davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
To Test Each Corn Ear.

The statement is made by officials of
the Department of Agriculture that
while corn breeders have achieved
marked success in the production of
improved types of corn during the last
decade. unless the farmers take better
care of their seed corn and test each
ear separately, preparatory to planting,
the chances are that the average yield
of corn per acre in the United States
will not be materially increased.
In our principal corn-growing States,
corn is planted in hills 3la feet apart
each way. giving 1856 hills per acre.
In most sections three stalks to the
hill is considered a perfect stand; in
some States, two is the standard. Yet
If each hill would produce but one
medium sized ear, or inches in
length and weighing a trifle more than
9 ounces the yield for each acre would
be 28S bushels, the average yield per
acre i'm the United States in 1905
A single ear of corn to the hill the
size shown as A in the illustration
would give an average of 2S.S bushels
TO the acre; a single ear shown as b
would give 30 bushels per acre; an
ear such as c would produce 40
bushels per acre; an ear such
as ID would yield As bushels per acre;
while en- ear like e, which weighs a
trihe less than pound, would yield so
bushels of shelled corn per acre, count
ing only one such ear for each of the
1856 hills. There are, however, very
few farmers who raise as much as so
bushels of shelled corn per acre. Yet
every corn grower can probably pro
duce many ears which are larger than
that shown as e in the cut. Eliminat-
ing, however, both ears ID and and
granting that every farmer could mar
vest from each hill two such ears as
the one shown as G, an ear which, rs
less than S1k inches long. and weighs
1875 ounces, the yield would be 80
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

cover the box with a piece Of glass. or
other tight material, to prevent the
evaporation of the water from the
cloths, and set the box aside for a
few days to await the results of the
test. Where only limited number OF
ears are to be tested, similar germ
mating apparatus may be made by
using cloth between two dinner plates.
Ten inch plates will give ample space
for the testing of Is or 20 ears at one
time. 1t is important that the ears
be numbered or arranged in the same
definite order as the corresponding
tests in the terminating box. One of
the most satisfactory methods is the
use of a rack as is generally used for
drying seed corn. This is generally
a piece of 2 by 2 inch piece of pine
from which extend on all four sides
long nails, each of which is numbered.
After the kernels from the first ear
have been placed in square No. I
of the terminating box, the ear is
showed on nail No of the drying rack,
and so on. These racks can then be
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
WOMANS ADVICE TO FARM.
ERS.

Miss Edith Urmey, an Iowa hospital
specialist, states that many of the in
mates of eastern insane asylums are
sons and daughters of the farmer
pioneers. They have been brought up
TO lives of idleness and luxury or suf-
fered from monotony of country sur
roundings. In either case the direct
cause for mental arrangement is the
lack of diversified work for body and
mind. The pioneers Of the country
had no time for brooding over imaGin-
ary troubles and were happy. But
they neglected to map out the proper
courses for their children and in
treating them with kindness have
paved the way to insanity.
The cities present numerous cases
of physical and mental wrecks of
young persons brought on by dissipa-
ton and strenuosity in the battle for
commercial supremacy. Farmers
warn their sons and daughters Of the
dangers that lie in their paths when
leaving the farms, but often forget to
correct the evils at home. They give
their children all the benefits of
schools and colleges and leave out the
essential fundamental principles of
life. Too many are left to remain in
idleness because they are taught in
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
JOURNALISM IN CHINA.
Dialect Newspapers Increase Gulf
Between Provinces.

