davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1898-01-09
Making the Moth Work.

Few suspect that the common moth
may be utilized as a decorative artist,
but he may be, if only one be watchful
patient and acquainted with the crea-
tures habits. The larva of the moth
has a habit of spinning about itself a
sort of sac from the material upon
which it feeds. AS the worm grows it
enlarges this sac by the process Of
splitting it and inserting new material
Now, if a moth-worm that has inclosed
itself in red flannel be afterward trans
ferred, sac and all, to white flannel, the
growing insect will slit its red flannel
covering and enlarge it with a portion
of the white flannel. If, then, the worm
and the sac be transferred to blue f1an-
mel, the creature will in course of time
enlarge the sac with blue flannel, and
thus clothe itself patriotically in red,
white, and blue.
The herald., 1898-01-09
OYSTERS
THAT GROW
ON TREES

Mr.. ]. w. Collins. of the United States
Fish Commission, is authority for the
statement that oysters really do grow
an trees. This does not mean that they
are to be found in the forests, but
scientific investigation has confirmed
the statement that nature does some-
times produce the bivalve in this novel
manner
From time to time reports regarding
the peculiar growths of oysters have
been made, but all have been a matter
of conjecture. Now. however, we know
the truth,-that oysters will grow on
trees when the trees and the oysters
are brought into juxtaposition in prop
er fashion.
In order that this should take place,
the tree must be transplanted so that
it is apparently growing out of the wa
ter. The trees are placed in the water
during May or June, and the oysters
that grow on them are commonly taken
off and marketed the following winter,
| or at least before the second winter.
The trees are generally put down in
comparatively shallow water about
two and half fathoms at low tide. If
the young oysters were allowed to re-
main on them for two years, thew
would fall off by their own weight
The oysters are exposed to extra risk
of being winter killed during cold wea-
ther, because of being so near the sur.
face. Strange as it may seem, this mis-
hap seldom occurs. The oysters are
generally large enough to market in
eighteen months or so, say the begin.
ming Of the following winter.
| The growing of oysters on trees. as
it Is called. is really accomplished by
the tiny oysters, as they are swept up
from their place of birth, clInging to
the branches. They grow much better
when attached in this fashion, and are
| less exposed to their mortal enemies.
star-fish which 1t is believed DESTROY
more oysters than all other agencies
combined
SO great Is the damage inflicted bv
the star-fsh that many steamers are
kept at work a great part Of the time
in an effort to drive these creatures
from the oyster beds. One firm tool,
from it's bed in a single year $500 600
star-flsh. This pest Is not found in
fresh water, nor even in brackish wa
ters, In numbers sufficient to be harm
full. Indeed, it was not until Long ISL
and Sound had been stocked with oys-
ters that the enormous abundance and
destructive power of the star-fish were
fully understood.
Large areas had been prepared for
oyster beds. but many of the cultivat-
ors had so much good ground that they
could not attend to it properly. and
through neglect it became favorite
breeding place for ctar-fish. No con-
trivance had been devised suitable to
cope with this destructive agency, and
the practice of growing the oysters on
trees is the first victory in the war
waged by the oyster-bed owners.
Copyright, 1897, by Bachelor Syndicate.
The herald., 1898-01-09
A STALK OF CLUSTER COTTON

ton. 1t was well shaped and bore an
unusual number of bolls He selected
seed from the best of these, and plant
ed them. From the yield he secured
enough seed to plant several acres.
Thus separated from the ordinary va
riety, the plant exhibited It's differences
in an increased degree, as is the rule
of nature. 1t grew somewhat in the
shape of an inverted sugar-Ioaf The
bolls were in clusters, and many stalks
had over 200 bolls on them. The impor-
tance of this fact may be realized when
one learns that, taking the cotton all
over the South, an average of fifteen
bolls to the stalk is considered a fine
yield. From his first discovery, Mr.
Ware has steadily developed the pro-
duct, until its possibilities and require
ments are thoroughly understood and
it's great value can be no longer denied.
The seeds of the new cotton are
small and black, and separate easily
from the lint, very little adhering to
them. Mr.. Ware has planted them on
both red clay and gray sandy soil, and
has found very little difference in the
yield.
THE farm on which live" says Mr.
Ware, "has now been planted in cot
ton with little variation for over fifty
The herald., 1898-01-09
HOW EELS'
STOPPED A BIG
WATER WHEEL

