, *
NEWS AND NOTES.
-i Record-of ProceedingslmJJotli Branchel
of the U. 8. Congress.
SENATE. Tn tho senate on tho 5th tho
following bills were introduced : By Mr.
Miller To increase the pension for loss of
both arms or both legs , or the sight of both
eyes , or other injuries resulting in total
helplessness. 3y Mr. Jackson To define
and regulate the jurisdiction of the courts
of the United States. By Manderson Pro
viding thnt privates and non-commissioned
officers who have served thirteen years
fiay be placed on the retired list , with 75
'ttfr ccnfc ° * t-ne'r PaP a tho time of retire-
VBent , and further providing that persons
who have been honorably discharged alter
thirty years' service shall be included in its
provisions. The Utah bill wnfe briefly con
sidered and laid aside. A message was re
ceived from the president transmitting a
draft of a bill to provide for the allotment
of lands in severally to Indians. Mr.
Teller introduced a bill to provide for the
compulsory education of Indian children.
It authorizes the secretary of the interior
to take any Indian children between the
ages of 8 and 18 who belong to tribes re
ceiving annuities from the United States
and place them in government schools for
the education of Indians , to bo kept there
lor five years. This is not to apply , how
ever , to the five civilized tribes , and not to
the Osage Indians of Ind'an ' territory.
The secretary is authorized to withhold
rations and annuities from parents who
refuse to comply with these provisions.
All such' schools are to be manual labor
schools , and to include the teaching of
agriculture and stock raising to boys , and
housework to girls
HOUSE. In the house , after 'reading of
the journal the Hoar presidential succes
sion bill and the senate resolution propos
ing certain joint rules were referred to ap
propriate committees. Mr. Blair intro
duced a bill declaring forfeited lands
granted to railroads on which the cost of
surveying and conveying has not been
made ; also , to prevent acquisition of prop
erty by aliens ; also , to increase the effi
ciency of the infantry branch of the army ;
also , a resolution calling on the commis
sioner of the general land office for infor
mation concerning the suspension of the
issuance of patents to lands taken by set
tlers pursuant to law. Bills were intro
duced for the erection of public buildings at
Beatriceand Hastings , Nebraska. Mr.
Laird introduced a jointresolution author
izing thepresident to callouttwo volunteer
regiments of cavalry in the territories of
New Mexico and Arizona , to be enlisted
and officered from citizens of such territo
ries , for the suppression of hostilities
therein ; also , a joint resolution instructing
the commissioner general of the land office
to pass to patent all pending homestead
and pre-emption claims against which a
specific charge of fraud is not pending or
proved , and also calling on such officer for
& statement in detail of the reason for issu
ing his order of April 3d suspending the
issuance of patents ; also , a bill to estab
lish a soldiers' homo in Nebraska , Iowa ,
Wisconsin or Minnesota.
SENATE. The chair laid before the senate
a letter from the postmaster general com
plying \ \ ith the call of a recent senate reso
lution in respect to the appointment of
postmasters in Maine , alleged to have been
procured through the influence of S. S.
Brown , chairman of the democratic com
mittee of that state. Referred to the com
mittee on civil service reform. The senate
-A then took up the Utah bill , the pending
question being to strike out the section
that would disfranchise the women of Utah.
The motion was rejected yeas 11 , nays
31. The section disfranchising women re
mains. therefore , a part of the bill. An
amendment proposed by Edmunds was
agreed to. providing that marriages within ,
but not including , the fourth degree of con
sanguinity , should be deemed incestuous
and punishable by imprisonment. Van
Wyck offered an amendment dispensing
with the Utah commission , so-called. Re
jected. Further consideration of the bill
was then postponed. Senator Van Wyck
offered a petition of the national labor
league praying that Lieut. Gen. Phillip
Sheridan be made a full general. He asked
that it be printed in the Record and also
be referred to the committee on military
affairs. So ordered.
HOUSE. Bills were introduced : By
Seney , of Ohio To repeal the civil service
law. By Wilkins. of Ohio To provide for
the issue of circulating notes to national
banking associations. The speaker laid
before the house the senate joint resolution
tendering the thanks of congress to the gov
ernor of Ohio for a statue of 'James A. Gar-
field , and accepting the same. There were
882 bills introduced to-day. During the
greater part of the day Speaker Carlisle was
absent from the chamber , tho chair being
occupied b ; Springer or Wellfern , and the
impression" as that the speaker was en
r gaged in the final revision of his committee
list.
list.SENATE. . The resolution offered by Sena
tor Manderson was agreed to , calling on the
secretary of the interior for information as
to whether any surveys of public land had
been made within the last two years in Ne
K braska ; whether there are any unsurveyed
public lands in that state ; what recom
mendations have been made within the
last three years by the surveyor-general of
that district as to the continuance of said
office and whether it is advisable to discon
tinue the office of surveyor-general.
