davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19
Growing Sisal Hemp in Florida.

The Tropical Sun copies an article
from the Punta Gorda Herald, with
favorable comments. There is not the
least doubt that the Sisal hemp plant
(Agava rigida) will grow in this state.
But the question is, can the production
Of the fiber be made profitable with
the high priced labor which we must
employ? The plant is a near relative
of the Century plant, A. Americana,
and we all know how we'll that thrives
on Florida soil. The following is the
description of the Sisal hemp plant
as given by Baron Won Mueller:
"Agava rigida, Yucatan. The Che
can furnishing the Sisal hemp. Drs.
Perrine, Scott and Englemann indicate
several varieties of this stately plant,
the fiber being therefore variable, both
in quantity and quality. The yield
begins in four or five years, and lasts
Tor half century or more, the plant
being prevented from Towering by
cutting away it's flower stalk when
very young. The leaves are from two
to six feet long and two to six inches
wide; the flower stem attains a height
Of twenty-five feet, the panicle of
mowers is about eight feet long, bear
ing an abundance of bu1b-1ike buds"
=. It will grow on almost any of the
light soils of the state that are not
too wet. It will stand drouth we'll,
but will soon drown on wet land.
But the better the soil the more rapid
ly it will grow.
The article mentioned above is as
follows:
The sisal hemp plant, which grows
to such perfection in Dade County
and all over South Florida, has be-
come an important article of COM
merce in the Bahama Islands. The
cultivation of the sisa1 plant in the
Bahamas has increased SO much in
the four years since it was introduced
by Gov. Shea, that it is pushing the
sponge industry very hard.
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19

gar weed for soiling crop or to cut
for hay; and it is one of the best
feeds. Like peavine hay, it is some
work to cure it SO as not to have the
leaves drop off.
AS winter forage, Dwarf Essex
Rape should have a place on every
farm. It grows we'll here from o.
tober to April or May, and is re1ished
by cattle and hogs 1t is a great
hog feed, and very easy to grow.
50 I can work it. While young, thin
to stand, six or eight inches apart in
the row
1t will pay any farmer we'll to have
some hay caps; they will not cost him
much, and are a great help in curing
hay. A man can start with two dozen
and add more from time to time, as
he needs them. Get some heavy, un-
bleached cotton, 48 or more inches
wide cut them, so when they are
hemmed they will be square; sew a
loop or string at each corner to stick
A wooden peg through into the sides
of hay, to hold them from blowing
off. These will last for several years,
if taken care Of Some farmers use
a weight at each corner, but I prefer
the sticks.
Let us all try to make more forage
this year and keep the money here.
Good, homemade hay will sell at a
good price and pay we'll for the labor
Of saving it.
I do not expect to live to see the
day when we will supply the home
demand for hay, but I trust to see
the time when every Southern farmer
will make and save all he needs for
his own use.
In connection with the above, the
directions given by the Denver Field
for forage will be found useful IT
is too late for this season, but it would
be good plan to file the item away for
use another year. IF you preserve the
Agriculturist, make note of the date
of this paper; if you do not preserve
it, then cut out the scrap and paste
it into book where it will be handy
tor reference next season.
One of the best hays for dairy pur-
poses is made from oats cut before
fully ripe ,or better still, cut from a
mixture of oats and wheat. This is
sometimes called succotash, and in
many sections of the west is sowed
especially for roughness for dairy
cows The mixture generally sowed
is one bushe1 of oats and half bushel
of wheat to the acre, but in this
springs sowing we would use the win
ter variety of wheat, for it grows more
rapidly and makes better hay. Some
people sow bushe1 of oats, peck
Of wheat and peck of beard1ess barley
to the acre. This mixture may yet be
soWn in season as late as this. The
crop should be cut just about tn :
time the grains are in the dough. If
the wheat and barley are sown with
the oats, the latter should be taken
as the criterion as to when the hay
should be cut, for it ripens before the
oats. When it is in the dough The
oats will be in bloom, and the crop
should be harvested then. If not till
later, the barley will shatter and be
of little value as feed for stock.
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19
Forage for Home Demand.

