smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

Caicraft, who recently ret red from
the trying position OF kaIgman i'll
England, had ar agreeable custom OF
always shaking hands with those upon
whom he was about to carry out the
sentence Of the law. But it has been
observed that Marwood, his successor.
never does this and speculation has
been rife In certain quarters as to the
cause of his departure from this pre-
ccdent. FreemaSons will bo Interested
to learn that the reason Is "becauSe
he is Free and Accepted Mason, and
breads the condemned man giving him
Il Masonic grip in return"


! fad the above copied into several
papers, and am curio1s 10 know the
possibilities shoald the Masonic
''grip" meet the hand of the execu-
toner. And, first, is it allowa' lie for
Freemason 10 take the degraded
Office of hangm tn? Second. would
tie condemned man go through
his trial and condemnation and
''give no sign p Masonic signals,
understood wherever the institu-
ton is found and it is found the world
over, have certainly stood men good
service when driven to extremity. My
grandfather was one of the early Ma
sons of the State CT Maine, having
organized lodge in his own premises.
At one time, while commanding his
ship in the Caribbean Sea, he was as
sailed by pirates. Having no ord
nance on board, and flight having
proved unavailing, he was Obliged to
heave to and wait the result. The
buccaneers proved to be Spaniards.
Ny grandfather ordered his men be-
low, and placed himself, pistol in hand,
upou the quarterback. have heard
him say that the captain was a hand
some man, with gentlemanly manners,
and elegantly equipped with sword,
belt and pistols. As he approached
the spot occupied by my relative, the
latter bethought himself to m axe the
Masonic sign appropriate for such an
occasion. Immediately the captain
gave command for his men, vino had
swarmed the deck. to retire to their
own craft, while the two officers retired
to the cabin, and shortly after the
pirate left and hoisted sail to depart.
Now, here was man engaged IN
most nefarious business submitting to
the laws of the Masonic Order. Would
a felon be likely to omit his opportunl
tv for escape by a like means, before
the necessity for the final ''grip?"
Would the Order interfere for an &C.
knowledged felon? I think not.
Would the executioner, shocked at
receiving the Masonic grip at such an
extremity, be likely to act in accord
auce with the laws of tho Order, or


would he act in accordance with the
civil oath by virtue OF which he holds


his Office? / will remark, Incidentally,


that when the men were ordered be-
low. the steward, impelled by an ire


sistable curiosity, poked his head up
to see how matters stood, when it was


as cleanly shaved off by the murderous
| crew as if ou1llotined.
Year: 1876

The lecture Of Rev. DR.. Newman on the
above subject, announced to take place at the
Ninth street NJ. P. church, on Thursday even
ing, is said to be one of the best of his roper
toire. The reputation of the distinguished
lecturer as an oratoris so well established that
no adventitious aids are required to fill the
house. In addition to this tact the object
that of home missions-will commend itself to
our citizens. A rare treat is in store for those
who attend,
Year: 1876

This celebrated troupe of singers have Wis
tied all the principal cities of the Union, from
New Orleans to Boston and Canada, drawing
full houses and giving delight and satisfaction.
These singers should be heard by all who wish
to hear genuine samples of sacred songs as
rendered in the cotton and eorn-felds of the
South in the days Of slavery. They render
splendid programme of twenty-five pieces at
Union chapel next Friday night.
Year: 1876

An article in the Revue Horticoe trans.
lated. and published 10 the Farmer (Eng.)
contains some points worthy Of attention by
our American farmers, as the same princi-
pies which govern the growth of this tuber
in Europe are also potent here. When we
want to regenerate any particular kind Of
potato, or still more, to prevent its degen.
GRAFTON, it Is of the first Importance to make
judiclOus selection of parent plants. Sew
eral means may be adopted to this end. For
example, the choice Of the largest possible
tubers which represent well the marked
features Of the variety, since the too frequent
setting of small tubers tends to deteriora.
tion. Another plan is to choose the seed,
when digging up the crop, from the WE'LL
furnished roots, and select the tubers which
are most typical of the special variety under
treatment.


