davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
ORCHARD AND GARDEN.

foung orchards often need addition
al fertility.
Be on the lookout for the leaf-eating
caterpillar.
In pruning cut out all weak and
crowded branches.
There is little danger of injuring an
orchard by manuring.
All pruning cuts made at this time
should be covered with oil or wax.
Keep good lookout for tent eaterpil-
lars during the summer.
To secure the best grapes more or
less thinning is necessary.
The more healthy leaves plant has
the better the fruit will color.
Pulling off vine leaves to let in sun
and air is an injury to che vine.
Starvation and neglect are the great
causes of unfruitfulness with fruits.
Too large and too thick heads on the
fruit trees should always be avoided.
Tobacco water will destroy worms
and bugs on rose bushes. Spray it on
If the fruit tree is heavily laden with
fruit thin it out before it breaks the
tree down.
Weeds and suckers should be KEEP,
down between the rows of raspberrie:
and blackberries.
You can crowd fruit trees and plants
only at the risk of getting reduced
crops of inferior fruit
The secret of growing extra fine
Strawberries is to cut off the runners
as fast as they appear,
Fruit trees that have been grated
need to be looked after to see that the
stock does not make shoots.
Protection from too much sun is al
ways an advantage with currants
gooseberries and raspberries.
When the peach tree is making a
spindling growth of twigs and limbs
it is a good indication that the sol
lacks potash.
With young orchard at this time
it will be good plan to stop cultiva-
tion and mulch carefully, leaving the
soil in good tilth.-St. Louis Republic
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18

He ran his fingers up through his hair,
where gray was now the prevailing tint.
But" he went on with a sudden access
of newer pride of place, there's not
many states that beat Ioway. Corn.
and cattle, and horses, and hogs. and
| nobody asking what's the matter with
Ioway, and good shingle and plaster
stead of mortgages. I've had runs on
good many roads, but | don't think
I ever went through much better eoun-
try than this He waved his hand in
the direction OF the outer world.
Yes" said Mrs. Lennox, I've always
understood il was a prosperous state.
Still l suppose, going through it every
day as you do, it must get rather mo-
netonous, after alp
WELL" smiled the conductor. Il don't
say but what the sight of likely face
and word or two with passenger now
and then isn't to my liking. Its pretty
much of a sameness with me, that's
fact It's tear and punch tickets, and
put slips in hats. and get orders from
the dispatcher and give copy to the en-
gineer, and throw cup of coffee in the
way station, and sleep, and at it again
till the end of the run. That's one days
peace with my son Tom and his wife.
He turned around TO note that the
neighboring spaces were unoeeupied.
I've got notion" he continued, that
I'm likely goin' TO be a grandfather one
of these days pretty soon." He sighed
a little. But I'm right sure don't feel
as old as that. Now, there's Matt
Snyder. he runs on the Firetiy, that's
from 0skaville 10 keona. he's a grand
all. | never heard of old Matt acting
real sociable like with any of his pas.
sengers. But then" he added, with
gay smile, Il don't reckon there's as
good people travels on his run as on
this one"
Mrs. Lennox was wondering what the
men who talked TO her over her shoulder
in the opera box would think if they
saw her chatting and smiling with a
conductor on an Iowa passenger train.
And then she thought TO herself that an
attractive young woman was doubtless
just as attractive to little old condue
tor on a western railroad as to So
eiety butterfly. 1t was not her fault
If she was created in such fashion that
even this little old man, who thought he
was going to be a grandfather pretty
soon, was fascinated by her. Mrs. Len
noA felt pleased and fattered. She
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE.
without IL Road building Cannot lie
Made n Success


There is one fault frequently COM
mitted in the use of the road machine;
there is an insufficient escape allowed
for water. Those who operate the ma
chimes object to being bothered by bars,
or the so-called "thank you, marms." ="
So these are not being put in their
places as they should be.
If there is n short sag to be filled
it can probably be done from ma
terial at the sides by using drag
scrapers, then dress up with road
machine, or if the soil is a stiff clay or
muck, haul on gravel, rock, shale or
sand if they are available. If not, the
embankment should be raised to an
extra height to give quick drainage.
The worst feature in the working of
the roads is that they are made the
cutters of the county.
The ditch on the upper side of the
road gathers all the water from the
fields above the road and carry it to the
foot of the hill; the ditch on the lower
side gathers all the water coming from
the road. and between the two our road
systems are being washed out.
Drainage can and should be provided
to get the water outside of the road linn
its at short intervals. Water is a poor
road material. Keep it from getting
on the roads where possible.-Kenyou
(Mich.) Leader.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
ORCHARD CULTIVATION.
Fruit Must Receive as G"od Care -
All Other Crops.