Since the freeze Of 18o4-5 the de-
mand for imported hay has fallen off
very largely, yet too many tons are
still brought here, causing the loss
Of thousands Of dollars which might
better have been kept at home by
making our own hay. A correspond
ent Of the Southern Ruralist, writing
from Manatee county gives his meth
as follows:
With shipped hay selling at S.. 90
to $1,000 per ton, we should study the
Forage Specia1' and see if there is
not some way whereby we can keep
those dollars at home
No doubt the Northern farmer wants
to trade hay for dollars, and the rail-
roads like to have the freight, but
in this favored country, where we can
raise some crops every month in the
year, why should we send away for
hay?
First and foremost in this Southland
| place that much abused forage plant,
"crab grass"-a plant which springs
spontaneously from the land, which
makes hay that analysis and feeding
experiments show to be better than
Timothy. To seed an acre to grass
in Ohio costs the farmer four or five
dollars for seed; here we harrow our
land after we take off our crop Of
tomatoes, Irish potatoes, or other
truck, and we soon have fine field
Of grass. When it is ready to cut,
it will yield one and one-ha1f tons
per acre.
[ put the machine at work after the
dew is off, and cut what we can take
care Of, turn it over, and rake and
cock it up before shutdown. Put about
100 pounds in each pile, and if the
weather looks like rain, cover the
cocks with hay caps, and in this shape
it can stand heavy rain without dam
age.
We let it stand thus for one Or two
days to cure, then open to the air,
and put in barn or stack.
Here get crop of tomatoes and
two crops or cuttings Of hay from
January Ist to November Ist. Novem-
Der Ist plow the land and SOW in oats
or rye, and by December 18th we have
a good pasture for Our CATTLE
We let the cattle Craze the oats and
rye until the middle of March; then
keep the cattle off, and by May 18th
the oats and rye are ripe and yield
a very good crop; and our land is
ready to plant cowpeas to either feed
as soiling crop, green, or make into
hay
Sweet corn and sorghum cane are
two good crops to have for soi1ing,
and if there is any Of them left, they
make excellent dry forage.
feed mostly corn fodder in the
green state. Teosinte is a plant of
the corn or sorghum family that I
prize above all for a summer soiling
crop. It is a quick grower, and all
stock like it and will eat it up clean;
in fact, will stop eating shorts and
bran to eat it. Like sorghum, when
cut it will stool out and grow again;
and we get three or four cuttings
during the summer Frost kills it,
This also makes a good dry forage
and is cured the same as corn.
[ cut corn and stand it up about
wooden horse that have for that pur-
pose. Make a shock as big as a man
can lift; let it stand in the field until
cured, then house or stack it.
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19

Gov. Ambrose Shea discovered that
the fibre of the leaves when stripped
of the outer covering Of green was
the frmest and whitest Of rope hbres,
and, soliciting the aid of English CAPT
ta1ists, he at once set to work to make
the sisa1 an important item Of COM
MERGE, and now the income is nearly
ST, ooo, 900 year to the islands OF Mas
sau.
An acre of land will produce an
nually half ton of fibre, and the
plants last from twelve to fifteen years.
Only the poorest and scantlest soil is
necessary, and no climate effects IN
fuence the growth of the plant IN the
least.
All the available land in the Island
has been bought up by the capitalists
since the sisa1 boom. The sisal indus
try has spread to neighboring islands,
and plenty of employment is given the
natives at from so cents to dollar
day.
They have also been allowed to buy
Government land in ten acre lots at
$40 each, paying for it out Of the first
years crop. In this way many of them
have become independent, ready
market always existing for their pro-
ducts.
It is said that there are lands in
Florida we'll adapted to this plant.
If anyone can give information re-
would make valuable reading.
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19

Several white lead manufacturers are
agdtating for law which will require
all paints to contain materials named
or suggested by the labels ON the cans.
They want law something along the
Lines Of THE pure food law, a law that
will make manufacturers responsible
for THE kinds 'of goods they sell.
Every farmer will Endorse the move
n1ent. There lis SO mulch trash sold
in paint cans THAT THE time has come
when protection should be given to
purchasers.
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19
Be Your Own Rain=Maker.