Utah bill came up and Senator Morgan ad
dressed the senate in support o ! an amend
ment offered by him providing for the dispo
sal of the prop'erty of the Mormon church
according to the rules and principles of
common law as in the case of the dissolu-
lutionof a corporation. "Hefelt , " hesaid ,
"that we ought to strike the Mormon
church organization out of existence. "
Senator Voorhees sent to thedeskvand had
the cleric read a telegram from Salt Lake
City which , he said , in justice to the Utah
commissioners , ought to be read. It was a
dispatch from the Hon. A. S. Paddock , say
ing : "Van Wyck is mistaken about the
clerks of the commission. The average
permanent clerks from the beginning to
date do not exceed three , possibly four , in
cluding a temporary clerk. Only one clerk ,
is now employed. " Senator Van Wyck
thought it extraordinary that the commis
sion did not know how many clerks it had.
He did not like that expression , "three ,
possibly four. " Perhaps if they employed
another clerk they could probably find out
exactly how many clerks they had. ( Laugh
ter. ) Taking into account the distance ,
and allowing for the mistakes of the tele
graph , he guessed it wjould turn out after
all that they had about the number of
clerks he had stated , namely six. ( Great
laughter. ) Without concluding considera
tion of the bill the senate adjourned.
HOUSE. Bills were introduced : To repeal
the internal revenue tax on tobacco. To
levy a tax on oleomargarine and collect the
same through the internal revenue bureau.
Calling on the secretary of the interior for
copies of the correspondence between his
department and the governor of Arizona
on Indian matters. For the admission of
the "State of Dakota ; " also , for the ap
pointment of two additional justices of the
supreme court in Dakota. For the ap
pointment of an additional justice of the
supreme court of Idaho. For the admis
sion of the "state of Washington ; " also to
forfeit the unearned Northern Pacific land
grant ; also to secure a more eTllcient civil
service reform. For the construction of
the Henepin Carinl. To establish a depart
ment of commerce. To prevent the sales of
Pacific railroads before certain United
States bonds , with interest , shall have been ,
fully paid. For tho erection of public build
ings at Ushkosh , Milwaukee , Superior , and
Eau Claire , Wis. and Fremont , Neb.
HEN ATE. The Utah bill was taken up and
quickly brought to vote. While the bill
was on the final passageMr. . Van Wyck
attempted to fix the duties of the proposed
fourteen trustees upon the members of the
present Utah commission , but was ruled
out of order. Ho asked Mr. Edmunds
whether ho had any objection to such an
amendment , to which the senator answered
that he was. The bill then passed yeas
J8' nays 7. The nays were Messrs. Blair ,
Call , Gibson , Hampton , Hoar. Morgan and
Vance. Mr. Hoar , explaining his vote , said
he voted against the bill only because of
the section disfranchising women , but even
with that section in he would have voted
for the bill had his vote been necessary to
its passage.
THE DOLLARS OF OUR DADDIES.
Ex-Congressman Horr Thinlts tlte Number
of Them in Circulation Has a Suspicious
LooJt.
Washington special : Ex-Congressman
Horr has given out some very sensational
theories on tho silver question. He takes
for a text the statements in the president's
message and the last report of the secre
tary oe the treasury , that only about
50,000,000 silver dollars are in circulation
in the United States. This is an average of
less than ? 1 apiece for the total number of
people in the country. But , says Mr.
Horr , it cannot be possible that there are
only as many dollars in circulation-aa
there are thrust upon you constantly in
making change. From observation and
inquiry , Mr. Horr concludes that there are
at least 100,000,000 silver dollars in cir
culation , and perhaps 200,000,000 , not
withstanding that of the § 215,000,000
manufactured by tho government since
1878 all but $50,000,000 are piled up in
the treasury vaults.
Having proved to his own satisfaction
that there are a great many more silver
dollars afloat than the government has
sent out , Mr. Horr next looks around to
see where the extra dollars came from. He
can account for their existence in only one
way. Somewhere in the country there
must be crooked mints at work like the
crooked whisky stills in the mountains of
Tennessee that is , private parties have
established secret mintswhere millions
of silver dollars exactly like tho
dollar made at the government mints
and worth exactly as much , as being made
unlawfnlly and then put in circulation.