Many curious prank is credited to
the eel. but one ot the oldest of which
he has truly been guilty is just report
ed from Youngstown, Ohio, where he
has actually succeeded in forcing a
flour mill to cease operation.
The mill is known as the Baldwin
mill, and is situated on the bank of the
Mahoning river. Its power is furnished
by five water wheels. with an engine
to be used in times of low water and
when there is backwater to contend
against. 1t is the custom of the miller,
Homer Baldwin. to start UP Monday
morning and run steadily until Satur-
day night without a stop. One Monday
morning not long ago. the mill started
as usual with three water wheels in
operation, the number ordinarily sutfi-
cient to furnish all the power required.
Presently. however, the miller found
that strangely enough the power was
lacking, and he put on the fourth
wheel. The following morning the pow
er had grown even less than with three
wheels running, and the fifth wheel
was put into operation. Still the pow
er was insufficient, and at last the en-
gine was started up in order to obtain
the necessary degree of power.
1t was suspected that something must
be wrong with the wheels. but owing
The herald., 1898-01-09

ed that he felt as if he We're witnessing
an incident that belonged to fairyland
When he rallied his faculties and be-
gan pursuit, the dogs could not be
found
Since then these intelligent but dis
honest brutes have appeared at vari-
Gus places in the vicinity, and their
methods have been learned. They are
undoubtedly trained with great care.
They know the ordinary rules of cau-
ton; they have been taught to seize a
chicken, whether alive or dead in the
best manner, and to run with their
booty without being seriously embar-
rassed by it..
1t has been ascertained that two or
more men lie in wait for the plunder,
but the dogs know better than to run
straight towards the hiding place. They
make detours they separate; if pursuit
is too close they will not notice their
masters, but will run on until the dan
ger is at an end, returning in most
cautious manner. In this way, up to
last accounts, a great many thefts had
been perpetrated, and the human au-
thors We're still undiscovered
Now then, here is the problem: given
two men with intelligence and patience
enough to train three dogs to such Won
derful skill, why don't they exhibit the
dogs and earn an honest living? If the
show business is beneath their dignity
surely their ability and foresight is
great enough to enable them to win
fortune, instead of skulking on the out
skirts of Virginia farms, sleeping in
barns, and subsisting on an unvarying
diet of broiled stolen chicken.
Copyright, 1898, by Bacheller Syndicate.
The herald., 1898-01-09

years and is spoken of as the poorest
place in Wilkes county. On this poor
land my cluster cotton yielded this
year from bale to bale and a half
an acre. On good rich soil 1 am conf
dent that it can be made to yield from
two to three bales an acre.
1T stands dry weather without ap-
preciable suffering, as the roots are
much longer than those of the ordl-
nary variety. The yield is far great.
er in every way. The fibre is long and
tough, and meets the requirements Of
the spinners perfectly. Thirteen hun
dred and fifty pounds in the seed will
yield five hundred pounds bale of
lint, while the ordinary variety requires
sixteen hundred to seventeen hundred
pounds of seed for the same result.
Il claim that my cluster cotton will
be of incalculable advantage to the
South. By its use the South can re-
duce its acreage three-fourths, and it's
expenses of working an equal amount,
and still furnish its full quota of cot
ton to the world, at the same time de-
voting more of its soil to other pro-
ducts to which it is splendidly adapt
ed"
When one speaks in this way of
The herald., 1898-01-09
SMART THIEVES
WORK HARD FOR
SMALL BOOTY.

