage OF
sugar from 10 to II per cent, IL per
cent being the estimate for profit. He
says that as fine beets can be raised i'll
New York as in California.
The sun., 1897-11-14
Successful Wintering of Bees.


Whatever method be followed in viii
tcriuy bt cs certain conditions regarding
the colony itself are plainly essential.
First, it should have good queen; sec
onl. IA fair sized cluster Of healthy bees,
neither too old nor too young; third,
plentiful supply Of good food. The third
essential, good food, says Frank Benton,
assistant entomologist, department OF
agriculture, is secured if the hive is lib
orally supplied with well ripened hon
ey from any source whatever, or with
fairly thick sirup, made from white
cane sugar, which was fed early enough
to enable the bees to seal it over before
they ceased flying. Fifteen to 20 pounds
for outdoor wintering i'll the south, up
to 30 or 40 pounds III the north, when
wintercd outside with but slight pro-
lection, or if wintcred indoors 10 to 70
hounds may be. considered fair supply
of winter food.
A smaller amount should not be trust
ed except in case much greater protec-
tion be furnished against the effects OF
severe weather than is usually given. "A
greater amount Of stores will 90 no
harm if properly arranged over ana
about the center Of the cluster, or III
case the combs are narrow wholly above
the cluster In many instances 1T WILL
be a benefit by equalizing in a measure
the temperature in the hive as well as
by giving to the bees greater confidence
in extending the brood nest in early
Spriug.
The sun., 1897-11-14
Carl's Wish.

Carl was little boy of years He
lived in country across the sea.
As he sat Oh grandfather's knee, lis.
tening to stories Of the king, he thought
he would be so happy if he could only
see the beautiful crown with it's jewels.
He had once or twice seen the king,
as he went with grandfather past the
castle, but never the crown, as that was
only worn by the king on special occa-
sions on state days.
One morning after little Carl had his
breakfast he determined to go to tle cas-
tie and ask the king to please show him
the crown.
He walked and walked At last the
gates We're reached. He asked the sol
dier on guard to please take him to the
king.
81 cannot do that, little boy. The
king is busy man and has other duties
to attend to than listening to little
boys
Poor Carl turned back, sad and un.
happy. He walked tearfully along, not
noticing anything until a carriage stop
ped in front of him. A kind voice said:
"Little boy, what is your trouble? Get
in here and tell the king" Carl told
his wish and was then taken to the cas-
tie to see the crown.
"What beautiful stones! What beau
tiful colors!' exclaimed Carl, gazing
with delight upon the wonderful jew
els as they flashed in the light
The king told him that if he would
use his eyes to see beautiful colors it
was not necessary to come to the castle.
The Birds fruits and flowers around
him were as beautiful as the colors OF
any crown. ~
He gave Carl small box, in which
was something that would bring into
his room the different colors of sunlight.
This little boy went home and open
ed the box. There was a glass prism.
Grandfather told him to hang it by the
sunny window, and very soon Carl had
in his own little room the beautiful.
colors of the crown.-Ida S. MacMullal
in Youths Companion.
The sun., 1897-11-14

