Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 100, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1899 — Page 3

THE RENSSELAER SEMI-WEEKLY REPUBLICAN.

Corn Crop A Mured. Have you seen the brilliant halo Circling ’round the farmer’s brow? Have you noted that the combines Hold no terrors for him now? ■Great red dragons, octopuses And such things are now endured— Rain is falling over Kansas, And the corn crop is assured. Have you heard the distant snapping, Wafted on the breeze of late, As the Kansas corn is shooting Upward at a rapid rate? Every stalk bears twins or triplets, Which bid fair to be matured; Look out for a record-breaker — Kansas corn is now assured. Even Kansas hens are cackling In a chorus of delight, i And the beef steer and his sister, * And the swine, smile at the sight; While "the thrifty Kansas farmers, By no sophistry allured, Figure up their gains by millions, ’ For the corn crop is assured. ►-Abilene Chronicle. Devices for Harveatin* Corn. Not every man knows how to stand up a shock of corn which will not twist or lean into an unrecognisable mass after it has had time to season, says a writer in the lowa Homestead, from which the cuts are reproduced. When I put up corn by hand I always use a jack like that seen in figure 1. Pull the jack along to the place where the •hock is to stand, so that the round pin through the 2x4 piece is directly over the place for the shock. Set up four armloads In the four recesses of

FOR SHOCKING AND TYING.

the jack made by the pin running through at a, b, c, and d. When the shock is half or two-thirds made, remove the jack by withdrawing the pin and finish it without Tie the shock when done by means of a contrivance'shown In figure 2, composed of a pole five or six feet long, with a rope put through an auger hole in the pole. This is thrust through the •hock two-thirds of the way up, and the rope drawn around the shock as tight as it can be drawn and made fast to the pole while the shock to being tied. A shock made in this manner and properly tied will stand a long time and will stand well. If the corn Is to be husked out before it is to be fed to stock, a husking bench, shown in the second cut, will be convenient This is carried up alongside of a shock which is tipped over on the bench. The busker seats himself on the seat and begins working the stover toward him, and when he gets a bundle of convenient size it is bound and laid aside, and so on until all is husked. This prevents missing any, and it is far more convenient to sit than to kneel down in the mud or snow. In hauling in the bundles I have found it very convenient to load from the rear part of the wagon by walking up a running board, which hangs on the rear of the rack and 1s dragged along to the next shock all the time. The rear post of the hayrack should be removed, and two short, stout corner pieces nailed on just high enough to not interfere with loading, but which will prevent the corner bunches of fodder slipping off. I have never ahredded any fodder, and know nothing of its value from a practical standpoint, having fed all my fodder in the old-fashioned manner. I have seen the corn harvesters at work, which seems

HUSKING BENCH.

to me to be a very good thing for those who make a business of using much fodder annually in the feeding ration, trusar Beets a« Green Food for Rose. The best root for hogs is the beet All beets have more or less sugar, but it"ls better to grow the sugar beet even though it may not yield so largely as do the large, coarse varieties. There is no time tn the growth of beets when they are not acceptable food for hogs confined to their pens. They are better feed and more cheaply grown than clover, considering the waste of the clover when it is either pastured or cut and fed green. There is little nutriment in clover until it gets into blossom. If fed then, hogs will nose the clover over to get at the heads, and will eat very little else. But the whole of the beet, including the leaves, will be eaten, provided the leaves are fresh. ........ To tbc