United States Consul Anderson, at
Annoy, has made a report on Journaf
ism among the Chinese. He says:
1T is rather surprising, in view OF
the comparatively small population
of foreigners in China, how many
large publications there are in foreign
languages. The prices they obtain for
their publications and their work
probably explain the situation.
Shanghai has five daily newspapers,
three morning and two evening pa
pers; one is French. 1t has SIX 1or-
eign weeklies, one German. 1t also
has four Chinese dailies and a large
number of Chinese weeklies.
Practically all of the foreign pa
pers sell for Az cents gold per copy.
The subscription price is about Sl5
gold per annum, postage extra. The
Chinese dailies sell for about u cent
gold per copy. In addition TO these
publications there are many religious
papers, mostly in Chinese, published
by the mission authorities.
"In the south Hong Kong domi-
mates the publication business, and
as it is a British colony, English publi-
cations might reasonably be expected
to lead, but on the face of the record
the Chinese predominant. There are
four English dailies, the Post, the
Press, both morning papers, and the
Telegraph and the Mail, both evening
papers.
There are six Chinese dailies, and,
as in the case of Shanghai, there are
a large number of publications de-
-, 20 a,fn fc N
China, a Portuguese weekly and the
Government Gazette being among
them. In nearly every port OF i'm
portance in China there is an English
publication of some sort.
THE publication houses, as a rule
both newspaper concerns and con
Germs for general printing only, are
fairly well equipped for their work
Some of them attempt work in the
line of high grade magazine and bool
publishing, and while it is not always
an unmixed success from a technica
typographical standpoint it demon
strates that the Chinese workmen
who do most of the work under for
eign supervision, will in time ac
quire considerable merit in this lin,
of effort.
at is rather interesting to nott
that China at present seems to b,
passing through much the same pro
cess with its newspapers and othe
publications that many parts of tht
United States have passed through
All over the empire native newspap
ers are being started in the colo
quial dialects, and are more or les!
local in character.
1T is unfortunate in many re
spects that the publication of news
papers in the several local dialect!
has developed so generally. While
such publications will afford means
of educating the people of the EN-
pire in some lines, they also furnish
the means for deepening the CULTS
dividing the several provinces whicl
differ in dialects. Each newspaper
center, if it performs its natural mis-
sion, will develope it's own Language
in its own field to the exclusion o
a language which might in time be
come common to all China"
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
Better Now Than Not at All.

termination tests should be made
five or six weeks before planting time,
but even if it is necessary to stop the
plow in the field, it is far more prof.
table to have a good stand of corn on
10 acres than it is to have poor stand
on 20 acres, thereby saving the time
and labor necessary to prepare the
ground and TO plant and cultivate the
additional acre. Yet many farmers are
every year planting and cultivating 3
or acres in every 20, for which they
receive comparatively no returns
I'm making the tests it is essential
that each ear tested should be given a
number and all kernels taken there
from given a corresponding number
so that after the tests the faulty ears
may be- thrown ont.
Many kinds of terminating boxes
and methods for testing seed corn have
been described in various publications,
but the Department of Agriculture has
designed a simple box which is be-
lieved to combine most Of the advan-
tages, and give good results in the
hands of almost any operator. The box
would be about IL or 2 inches deep
inside and the length and width such
9s to suit the needs of the individual
farmer, but it should not be made wa
ter-tight. Instead of filling the box with
sand. soil, or sawdust, as is commonly
recommended, the seed bed is made
of heavy canton flannel or similar ma
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
sNN9$SSL KING CORN 8S&$j&5
ESS4INUYlA $SAN4IkEz%
Szr6StElkaS~ How the Farmer Double His
XATRgNW American ~<SN
KING CORN.

Corn planting time! The United
States this year will have over 10000
900 acres planted to this king of crops.
For this enormous acreage 15,OOO,OOO
bushels of seed will be required.
Probably but little thought is given
by the average farmer to the germin-
ating quality of the seed used, for he
has so long been accustomed to get
ting a stand, under ordinarily favor
able conditions, varying from GO to 50
per cent, that many have come to
think a more complete stand impos-
sible. Yet experiments have shown
that barring unfavorable weather at
planting time, the work of grubs, wire
worms, and the like, there is no rea-
son why a stand of corn should be less
than 90 per cent OF recent years, how
ever, conditions have much improved,
and never before has there been such
a demand for seed corn of high vital
ity. Some of our best farmers are be
ginning to realize that one Of the great
est factors in profitable corn produc-
tion is the use of seed which will show
a high per centage of termination.
If each corn grower would give lit
tie time during the early spring TO the
testing Of the seed. the vitality Of each
individual ear of corn intended for
planting could be readily determined.
The poor cars could then be discarded,
and the millions Of bushels of seed
corn which fail to grow each spring
could be very profitably converted in
to pork and beef. OF the 100000
bushels of seed corn which will be
planted this year. II is almost certain
that from two to three million bushels,
or nearly 20 per cent. of the corn first
planted will fail to grow as a result
OF the low vitality of the seed Thou
sands Of acres will have to be replant-
ed either in their entirety or in part,
and many thousands more will grow
to -aturitv with an imperfect stand.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
WHAT MAKES THE CORN AVERAGE LOW.