The shape of the tuber need not be too
much considered. Some people imagine that
tubers which differ from the usual shape Of
the kind to which they belong, are of neccs-
sity degencrated specimens, but this is an
error. Tubers may be not exactly of the
shape characteristic of the variety, and yet
produce well-shaped potatoes IN the following
year. AS rule the shape Of various kinds
Of potatoes differs according to the nature Of
the soil in which they are cultivated. For
example, it is generally supposed that the
"Marjoulin" ought to be long and narrow !;
nevertheless, some light sandy soils produce
it in a swollen and sometimes even rounded
form, though it turns out long and narrow if
grown in stiff SOIL 1t is a general phys.
illogical fact, common to almost all plants,
and specially marked n the case of the po.
tato, that it they are planted early every
year, their precocity increases, whilst by re-
versing the course Of action the contrary
effect is produced, and they tend to become
later in attaining full growth. The same
result appears if we plant successfully in a
cold soil. In this case they become later in
arriving at maturity, while the contrary
happens if we select warm ground. Again
it is almost certain that if we take the first
buds that are developed OH a potato for
planting the crop will be earlier than if we
planted with the second buds, or still more
with those of the third generation. 1t re-
suits from all this, that amongst the var ious
precautions to be taken in attempting to
MAINTAIN OF even Improve any variety OF po-
tato, a judcious choice of tubers for planting
is OF especial Importance.


The employment Of seeds properly so
called, might also perhaps be resorted TO-,
sometimes advantsgsously so. But how of
ten must We not SOW before we get good
types, and good varieties as Il result Still
Notwithstanding its certainty this method
should not be neglected. 1t is generally be.
lieved that the certain kinds of potatoes
such as the "Majoulin," neither flower nor
run to seed. This again is an error. All
potatoes will flower and yield seed when they
are very strongly manured and are in con-
diton of exuberant vegetation but it is none
the less true that there are some varieties
whose natural strength leads them to flower
and seed more fir eely than others.
Year: 1876

The "modern improvements" attached to
city residences have solved, as suppose the
perplexing question of the management Of
privies in cities, at least 10 connection with
private dwellings. As to hotels, the case is
less satisfactory, as it is hard to find one
where, in spite of running water class tubes,
and various other conveniences, the odors are
not we'll nigh uncomfortable. How they
should be managed is an open question, at
least without some system which does not
comprehend frequent if not daily cleaning.
But privies for the use of farmers families
are no more difficult to manage than farmers
Kitchens aud if they are not kept as clean
and iuodorous, the owner is himself to blame
and his reputation for cleanliness should 60
just as low as if he maintained filthy
kitchen.


The vault is an abomination and should
no longer be tolerated. The patent and
costly earth closets are well enough for those
who can afford to buy them, but the economical
farmer can do much better, Instead of the
vault under the privy, deeply dug aud walled
up, place water-tight rectangular box, long
enough to occupy the space under tho seat
and small and shallow enough that wher
nearly full, one man can get it out, either by
main strength or by the aid Of crowbar OF
lever. In the privy place box, keg or hall
barrel tub filled with some dry substance
muck, sawdust, road dust, earth, coal ashes
plaster or even sand-and each time wheI
Year: 1876

These voracious beetles have made their
appearance here in considerable numbers
aud so far as their tastes and habits have
been noted upon my premises, they appear
to be very faStidious little rascals.


My potatoes are principally Proli6cs
but upon the eastern side are few rows Of
Early Blues. The latter kind has been at
tackled in sufficient numbers to destroy the
crop if permitted to mature and propagate
while up to this writing the former are un-
touched. Having but a few Blues, the
pests have been so far kept down by hand.
But when there are 100 in the pupa tate
from the size Of pins head to that of q
two-thirds grown beetle upon single hill, it
requires considerable patient labor. Upon
many hills, however, there are none. Should
they adopt different hygiene, and resolve
upon change of diet, and betake them
selves to my Prolifcs, then Paris green
must be resorted to and supercede finger.
work.


A short time ago some agricultural writer
gave an opinion that copperas (sulphate Of
iron) dissolved in water would be efectual
as bug exterminator. l believe he had
not tried it-indeed l am quite sure he
hadn't Always partial to new and valuable
discoveries; at the same time mingling eau
tion with credulity, l tried the solution upon
only two hills. The result was entirely effect
ual-in killing the vines. No doubt weaker
solution would have saved the potatoes. But
in the experiment the bugs died, not of toe
much copperas but Of starvation-at least
this is the hasty opinion formed two day.
after, on witnessing few of them trying to
collect a scanty meal from the few green
leaves remaining after the general destruc.
ton. My advice is, don't do it. s. 4. q.


