davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Permit me to say something about the
incorporated towns in Indiana. 1 will use
the town of West Madison, situated along
the west side of the city of Madison, as a
basis. 1t was Incorporated sixteen years
ago. and soon incurred bonded indebted
ness of $4,500; its bonded debt is now s., 500.
Up to the present there has been virtually
no street Improvement. The town board
has repudiated 81 600 of its bonded debt and
interest for ten years. The board now has
a petition before the County Commissioners
to surrender part of its Incorporated i'm
it's There are 137 houses and about COO
persons in the town, with a tax levy of 70
cents to the 500 valuation. If this town
were compelled to keep up its street i'm
provements. it could not pay off it's bonded
debt in seventy-hve years. Such a town
cannot come to the front. 1t has no mail
system, no water. no street lights no
streets, and is hampered by useless ex-
penditure of money. Such town incor-
porated alongside a city prohibits the ex-
pansion of the city and is a detriment to
progress. No town should be incorpora ted
unless it has 1000 population. and the Leg
islature should pass law that when a
majority of taxpayers of such town petition
the County Commissioners. the latter shall
direct the county treasurer to collect all of
the tax until the bonded debt is paid and
then surrender the charter.
FLETCHER WRIGHT.
Madison, Ind, Feb. 23
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25

Washington Post.
A new experiment in plant feeding is be-
ing carried on in the Department of Agri-
culture. AS the amount of nitrogen in Glow
ers, peas and other legumes is of prime
Importance to the nourishment of the
farmers soil. science is trying to find a
way of administering the nitrogen artisti-
caily in a chemically prepared food. Like
DR.. Wiley's borax boarders, the plants first
took to the new diet in various doubtful
ways Some of them pined and dropped
upon their stems, some were not affected
at all, while others were visibly improved.
At present, however, the tests have
reached a stage where there can be but lit
tie doubt of their ultimate success. Mr..
Rittue, who has charge of the investlga-
proportion of the element needed to supply
the plant He has arranged in one of the
hothouses several rows of clovers. COW
peas, vetch and lupines. set out In rows of
sterilized earth At frequent intervals his
table boarders are fed carefully prepared
meal, consisting of distilled water, mag
nesium, calcium and nitrogen.
The popularity which distinguishes all
leguminous plants is the small cluster OF
nitrate nodules or Jumps attached to the
roots. The nitrogen is naturally drawn In
through the foliage from the air and is
afterward liberated in the ground. The sue
this product, which acts as a powerful fer.
tiizer for all vegetables from wheat to po-
tatoes If culturists can find way of OBJ
tanning unlimited nitrate nodules the bene.
fetal results to the farmers crop can be
readily estimated.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25

Springfield Republican.
There is a great accumulation of food for
plants in the vicinity of our dwellings. no
matter how careful we are, according to an
essay by Mr.. Crawford The roots of grape
vines in particular will find these sources
of fertility, even if fifty feet away. When a
root finds bone 1t covers its entire surface
with fine roots, and takes up the rich ma
terial as fast as 1T decomposes. Mr.. Craw-
ford has heard of case where a quantity
of bones were buried at some distance from
a Delaware vine, and after while one Of
the roots discovered the treasure and pro-
ceeded to appropriate it. All other lines of
effort were abandoned. The root leading to
the vines was accidentally severed some
time later, and the vine, having no other
means of support died. Mr.. Crawford has
seen a farmer who made no pretentions to
horticultural knowledge raise a ton of
grapes on an Isabella vine in one season. 1t
was first trained on the end of his house,
and finally it took possession of a number
pruned neither summer nor winter except
that some of it's shoots were cut off with
the scythe when they hung in the way. In
another case six tons of Catawbas grew on
an acre of light, blowing sand, and as good
a crop on stiff clay. A vine produced seven
bushels the fourth year and twelve the
fifth. Mr.. Crawford knew man who sold
$50 worth of grapes from one Delaware vine
fifty small Concord vines four feet apart,
and gave them good, but not extra care,
and the third year, while only on stakes,
they produced 400 pounds of fruit Vines
have been known to yield over sixty pounds
apiece the third year. The author once set
with great care an Iona vine four years old
that had been transplanted and root-pruned
three times. 1t matured forty-five feet of
bearing wood and six clusters of fruit the
same season and twenty-five pounds the
year following.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25
No "New Tangled, Farming.

