davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

~ RECENT new invention which
has just been perfected. and one
RI that will revOlutiOnize orchard
- and vineyard work, is a vine and
tree pruner, operated by COM
pressed air. The idea originated with
Wesley Young. an Ohio man. who came
to California TO develop 1t. knowing tina
great resources OF this State and the
opportunities the fruit industry here
presented.
The device is destined to revolution
ize pruning methods and will eradicata
all laborious portions of this work.
Three different length pruners ara
presented to accommodate the various
heights Of limbs; one that is operated
in either hand, which is mainly for
grapevines; the others are three and
twelve feet long; these are operated
by a trigger, an instantaneous cut re-
sulting. Limbs can be cut clean, and
as large as two inches, and will do
away altogether with the laborioua
work of saving
The apparatus, as described by Nh
Rand of the Compressed Air Prun-
ing Company. is made light enough
to be carried about readily, and the ra>-
pidity with which the cutting knives
are brought into action. is limited only
by the speed Of the operator in moving
a lever which offers no more resistance
than the turning OF a door handle.
Thousands and thousands OF dollars
are expended annually for pruning
orchards and vineyards. and at times
1t has been hard to find labor 70 do tia
work when 1t Is required; and as the
above device will operate moro quickly
than hand labor, 1t will certainly be
boon to the fruit growers and vine
yardists.
The machine has been developed N
keeping with modern progress and tho
power is furnished by gasoline engine
which operateSl the compressor, dev0l-
oping the air, and also by a system ok
gears propelling the vehicle contain
ing the outfit; thus the generating outf1t
can be run through the rows of an or
chard and will supply power to operass
shears in the hands OF six men, threo
working on each side OF the machine.
These six men will easily accomplish
the work OF twenty hand workers.
In California alone there are about
20 0O0, 900 fruit trees and 200, 900 acres ox
vines that must be pruned annually.
This will give an idea OF the work that
must be done and the amount OF money
expended for the labor. Trees are con-
tracted to be pruned at from five to
fifteen cents, and vines from two 20
three dollars per acre, so II will be
readily realized the great amount ex-
pended yearly for this branch OF or
chard work, and the amount to be
saved by using an outfit as described
above.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27
Official War Time Marching Songs

The British navy has a treasury Of
seasongs, which require no official ad-
dition. In sense, indeed, Charles Dib-
din, was the subsidized writer of songs
for the admiralty. His naval ditties
were so influential in assisting recruit
Ing for the navy in the busy times Of
the eighteenth century that the Gov
ernment gave him a pension of E200 a
year. But there is only one national
hymn which is also an accepted war
song. That Is the glorious "Marseil-
laise." the sound of which, wrote
Carlyle, will make the blood tingle In
mems Veins and whole armies and as
semblages will sing 1t with eyes weep
Ing and burning, with hearts defiant Of
Death, Despot and Devil" How Rou-
get de PIsle, an Insignificant captain OF
the volunteers, marching to oppose the
Duke Of Brunswick's invading army,
heard a comrade regret that the SOL
diers had no battle-song, and there
upon returned to his garnet and under
sudden inspiration wrote the "Marseil-
laise," is history. ''Luckiest musical
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

venting potato smut In oats or barley.
This is only one instance where the
experiment station has come to the aid
of the farmer. 1t has also, in other
States, saved untold millions of dol
lars to the fruit growers, tobacco and
cotton growers, and especially to corn
growers
The improvements made in dairying,
feeding and breeding live stock grasses
and grains and the saving to farmers
through proper use of commercial fer
tilizers, suppressing destructive Insects
and cereal diseases, etc, have been Of
untold value to the agricultural inter
ests of the country.
The money expended by the Govern
Tnent and by the States for the support
of experiment stations Dartakes more
Of the nature of profitable investment
than of an appropriation. The money
expended has brought wonderful cash
returns, besides elevating and popu-
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

