davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

There are many orchards In Okla
homa that have suffered a heavy and
unnecessary loss during the last sum-
mer from the attacks of borers. Many
farmers do not notice that there Is
anything wrong with the trees until
the leaves turn yellow and begin to
fall in midsummer. After this stage
has been reached there Is little hope
for the tree and it dies before frost
A glance at the tree will be sufficient
to see that the bark on the trunk Is
dead and black in irregular spots and
lines. Just beneath the dead bark Is
the borer's burrow filled with worm
dust. The borer is too familiar to re-
quire description. He works up and
down the side of the tree and finally
burrows to the center. When two or
three borers get into the same tree the
trunk is girdled and the tree killed. In
many cases the borer works on only
one side of the tree.
If large spot of bark is killed, the
bark and woods begin to rot and are
soon filled with mushroom growth.
This mushroom breaks through the
bark of the tree and develops the fruit
ing portion ON the outside of the
trunk. The fruiting part is white and
resembles that which is seen on rot
ten logs. If the tree dies the rot is
then supposed to be the cause Of its
death. The rot may hasten the death
of the tree. but a tree that is sound
and free from blemishes is very sell
dom if ever attacked by this rot.
The best thing to do is to keep the
tree free from borers and other inju-
ries. The land should be kept free
from grass and weeds and we'll culti-
waited. Good, clean cultivation is worth
more than all the washes and dress
ings that can be applied to prevent
borers.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AORICULTURISTS.
Some Up-to-Date Hints About cultivn-
tion of the Soil and Yields Thereof
Horticulture, yiticnlturs aud Eiorioui-
ture.


Smut of Oats and Wheat.
Press bulletin Ga of the Kansas Ex-
pertinent station has the following 10
say on the smut of oats and wheat:
Smut of Oats.-The spores gain an
entrance during the termination OF
the seed. If the spores sticking to the
surface of the grain can be killed the
disease can be almost wholly prevent
ed. To kill the spores the seed Is
soaked In hot water or in certain
chemicals. The hot-water treatment
is the cheapest, but on small quanti-
ties 1t is not so convenient Of applica-
ton as the other method. To apply
the hot-water treatment, soak the seed
oats in water heated to temperature
of 1873 degrees Fahrenheit The grain,
In about half-bushel quantities, IS
placed in a sack, wire netting cage, or
other closed receptacle allowing free
access of water, and plunged in the
water, which should be in large tub,
kettle or vat. 1t should be kept in the
water, being meantime rotated and
plunged, about ten minutes. A Their
mometer should be at hand constantly,
for if the temperature is too high the
seed will be injured, and If too low
the smut will not be killed. 1t is
good plan to dip the seed first into
water about ITO degrees to 100 degrees
Fahrenheit, so that the hotter water
will not be so much cooled by the
process. After treating the seed is
spread out on floor to dry. The sec
ond method for treating oat smut is to
soak the seed for twenty-four hours in
a solution of flower of sulphur, one and
one-half pounds in twenty-five gallons
of water. Care should be taken to
completely wet all the grains. The
solution should be kept in a wooden
vessel.
Sinking Smut OF Wheat.-Wheat is
affected by two smuts. One the stink
Ing smut, or bunt, remains within the
grain and is observed only when the
covering to the grain is broken, when
the interior is found to be mass of
black dust or spores. This can be pre-
vented by the hot-water treatment, as
described for oat smut, or it can be
treated as follows: Soak the seed in a
solution of copper suiphate (blue-stone
or blue vitrioD for twelve hours and
then for five or ten minutes in solu-
ton of lime. The solution of copper
sulphate is made by dissolving one
pound of copper sulphate in twenty
four gallons of water. The lime solu-
ton is made by shaking one pound Of
fresh quick lime in ten gallons of
water. The copper solution must be
Kept in wooden vessel.
Loose Smut Of Wheat.-The second
kind of smut ON wheat is the common,
conspicuous sort which makes the
whole head black mass. To prevent
this kind of smut, soak seed four hours
in cold water, set away in the wet
sacks for four hours more and then
treat with hot water as described for
oat smut, but soak at 1872 degrees for
only five minutes. The seed is likely
to be injured some, so one-half more
seed should be used than would other
wise be required.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
NAMING INFANTS.
Baptismal vagarles Due to the South
African War.

