davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
A Chapter on Hamus.

A bulletin Of the department of agricul-
ture sets forth the Importance of vegetable
matter in the soil:
'Humus is the partially decayed animal
and vegetable substances, which give a
dark color to fertile soils, and increase
very largely their capacity for the reten-
ton of moisture, and constitute one of the
most important matters in connection with
soil fertility Ii has been repeatedly shown
that a decline of fertility is not entirely
due to the removal from the soil of the
essential elements of plant food-nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash-but in many
cases is due to the loss of humus. TnIs
loss may be caused by the continuous
growth on the soil of a crop that does not
return any residue to the soil, or by a
system OF cultivation that leaves the soil
bare to action of the oxygen of the air,
as in summer following and fall blowing
or II may be caused in uncultivated land
by forest fires consuming the organic mat
ter Investigations at stations have shown
that ali these causes have operated in the
removal of humus from the soil, and in the
continuous culture of wheat in Minnesota
il was found that the soils thus long crop
ned were in many cases abundantly sup
piled with nitrogen, phosporic acid and
Dotasb and were not benefited by the APP
plications Of these plant foods, but that
there had been decided decrease in the
hunus contents of the soil, which was
the only thing to account for the dimnu>
| ton of their productive capacity. That
this was true was shown by the fact that
where methods Of farming in which humus
making matter was returned to the soil,
its productive power did not decrease, or
| did not decline as rapidly as where con-
| tinuous grain culture practiced. It
was shown by actual experiment that in
| continuous wheat raising there was loss
! of /, 800 pounds of humus per acre annual
I w. From the continuous culture Of corn.
! oats and barley there was an annual loss
| per acre of 100 pounds of humus But
where a proper rotation was practiced and
| crops grown that returned vegetable mat
/ ter 20 the soil, there was an annual gain
| In one instance Of 1900 pounds per acre
] and in another of over two tons per acre.
! Since humus is one OF the chief sources
/ OF nitrogen In the soil, these variations
show a great difference in the nitrogen
| content. and show also how short-sighted
those are who insist that humus Is Of no
importance 20 long as the pant foods are
supplied in the form of commercial feFtii-
lzers Humus Is not only the chief source
OF nitrogen in the soil. but Il influences
/ 10 "a marked extent the available potash
and phosphoric acid. since the decaylng
/ vegetable matters ike green manures ana
/ gtable manure. have the power IN their
/ decay Of makiug combinations with the
Dhosphofic acid and potash IN the aoH
4 ln 40 lnaoiuble shape and thus converting
! Them into forms readily utilized by plants.
IL WIS shown that where proper rotation
wac paeticed. there was q gain Of over
4 slKiY-One pounds Of nitrOgeu per acre, and
I fhaf. too, MOI Dlthaiaudlng the f8ct thar
J lsrfer crops had been grown iu this HCil
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
FLORIDA.

A representative of the agricultural de-
partment at Washington is in Quincy in
vestigating the curing process of tobacco.
Under the head Of Intensely Interesting
Items" the Key West Herald says: THE
city pound was completed yesterday and
last night special police arrested two mules
and three horses"
There have been acres and acres of null
let schooling near New Smyrna for some
time past. and the fishermen are making
q great harvest. Every day great quantl-
ties are being shipped TO Northern mar
kets.
Brookville News-Reporter: Maj. G. p.
Healey of Volusia county is named as
candidate for speaker of the next House.
No man in the legislature is better fitted
for the position. He is well-posted, quick
in perception, firm and yet always genial
and pleasant.
Says the Heather Island correspondent
of the Ocala Evening Star: Either your
intelligent compositor or your correspond
ent did Mr. w. W. Smith a grave in
justice in last weeks Star. for he certain.
ly did not go fishing Sunday; 1t was Sat
urday. Those who know the excellent
Christian gentleman need not be told diff
ferenty.
The several fish companies located at
Miami are making great preparations for
heavy winters business. One firm sent
forward twenty-five barrels of Spanish
mackerel one night last week. Every day
they are adding new boats to their already
large fleet. The Miami river presents q
lively scene the entire northern shore be.
ing filed with boats.
Fernandina Mirror: Capt. D. e. Max
well and DR.. j. d. Palmer were very sue
cessful on their bird hunt on the main
land last Wednesday. They each succeed
ed ia making a bag of birds up to tn,
legal limit. They tested on this occasion
the two guns presented TO them by Presi
cent Frank Thompson of the Pennsyi
vanla Railroad and found them ali thai .
sportsman could desire
The statement coming from Tampa. tina
the citv possesses the only firm which ha
adopted the plan of raising tobacco unde
cover, and that the attempt is progressln,
satisfactorily, has caused much interes
among tobacco producers in this secflo
Of the country. IL is said the GOVERN
stands ten feet from the ground and form
an ample protection from heavy rains am
wind. which would injure the leaves a
the tender plants. il is said the cultur
can be carried on economically, The COS
10 the producer being only about s cent
per pound.
Jacksonville Florida Metropolis: Mrs. Jen
ME Cole Of this city Is In New Jersey en-
"saFoIins 70 collect 500 that remains du
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
The small Farmer and wheat.