every corner and the business OF the
hour was the old petty discussion OF
minor details Of kit. or hot argumenSV
as to the value Of this or that style of
an agreed on necessity.
The siege OF the War once tor ~
formation was regularly laid Every
day sorties were made, sometimes By
detached parties, sometimes almost en-
masse. One by one little fragments ok
seeming information were picked IN
and the utmost was made OF them. The
wonderful conspiracy OF silence with
which the japanese had cloaked theip
earlier preparations for war was con-
tinued as far as what should be done
with war correspondents was con-
cerned.
Then came the srushsr. n WA On
ciaIly intimated to several man On In
same day that they would be expected
to take with them INTO the nsld enly
what luggage one servant could carry.
Jupiter Pluvius. frogs and nshesi Ne
tent. no sleeping bag. no fur rug. hArd11
even fur coat. no cook stove. No type
writer, not even . comfortable mess
kit! You might a. well either not Try
10 go or make mp your mind 20 i've
IN your BaQQle pOck9t9 ana or4W r8-
tlons from the army. which is Hksly 70
mean untold quantities of rice and
plenty OF hot water.
But what does II mattsrf To-day
comes the news that the Japanese have
already got 10000 men In Seoul. and the
land movements We have been waiting
so long to see have begun without Us.
The general stan calmly announces
that when "the two armies are IN con-
tact" the correspondents will be per-
mitted to go to the front. There Is no
sign Of the issuance OF q pass. and the
main business Of the newspaper men
has reverted to the selection OF camp
beds and the making OF leather writing
portfolios.
We understand there is a war on be-
tween Japan and Russia The only in
dication OF the fact there is IN Toxic
is the presence OF a large staff OF high
ly certihcated war correspondents, all
busily inactive, occupied only in gen.
eraI discussion Of details OF camp gear
and in replying to a multitude Of invi-
tations to luncheons. parties. dinners
and evenings at bridge
Oh. for ten minutes OF the man from
Salamanca
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

7 N adopting an official marching
song for the British army, the War
Office has the support Of modern
military experts and immemorial
custom. Music has always played a
great part in fighting, and Lord Wolse-
ley declares that troops that sing as
they march viii not only reach their
destination more quickly and in better
fighting condition than those who
march in silence, but, inspired by the
music and words of national songs,
will feel that self-confidence which is
the mother Of victory" But whether
Tommy Atkins will take kindly to the
song composed for him may be doubt
ed. Such things do not come about by
order and decree. The British soldier
is musical only in limited degree.
Nor are the songs sung martial or
national. There is no record that God
Save the King" or even the more STIR
ring Rule Britannia" has ever been
sung by our troops as a battle song.
At Waterloo and In the Crimea there
are stories of regiments breaking forth
with the rousing British Grenadiers."
But Tonlmy's real favorites are senti-
mental ditties of the order Of THE Girl
Left Behind Me-" That has been
sung more often by British soldiers
as their hymn before action than any
other song. The tune was formerly
known as Brighton Camp" and, dat
ing from 1910 in Ireland. came to Eng
land about a century ago. In the Boer
war Tommy solaced himself with
music-hall songs, and that q more
seemly composition, produced under
the aegis and with the approval Of the
War Office, will supplant them may be
more than doubted. When the British
soldier is fighting he fights 80 stifly
that the inevitable reaction turns his
thoughts to homely sentiment In
more than one veldt engagement he
was seen and heard pinging bullets into
the Boer lines to the vocal accompani-
ment, not of lofty. patriotic measure,
but with the philosophic assurance
You have all got 10 have EN-.
Whether you want 'enn or no.
But the popular song Of the war was
a pathetic doggerel describing q SOL
dier's dying message to his home: and
at times every camp was nlled with the
doleful, yet truly tender. refrain
Break the news to mother;
Tell her that loved hsr.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