Now the farmer dons his go-to-meetin' suit
And he hes him to a grangers institute,
There to hear In learned lectures,
Agricultural conjectures
And to bark to PROFESSIONAL dispute.
On the platform sit the experts. wise. Sc
date,
Each with boards of useful knowledge
meath his pate,
And they tell the farmer how
He should milk the speckled COW
In the fashion most approved and UP to
date.
There are papers on Rotation of the
Dissertations on The Proper Poles for
Hops
And long, intense debate
On the question grave and great
Should the Barn Be Cleaned with Pitch
forks or with Mops?
How to Trace the Willy Weasels to Their
Sources.
Helpful Hints on Painless Dentistry for
Horses
How TO Build Stack of Oats
There are many more such edifying courses.
Now the farmer sagely mods at all they say.
And at sundown, having spent pleasant
day,
Homeward hastens from his toll
And proceeds TO till the soil
In the very good old-fashioned Jersey way.
Newark Evening News
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25

]. c. Clipp. in Indiana Farmer.
How many know that charcoal is one of
the greatest health producers that can be
given to a flock of fowls? Besides, it is one
of the best egg producers We have ever
been able to obtain (save blood meaD and
one of the cheapest articles known, espe-
cially in wooden country like this. and
again it is one of the greatest devices for
covering the various diseases with which
the poultry man has to contend. AS pre-
ventive it has no equal and here is where
its great value lies. When a preventive is
known to be better and far superior to any
cure it should be priced very highly. We
feed charcoal, or, rather, keep II BEFORE
the poultry constantly If any one will visit
our yards and look at our fowls he can see
what effect ii has on them. We have had
a case of "crop-bound.'' brought on. We
must confess, through gross carelessness.
The idea of continually, doping fowls
with all kinds of medicine is absurd. Char
coal is natures remedy. Did you ever no.
tice the fowls collecting the charcoal from
the brush heaps? You. no doubt, have often
burned them near the poultry runs. They
relish ii. OF course If you allow fowls to
drink water out of any old vessel, in which
filth of all kinds had collected. and which
has been standing in the sun all day, or out
of hole where the water has collected
kinds of trouble with the fowls, no matter
how much charcoal they get. The idea is to
keep all vessels and cleaning boards as
clean if you expected to serve your own
meals on them. and the charcoal will show
its effect. Beyond a doubt cleanliness is the
first step to prevent disease of any nature.
If you have never prepared any charcoal
for your fowls just try 1t during the pres
ent winter months and you will soon notice
marked difference in your egg production;
and the general appearance of your flock
will be greatly improved. If you already
have some fatal contagious disease in your
flock, clean up and see that the fowls are
provided with warm drinking water at all
times. with few drops of carbolic acid
added. and a liberal supply of charcoal
with plenty of sharp grit, and feed judi
ciously through the bitter cold weather
and you will be surprised by the hardness
and the rapid growth your chicks will make
next spring. Feed the chicks next spring
now through the parent stock. and the
chicks will be less liable to fatal diseases.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25


of farm animals. hog cholera, how to kill
weeds. the care and feeding of chickens.
putter-making and the care of milk. the
vegetable garden. good roads. breeds of
dairy cattle. bread-making, how to raise
apples, rice culture. tomato growing, sugar
as food. insects affecting tobacco. cotton
and grapes; diseases of potatoes and ap-
pies, how to detect oleomargarine and reno
waited butter, tree-planting on rural school
grounds the Angora goat, and scores of
other things.
Ii would be difficult to estimate with any
degree OF accuracy the financial benefit
which has accrued to the farmers from
the perusal of these bulletins. Such men as
believe they must be continually studying
to keep abreast of the times and TO under
stand the possibilities of their business
have been the most diligent readers of the
publications of the Department of Agricul-
ture 1t is the benefit which these men have
derived that justifes the continued expendi-
ture of money by the government for free
education of this kind, an education al
most as necessary to national prosperity as
that provided for the children in the public
schools.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25
Take. INDEPENDENT Action.