Nobody can tell the difference between tho
straight dollar and the crooked dollar , sim
ply because there is no difference. The in
ducement to run illicit mints lies in the fact
that the Bland dollar contains only 80
cents worth of silver , leaving 20 cents mar
gin for cost of making and profit.
All this is a very pretty theory. A super
ficial observation might lead one to the
conclusion that there are a good many
more dollars than people abroad in the
land. But a close examination shows that
it is unlikely. Let the assistant treasurer
of the United States testify.
"So Horr thinks he has found a mare's
nest , does he ? " says the assistant treas
. ' 'Well I think his
urer , jocosely. , strange
conclusions altogether unfounded. Fifty
million silver dollars make a big showing in
the country , notwithstanding that it is an
average of less than a dollar apiece for the
population. Just consider how many
farmers , mechanics and laborers at any
given time have no silver dollar , to say
nothing about the women and children.
Besides , money circulates so rapidly that
the same dollar may be found in twenty
different places on the same day. The mere
fact that silver dollars are so plenty at the
banks and in the tills of merchants does
not prove that there are any more in circu
lation than the treasury books show. "
Now let us inquire if the director and
other officials of the bureau of the United
States mint about Mr. Horr's second
theory , that standard dollars containing
80 cents worth of silver can be profitably
manufactured at private , illicit mints. We
learn that the process of coining silver dol
lars is costly and intricate. The plant cost
many thousand dollars. Imitations of the
silver dollar , made of soft , base metal , can
be cast in moulds. But silver is too hard ,
and standard dollars can be made only as
the government makes them , by the use of
rolling , cutting , stamping and milling ma
chines. Only a skillful assayer can prepare
the alloy properly. Evidently no private
mint can dc tho work more cheaply than
the United States mints , and the cost of
coinage at the Carson City mint last year
was over 9 cents for each dollar. It would
almost certainly cest more than a dollar
apiece , even after theplantwasestablished ,
to buy the silver and other metal for the
alloy and coin standard dollars in secret
mints.
PERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL.
Gertie EeVin , a Pennsylvania girl of 10
years , sent President Cleveland a Christ
mas turkey.
Senator Hawley recently paid a bill of
§ 10 for 1m own schoolin6 when a boy in
North Carolina.
Adelaide Rudolph , a niece of Mrs. Gar-
field , has been elected Latin professor of
the Kansas state university.
The cost of King Milan's dagger and bul
let-proof case was $250. He would like to
trade it off for a cat and then shoot the cat.
Mr. Parnell probably receives the largest
mail and sends the fewest rep/ies of any
similar conspicuous politician in the world.
Roscoo Conkling is said to give annually
much legal advice to poor women in dis
tress and to give frequently large sums ol
more material assistance.
Chauncey Depew says that Mr. Vander-
bilt was often in need of small change. II
gets to be irksome for real rich men to run
their hands into their trowsers' pockets ,
too.
too.Mr.
Mr. Tennyson again causes his publishers
to announce through the London Times
that he cannot answer the "innumerable
letters" that reach him ; nor can he under
take to "return or criticise the manuscripts
sent to him. "
An Arkansas school teacher , John T.
Mortonwho happens to bp a colored man ,
has passed an excellent examination undei
the civil service rules , and the clerks of the
postoffice department are agitated over hit
probable appointment.
George William Curtis says of Parnell
"He is , indeed , an uncrowned king , and
should he die there is no one to take up hii
sceptre. No fabulous monarch of Tara'i
Hall , no lord of the round towers , no wile
Celtic chieltain was so powerful a ruler. "
. DAKOTA'S SENATORS.
Ex-Chief Justice and Senator-elect Edger-
ton , Gov. Mellette and Congressmen-elect
Knnouse arrived in Washington on the
8th and were met by Senator-elect Moody.
They held an informal reception in their
rooms during tho evening. They are confi
dent that Dakota will be admitted at this
session. The two senators will call , with
the Dakota delegation in the city , to pay
their respects to the president. On" the
13th , Senator Harrison's report on the ad
mission of Dakota will be submitted , and
it is expected that tho Dakota senators
will be admitted to seats on the floor of
the senate pending the admission of the
territory.
MSeaass
THE PENNSYLVANIA FLOODS.
More Buildlngs'Caee in at Boston 'JRim.