The
furnh
nd
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13

tump out of his skin, writes Gus Roe
der in the New York World.
whats the matter this morning.
l inquired.
Nothing the natter he replied,
"onIy here | was ready for the trial of
that man | was assigned to lock after
on the charge Of homicide. and that
fool has spoiled my defense.
The lawyer explained: The case was
one OF cOld-blOoded murder 1t was a
homicide committed while in the act
of committing burglary
"My man was insane at the time Of
Che shooting" said the attorney. The
district attorney laughed when he
heard about the kind of defense that
was to be offered.
Two months later the prisoner was
brought to court again. What a
change, was unable to identify the
man. His hair was long and looked as
though comb had never passed
through it. There was two months
growth of reddish beard on his face
His eyes were starry. Altogether the
defendant appeared more like mon
ster than a human being.
The Ruse That Worked.
"No use trying him; he's not righ
in his upper story" said the lawyer t
the assistant district attorney il
charge. The prosecutor seemed t.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
A TERRIBLE PICTURE.
The Ravaees Which Alcohol Is Work
ing in Norway.

The published report of DR.. Lerop,
head of the EvreuX asylum, and
medical health officer of Norway, has
found its way into British papers, and
forms a truly terrible study in the
ravages of alcohol
The report shows that the consump-
ton of alcohol in Norway has risen
enormously in the last so years, with
the following results:
The mortality has risen from % per
cent. to 26 per cent, the majority of
deaths resulting from diseases due to
alcohol; the number of crimes has in
creased from 4.6 per thousand to ST.
the offenses committed being mainly
crimes of violence, the majority of
which were due to inebriety.
DR.. Lerop states as associate facts
the rapidly increasing number of men
found unfit for military service; the
largely increased number of suicides;
the birth rate diminished one-half;
and the number of insane quadrupled
during this period.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13

in your case. and now plead guilty to
murder in the second degree. Is that
your plea?'
ut is" came the response from the
prisoner at the bar.
Two months before that-right after
the shave and hair Cut-nO such plea
would have been accepted. Death in
the electric chair was then the only
solution of the case. But two months
under the guidance of the experienced
attorney-atlaw had made an absolute
ly positive change for the better The
miserable life of the prisoner was
saved by method that is only too
often applied in cases which are con-
sidered desirable. The defendant, in
stead of being put to death, is now
serving a life sentence in Sing Sing.
There are others of his kind there.
1t is not always that the murderer
succeeds in carrying his shamming
game to a successful termination. /
recall well the case of Policeman Will
liam II. Ennis. His is considered the
most remarkable of all the shamming
cases that ever came under the OBJ
servation of the officials in Sing Sing.
Ennis was a Brooklyn policeman. He
was a married man, and as far as his
police record went a good policeman.
But he would get drunk, and when he
was in his cups there was no telling
what he would not do.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13

and Connaughton. "You fakirl We
found you out!"
The moment Ennis realized that he
had been caught with the goods on
as big Bill" Devery would have said
had he been on hand, he turned as
white as a sheet. Nobody realized bet !
ter than he did that his end was at
hand.
Gentlemen" he stammered, yes
you have found me out. But you
would not have done so had you not
put me under chlOroform. Now I'm
glad it's over and am ready to take
my medicine. You cannot imagine
what | have suffered during all these
long months while | was trying 10
beat the chair Now | am glad tne
end is at hand"
/ | well remember the case OF Mar
tin Thorn, the barber, who, together
with Augusta Mack, a midwife, killed
William Guldensuppe, a rubber In
Turkish bath. William F. Howe, the
veteran criminal lawyer was his
senior counsel.
There was nobody at that time who
understood more about putting up
the right king of defense than did the
veteran Howe. l remember going to
him Just as the trial was about to
start and asking him what kind OF a
defense Thorn would put up.
"Ah, my boy said Mr.. Howe to me,
81 don't know myself That is, it all
depends upon circumstances. In the
first place we" (he always spoke OF
his client as wei did not commit the
crime. Therefore, you see-and quite
readily too-that we are innocent OF
this most awful charge that grand
jury, guided by misinformed district
attorney, has declared against u.s.
A short time after the commence
ment of the trial Mrs. Mack an
nounced that she would turn states
evidence. She confessed all ant
swore that Thorn had committed the
murder.
, | was assigned that night to notify
Mr.. Howe of what had occurred.
found him in an uptown hotel. He hat
retired when the bellboy took up m!
card. | was asked to Come righ
l in, my boy"
I told him that the woman in thu
case had confessed that Thorn hat
!. killed Guldensuppe and that she hat
helped the man to dispose of the bod,
Z of the victim.
Q What are you going to do nov
Y about the defense?" l inquired.
}. Il have it! l have it," all at one
shouted Mr.. Howe, looking as happ
, as a schoolboy with a new toy. "Wha
, do you think Of it,
THE only thing left you is insar
. ity," | suggested.
|. And that is where you are wrong,
il replied Mr.. Howe. Il told you ha
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
UNIVERSAL PEACE.
CRUSADE is LED BY AMERICA
AMONG HEADsTRoNe POWERS.
DELEGATES WILL TAKE ADVANCED
Position In the Discussion and Treat
ment of the Second Article in
Hague Program.