lengths, stand on end around light material and wood until there is a cord or two. Cover with leaves or straw, with an outside shell of dirt. Make draught places around the bottom. Leake a hole at the top and down this drop live coals. When the fire is well burning within, cover the hole at the top. Be careful to keep all holes, except at the bottom, dosed till the wood to well charred; then uncover and pile to One side. Com cobs burned to the same way are almost a necessity in the poultry yard or pig pen. Wherever pigs or chickens are kept the spring bonfires of brush and litter should be to make charcoal, by smothering the fire and the remains saved for the runs or pens, or in the absence of live stock for the garden beds. Setting Posts. It is not a good plan to set posts late In the fall, as digging the soil at that time makes it porous, and the post will be heaved out by frost'the following winter. At whatever time the post to set the soil should be well packed around it, and if for a fence the boards should be nailed on as soon as it is set, so that they may not be warped out of place. Gate posts which have to support a gate should be'protected from sagging by digging'a trench back of the gate and fastening in the post a stake the length of the trench and covering it with earth. This will be much better protection than stakes leaning against the post, which only 4 help to pry it up, as the stakes are themselves lifted up by frost and act as a lever to raise the post they lean against. The Crescent Curculio Mark. Wherever a fruit is stung by the curculio a crescent-shaped mark is left that gradually deadens the portion of fruit enclosed, so that the sap will not flow so freely. This deadening of the fruit will extend to the stem and loosen its hold. Inside this crescent mark the curculio egg will be found. It used to be supposed that the curculio could not lay its eggs without making this mark. It does not at least, but the two operations are entirely separate. Instinct teaches the “little trick" to deaden the skin in order to stop the flow of juices, which might flood and destroy the egg she is about to lay. This deadening of the skin causes the fruit to ripen prematurely, so that when the egg hatches the worm has ripened instead of green fruit to feed upon. Shire v tn Ilion “Traitor” •' The shire stallion Traitor, 15401, was foaled in 1893, bred by Lord Hothfield, and is the property of Mr. R. W. Hudson, Danesfield, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. His sire was Insurgent 11668, dam Bonny Duchess by William the Conqueror 2343. He has won the following prizes: 1897, third London shire horse show; 21-gulnea cup Cambridge County show; 1898, third Peterborough; first, Bath and West at Cardiff; first, Wiltshire County at Swlndom; first and champion, Royal Counties at Portsmouth; second, Royal Lancashire at Blackburn; first and Shire Horse Society’s silver medal for best entire, Gloucester County at- Cheltenham; and first East Berks at Maiden-

“TRAITOR.”

head. Traitor is a horse of great size, weight and substance and excellent quality. Teat the Cows, All cows should be “record” cows—that is, the record of every cow should be known, whether good or bad. The dairyman who does not test every cow in his herd and inform himself regarding her value as a milk and butter producer works In the dark and to unable to determine which of the cows give a profit. There is no implement more serviceable in dairy management than the scales. When all food is weighed for each animal, and also the milk and butter, not only for a day or a week, but for a year, the unprofitable cows will be disposed of and better ones take their places. Daily tests of the animals will lead to improvement every year. ‘ _____ Qrowlna of Potatoes. It to conceded by all growers of potatoes that while whole seed to expensive, yet the most vigorous growth, largest yields and best quality of tubers to procured by planting whole seed. Should too many stalks appear they may be trimmed out. Some varieties thrive better on light soils and some on heavy ground, for. which reason new varieties should not be entirely substituted for old ones until tested. Late Beets. Late beets are luxuries on the table, and they may be obtained by sowing seed now, but the ground should be well prepared, rotted manure used and fertilizer applied, so as to force the young plants in growth. Only one plant every three Inches In each row should be permitted, as they will not thrive where the plants are too thick. A few rows only will provide all that may be wanted. Planting Yonna If young trees are planted this fall the proper method to to dig out a space for the roots that will allow sufficient

IS “UP AGAINST IT.”

BRYAN'S WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE IS BARRED. Beatridina the Demo-Pop Donkey. “Free Silver and Free Trade,” Mio Path la Obstructed by the Solid Wall of Substantial Prosperity. One of the most impressive among the many showings of prosperity with which the American people are nowadays so frequently regaled after two full years of restored protection, is that madein the news columns of the New Yofck Sun of July 29. With its characteristic enterprise and sagacity the Sun, always keenly alive to matters of genuine public interest, has gathered from correspondents in various business centers some very significant facts as to the abnormal activity which prevails among the railroads of the United States. No one needs to be told that when the great inland transportation systems are rushed with business and straining to Increase their facilities to meet an Increased demand, everybody etoe must be extremely busy. Railroad business is a sure index of general business. From Chicago the report is that every railroad entering the city to-day needs more cars than It has or can get to meet the demands of shippers. This condition to not due to any great and sudden increase in any particular traffic, but Is due to the steady growth of all kinds of traffic. From all indications the year 1899 will eclipse all former years in the volume of business done by the railroads. Last year was one of prosperity for the railroads, the increase in traffic as compared with that of several years previous being considered almost phenomenal; but there is almost as great an Increase in

UP AGAINST THE REAL THING NOW.

