Evening star., 1915-05-23

A days haul of wheat in 1905 was
nIty-six bushels: now 1t is 112 bushels.
In 1906 100 pounds of cotton was
hauied haui q IN y a. day; now the average daily
The Inquiry developed the fact that
the loads hauled in the cotton country
are the smallest but the most valuable
Thus the average value of load of
cotton was found to be $3.50. wheat s43
and corn $2S. The longest hauls were
found to be in the Rocky mountain
states. where Nevada holds the record
with an average haul for all farmers
OF eighteen miles. The shortest hauls
we're shown to be in the middle west,
miles, A1'
A ray OF hope for saving the disease
plagued natives Of the mainland and
Islands of south
1lsntlnS disease western Al a a
in A1aeko from extinction has
come. stra gely
enough. from the paper towel and the
individual drinking cup These ultra
modern sanitary devices have been In
troduced into the schools maintained
for this backward people by the United
states bureau of education, and, ac-
cording to recent reports to the public
health service from its agents who con-
campaign among the children has re-
suited In wider use of the paper
towels and Individual cups than has
1ollowed efforts for their Introduction
an among , our own people In many parts
OF the United States proper.
Relief from the ravages of disease is
sorely needed by the natives of south
eastern Alaska If they are to be kept
from complete extinction, for accord
ing to latest reports there were forty-
one births and forty-seven deaths per
thousand of nhabitants-fgures which
show constant, if slow, decrease of
population. How great the losses have
oeen Is shown from the fact that
on the Aleutian and Pribilof islands
When the Russians went into Alaska in
the latter part of the eighteenth CEN
tury their total descendants now num-
Der little more than 800. 1t is esti-
mated that there are now less than
5000 natives on both mainland and
islands OF southeastern Alaska.
ine natives have been particularly
prey to tuberculosis. It is estimated
that IS per cent are afflicted with this
the population have died during cpl
denies OF smallpox and measles. and
many OF them are chronic sufferers
from rheumatism and eye diseases.
tact with the Alaskan natives reported
that they were sturdy, warlike people
1t Is supposed, however, that the iso-
lation Of the natives had protected
them from infectious disease and at
the same time had prevented them
from acquiring any degree of immun-
ity. When. therefore, through con-
tact with whites. the disease was in
troduced the natives were in physio-
logical condition to make little if any
resistance. Aside from this. however,
public health service officials report
that the living conditions and habits
or the natives are such as to make
them an easy prey to disease. The eli
mate Is damp, foggy and windy. and to
escape its rigors the natives live in
are half caves. case Of sickness Is
a signal for the gathering in the sick
room Of throng of curious friends
The work of the public health serv-
medical officers detailed for duty on
board vessels Of the United States
revenue cutter service. Owing to the
short stay of the vessels at any one
place, however. the medical officers can
administer relief to only limited
number of natives. and can do little
toward studying the diseases and their
causes. officials of the public health
service have repeatedly recommended
that the government provide hospital
tives, but Congress has SO far taken
no steps in the matter
Realizing the great need of the ma
tives for relief from disease. the United
states bureau of education also has
taken up this work through it's Alas
kan school system. 1t is not only
teaching sanitation and simple medi-
cation to the pupils. but is using a
part OF Its appropriations for the main
tenance OF three improvised hospitals
in school houses and for employing
several physicians and nurses. All of
the government agencies in Alaska
agree that the disease situation among
the natives is alarming and that facili-
lessly inadequate.
New facts about homey weeds which
every farmer and city dweller thinks he
knows intimately have just
Fighting been disclosed by the De-
m..d, partment of Agriculture
through a series Of investi-
cations by H. r. Cox of the office Of
farm management The great Importance
Of graduating weeds is shown by the
estimate that the annual tribute paid
to them by the people of the United
States runs into hundreds of millions
Of dollars. The losses arise, it is ex-
planned. from increased expense of tillage.
decreased crop yields and decreased
value Of grain and seed due to adultera-
tion by weed seeds.
1t Is shown that weeds produce enor-
nous quantities of seed. most plants
bearing at least 100 and some as many
as 10000 seeds. Some weed seeds. II
was found, delay sprouting for several
years, making 1t difficult to know when
the land Is free Farmers actually buy
weed seeds and SOW them unawares. il
Is pointed out, by procuring cheap, un-
cleaned grain seed. Some of the other
ways In which weed seeds find their
way to the farms. the study discloses.
are in manure. In hay and in threshing
machines Finally, the wind blows some
Of the lighter seeds for severa. miles,
Two bits of information brought out
in the Agricultural Departments study
will be additions to the average mans
weed lore. One Is that cultivation of
corn and some other crops after planting
Is practically valueless in increasin
growth and would probably be absolutely
Unnecessary II it were not required to
keep the weeds down. The other is that
weeds may be easily smothered and
that 1t is found profitable to smother
small patches Of certain kinds of peren-
nial weeds In gardens and fields by COW
ering the ground with building paper.
Probably the best-growing weed smoth-
erer." 1t was found, is alfalfa, which is.
OF course, OF great value in itself.