Baptismal vagarles Due to the South
African War.
One Of the results of the war in
South Africa was an outbreak of Curl
GUS names. Luckless infants born at
or about the time of great events are
being christened after the events them
selves as we'll as after the more promi-
nent individuals concerned. Redvers
Butler Thompson was used not long
ago, and Dundee Glencoe and Glands
laagte have all been given. At the
Cape, among the many curiositles are
Talana, Elanda Smith, Belmontina,
Grasspana, Modderriva Brown and
Penn Symons White Robinson, A Boer
named Troskie, residing in the Cra-
dock district In Cape Colony, had his
son baptized Emmanuel Kruger
Steyn Triomphus-a very unintelligent
anticipation of the events that were
to come. The mania appears to have
taken South Wales in very acute
form. Recently Modder River Jones,
John Redvers Butler Thomas, Harry
White Redvers Joseph, Harold Baden
Mafeking Powell and Ezekiel Methuen
Macdonald Baden-Powell Williams
were the names given to the helpless
infants by patriotic parents in Meath.
At Pontypridd there are poor babies
called Richard Colenso Scott, Oliver
Colenso Williams, Kimberley Clifford
Charles Redvers James and Baden
Powell Williams. and at Mountain Ash
Victor Colenso Warren, Warren Sand
ford. Macdonald Claremont, Methuen
Phillips, John Stanley Methuen Will
liams and Baden-Powell Price.-Bos-
ton Journal.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
Mud Thrown at rnrlI.hmnn

Mud was thrown at me several
times in Spain few weeks ago be-
cause I was an Englishman,' says Mr..
r. Sanborn, young gentleman from
London. Finally, when l went to the
bank for some money, l asked the di-
rector the reason for demonstrations
of hatred against Englishmen, and he
informed me that it was because of
the reports, disseminated by the Span
ish newspapers at the time, that there
would have been no war with the
United States but for England's re-
fusal to join the powers in interven-
ton" New York Letter.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
Cost OF Raising Corn and whoot.

Repeated investigations into the
cost of raising corn and wheat have
shown that about $40 for wheat and
Sl1 for corn per acre are about as low
as they can be produced. Inyestiga-
lions by the Wisconsin commissioner
OF agriculture resulted in a renort
from which we make the following
excerpt:
The returns from 41O of the most
successful and prosperous farmers in
the state showed that the ANIMAL in
vestment-that is, the expense Of la
Dor, seed, taxes, depreciation Of land
machinery and horses used feed and
incidental outlays-amounted 10 s619
per acre for one crop of wbeo+ I'D
s7.91 per acre for one crop Of corn IN
the average yield the past six wears
TINS is equivalent to about AZ cents ner
nushei Tor wheat and 16 cents per
pusnel 1or corn. If to this is added i'm
terest at + per cent on the valuo Nor
acre OF the machinery and horses need
tne annual investment and the valua
Oh the land as estimated or given Inv
the farmers the expenses for u-heat
would be increased from Sc 10 70 60 Ak
per acre, or from 80, to "a cents ner
oushel, and for corn from o. %, -
per bushel." " ~ Genus
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

