Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-06-25

His name is r. T. Mason Ball and his
home is In Baltimore There are 9TH
er collateral descendants OF George
Washington living in the country
round about Washington. Pay Director
Ball has four sisters
The Bal. family through the naval
officer has just presented the National
museum OF the capital with many me-
| MORALS of the Washington family.
some OF them having been owned di-
rectly by the Father of His Country.
One of the gifts now in the care Of the
government is Bible cover of tapes
try which was used to protect the
family Bible Of Frances Thornton
Washington. niece of George Wash
ington. from dust and hard usage. A
piece Of the crepe which was hung on
the door knob at Mount Vernon on the
occasion of the funeral Of the first
president Is another one of the me-
MORALS
Another cloth memorial is piece
of crimson material from a flag car
ried by the Continental forces who
were under the command of Col. Bur
CESS Ball during the Revolutionary
war An impression 81 cziSnson show
ing the crest of Joseph Ball of Epping
Forest, grandfather Of George Wash
ington, also is among the gifts.
Washington's Gold Epaulets.
Getting down to the things which
actually were used by George Wash
ington. mention should be made OF a
pair of gold wire epaulets Of ancient
design which were worn by him when
he was colonel in the French and In
dian wars Washington wore these
epaulets also throughout the entire
campaign with Braddock.
In addition to the pair OF epaulets
there is single one which Washing
ton wore at different times during the
Revolution The whereabout Of the
companion of this epaulet is not
known. A Masonic apron Of the Revo-
lutionary war period with the insignia
in gold and which was the property of
Col Burgess Ball, is included in the
collection Of gifts.
When Lafayette was in this country
III 4OGf W . pAOSGAltQ Al a AoAA
wood snuff box, beautifully polished
and bearing the Frenchman's portrait.
1t was the gift of American admirers
of the foreigner who had come to aid
the colonies. Later Lafayette present
ed this snuff box to his godson, Fay
cite Ball, a relative 2f George Wash
ington
One of the interesting objects in the
collection is an antique mourning
brooch of gold worn by Mary Ball.
| Tbs Is one of the few authentic relics
Of Washington's mother which is ex-
tant 1t must be remembered that
Mary Washington before her marriage
was Mary Ball. The articles have all
been placed in one of the cases of
Washington relies In the National mu.
seum's hall OF history.
Chance for Wizard" Burbank.
Scientists of the agricultural de-
partment are showing great inter-
est in a bill which has been favor
ably reported from the house COM
mittee on public lands to turn over
| under certain conditions semi-arid
lands III California, New Mexico, Ari-
IONA and Nevada to Luther Burbank
of Santa Rosa. Cal, In order that he
may be given a chance to demonstrate
that sptneless cacti. valuable for do
nestle animal food, can be grown
| there, and thus desert lands be made
profitable.
Representative Raker Of the com
mittee on public lands has submitted
favorable report to the house asking
that the lands be turned over to Mr..
Burbank for experimental purposes
and in his report he says that there
seems to be no doubt that the Cali
fornian has propagated a spineless
cactus most valuable for forage. which
II properly introduced may revolu-
| tionize the agricultural conditions in
many of the semi-arid and arid reg
ions Of the southwestern part OF the
United States"
In the favorable report on the bill
an explanation is made of the terms
under which Mr. Burbank can take
over these great tracts of land for eX-
detrimental purposes. The report says:
In order to encourage these expert
mentations. it is proposed to permit
Mr.. Burbank. after 1t is demonstrated
TO the satisfaction of the secretary of
the interior that said cacu can be thus
commercially and profltably prepared.
to purchase the amount of land as
stated IL the bill at the usual price OF
s1.25 per acre II without the railroad
limits and $3.50 an acre II within the
said limits. At the present time the
lands in question are without any COM
mercial value.
Experiment In Deserts Wanted.
cit. should also be stated that Mr.
Burbank is now propagating these cac-
Il. and selling the same to all corners
at a reasonable price, but these plants
are going into sections of California
chiefly where their growth and propa-
cation is not attended with any great
EXPENSE or uncertainty. 1t is the
view of the committee that 1t is most
desirable TO encourage these expert
mentations in the parts OF the arid
and semi-arid southwest which are at
this time practically deserts and now
await development. II this encour-
asemenI demonstrates that these sec
tions are suitable for the production
of these cacti, the beneficial results
will be OF incalculable value to the
nation"