davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
CURIOUS PERUVIAN TREE.
Il Produces . copIous and Continuous
Supply of Rain.

ooPPty W See""
The rain tree Of Peru grows very
large. Is rich in leaves and Is called
by the Indians tamaicaspi. 1t has the
power of collecting the dampness OF
the atmosphere and condensing 1t into
continuous and copious supply OF
rain.
In the dry season. when the rivers
are low and the heat great. the trees
power Of condensing seems at the
highest. and water falls In abundance
from the leaves and oozes from the
trunk. The water spreads around In
veritabls rivers. part Of which filters
into the soil and fertilizes 1t. These
rivers are canalized so as to regulate
the course Of the water.
1t Is estimated that one Of the Peru
Wan rain trees will on the average
yield nine gallons OF water per diem.
In field Of an area Of one kilometer
square-that Is. $3.50 feet each way
can be grown 10000 trees separated
from each other by twenty-five meters.
This plantation produces daily $4,000
liters Of water. II we allow for evap.
0rution and Intiltration we have 1885,
700 liters or 29.531 gallons Of rain for
distribution daily. The rain tree can
be cultivated with very little trouble.
for II seems Indifferent AZ to the soil
In which It grows The tree Increases
rapidly and resists both extremes OF
climate.-Espana MOderna.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28

MOTHER SAT RIGHT DOWN ON THE
FLOOR"
long ago, and when he was safely
perched on the arm Of his fathers
chair the story began.
when was small boy OF your
age" said his father. 'even the large
city stores had very little clothing
ready made for children. and In the
little country village where ! was born
and lived there was nothing to be had.
and mothers. with all the other work
that had to be done. were obliged to
cut and make the boys clothes.
"I remember It was In the autumn;
YOUR grandfather had gone to the civil
war. He went early in the spring. one
of the first to enlist In our town. Your
grandmother said one day. i must find
something to make little John suit
of clothes.
"I suppose. Jack. you think that II
would be easy to 80 TO the store ana
get cloth enough for boys suit. But
already prices were 80 high that even
the rich had to count the cost. and ev-
cry scrap was used to the best ad'
vantage. After awhile your grand-
mother remembered IN old coat that
your grandfather had never worn
much. She took II carefully 10 pieces.
ripping all the seams, then washed II
all very thoroughly and pressed II
smooth with a hot fatiron, and not
till all this had been done could she
cut out the jacket and trousers.
Zone night after supper your grand
mother came into the old kitchen with
the suit in her arms and called ME to
come In and be fitted. had been out
in the yard playing with fathers old
dog. a water spaniel named Spot.
Mother had put the clothes on me
and was down on her knees beside
me. working In the fading light. when
in trotted Spot. He lay down on the
floor. watching US. All at once he
raised his nose In the air. with his
nostrils twitching. and then he gave
Joyous bark and sprang at me. knock
ing me down on the floor. and then
began shifting ut the clothes and to
lick my face and hands: then he would
run to the door and look out and run
back again. barking all the time
Mother was 50 startled that II was
several minutes before she understood
that 1t was fathers coat that Spot had
recognized. and he evidently thought
that his master must be home again.
Mother sat right down on the door
and took me and Spot. too. In her
arms and hugged and kissed us both.
laughing and crying by turns. There
was no more done to the suit thar
night, but It was soon finished. and
nm sure | never had a suit that
liked so well or felt so proud to wear.
It was my Sunday best for long
time and wore so well that 1t was nor
all gone when father came home.
"Old Spot lived to see his master
and to 60 on many trip with him
through the woods. ds."-Youth's Com
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
A New Found Hope.