1t, which furnishes the cement neces-
sary to hold 1t together. 1t is very sus-
ceptible to the attack of currents, and
while 1t is said that it soon subsidies
from still water, 1t is carried long dis
tances by streams.
Found in America.
Loess is very common in the Missis-
sippi Valley, being found from Pierre,
In South Dakota, to Baton Rouge, on
the Mississippi. 1t forms the bluffs of
Council Bluffs, Quincy and other To-
calities on the upper river, and of
Memphis, Vicksburg and sundry other
points on the lower. In America and
in Europe it's utmost thickness is 100
or 200 feet, but in China 1t has a de-
velopment of ten times that much.
The loess in China does not cap the
highest eminences, but rests against
the TANKS of the older strata. 1t in
places reaches 1000 feet in thickness,
and is very commonly as much as l.
600 feet. It's characteristic property of
standing vertically is everywhere dis
played. Roads are soon worn into the
earth, the walls on either side still re-
tanning their perpendicular, till in the
course of years there is formed
sunken road perhaps 70 or so feet be-
meath the level of the plateau. Often
there are successive cuts which are
transformed into terraces, and houses
or villages built upon them after the
manner of cliff dwellings. Indeed,
chambers are frequently excavated
deep into the walls, and even whole
suites CT rooms the dwellings varying
from simple caves to veritable loess
palaces.
Similar things occur on a far lesser
scale in the loess districts of the
United States. Near Natchez, Miss,
and at other like places where the
loess formation prevails, sunken roads
may be seen 20 feet or more in depth,
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

1t is widely supposed that the disease
called appendicitis" was unknown to
the medical profession until the last
quarter of the present century. But
an old London doctor, who writes upon
the subject In the Lancet, says there
is nothing new about 1t, except "the
name and the treatment" The disease
was well described in the older medical
books, and was then called "typhlitis."
But its real character was rarely veri-
fed except by post-mortem examina-
ton, whereas modern surgery, with its
anaesthetic and antiseptic aids, If sum-
moned In time, is able to save nearly
every patient who is not exhausted by
age or otherwise depleted
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

Sir John Murray recently showed
how remarkably the Black Sea differs
from other seas and oceans. A surface
current flows continuously from the
Black Sea into the Mediterranean, and
an under current from the Mediter~
ranean into the Black Sea. The lat
ter current is salt, and, being heavier
than the fresh water above, it remains
stagnant at the bottom. Being sat
urated with sulphuretted hydrogen,
this water will not maintain life, and
so the Black Sea contains no living in
habltants below the depth of about 100
fathoms. The deeper wafer when
brought to the surface smells exactly
like rotten eggs.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

exhibit had been installed, the twenty
functlonaries appeared. The head OF
the line reached the table of the I'LL
nois exhibit and the stately procession
stopped. The head seemed to be I'M
mensely pleased at the beautiful show
made by the Illinois fruit. and ex-
claimed "Ah, messleurs, tres 1olie,
tres bien, tres bien. Vingt." And the
nineteen other men answered In Choir
us. "oui. oui." Which, being inter-
preted, means, "Ah, gentlemen, very
pretty, very good, very good. Twenty.
And the others answered Yes, yes"
1t is evident that the fine coloring in
the American apples made an impress
sion.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

Diamonds have been found in con-
siderable numbers and of very fine
quality in the interior OF British
Guiana, on the Mazaruni River $50
miles above its junction with the Els
sequibo. Mr.. Moulton, our consul at
Demerara, says that the London deal
ers to whom the stones have been for
warded consider them superior 20
South African diamonds and equal in
quality to those of Brazil. The pres
ent dlggings are situated in tropical
jun gle FIVE miles from the river, and
tho region is not easily reached. The
matrix from which the gems have be-
come scattered is now the object of
search.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

or other disturbing influences It will
stand in perpendicular walls several
hundred. feet high. The cuts given
herewith are from snapshots taken by
Richthofen, and give interesting scenes
in this startling country that seems to
offer absolutely no inducement to hui
manity, which, however. with its nat
ural perversity, seems to thrive amidst
the appalling state of conditions found
here.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

One of the churches OF Chester, Pa,
has introduced what is novelty there
"a penny concert. These concerts are
held in the church on each Friday ev-
ening, being chiefly designed for chill
dren. The church has always been
crowded on these occasions, both little
and big people attending in great num-
bers. They are charged / cent admis-
sion to an entertainment that is worth
many times more. and which is whole
some and instructive. The smaller
children are always given the center
seats in front, the larger ones the side
seats. 1t is so distinctively an affair
for children that the big people who
attend have to content themselves with
the back seats is there are any left.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
Improvement of american wheat.


