The St. Charles herald. [volume], July 07, 1917, Image 6

About The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993

Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

                
ji
(EASED PROFITS IN SWEET POTATOES
(Prepared hy the United States Depart
merit of Agriculture.)
The production of the sweet potato
«tould undoubtedly be Increased with
out reducing the price which the grow
er now receives for his product. The
«vveet potato is popular with the con
suming public, hut in many sections
and throughout a large portion of the
year the supply is very limited or even
nonexistent. In most of the small eit
les of the North and West, for exam
ple, sweet potatoes can he obtained
only for a few weeks in the autumn,
and even in the South the supply is
often neither continuous nor adequate.
The sweet potato thrives liest in the
Bouth Atlantic and Gulf states, but it
can be grown for home use as far
north as southern New York and along
thut latitude to the Rocky mountains.
In tills area one obstacle in the past
to an increase in production 1ms been
the difficulty of keeping the potatoes
in good condition. It is now known,
however, that this can he overcome
to a great extent, at least, by proper j
storage in specially constructed !
houses. The public is also becoming !
I
;
V
3SW
r> y y.
>
><,
-c-v
mm
mi
i&*:
m
■ ■
~ ■:
EXTERIOR VIEW OF STORAGE HOUSE.
/amiliar with canned sweet potatoes,
find canners have paid from 35 to 47»
cents a bushel for potatoes at can
ning time. Moreover, any surplus that
cannot be disposed of on the market
or to canners can profitably be fed to
live stock.
Few farmers realize what a valua
tile feed sweet potatoes nre. For hogs,
three or four bushels are equal to a
bushel of corn, and when fed in con
nection with peanuts, cottonseed meal j
or other concentrates, they provide a j
good ration for hoth liogs and cattle.
As light soils which yield from 20 to
25 bushels of corn can he made with
•the same care and attention to pro
duce from 100 to 150 bushels of sweet
RAISING ONIONS FOR PROFIT
Plant Thrives Best on Very Fertile
Soil—Avoid Land Previously
Grown in Grain.
(Clemson College Bulletin.)
The onion is an important truck
trop. It thrives best on a very fer
tile soil. On clay soil they will grow
fairly well, but are much more diffi
cult to cultivate and tlie yield is never
as great. In selecting land for onions,
care should be taken not to select a
field previously groAvn in grain, as
the grain will volunteer and cause
trouble, coming up at about tlie same
time as the onion seeds germinate.
The best varieties to grow for commer
cial purposes are White Pearl and
Prize Taker. These are onions of
large size, attractive appearance and
•very mild flavor.
As soon as the onions are three or
four inches high they should he culti
vated, using an ordinary wheel hoe. It
Is necessary to continue this cultiva
tion, especially after every rain, until
the onions begin to sprout. If the
onion field is allowed to become in
fested with grass or weeds, it will he
expensive to eradicate them. It pays
to destroy all grass and weeds as soon
as they appear.
HORSES CHOOSE THEIR HAY
Animals Have Peculiar Tastes in Se
lecting Most Palatable Feeds, Says
Bulletin From Ohio.
That horses have peculiar tastes In
selecting the most palatable feeds (a
shown by recent Investigations at the
Ohio experiment station, in which
some hays were eaten with great rel
ish while others were only partly
consumed. Mixed clover and timothy
seemed to satisfy their appetites best,
and brome grass was also to their
liking. Timothy hay stood third. None
of the horses were fond of tall oat
grass, while bluegrass and redtop
•were also near the bottom of the list
of palatable grasses.
ARRANGING FEED FOR COLTS
Not Necessary to Feed Bran Mash to
Young Animals—Give Boiled
Oats With Flaxseed.
It is not absolutely necessary to feed
bran mash to colts. It would prob
Bblÿ be better to mix bran Avith their j
oats, in the proportion of about one
part bran to tA\ - o parts oats.
A feed of boiled oats Avith flaxseed
ftdded, say once a week, Avould prob
ably help these colts In the same way
mtt It would help the mares.
potatoes,
It is obvious that feeding
fh< ' ,ntf,r ln: '; v " v " r - v
conie saving in tlie cost of raising live
South, suffers from the
stock. Even when the potatoes thern
selves are sold, the vines and culls
have a considerable value as feed for
hogs, and some farmers estimate that
tiiis is as high as $5 or $0 an acre.
Successful growers expect yields of
from 125 to 300 bushels an acre. At
harvesting time, under normal eondi
tions. tlit* prices obtained run from MO
to GO cents a bushel, hut in the win
ter from 7f> cent to $1.25 may he ob
tained. On the other hand, the crop
is not an expensive one to raise when
compared witli other truck crops.