—New York Tribune.

earnings so far this year over those of the corresponding period of last year as was the case of 1898 over 1897. All the railroads which build their own freight* cars have kept full forces at work In the shops, but they could not turn out cars fast enough to supply the demand, and orders were placed with car manufacturing companies which will keep most of them busy for the remainder of the year, If not longer. Here Is a curiously suggestive fact stated by an official of <fhe of the big Western railways: More pianos were shipped over our road from Chicago to the West and Southwest in the last three months than the entire number in the years from 1893 to 1897. This is good proof of the prosperity of the farmer, for a piano is a luxury in which he does not indulge as soon as he gets a few hundred dollars ahead. Our traffic in farming machinery was never so large as it has been this year and our crop reports made it certain that the investments in machinery were well made. When the farmers buy pianos they are “on Easy street.” No doubt of that, Another railroad manager said: “If we could borrow or hire from 5,000 to 10,000 box cars we could find immediate use for all of them.” At Detroit an official declared that in twenty years his road has “never seen a condition like the present. Ordinarily at this time of the year we are not burdened with a surplus of business and rather have difficulty in finding a place to store our empty freight cars than to employ all our energies to find cars enough to carry the business offered to us. We are certainly behind on a visible supply of cars requisite to carry the freight which we can get without any solicitation.” Baltimore reports a scarcityj»f cars with which to remove the tremendous business, present and prospective. At Buffalo the freight traffic is far in excess of the supply of cars. Thousands of extra cars could be used, but they are not to be found. At Philadelphia a trunk line official testifies to a great Increase on all the lines of his road. Speaking of the lines east of Pittsburg, he said: I am convinced that the present prosperity is lasting for the reason that the increase bf business is not confined to a particular locality. It is general. For

to 75 per cent, some 100 per amt, and one as high as 216 per cent. While, as these reports show, our business to much in excess of that of last year, we have not experienced any great difficulty in getting cars to handle the freight thus far, but there will be a scarcity of cars in the later part of September or October. How serious it will be I have no means of telling at thia timq. As a matter of fact we have very largely increased our equipment this year, and, of course, that has aided us in handling the increased business, but in some kinds of cars there has already been a scarcity. It is now but twenty-nine months since William McKinley took his seat as President of the United States; only a few days more than two years since the Dingley tariff was enacted. Contrast, if you can, present conditions with those which existed twenty-nine months after the inauguration of Grover Cleveland in 1893 and twenty-four months after the enactment of the alldestroying Wilson-Gorman tariff law. Ten billions of dollars would not suffice to measure the increase in individual, corporate and national wealth which has taken place since the restoration of protection as the American policy. Probably twenty billions would' fall below the mark. Verily, it to true. In the euphemistic phraseology of the cartoon which appears on this page that William Jennings Bryan, bestriding the Free Silver and Free-Trade ass of his party, finds his progress to the White House barred by a solid wall of prosperity and is “Up Against the Real Thing Now.”— American Economist Why Trust Them? The Republican party gave the country a protective tariff. Now watch the ever-increasing exports: In 1895, 1807,000,000; in 1896, |882,000,000; tn 1897, >1,000,000,000; In 1898, >1,281,000,000; and when the present fiscal year is completed on the 30th of June Inst look out for a larger figure even

than the last one. And yet Democratic free-traders predicted they wouldn’t have It any other way—that Republican protection would destroy our foreign commerce by killing off our exports. What prophets!—and why should the country further trust them? —Mansfield (Ohio) News. In Bryan’s State. A dispatch from Omaha says: The industrial situation through this ' part of the Missouri valley is indicative of the general prosperity that appears to prevail throughout the entire West. Or- j dinarily July witnesses very little busl- ' ness in the commercial world among Missouri river jobbers, but this month is an 1 exception. Wholesalers generally have ' scarcely had time to invoice their stocks ; and ascertain the extent of business for i the first six months of the year. This is the situation in Mr. Bryan's own State, and in the other States near by. It makes an effective contrast to the situation which existed in that region during the years when the policy of free trade, so vigorously sup- 1 ported by Mr. Bryan, both in and out of Congress, was in i force and the Wilson law was exerting its blighting influence upon the industries of the country. It is.) pretty safe to say that the business men of Nebraska and of other Missouri River Valley States will not have any use for Mr. Bryan or for any other free-trader in 1900. What He Would Like. What Mr. Havemeyer would like to see Is the free admission of raw sugar and a good-sized duty levied upon refined sugar, thus giving his refineries absolute control of the American market After crushing the domestic production, Mr. Havemeyer and hit associates would certainly have a good thing. The great Injustice of the present schedule lies in tfce fact that it enables the Southern cane-growers and the Western beet sugar factories to make a profit which really ought to go into the pockets of the sugar trust Mr. Havemeyer Is a sadly abused man, and the best way to do him exact justice will be to carry his free-trade ideas a step further and admit refined sugar free.—Seattle (Wash.) Poet-lateUl-geneet. The Dreaded Receil. When you smash the tariff you smash lh '° g *• i

GAME FOR TWO LIVES.