Shenandoah ( Pa. ) dispatch : The excite-
, ment at Boston Run , where a block of
miners' houses were swallowed by Mine
branch yesterday was renewed this after
noon , when another large area of surface
upon which are located eight blocks of
houses , began to settle. The people fled
from their houses in terror , leaving all their
effects behind. The ground has settled
about four feet and the houses are twisted
out of all shape and are expected to give
way at any moment. The bridge between
Boston Run and tho village on the oppo
site side of the valley has been swept by
tho flood and it is only by along , circuitous
route that the homeless people can convey
their household goods to where they can
find shelter. About twenty-four families
have been driven out of their homes by the
cave in.
A Tamaqua ( Pa. ) dispatch says : The
dain across Wabash creek at Reevesdale
burst this morning. A passenger train
from Pottsville was just opposite when it
broke. The back-water struck the cars
and ran into the heaters under them , caus
ing a vast volume of steam to arise and
envelope the entire train. The passengers
were much frightened. Tho engine , how
ever , escaped the flood and pulled the train
safely through the water. The tracks of
the Philadelphia and Reading were much
washed and completely inundated , delay
ing all trains. The burst was caused by
the breaking of an old tunnel in an aban
doned colliery.
THE PENSION ATTORNEYS.
Tliey Are at Their Old TrleJcs Again.
A number of pension attorneys have de
vised a new scheme by which to collect ad
vance fees and notarial and other small
expenses. Recently the second comptrol
ler made a decision that $100 bounty was
due a very small class who enlisted previous
to July 22 , 1861. Soon after letters of in
quiry , inclosing circulars of a number of
Washington attorneys , began to pour in
from all sections on tho second auditor's
office asking whether the circulars were
true. In , nearly all cases they were false ,
and were framed so as to induce'applica-
tions from all soldiers who enlisted during
the first three years of the war. The fol
lowing is a specimen :
Dear Sir : By a recent decision of the
second comptroller you are entitled to
$100 bounty , provided you have not re
ceived it , and enlisted prior to December
24 , 1863. Claims arising under this de-
cis5om\ill be adjudicated in the order in
which they are presented , hence an early
reply to this letter will be to your best in
terests. Please send me the names and
postoflice addresses of all officers or their
heirs that you can.
All who receive such circulars will save
themselves from being swindled , if they will
note that not a solitary case falls under
the decision to which reference is made in
these circulars where .the enlistments took
place after July 22. 18G1.
PROGRESS OF THE ROCK ISLAND.
The report has been confirmed that the
Itock Island road has decided upon an importr
ant addition to its system , namely , an exten
sion of its main line into Kansas , and the con
struction of short lines from Larkin , Atchison
and St. Joseph , so as to make riwer connec
tions at those two points. The number of
miles of new trunk line projected is about 400.
The extension will be virtually a complete line ,
and in its charter , which places the capital
stock at $15,000,000 , the company is named
the Chicago , Kansas & Nebraska. The above
is regarded as highly important , as it will put
the Rock Island road in competition with all
the bice lines west of the Missouri.
Sappy on the Anniversary.
Emperor William has issued an order re
specting the twenty-filth anniversary of his
succession to the Prussian throne , in which
he says : ' 'What touches mo most is the
unshaken confidence of my people in me ,
and their faithful and unaltered affection. "
His majesty returns thanks for the numer
ous expression of attachment and venera
tion for him , not only from all parts of
Germany but from places far beyond the
German frontiers , wherever the German
language is spoken.
HE BLAMES IT TO POKER.
J. H. Me3"ers , teller of the Pullman na
tional bank at Pullman , 111. , was arrested
for cmbez/lemcnt. He was suspected some
weeks ago , and Mr. Pullman engaged Maj.
Brticklcy. a New York expert accountant ,
to go through Myers' accounts to quietly
see what the shortage was. The expert
found a discrepancy of several thousand
tlollars. Meyers was confronted with the
figures and confessed , but said he could fix
it up. He was given a chance , but when lie
was discovered starting his wife and child
to Canada was arrested. Poker s
cause.
THE MARKETS.
OMAHA.
WHEAT No. 2 .
BARLEY No. 2 .
RYE No. 2 .
COICN No. 2 mixed .
OATS No. 2 .
BUTTER Fancy creamery. .
BUTTER Choice roll .
EGGS Fresh .
CHICKENS Dressed per Ib. . .
TURKEYS Dressed per Ib. . . .
DUCKS Dressed per Ib .
