Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-10-09

utSbOfys ancient anu mOCern, IS con-
tributed by DR.. George g. Groif 70
the New York Tribune Farmer:
DR.. Benjamin Rush, Surgeon-Ge
eral of the American Army Of the
Reyolution, has left the statement
that the principal vegetables Of his
time we're cabbage and turnips.
DR.. Rush also says that the first
real gardens in America were made
by the Hessian prisoners.
Tn 1890 the city Of Philadelphia
maintained q "town bull.
Sixty years ago the tomato was
cultivated as an Ornamental plant
Under the name Of love apple. "
The fruit was then thought 70 be
poisonous.
1t is said that timothy grass seed
was first collected something over
100 years ago in q swamp in New
Hampshire. From that first seed
this valuable plant has been spread
all over the country.
The first Seckel pear tree was dis
covered in a thicket near Philadel-
phia. The first Jefrries apple tree
grew in q clearing near West Ches-
ter, Pa.
The first Concord grapevine was
discovered near Concord, N. I'll.
The Bartlett and Kieffer pears were
both discovered near Philadelphia.
The most of our valuable fruits are
chance" products and gifts of ma
ture.
DIR. Benjamin Franklin was prom
inent in his efforts to induce the
farmers Of his time TO use ''land
plaster ground gypsum.
At the time Of the Revolution all
farm laborers wore leather aprons,
similar to those now worn by black
smiths.
The seed of the first rice grown in
America came from Madagascar. II
was chance" invention.
Among the farmers of Cuba and
Porto Rico the wooden plow, formed
of a natural crooked stick found in
the woods, is still in common use.
The OK yoke used all around the
Mediterranean sea and in Spanish
America consist of straight stick
of wood tied to the horns or fore
heads OF the cattle. Bows are not
used in this yoke at all
Tobacco, the deadly nightshade.
the tomato, the potato, the eggplant,
the cayenne or red pepper, the dead
ly jamestown weed (daturaI and the
Carolina nettle all belong to the same
family. 1t is strange association
OF the noxious and the wholesome.
A black walnut has been discov-
cred in Pennsylvania which has the
shell of hickory nut.
Rice is the cereal most in use by
the human family. 1t is not so nu-
trious as wheat, by which ii is be-
ing displaced, for the use OF wheat
flour is extending into the rice-eat-
ing countries.
In Japan the burdock is consider
ed a valuable vegetable. The pig
weed, the purslane, the pokeweed,
docks and other plants we call weeds
are eaten by some people.
The peach derived its name from
Persia, where it was first cultivat-
ed. The apricot is named from Ar
menia; the cherry from Cerrasus, a
city in Western Asia, where the
Romans found it in one of their cam
paigns.
1t is not known who introduced
the potato into Europe from Ameri-
ca, nor is it known that any tribe of
indians cultivated this tuber. The
whole matter OF it's introduction is a
mystery.
The turkey is so called because il
was supposed TO have come from the
Turks.
Indian corn was once called Tur-
key corn, under the belief that 1t
came from the Turks. In Europe it
is now known by it's Indian name,
maize. In Spanish America il is
known by no other name.
In Porto Rico in 1898, with / .OOO.-
00e population, there was not a sim
gle power mill for grinding grain.
The work was all done in hand mills.
Coffee was introduced from Ara
bia and tea from China. Sugar came
from the East Indies. Four hun
dred years ago our ancestors used
neither tea, coffee nor sugar.
Before the introduction of tea and
coffee our ancestors used various
kinds of beer, and their only substi-
tute for sugar was honey.
Buckwheat was introduced into
Europe from Thibet about 400 years
ago. Then we may suppose they
first had buckwheat cakes and hon.
ey.
The ancient civilizations knew
nothing of soap, 50 essential to our
times Scan vxaS diScora,.o,2