Quently and generally fou4-- with the
straw badly infested with smut, but
with little or no evidence of the disease
in the form of developed smut balls in
the head. A field of wheat so affected, it
was carefully estimated, would yield
from three to four bushels less per acre
than where the grain was free from the
disease.
Taking an average of but two BUSH
els less per acre on the whole crop, or
four bushels less per acre on half the
acreage sOwn annually, and we have
a loss of 10000, 600 bushels for a single
harvest.
Ten million bushels of wheat at so
cents per bushel means a loss of s., 900,
600, plus $500, 900 loss from depression
in price, and we have a grand total of
$500 900 loss per annum to the farmers
of the State. Making any allowance one
may wish from the above figures for
extravaganza of estimate, and still the
saving to the wheat growers is enor-
nous. But the statement is not an
extravagant one, in view of the rapid
increase of the disease before a remedy
was found 10 check it.
So effective is the remedy and so
easily and cheaply applied that the
farmer to-day is in disrepute if he
grows smutted wheat. One pound of
formaldehyde to forty gallons of water,
applied to the grain with sprinkling
can and shovel. is the remedy. The
same solution with slight variation as
TO strength is equally effective for pre-
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

One Of the most surprising changes
effected by this war has been an ar
rangement by which kilograms may be
sent to newspapers and paid fer by
the receiver. This was effected only on
the guarantee by the cable company
which receives the messages from the
japanese Government wires that it
would be responsible for the charges.
But here comes in the wonderful reg
ulation. A press telegram is a message
intended for publication, and the rule
is that it must be published in the next
issue Of the paper after it is received
and copy Of the paper sent to the
delivering telegraph Office. For such
messages less rate is charged than for
ordinary commercial messages.
There. is also what is known as the
urgent" rate. If a man is in a great
hurry to get through an important
message he may pay the urgent rate
and have 1t take precedence of all other
messages on the wires except urgents
fled before his or Government business.
The newspaper men out here have been
in the habit of taking advantage of
these three rates as circumstances war;
ranted in order to catch editions Of
their papers. The time occupied in
transmission by a message at press
rates is known to them, as is that Of a
message at full rate" the ordinary
commercial price and at urgent rates.
BY taking into account the difference
Of time between here and New York a
man may gauge his chance Of catching
any edition of his paper, and II the i'm
portance Of his news warrants he Will
send ii at full rate. or urgent.
But under the Japanese regulation
there is only one rate for press mes
sage, and that is the press rate. Mes
sages to newspapers will not be ac-
cepted. even IL prepaid, at full rate or
urgent. Accordingly. II a newspaper
man wishes to send such message to
HIS office he must direct II to q private
address and prepay 1t.
No amount of argument has been
able to effect reconsideration Of this
decision. The Japanese Government is
unable to comprehend the fact that a
telegram for publication may be suffi-
ciently valuable to warrant news
paper in paying three times the COM
mercial rate for ii.
Something of this spirit of regulation
has been met by the newspaper men in
their efforts to get to the front with
the Japanese troops. Before the actual
outbreak Of hostilities special regula-
tions were issued forbidding any men,
ton Of the movements of troops or
ships simultaneously a secret CEN
sorship was established over kilograms,
and all reference to such movements
were cut out.
For some time nothing was said
about such action to the men who had
filed the messages, but recently, and
after considerable criticism. the sys-
tenn was adopted of notifying the
senders of messages that had been ex-
cised Of the words that had been cut
out. These notices come In punches
sufficiently old to prevent any attempt
to get out the thing that has been
excised In a different way.
All that care was undoubtedly Jus
titled. The Japanese could not afford
to have their enemy obtain any ink
ling Of what they were doing In the
way Of preparation for war. and at the
earlier stages OF the preparations their
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27
By Q. X. Davis.

issued. Meantime the correspondents
possessed their souls in what peace
they could, and worried about kit. In
cidentally more steamers arrived
bringing more correspondents, and
those who had come early in prder to
avoid the rush saw themselves over
taken by increasing numbers of their
fellows, and all hope of early bird"
advantage vanished
All this and still no regulations. They.
came, however, in the course Of a long
time. There are fourteen sections, be-
ginning with the provision that appli
cation to go to the field must be made
to the War Department and be accom-
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