Warren j. Lynch. general passenger
agent Of the Big Four, has surprised COM
petitors by announcing that the Big Four
would continue to honor the skeleton tick
cts of the connecting lines as heretofore.
1t will be remembered that the Pennsyl-
vania. the Lake Shore, the Lake Erie &
Western. the Baltimore & Ohio and the
Erie entered into an agreement not to
honor tickets of the skeleton form of con-
nection If fraud were proved in their sale,
any irregularities by which the receiv-
ing company would lose money. 1t is un-
derstood that the general passenger agent
of the Lake Erie & Western. but for the
Lake Shore, would take similar action
and would honor tickets of connecting lines
of the skeleton form and in case of loss
share ii with the connection that issued
the ticket. Such roads as the Pennsyl-
vania and the Lake Shore proper can af-
ford to take such action, but roads that
are less pretentious can hardly afford to
dishonor any skeleton ticket which may
have been sold. even IL sold under some ir-
regularity. 1t would be very difficult for
roads like the Big Four. the Lake Erie &
Western or the Nickel-plate to use form
of ticket proposed by the strong lines
named. as there would be an endless vari-
ETY. of tickets, so extensive are their con-
nections. and II would be an inconvenience
for passengers.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25
FARM AND
GARDEN n
INTERESTS


Philadelphia Record
No farmer can progress unless he is will
ing to study and learn In all occupations
theory is a mighty factor, for education is
considered essential to success. The farmer
of to-day who maintains that only practi-
cal farming is worthy of his consideration,
and who believes that his sons can learn all
that is necessary about farming on the
farm itself. daily witnesses the sons of
those outside of farming deriving knowl-
edge at institutes in which instructions in
mechanics are impaired. The best engi-
neers, machinists and woodworkers en-
deavor to enter their sons in schools or col
leges, at which they can be taught all that
is possible from a theoretical standpoint.
The farmer has kept himself back by his
opposition to theoretical farming. the
book farmer" being, to him, one utterly
destitute OF knowing anything except 10
expend his money foolishly in the effort to
accomplish an impossibility. The farmer.
however. is a close observer of operations.
for, while he will not become a pioneer,
and gives no announcement TO those work
ing outside of practical lines, he quickly Sc
cures the benefits derived through the ef-
forts of the experimenter. OF course, all
farmers are not alike for some of them are
progressive; but many prefer to wait for
Developments and when they become con-
vinced that a change in the methods OF
farming is necessary, will accent the in
evitable and endeavor to improve. The class
known as readers has made many sacri-
fees in the effort to improve the breeds of
live stock, the greatest obstacle to progress
being the indifference OF farmers. But the
breeders went with their work, every
year witnessing an advance in the improve
ment of horses, cattle, sheep and swine.
Records were made and live stock went up
in prices, and where before an animal was
sold at only a nominal sum, prices rose ten
to hundred fold. While the farmers were
oblivious to the work of the breeders, the
latter class was making rapid headway.
To-day hundreds of farmers are breeders
and their farms are operated on the most
scientific methods known. The result of the
combination of practice and theory has in
creased the value of live stock in the
United States to thousands where formerly
the figures were given in hundreds, and the
increase in the yield of crops has also been
very marked. What is more important,
however, is that the fertility of the farms
is now much greater than before. "Aban-
doned farms fewer. "worn-out soils
are brought again under cultivation, a
larger and more selected variety of fruits
has been introduced and the general condi-
ton of the farmer has been greatly i'm
proved. Much of the advance made by the
farming class is due to the heretofore de-
spised theoretical farmer. who has always
led the way, even if years were required
after his decease to demonstrate that he
was right, though during his time unsuc-
ceSSful and unfortunate.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25
THE SOUTHWESTERN Lines
FAILURE OF EFFORTS TO REORGAN-
IZE THEIR ASSOCIATION.
General Passenger Agent of Big Four
Takes Independent ActiOn-New
Engines for Local Lines.