In 1894 the division of vegetable
physiology and pathology of this
United States department of agricul-
ture began experiments on an extern
sive scale to test the comparative rust
resistance Of different varieties Of
cereals, especially wheat. This work
was carried on for three seasons, and
during that time it became apparent
that constant rust resistance is not to
be obtained among the ordinary bread
wheats known at present, though on
an average few such varieties are
fairly resistant during long period OF
years. By the results obtained it was
rendered highly probable that this
quality must be bred into variety
either by rigid selection of the most
resistant individuals of that variety or
by crossing with resistant varieties of
other wheat groups and selecting from
the resultant progeny such types as
combine in the highest degree the
usual qualities of the bread-wheat
group with that of rust resistance.
1t was also found that in regard to
other qualities than rust resistance. it
is not possible to obtain varieties
which even approximate perfection,
and it is rare that many desirable
qualities are found in the same va
riety.
1t was, therefore, determined to
study thoroughly wheat varieties
themselves in all relations and inves-
tigate all associated problems, such as
drought resistance, early maturity,
yielding power, and other matters Of
great economic interest.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

According to a writer in the ST..
James Gazette, part of the credit for
the wonderful development of Japan
In civilization is due to the Empress
Haruka. She married the emperor
thirty years ago, and, like him, Is a
strong supporter of western ideas. The
emperor is the -121st in his line, and
the first who has given his wife a
seat at his table and voice in the ma
tional councils. She set the example
In abandoning the customs of staining
the teeth and shaving the eyebrows.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

Archduze Otto, the future emperor
of Austria, is an artist of great talent
He possesses his own studio in thu
Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. and
divides his time between the headquar
tiers Of the cavalry corps which he
commands and his studio. The arch
duke has frequently exhibited his work
anonymously, in order that 1t might
stand on its merits and not be favor
ably criticised because of his rank.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
QUEER CHINESE LANDSCAPE

The most remarkable country in the
world has Just been described by the
German explorer, Baron Won RIGHT
hofen. It's landscapes have weird
ness and grotesqueness that Dante
alone could have properly described
and Dore illustrated. This strange
country is plateau comprising the
mountainous region OF Shan-si and
Shen-si, through which the Yellow
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
where Hairy Mammoth Is Buried.

J. ID. Spur, who recently went up
the Yukon river in Alaska, found a
great clay bluff that is the burial place
of thousands of mammoths. This bluff
called "the boneyard" by the natives,
is over 200 feet high. The Yukon's
current is steadily undermining it at
the base, and from time to time sec
tons of it topple down, exposing tusks,
teeth and bones of the prehistoric
monsters. The mammoth was the ele-
plants neutrality-suspicious., and
until a short time ago the scientists
believed that it had lived only in hot
countries. But many remains hove
been found lately In Siberia, and as
these relics show that the S.De4 ian
mammoth had heavy coat of hair,
the scientists-who are usually willing
to admit that they have been wrong
decide that it inhabited lands very
near the pole. The Eskimos carve the
tusks into pipes, ornaments and other
ivory articles, and Mr.. Spur says that
they have a legend about the animal
itself. A long time ago, according to
their account, Alaska was full of lakes
and mammoths were very numerous.
Even in the time of the Eskimos'
MISREPRESENTATION a band Of
them still lived on the shores of a
great lake far in the interior, and they
were SO strong and terrible that the
Eskimos' ancestors were careful not
to hunt in that egion.-Chicago Rec
ord.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

A recent number of The Railway
Journal contains story of a railway
ticket which took sudden journey on
its own account. AS the north-bound
train on the Colorado and Southern
road passed one of the stations a pas
senger in a forward car raised a win
dow, and in an instant his ticket was
blown from his hands out of doors.
The passenger naturally gave 1t up for
lost, and was very much surprised
when the baggagemaster handed 1t TO
him little while later. It appears
that when the ticket flew through the
window south-bound train was pass
ing. The suction of that train, whics-
was going at rapid rate. drew the
ticket along with 1t, and as 1t passed
the rear end of the north-bound train
1t blew into the door of the smoking
car. There it was found by the bag
gagemaster.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

under my chin and gave me a scratch
about an inch long. Those were great
days. We were in where white men
had never been before. On the marble
side of the last gate of the palace l
picked up the brass firing pin of an
exploded shell and scratched my
name"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