Writers and thinkers who observe
with logical mind are learning lesson
from the results of the National Corn
show, lesson of the possibilities OF the
soil in New England where We have
been for years upon years having i'm
pressed upon our minds the supposed fact
that the soil was sterile, untertile-the
extreme opposite of a rich soil.
When our forefathers discovered these
New England valleys and hillsides, the
fertility of the soil was the one thing
above all others which decided them in
the making of their homes, and although
many of them in the restlessness OF
their spirit went still farther into the
then wilderness, it was not, as rule,
the lack of fertility of the soil 10 the
New England homo farm which moved
them. Ii was the pioneer spirit, the
same spirit which snimated their Anglo
Saxon, Norman, Danish, ancestors in
their restless progress from east to west
IL was the same spirit of desire Tor
more perfect moral, religious and politi-
cal conditions.
1t may seem strange that the descend
ants Of the tillers of the fertile fields OF
DID England should not have recognized
the approaching exhaustion OF the Ter
tile fields of the new England under
their exhaustive methods of cultivation,
in the light of the knowledge of the
splendid fertility OF those same fields
when first discovered, but it must be
remem bered that the spirit Of logical
study, reeearch and Investigation for the
IS MT in conditions IL
still young in the human race. For cen
turies upon centuries the normal con
dition of man was apparently war aud
conquest on the one hand, and extreme
seryltude on the other. 1t was ouly
when the people commenced to have
some voice in affairs, some power IN
government, that there began to be any
real Improvement in mechanics, science,
industry, and, last of all, in agriculture.
To the thoughtful, it would seem thai
this is a late day for US to arrive at
knowledge of the possibilities OF oul
New England soil, but il nevertheless ID
a fact that except for the faith and pro
phetic insight of a comparatively few
we have not, up to almost the present
dsy, had any adequate idea of the posi-
bilities of our own soil, but have beer
locking with longing eyes perhaps tt
some OF the distant fields Of the west ol
south.
That New England, not to say Maine
could win the sweepstakes for flint corr
at National Corn Show, was undouot
edly as much of surprise to New Eng
land herself, with the exception, per
haps, Of the few men of faith, az 1t wa
to the people of the rest OF tho country
especially those who have for many year
considered themselves the corn grower
of the world. There are possibilitie
for agriculture in New England which
| great many New Englanders are just be
| ginning TO dream Of. No one can doub
| the possibilities of the fertile plains
| the west and south, and the west an
south should not begrudge us our ne'
found hope in the possibilities OF on
own New England hillside and vale
fields.-Maine Farmer.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
FIGHTING NATURE.
What Ono Mans Patient Effort Wruns
From, a Desert In France.

w
From a Desert In France.
In the southwest Of France. between
the rivers Adour and Garonne, are
long stretches Of pine woods. green
and cool.
Where these pines now stand was
barren waste In the middle OF the last
century. Sun and wind We'd with each
other In making the land drier ana
dustier. Over the stormy bay OF Bis
cav came winds that set up great
sandstorms and sometimes buried
whole villages. The whole region was
one of hopelessness and despair Fate
was against II.
But finally there came u mnn VINO
acknowledged fate only ms something
TO be overcome. This man. one Bre-
montier. was an inspector OF roads.
He began fencing In the desert he
built q fence and behind II PLANTED
broom seeds. Behind the broom seeds
he put seeds Of the pine. The fence
protected the broom seeds. and the
broom grew. Then the broom 10 its
turn afforded shelter to the delicate
pine shoots. -
Soon the pines spread. and their
tough roots bound the sandy soil to-
gether. The first step was accomplish
ed. Then canals were made to drain
the wet parts and carry water TO the
dry.
Thus did one man by patient enort
turn n dreary desert into home TOT
an industrious and healthy population
II was an instance Of triumph over
fate.-New York Tribune.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
The New Agriculture.

Did you ever stop to think that our
farms are what we make them; that as
our plans and study are, so are our
farms? Are we in rut, and farming as
father used to farm; or are we modern
farmers; adapting our crops to conditions
of soil, market and labor?
Too many farmers of to-day are In
that rut, that track trod by the feet OF
their father and his father; worn 80 deep
aud narrow that they can no longer see
the work of their neighbor. The travel
ers of the rut have lost interest in their
works Farming doesn't pay? AS they
reach each succeeding milestone, the
same dull gray outlook, the same dusty
brown path, the same rough stones un-
der foot. Their argument is this:
Grandfather made money on this farm;
why not l?
Times have changed since the time of
grandfather. Then he wore clothing
made in his own home, from the fleeces
of sheep sheared upon his own farm.
His dairy and poultry products more
than supplied his simple wants at the
corner grocery. The greater part OF his
work was hand labor, with little expense
for tools and repairs. His hired man
wa, munificeutly paid at $40 or SIP per
month. His boys were numerous and
lusty.
Now, with the scarcity of labor, and
double or treble the wage, expensive ma
chinery must be purchased and kept 10
repair. There is more liberty in the
home; therefore, more expense for
clothing, entertainment and living.
Many things formerly produced upon
the farm must now be purchased at the
department store.
In a word: As conditions In other
occu pations change, as standards OF liv-
ing, styles OF dress change, so must the
modern farmer change his method Of
farming. He must adapt himself to
market and labor conditions about him.
II he lives in the shade Of summer
resort which demands lettuce and green
peas, he must raise lettuce and green
peas. If he has a market for dairy
products, he should keep cows and
should know those cows-Brindle and
Ebony, Speckle and Bess-know the
numb of pounds of milk or butter fat,
and the cost of their feed, then compute
the profit or loss.
Keep books; let no item escape you.
Be honest in grading and packing all
products of the farm, advertise your
name, your products, your town, your
state. You toilers in the rut are like a
brook flowing between high banks of
brown earth and stone. The soil is dry
and arid; trees are scrubby; grasses are
short and coarse. Spread out, study
your work, plan your crops, read and OBJ
serve aud your farm will be like the
brook when it spreads out on the mead
ow. There, grasses grow in profusion,
many hued wild flowers abound, and
widespread forest trees dot the moist
and rich meadow land.-Clarence r. Le-
| land in Maine Farmer.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28