Thus far the efforts to reorganize the
Southwestern Passenger Association have
failed, and the four lines which have re-
mained are still the only members. These
lines are the Kansas City Southern, the st.
Louis & San Francisco, the Santa Fe and
the Missouri Pacific. The first three have
given notice of Withdrawal effective March
81. but twice before these notices have
been extended month. The Missouri
Pacific gave notice of withdrawal, but re-
Gently the road announced that 1T would
remain in the association. An impression
prevails among railroad men that the Mis-
souri, Pacific hopes to get the other lines to
take similar action and thus perfect a re-
organization without complete disband-
ment of the bureau. Some railroad men,
however, attribute the action of the Mis-
souri, Pacific to the friendship existing
between Russell Harding. general manager
of the road, and C. NJ. Pratt, chairman
of the bureau. AS 1t now stands only four
of the southwestern roads are members,
and the bureau accomplishes but little in
the way of maintaining rates, the other
lines can demolish the rates whenever they
desire.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25
Some Horse Experience.

Detroit Journal
wish to say a good word for the horse,
especially the care and handling of them.
from the time they are foaled to the time
they should be put to work. / am a great
lover of a good horse So / will give few
of my experiences. When lad, / used to
have the care of a couple of colts every
year to raise. They always seemed to
thrive fairly well until weaving time, when
their hair would turn toward the head and
they would barely live till the grass would
come, then 1t was hard fight all through
fly time. We never had oats for the mare
and foal in those days, just corn. But now
we give our colts their share, and all they
will eat and just as soon as they can eat
ii. They grow fat and sleek, in fact, they
will weigh as much again when they are a
year old, as they used to weigh, fifteen
years ago.
l will tell my experience with pair of
colts the past year. one from an old mare,
the other from five-year-old, the old mare
died with pink eye and old age when the
colt was ten days old. The colt sucked for
several days after the mother was taken
sick, got the pink eye, too; and ii would
not drink drop of milk, so We got rub
ber finger stall, made a small hole in the
end, put 1t on a bottle. and it used that
with cows milk, about one-half warm
water. sweetened with sugar. 1t went into
stall with driving mare, and she moth
cred 1t and was company for 1t till the 9TH
er mare foaled, then they soon got to ca
ing oats, and were both large and fat fell
lows by weaving time.
/ put halters on them as soon as they
showed signs of wanting to follow the 9th
er horses off on the road; We never let them
follow the dam only when in the pasture
I broke team of 212-year-old fellows in
October that had never been off the farm
before, till put them to the wagon. l took
them separately three times each with an
other horse, then put them together and
can drive them to the wagon. We educate
them as soon they begin to notice per-
son.
The incest way to teach colt to lead Is
to tie it to the mares halter, then lead her
she will not hurt IL as another horse might
and the colt is not afraid of the mare as /,
would be of a man alone. But always be
kind to them, and they will pay any man
in growth and satisfaction: and when they
are three years old, they will be worth as
much as two steers of the same age, and
will not eat so much grain as either calf
We give both calves and colts oats just as
soon as they will eat them until they get or
grass the next summer Our steers coming
three years old were worth about $40. ano
they were the best in the neighborhood
but the colts about the same age will sci
for 800 each.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25

Country Gentleman.