When grown as a general truck crop,
as it is in most sections of the South,
the cost of production, including the
growing of the plants, fertilizing,
planting, preparation of the land, cul
tivation and harvesting, is about $35
to $40 per acre. When grown as a
truck crop in an intensive way the
cost is about $7ô an acre.
At the present time, it is pointed
out, tin 1 industry, especially in the
lack of fixed
j
1
standards for grading. The Jersey
type, popular in the Northern markets,
is usually sold in three grades—
fancy, primes and seconds. In the ab
sence of other standards for the south
ern varieties, it is recommended that
a similar classification be adopted for
them. The fancy grade should include
all potatoes of medium size 1 —the de
sirable size for baking—free from
bruises and of good shape; the primes
those a little above medium size and
not typical in shape, hut useful for
frying and boiling; the seconds those
under medium size and irregular in
shape. The culls should lie consumed
at home, fed to stock or sold to din
ners if they will take them.
PROFIT IN TICKLESS CATTLE
Numerous and Far-Reaching Benefits
Are Sure to Follow Tick Eradi
cation in South.
The benefits following tick eradica
tion are numerous and far-reaching.
Restrictions on the shipment of cattle
are removed ; the loss from tick fever
is eliminated; the cattle industry is
promoted, and other agricultural con
ditions in that locality thrive; in ap
pearance tlie cattle show a marked
contrast with those which harbored
the ticks; purebred cattle may he
broupiit in from other sections to im
prove the native breed without danger
of death from splenetic fever; and
Southern animals can enter the show
rings of the North without restriction.
The total cost of tick extermination
will be far less than the amount saved
in tlie first year after it is accom
plished.
COTTONSEED MEAL FOR HOGS
Amount of Meal That Can Be Fed in
Proportion to Grain Depends cn
Feeding Period.
Repeated experiments indicate that
it is not safe to feed a greater pro
portion of cottonseed meal to hogs
than one part of meal to four or five
parts i>f corn, kafir or other similar
grains, says Prof. W. L. Fowler of the
department of animal husbandry, Okla
homa A. and M. college.
Of course, the amount of meal that
can be fed in proportion to the grain
will depend also on the length of the
feeding period. For a long feeding pe
riod one part of meal to five parts of
grain is fairly safe. For a short feed
ing period of twenty to thirty days,
you may feed more meal in proportion
to the grain.
LEAD PENCIL IS IMPORTANT
Moct Profitable Implement on Farm
When Used for Making Calcu
lations on Operations.
There Is one farm implement of thg
utmost importance that was over
looked in the big implement num
ber. Someone has said that a
lead pencil, well used, is the implement
most needed on Southern farms. A
lend pencil used in setting down a
record of the farm business will pay
well, but if used in making calcula
tions on the business operations of the
farm and in setting down plans for
future guidance there is scarcely anj
doubt hut that it is the most profitable
implement on the farm.—The 1'rogres
sive Farmer.
to
1 ^ !
I* Unpopular <!
I Mr. Torrey |
:S *t fij' * $:
* 11 : : : :
:% t _ t
jijij By Katherine Howe J*;
(Copyright, 1517, by W. G. Chapman.»
Blake Torrey wasn't popular in Ln
kaue. lie didn't smoke or drink, and
carefully avoided scrapping. During
his eight months' sojourn in the mining
town he had never been known to
knock a man down, and this told heav
ily against him. No one could say he
was not honorable in his dealings, and
his courteous treatment of others de
manded a certain civility in return.
But in Lukune a proof of physical
fighting quality, the ability to play a
stiff game of poker, imbibe whisky and
smoke strong tobacco were the achieve
ments necessary for the badge of hon
or. There were some who would have
eliminated a few of these qualifica
tions, Dut they thought it wise not to
uir their sentiments in publie. Blake
Torrey had the courage of his convic
tions, even though that kind of cour
age didn't count in Lukane.