Wilmington.


The advice to use copperss is like q
great deal of advice upon agricultural top
ics-given without being tried by those who
recommend it, Somebody else advises Il
use air.slacked lime. But good authority
assures US that air.slacked lime has no effec
upon them. We might as well make up oul
minds, that in the Colorado beetle, we have
tough customer to deal with.
Year: 1876

the privy is used, throw a small shovelful Of
the absorbent into the box and that will
effectually put an end to the odors.


When the box, or movable vault, is full.
have it shoveled out (which will not then be
very offensive work), and wheeled or carted
OIL to the farm compost heap, or put directly
upon the land The man who objects to
such an arrangement on the plea of ''no
time to attend to it," is not much of a man
as regards cleanliness He might as well OBJ.
ject to cleaning his stable for the same rea-
son. lie obtains a valuable fertilizer by il,
aud in addition secures his family against
the danger of fever which neglected vaults
often breed upon the premises. There is no
sickening stencil to pollute the air for many
rods around, and for this reason the privy
may be safely placed nearer the house than
when vault is used, though il should always
be far enough away and so located that it is
not prominent object in the landscape.
To accommodate sick or feeble members of
the family, particularly at night or in stormy
weather, water closet conducted somewhat
on this system and cleaned daily, may be
connected with the house, though except for
SUM uees there can De no OcceSlOn I0r IL on
farmers premises.


1t wight be supposed that vault treated
regularly with one of the deodorizers men,
toned above might be kept from being often
sive through series of years, but this is
hardly possible, especially in hot weather.
There is always corruption 10 such mass
flies are attracted, maggots Bred and odors
can only be kept down by frequent cleaning
out and starting anew. A box holding from
one to two barrow loads neccssitates frequent
attention and something which inSures at
tention is what is wanted. And a man
might as well complain because his clothes
must be washed weekly, or for want of time
to keep his face clean, as to complain that
his privy must be cleaned out once in two or
three weeks.-Cor. Coxutry Gentleman.
Year: 1876

The following from the London Farmer is
worthy Of the consideration of every farmer


The quality Of our pastures can be inn
proved by free use of manures, and be made
to carry an extra quantity of stock What.
ever turn agriculture may take in the future,
the present stage in its history may be pro-
ductive of permanent good. Grass land
was being neglected. All the manure made
on the farm or purchased Of the manufacture
ers was generally applied to crops of roots or
of graia. The pastures were allowed to take
care of themselves. Now, however, farmers
are beginning to understand that in no way
can manure be applied with more direct GER
tainty Of obtaining good results that by its
application TO grass land. Corn may be un-
duly forced. During wet season heavy
manuriDg of the soil may result in a great
deal of straw aud but small yield of good
sound grain. Roots, also, may run to leaf at
the expense of bulb. Aud even should the
bulbs grow to a large size, they lack in quality
form being forced by heavy dressings manure.
But inasmuch as an abundance Of blade, not
of seed, is the prime object in the cultivation
Of grass land, any manure applied aud which
takes effect can only take effect in an in-
crease Of bulk in the direction most desira-
BILE to the farmer. The manuring of grass
land has not been as popular as manuring
land for corn, because, although as we have
pointed out, manure applied to pastures is
more certain in its results than when applied
to roots or corn, still the benefits derived
from improving pastures are not quite so ap.
parent to the farmer as the increase of bulk
of his turnips or wheat. Cattle are turned
into the pastures and shifted about from one
field to another as fresh bite is obtained,
and there is thus difficulty in assessing the
true results. The farmer, of course, knows
the land is improved, but he does not ex-
acty know by how much. The Increase, ex-
cept in the case Of hay, cannot be measured
or weighed, as his corn is, after harvest.
The improvement, however, is none the less
real and must inevitably tell in the long run
on his ledger accounts. 1t is satisfactory to
know, therefore, that the proper management
of grass land is at present engaging the
attention of agriculturists throughout the
country.
Year: 1876

