davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-10-04

of this nations food supply has become
a world question. Truly. then. it falls
within the realm of economics, and, mar
rowed to its actual limitations, agricul-
tural economics is the correct term
In the office of the assistant secretary
OF agriculture sits a slender. delicately
featured young man, who, next to his
Immediate chief, the Secretary of Agri-
culture himself, is best qualified to talk
on the subject; for he is both a trained
economist and very practical agricuI-
turIst who has made pronounced fnan-
cial success of farming. Carl Schurz
Nrooman is his name. That name tells
the story of his ancestry. and explains
the possession of a philosophical mind
ever he does.
Only recently did Mr.. Vrooman come
to the department as the Secretary's
executive officer. But he came as one
with which the department is now con-
cerning itself are problems to which he
has devoted his life.
The situation in this country today"
said Mr.. Vrooman. in recent conversa-
ton regarding the work of the depart
ment, is this: First, we have wholly
disproportionate area of arabic land which
Is idle. Second, the titled land is not
producing more than half the product
u "i.'ch II is capable, owing to the
fact that the vast ma jority of farmers
are not employing the methods which have
been demo nstrated by the Department of
Agriculture and the agricultural colleges
TO be the most successful Not only
would the employment Of these methods
produce larger crops on the farms now in
use, but. applied to many of the lands
now idle, they also would prove remu-
nerative.'
Then" it was suggested. 1.-The fault
Of underproduction lies with the in
dividual farmer?"
NO" said Mr.. vrooman smiling. '.you
cannot call it fault on his part Neither
can you individualize the fault anywhere.
The department and the colleges have
made these discoveries. but it is a slow
process getting the farmer to adopt
them. to incorporate them into his
scheme of farming. Few seem to realize
Just how difficult it is to get a man to
revolutioniZe the manner of conducting
his business
.xa 1T is simple to show a farmer. for
example, that alfalfa will pay him bet
yer than corn. wheat or oats, but when
YOU ask him to put in alfalfa you ask
MN TO readjust his entire farming sys-
TEN, TO overturn his farm routine. When
you ask the average man to do that
you ask considerable
ne future of agriculture, then, in this
country depends on the young men, very
largely on the agriculturally trained men.
VINO are quick to adopt the new and
who have less prejudice against aban-
nonlng present routine. After a farmer
mas passed middle life he is prone to be
unwllAng and, in most cases. is unable
to incorporate successfully new methods
into his work. And that holds true of
the average man in almost any occupa-
tion.
"Al that I have said concerns the
Evening star., 1914-10-04

world has ever known. Here is a nation
rich in agricultural resources the only
frst-class power in the civilized world
whose men have not beaten their plow-
shares into swords: the only one whose
productive capacity is not reduced by
war
For years, increasing though the guam
tity of its foodstuffs has been, the coun-
,ry's domestic consumption has been
increasing at a faster rate. Bit by bit
its agricultural exports have been rela-
lively decreasing because of the in
creasing demand at home. And recent
ly agricultural imports formed con-
siderable item in the country's trade.
With the fields of Europe war-swept,
in the immediate future lies an over
whelming demand from across the
water for more American food products
Treading-th the delicate paths of neutrality,
it is Tor this country to meet the new
demand if it can.
But how some one may ask. "can
we do it without robbing our own con-
suners? In recent years the ever
mounting high cost of living has testi-
fed TO the fact that We have not made
very good job of feeding our own
people economically"
This question. and a great multitude
Cf others arising out of it, must be
answered by that new science called
agricultural economies-the science with
which the United States Department of
agriculture as now constituted is deal
ing.
Overnight, as it were. the question
Evening star., 1914-10-04