Tlie postmaster of the town was
often assisted by his sister when busi
ness called him elsewhere. Tiie two
lived in rooms over the office and Ethel
Burk, beside lier official duties, kept
the little house neat anil shining. The j
oozy room, with the shaded lamp, was j
ire to many of the i
considerable of a hin
men of Lukane. But Etliel Burk let it
be known that she was a busy young
woman whose evenings could not all
be given up to sociability, and her liv
ing room was not to in* invaded except
by lier invitation. Though she was
only twenty-six, there was a deter
mined gleam in her eyes which made
lier decision respected. Her brother.
through experience, found it best to j
also respect the rule, and told the men 1
when they invited themselves upstairs j
that wasn't his side of the shanty, his j
sistvr ran the house, and he "never •
went meddling in her caboose." Of
course there were suitors in plenty,
which Ethel, not wishing to accept, had
n
ßf fMf/ j
// o/\
JÊ
ns
y a
•?L-=)
'X.
à)
<v
"Hold On!" He Yelled.
to handle with tact in order not to turn
them into rank enemies. She Avas un
deniably pretty, with soft, dark eyes
and a charming mouth, and was one
of the very few well educated women
in Lukane. A college-bred girl, she
had come to Lukane Avith her brother
when he had determined to seek his
fortune in the gold country. But he
had been there three years and had not
been successful, so secured the post
master's position while keeping his eye
out for an opportunity.
George Gaynor, a prosperous young
mine OAvner, seemed to be making con
siderable progress as a suitor of Etliel
Avhen one day the tall, athletic figure
of a stranger stepped briskly into the
post office and asked if there Avas any
thing for Blake Torrey. His surprised
glance fell on the attractive girl at the
windoAA% and he further observed her
as she searched for his mail. Ethel
also noted that he took his letters,
turned quickly and Avent out without
.
the unpleasant stare or loitering
glances of many newcomers. After i
many visits he still preserved this dig
nified formality and Ethel, though she
had decided he was a gentleman, be
gan to be piqued into a curiosity tc
know him better. Torrey Avas suffer
ing from the same desire and, as luck
AA'ould have it, her brother accidentally
brought it about. Then Torrey soon
became one of the favored few to
spend evenings in the cozy room up
stairs. Torrey in his thirty-four years
of life had had one love affair that
had resulted disastrously in the faith
lessness of the girl, and he had made
up his mind to avoid all heart entangle
ments in the future; but, much to his
surprise, he found that the face be
hind Uncle Sam's window avus getting
between him and all useful occupa
tions. He had to face the grieA'ous
truth ; he avus in love with Ethel Burk.
But there was (Taynor to reckon
with. He had the fighting blood of
popularity, was knoAvn to have whip
ped two fellows to a finish and seemed
to haA-e the inside track in the running
far Ethel Burk's hand.
.Whatever m_M have been the girl's
$:
: :
estimate of the measure of a man, th«
constant clamor of her environment
was not without its influence. Gaynor
never lost a chance to sneer at what
lie called the cowardice of Torrey ;
even tier brother sniffed when she ral
lied to Torrey's defense, for Torrey
had told lier his reasons for what lie
called "a finer courage." .She had be
gun to care for him, but the glamour of
j physical prowess and the popularity of
the other man were telling strongly in
his favor.
One day the main street of Lukane
roused to the sound of rushing feet
and the clamor of angry men. A horse
thief in the hands of tin* mob stood
rat lier less chance for Dis life than a
murderer. Torrey, inside the post of
fice, saw the man being dragged along
with a gathering crowd in pursuit. He
••aught up a riHi? which a man had set
down, rushed out and, as the trembiirg
victim was sear tlie door, struck with
tlie butt of the gun the hands of the
two holding him and thrust the sus
pect inside. The door was quickly
locked from the inside and he stood
against it. As they started to heat him
down he held them off with the rifle,
'i hen they started to pick up stones to
break the windows.
"Hold on!" lie yelled. "This Is a
government building! Do you know
what that means?"
Evidently they did not know, but it
made them pause. At this moment the
sheriff and an armed posse came up
and the rioters were obliged to give
up their man.
Tin* trial was sot for two weeks later
in tlie adjoining town. Ethel saw noth
ing of Torrey for a week. He was
away, spending much time in the place
where the suspect was jailed. lie hur
j I'iedly told her he was trying to get j
j evidence, and to find out if the man i
i were really gu.
uiity.
Nearly ail Lukane turned out to j
the trial. Never did itjs citizens exjteri- |
• •nee such a surprise as when Blake '
florrey stood up as the attorney for the !
defense. Never will the clear-headed j
argument, the rousing plea and the I
ringing eloquence of his appeal lie for- j
gotten. Judge and jury were carried i
before it like leaves in a gale. The I
j prisoner was acquitted. As he voiced
1 his gratitude to the man who had
j saved him and again declared his in
j nocenoe. Ethel, with tear-wet eyes, put
• her hand in Torrey's with a look that
told him he had won more than his
case.