The authorities of Henrico county
Va, have been struggling with a GRIM
inal mystery worthy of Sherlock
Holiness attention, though it involves
nothing more serious than the theft of
few chickens. 1t is the method, how
ever, and not the crime itself, which
interests the true detective.
In the case in question, one of the
strangest pecullarities or criminals is
well illustrated, namely, the wasting of
great skill and ingenuity upon the
achieving of petty results. The real
criminal will always do more work
stealing five cents than would suffice to
earn five dollars. These Virginia
thieves, if they would turn moderately
honest, might enter upon a remunera-
tive career in the show business.
The thieves, so far as can be learned,
made their first appearance at the resi-
dence of a Mr. Clcytor on the Mechan-
icsville turnpike, a highway not un-
known to history. In the latter part
of a December afternoon there was a
rumpus in Mr. Claytor's hen coop. No
one had the place in view at that time
but several persons employed by Mr.
Claytor were near by, and they at once
ran to the spot. The sound, to their
probably experienced ears, indicated
chicken thieves, but no glimpse of the
escaping VandalS was obtained This
was surprising, for the rescue party was
so quickly upon the scene that it was
almost impossible to fancy any thiefs
having time enough to run to shelter.
Examination revealed no trace of any
mans work, nor any human footprint
in the soft earth. Whatever other
tracks there may have been We're I'M
noticed at that time. Mr.. Claytors SER
wants convinced themselves that three
fat pullets We're missing, but how they
were abstracted was a mystery.
That same afternoon Farmer H. B.
John. whose place was near Claytor's.
suffered a similar loss, and there was
no clue. The unusual theft made some
talk, which was increased next dav
when it was learned that poultry had
mysteriously vanished from the store
of one ONeil, also on the Mechanics
vile turnpike.
the place had seen suspicious charac-
ters lettering near; but there was no
doubt about the disappearance of the
poultry.
The first elucidation of the mystery
came from another storekeeper named
Strong, who was robbed in a most open
manner. He was standing near the
door Of his place of business when he
saw three strange dogs, a setter,
pointer and shepherd, trot up He
paid no particular attention to them
until, in a flash, each had seized a fat
chicken from a number that were dis
played outside the store, and was max
ing away with it at incredible speed
Mr.. Strong confesses that he was so
surprised as to be incapable of action.
The whole thing was so deft so hu-
manly planned, and so speedily execut-
The herald., 1898-01-09

tion of the ship may seem desirable
Two. Of them will propel an ocean
steamer with sufficient force to give II
headway, though very little speed. IT
is especially designed for the use or
vessels which have suffered accident
either to their propelling machinery or
to the rudder. 1t will supply admirably
the place Of the steering apparatus
and seems to be just about what mas
been needed for some time. Nothing
can be more unmanageable than ship
without rudder, and the inventor
says it was really this idea that in
spired him to conceive what promises
to be a very useful contrivance.
Any vessel can be easily equipped
with the new propelling device, and that,
too, without complication OF any sort
All that is necessary Is to supply the
avenue for the power to reach the de-
vice, and to provide for it's being Sc
cured to the side or end Of the ship.
When not in use 1t can be carried on
dayits, in the same fashion as the
ships boats. Thus when It Is needed
1t may easily be dropped to the neces-
sary point where 1t is to be fastened,
and receive its connections as easily
and gently as when boat Is lowered
The herald., 1898-01-09
Every Ship t\ay Be Her Own Tugboat.

A unique propelling device has just
been invented whereby vessel may in
measure become its own tugboat. 1t
resembles an auxiliary propeller more
than anything else, consisting mainly
of cylinder pointed at both ends and
carrying within a motor mechanism
which receives its power ordinarily
from the engine of the vessel to which
it is attached.
At one end of the propelling device
there is a screw propeller, and to the
middle is attached bar, or tube, con-
Meeting with the ship and forming a
conductor for electricity, steam, COM
pressed air, or other power-maker. On
either side of the tube radial arms ex-
tend, connecting with the ship in or
der to more perfectly secure the aux
iliary craft to it's greater consort.
The device may be attached to both
sides, to either end. or to whatever por-
The herald., 1898-01-09
THEY MAKE
PLANTS GROW
BY ELECTRICITY.