truthfully said, the price of farm prod
ucts is fixed at the great cities or rcnf'rs
of consumption and distribution and IS
wholly beyond the farmer S control and
the cost of transportation is principal
factor in determining his profits or the
possibility of any profit On the rail-
roads tho cost of transportation varies
according to bulk and runs from mills
to | cent per ton per mile. But the av'
erape common roads are so bad that III
comparatively good weather two horse
team ard wagon, the value OF whose
service is $} per day, cannot haul ton
of produce moro than ten miles ana re-
turn in day. The cost Of road trans
portation On that Lasis therefore, Is 81
cents per ten per mile, or about Az
times as great as the rate on the rail-
road. Say that the average distance
from the farm to the nearest railway
station is ten miles, and that means
that it costs as much to get the goods 70
or from the railroad station as to carry
them 400 miles on the cars
but there is a long season every year
when the roads in some sections OF MIS-
souri, are simply impossible. ohe p's
wholesale house in st. Louis lost T24o' :
600 in trade last March Oh account OF
the bad roads III Missouri. In many
places it was an impossibillty to go q
mile away from the railroad. General
Roy Stone, " ho has charge OF the ROAD
department established by congress III
1893. and who works under the dlrec-
tion Of the secretary of agriculture says
that Missouri's annual loss by reason OF
defective roads is not less than Sl3' ooo' :
900.
"Such an appalling financial drain on
the resources of this state should DC
speedily checked. Every farmer can
readily see how he will reap immediate
and direct benefit from good ROADS IL
has been estimated that macada1h
road IS feet wide alongside farm ADDS
50 in value to each acre OF land. some
sections Of this state can furnish 'heli
own supply of rock. for CONSTRUCTING
IOauS at very H'"''l"'o e ,,,
Good roads over all the state conld Ut
built on plan hereby the cost OF con
ktruction could be paid in lnstallmeh's
when tho general taxes are PAID alo
the burden would he felt lightly IL
the contrary, 1t would he no turden' lo'
the farmer would be benefited many
times over the amount OF his ROAD taxes
owing to the enhancement OF the valut
Of his land and the increased iacllltie'
of reaching the market with his proo
ucts. Then, too, with good roads, I'll.
market would not be glutted SO o1teh ~
it is now because the farmers product'
could be transported to the railroads 'i'f
whole year round. .ouoot
while the railroads would be forced
to reduce freight rates, they too' woule nc
save money in the long run as l thes ,:
wonld be freed largely from the rusl' a a.
certain seasons, they would haa9e mo.'
freight steadily the whole year through
and their rolling stock could Do ol"w
iShed "
Subscribe for ",The Sun.'
The sun., 1897-11-14
He Cant DO 1t.

Boys who are fond of playing harm
less practical jokes Oh their fellows may
he amused at the following:
Pick out one Of your friends and tell
him he could not put one of his legs
through his arms with his wrists tied
together. He will probably put his
hands together and then try. Finding it
a very simple feat, he will accept your
challenge. Tie his wrists firmly togeth-
er and set him to work
He will soon put his leg through his
urms, but when he tries to get it back
,gain he will find it next to impossible.
After little fun you can, of course, re-
ease him. London Tit-Bits.
The sun., 1897-11-14
ROADS FOR MISSOURI.
nRAN ON THE STATES RESOURCES
TO BE CHECKED.

Of q, ,OOO. 900 Spent For Roads LAST xeef
s032, 900 Went Into the Pockets Of Ovsr-
seers-Commou Roads Neglected and
Farmers and Merchants Suffer.
A state convention for good roads and
public improv ements will be held at st.
Louis on Nov. % and 20. A call for
this state convention has been prepared
bv the officers elected at the charities
md correction and good roads conven-
tion held at St. Louis last year. Circu-
lars have been issue, and 'The States
Duty" and other literature has been sent
into all sections of the state, urging the
necessity for the judges of county courts,
the mayors of cities and the commercial
bodies to name delegates to this impor-
tant meeting.
1t is proposed that each county judge
shall name two delegates from county
and that every city and incorporated
town and also every commercial body
shall send representatives. W. H. Moore
president of the charities and correc-
tion and good roads convention of last
wear; Z. &. Rowse the secretary, and
President Jesse Of the state university
at &c lumbia, who is one of the vice
presidents, and many other prominent
citizens of Missouri are taking an ac-
tive interest in the arrangements for the
coming good roads and public improve
ment convention
''TLe chief object in calling this con-
vention more than a year before the for
ticth general assembly Of Missouri will
convene is to arrange in advance for the
enactment of feasible road legislation,
said President Moore recently. "When
the people Of Missouri understand how
ro,d construction is progressing in a
systematic and practical way i'll other
states, it will be all incentive for them
to adopt similar plans for the building
of good roads and the promotion of pub
lie improy,n cnts. Conventions crystal
llze publ ic sentiment. This state has as
much road legislation on it's statute
books as any state in the Union, per-
haps, but tho fact that good roads are
not being built in Missouri is proof that
active and consistent legislation should
be enacted
Missouri spends 81, 900, 600 year OH
her common roads, but last year $G32,
900 of that sum went into the pockets OF
road oyerse, rs. The common roads have
been neglected III this state. AS has been
The sun., 1897-11-14
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
HIGHWAY REFORM ONE OF THE
NEEDS OF THE DAY.