We hope many small farmers win adopt
our suggestion recently made 10 sow one
or two acres of wheat in IS or 24-inch drills
and cultivate the crop two, three or four
times as the conditions of soil and wealth
er may seem to demand. repetition Of
narrowing or sweeping A half bushel to
three Peeks of good seed should be drilled
in. 1t is well to wash the seed in bluestone
water and them coat them with air-slaked
lime just previous to sowing. If the crop
was not started in November or early De-
cember it can be done any time in Feb
ruary. Why not try an acre or so after
this manner Get the best seed to be mad
in your locality
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
To Grow watcrcress.

The cultivated crosses are larger and
superior in flavor to those grown wild.
and the market for the improved sort is
good, writes w. E. Farmer in American
Cultivator. Wherever there is a good
swamp with a fresh water brook flowing
through it on the farm, watercresses
should be cultivated as a side crop, and
If the markets are near by quite a little
income can be made from the crop. The
method of culture is simple, although It
requires considerable initial labor to start
the beds. The swamp should first be
cleared of the trees and bushes as much
as possible, and then be cut up into
bitches running parallel to each other
and at right angles. Each ditch should
be about four feet wide and two feet
deep. A space between the bitches should
be left on either side large enough for
a man to pass along to gather the crop.
Cross bitches should intersect these par
alel ones about every twenty feet All of
the bitches should start from the head
of the brook, and the fall in them should
be very slight, SO that the water will
flow away very slowly. If one end of the
swamp is much lower than another the
depth of the bitches should vary just
enough so that the water will be kept
distributed evenly through them. Every
thing depends upon having the water I'M
der control. If the swamp is low on one
side the mud from the bitches should
be thrown up to form an embankment.
At the lowest point dam should be con-
structed to let off the water when need
ed In the spring and fall the water will
collect too rapidly, and it will be neces-
sary to drain off considerable of the sur
plus and a good dam will then fully pay
| for itself. When the bitches are all ready
| the crosses should be planted in the bot
| tom of them by securing cuttings from
| old beds. The cuttings can often be TAX
en- from the wild crosses in some neigh
| boring swamp. They will improve in fla
! vor and quality under their new condi-
| tons They can also be raised from seeds
| and the seeds are sown broadcast into
the bitches. The cuttings are pushed into
| the muddy bottom about a foot apart
each way. They will in a season spread
| all over the bottom and form a complete
mass Of green. In the winter and early
| spring the plants are harvested for The
| market In doing this care must be TAX
en- not to destroy the plants, but simply
| to cut off the edible part and leave the
root growing. The harvester should takt
a bunch In the left hand, and then witt
sharp knife cut off the stalks abou
four inches down. The plants should no
be pulled. The crosses are packed usually
| in half-peck baskets, which in turn arr
| hacked in crates. In winter these basket!
sonnet times sell as high as 81 apiece. Thu
is the most profitable time to gather TIN
| crosses for market.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
nririn and Nntnre of Soils.

