The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-11-07
MANY ODD OCCUPATIONS,
Famous Old Trades Have Deeayed
While Others Prospered.

wv y ' 'SSPSi SS'
Now n then 1t happens that a
trade or profession comes before the
public which is not otherwise heard
of. The town crier's calling is certain
ly one of these. for it is only in quiet
places that the old-time cry "Oyez!
Oyez!" is heard echoing in the street
of some country town calling upon the
inhabitants TO listen in a way which
would be impossible in a stirring city
where the traffic was more noisy.
Now and then we hear of some
tramp or person of unknown abode
who announces some peculiar profess
sion. Sometimes it is some calling
(which is merely an excuse for idIeness
Or begging, such as that Of the tramp
who sold smoked glass to see eClipSeS
through. but sometimes it is more con
slant occupation than the latter, such
rs the man who gave his employment
US a manufactures of wooden seeds for
making raspberry jam or the dolls eye
maker.
Sometimes when a certain expert is
required it is no easy matter to find
such a one. Thus it is not easy to
Hnd a man good at polishing mother of
pearl, n there are few who follow
this calling in this country. Another
instance of a dying profession is that
-El lIC Oulltl oiAlC l, IN 10 III It
handcart, or perhaps a donkey cart
built, it may be, by himself, conveys
parcels for a penny or two each to the
nearest town or from one lonely farm
pr hamlet to another, a profession
which is becoming rare in these days
Of motors and other c~onveyanCcs.
Some trade are slowly dying either
from competition or some other cause.
Thus the wood gatherers who once
fourished in many Midland counties
are now restricted to one or two. for
aniline dyes have killed the old blue
dye used by our ancestors. though
wood is still employed to fix dye in
one or two fabrics.
Many trades are gradually beCom-
ing more and more prosperous as other
decay. Thus so years ago the COlleC-
tors of rare insects were few and far
between, and no one would have eX-
pected to build up an industry from
the produce of their fad. But there
are now no fewer thar three cater
pillar farms in this country whose
whole produce consists of rare cater
pillars bred for the fancy and this
is said to be decidedly a profitable
employment, as collectors are becom-
ing an ever growing class.
The culture of snailS in this country
bis also on the increase. and a good
number of persons in the West of Eng
Lland find employment in gathering the
~Esnails. whose bodies are boiled for
ksmall soup; while yet another trade
(which has a future in this and other
flands is that of the seaWeed collector,
Ia calling which until Of late years was
tleft to the poorest among the jewellers
gupon the shore. But now seaweed is
looming to be more and more used for a
variety Of purposes, and the gathering
kof seaweed is regarded as an ever
Sgrowing field for enterprise.
1t was always known that seaWeed
scontained a large quantity of iodine,
Ebut today it is used in the manufacture
Eof a certain kind of cloth, while certain
ESpecies are eaten under the name of
kKe1p is burned seaWeed and Doven-
kshire seaweed is used for a large mum
.ber of purposes, therefore the seaweed
! gatherers of today are in a better posi-
tfion than ever before.-London Lady.
Own Their Own Gas Plants.
In some parts of Holland the farm
Eers have taken the hin from nature,
Hand as the result have their own gas
splant. On the drained. marshy land,
sbelow the sea level, natural gas Is
quite plentiful, and plants have been
kinstalled to put it to practical use.
THE installation comprises a well, into
(which water from the soil filters, with
q gas generator placed therein, this
~bextracting the gaseous properties from
Sthe water and conducting them to a
Reservoir containing a supply for the
Ehouse. The gas thus obtained pro-
'vides all the wants for cooking, heat
ing, and lighting in the house or any
other part Of the farmyard, says the
Boston Transcript. After the plant is
installed, which is at a small expense,