A Matter That Interests the Townaman
~ Well - the Cheaper Trans
portation Would BENEFIT All Clssses.
Good Roads Associations.
The organization Of a good roads as
sociation in any city is movement to-
ward an important reformation. The
people who live beyond the city limits
have more interest in this matter than
the townspeople, but nearly all do more
or less driving or wheeling, while every
family is interested in the cheap trans
portation Of farm produce.
The farmers have more to gain by
the Improvement Of highways than any
other large class of people. Preachers,
doctors, mail drivers and travelling
agents are small classes who individual
ly have large concern in the state Of
the roads, but collectively do not suffer
privations at all comparable to. that
which the farmers endure by reason Of
bad roads. = ,G+ ', II
The produce which the farmer sends
to market is hauled to town or taken to
the railroad station over the country
highway. The goods he purchases for
his own use must be conveyed part Of
the distance to his home over this route.
He drives his family to church, or to
town, Or visits the neighbors over such
roads as are provided in his district. If
the road is bad one, he can only take
half load when he is carting produce
and can only travel at slow pace when
he drives. His toll is increased when he
works; his pleasure diminished when
he takes his pleasure; his horses suffer;
his wagons and carriages have a short
er lifetime than if his district were pro-
vided with a firm and smooth highway
1t might be possible to compute the ag-
gregate loss to the country in time and
property through the bad condition OF
the roads of the country. 1t would not
be easy to estimate the loss Of comfort
and pleasure or to appraise the conse'
quences of loss Of temper and of health
The townsnan ~ Interested III every
thing that concerns the dweller in the
country. If the country satfers, the city
shares tie trouble. When it is hard for
the farmer to get to market himself, or
to send his produce there, the effort is
The sun., 1897-11-14
The Wooden Bedstead.

All the disadvantages Of the old
wooden betlstead have been success
fully treated by constructing an iron
lath frame which drops into metal
sockets attached to the post of the bed
stead, in place Of the wooden bottom
and the awkward joints which formed
a refuge for dust and dirt. Indeed the
framework is exactly similar to that Of
an ordinary iron bedstead and can be
The sun., 1897-11-14

taken down or adjusted by anybody
without calling in carpenter for the
purpose Made in Sheraton style Of
mahogany, with satinwood inlay, this
new bedstead may well be considered a
thing Of beauty Many styles are rep
resented in the modern wooden bed
stead OF course it ought to match the
other furniture by which it is surround.
ed, both in style and kind Of wood.
The sun., 1897-11-14
The Spry boy.

Little John Fitch
Jumped over a ditch
And thought he was wonderful spry.
Said he, "Now, another
ri jump, though my mother
Forbade me such ventures to try"
The next one he tried,
Alas, was too wide,
And John in the mud was stuck fast
"That terrible plight,
It serves you just right"
The boys said, but saved him ut last.
Then off he ran home.
He looked like a gnome,
All mud from his neck to his heels.
Said mother, my switches
Will clean off your breeches''
They did; you could tell by his squeals.
"A. s. Rye in New Orleans Picayune
The sun., 1897-11-14
Country Postal Delivery.

Rural postal delivery is popular and
is likely to come, but it will depend for
it's efficiency and extension OH better
roads than now exist in most parts Of
the country.
The sun., 1897-11-14
T0llxates NJ ust Go.

Abolishing the tollgates is step in
the good roads movement, but 1t should
lot be the first one, for fear that it
would also he the last. ast.-Philadelphia
LedGer
The sun., 1897-11-14
FOR LITTLE FOLKS.
SABR' SAID.

Tho Egyptian Boy Who Found the "Say.
ings" of Jesus Near Behness.
Probably the most interesting ar
chaological discovery of the century was
recently made by an Arab boy near the
picturesque little village Of Behnesa, in
Egypt. Members of the Egyptian Ex.
ploration society were making an exca-
walton, and the boy, Sabr' Said, was
among the workmen. Their labors re-
suited in the discovery Of larger quanti-