| The relation of electricity to life is =
puzzle that has interested many minds.
In the subtle nature of that force which
used to be known as the electric "fuid"
there is unquestionably something
which suggests the yet subtler life prin-
ciple. Though quacks abuse the ana
logy to cheat the sick. their frauds do
not make the truth any less true And
the truth is that life is force and cleo
trictty Is force. and they must be in
some way related.
1t Is possible that the way to ap-
proach this subject is not 30 direct az
some would make 1t, but must start
with plant life, and 90 work up to man.
The life Of a plant IL not altogether
different from that Of an animal, but
1t Is simple. and the results of experi-
ments cam be more easily measured.
1t is possible that the experiments In
electrical farming which are being
made at the Massachusetts Agricul-
tural College at Amherst may be the
beginning of discoveries that will not
stop with plants. The workers there.
under the direction of Henry H. Good
ell. LII. D.. are proceeding In perfect-
ly scientific manner, fully measuring
every step before they take the next
one. Thus far they have proven that
certain kinds Of electric currents ap-
piled in accurately measured amounts
produce definitely measurable effects
on plant life.
Electricity properly applied stimu-
lates the growth of a plant. The ex-
perlments of the past year upon white
mustard. red clover. barley, and other
products Of the field, prove that a
rightly regulated electric current in
creases growth from 1S to 40 per cent.
The subject has been studied for $50
years. but never at any other time and
place has the work been so accurately
scientific or nearly so conclusive.
The method is to take two hundred
seeds of the same kind, ana separate
them into eight groups Of twenty-five
seeds each. These groups are placed
in exactly similar terminating pans;
and every condition to which they are
exposed is rigidly equal, except that
some are treated with electricity while
others are not
The results prove the efficacy of cleo
tricity in promoting the speed Of
growth and the vigor of the plant. They
farmer, and already on many extensive
farms the knowledge gained at the
Massachusetts college Is being put 10
practical use. The current is passed
through the soil in which the plants
grow, and the methods are such that
large areas may be treated without
excessive expense.
No scientist can doubt that the time
Is near at hand when electric energy
can be developed incomparably more
cheaply than power Of any kind has
ever been had by artificial means. It
will be only a little more expensive
than sunlight: and in that day the farm
lands of the earth. contracting as the
population increases. will yet by their
marvellous productivity supply abun-
dant food to the race.
Copyright. 1898. by Bachelor Syndicate.
The herald., 1898-01-09
THINGS Old And new AND INTEREST," THE WORLD OVER

long. He weighs thirty-five pounds.
Mr.. Mathison has named him after one
of the company's favorite drugs: and
as any drug Is good thing not to fool
with. the name cannot help being ap-
propriate.
| This amiable beast can jump over
seven-foot partition, and will leap ten
feet from desk to q loose pile OF light
wooden boxes without even displacing
one of them, so marvellously delicate
is his appreciation of force and dis
tance. He has been taught many OF the
ordinary tricks. such as standing on his
hind legs. shaking hands. and leaping
over various obstacles.
He owes most of his education to
Minnesota trapper named James Will
son, by whom he was caught when he
was only little. woolly ball,--an easy
preyafter his mother had been trapped.
This was about fourteen months ago.
Two other young ones, taken at the
same time. died in n vain attempt to
become civilized. Trapper Wilson's
happy hunting grounds are in the vicin-
ity of Sturgeon Lake. and there he Is
visited almost every year by Mr.. Mathi-
son. 1t was on the occasion of this
summers visit that the city man re-
ceived this valuable present.
There has been no opportunity to test
the big cats quality as a nocturnal
guardian. but his fame must be worth
something. 1t would, OF course, be i'm
possible TO eluds the vigilance or the
pursuit OF such ereature: and its
quickneSs OF movement is so much
greater than n mans, that the chances
are that struggle would be all over
before sAe most EXPERT of burglars
could lay hand upan Knife or pistol.
Copyright, 1SSS by Eacheller Syndicate.
The herald., 1898-01-09
Lincoln and Children,

Abraham Lincoln was very kind to
children. He was never too tired to
stop and say a kind word to any small
being who ever appealed to him. Once
when he was president shabby, bare
footed little boy got into the White
House and crept up to the door of the
room where sat the great man. Busy
as he was he heard the soft steps, and
looking up, asked the boy his name.
The boy answered: my name is
Folks" We'll" said Mr.. Lincoln. hu-
morously, that's wrong. Don't you see
that you are only one, and folks means
more than one. Tell your father that 7
say your name should be Folk. Good
bye, sir" giving him a hearty hand
sh-ke.
The herald., 1898-01-09
A New Cotton 10 ENRICH The South.

simultaneously with the development
of the new and great demand for cot
ton in Japan-a demand so enormous
that the full capacity of every trans
Pacific steamer sailing between this
date and March is fully engaged al
ready-comes the news of unique in
crease in the supply of that most valu-
able plant. A new cotton-bearing plant
has been discovered, and its yield is
vastly in excess of that from which the
South has so long derived its wealth.
The discoverer of the new plant is P
G. Ware of Washington Ga. Three
years ago he found in one of his cotton
fields stalk which attracted his atten-
The herald., 1898-01-09