Nothing is more common than the soil
under our feet, and yet how many of us
stop 70 consider il, says the American
Agriculturst. If you will take up hand
full of soil and examine IL carefully, you
will see many mineral fragments, which
look like small stones. That is what they
are. All soils are composed very largely
Of pieces Of stone. in a gravelly soil these
pieces are large, some Of them good-sized
pebbles, or even larger, possibly boulders
several feet In diameter. II you examine
a handful Of clay you apparently do not
see mineral fragments but under the mi
croscope this same clay does look like
sand to the naked eye. In fact soils are
composed. mainly. of these particles Of
varying sizes. larger In gravel or sand
and smaller in clay or loan.
The fertility OF a soil depends largely
upon the size Of it's PARTICLES. The min
eral food OF plants Ohe portion OF the
plant which remains as ashes after u is
burned is formed IN the soil by the dis
solving Of the mineral fragments Natu-
rally. which viii dissolve more rapidly.
gravel or fine sand2 Why viii pnlverized
sugar dissolve more quickly than rock
candy2 Because its particles are liner.
ana the LIQUID has more surface 10 oct
upon. Thus fine soil dssoiyes faster than
coarse one. hence plant food u formed
moie rapidly
But soils contain something more tnan
broken fragments u worn and We9fbered
rock II We beat sample u soii "
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05

than on those continuously cropped. At
the North Carolina station it was shown
that on plats side by side and TO which the
same amounts of commercial fertilizers
were applied, che plats In which cow
peas were grown and plowed under when
dry, produced four times the crop Of wheat
that was produced by the plats which We're
continuously cultivated in wheat and to
which only commercial fertilizers were APP
Piled, and this, too, when the natural
growth of grass and weeds on the plats
was turned under annually The loss of
humus not only entails a loss of plant
food, but affairs the physical character of
the soil injuriously, decreasing the reten-
tive power of the soil for moisture, and
for fertilizers also. 1t is a well-known fact
that applications of lime give best results
on soil well-stocked with organic matter,
and that commercial fertilizers have bet
ter effect on such soils. Hence, soils that
have liberal amount of humus will with
stand the effects of long continued
thoughts far better than soils deficient in
vegetable matter. Careful experiments
made to determine the moisture content of
the soil invariably showed that there was
a greater moisture content in the soils
where rotation of crops was practiced. On
sandy soils the absence of humus is more
severely felt than on those of strong clay
for sand has the least moisture retaining
power and clay has a power nearer to that
Of humus, which is the highest. Hence,
the prime Importance of the growth of hui
mus making crops on sandy soils. new
ly broken prairie soil, and soil rescued
from a peaty swamp do not, of course.
| reed to have their humus content increas-
ed for many years at least, and as such
soils are naturally of an acid character.
the use of lime VIII be found an efficient
means for increasing their productivity.
| These muck or swamp soils when we'll
drained are usually among the most pro-
ductive soils, but there are swamp soils
apparently fertile. still unproductive be-
! cause of lack of minor matters or the
available condition of the soil.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
The scrap Book.

Dehorning Young Calves.-Preventing
horns from coming is better than cutting
them off after they have formed. If when
a calf is few weeks old the head is ex-
amined, the place where the horns will
appear can be plainly seen. Get stick
of caustic potash and apply it to this SPOT.
first removing the hair, and holding the
potash there until it makes a slight core
There are few or no nerves where the
horn is formed, and this sore will not af-
feet the calf injuriously in any way.
Water Horses Frequently.-It is not nat
ural for the horse to go long without a
drink of water. His stomach is small and
cannot hold a water supply for a 'ong
time. Watering morning noon and night
when at work in summer time is none too
often. If the work is very heavy two ia
blespoonfuls of oat meal stirred in the pail
Will make the horse drink better, and will
also prevent so much cold water from in
juring his stomach. 1t is a mistake to sup
pose that horse or any other domes ic
animal prefers to drink water only a few
degrees above the, freezing Temperature If
1t is lukewarm the. horse will drink more
freely and the water will be less apt to
injure him.
Coal Ashes for Fruit Trees.-That coal
ashes are beneficial when spread on the
surface of apple orchards in grass cannot
be disputed. But they contain scarcely any
mineral fertilizer, and are, of course. hav-
ing passed through fire, destitute of any
other. Undoubtedly they benefit by setting
as a mulch, and where they cover grass
causing it TO die out and rot. In This way
they supply considerable fertility and
moisture indirectly. Wherever coal ashes
have long lain under fruit trees there will
be an abundance Of free roots Just under
the ashes where the grass has been killed.
Growth OF Strawberry Piants-As the
strawberry plant increases its root growt h
even In cold weather. when the ground IS
not frozen. and ripens hs fruit early in the
spring. a part OF the manure should be ap-
piled Ia the fall. especially II IL be stable
manure As a TOP dressing lts value Is
then doubled. for lts fcrtilizing powers are
most effective. AZ a mulch II protects from
cold. and it Lessons the freezing and hoav-
INK 81 The ground 80 damaging to the
roots.
Potion Ivy-POison IVY Qthus toxicoden-
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05