Then an elderly man, who had sim
ply been one of the crowd nt the hack
of the room, made his way to Torrey.
"Young man," he said, "in heaven's
name Avhy are you wasting your time
here? You ought to he in the United
States senate."
Torrey smiled depreeatingly. 'Vd
like to be there," he said. "But you
liuAc to be rich—and I lost CA'erything
in Wall street."
"I can help to put you in the sen
ate. I need you. Will you come with
me?"
Torrey stared incredulously at the
stranger. "Will you give me your
name?" he asked.
"John Felsted."
"Not Governor Felsted?"
"Yes," ansAvered the man. "Will
you tliink it over?"
For answer Torrey put out his hand
and felt it warmly grasped by the gov
ernor.
a
all
Had Fought With Washington in
the Revolution.
The first service pension law for sol
diers of the Revolution was passed in
ISIS. Prior to that pensions had only
been granted to Avoundcd or disabled
soldiers. The act of ISIS granted life
pensions to all ayIio had served through
the Avar or for a period of nine months.
Flagrant abuses under this law aroused
public indignation and in 1S20 a law
Avas passed Avhich caused thousands
of names to be removed from the pen
sion rolls. President Adams, in his
annual message of 1825, .said : "The
act of March IS, ISIS, Avhile it made
provision for many meritorious and
indigent citizens who had served in
the War of Independence, opened a
door to numerous abuses and imposi
tions. To remedy this the act of May
1. 1820, exacted proofs of absolute in
digence, Avhich many really in Avant
Avere ur.abie to give, and ail suscepti
ble of that delicacy Avhich is allied to
many virtues must he deeply reluct
ant to give. The result has been that
some among the least deserving have
been retained and some in whom the
requisites both of Avorth and Avant were
. combined have been stricken from
the i ist ." As to the abuses which
i sprang up under the service pension
law of 1818, an authority says: "More
claimants applied than could possibly
have survived from Washington's
army. The amount required to he paid
the first year was eleven times what
Lad been estimated, and the second
year seventeen times the estimate."
The figures shoAv an extraordinary in
crease of pensions under the act of
ISIS. Thus in the year 1800 the total
pension list Avas $04,130; in 1810 it was
$83,744; in 1817 it was $207.374; in
1810 it Avas $2.415.030 ; in 1820 it leaped
to $3,208,376. This was small com
pared to the present pension list, hut
it indicated abuses, and congress took
measures to reform them.
FIRST SERVICE PENSION LAW !
- j
Was Instituted to Help Those Who i
A Lcng Wait.
"Where is your husband?" asked the
liill collector at the door.
"He's in his study Avriting a poem,"
said the Avife.
"I suppose I'll have to Avait?"
"You wilL"
"Until he finishes the poem?"
"Y'ou'Il have to wait iongor than
that Until he sells it."
•
j
i
Annual Flowering
Plants
? V
By L. C. CORBETT
Horticulturist, liureau of Plant Industry
U. S. Department of Agriculture
VERBENA
Tlie verbena is a low-growing an
nual. with a decumbent or creeping
habit. Tlie flowers are borne on
terminal or lateral shoots, which lift
themselves from live to seven inches
off tin* ground, and when grown in
mass the plants will form a mat which
in fuii bloom will give the soil the ap
pearance of having a carpet of flow
ers. Because of tlie ability of the
plant to form a compact growth and
produce a wealth of flowers over a
long period, the verbena is frequently
used as a bedding plant where carpet
bedding effects are desired. The con
trasting colors initie varieties which
come true from seed allow of securing
pleasing combinations of colors which
are effective where low-growing plants
can he used. Tlie length of stem and
the texture of the flower are such that
the verbena is of value for bouquets
and talde decorations. The verbena
can he used with good effect in beds,
borders, mounds, and in window
boxes.
While the verbena grows readily
from cuttings and from hivers, seed
ishryf mldj *
j
|
Verbena.
ling plants are more vigorous and as
a rule produce better flowers. For the
earliest bloom iu the latitude of
Washington, D. C., sow the seeds early
in February in a moderately warm liv
ing room or greenhouse. For general
outdoor planting the seeds may he
soAvn about March 19. either in a liv
ing room, hotbed, or greenhouse. Soak
tlie seed a feAv hours in tepid water
and soav in seed-boxes filled Avith light,
rich soil ; cover one-fourth of an inch
deep, press down firmly, and Avater
sparingly. When the seedlings nre
nbotit an inch high transplant thorn
into other boxes, placing the young
plants t aa'o or three inches apart each
way. If thumb pots are available use
these in place of boxes. When plant
ing-out time arrives choose a Dright,
sunny situation. Make the soil rich
and compact rather than light, but in
all cases provide good drainage. Set
the young plants 10 to 15 inches apart
! eaclt way and give good cultivation un-
j til they cover the ground. With such
i trottinent the verbena should give
continuous bloom from early
until killed by frost.
