Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-08
WEEDS FROM RADISH SEEDS
This Apparent Miracle Explained in Case
in Court.
HOW A FARMERS DAM HURT HIS NEleHBoF
wnter Backs IN from One Farm ia
Another and Plays Havoc with
Freshly Planted vege-
table seeds.

A modern parable OF an agriculturist who
sowed wheat and reaped tares has been
brcN.;ht to a prosaic termination by an
order of the court revying an old and
often aired feud among the members oil
Douglas county family. The Ginords
and the Roots have again become involved
in legal controversy and affdavits filed with
the district clerk in support Of an applica-
tion for an order citing the Roots to APP
pear and answer to contempt Of court
bring to light the explanation OF a mystery
as to how a crop OF smartweeds grew from
paintings of radish seeds.
The story hinges on an unique phase
Of an old quarrel The details took on their
first, element OF novelty last spring when
Falconer Clifford prepared the choicest par
eel OF land on his farm for a garden to be
devoted exclusively TO the production OF
highly cultivated species of lettuce and
radshes. This particular part of the land
owned by the Giflords lies in corner
OF the farm along the boundary line sepa-
rating 1t from the property of the Roots,
the nearest neighbors and relatives, Fal
coner having married sister Of ]. c. Root.
Across the land comprised In the two
farms winds good sized creek. the direc-
tlon OF the flow being from Roots farm to
that OF Falconer, and It happens that the
level OF the ground on Falconer's side OF
the boundary line Is considerably lower
than that In the enclosure OF his relative.
FaIconer II Rndish Fnnc:-r.
when the first green of spring was visible
at the commencement of the season Fal-
coner went to considerable pains to plant
a choice lot OF radsh seeds, reserving
small part OF the garden for lettuce. When
II was time for the first sprouts to appear
above ground Falconer visited the garden
plot and to his amazement found we'll
fedged crop of smartweeds without a soil
tary trace of the vegetables he had expected
to see.
Falconer had delayed the inspection Of
the garden a short time because OF a
freshet. which he thought might retard
the sprouting OF the seeds few days, but
the weather had been warm and bright for
week preceding the discovery of the
weeds. Naturally, Falconer suspected his
neghbor OF having practiced bit Of spite
work, but he said nothing and carefully
went over the plot second time. sowing
the same kind Of seeds A week or two
later there was another freshet due to
spring rains, and as n hot sun brought
warm weather a short time afterward. Fall
coner repaired again to the garden to note
the progress OF the planting.
The man was stupefled to find again, in
stead Of the expected green sprouts OF
radishes and lettuce. only shoots of smart
weed from one end of the plot to the other
He poked over patches of ground here and
there to find traces of the seeds, but none
was there. Falconer was setting up nights
10 think when rains caused another freshet
and chance jaunt to the garden disclosed
that the ground was Inundated.
Root Builds ~ Dam.
In ascertaining the cause 1t was founC
that the Roots had constructed a dan
across the creek on their land. and ever!
time the stream was swollen by rains tn,
water backed and spread over the Gifforc
garden. washing out the radish seeds ant
carrying to displace them the seeds o
smartweed, from where no one knows. Th
overlows having been slight the gardel
had dried quickly under the rays OF tn
warm sun in few days afterward, leav
ing the ground to all appearances as
had beeen before the rains.
As smartweed springs UP with the rapid
ity OF the plants that raise full grown froi
pots under the magic wands of Indian con
jurers the transformation scene in the gar
den is easily understood. Falconer secure
from the courts an order commanding tn
Root family to open up the dam and
cease dverting the water from their Ian
TO his. Falconers afiidavits assert tina
they have neglected to do more than preten
to destroy the obstruction, and he fears
repetition Of the experiences of last sprinl
Judge Keysor has issued an order cltiil
the Roots to appear and show cause VIII
they shall not be adjudged in contempt
court In not having carried out the instruC
tions with regard to demolishing the dam.
CONTINUANCE IN THE MAHER CASE
Atfnrnexs AHNaii RuIInE of Sunre III