suspended in some suitable place and
there need be no fear of the ears be-
ing mixed while the termination test
is in progress.
The kernels in the testing box
should begin to germinate freely a.
bout the third or fourth day. but the
counting should not be done until the
sixth or seventh day, or until most of
the shoots or stems are from l to 11a
inches long. This part of the testing
must be done with considerable care
and requires good judgment, as ker-
nels will be found in all stages Of de-
velopment. If the six kernels in any
one square in the terminating box
show six good healthy sprouts, the ear
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

there any corn growers who can not
produce the equivalent of at least two
such ears to every hill? How many
grow 80 bushels of shelled corn per
acre?
The time required to test individual
ears for vitality is very small when it
is considered that II or 10 ears will
furnish enough seed to plant one acre.
Experiments have shown that if a few
kernels preferably six are taken
from different parts of an ear of corn
and all are found to germinate we'll
that is, to produce good healthy sprouts
practically all of the kernels on that
ear will likewise show strong vitality.
On the other hand, if the part of all OF
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
CAN NOT YOU EARS "E" TO EACH coRNHILL1

schools and at home that manual
labor is not honorable. There is no
reason why farm life should become
monOtonous to any one residing with
in the boundaries of ordinary civiliza-
tion. The rural mail carries the daily
papers and magazines to the farm
door yard; telephones place the farmer
in direct communication with the out
side world; railroads open the channels
of trade to every commercial port
yet there is a life of monotony on
many farms. The places are not i'm
proved, the owners follow the fashions
of their forefathers. they do not
adopt new methods in any line and
their children become discouraged.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
OLDEN DAYS OF WHALING.

The days of the old-time whaling
fleets when more than two hundred
full-rigged ships sailed out of New
Bedford harbor on three and four
year voyages to the most distant and
dangerous seas, were over more than
half a century ago. The right of
Greenland whale of the Arctic waters
with his mouth full of whalebone and
his cousin. the sperm whale Of tropi-
cal waters, bearing in its head the
precious spermaceti, were practically
exterminated by those all-daring, iron
nerved, keen-eyed Yankee shippers.
Their splendid ships, the Annie B.,
the Mary Jane, the Blue-Eyed Susan
great lovers of their wives and sweet
hearts, were this race of gentlemen ad-
venturers-rotted at the wharves or
were degraded to service as coastwise
and with them vanished a world Of
romance and adventure. No men, in
no time, more truly than they, went
down to the sea in ships.
But when the pennant of the last
old-time whaling ship was hauled down
forever, there still proudly swan
the oceans the vast rorqual or racer
whale, greatest of all his mighty kin.
To the sailing fleet of the old days, the
rorqual was an almost impossible prize
because of its tremendous speed, 1t
was practically unmolested, and mul-
tiplied exceedingly in both North At
lantic and Pacific waters.
1t was the abundance of this levi
athan, measuring ninety feet in length
and weighing almost as many tons
bulking larger than whole herd of ell
ephants-which was the inspiration OF
the modern whaling industry.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
TESTING RACK

