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VOLUME XXV.-NUMBER 45,
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URBJiLfi? JBRBifiS
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EAR Brother
Orpheus: I write
to let 3ou know
Ihnt my wife,
finding it neces
sary to fro to
New York on
business, will
start from Poke
ville Thursday
afternoon at half-past r, and' will ar
rive in your city about 2 the next day.
"She is a very timid, dear girl and
unfortunately, owing- to the crops, I
cannot travel with her. I have, there
lore, proposed that she should stay
with you for a few days, instead of
going to a hotel. Maria IJriggs will
be with her. Her business is with
the dentist. Your loving- brother,
Joshua Ssuxn.
This letter, which the postman
"brought early one afternoon, alarmed
sue considerably.
I lived in a neat two-story brick
house that had been my father's,
smoked where 1 chose, and kept one
lcaf old servant, who seldom said
and never heard anything-.
15ut having made up my mind that
ny sister-in-law must come, I began
to wonder how, since Hcpsiba could
uoi read, the fact might be commnni
caled to.her, in order that due prepa
rations might be made.
I rang the bell, Hcpsiba saw it
shake and came. She stood and
looked at inc. I pointed to the letter;
she nodded. I pointed out of the
window at a lady going past: she
nodded again. Then I drew another
armchair opposite mine and put two
plates upon the table, and marked off
three days upon the almanac.
Hcpsiba gazed with astonishment;
looked at me again, shook her head.
smd putting her apron to her eyes j
rushed out of the room. I followed j
her. I found her crying in the kitch
en and had matters thus explained to
jnc:
'I'd best take warning-. I've kept
house for yon fifteen years, and a
missus will on-settle me. I thought
.you'd gin up marrying years ago."
I left her. I hoped she did know,
but I wasn't sure.
"Friday Hcpsiba came down in hei
liest gown, and I retired to my study
to wonder what I should do with my
sister-in-law.
I heard the bell ring after awhile.
Then several kittens began to mew in
the hall, or I fancied so.
Kitten! no something more; for in
a minute more my study was invaded
by Hcpsiba, who marched in. holding
in her arms a baby, in a dress lonjr
cuough for a six-footer.
"She's sent the baby on ahead,"
Raid Hcpsiba, solemnly. "Hadn't you
no confidence in an old critter like
me? I shouldn't have objected to
AUGUSTA HAD
ELLSWORTH
LINCOLN'
GRANT.
your gcttin' married, but to keep it
from me 't least a couple o' years is
kinder hard."
The truth Hashed upon me. Some
wretciied impostor had brought an
infant to my door and deserted it. My
jister-in-law might arrive before I
could rid myself of the horrible little
creature.
To find a policeman and jret the
child off my han.Is was my only hope.
I rushed to my study window aud for
tunately saw the sturdy form of our
particular guardian just turning the
corner. I beckoned to him.
And away we drove to the stat'on
house, where, having been cruellv
cross-questioned, I was informed that
the little waif and stray womd be
sent to the foundling hospital, and
that I "might go."
I went. At least my sister-in-law
would never know of this absurd af
fair. My heart was lighter. I grew
even cheerful.
But at the door of my own house I
halted in terror. Screams of the most
fearful description were being uttered
within. I burst open the door and
rushed in.
In the front parlor a young lady lay
upon the floor shrieking and tearing
her hair. A servant girl, whom I re
member to have seen at my brother's
house, sat rocking to and fro in ecsta
cies of grief.
"Here's your wife, I reckon," said
Hepsiba, "aud her lister. They come
in and asked me suthin' didn't ex
actly hear what it was. Then they
began to tear up and down the house
like mad. Now she's got fits."
Then Augusta sprang to her feet,
rushing toward me, clutching my
arm with both her hands, and
screamed:
"Oh, where is he? Where is he?
Where is my son?"
'I I don't know. I'm not ac
quainted with him," I stammered. "I
I what do you mean, Augusta?"
"My dearest angel! My baby!" cried
Augusta.
"Baby!" I cried. "Eh, your baby?"
and sat down, faint with horror.
"Me and Mis' Smith we kem up
from Pokeville," said Mary Briggs,
"this raornin' and we fetched the
babj- along with us, and me and Mis'
Smith come to the door in a cab, and he
charged us most an awful price, and
drove off with the travelin' bags,
with the bsby's most particular and
needful things in 'cm, and so says I,
'Let's run after him;' so says she,
'Yes.' And we rings the bell, and I
savs to the old ladv. 'This is Mr.