red heat, we find that after cooling it has
lost weight This loss was parity water
and partly organic matter. All of our
soils contain large quantities Of decayed
and decaying plants. This decayed mate
rial gives to the soil its dark color. Muck
soils are dark colored because they have
a large amount of decayed swamp grass
and weeds. Clay soil has among its very
fine particles a small quantity of sill
cate of aluminium, which gives ID Its
sticky or plastic quality. Loan soils have
more or less of this same sticky mate
rial The importance of soil to animal
and plant life cannot be estimated. With
out it we could not exist. All forms of
trees and all kinds of crops would perish
and all forms of animal life, including
man, would perish with them Only a
few MOSES and lichens would remain.
Where does soil come from? How is it
formed? All soils are formed from rock.
Biologists tell us that at one time the
surface of the earth was covered with
nothing but solid rock and water. Now,
how was the rock changed into soil?
Rocks decay when exposed TO the wealth
er. Freshly quarried stone has bright and
angular surfaces, while stone that has
been exposed to the action of rain and
freezing looks dull, and the edges are
rounded. All rocks absorb water. Even
the hardest granite will absorb A of a
pound for each 1C0 pounds of rock. When
the water in the stone freezes the ice
expands and breaks off small pieces OF
stone. Rains come and wash this mate
rial away and at the same time wear
away the surface of the rock. Running
water is a good soil former and soil NOV
er. Every year the Mississippi river car
ries into the Gulf Of Mexico 70 sections
Of land feet deep.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
1hecIs In Upward Movement

London, Dec. 4.-The upward move
ment in the market received a sharp check
by the gold Withdrawals. stocks being a.
much affected as money. Fortunately how
ever there was recovery toward the
close of the week. prices finishing steady
or with good advances.
Al one time, American securities showed
"a distinct advance but this rise has not
been sustained owing 20 prolt-taking.
though the Anal prices were considerably
above The worst Of the week.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
A VICTIM OF THE MAINE.
He Was Dan SpratIin, of wilkes
County, Georgia.

Washington, Ga, Dec. At has just
been discovered that one of the lost on the
Inflated Maine was from Wilkes county.
a Dan Spratlin A few years ago the
young man left home and his family lost
sight of him. They never heard from him
again til, in trying TO trace the reIa-
tives of the dead in the Maine disaster for
the purpose of pensioning them. the gov
eminent wrote to parties here and located
the family of the deceased young man.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
Southern seed Pecnns.

From Mr.. ]. B. Wight, Cairo, Ca, we
have sample Of paper-shel pecans
grown by him. We have in the past few
years received the finest specimens of
these nuts from Texas. Mississippi and
other states, but we have not seen any
thing superior TO the nuts Mr.. Wight
sends. We should be glad to have Mr..
Wight state how old his trees are and how
and when they were established.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
A DOUBLE MARRIAGE.
Pcrter-smith and POrter-Smith, TO
Occur in Washington.