II seems incredible of realization.
that the average yield of corn in the
United States in 1905. when the total
production was the largest i'm our his
tory. was only 2S.S bushels of shelled
corn per acre. It is still more sur
prising TO know that the average pro-
luction per acre is practically the
same to-day as il was forty years ago.
I'm fact, the average yield per acre for
the ten years from 1866 10 1875 was
2G07 bushels as compared with 25.2
bushels for the ten years from 1896 TO
1905. While there are several rea-
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

which they represent should be taken
for seed. There will also be cases in
which all six kernels have terminated,
but will be lacking in vigor. While
these kernels might produce a good
ear of corn, the chances are that they
will never develop, or else will produce
but barren stalk. 1t is only necessary
to remember that all ears showing
dead kernels or weak and poorly devel-
oped sprouts must be discarded and
only those used for seed in which
every kernel tested has given a good
healthy sprout. The ears which have
shown a perfect termination are now
ready to be butted and tipped and
shelled for planting. In order to in
sure further uniformity in planting it
is advisable to sort the ears before
planting into two or three grades, ac-
cording to the size of the kernels.
This grading may also be done by
screening, if more convenient.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
BICYCLES ON THE WANR.
Over Three Times as r1any Fac
tories In 1000 as at Present.

Statistics furnished by the Census
Bureau at Washington show a marked
decrease in the manufacture of bi.
cycles. Since 1900 the business has fal.
len off Go per cent, the number of
establishments being reduced from 312
to 81.
Formerly there were 2,034 salaried
officials and employees Of the facto-
ries where now there are only $50. The
falling off in the number of wage earn.
ers was 81 per cent The capital in
vested in 1900 was $29,7S3659, where.
as in 1905 it was s5,S47S03.
The production in 1900 amounted to
nearly 100000 bicycles and was re.
duced in the five years to little over
100000
In contrast with these figures, the
motor cycle factories increased from
159 to 2,2S9.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

the kernels tested fail to germinate or
show only weak sprouts, the proper
tion will be the same for all of the ker-
nels on such ears. And the experienced
corn grower will be not a little sur
prised to find many fine looking ear
of corn among his selected seed, the
kernels of which will not sprout at all.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
A SIMPLE TERMINATING BOX.

terial. using two or three thicknesses
of cloth in the bottom of the box and
one or two thicknesses Of cloth for
covering the kernels after the frame
has been filled. The cloth at the bot
tom should be marked off into squares
2 inches each way, and numbered, each
one of which is to be filed with ker-
nels from ears which are given a mum
Der corresponding to the square used
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

samples tested are representative OF
the present supply of seed corn, the
testing of every ear and the subsequent
rejection of poor ears will increase the
stand 1877 per cent. This increased
stand would mean an increased yield
of 29S, ,140, ,695 bushels, with a value Of
500, ,739, ,912.91 calculated on the basis
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
Remarkable Results of Government
Tests,

The Department of Agriculture re-
Gently made tests of seed corn fur
nished by farmers in the corn produc-
ing States, and of the 1922 ears tested,
1.9O6. or the startling percentage Of
more than one-half, were unfit for seed.
These samples were taken from ears
picked for seed by good, careful far
mers, and are evidently much above
the average. The average termination
of the 1906 poor ears was only 77.7
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

per cent, while the average germina-
ton Of both the good and the poor
ears, the seeds of which would ordin-
arily have been used for planting, had
not these tests been made, was S6.3
per cent, showing that 1871 per cent.
was gained by discarding ears of low
vitality. Granting. hoWeyeE.. that the
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

tom of the terminating box. The ker-
nels from ear No l are then placed
germ side up, in square No. l and so
on. When all of the squares have been
filled, fold the other end of the cloth
carefully over the kernels. II during
lSe sampling the cloths have become
y .zt.Hiyllzlq L.. am. well with water
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
A Very Simple Test.