Some farmers are inclined to spread
out too much. In other words, they try
to work too many acres and do not do
thorough enough work. 1t would be
much better to put the labor on fewer
acres and grow more per acre. From
different causes the tendency in the fu-
ture is TO be for smaller farms instead of
overly large ones. Then the owner will
strive to grow as much as he can on q
small farm, and this is the most salts
factory method of farming. This sys-
TEN requires rich soil and thorough till
age, conditions that every farmer should
aim for. Could the late Mr.. Clark of
Connecticut, think you, have grown his
seven tons and more of hay to the acre
in any other way? Another example of
intensive farming is carried on by Profess
or j. w. Sanborn, up in New Hamp-
shire.
A few years ago had the pleasure of
visiting Mr.. Clark, when he took me
over his grass fields in bis buggy, show
ing the immense piles of stones that had
been removed from his fields to make
them as near like garden as possible.
TO begin with, the land was very rough,
rocky and barren, making it an expen
sive job to fit it for the purpose desired
by the owner; but il was finally accom-
plished and the amount of hay annually
cut was really astonishing, creating a
in agricultural circles. How
was it done? Simply by thoroughly 6t-
ting the soil and applying plenty of
fertilizing matter, after sowing liberal
amount of seed.
1t always gives me pleasure to see
heavy crop growing, let it be on my farm
or on that of somebody else; but it is
needless for me TO say that the greatest
is realized when the crop Is
grown through efforts of my own. This
is but natural. / am firm believer in
proper fertilization and most thorough
culture. These principles | endeavor to
carry out in my own farm operations,
and believe that my crops and the
gradual improvement of the farm seem
TO show that am on the right track.
In carrying out the practice of inten'
sive culture, after good plowing comes
thorough narrowing and cultivation.
On the majority of farms these two i'm
plements are not used nearly as much as
Nllty OCs huu ~ P"yo " uSS wv
cultivator often and continue its use un-
I'll quite late in the season, but run 1t
shallow. In this vicinity the last two or
three years we have had very dry sea-
sons, but by keeping the cultivator 60
ing have grown good crops, while those
farmers who neglected this had poor
crops-crops, in fact, which in many
cases would not pay for the little work
they put in on them.
One man says, ~ will not cultivate as
long as it is as dry as it is now" Now,
this is just the thing that we should do.
Cultivate shallow, with fine teeth, to
conserve the little moisture that there is
in the soil. The last time through my
corn with the cultivator the last season
the corn stood taller than the horse. In-
deed, at little distance it would not be
known that cultivatiug was being done.
Fl. II. Dow, Corning, N. Y.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
A BRAVE ToREADoR.
Ono Of the Most Thrilling Incidents Of
the Bull Ring.