GEESC Dressed per Ib .
LEMONS Choice . 6
APPLES Choice . 3
ORANUES Mesina . 4
BEANS Navys . 1
ONIONS Per bushel .
POTATOES Per bushel .
GREEN APPLES Per bbl. . . . 2
SEEDS Timothy . 2
SEEDS Blue Grass . 1
HAY Baled , per ton . 5
HAY In bulk . G
HOGS Mixed packing . 3
BEEVES Butchers . 3
NEW YORK.
WHEAT No. 2 red . 02
WHEAT Ungraded red . 75
CORN No. 2 . 48
OATS Mixed western . 34
PORK . 9 87M
LAKD . 6 30
CHICAGO.
FLOOR Choice winter . 440 @ 485
FLOUR Spring extra . 3 70 @ 4 00
WHEAT Perbushel . 82 % @
CORN Per bushel . 36J @
OATS Per bushel . 28 @
PORK. . 10 05 1007
LARD . 6 00 G02M
'
Hoas Packing feshipping. 3 80 410'
CATTLE Stockers . 2 50 415
SUEEP Medium to good. . . . 220 360
ST. LOUIS.
WHEAT No. 2 red . 9.3
CORN Perbushel . 32 % ® 33
OATS Per bushel . 27 2SJ
HOGS Mixed packing . 3 GO 380
CATTLE Stockers& feeders 250 390
SHEEP Common to choice 2 50 350
KANSAS CITY.
WHEAT Perbushel . 71X
CORN Per bushel . 27
OATS Per bushel . 25 2Gtf
CATTLE Exports . 5 00 525
HOGS Good to choice * . . . . . . 3 80 400
SHEEP Common to good. . 1 00 300
FAEM MANAGrEMENT.
The Part Which OxenHave Play-
erlin the Development of the
Country.
The Influence of Agricultural Litera
ture on the Production of Drops
anfl Animals ,
Tlio Patient Ox.
To the ox the credit of subduing the
soil in all the eastern and many of the
southern states must be given. Oxen
not only plowed'and harrowed the
land , but they drew the stones for the
erection of walls , the lumber employed
in the construction of fences and build
ings , and the fuel wanted for warming
houses. They hauled all the crops to
market and did the teaming of the coun
try. They also made the roads'and
kept them in a condition for travel dur
ing the winter. Many of the early set
tlers of all the western states and terri
tories reached their destinations by the
aid of ox teams. Good teams they were.
They were not quick , but they were
sure-footed and very strong. They
"
"drew heavy loads over places where
horses would not go or where it was
very dangerous for them to pass. At
night they were released from their
yolk , and were allowed no food but the
wild grass the prairie afforded. Still
they kept in fair condition and often
performed a journey of a thousand
miles without accident. After a rest
for a week they were often put to
"breaking prairie , " for which work
they are better fitted than any kind of
draft animals. Oxen have "been the
making" of most , parts of the country.
They aided in building towns as well as
in improving farms. They hauled logs
to saw-mills and the stone from quarries.
In those old days the ox was used for
all sorts of labor and the horse was em
ployed for promoting pleasure.
Until about the period of the break
ing out of ' the civil war oxen performed
most of 'the work on farms. Then
several circumstances combined to
cause horses to be substituted. There
was a demand for all the grain crops
that could be produced. As. horses
were quicker than oxen they were pre
ferred. As so many men joined the
army , machines operated by horses
were employed for sowing small grain ,
planting corn , cultivating various crops ,
cutting grass , and harvesting grain.
About the time of the close of the war
there were large importations of heavy
draft horses from Scotland , England ,
and France , and their crosses were em
ployed for doing work on farms. Farm
ers who had become wealthy during the
war generally kept fine teams , mostly
for pleasure. Soon the disposition to.
use horses exclusively for doing farm
work became general in the northern
states. The few farmers who continued
to use oxen were regarded by their
neighbors as old-fashioned , "slow-go
ing , " and behind the times. The own
ers of small farms were obliged to keep
a team of horses , and in many cases
they had not a sufficient amount of work
to do tomake it profitable to keep an
ox team in addition. Horses were ac
cordingly put to work at the plow and
used for drawing stone , manure , and
building materials , though oxen would
have done the work quite as well , and
would have been much cheaper to keep.