Washington, June 10.-On the eve OF
the second Hague conference, which as
sembles next Saturday, the part played
by America in bringing about the great
international gathering and the nature
of. instructions under which our dele
gates are to participate in the congress
becomes matters of great interest.
Frequent postponements of the Sec
ond meeting and prolonged diplomatic
wrangles over the subjects to be includ.
ed in the program under which the
conference will be conducted have in
measure obscured the beginnings OF
the movement for the reassembling OF
the conference, so that there is not,
perhaps, general appreciation of the
important part played by the Washing
ton government initiating the move
ment
For the fact Is that America really
caused the invitation to the second
| Hague conference to be extended to the
world, though the document was actu-
ally issued later by the Russian gov
ernment.
The germ of the idea was found in
the meeting of the interparliamentary
union at St. Louis two years ago. The
resolution adopted, all urging an eX,
tension of the principle Of settling in
ternational, disputes by arbitration
were laid before President Roosevelt,
who prepared a note addressed to our
principal Representatives abroad, dl'
recting them to sound the government
to which they were accredited as to the
desirability of reconvening the interna'
tional conference at The Hague.
The first order of Importance, &C
cording to the American view, is the
proposal that improvements be made
in the provisions Of the existing con
vention relative to a peaceful settle
ment of international disputes as re-
CARDS the court of arbitration and the
international commission Of inquiry
Instruction of the American delegates
on this point are known TO be explicit
They are to do everything in theil
power to influence the conference tC
enlarge the powers of the permanen
Hague tribunal in dealing with arbi
tration cases; above all, the effort il
to be made to bring more business be
fore the tribunal.
American delegates will also TAX
advanced position in the discussion
and treatment of the second articl
in the Hague program, namely, tn
additions to the laws and customs O
war on land. Details of these propos
tions relate to the opening of hostil
ties, the rights Of neutrals on land, ett
The necessity for making these add
tions to the rules of war was mad
plainly manifest by the Boer war an
the Russo-Japanese war Certain of ou
experiences in the Philippine insured
tion have also had some influence
support liberal additions to the exis
ing code.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
WOMEN AND MEN IN sMAsH-UP
Which Causes Death of One and Injury
OF Ten Others.

New York, June 10.-Running 40
miles an hour along Z dark stretch OF
the ocean parkway near Coney Island,
an automobile with seven race-track
men aboard struck the back of Vic
toria carrying two men and two young
women, when all hands were gayly re-
turning to the city after merry night
at the shore.
Under tho motor car, which turned
a complete sCmersauh, one man was
crushed to de9th and another fatally
injured. The remaining five, tossed
in all directions, were MANNED and cut.
Of the Victoria party every one like
wise was hurled into the road and
hurt The women, whose names were
kept secret, had to be carried into
a nearby house and worked over for
an hour before they were revived. They
are said to be prominent socially, one
being described as the fiancee OF Her
bert Payne Drinkwater who engaged
the Victoria, and who is a wealthy
English mining engineer and relative
Of the nobility.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13