Good tillage increases the available
food supply of the soil; it also con-
serves its moisture.
Trees should be made to send theiI
roots deep into the soil, in order to for
tify themselves against drought. Ihls
is done by draining the soil and by
plowing the orchard rather deep.
This deep plowing should begin the
very year the trees are set, and 1t should
be continued every spring until the
habit of the tree is established.
Moisture is retained in the upper soil
by very frequent but shallow tillage, by
means of which the surface of the land
becomes a mulch for the soil beneath
Tillage should be begun just as soon
as the ground is dry enough in spring
This tillage should be repeated as
often as once in ten days through grow
ing season-from spring until July OF
August.
Tillage should not exist for the pur'
pose of killing weeds.
Late cultivation may be injurious by
inducing a late growth. AT all events
ii can be of small utility when the tree
begins to mature and rains become fre.
auent. This season of respite gives the
grower the opportunity of raising a
green manure, and of adding fertility
to his land at trifing expense and with
no harm to his trees.
Fall blowing may be advisable fol
farm crops, but not for orchards.
Only cultivated crops should be al.
lowed in orchards early in the season
Grain and hay should never be grown
In general level culture is best. The
modern cultivators and harrows make
such cultivation easy.
Trees, especially apples, are often
trained too high. because of difficulty of
working close; but modern tools per.
nit the heads to be made low.
Harnesses with no projecting names
nor metal turrets should be used in
bearing orchards. Those requiring nc
whiffletrees are also useful.
Potash is the chief fertilizer for fruit
trees, particularly after bearing.
Potash may be had in wood ashes
and muriate of potash. An annual ap.
plication of potash should be made upon
bearing orchards. Of the muriate from
500 to 700 pounds to the acre.
Barn manures can be used with good
results, particularly on old orchards.
Cultivation may be stopped late In
the season, and a crop then be sown
upon the land This crop may serve as
a cover or protection to the soil, and as
green manure.-Prof. L. II. Bailey
in Stark Bros Orchard Bulletin.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18

thought it would delight her husband
when she told him about it.
Il reckon your husband'll be at the
depot to meet you?" said the conductor.
well, you tell him Jim Watson said he
was in mighty good luck to have as like
" woman as you. You tell him that,
will you? No offense. Tell him the
conductor of No. SO said that There's
the whistle for Lincolnville now. Got
your traps?"
When the cars came to a standstill
she had caught sight of her husband
waiting on the platform and gave lit
tie jump into his arms, and when the
first swift joy of meeting was over the
train was once more in motion, and she
caught only the wave of the conductors S
cap as he swung himself onto the steps
OF the last car.
"Oh, Fred" she said, land never said
good-by to him!" And then she told,
with much amusement and many efforts
to make her husband jealous, the story
of how she had made little old con-
dnctor on No. 90 fall in love with her
at first sight.
And she treasured the little episode
securely in the fragrant spaces of her
memory until one day when, returning
eastward, she heard familiar voice in
the seat behind her.
where were you hatched?"
I'm from New York" followed a
feminine one.
you don't say!" said the first voice.
I'm from New York state myself"
1t was the voice of the little old con-
ductor,-Copyright, 1897, by n. Y.
Truth Company.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
FERNS IN THE HOUSE.
Easily Managed When You Know
How.