ground the charcoal for the powder"
said one of the Rambler's friends. And
not knowing much about the olden way
of manufacturing charcoal powder the
Rambler set 1t down in his notebook,
or his memory, as fact, that in that
rock mortar charcoal was ground for
mixing with saltpeter and sulphur.
p the valley of the creek and
through the tangled woods bordering
it was rough going. but the rambling
site of the Gallant powder mill there
Is a ruin of rock which marks where
bier was told was another woolen
mill. There was also another mill.
known as Fassett's mill, which stood
about three miles further up the creek
bier was told that Reuben Baker owns
the mill site now, but that not a ves-
tige of the mill remains.
Through these woods, in part Uttered
and obstructed with tall pines blown
down a good while ago by some storm
of unusual severity, there is no human
habitation. And that which makes the
tract more lonesome is that in two
widely separated places are the ruins
of two habitations. In one spot is the
ruin of a log cabin. The roof has
fallen through and the log walls are
wrecked and rotting. This cabin stood
in clearing which is now choked with
young trees and underground; In an
oIiCA p3eISS IA eAhio "OooAoao oeo.AAoc
the stone chimney Of a house which
has disappeared and which the Ram
bier assumes was razed by fire.
Not far in miles. but a long distance
in bramble thickets, is one of the
scenic features of that part of the
country. 1t is the Devils Den. The
rocky formation along that part of
Paint branch is like that on Northwest
branch at Burnt mills or at Difficult
run near where it pours into the Poto-
mac. Paint branch has simply cut
deep and crooked channel through the
rock of the country. Through a body
of this rock is a low. narrow. crooked
and jagged tunnel about sixty feet
from end to end. A man of ordinary
stature can pass through it by stoop-
ing low and going slowly and care
fully. He touches the rock with both
elbows in places as he works himself
through.
1t is an uninvfting looking place, but
one of the guides insisted that the cor
rect thing to do was to go through and
the Rambler had no wish to violate the
proprieties of the place. So he crawled
through. The Devils Den at one time
was said to be a popular resort for
snakes and it has every appearance
now of being able to afford them splen-
did accommodations.
The account given on the spot to the
Rambler concerning the origin of this
hand-hewed tunnel called the Devils
Den was this:
Evening star., 1914-10-04

"It was designed to erect a mill there,
and the millrace to be most effective
wall OF rock mass The man who
meant to build the mill had slaves and
to one very handy and able man he
offered freedom II he would cut a tun-
mel through the rock.
The slave labored with a sledge.
drill. gunpowder and fuse for many
months. Before the task was done
slavery in Maryland was abolished. but
the tunnel cutting man kept at his
work till the rock was drilled"
And then for a reason which the
Rambler does not yet know the mill
seems not to have been built.
Leaving the Devils Den another short
but arduous walk will bring you out
into Ruppert's lane and then it is plain
and easy walking of five or six miles
to the cars at Sligo. unless. as was the
Ramblers luck, friends will invite you
to supper and then take you to the
District line in a buggy.
Evening star., 1914-10-04
POWDER MILL HOUSE ON PAINT BRANCH.

Within the house the young members
OF the family have gathered many an
tiques, old silver and crystal candle
labra. brass and gilt candlesticks. old
mahogany and a portrait of George
Washington painted by j. w. Dodge,
the features being taken from the
original cast made by Houdon from the
living face of Washington in 1875.
1t was from Pleasant View that the
Rambler started on the second leg of
the Faint Branch journey. The road
led by White Oak. the intersection of
two main ways, and high point in
that neighborhood. White Oak is not
village. but the large dwelling of
James Clark set in ample grounds
shaded by old white oaks. A number
Of children were playing in the shade
there as the Rambler strolled along
and one of the young men of the family
joined in the walk.
The next place one comes to along
this road, which If followed would
carry the traveller to Bladensburg, is
a grove sheltered home called Green
wood. The family living there is that
of Mrs. Annie McCeney, whose hus-
band. the Rambler was told. owned the
Brookland stands. a giant hydrangea
bush was pointed out, and the Rambler
was told by his walking companions
that it was grown from slip off a
hydrangea which Lafayette planted at
Mount Vernon on the occasion of his
last visit to the United States. Under
the shadow of a number of very old
cedars the ground before the house is
covered with thick mat of peri
winkle.
Southerly along this road for some
thing over a quarter of mile cedar
lined lane strikes Off to the left, and
this way the Rambler went. The road
is known as Ruppert's lane, for it runs
through the fields of John H. Rupert,
whose house. a square frame painted
bright yellow, with fresh green blinds.
stands far back off the road. 1t was
known as the Macomb place long be-
fore the civil war. Along this lane are
some venerable cherry trees and an
old-fashioned rail fence. 1t Is a fact
on which the Rambler had previously
commented that old-time planters most
frequently set out cherry trees along
the way leading from the main road to
the house, and this cherry planted road
was always called a cherry walk"
Every neighborhood around Washing
ton which has not been too much mod
ernized has a cherry walk. just as it
has a lovers lane. or a lovers leap,
devils jump or devils den.
At the end of the lane the Rambler's
course, guided by natives to whom
every foot of the woods of that region
is as familiar as Pennsylvania avenue
and 7th street is to us. followed a mar
Evening star., 1914-10-04
Bees and Color.