Professor Campbell of the Lick OBJ
servatory reports that the star called
XII Geminorum, which has long been
known as variable, is in reality
double, but its two components are so
close that no telescope is able to sep
arate them, and their existence is
proved by the shifting lines in the
spectrum. The variations in bright
ness, he thinks, can only be due to the
attraction between the two stars rails
ing immense tides in their molten or
vaporous globes, which, through the
effects of compression or otherwise,
displace the spectral lines.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
FROM HERO TITUS.
The Kansas Lad who Distinguished
Himself at PeIkln.


Calvin Pearl Titus, the Wichita boy
who hoisted the flag over the walls of
Pekin, writes as follows to a Wichita
friend of his fine exploit, says the
Kansas City Journal: my company
was in the lead. l had the honor to
be the first man to scale the wall and
to put the first shot down into the city,
for which little thing 1 am to re-
ceive a medal of honor from Uncle
Sam. have the large silk flag got
on the wall with the bearers blood
yet on it. That afternoon we relieved
the legations. How glad they were
to see us, ragged as we were! When
we marched in the women brought US
water and it was about all they had.
! couldn't speak to them IL I had tried.
] would have cried like a baby The
next day we attacked the imperial city
and captured four gates, one within
the other. The last gate was taken
by my company with two killed and
two wounded going through 1t. Al
the first ate big piece of shell passed
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
SIDEWALK IN A LoEss RAvINE WITH SMALL CANYONS.

1t is clayey in appearance, owing to
the extreme fineness Of it's particles,
yet when closely examined it is found
to consist mostly of sand which is in
appearance sharp and angular. There
is a considerable proportion of lime in
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
bees Load Themselves Heavily

Five thousand honey bees. as they
leave the hive, weigh about one pound,
but when the insects return from their
visits to the flowers. freighted with
honey, they weigh nearly twice as
much.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

The earth here has been, by some
unknown process of nature, reduced to
such a minute state of division that
particles of it can be rubbed into the
pores of the skin and disappear with
out leaving any considerable residue
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

tuberculosis has been placed among
the diseases which are subject to quar-
antine. The commissioner of immi-
grafton has so decided in the case of a
Japanese who arrived in San Francisco
from Japan Ill with lung trouble. II
was decided that the patient could moi
land, but must return to the port from
which he sailed.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

River runs In China. Here the soil is
Of such peculiar formation that deep
sunken ravines cross it in every direc-
ton and the whole scene Is made up
of a succession Of yellow, perpendicular
walls, in some cases 1000 feet high.
Such surroundings cannot but have
their effect upon the people who dwell
among them, and the beings who In
habit this land of crumbling cliffs are
the most superstitious, while at the
same time the most philosophical in
the whole world.
Composed of Loess.
The plateau is composed of nearly
horizontal carboniferous strata, super
imposed upon older rocks and over
lain on their TANKS by heavy deposits
of loess. This latter is material
which is very widely distributed over
the earth, and which by it's peculiari-
ties excites attention and is easily rec
ognized wherever found.
1t was flrst observed on the Rhine,
then probably in America, and finally
in China, where its development in
SO remarkable degree has been made
the subject Of special geological study
Nowhere on the globe has like for
nation been found. Loess is a yellow
fish, brownish or grayish earth which
is so soft and friable that it is easily
reduced to powder between the fingers,
and yet Of so firm a consistency that
when undermined by currents of water
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30

The Sunday school furnishes the one
indispensable element of a complete
life. and this never leaves the men,
Rev. A. BllkovslSy, Universalist, Balti-
more, Md.