It is likely that the horse will always
retain its place on most farms for do
ing work that requires speed. Horses
will continue to plow old ground , to
prepare it for seeding , to cultivate
growing crops , and to draw the har
vester , mower and rake. For many
kinds of farm work , however , oxen are
superior to horses. They are better for
plowing uneven , hilly , rocky , and
swampy ground. Oxen"are not as ex
citable as horses and will pull steadier.
They will go over stonesaround stumps ,
and through boggy places better than
horses. For hauling out manure , draw
ing a stone-boat , and hauling hay they
are better than horses. For breaking
sod and for plowing very heavy old
ground they are at least as good as any
team of horses. On a farm on which
a hundred head of cattle are kept it
will pay to have -good ox team for no
other purpose than to haul manure
from the stable to the fields. An ox
cart is better than a wagon for this pur
pose , as it is easier to throw the load
from it. Most large farmers now prac
tice drawing manure from their barns
and stables as fast as it is made , instead
of allowing it to accumulate. For
drawing wood , coal , and fencing , espe
cially when the roads are in bad condi
tion , a team of oxen is better than one
of horses. They are less likely to be
injured , will draw heavier loads , and
will make quite as good time.
It costs much less to raise a pair of
oxen than one of horses , and the cost
of their feed , care , and shelter is less.
Yokes are much cheaper than har
nesses , and will last much longer. A
horse that has become slow on account
of age is of no value to the owner. The
ox , however , can be converted into good
beef and sold at a fair price. Oxen can
be trained to walk or to draw a plow as
fast horses. If fed as well as horses are
they will move as fast in the field as
the plowman cares to walk. During
very long journeys oxen will make as
many miles in a given time as horses ,
and at the end of it will be in better
condition. The art of training steers to
walk rapidly , to plow a straight furrow ,
and to obey the voice of the driver was
practiced by farmers a few years ago ,
and brought to a high degree of per
fection. It is an art worth reviving at
a time when it is necessary to practice
farm economy. The majority of young
farmers do not know how useful oxen
may be made. The Devon , which is to
other cattle what the Arab horse is to
ordinary horses , is capable of being
made a most useful draft animal. It
combines docility with strength , beauty ,
and quietness. For any kind of work
requiring a speed no faster than a walk
it is the equal of the ordinary farm
horse.
Agricultural Heading Clubs.
It has often been remarked that farm
ers are not a reading class , and that
they derive less information from books
and periodicals than persons engaged in
most other pursuits. This statement is
undoubtedly true. It is also true that
many farmers have a prejudice against
what they are.pleased to call ' book-
' and " . "
fanning1' "newspaper farming.
They think that everything pertaining
to agriculture , horticulture and stock-
raising should be learned by experience.
It is certain , however , that every branch
of husbandry in ancient or modern
times has been best developed in coun
tries that produced the most agricultur
al literature. Home surpassed all tho
nations of antiquity in agriculture , hor
ticulture , stock raising , and the produc
tion of fowl and fish. It also surpassed
all the nations of antiquity in tho pro
duction of works on these subjects. The
most learned and gifted of the Latin
authors wrote on different branches of
husbandry , and some of them , like Vir
gil , produced finished poetical composi
tions on these subjects. There is good
reason for believing that these works
were productions of much good not only
in Italy , but in all the countries in
Europe and Asia that were conquered
and colonized by the Komans.
The great improvements in British
agriculture commenced after the publi
cation of the works of Mechi , Lawes ,
and Guilbert. The reports of the Eoyal
Agricultural society have exerted a great
intluence on the agriculture of Great
Britain. All the great London dailies
devote much space to accounts of im
provement in the management of farms ,
the introduction of new crops , the pro
duction of fruit , the destruction of in
sects and the breeding of domestic ani
mals. Most of the recent improve
ments in agriculture , horticulture , stock-
breeding and dairying in this country
have been the result of publications on
these subjects. Many who have never
read these publications have derived
great benefit from them in an indirect
manner. They have followed the ex
ample of the men who followed the
teachings of the authors of books. If
one man in every county reads a new
and valuable work on any department of
husbandry , all the farmers in the county
will be likely to derive benefit from it.
They will visit his farm or see his dis
play at the county fair , and will come
to adopt his methods.
It is certain that many of the works
on agriculture , horticulture , and stock-
raising published iii this country have
been of little value. Their merits or
demerits were very well portrayed by
Artemus Ward , Mark Twain , and Josh
Billings. Still it is true that we have
had many admirable pablications on
these subjects. It is to be regretted
that the price of most of these works is
very high when compared with that of
works of the same size that are devoted
to other subjects. It is stated by the
publishers that these books have a some
what limited sale , and that a long time
is required to dispose of an edition.