ttREEs run strongly to yellow and
- black in their markings, and no
doubt there is wisdom in this provision
which the bees could explain IL they
could make themselves understood by
u.s." said one of the outdoor, as we'll as
indoor, friends of the Rambler. And
this coloration in bees brings to my
mind that bees and insects must have
a color sense. Darwin wrote 1t as his
opinion that flowers assumed their col
ors in order to attract the insects
which served them most faithfully and
efficiently in fertilization.
See those bees how industriously'
they are hunting around and laboring
over the skyline blossoms of the bee
larkspur, called the bee-larkspur be-
cause 1t is one Of the favorite flowers
OF bees and especially of the humble
bee. There you also see the bees
busytng themselves about the brilliant
blue flowers of the viper bugloss, that
thistle-like plant which is SO spectacu-
lar In the summer fields.
The inference to be drawn from this
ls that bees are more attracted by blue
than by any other color. 1 have read
that once a scientific experiment was
made by putting drops of honey on
bits of different colored paper and
that bees showed a marked preferences
Tor the honey on the blue paper
Those bees buzzing about that blue
Lai hSpuT cannot De WOOed to any other
hover while that larkspur is in blos--
SOM L remember once, and perhaps Il
mas been done many times, that q
ootanist-entomologist used a bouquet
OF numerous kinds of flowers in an ex-
pertinent with bees. In this bouquet.
was larkspur. The bees, however,
merely lighted on the other flowers an
instant without inserting their probos-
cides and deserted them at once for
their favorite larkspur.
Many of the beautiful flowers which
we all enjoy are not capable of self.
fertilization and secrete their nectar
for the especial convenience of insects
The form Of the flower protects the
nectar from rain so that the bees
may get 1t pure and undiluted
Il have observed that flies show n
preference for white flowers, and that
is the commonest color among flowers.
or at leasL 1t is the color of the lare.
est variety of flowers 1t is also an
interesting fact that there fs a larger
proportion of white flowers which
smell more sweetly than any other.
In red Is found the smallest number Of
fragrant flowers.
Butterflies show a greater regard
for red flowers than for white and they :
also are strongly attracted by blue,
especially by pale blue flowers.
Beetles seem to pay their most dis
attention to yellow flowers
Sometimes we are apt to think OF
bees as being attracted by the per- ,
fume of flowers. but the nectar which :
flowers secrete is independent of their :
odor and 1T is the nectar and color
which furnish the attraction for bees" :
Evening star., 1914-10-04