The Romantic and Genarons Chivalry ; of “Wildcat” smith. Old “Wildcat" Smith, the last of the famous band of Texas pioneers, is living at a hale and hearty age near Cald-

WILDCAT SMITH.

would discover in his face or manner any of those traits that distinguish a duelist, but he has demonstrated that he possesses them all in an eminent degree by ordering ‘‘pistols and coffee for two” more than once. Upon one occasion he had the audacity to iqvlte General Houston, who was at that period president of the republic, to “come out and exchange shots" with him. He says that the old warrior “floored” him by coolly making a note on a slip of paper and putting it in his desk. In answer to the enraged challenger's Inquiry, the General simply said: “Mr. Smith, you are the fortieth; when I have' killed these other thirty-nine damned scoundrels who have challenged me I will accommodate you. Be patient sir.” Smith came to Texas in 1836, and served in the Texan army through all the long wars with Mexico. He was also a soldier in the great civil war, and when that ended he enlisted to fight Indians and remained on the border until there, were no more Comanches to shoot. On one occasion Smith was captured by a roving band of Comanches, many of whom were well known to him. They frankly told him that they intended to make him run the gantlet and burn him at the stake when they reached their village on Devil River, The captive had a flask of whisky, which the chief took away from him. After taking several drinks the old warrior asked Smith if be could play “seven up.” Smith * proudly boasted that he could beat any man living playing that particular game. This answer appeared to put the Indian on his mettle, and he at once proposed that they should halt by the side of the warpath and play for the highest stakes that mortal men ever waged on a game of chance—life. Smith eagerly agreed

GAMS FOR TWO LIVES.

to the proposal, and they sat down under a tree and dealt the cards on a blanket The other warriors dismounted and anxiously watched the game. The chiefs name was Big Lapgh, socalled on account of a natural grin that marked his features. After a short time they stood 6 to 6, and Tt was Smith’s deal He ran the cards off and turned a jack from the bottom. Smith had won his liberty and Big Laugh told him that he might go; but the Texan had something else in view. He might have walked away, but he determined upon another act which marks him as a generous soul possessed of 'the highest courage. There was a young white girl tied on one of the ponies who was weeping in the most piteous agony. Smith coolly proposed to play another game, staking his life against the liberty of this young girl. Big Laugh was evidently pleased with the white man’s courage, and after taking another drink he began to shuffle the cards. The girl was cut loose from the pony and made to stand on the blanket, while the thongs for binding j Smith in case he lost were thrown at her feet Again they played a close game, and at the end of a short time stood 6 to 6; but it was Big Laugh’s deal. With what awful Interest that poor girl must have watched the turning of that trump. The Indian slowly dealt the cards, and, peeping at the trump, a hideous grin spread over his face. ■ < . “I was sure that all was lost, and was just in the act of springing at his throat,” says Smith, “when he turned the queen of hearts for a trump. He could not give me, of course, and I held both the ace and deuce of hearts.” Big Laugh was by this time hilariously drunk and in a most excellent good humor. He not only kept bls word and gave Smith and the young girl their liberty, but be furnished them two ponies and allowed Smith to take his gun. The liberated captives reached the settlements in safety. The disproportion of the sexes is still I'SrSL*'.. 1 ! u™ I

well, Texas. He does not look like u lawyer, but be has nevertheless, sat upon a camp stool and decided cases of the greatest importance. He does not bear any very marked resemblance to a general, but he has commanded a considerable force in battie, and while military critics might have complained that be was deficient in strategic ability, none ever charged him with a lack of valor. Few people