Farmers have more time to read works
on the business in which they are engag
ed than most persons have. They can
devote nearly all the winter season to
reading and stud } ' . It is likely that the
time devoted to books would result in as
freat profit as that spent in hard work ,
number of farmers in the same neigh
borhood could effect a great saving in
the matter of buying books by organiz
ing a reading club. A discount will be
made in the price of books when sever
al are bought at the same time. The
books purchased by the club can be
owned in common , and form a library
open to the members , or each member
can own the book or books he pays for.
The latter plan has some advantages ,
as the books retained at home can be
used for reference.
The club can meet at the houses of
the members as often as is pleasant and
profitable and is consistent with thei
other engagements. One chapter or a
certain number of pages can be read
and discussed at each meeting. It is
sometimes advantageous to read several
books on the same subject in succession ,
so that an extensive knowledge of it
may be acquired. Sometimes it is best
to read all that several authors have
written on some subject before com
mencing any new matter. It is not ad
visable to attempt to go over too much
ground in the course of one winter.
The subject of the breeding , general
care , and fattening of animals could be
made to profitably employ the time of
a club during one entire winter. The
planting , cultivating , and harvesting of
field crops could engage the attention of
the club during another winter , Gar
den management , a subject generally
neglected by western farmers , might be
taken up with great profit. Farmers'
club organized for reading and study
are promotive of intelligence , refine
ment , and good neighborly feeling.
Their value is not to be entirely restrict
ed to an increase of crops , Hocks , and
herds. They serve to improve the in
tellect as we'll as the soil and the ani
mals it supports. Chicago Times.
AEesult of Education.
Jim Webster was heard calling across
the fence to a neighbor's" , a colored
vouth , who goes to school on Robinson
lull.
"Look hyar , boy , you goes to school ,
don't yer ? "
"Yes , sir , " replied the boy.
"Gettin' eddvkasun , aint vcr ? "
"Yes , sir. "
"Learnin' 'rithmetic and figurin' on
a slate , eh ? "
"Yes , sir. "
"Well it doesn't take two whole days
to make an hour , do it ? "
"Why no ! " exclaimed the boy.
"You was gwine ter bring dat hatch
et back in an hour , wasn't yer ? "
"Yes , sir. "
"An' its been two whole days since
you borrowed. Now what good's
eddykasun gwine ter do you , when you
go to school a whole yar an den can't
tell how long it takes to fetch back a
hatchet. "
The boy got mad , and slung the
liatchet over the fence and half way
through the ash barrell. Texas Sift-
ings.
Quintessence of Snobbery.
There is a good deal of shallow , silly
nonsense about the ambitious embryo
society snob of the present day , as may
be illustrated by a remark made by one
of them not'long ago. "Oh , dear me , "
he said , "I never go to the theater ,
because the best seats in the house are
only $1. I don't care if the perform
ance is the best in town , I couldn't
think of going , because , you see , any
body can aflord to spend $1 , and I
should never know what sort of a per
son was sitting beside me. " Here cer
tainly was the quintessence of idiotic
snobbery. Philadelphia Bulletin.
f ; .
A TALK ABOUT REPTILES.
How Some Fgretcll tno "Weather
Peculiarities of tho Chameleon
"What to po If Bitten by a Snake.
Yesterday , before the Parker Memo
rial Science Class , Mr. Samuel Garman
talked about "Reptiles and Batrach-
"ians. " He brought to the class room a
variety of specimens and very court
eously answered a multitude of ques
tions , thereby destroying some of the
popular opinions concerning the ani
mals of which he has made a special
study. He first referred to the table ,
which he had placed on the blackboard ,
and said that in the Devonian period
fishes appeared. Some say they ap
peared in the Silurian. The ancestors
of the present batrachians toads , frogs
and salamander appeared in the sub-
carboniferous time , while the croco
dile appeared in tho Triassic , and the
turtle in the Jurassic. In the Permian
lizards appeared and were numerous in
the Triassic. Two birds , supposed to
be ancestors of the birds proper , ap
peared in tho Cretaceous. The land
turtle was selected from among tho
specimens , and a slight explanation of
its structure was given. It is a lung-
breathing animal , and undergoes no
transformation. Tho sea turtle's toes
are united in the form of a paddle. It
makes lon < voyages , sometimes cross
ing the Atlantic. The sea turtles are
immense , some of them attaining a
weight of 1,200 pounds. They graze
on the grasses at the bottom of the sea.