question of bigger and better crops:
That is the subject which has absorbed
the chief activities Of the department
in the past, and properly. The two
States are the problem Of production and
the problem of distribution. 1t Is the
first of which 1 have talked
''Now comes the problem of distribu-
tion, broadley speaking. the marketing.
Here comes in the new science Of agri-
cultural economies. In which Secretary
Houston is the pioneer. In the past
no agricultural college in the land has
accomplished anything satisfactory in
this work. Under the stimulus of Sec
retary Houston's activities a number Of
them are now going vigorously into the
science, but the whole thing is as yet
new. Roughly stated, the agricuturist
teaches how to increase production, the
economist how to increase the money
equivalent of the production and at the
same time do justice to the consumer
In considering the economic side of
agriculture one must take into consid-
Grafton such factors as the comm 'ssion
merchant, the grain elevator, the stock
yard. the dairies, the railroads and the
banks. All these, standing between the
producer and the consumer, have levied
toll on both.
DO not misunderstood me; the mid
OleIndH mas QlStlnct ana leBltlmate
function to perform. General condemna-
ton of the middleman is unwise, and
even silly. But there are many abuses
which have crept into the system, and
these must be cured. 1t is easy to find
instances where the commission man
has robbed both producer and consumer
but you must consider also that there
is very large proportion of honest
commission men who are of real economic
benefit.
1.-The function of the middleman is not
to be abolished; it is only the abuses
of the system which must be laid aside
Cooperative selling agencies. for one ex-
ample. have done away with the COM
mission man, but the function of the
middleman remains. only it is performed
by the producers themselves in combina-
tion.
Perhaps the most important factor I
have mentioned in this problem of dis
tribution is the banker; otherwise. the
question of financing the farmer Hence
adequate system Of rural credits
But why" was asked, "is it necessary
to have special banking system for
the farmer? Why cannot he get his
credits-if he is entitled to them by
reason of his character. industry and
possessions-the same as every one else
gets his credits?"
That Is a very natural question"
said Mr.. Vrooman. THE answer is that
he requires a different kind of a loan.
He needs longtime loan, whereas the
banks dea! In short-time loans, called
commercial paper, running from thirty
to ninety days If a national bank ex-
aminer found in bank paper running
Evening star., 1914-10-04

all around me. and you could have come
to see me without breaking your way
through laurel breaks or fighting
through bramble patches"
When the Rambler started for Paint
branch he followed the Colesville pike
from Sligo village, across Sligo branch,
past Four Corners. through the damp
shades of Sleepy Hollow. over North
west branch, where 1t turns the burr
stones of Burnt Mills. and thence up the
long hill which leads to the high. roll
ing land of stirring airs and broad
vlstas in the neighborhood of White Oak
and along the stretch of road which. If
followed. would soon bring one to
Colesville.
The Rambler turned to the left, down
a long lane bordered with young cherry
trees leading from the pike to broad
old house powered in the foliage of
many trees and set in the middle of
lawn where many flowers grew. The
Rambler learned that the homestead is
servative name when one looks out
servat1ce name when one looks out
eye commands from that old home. Far
to the west by north. when the day is
tain. thirty-five miles away. a misty
blue dome reaching to the sky. Souther-
ly, with an inclination toward the
west, the Washington Monument points
Statue of Freedom, on the Capitol. and
the shining dome of the Library of
Congress are in the picture
West and south the land slopes away
into the valley of Northwest branch. and
to the east a haze hangs over the
wooded valley through which Paint
branch flows To the northeast after
nightfall. one sees the lights of Laurel
Pleasant View Is the home of Mrs
Annie f. Miller. and she has lived
there thirtytwo years. Pleasant View
was carved out of the Hopkins estate,
and HOPKINS family burial plot-a
spot shaded by trees and shrubbery-
lies out in the sunny fields about three
or four hundred yards from the house
at Pleasant View.
In the gardens at Pleasant View are
English violets, still blooming and of
wonderful fragrance. There Is a cul-
tivated jimson plant, the blossom of
which is only slightly suggestive of
the wild variety. and the scent, which
is something like that of the tuberose,
is, of course, not at all suggestive of
the jimson weed. This plant was
given to Pleasant View by the late
William r. Smith. for half a century
superintendent of the National Botanic
Garden, and who had a farm not far
from Pleasant View. There are red,
white. pink and purple asters in the
garden, rare roses and mulberries,
Evening star., 1914-10-04