The following practical suggestions on the
care of dairy utensils, is from the pen of
that good butter maker and writer, Mr..
CheeVer, editor of the New England Farmer !;


All dairywomen are aware that every
utensil used for milk, cream, butter or cheese
must be kept scrupulOusy clean, but judg-
ing by the letters often published on the sub
ject, all are not fally familiar with the phil
OsOphy of cleaning or of keeping them SO.
Wood, tin, stone, earthen ware, porcelain and
glass are all used more or less in the dairy,
for different purposes, but wood, tin, aud
stone ware are most common. Glass would
be our choice for packing butter for family
use, if il were less costly, and less liable to
break, but these objections are sufficient to
prevent it from coming into general use at
present.


For milking, for setting milk, and for keep
ing cream, We have adopted good, heavy tin.
Year: 1876

CULTURE OF CELERY.-Celery likes a cool,
moist situation, and if triae shaded, all
the better. II it is planted in an open sit.
uation, exposed TO the sun, it sometimes
burns, and this causes rust. This, however,
is not the most frequent cause. Celery
should neither be hoed nor earthed up when
moistened with dew or rain, nor when the
ground is moist. 1t should be done when
air, and soil and plant are dry, otherwise
rust is sure TO be the result. II the soil is
permitted between the leafstalks or in the
heart of the plant at earthing up, rust or rot,
or both, is the compensation. This is one
reason why we dislike celery of branching
habit, the work of earthing up we'll is so
difficult. A dwar6sh plant of straight, com.
pact growth is altogether the safest and
best. While on this subject, we will say,
never let celery become so dry as to wilt,
either while growing, or when taken up for
consumption or storing. 1t will never re-
cover from such treatment, but always re-
main tough and hollow. Keep celery grow
ing rapidly, and when taken up for pitting,
do not allow it to show the least sign of wilt
ing, nor keep it exposed to the light for a
long time. If you really wish to know what
really good celery is, have a few dozen
plants under special care. Give them good
soaking Of manure water every two or three
days Do not earth up until the plants are
at least Is inches in hight Then bank up
to the shortest loaf-where iL is attached to
the leaf-stalk. After the heart has grown
to the hight of tho outside leaves, bank up
again, 50 that you have about two feet Of
the plant earthed up. In few weeks after
the last banking the celery will be fit to use.
james ViekS Guide.
Year: 1876

A NOVEL "FERTILIzER" EXPERIMENT. In
a note on Railway Carelessness," Iron says:
sit has been seen on recent occasion how
careless the companies are of the personal
luggage of their passengers; and only the
other day van containing three very valua-
BILE paintings and quantity of other goods


was allowed to be taken away from one of
the metropolitan goods stations by man
who pretended to be one Of the company s
carriers. The van was taken back to the de-
pot, but its contents are still missing and the


law gives no redress. An amusing result of
this laxity on the part of railway officials is
reported from Durham. A farmer ordered
ton of nitrate Of soda to put on his land,
and the railway people handed him in mis-
take hogshead ofsugar, which he applied
as manure ; and the grocer and he are going
to law about the cost of this novel fertilizer.
The result of the experiment, we are told, is
being watched by the farmers neghbors with
great interest If the sugar has been applied
to turnips the crop may turn out orange mar
malade, of which these esculent bulbs are
averred to constitute an important element
Year: 1876

One Of the meanest habits of young
horses is that of lying down in the harness.
Some colts will lie down almost as soon as
you have them harnessed. Sometimes a
blow from the whip, delivered low down
along the side, quick and sharp, will bring
them up with spring If one or two blows
do not answer, the whip is Of no use you
will only torture and scare your colt need
lessly. The better way is to "beat him at
his own trade" as the saying is. When he
lies down, get upon his head or neck, and
make him stay there. After five or ten
minutes, he will begin to grow uneasy. =.