HOLLYHOCK
(Althea Rosea)
These too frequently neglected old
fashioned perennials are most pleas
ing and attractive Avhen seen in groups
or long rows against evergreen hedges
or shrubbery as a background, and. in
turn, form n very satisfactory back
ground setting for plants of low.4
growth. The color variety in these
plants is very great, ranging from pure
white through almost every conceiv
able shade of yellow, red, and rose to
&
■n
IM
ii
m
1
lOD)
•V
m
•r>:<
ktiW-Wr.Wi
Hollyhock.
ishen-gray and almost black. Al
though hollyhocks an
hardy, even during the first winter,
it is advisable to make seed sowings
every year, as the flowers on young,
• Igorous plants arc* much finer than
those- upon old ones. Seed sowings
should be made in April or May, and
Permanent and |
*.......
act later than June, to flower the next i
yenr In the final transplanting each
seedling should be given a foot or
more space each way to allow for fui
development. The average height ot
the hollyhock is four feet; many sorts,
however, are much shorter, while an
equal number are tuber than the .n
erage above stated.
PORTULACA
This liriglit-llowered, thick-leaved
annual (portulaca) is unrivaled for
brilliancy among plants of low growth.
It possesses the ability to flourish un
der extremely adverse conditions;
even the hot sun and u light sandy
Portulaca.
soit, Avith sparse water supply, will
not destroy it. It is satisfactory for
lieds, edgings, and rockwork. and for
tilling up irregular spaces or unexpect
ed gaps in lioAver beds. As an under
growth for taller plants it is also A'ul
uaiile. It flourishes, carpeting tint
ground with a mat of succulent foliage
that in tlie forenoon is hidden by tlie
gayest flowers. The plant i-s particu
larly useful ill tiie NorthAvest. Tlie
seed does not germinate until hot
weather, and should be sown late. Be
yond the sowing, ibis plant requires
little care. The hardy character of
the plant is shown by the fact that it
can he transplanted while in full flow
er through the driest, hottest seasons.
The average Height of tlie portulaca is
six inches.
At Washington and southward this
plant will perpetuate itself by self
sown seeds. In some soils this is suf
ficient to cause the plant to assume a
weedy character. It never becomes
troublesome like its near relative, the
Avcedy garden purslane, or "pusley"
(portulaca obracen).
CALLIOPSIS
(Coreopsis)
Coreopsis is a genus of showy an
nual or perennial herbaceous plants,
with graceful long-stemmed flowers
well suited for bouquets. The hardy
annuals of this genus are generally
known by the name calliopsis. This
is one of the garden's great forces in
yellows, strengthened Avith rich ma
roons and hroAvns. Seeds of the eai
liopsis for summer flowering in situa
tions north of Nc-av York city should
he soAvn in March in boxes iu a living
Calliopsis.
room or in a gentle heat fn a green
house or hotbed. In localities south of
New York the seeds may be sown in
the open in May in good garden soi!,
with the hope of an abundance of
floAvers from August until frost. The
plants should he thinned or trans
planted to at least 10 inches apart
each Avay. Their tall, slender habit
makes neat staking and tying neces
sary. All are fine for cutting, espe
cially coreopsis graiuliflora and C.
lanceolata.
The
COCKSCOMB
(Celosia crista)
cockscombs are prized and
planted as an odd and picturesque dec
orative feature of the garden. The
dwarf varieties make novel and attrac
tiA'e borders; tlie tall ones form strik
ar*
Cockscomb.
ing groups, and Avhen interspersed
Avith other lower-growing plants in a
border they produce a pleasing con
trast. There are both red and yelioAv
forms of the cockscomb, hut the bright
rod and crimson varieties are most ef
fective in gardens and also in winter
bouquets, for which they are cut be
ton fully ripe and dried in the house.
The young plants can he grown from
seeds sown in gentle heat in April and
transplanted t<> the open ground the
middle or last of May, or the seeds
may he sown early in May in the open
where the plants are to stand. Trans
planting into rich soil about the time
the combs begin to form makes the
flower-heads much larger. They
bright from midsummer until frost.