man system of farming, which looks
TO maintenance of soil fertility His
lands lie in the black soil belt, where
farmer may still safely use two-year
rotation of corn and oats. but he is
no soil robber. He husbands fertility
py the use of legumes and live stock,
ana makes free use of rock phosphate
and limestone, as occasion demands
Where he does do grain farming as
for instance, on his Champaign county
1arm, he uses a long rotation and is
careful to keep up his soil by the plow-
ing under of legumes and the applica-
tion OF rock phosphate. The result of
TINS Is shown in his wheat crop this
year. which averaged Az bushels per
acIe' as against the countrywide aver !"
age OF l6.2 bushels per acre.
Feeding hogs, sheep and cattle is the
chief business of his Iowa farm, which
% is operated under Mr.: vrooman's per-
SO ohh, a., aireetion- He finds it profitable ,
70 10 1uy lambs, mostly 'peewees." on !.
the south Omaha market and TO feed
them through the fall and early winter.
Part of the Vrooman policy is to
hire brains" as he expresses 1t. When
he wants technical advice he hires a. .
specialist. a soil specialist or a crop
specialist as the case may be.
why not?" he said. "I can secure
young men just out Of college who
know more about the chemistry of a
soils than I ever expect to know. The
man who conducts large farming oper-
ations owes 1t to himself to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity to profit
by the science Of the young men from
the universities-men who might make
a failure of general farming them
selves, but who have a special knowl-
edge that will avail greatly to enhance
the success of the practical farmers
who give them a chance"
Mr.. Vrooman's attitude toward his
own business of farming is no diff
ferent from his attitude toward the
farming business Of the whole country.
His belief that better farm manage
ment-as management includes both
the problems of production and dis
puts into practical effect
on his own lands. In the foregoing
Department of Agriculture has gone
far in pointing the way to solving the
problem of production, and that now 1t
must take up the problem of distribu-
tion- Here is the way In which he ap-
plies that thought to his own business:
1T seems to me that the straight
science of agriculture has now been
developed to a point where 1t is far
In advance of the science of general
farm administration. / have no diff
fculty in securing men. competent to
give satisfactory advice on problems of
soil fertility, but it is difficult indeed
to find a man who il really competent
sition. Now running a farm is a busi-
ness proposition, yet it is astonish- -
ng how rare are the practiced farmers s,
who employ effective business methods 80
n conducting their affairs" ~
ASHMUN BROWN. .
Evening star., 1914-10-04

healthy and productive apple orchard.
There Is a big lawn with arbor vitae
trees and ornamental shrubbery, and
In the background is a frame house
that, being neither new nor old. might
properly be called middle aged. 1t is
the home of Benjamin Gallant, whom
the Rambler was told is quite figure
in Prince Georges county politics and
ory-like democracy. The information
of the Rambler was that in the Cal
liant house were number Of pieces
of furniture, candlesticks and other
at Washington during the administra-
ton of Andrew Jackson, and which
the Gallant family particularly treas
ure because of that association.
The brothers Gallant living in that
pretty place are Benjamin and Peter,
and until last summer there was living
there a sister, Miss Frances. whom all
the people roundabout loved and call
ed Miss Fanny" But she passed away.
mourned by many friends, and the
brothers live alone.
Nobody was at home when the Ram
bier called. but the friends with
whom he was touring that part Of the
COUNT country 11dl said that they they h; had heard
father ran the powder mill and then
the wooden mill. They knew that the
Gallants had lived in the millhouse up
to about twelve or fifteen years ago,
the grapes and the apples grow. They
knew the mill very well. 1t stood on
the side of the creek down there by the
bridge until somewhere about fifteen
or twenty years ago the stone was
used by Randolph Rapley, whose farm
is close by. for building purposes. The
Rambler's informants said that Mr..
Gallant had told them many interest
ing things about the mill. but it would
be better to see him about that SO that
the record would be kept straight. But
the Messrs. Gallant were gone to
Beltsvile. SO the Rambler promised
himself that he would make another
journey out that way.
With the disappointment of finding
the Gallant brothers away from home,
the Rambler retraced his steps, or
rather his strides. toward the bottom
of the valley where Paint branch
flows and then began to struggle
through the vines growing where the
old mill worked and sang. At that
point in the basic rock is round, tap
ering depression overgrown with peri
winkle, but the vine yelling clings so
closely to the rock that the outline of
the depression and it's depth can be
clearly followed by the eye.
THAT was the mortar in which they