now.
Ferns may be moved at any time,
from early spring, when they first begin
to show their coils of young green, to
late autumn, after they have gotten
their growth, when their height and
general characteristics can be seen.
Take them up with good ball of earth
when possible, though that is not abb
solutely necessary one can very read
lily remove them with all their roots in
tact, they grow usually in such soft soil,
not running very deep.
They are like all other plants, their
cultivation is easy enough when we
know just how to manage them, and
this knowledge must come by expert
ence.
Ferns can also be successfully grown
in the house. In the fall have often
taken pots of various sizes right into
the woods and filed them with selected
plants. By potting them Immediately,
it seemed to give them no idea of change
so they would never show the least sign
of willing. | have kept them in this
way for decorations almost whole
winter. Window boxes are pretty
filed with ferns. Take up with them
the trailing arbutus, the wintergreen,
and partridge berry vine, whose bright
scarlet berries will swell and remain
fresh all winter. There are number
of little evergreen vines in the woods
that can be taken as well, that will
grow in the house just as though II
were spring.
There is long list of ferns now to be
had from the florist, that will do nice
~ for amateur cultivation. OF this list
the Adiantumis, or maiden-hair ferns,
are perhaps the most popular, as they
the the most generally cultivated.
Adiantum Farleyense is coming to be a
great favorite, owing, doubtless, to its
fine endurance in ordinary room cul-
ture. The amount of hardships it will
endure without being injured is quite
remarkable. For low fern pans
Adiantum cuneatum is much used.
AS to the watering of ferns there
seem to be differing opinions; my ex-
pericnce has been in favor of frequent
sprinklings, and considerable water.
never allowing the plant to dry out In
order to insure this constant moisture
In the roots it is well to put moss about
them. When plants are set in jar
dinieres the moss on top adds to their
beauty, aside from serving a practical
purpose. One requirement. however.
which they insist upon when potted, is
good drainage, as they will not endure
standing in water.-Washington Home
Magazine.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
A USE FOR TRAMPS.
In the South Weary WraggIes Is Com
PEELED to Build Roads.

Visitors to the south have probably
noticed that there are several southern
states in which tramps are rarely seen.
The reason why these states have such
immunity from tramps, while Massa
ehusetts is overrun with vagabonds of
the criminal class. is simply to be found
in the different methods of treatment
of such criminals. In these southern
states, where tramps are so seldom
seen, it is the uniform practice TO put
all suspicious characters at work upon
the construction of public roads
throughout the states.
When a state has more roads that
need Improvements than money with
which to effect these Improvements.
the employment of tramps as roadmak-
ers has been found to work to the sat
isfaction of the general public. A Grim
inal class is kept out Of mischief, while
at the same time the value of the taxa
BILE property OF the state is increased.
Farmers are benefited by being able
to get their produce to market with
far less trouble and delay than were
formerly expected as matter of course.
The state secures good roads at little
expense.
OF course, the tramps do not care to
work day after day, toiling away upon
the state highways; but whenever they
are caught within such state they
cannot help themselves. The conse-
quence is that after few years of this
system the great majority of tramps
give the state a wide rth.-Boston
(Mass.) Advertiser.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

-N[acaulay would eften reeast an
entire chapter because one paragraph
did not please him. Tennyson would
spend morning polishing single line.
Jules Verne says that his plot is the
last thing he thinks of. He lets it form
gradually, while studying up the par
ticular country of which he intends to
write.
The demand for Edward Bellamy's
new book, Equality" necessitated the
putting the presses to work on the sec
ond edition within three days after pub
lication.
-Besaneon, Victor Hugo's native
town, wiz erect statue to the poet,
thus forestalling Paris. Five thou
sand francs have been subscribed by
the municipality.
Jean Ingelow as a child was ex-
tremely timid and fearful. She would
creep away into corners to dream
dreams, then write them down and hide
them in a box.
When Philip Gilbert Hamerton's
library was sold many valuable old first
editions went low, while a Swinburne,
giver him by the author, brought very
high price.
Among American collectors the fol-
lowing writer's are known as the big
six" Poe, Lowell, Emerson, Longfel-
low, Hawthorne, Whittier, with Bryant
Immediately following.
-Rudyard Kipling has recently fin.
ished the manuscript of a short story
dealing with Indian life, ''The Tomb
of His Ancestors" and also of new
poem, THE Feet of the Young Men"
Marie Corelli is, in point of income,
the richest woman writer of the time.
She is physically somewhat the style
of the late Duchess" small and blond,
in spite of her Italian blood.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
Packing Apples for Market.