Smith's?' Savs she, 'Yes.'
Says I,
Take in the babv and we'll be back
tyrectly.' And off we puts and caught
M&
tKMWsim
wmWi
WW
'the man. But we got lost somehow,
and we've been half an hour inquir
in' our way back, and can't find the
baby."
"There's been a little mistake, and
I'm sorry, but I will rectify it. Come
along-."
We arrived at the station house.
"Well, sir, what do you want?" in
quired the sergeant.
"The baby!" I gaspou1. "You re
member the baby. I made a slight
mistake. I want him back."
"You are the fellow who gave us so
much bother an hour ago, are you?"
asked the gentleman, fiercely. "The
unfortunate child has been sent
to the foundling- asylum. The mat
ter is out of our hands."
"Where is the foundling asylum?"
I asked.
The direction was hurled nt me, so
to speak, and we departed. The
dreadful journey, with Augusta June
in spasms of grief, and the other two
women crying- I cannot describe.
At last we reached the spot were
admitted, ushered into a parlor, and
there at last interviewed by a stout
lady in black, who called herself tho
matron.
"The last baby was brought in,"
she said. "Dear me, it's so hard to
tell. Twelve was fetched at once.
Was it a dark child in a ragged blan
ket, or "
"It had a white dress, and a white
i cloak lined with blue, and a white
hood and his name was Ellsworth
Lincoln Grant Smith," said Anna
Maria.
"And Jus nice white cloalc wa
lined with blue. The Irish lady said
he was quite perfectly beautiful. Oh,
he has been adopted alrcady,ma'am."
"Adopted! My baby adopted!" cried
Augusta.
"Hv an Irish lady, just starting for
Liverpool," said the matron. "Oh,
dear! if it is a mistake, you'll have to
hurry, or you won't catch the vessel.
She starts at 4. and it's 3:30 the Ari-
i zona, and the lady is Mrs. Murphy.
te rescued uic proper pier at last.
The crowd was just dispersing.
"The Arizona!'' I cried.
"She's oil thesi fifteen minutes,"
said a man. "That's the smoke of
her yonder."
Then Augusta fainted away. But
just as she did so a carriasrc jostled
ours.
"Too late!" cried a voice.
"Oh, Murphy, dear, I knew it!" said
another. And a child began to cry.
"Maria Itriggs, that's him!" cried
Augusta, coming to herself in a min
ute. "It's him!" cried Ann Maria, and the
two, regardless of danger, were out
of our carriage, and ifi that of our
neighbor's in an instant, and I saw
t!:em seize upon something in a blue
lined cloak and devour it with kisses.
"It's my baby!"' cried Augusta.
"It's mine, madam!" cried the Irish
lady.
I stood dumb. The Irish gentleman
offered to fight it out with me. Maria
Briggs it was who explained.
"Me and Mis' Smith wo came from
Pokeville to-day, and the man went
off with our bags; and the deaf critter
there thought the baby was a found
ling, and gave it to the police, and
we've been ravin' distracted ever
siucc," was her version.
"No apologies at all," said tho Irish
gentleman. "Shake hands, sir. Sure
we can adopt another just th ; same.
Augusta had Ellsworth Lincoln
Grant, and was crying softly over
him. She returned with the child
and Anna Maria to Pokeville by that
night's boat. No pow?r could induce
her to sleep in my house, and she has
never forgiven me.
As for Hepsiba, I have never been
able to explain the thing to her, and
she still alludes occasionally to "the
day your wife came."
i lin Orcatfst !iit- I'larer.
Desehapelles, the greatest whist
player the world has ever seen, had
but one hand and was an advanced re
publican. His manual dexterity was
remarkable, and it was very interest
ing to watch him with his one hand
and that his left collect tho cards,
sort them, play them, and gather
them in tricks. Lata in life, when ho
had developed into ardent republi
canism, he was supposed to have been
mixed up in some of the attempts at
revolution which broke out in the
earlier days of the reign 01 Louis
Phillippe. His papers were seized,
and it was proved that he had drawn
up a list of perc-ons to be dispose! of.
Among them was an elderly acquaint
ance, so described: "Vatry (Alphi(-)
to bD guillotined. Reason citoyen in
utile. Vatry is a bad whist player. v
Argonaut.
A Queer ICcaton for Sulciiln.
A singular reason for deciding to
end his life was given by Charles
Jenkins, whose body was found in the
Huntor river, in 2vew South Wales.