Washington, Ga. Dec. A double mar
rage win take place at the residence of
Mrs Beiknap Smith. who owns the gold
mine on the line of Wilkes and Lincoln.
Joseph Porter and Miss Kate Smith and
Arthur Porter and Miss Sophia Smith. two
brothers. win marry two sisters. The
Porter brothers are from the North and
own interests in the mines near there.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05

Questions ard communications relative
70 agricultural and horticultural subjects
II addressed to Agri. Editor. Drawer n,
Mil .dgeville. Ca, will receive immediats
attentjoy,
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05
GEORGIA.
FLORIDA
AND CAROLINA

her from Che soldiers Of the Second New
Jersey Regiment. Mrs Cole started a re-
freshment stand near the camp OF the Sec
ond New Jersey Regiment of Volunteers.
in this city. early last summer and trusted
the boys for meals and refreshments. She,
of course, thought that the little amounts
that each owed her would be paid but
they were not. They EFF here for Sea
Girt to be mustered out. owing TO the
lady $500. and she followed them 10 that
place TO collect the debts. She has sue
ceeded in getting about 500 of the amount.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05

Horned Alexander" is even more surpris-
ing than the beginning. The number is a
particularly good one. The Century Com
pany, Union Square, New York.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-05

We solicit articles for this department
The name OF the writer should accom-
pany the letter or article not necessarily
Tor publication, but as an evidence OF gooa
Faith.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-27

steady at shc. loss of. Whisky steady at sl1.
Cotton ties and bagging unchanged. Pork quiet
and steady; standard mess, jobbing. SLID Lard
dull and easier; prime steam, $685. choice. $50
$40. Bacon-Boxed shoulders. $5.s7z. extra
shortclear. 1915; ribs. $751; shorts. s.. Dry-salt
se25 ribs. s6.a7lk; shorts $3.50. Receipts-Fgour.
1000 brls; wheat, 90 900 bu; corn. S. 900 bu oats
81 600 bu. Shpments-F1our 1900 brs; wheat.
IL. 900 bu; corn. lis. coo Blu; oats. 1900 bu.
BALTIMORE. May 2o.-F1our quiet and un-
changed; receipts 25Ss bEls; exports 1882 brls
iss: July &: ia@ Si steamer D No. " red. ~
bid; receipts. S. 404 bu; exports none; Southern
sade CON- rmsr spot wS an On
and June, 3SfSGt3S9sc; July, 3ShG3SAc; steamer
mixed. s7AeGs7ssc; receipts, 223161 bu; exports.
n lab bu; Southern white and yellow corn $50
40c. Oats easier: No white, SIC: No. mixed,
SSl4GSS+4c; receipts Ills blu; exports Rye
dull and easier; No nearby. s2s4c; No. West
ern. 6415c: receipts 6.225 bu; exports none. Hay
steady; choice timothy. $2. 50G13. Grain freighta
quiet and unchanged; Butter steady and uI-
steady and unchanged
LIVERPOOL May 26.-Beef-Extra India mess
dun at 75s; prime mess dull at 6Ss 3D. Pork
mess. medium Western, dull at SIS sd. Hams
Short cut dull at sSs. Bacon dull at SSs. Shout
steady at Sis Cd Corn-Spot.i American mixed.
new. quiet at IS Sd; July steady at IS Cd; Sep
TENDER steady at IS ID Bacon-Clear bellies dull
at 32s.
CINCINNATI. May 2e.-Flour dull. Wheat
easier; No. red, $1.20G125. Corn dull and lower;
no = mixed so7sc; cats WeaA ana lower no.
steadier at s605. Bulk meats steady at Sc Is.
Bacon steady at N.15 Whisky quiet at $L2.
Butter quiet. Sugar easy. Eggs steady at &c.
Cheese easy and lower; good to prime Ohio nat.
7Q7hc.
TOLEDO, May 2s--wheat active and lower;
No 2 cash and May, $13S bid. Corn active, but
weak No. mixed, 35Iac Oats dull; No q
mixed Csc. Rye dull; No. 2. cash. Gle. Glover
seed dull, but higher; prime, october. S.S71z.
DETROIT, May 26--wheat-No l white. sl1Bs
No. 2 red, cash and Nav, $1.30. COrn-No. q
mixed S71sc. oats-No. white, Sic. Rye-No.
g 6Qc.