In order to pack good apples it is of
course necessary to have good stock to
work on. Apples should be firm when
packed, not ripe. and should be graded
as 10 quality. We believe in making
the number one grade just as good as
it can be made; put nothing in this
grade that you would be ashamed of,
not even in the center Of the barrel In
our experience, no money has ever been
lost on fancy packed apples. II is on
poor. ill-packed stock that buyer and
shipper lose money. Have apples faced
mp nicely. but the stock should not
really be very much better on the face
:han in the interior of the barrel. that
is, il fancy stock. but the face apples
should be OF even size and color.-Stark
Bros Orchard Bulletin.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
FARM AND GARDEN.
ARTISTIC ENTRANCE.
How to Make the Approach to n farn
House Attractive.

First impressions are generally last
ing. The first impression of mans
farm often comes from the appearance
of the entrance driveway. II it is sim
ply e track up through field, or If one
must pass through pair o bars IN
order to reach The house, the impression
is not apt to De particularly pleasing.
The making . 4 handsome entrance
10 ones home Is nos 50 much matter Of
expense as Of materials and good taste.
The materials fer making the entrance
shown in the accompanying Illustration
are to be found On most of our north
ern farms. or in the immediate vicin-
ity. All that IS needed is proper ar
rangement. a wise planting of trees and
shrubbery, and properly laid-out road
way. to make 4 handsome entrance.
The road should enter on a curve, and
the entrance should be fanked on
either side by a thick growth of trees
and shrubs. Two large powders are
selected for posts on either side, and
other smaller powders make up the
wall. This is designed as the founda-
fion over which our common woodbine
shall be trained Such a wall. and en-
trance posts we'll covered with the
wonderfully thrifty and handsome vine.
will make a sight the eye will love to
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
Popularity of white.

As the season advances and genuine
summer heat makes itself felt, the
white gown takes precedence of all
for the occasions that allow of its re-
naming unsoiled.
Cloth, pique, India silk, mousseline.
chiffon and simple organdie are all hon
ored alike, the question of preference
being purely personal one.
The thin, diaphanous materials natu-
rally call for lace frills and ribbon.
while the heavier stuffs allow for great
er severity in style and cut, but it is
the total absence of color which gives
them their peculiar charm and makes
such gowns cool in appearance, as well
as in fact.
True art in dress means a study Of
effect, not alone as pertains to the wear
er, but as felt by the observer also.
When the eolorless costume therefore is
recognized as a relief and comfort 10 ths
lOoker-on and boon TO the individual
at one and the same time, the reason
Of its undyiug popularity is explained.
-lhicago Reeosl.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
WIT AND WISDOM

-Cruelty.-Belle Ito cadet-.u.
you do resemble my old aunt in anna ~"
ance. All you need to make tha
senblanee perfect is a moustaehos
Fliegende Blatter.
His Trouble.-"Dear mein
claimed the fly; ''these bald-heaSas
men are very annoying. Not one :,
them will sit still a second after IGap,
on his head. Puck.
Perhaps He Told the Truth.-aw..
old Billinger telling the truth. do Won
think, when he said lie had always M,
principle above mere party suecess@
~ think he was. He has run for off,.
about 40 times, and has never bean
elected yet.'-Cincinnati Enquirer
"A Masterpieee.-Bishop Goodfellov
$50 you think John Gotrox's will +.
a masterpiece of legal ingenuity and
acumen, do you?" Judge sharnlev~
"sir, / drew it; and ] will stake nv
reputation upon that Wills lasting II
the courts as long as the proper,
does. Judge.
-Dumleigh-'Fogg has a nasty wax
of talking sometimes. The way h,
spoke of my new story was mean
enough" Copleigh-"Did he say il
wasn't a good thing?" Dumleigh-eNo
he didn't go quite so far as that; bu,
he expressed the opinion that I was
excessively cautious in getting il eonv
righted. Boston Transcript.
A parish beadle was lately much
exercised at the appearance of strange
old gentleman who, when the sermon
was about to begin, took an ear-trum.
pet, in two parts, out of his pocket, and
began serewing them together. The
beadle watched him until the proces,
was completed, and then. going stealth.
lily up, whispered: eye mauna play thai
here! If ye dae, I'll turn ye oot!n-
Tit-Bits.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
The Charge.