For use, first wet the cloth thorough
ly by soaking in water, and then place
the half cloth, double thickness, which
has been marked in squares, in the bot
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

At least one American has sue
ceeded in London Journalism. Ralph
d. Blumenfeld, late Of Milwaukee. Is
the editor OF the London Express.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

About one billion feet OF timber in
the Black Hill forest reserve has been
killed pX the Black HIS beetc:
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

Artificial pumice stone is now made
from a mixture of sand and clay.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02
COMMON DINNER PLATE FOR SEED
TESTERS

TESTERS.
of the average yield and price for the
last ten years.
A full description of how to make
tests is found in Farmers Bulletin No.
253, by ]. w. T. Duvel, which can be
had from Members of Congress or the
Secretary of Agriculture.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

sons for this, the principal reason is
probably carelessness in the use of
seed of low vitality.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

New Zealand exports annually $685.
100000 worth OF kaurl gum. II Is
used in the manufacture OF varnsh.
The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

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The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-02

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Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08

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Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
OLD WALL PAPERS SOUGHT.
High Prices Paid for Colonial Picture
Designs.
From the New York Sur

from the New York Sun.
The average purchaser of wall paper and
upholstery materials is keener about nov
city than about beauty. 1t Is to supply the
demand for novelty In wall paper that COM
plicated ways of putting UP the paper are
devisad.
Panels of white stripes of alternating
MORE and floral designs are now used. sur
rounded by borders of the same flowers
used on the stripes. They are cut out on
the edges SO that the separate roses, for
instance project over the panel.
Then there are panels of more impressive
character, intended to be used in drawing
Or dining rooms In g. small room effects
of this kind may be created without a great
expenditure of money.
One rather dark dining room In an up
town apartment house has high wainscot
of what looks like black oak with frieze
of old tapestry. Both are of paper, but the
shaded candles on the walls give the room
look of antique beauty that is very charm
ing.
The wall paper most In demand is the old
fashioned colonial picture paper. These old
scenes of country or sporting life are SO
much coveted that they are even taken off
the walls of old houses and high prices are
paid for them. The process of removing
them is costly of itself. For the paper COW
ering only one side of a room in an old
Deerfield house 500 was paid and that did
not include the cost of removal
In spite of the great demand for these
papers, there has been no attempt to re-
produce them They are likely to be al
ways q little too expensive to grow very
common.
The present rage for empty rooms has LED
people to take a new view of wall paper
It Is no longer looked on as a decoration,
except for rooms that are to be without
pictures or other ornamentaton on the
walls.
Where pictures are to be hung plain pa
pers, or papers with very small and incon-
spicuous designs are used. The papers of
vivid colors and large, wriggling patterns,
which began to appear score of years ago,
to the Generalization of public taste and
the power to make every room look like an
infamed parlor car, have fortunately had
their day. Plain papers are now selected
as background and not to be ornamental
or decorative themselves. When fancy
papers selected they are the main dec
grafton of the walls.
Persons of moderate means who live in
flats are chiefly interested in getting al
they can for the meager sum the Landlord
allows for decoration. Yet few of them
are willing to take the advice of specialist
in wall paper decoration and furnish theii
apartments entirely with one paper or with
two shades of the same color.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08

pimples. etc. and often requires a physi-
clans care.
The folly OF going to extremes is visible
In the stride and figure of the physical Gull
tlire girl who overdoes her athletic training.
Common sense should come 10 her aid and
open her eyes to the fact that over-develop-
inent IS no more to be desired than under
development. A woman whose back Is hol-
go IN for physical training. exercising daily
until the hollows are filled up and the arms
strengthened. Then her natural enthusiasm
at the results already obtained overruies
her Judgment and she goes on training until
she has the outstanding muscles of an ath-
Iete and has lost all the grace of contour SO
really Indispensable to beauty.
Above all things. not too much ZEAL APP
plies even in beauty culture. One must
know exactly what one wishes to change in
ones appearance and go slowly about IL.
Miracles are still worked. but seldom in
the twinkling of an eye. and the world of
women realizes more and more that beauty
is synonymous with health, and that both
are to be formed along rational and sensi-
Bile lines, and Is not alone the privilege of
the very rich, and that the extremist in
this, as in no other field. has only herself
to thank for the result OF her follies.
To erase crows feet.-Massage the tenn
poral muscles with a rotary movement
Massage the muscle over the eyebrows with
an outward movement. Rub the muscle
In the middle OF the forehead Just where
the hair starts to grow, using a vibratory
movement. This will liyen up the sagging
lines and raise the contour