Crocodiles are represented by alliga
tors. Their tales are used for swim
ming , and their legs aid in lifting them
out of the mud. They build nests of
leaves and vegatation before it has be
gun to decay ; a layer of eggs , a layer of
vegetation. The heat of the vegetation
hatches the eggs. The crocodile differs
from the alligator by having no long
separation between the nostrils. It has
a valve in the throat for keeping out
water. The crocodiles of the Nile and
of the Ganges are most dangerous.
called cold-blooded be
Alligators are - ,
cause of their inability to develop much
heat in their bodies.
Lizards are very nearly the shape of
crocodiles , and are covered with a skin
which has a semblance of scales , not
like the scales of a fish. A specimen of
the house lizard was shown. This liz
ard is found in Asia , Africa , South
America and in other countries , but not
in the United States. It is useful in
destroying vermin , and can easily climb
walls. It lays its eggs under rafters ,
in the thatches and under leaves. It is
a mistake to think of scorpions as very
poisonous ; they are a little venomous.
Bird spiders are somewhat venomous.
Large toads , which have been called
poisonous , have no venom. Among all
the lizards there is only one , a Mexican ,
which is venomous , and there is some
doubt of him. Most of these animals ,
when irritated excrete a venomous
saliva , and even frogs will attempt to
bite when troubled. Toads can tell the
weather better than the weather bureau.
When it is dry they go down into the
ground for moisture ; in damp weather
they come out of the ground. Lizards
stow themselves away when the sun
goes under a cloud , and at such times
turtles will hide.
A real chameleon was next exhibited.
The tail of this animal is prehensile ;
the toes are divided into groups two
on one side , three on the other side of
his leg. He is able to take on every
color on which he alights. The pig
ment underneath the skin enables him
to make the changes , which are made
by the expansion of the lungs , or by rays
from the sun striking him , or other
causes. Fear will spot him all over. A
Hying lizard was shown. It has ribs ex
tending out , covered with a membrane
and forms a parachute ( not like the
winged lizard , which has become ex
tinct. ) This lloats in the air. The lit
tle Florida lizard or scorpion ( incorrect
ly called chameleon ) was exhibited.
Some lizards are bipeds. The animal
commonly called the glass snake is re
ally a lizard. Its jaws are tied together
so it cannot expand them. The tail is
fragile , and may be broken up to the
body , then another tail grows. A spec
imen , which had a new tail , was shown.
Snakes are divided into four groups
worm snakes , non-venomous , poison
ous , and clawed snakes. Then there is
a sub-division those living on the
ground , those that climb trees , and
tnose that live in the water. The real
sea serpent is extinct. A rattlesnake
was shown and its characteristics dwelt
upon. The rattlesnake sounds his
rattle as a warning of his approach ,
but will not attack unless driven by
fear to protect himself. He usually
coils himself and strikes. But he some"-
times strikes four or five times in suc
cession without coiling. After a few
strokes the venom is exTiausted , and the
snake has to wait for two or three hoars
for a fresh supply. Snakes are timid , ,
and not aggressive. The cobru is said
to be aggressive , and is the most deadly
of all. An action of the h'mphatics in
a case of poisoning is all important.
Venom has no effect upon the digestive
organs , but works in the blood. Mr.
Garman said if he were bitten on the
finger , and had no sore in his mouth or
on his lips , he would suck out the poi
son rapidly spitting out the saliva , not
swallowing any : tie a string tightly at
the base of the finger , another at"the
wrist , and another on the arm below
the elbow and possibly one
above the elbow. He thought he would
cauterize the wound. He recommend
ed freely bathing the wound and drink
ing a few drops of ammonia in water.
Before ending his talk lie showed a
salmander , and said they don't stand
fire at all. Boston Transcript.
The Editor's Revenge.
Kentucky State Journal : Run around
and see how old Blowhardisnow , " eaid
the editor to the office boy. "We zflay
get him yet for to-day's issue , "
Boy geis back.
"Well , is he dead yet ? "
"No ; the doctor was there , and he said
he was getting better. "
"I don't believe a word of it. The old
rascal never did like our paper , and he
is-holding off to die until after we issue ,
so the morning papers will get
the news first. Til fix him. I'll sus
pend publication for a few hours and
see if I can't beat the oldson-of-a-gun. "
It Is estimated that there are now in Arizona
650,000 head of cattle , or an Increase since last
year of cer 25 per cent.