Ono Of the Most Thrilling Incidents Of
the Bull Ring.
The famous Spanish toreador Reverte
figured In one Of the most thrilling
incidents ever witnessed In the arena.
Ii was ut Bayonne. After dispOsing OF
two bulls Reverte had twice plunged
his sword into third Of great strength
and ferocity. and as the beast contin-
ued careering wildly the spectators be-
gan to hiss Reverte for bungling.
Wounded to the very quick OF his
pride. the Spaniard shouted. The bull
Is slainw and. throwing aside his
sword, sank on one knee with folded
arms In the middle Of the ring. He
was right. but he had not allowed for
the me -gin Of accident. The wounded
beast charged full upon him. but the
matador. splendid to the last. knelt
motionless as statue. while the spec
tators held their breath In horrified
suspense Reaching his victim. the
bull literally bounded at him. and az
he sprang be sank In death. with his
last effort giving one fearful lunN OF
the head that drove horn into the
thigh Of the kneelIng man and laid
bare the bone from the knee to the
Joint. Still Reverte never tiinched. but
remained kneeling. exultant in victory.
but calmly contemptuous Of applause.
till he was carried away to heal him OF
his grievous wound.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
Flowing Under Green Manure.

Mr.. A. T. Thomas gives some excel
lent suggestions about plowing under
green manures. / agree with Mr.. Tbom-
as that many times succeeding crops are
injured by plowing vegetable matter
under too deeply and turning up too
large quantities Of clay subsoil. On the
gravelly and loamy soils, good results
usually follow the plowing under OF
clover, rye and buckwheat, but on clay
soils the results are frequently disap-
pointing, especially when deep plowing
is practiced.
II is generally understood that vege-
table matter freely exposed to the air
and moisture dscomposes into carbon or
vegetable mold and carbonic acid.
Large quantities of carbon vegetable
mold) and carbonic acid In the soil
stimulate bacterial activity and makes
the soil plow up light, loamy and free
from clods. As English farmers say Of
such field, "the land Is 10 good hear" {"
Carbonic acid lightens up tho soil on the
same principle that loaf of bread 10
lleavened. The yeast 10 placed In the
dough, with proper degrees OF heat and
moisture. The spores Of the yeast plant
rapidly germinate. throwing Of carbonic
acid gas that lesvens the whole lump.
The roots of plants throw of carbonic
acid gas in their growth, dissolving the
chemical elements out Of the soil, which
is then taken up by the same roots and
elaborated by the sap in the structure
of the plant.
However, II we plow under vegetable
matter so deep that the air is excluded,
or nearly so, by covering 1t with heavy
clay soil, the decomposition goes on
slowly and tho product Is widely diff
ferent from that described above. Un
der such circumstances nearly the whole
mass of vegetable matter will be trans
formed into pumic and that class Of
acids, leaving scarcely trace Of The
vegetable mold or carbon. have made
mistakes in blowing under green man
ures, and have learned by experience
that II We are going to plow under greer
forage crops and coarse manures !,
should not be done deeper than four OF
fivs inches on heavy clay soils. The
work of deepening heavy soils should
be gradual, and vegetable matter shoult
be thoroughly Incorporated with th'
soil as fast as It 10 turned up.-W. Nil
ton Kelly 10 Country Gentleman.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
~rh.e. Sheets In tho Wind"

"What WAS the origin OF the phrase
for drunkenness. three sheets In the
windY" II landsman asked sailor the
other day. We'll" said the sailor.
In explain that matter to you. The
two lower corners Of ships sail are
held taut by two ropes. one called
tack and another called sheet. The
tack is always kept very tight. but
the sheet is loosened according to the
wind. and the looser the sheet II the
more freely the sail swings. II the
sail Is quite free its sheet is said 10
be In the wind Now. suppose that
all three of a ships sails were quite
free. They would then dy about very
crazily. and the ship would wabble.
The course Of the ship would be zig
zag one. and the reason for this would
be that she had three sheets In the
wind That. I guess. Is why man
when he zigzags in his course Is SAID
to be three sheets In the wind also"
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
Water In the House.
VALUE OF RUNNING WATER IN FARM
BUILDINGS.

