The Bemidji pioneer., 1901-08-08
Capital
s'Gos:sip
BITS OF NEWS GATHERED AT
ST. PAUL.
Special Correspondence,

Special CorrespondeHcs-)
s~--~~~>~-~->~~~>~
"The danger of the invasion OF the
bubonic plague into the INTERIOR" said /
Secretary Bracken Of the state board
Of health, lis much lessened by the
efficiency Of the boards OF health II.
the ports where the disease is likely
to appear. Upon them and their vig-
lance win fall the brunt OF preventing
Its spread, and suppressing 1t where
1t shows ITSELF
One thing that will assure. Minnesota
against the visitation is the dry cli-
mate In winter. The plague does NOT
flourish in either high or dry countries
nor in extreme heat II the health !au-
thorities in the seaports are yigilant
and the physicians in the interior be-.
come familiar enough with the disease
to recognize 1t at once the present sam
& itary methods and general cleanliness
OF cities may be relied upon to prevent
/, any wide spread.
The plague may get as far as Chi
cago, owing to the attUn with
the seaports, but it is not expected to
get farther says DR.. Bracken. The
disease Is communicable readily only
through direct contact, although in
slighter degree it may be carried by
clothing or bedding. According to the
report Of M. ). Rosenau, director Of the.
hygienic laboratory of the United
States marine hospital, food products
milk cream and butter may carry the.
bacilli but as direct sunlight kills the.
germ 1t is not likely to be carried in
merchandise s
The disease, says Secretary Bracken,
Is largely a filth disease. It appears
and Is most destructive In countries
where hygienic conditions are very
bad and sanitary precautions practi-
cally unknown. Bubonic plague has
been brought to Glasgow and stamped
out, and other cities have suffered in-
cursions without an epidemic.
The pronounced character Of the dis
ease will not permit 1t to pass un-
noticed, says the doctor, and when
cases are discovered 1t will be possible
to isolate them and stamp out the dis
ease before it becomes general. It Isl
easier to. handle than smallpox in that
respect. s3a III
Prof. Willett M. Hayes of the state
experiment station has success sfully
concluded experiments in grain breed
ing which are expected to revolu tion1zt
the flax growing industry in America
and result in the production of "a COM
mercial fax fiber.
Flax growing in the Northwest has
brought the producer only the profits
from the seed. The straw has had no
commercial value because of the
stubby. stubborn nature Of its fiber.
Prof. Hayes has produced from COM
mon parent two distinct varieties OF
flax-one purely a seed producer, the 3
other less valuable from a seed stand
point, but with straw Of CONNER,
cial value which Is expected TO rival
the finest European products.
Y. The drawback experienced with the
Northwestern flax lies in the hot dry
climate, that renders its fiber not only
coarse and refractory, but short II.
adjoining plots, from seed taken from
a common parent, Prof. Hays has
grown the short, tough straw with
heavy seed balls, and long, tender
straw whose fiber cells are long and
slender, its fibers fine and pliable. . he
breeding has been conducted entirely
along the lines Of selection rather than
hybridizing, though Prof. Hays says
he thinks from the nature Of the TAX
flower the wind may have assisted IN
natural hybridizing.
Tn a common flax field seeds We're
selected from long, tender straWss
which bore light heads and soWed IN
plots adjoining those in which SEED
from the shorter straw bearing heavy
heads was sown. This order of selec-
ton was followed until now in one plot
Prof. Hays has increased the length OF
the straw fully ten inches
If None Of the seed CT the new plant
viii be sent out until 1t has BEEN tested
at the various substations to- prove
that the climate handicaps which the.
Northwestern farmer has labored have
been overcome. ss
The binder Irvine business for the,
past year at the state prison was as
follows:
Cash shipments LOU 90 I
Gate sales ...8.. n o,z = o.-
Miscellaneous receipts 80. S,Sol ~
Notes ...-..... .-... o1l,5Vs 90. )
Accounts $50. 3.2s..''sss s,io1 o essff
Total I. |. st47,T64 So. n
,s.teria1 purchased ......... 2S6, 1872 49,
~, rati,g exnenses 81, 246 At
nrnt;t 70 the state co, 1876 Ii
The inventory shows Irvine in the
warehouse of the value Of SIS, 1915, afiM
machinery Of the value, of s5S, 1854. 10.
4 The miscellaneous cash rec fptss OF 3
the prison for July were $36,30S.a5. OF
this s27.S61.16 was from, sales and odf-
,ect;ons on account Of. the Irvine, ana
the remainder for pay OF convict lanar.