to take also one servant, guaranteed
like the interpreter.
Then comes the prize, section 5: THE
authorities, when they consider 1t
necessary, may cause the selection OF
one person to act as joint correspond
ent for several newspapers.
Sections and provide that passes
shall be given to those correspondents
who are permitted to go to the 'front.'
and that they shall be attached to
headquarters of the columns they ao-
company.
Section 8 says: Correspondents
shall always wear foreign clothes, and
to their left arm shall be attached a
white band, about two inches wide, on
which the name Of the newspaper rep
resented shall be printed in Japanese
in red
Sections and 10 provide that the
correspondents shall always carry their
permits and shall show them to any
japanese officer who desires to see
them. They must observe any rules
made by the commanding officers Of
their respective columns and may be
set down for failure to do so.
Section II provides for a field GEN.
sorate as follows: THE war ccrre-
spondent will not be permitted to dis
patch his communications (whether
they be correspondence for publication
or private letters or telegrams) until
after their examination by the oficer
appointed by the commanding ofi1cer
No communication containing cipher
or symbols will be permitted to be dis
patched"
The remaining sections promise that
the army will do its best to facilitate
the correspondents, and in case Of ne|
cessity provide food and transportation.
They also declare correspondents, their
interpreters and servants subject to
court-martial for violation Of the GRIM
inal law, the military criminal law or
the law for the preservation Of mill
tary secrets.
There was nothing IN these regula-
tions to cause dismay, and. in fact.
most OF them had been foreseen- The
limitation to one servant made 1t look
as If a man would have to either do his
own cooking or his own camp work.
for 1t was unlikely that he could find
a man who could or would do both for
him.
But that was not an insurmountable
hardship. and the promise to provide
transportation. by vessel IL necessary,
seemed to indicate willingness to let
a man go to the field with a suitable
outfit so that he could make himself
comfortable. Thereupon those who had
not got tents went out and ordered
them, and fur coats and robes and
sleeping bags Increased correspondingly
in number.
For a day or two after these reguia-
tions appeared In the Official Gazette
there was lively work among the news
paper men making what they then
thought would be final preparations.
The long expected and eagerly desired
passes would surely be issued now in
a day or so. They were certain OF 1t
when notices were posted at the hotel
by the military attache Of the British
legation, saying that the War ONCE
desired to have all the applications pre-
sented as soon as possible. But after
day or two Of anxious expectancy the
old air OF uncertainty came back. in
decision and indeiniteness lurked In
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

movements might have been justly
construed by Russia as unfriendly acts,
and have precipitated what both sides
then professed to be hoping by diplo-
matte means to avoid.
But the declaration of war removed
that reason. Up to the time the cor
respondents here had been unable to
obtain anything definite from any Of
fetal source as to what their move
ments would be, or when they would
be allowed to move at all. 1t finally
was said that there were no regula-
tions to govern the correspondents.
That led to the information that in
due time such regulations would be
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

composition ever promulgated" de-
clared Carlyle. But It is notable that
all truly national songs have had such
lucky births; they have been written,
like the "Marseillaise," by amateurs in
fits of spontaneity. An otherwise un-
known German schoolmaster. named
Wacht am Rhein." This, not the
Hymn to the Kaiser" was the SOL
diers' song" during the war against
France.
Italy received its Garibaldian Hymn
in the same spontaneous way. It's au-
thorship is entirely unknown; probably
1t was written by some patriot In Carl
baldi's army with the simple object
Of giving his comrades a tuneful and
lively song to cheer the march. But it
won the ear and touched the heart of
Italy, and is more truly national than
the anthem since officially composed
and adopted by the Government.
Again, in the American Civil War, the
song Of the troops was not the Official
ly national HAIL, Columbia" but the
much more simple and thrilling
John Browns body lies noldering in the grave,
And we 20 marching on.
IN the japanese army IT IS the Gus
tom for the soldiers to sing as they
go into battle and rush to the charge.
The practice was remarked during the
operations OF the allied powers against
Peking. Their favorite song is the
"Kimi Gayo," or national anthem,
which has been Englished as follows:
May our Lords dominion last
Till thousand years have passed
Twice four thousand times o. ertoidl
Firm as chanReless rock. earth-footed.
Moss OF ages uncomputed.
In the Russian army tests were made
few years ago to ascertain the value
Of marching songs, and the results so
confirmed Lord Wolseley's dictum that
the regulations now decree that regi-
ments on march and in advancing to
charge shall sing national songs. In
the Austrian maneuvers OF 1900 Gen.
eral Kryanowsky made a curious ex-
pertinent as to the use Of songs as q
means OF locating the position Of the
battalions OF an army corps. He d.
rected each division to learn q different
war. or folk, song. and to sing 1t when
attacked or going into action. Thus
from the music, the headquarters-staff
was able to discover at distance what
battalions were under fire and attacked
by the enemy.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