they are fine specimens of manhood
and womanhood, having much the
same characteristics as the native Ha-
waiians.
They worship the sun and snakes,
and it is a peculiar fact that the
snakes seem to reciprocate this kindly
feeling on the part of the black peo-
pie, for they have never been known
to bite them. When l killed boa
constructor once 1t cost me several
bags of tobacco to square myself with
local chief.
Whenever a native kills lion or a
leopard he has to cut off the head and
tail and present them to the chief OF
the tribe. This enables every tribal
potentate to have several lion heads
as head-dresses.
The food is mostly confined to game
and maize. Funerals are long-drawn'
out journeys, numerously accompan
led, over the land to far-away place
l once met one in the moonlight
The train of mourners were singing il
deep musical tones and the body was
being borne in blanket between two
sticks.
The Zulus like to kill white men b!
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
S REE5SsR5sarIge u
s1hlqzaE[pdE9
AN IMPEpIMENTi TO CLIMBING.
Opinion of Alpine Guides as to Effect
of Alcohol.

Is alcohol of use to mountain climb
ers? At a recent meeting in Berne OF
the Swiss Alpine club, DR.. Schuyler
gave the results of some inquiries ne
had made. He consulted number OF
climbers. and found that 70 per cent.
of them always take wine or liquor
along on a tour. The guides do the
same. Yet there is a consensus OF
opinion that alcoholic drinks are an
impediment to climbing, and should
never be taken before the summit is
attained, except in cases of great de-
preston or sudden sickness. The ell
feet of alcohol on brain workers has
lately been tested by similar meth
cd by a Dutch alienist. DR.. van Nleu-
ten, who addressed his questions to
$50 German men of letters, as we'll as
by an association of Swedish stu
dents. who sought the opinions OF
artists as we'll as writers. In both
these enquetes the majority pro-
nounced the effect of alcoholic drink
to be detrimental to inspiration. Au
guste Rodin wrote: alcohol is moi
for artists. Those who seek their in
spiration in it are, like their works
doomed to early oblivion" Gustav
Frenssen said "a thimbleful of alco
hol suffices to weaken my faculties
Biornstierne Bjornson confessed tha
if he drank only glass more than hi'
usual amount with his dinner, he hat
to suffer for it the next day. He hal
always discarded literary sketches
made under the stimulus of wine, hav
ing found them unnatural or morbid.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
Sex of the National Bird.

1t has been declared by a lecturer
to the Mothers club of New York city
that the official eagle of this country,
as shown in authorized designs, is fe-
male. The proof offered is the white
tufts of feather on head and breast.
The female is larger and stronger
than the male. Most persons imagine
the metaphorical bird as male.
Ornithologists say that the conven-
tional design does not indicate the
sex. But the law is plain. In the de-
scription of the seal accepted by the
continental congress, June 20, 1852,
the masculine pronoun "his" is used
three times with reference to the bird
youths Companion.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
Holds Saloon RESPONSIBLE.

LET America profit by the lesson"
GAS judge | have faced the woes,
the trials, the miseries and broken
homes of society caused only by the
want of proper solution of THIS prob
lem of problems.
Thousands and thousands of homes
have been broken up, caused by the
traffic in intoXicants.
81 have divorced 1000 people. l have
tried no less than 5000 children in the
past six years.
This lamentable social condition is
traceable in large degree to the sa.
loon" Judge. Ben E. Lindsay, Denver,
Colo.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13
BRIDE COSTS TWO OXEN.
Zulu Warriors Have as Many as They
Can Buy, Up to Six.

Every grown-up native of Zululand
Who has the u oxen necessary to buy
chem. has six wives.
Zululand occupies an area about the
size of California and sustains about
10000 population. When the women
are about l. years of age they are
purchased as wives at two oxen
apiece.
There is ne ceremony and no minis
ICY; the man who is charmed by the
beauty of the maiden pays the price
and gets the wife. Of course, not ev-
cry man has more than one wife; only
the more prosperous men and the
chiefs are able to maintain six
In that country there are no laws
and no judges Primitive methods and
customs prevail. and the highest au
fhority is the local chief.
The people live near to nature. The
dress of the men Is confined to gir
die about the waist, and that of the
women is not noticeable. Physically