New, there is no position which gives man
such absolute command and mastery over a
colt as when he has his knee on his neck,
and his hands gripped into the bridle.pieces.
Thus situated, man is absolutely master of
the situation )" and we have often thou ght
that it was very good idea to have colt
of rather vicious temper lie down once, in
order that he might learn how powerless he
is in the hands Of man. When a colt gives
up the man at his head will easily perceive
it. The hot blaze and mad glitter will leave
the eye the muscles will relax their ten.
sion; the neck will become limp and the
whole body, losing its rigdity will lie along
the earth as if it had no thought of rising,
and would never rise. This is the stage of
exhaustion and submission. The colts ram
pant spirit is cowed, aud his pride humbled.
His conceit is taken out of him. He has
been beaten by his own weapons and knows
it. He will never trouble you again in that
way. As to the time it takes to bring
colt to his conviction, there is no pre- else
limit. Some colts will "give it up in tw enty
minutes, some in sixty; and we have known
colts hold out for three hours. But, wheth er
it takes longer or shorter, carry the ling
through. Believe us, you cannot spe nd
your time better.-Golden Rule.
Year: 1876

The American Bee Journal has the follow.
ing:


This is the most difficult part of the wor k
for beginner, yet little practice makes it
very easy. We often wonder, after we have
found five or six black queens lin an hour)
and introduced as many Italians, how we
could look three or four hours for the first
queen without finding her. Use veil, aud
do not smoke the bees unless they are very
cross. Open the hive without the least jar
- take out the first comb, look it over
quickly, and set it in an empty hive close
by-proceed in this manner until you find
the queen or have removed all The combs
then look the bees over carefully that are
left on the inside of the hive, keeping them
running from one side to the other by stir
ring them with a quill or breathing on them
queen will often sit still right before your
eyes without your seeing her, but will be
seen as soon as she moves. So you should
always keep the bees moving that you are
looking at, by breathing upon them. Pro-
ceed to look the combs over the second time
you need not hurry, as the bees will hang
on the comb in clusters or punches, aud the
queen will be hid among them. The object
OF hurrying the first time through was to see
the queen before she could hide. Hold the
combs perpendicularly before your face,
breathe on the bees and make them run
around on the opposite side-then turn the
combs aud drive them again. Set the combs
as fast as you are through with them, in the
old hive just as they were, and if you have
not found the queen yet, close up the hive
and wait an hour, and try again. Do not
think you will injure the bees by handling
them SO much, for the practice will be Of
more value to you than the injury to the
bees, as they will work just as well half an
hour afterwards.
Year: 1876

In almost everything there is a golden
mean" which is greatly to be preferred to
either of the extremes between which it
stands. This is emphatically true concern
ing the subject OF the present article. While
some advocate extreme drying, and others
believe in putting it in the barn as soon as
it is well wilted, am convinced that hay
ought neither to be all "dried up" nor yet
packed down without drying at all. In or
der to bring it to reasonably perfect quail.
ity, it must be considerably dried, but all
the drying given after that point is reached is
direct injury. IT it is not dried enough it
will certainly heat, and be musty in spring.
know that some men claim that hay can
be put in the NOV without drying and be
made to keep well, but l have never been
able even to approximate such q result.
also know that this plan has often been tried
and failed, while under extremely favorable
circumstances it has without doubt sometimes
been fairly successful. But l do not think
the majority Of farmers, with the convent
ences which they now have, can succeed in
this way. They must dry their hay. Still
this fact must not be taken as proof that it
must be dried to the extreme limit of human
possibility. On the contrary, it should be
dried as little as possible, provided it is dried
enough to keep it from becoming musty in
the NOW. 1t should also be dried as quick
ly as possible, no trace Of foreign moisture
should remain in the hay, and II should be
got into the barn early in the afternoon.
have known farmers to draw in hay just at
night, when it was quite damp with the fall
ing dew, and l have noticed that those far
mers had hay which was either a little col.
Ored, little musty, or else considerably
sour. think grass should be cut when
there is but little dew on it, dried rapidly by
the use Of the tedder, and rakod before the
dew begins to fall at night. The hay crop
is one of great Importance, and it will pay
us to strive to secure II in the best possible
manner.-COr. Ohio Farmer.
Year: 1876

A lady, southern lady it is presumed,
writes to the Rural New Yorker that great
plague and abominatiOn is upon the south
and famine and rapine bid fair to follow.
This plague is guano. The planter smokes
his pipe in idleness all winter, neclecting to
care for the fertilization of the plantation,
and when planting time arrives he runs in
debt for guano, depending upon that and
niggers to make his crop.