SHEAR NONSENSE

De Garry—Are you sure no one WmH | looking when you kissed her? MmHfli —Positive. She wasn’t even looktofll <1 herself.—Town Topics. || “We’ve been playing school, mato|g j ma.” “Indeed! I hope you behaved® 1 nicely.” “Oh, I didn’t have to I was tb> teacher.”—Truth. 1 Madge—Why are you buying such ex-& I pensive stockings? You don't need J I them. Haynie—Oh, I’ll put them away|j I for a rainy day.—Town Topics, j His Honor—Young man, do you ap-?i I predate the solemnity of an oath; dp j | you know what an oath is? Hoy | sir; I caddied for you last Sunday>fl j Life. ..fl “Doctor, my husband says black «ndtjl I red spots appear before his eyes everya I night. What do you advise?” “I-Ad-j vise that he stop playing poker.”—CM-S I cago News. fl Husband—l am going to join another! club to-night Wife—l don’t suppose g shall see you at all after this. t band—Oh, yes! They have a ladiaF.-l day.—Puck. "fl Tommy—lt was a dreadful day th»|l I last time I went to grandma’s. It blowed a 1 and it Mother—lt “blowed” to not J I proper. Say it “blew.” Tommy—lO I blew and it anew awful.—Tit-Bits. | Kelly (growing pathetic)—Pity •J I poor, unfortunate man, Kelliher, tikottefl | got to go home to his wolfe! Kelliher—|| I Brace up, Kelly! Brace up! Ye shouKl-j I be thankful ye are not the Sultan!— 1 1 Puck. .fl Hogan—Schwarzmetoter was tilin’! j me thot Uncle Sam could never lick the J I Flllypanoes. Grogan—An’ did ye show J | him be was wrong? “Oi did. 01 thlnk;f I he will be out In about a fortnight"— | | Indianapolis Journal. fl “Is the cashier in?’ “No, he’s not” I “When will he be back?” “Can't say/1 I He skipped for Canada about an hour. 3 I ago.” “Just my luck! I’m his brothstifl I and he took my hat by mistake this i | morning!”—Yonkers Statesman. “What Is that old proverb about the i 1 moss and the rolling stone?” | the Chicago girl. “A revolving fra®*3 I ment of the paleozoic age collects; ne 3 cryptogamous vegetation,” replied her 'I 1 cousin from Boston.—Chicago News. 3 | “Seems odd, nowadays, that racfejl ■ poets as Moore and all of them were 1 I always writing ‘Lines to Fannie.’” t “Probably Pegasus Is like other | and they gave the lines to Fannie so aa to have their hands free.’’—HarteONl .1 Life. 111 Nice Old Lady-Will you kindly tell | | trie if the lady who writes the “MottoO ] er’s Page” In your paper Is In? I want J 1 to tell her how much I enjoyed her articles on “The Evening Hout in I ' the Nursery.” Office Boy—That’s. htoM 1 over there wid de pink shirt, smokin’g 1 cigaroot.—Tid-Bits. . || A paper published in Paris recently:! contained the following unique adver--| J tlsement: “A young man of agreeabteil presence, and desirous of getting nutofl j! rled, would like to make the aequalnt-|| 1 ance of an aged and experienced getoii tieman who could dissuade him frooM taking the fatal step.”—Exchange. “Did you hear about Lucy Weston j and Al Winslow falling out?” “No! ’i When did that happen? Pshaw, it can’t jj JI be true. I saw them together last|| night.” “Yes, it’s really so. They we«B| jt rowing on the pond in the park day be-1 fore yesterday and tried to seats in the boat.”—Chicago Timet*! S Herald. fl Tommy—Miss Upjohn, I want to|||| know the names of the twelve disciples.:j j His Sunday School Teacher --Certalnlyifflg Tommy. They were Peter, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Judas and—j $ and—l can find the names of the otherUja In a moment Tommy—No fair looi|H|| In’. I knowed you couldn’t do it!— N«mß|| York Evening World. 9 Young lady—The musical conservaffl® tory is in this building, isn’t it? Janitorfl ’: —No, mum. The musical conservatory-gj is 'bout two blocks down street. Young|||| lady (dubiously)—l—l was sure I hearffj'® pupils practicing vocal exercises. Are you sure the musical conservatory to | not here? Janitor—Yes’m. Nothin’ but W dentists’ offices, mum.—New York j' Weekiy. 3| “Great Scott, man,” thundered the ! householder to the ice man, as he 1 j looked at his bill for the month, “daj||| you want to make an Independent for- 3’-?-; tune in one season?” “Well,” man, “I read in a scientific treatise ttaMH the sun was gradually losing its heat, j and I can't run any chances of beinO without the means of a |j| Kansas City Star. ||| “Won’t you sit down in this chahfl| Willie?” said the kind lady who llvedj next door to the little fellow who come to pay her a call. “If lt’» aR same to you, ma'am,” said the little I visitor, a shadow of pain creeping OVUM his innocent face, “I’ll prefer to a chair with a soft cushion. I hid ’m| collar button yesterday morning he found it out.”—Boston Traveler.. “It's a great scheme.”’ exclaimed Parmer Corutossel; “a great ' “What's happenin'?” asked his “They're buildin’ good roads all around Havana. They're goin’ at It enthustoriflW tic an' industrious. An’ I’m tn hopes that after they git througjM with good roads in Cuba they’ll wriflHg around by degrees to the similar states” Washington Star.