Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-26

planned New York fruit buyer who is in
Washington temporarily, on his return from
a southern tour. to Star reporter, land
would not be surprised if there were lots
of nice watermelons in the market here by
the last week in April 1 have travelled
extensively in Florida and Georgia, and
found that there enormously large
crops planted. The vines in Florida are al
ready strong and large. and they are run
ming very lively in Georgia also. The
Florida melons will reach the markets of
the north probably two weeks in advance
of those from Georgia. though the latter
VIII he here almost before the time the
seeds planted in those parts of Mary
land and Virginia which later on supply
the Washington and surrounding markets.
The Florida melon growers are doing bet
ter every year in the kind of fruit they
send north. Originally they raised very
thin-rind melon. which, while 1t was good
erough eating. did not ship well. They
knew this as well ds those who handled
their fruit, but they could not help it.
Finally they planted a Michigan seed, and
the result is they can now furnish melon
which is compact enough 10 stand any rea-
sCnable amount of shipping and handling.
Though tn Florida fruit in the melon line
is nice looking. it does not compare ii the
matter OF eating very important matter.
by the way, with the melon grown in Geor-
Sia. The Maryland and Virginia melon is
sweeter than the Georgia melon. though it
never compares with it in size or looks.
The GeorGians grow melons to any size
they desire. simply by limiting the num-
Der of melons to a vine. They pull off all
the buds except two three and find they
get more for two three big melons than
they could for a dozen medium sized ones.
Putting the entire strength of the vine
into Two three melons. they get a
suit that Will stand any amount of ham
ding. 1 visited melon farm last week in
Georgia, which shipped over two hundred
Z melons north s
one hundred and ten acres in extent While
i did not visit 1T, I know of d farm there
where there are over two hundred acres of
growing melons. Of these. probably nine
tenthS will be shipped north, Cor nearly all
of the melons eaten in that state raised
on the small farms. So to reduce the
ccst of transportation as much possible,
there are railroad tracks laid right up to
the farms. The people in Washington can
get the Georgia melons in two days and
half from the time they are cut from the
vines. and 1t may be pleasant news to
them TO know that they will. on account
of the lively competition for the trade, have
TO pay less for the fruit than during any
previous season. The melons are constant
ly getting better. larger and cheaper"
x :. X
Photography has reduced the difficulties
IN law suits and trials to a minimum"
marked a member of the bar to the re-
porter in times past it was the univer-
sal custom in murder trials to take the
1ur1eS 10 the scenes OF the CRIME, so thdt
they could get a better understanding of
the testimony and the facts in the case.
Besides the time involved, there was con-
siderable expense in this. There were,
You know. elaborate diagrams, drawings
and sketches constantly used in important
trials. All this is done away by the
photograph. which is always accurate. In
making copies of exhibits iii civil causes,
notes, deeds. wills and the like, the blue
print has done away entirely with the SER
vices of the draughtsmen who We're en-
pioyed to reproduce the same. 1 remember
We'll the celebrated trial of General Daniel
Sickles. then a representative from New
York. for the murder of Phil Barton Key,
who was the United States district attor-
ney. The pictorial exhibits in this trial
almost filed one of the walls of the court
house. The club house in the front of
which the shooting occurred now the site
of the Lafayette Square Opera House. was,
of course. the principal picture. Then there
was 81 drawing of Lafayette Square, show
ing how Key signaled over to Mrs. Sickles,
who resided on the opposite side of that
square and a big drawing of the house on
18th street between X and l. streets where
the meetings between Colonel Key and
Mrs Sickles took place. well as the sig
nails which were displayed on the house
Indicating TO Key whether or not Mrs.
Sickies had arrived there. Besides these
there Were other pictures and diagrams
which We're prepared by Mr. VIM. Forsyth
the city surveyor. They cost considerable
money but the whole thing could now be
better represented at the expense of 4
couple of dollars and ten minutes use of
a kodak. / have known of hundreds of
dollars beirg expended in the preparation
of fac SMILES of exhibits, forgeries, etc,
all Of which can now be reproduced in
half hour by the blueprint process and at
very trifiinS expense comparatively"
In time leap year will go out of exist
ence entirely" explained almanac COM
puter to Star reporter, but it will not
occur for over eight hundred years. We
haven't much personal interest in the
event In the ordinary course of even.
1G" would be leap year. but it will q left
in the calculation In other words, while
it does occur. 1t does rot occur, simply be-
cause il is not in the agreement that it
shall occur. The story is a long one but
1t can be briefly told, that the averaf.
person can understand it, without much
difficulty. In 1852. in the arrangement Of
the Julian calendar, ten days were dropped
50 as to get things running on the then
new. but the present basis of calculating
time so as to keep things running right.
Ii was determined that a year enuing a
century should not be bissextile, except
every fourth century. Thus there was no
leap year in 1900. 1900 1900 1t is
rather, OF at least was. rather rough
In leap year, for il is the only year that it
is proper for them to propose themselves
In marriage, but IL has always been so in
matters affecting wOmankind men always
find reasons for restricting their privileges.
The ladies get left again in 1900, but
though there will not be many of those who
see 1900 who will see 1000. the latter year
ending fourth century. VIII be a leap year.
In this way, three days are retrenched in
four centuries. and the remaining seven
days will be made up in a little over eight
hundred years. After that calendar years
will be like solar years and future errors
in the calculation of time will occur no
more The loss of leap years will in thou
sands of years affect the seasons. but /
suppose the mathematician of the GEN.
turtles hence will be so flip in handling fig
and making calculations that they will
have no difficulty in keeping things ing
correctly"
= 4 =
There are some advantages IN having
deadhcad privileges with the telegraph COM
ponies" observed an operator TO 2 Star re-
porter. but these privileges work both