in heavy sea with proper precautions
to prevent its being stove in against
the side of the vessel.
Ordinarily the device would weigh
one ton. and be of twenty-horse power
capacity. Its dimensions would be 20
inches in diameter by u inches in
length. though the inventor believes
that yachts and fast steamers would
do better IL the confcal case were made
longer so as to slip through the water
more easily This would not interfere
with the capacity of the motor
There is no fixed size. however, for
the apparatus will be made to corre-
spond to the tonnage Of the craft upon
which 1t is intended to be used. Thus
a vessel disabled by the breaking Of a
shaft or the loss of a rudder through
a severe storm, with this device aboard.
would have a substitute for either Of
these features of a ships equipment,
which will bear the same relation to q
steamship as does the jury mast which
The herald., 1898-01-09
TO KLONDIKE
In A MARVEL
OF A BOAT.

Some Of the Klondike expeditions thai
are now preparing to invade that
Rugged, ice-bound land of gold are as
wonderful in their way as Novelist
Wells's dreams Of world-conquerors
from Mars.
For instance here's a boat that
doesn't care whether it goes to the
Klondike by way of the Yukon river or
the White Pass; that climbs mocn-
tains; skins over ice-clad lakes, forces
path through the mud of swamps; or
flits across snow-fields as swiftly as a
Norwegian ski-runner. Moreover, its
usefulness will by no means end when
it has reached the gold fields. Once
there 1t becomes a rock-drill, ditch
digger almost anything that miner
needs.
The boat is being built for Gerard o.
Scott, of Lima, Ohio, and the mechan-
ical details have been worked out by
Charles M. Kimball, thoroughly COM
petent expert.
This strange craft runs every way.
1t has the form of a boat with propel-
ling side-wheels; but 1t has also the
runners of a sled. 1t is steered by
pilot in front that operates some
thing like the front wheel of a bicycle.
The runners are twenty feet long and
three feet apart. The driving wheels
are four feet in diameter, worked by a
triple expansion engine of forty-eight
horsepower AS a boat in smooth wa
ter it will run seven or eight miles an
hour; as a carriage over good roads. it
will make nineteen miles; and as a sled
on level ice a maximum speed of twen-
ty-eight and one-half miles an hour
can be attained.
''I can see no reason" writes Mr..
Kimball to Mr.. Scott, why we cannot
The herald., 1898-01-09
Most Wonderful Tree in America.

The greatest curiosity in the way of
tree that can be found on American
soil, Is sugar maple that grows near
Martinsville, Ind.,--or two sugar ma
pies. to be more exact. Natural his
tory does not record that the sugar
maple is akin to the banyan, but the
Martinsville tree emulates that queer
product of the Orient. pictured in all
Biographies to the wonder Of the school
boy.
On the Mitchell farm, quarter of a
mile out of Martinsville, two sugar
naples began to grow, years ago, about
twenty feet apart. In time. one of them
thrust out a branch toward the other.
and this branch grew straight on until
it encountered its neighbours trunk. The
chances were millions to one that 1t
would be turned aside or upward, but
in this single instance strange thing
occurred. The horizontal branch
The herald., 1898-01-09

river. At first it was supposed that the
mill cells must be those little ones
grown up. but examination disclosed
the fact that the big fellows that
stopped the mill wheels were not sill
yer eels at all.-and there lies the mys-
terry.
The eel is one Of the queerest Of the
finny tribe For long time nobody
could guess how he happened to come
into existence in the strange places
where he is apt to be found.
A curious fact. and one which makes
the Mahoning incident harder to ex-
plain, is that cells do not spawn in fresh
water but in brackish and salt water
Copyright, 1898, by Bacheller Syndicate.
The herald., 1898-01-09

pierced the heart of the second maple
and welded itself into 1t.
1t is not on record that any ono no
ticed this peculiar growth until 1t was
so well advanced that the cause could
not be traced. 1t stands today as the
wonder Of the country side,--a thins
to be pointed out to admiring strang.
ers.
The trees are each about q foot In
diameter. and the connecting link Is
nearly the same size. 1t is now about
eighteen feet from the ground. The
junction is perfect, and there seems to
be no tendency to split the tree. These
arboreal Siamese twins are both In
good health. and are growing at about
an even rate. so that the strange limb
preserves it's horizontal position as II
rises from the ground.
The picture here presented Is made
from the most recent and best photo
graph of this strange freak of nature.
Copyright. 1898. by Bacheller Syndicate.