larizing the greatest vocation open to
the rising generation. Congress could
do no better thing for this country
than to increase the Governments an
nual investment in each State expert
ment station from $4,000 to $4,000. The
returns on the investment would be
rich beyond comparison.
Agriculture is the foundation OF our
national prosperity. 1t is the prime
source Of our national wealth, and TO
increase the products OF the soil and
yet conserve it's fertility for future gen.
erations is worthy the attention Of
statesmen Can the Government afford
TO spend annually for the benefit OF
the farmers of the United States. IN the
form of increased experiment station
work, a sum OF money less than sufh-
Client to build a couple or torpedo
boats s?-Chicago Record Herald.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27
Remarkable
Work of the
Government
Agricultural
Experiment
Stations.

~ he. new movement afoot for the
perfecting Of the experiment
station, as a factor in the
. Il development Of the countrys
agricultural resources, is not fully ap-
precLated. It receives great credit, but
its actual cash value TO the country
cannot be estimated. Take the State
OF North Dakota, for example. AT
time when the nature and characters
tics Of wheat smut were but imperfect
ly understood and the disease was
spreading with fearful rapidity
throughout the great wheat area OF
the State, the experiment station
proved the source of relief.
It. required a prOdigious amount OF
study and experimentation to fully
diagnose the disease and to discover a
safe. speedy and economical remedy.
Various remedies were found to be ef-
fectiVe such as corrosive sublimate,
potassium sulphide, hot water, forma-
lin and other things, but most of them
were difficult TO apply Corrosive sub
Innate is poisonous and consequently
dangerous, and also has a tendency 10
retard termination. Hot water treat
ment is too delicate for the farmer to
use FOrmaldehye was finally selected
as a remedy that could be easily, ef-
fecively and economically applied and
with perfect safety. and which instead
OF retarding termination facilitates it.
Professor Bolley demonstrated that
the gain from the quicker termination
or seed wheat when treated with for
maldehyde fully or more than makes
UP for the expense of the chemical and
the labor incident to its application to
the. grain.
What are the benefits accruing TO the
farmers Of the State from investiga-
tions OF wheat smut? From the fact
that smutted and clean wheat could
not be kept separate in the elevators,
and as IL required expensive machinery
10 scoUr smutted wheat previous to
grinding It, it was conservatively es-
timated by wheat dealers that, where
smut was generally prevalent. II meant
an average depression in price OF at
lesst ; cents per bushel.
An average $4,000. .OoO- O-busheI crop
meant a loss Of s.. 500. 900. But this was
not all. nor the chief loss from smut
The nature Of the disease being para
sitical in character, il did not always
manifest its presence or evil effects in
the form OF smut balls in the wheat
head. but the chief injury resulted in
the weakening Of the plant from the
disease. so that the yield was, in con-
sequence, several bushels less per acre
and Of inferior grade. Fields were fire.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

panied by sketch of the applicants
life and a document OF personal guar
antee. signed by the proprietor of the
newspaper for which the applicant
works. Foreign correspondents need
not sketch their lives and the guarantee
Is dispensed with.
Section provides that the applicant
must have done newspaper work for
one year at least. No greenhorns are
to be permitted to spend their vaca-
tions with the Japanese army.
The third section provides that for
eigners may take an interpreter, for
whom they must give personal guar
aEtee. BY section they are permitted