The other morning man named
SissoRs, who stammered dreadfully,
was placed in the dock of a London
police court.
1t was very difficult for him to pro-
nounee his own name.
He had the misfortune TO stay out
late and make an uppoar over night,
and to account for it before the magis-
trate the next morning.
Sissons began to reply:
s-ss-ssss-sss-sss-"
stop that noise and tell me your
name" said the magistrate, impa-
tiently.
"Sss-sss-sss-sss-"
That will do" said the magistrate
severely. policeman, what is this
man charged with o.
Il think, yer honor. he's charged wild
sody-water.'-Spare Moments.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18

dwell upon; and the owner of such
an entrance can feel assured that his
place will be much more highly respect
ed in the eyes of passers-by.
1t takes so little of ones time and ef-
forts to make these inexpensive i'm
provements about ones home that the
wonder is that more is not done. Get
the children interested in such work
as this about the home, and they will
soon learn to love it and be proud of it.
When these feelings are entertained for
the home on the part of the boys and
girls, we shall see fewer of them leay-
ing the farms for the uncertain life
of the cities.-Country Gentleman.
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
IN THE CUPBOARD.
s,me Articles THAT should BE Al
wars On Hand.


The woman who does all or even part
of her own cooking should keep her pam
trv well stocked. And this should be
not alone with ordinary wet and ary
groceries, but with little aids to nice
cookery. 10,
The saving of the old preacher: "Ah,
nv brethren, if our foresight were only
equal to our hindsight how mheh
trouble might be saved us!" might be
echoed by the housekeeper when sne
has to send a gray, unattraetlVe=loek-
ing gravy to the table, because there Is
no Drowned flour with which to thiekeh
il and no time to brown any; or when
she must serve tasteless stew instead
of a savory ragout, because she does
not discover until the last moment that
there are no sweet herbs in the house.
Such provisions are not expensive,
and there is no reason why every gooa
housekeeper should not have store OF
them in the house. In many cases she
can prepare them herself. An occa-
sional rainy day will give her an oppof-
tunitv to provide stock that will last
her for several weeks and even longer
Forethought should have been eXer-
cised in laying aside ingredients to
make use of now. If she wants TO eandy
lemon or orange peel, the skins OF all
that have been used in the house for
several weeks should have been thrown
beforehand into salt and water to await
the day when she could make it coll
venient to candy them. Sweet herbs
that are grown in ones own garden al
ways seem to have spicier flavor than
those bought at shop. The big punches
of thyme, sweet marjoram, summer
savory and parsley should have been
carefully selected and hung, tied to-
gether, head downwards, in dry attic.
Those that are sun-dried lose much of
their flavor. Then, when the spare day
comes, the leaves may be stripped from
the stalks, powdered fine, and each kind
put away in marked tin box, or small
glass jar, with closely-fitting cover.
The flour may be Drowned this day,
too, stirring it from time to time that ii
may color evenly. The doors leading
from the kitchen to the adjoining rooms
should be kept closed while this is go
ing on, that the pervasive and unpleas-
ant odor of the cooking flour may not
permeate the entire house. Brown
thickening, or roux, consisting of equal
weights of butter and -four, cooked to-
Pether until of a fine golden brown, is
most useful to have at hand for thick
ening, is easily prepared and keeps any
length of time. Caramel or burnt sugar
for favoring custards and creams, and
for coloring soups, gravies and ieings, is
easy to make and does good service.
Rolled cracker meal for croquettes
chops and outlets may be obtained from
the accumulation of broken crackers
that are unpresentable for the table
and trouble is saved by keeping it on
hand ready for use, instead of waiting
until it is needed before preparing It
Odd bits of cheese should be grated, and
the powder bottled or put into jars
where it will be dry and safe from mice
.-Houcpyife
The Van Buren press., 1897-09-18
stubborn Jurors.

ut is funny how stubborn some
jurors are" remarked a member CT the
panel that tried the men accused of
numbering Little Pete. Some men
will get an idea into their heads, and
YOU can't beat it out with a club.
Now, on this jury the other day a ma
jority wanted to acguit the defendants
because there wasn't much evidence
against them. l was of the opinion
myself that there wasn't enough evil
dence TO warrant a conviction, but
didn't want 10 get set and stubborn
ON any one idea, so / considered the
matter. Finally il occurred to me that
the lawyers that defended the prison
ers were both high-priced men. Now,
30 be were innocent would he hire
two high-priced luwyers2 No sir.
says to myself: That mans guilty.
and ! voted that way, but the rest Of
them were SO bullheaded they colldn't
see it. and We disagreed San Fran
cisco Post