Quite frequently (but not so often a.
We would wish, for the sake OF the rural
population of the state) We note among
our state items that "Mr. So and So has
had water piped into his farm build
ings." To the city man, this seems
matter of such small moment that 1t
should not be given place in paper
where space is at premium, but to the
average farmer, and especially to the
farmers wife, that item IL OF much i'm.
portance. That running water Is not
found on all farmsteads is a reproach to
the thrift of the owners, as we'll IA 10
their characters as husbands and Ia.
Tiers. For supply of running water 10
not only household convenience, but II
is mouey-save in numerous ways. In
the mere matter of watering cattle, it
will not only make large saving OF
labor, but, in connection with some sim
pie apparatus for warming water in the
winter, II will increase the flow of milk
in dairy cattle and cause fattening
beeves to lay ON far more flesh than
when their drink is limited and when
such as they have is given them icy
cold.
e. K. Barnes OF the Minnesota Expert
ment Station has we'll said that the
economies it will effect on even a mod
erate-sizsd farmstead will amount to
good deal more each year than the In
terest on an investment of $500; and
only rarely would the outlay for its in
stallation amount to so large sum as
that. Forest Henry, in a recent article,
figures that-a well being already avail
able-the cost may be kept within 5000;
which includes 500 windmill; 100 feet
of IA inch pipe, connecting with house
and barn, and cost Of laying same below
the frost-line; the building of cistern;
small stock-tank; float valves and sun.
dries. The interest on 5000 at per
cent is only Sl2 year. 1t is safe to say
that any farmer, with an ordinary
bunch" of cattle, loses several times
that amount, in butter or beef product
alone, from the limitation Of the amount
of water which is inevitable where much
labor is involved in watering the ami
mails. All this without taking account
of the gain which comes from slightly
warming the water given the cattle
something very easily done by setting
coil of the supply pipe inside a small
stove-or of the conveniences, the i'm
proved healthfulness, and the saving of
labor in the house, which accompany the
introduction of running water.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
SPOT and THE
OLD CRAY COAT

"The gray suit Is the one ] like best,
father. and t Is most like Jimmie
fuckers"
Jack and bis father were standing
on the sidewalk and looking In at the
window Of one of the great city cloth.
ting stores.
1T has an extra pocket, and It won't
show dust. and you know 1t Is for
school. father"
"All right" said his father. Buy
ing this suit reminds me Of one l had
when / was just about your age. Did
ever tell you about that pepper and
salt suit that your grandmother made
for me? You ask me about It some
time and will tell you"
That night after supper seemed to
Jack exactly the right time to hear the
story of the pepper and salt suit Of
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
Hs Was Not laconie.

John Morley In his life OF Gladstone
tells the story Of the statesman's ex'
animation for admission to Oxford uni
yersity when he was youth. The ex.
aminer. having utterly failed to door
the candidate on some point OF the
ology. said. I'VE will now leave that
part of the subject" mo. sir" replied
the candidate: IF you please. we will
not leave II yet" and proceeded to
pour forth a fresh stream. The dean
In Mr.. Gladstone's day was Gaisford.
famous among other things for his
tren hant brevity. This laconic gift"
observes Mr. Morley slyly. 1.-The dean
evidently had not time to transmit to
all Of his dock"
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
Counter Diplomacy.

"I think you will like this goocs.
madam" urged salesman IN EucIio
avenue shop ut is just the thing TOT
a stout. middle aged lady.'
"Sir!" sIuealed the customer I'D d
rage. The clerk saw his faux pas anc
recovered himself quickly.
Pardon me-" he smiled. ri mistooS
you for the young lady who was In
here yesterday looking for something
for her grandmother. Now that ! look
at YOU again. l see that this was an
older person. Now. II you are buying
for yourself. we have something over
here that
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
Literary Note.

The teacher had been talking to her
pupils on Ouida's story. 1.-THE Dog OF
Flanders" and she followed her talk
by an oral test
"Now. what is the name Of the au
thor?" she Queried.
Small and Slangy Boy-Oh. You ida
Boston Record.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28

"What's all that noise In the next
roomY'
"My wife and. three Of her girl
friends are trying to play whist wite
only forty.scven cards in the pack
Louisville Courier-JOurnal.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
The Joke on Her.

II suppose being the wife Of hu
morist is a continuous joke" said he'
former schoolmate.
"Yes." she sadly sighed. looking al
her faded and old fashioned gown.
land it's on me."-Exchange
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
wo..s Than Hard Words.

"why did you kill your parrot7 The
door bird meant nothing by Its pro
family" =.
"I could stand Its profanity. but 1t
earned to initiate the lawn mower last
summer "-washington Herald.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-02-28
Affections.

Before an afliction is digested con
ISOLATION comes too soon. and after II
ia d,pcsted II comes too late. but there
Ia n mark between these two as nne
almost an a hair for q comforter "
take aim at-Sterne.