Country Gentleman.
1t is not wise to pasture wheat stubble
seeded with timothy and clover, except to
limited extent with light animals. and
even these should be turned off when the
clover is wet and especially when it is
frosty. A better plan to secure a superior
hay crop is to NOW the stubble once or
twice after the wheat is taken off, About a
month to six weeks after harvest weeds
often appear. and If the clover grows luxu-
riantly, some of it may have a tendency to
bloom, which should be prevented the first
year. If the clover is allowed to grow until
September or October and then is cut for
hay, we meet with two results First the
hay is not of good quality. as rule. and
second, moving so late. the new seeding is
likely to be injured. whereas If the moving
is done earlier and the machine set high,
and the moving left on the ground. the
best possible conditions will be secured for
a heavy crop of hay the following year,
with but few weeds. To supplement the
timothy and take the place of clover. oats
at the rate of two bushels per acre and
Canadian field peas, one bushel per acre
might be sown. Cut when the oats are in
the milk stage or little before and cure as
hay. This oat and pea hay is probably not
as valuable per ton good clover hay. but
it forms a fairly satisfactory substitute
Peas do best If they are covered two or
three inches deep; therefore. gang or plow
them in or drill them deeply. and then SOW
the oats the usual way before the peas
sprout. Cure the oats and peas as much as
possible in the bunch, SO that the oat stalks
will be fairly green. Ii may be fed in con-
nection with the timothy hay to best ad-
vantage. 1t might improve the chances for
getting good seeding in the wheat if some
commercial fertilizers were sown on the
wheat as soon as il shows evidence of
starting in the spring. In many localities
fertilizers are drilled in with the wheat in
the fall. although not infrequently they ap-
w
but very often they do result in producing
a much better stand of clover and timothy
than where no fertilizers are used. In your
case. some standard fertilizers sown in the
spring. say zoo pounds per acre. might not
only increase the yield of wheat, but i'm
prove the seeding also.
The Indianapolis journal., 1903-02-25
:. L. XII LEN, State Man g'r
S35 Stevenson Building

el and make it difficult to scoop To avoid
this the shovel should be creased with a
bit of tallow to prevent sticking. This is
worth trial.
To dry out a pair of rubber boots is an
all-absorbing theme with those who wear
them. Dry oats placed I'm them in the even
ing and left in over night will absorb most
of the moisture. Another method Is found
In ,,I making a paper tube IKE IKE 2 funnel that
and place Ii over a lighted lamp, making
all secure. The heat will circulate through
the tube to the extreme part of the boot
and will dry 1t out nicely.
Heifer calves that are to be kept for the
dairy should receive very little corn. this
is apt to develop the tendency to take on
flesh too strongly. Steer calves and those
which ii is expected to fatten may have all
the corn they will eat Three factors to be
kept constantly In mind I'm raising the calf
on skim milk are: First. the calf should
not have too much milk at any time: sec
ond, the milk should at all times be sweet {;
third. the milk should never be fed cold.
Seeds are being introduced into this coun-
try from Asia that may prove of much
benefit. species of alfalfa. superior to any
as muskmelons Of extra large size and OF
superior quality, some varieties of which
are winter keepers. Cherry trees that thrive
in locations where the thermometer goes
10 degrees below zero may also be men,
toned, and also variety of raspberry.
which is large and endures the cold. as well
as large number of other fruits, grains
and grasses.
Evergreen hedges are ornamental and use-
full. The desire to secure quick hedge in
duces close setting OF the plants. which
causes them to crowd in after years as well
as struggle for plant food. Give plenty of
room at first. allowing not less than a yard
of space between plants. as they will All
the space they advance In growth The
enemy Of hedges is the basket worm. and
the baskets should be picked off and
burned They are really cocoons and can be
easily found Spray the hedge with Paris
green two or three times during the season.
When to spray apple trees depends upon
the purpose desired. Use Bordeaux mixture
when the buds are swelling. and IL canker
worms abundant spray also when the
blossoms are about to open. After the bios
SONS fall spray again with Bordeaux mix
ture also Paris green. repeating both ap-
pications week ten days later. In
about ten days or two weeks another ap-
plication may be made Of Bordeaux mix
ture These remedies or preventives are
| for scab. bud moth. coddling moth. ten,
caterpillar, curculio and canker worm.