In a letter to a friend, ho stated that
he had a fixed opinion that a man
over 55 had no right to compete in
the labor market with younger men
I and so he had determined to quit life.
He asked that the veraiet should not
bo temporary insanity. The jury re
turned a verdict of "found drowned.'-
A rulseometer.
A iulseometer has been invented
with which, it is claimed, it is possi
ble to tell to a fraction the exact con
dition of tho heart beat. An electric
pen traces on paper the ongoings,
baitings and precise peregrinations of
the blood, showing with the fidelity
of science the strength or weakness of
the telltale pulse. This thould. it is
considered, bs of special advantage to
lifo insurance doctors, as well as to
the profession at large.
Will Do Away With Cavalrr.
The Hamburg Fremdenblatt thinks
that tho new magazine rilles will do
away with cavalry in general engage
ments, because every saddle could be
emptied in two minutes in a chargo of
less than a mile. It says that seventy-five
per cent of the cavalry will be
converted into infantry, and the ma
jority of tho rest will become bicy
clists. Kept Secret for Centnrie?.
The oldest secret trade process now
in existence is in all probability either
that method of inlaying the hardest
steel with gold and silver, which
seems to havo baen practiced at
Damascus ages ago, and is still known
I only to the Syrian smiths and their
, pupils, or else the manufacture of
Chinese rd or vermilhon.
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pi iWaPif I III
MT. VERNON TO-DAY.
HE NEW AND
popular way of
makinp the great
American pilgrlm
nge to the Home
nnd tomb of Wash
ington is by way of
the ancient, sleepy
and quaint old
town of Alexan
dria. Every foot of the
' fy 'n'Ptt
C91
..
ft.
new electric road
after it leaves
Alexandria leads through historic
ground. To the right, and prominent
In the landscape, is the tall spire of
the Episcopal Theological Seminary,
which was the focal point of McClel
lan's army, when the later was organ
izing for the Chickahominy campaign.
Around it on all sides were the camps
of the army. The numerous remains
of their retrenchments, earthworks and
other defenses are still prominent at
every turn for miles. Union forts
frowned from every hilltop and their
outlines are yet plainly distinguish
able. Just beyond the seminary, in
plain view up the valley, is; Uailey's
cross roads, remembered by every old
soldier of the Army of the Potomac
as the scene of the grandest military
spectacle ever witnessed on this con
tinent, the review by Mr. Lincoln and
his cabinet of McCIellan's army, when
he had pronounced it ready for the ill
starred march to Richmond.
Cut there are many points of earlier
Interest. To the right, as the "trolley"
crosses the bridge over Great Hunting
Creek, is Fort Lyons, the strongest of
all that great cordon which protected
Washington in the war days. Near
Fort Lyons is the old home still stand
ing of the seventh Lord Fairfax Rev.
Brian Fairfax, who in Washington's
days was rector of Christ Church at
Alexandria, of which Washington was
a vestryman. The church is still one of
the cherished landmarks in Alexandria,
and the edifice with Washington's big
square pew is carefully preserved in
tact. Lord Fairfax's home was called
Mount Eagle, and it is still in excellent
preservation. A mile beyond the
bridge and the road enters the "old
Mount Vernon estate." which in Wash
ington's day comprised S.000 acres of as
fine land as ever was known in Vir
ginia. The estate was divided into five
farms, known as River farm, Dogue
Run farm. Mansion House farm, Union
farm and Muddy Hole farm. River
farm, which the railway strikes first
and formerly known as Clifton's Neck,
was bought by Washington In 1750 for
?3 an acre. It consisted of 2,000 acres.
The first landmark of revolutionary
interest that is reached after entering
upon the old estate is Wellington Hall.
It stands about four miles from Alex
andria, on the Potomac bank, and oc
cupies a site almost as beautiful as
Mount Vernon. Wellington Hall was
built by Washington in 176S on a por
tion of the estate compiising COO acres,
and during his life it wm occupied by
Colonel Tobias Lear, wli? lives in his
tory as Washington's military secre
tary and life-long friend. Colonel Lear
was also tutor of the Custis children
SIOtJNT VEKN'ON.
and for more than thirty years was a
member of Washington's family. Ii la
said the first President built Welling
ton Hall for Colonel Lear's use, but
whether this be true or not, he certain
ly occupied It for most or his life. By
his will General Washington made
Colonel Lear a tenant for life, rent free,
and he lived on the place until his
death in 1S16. His remains now repose
in the Congressional Cemetery in
Washington.
After Tobias Lear's death. Wel'ing
ton passed Into the hands of the col
lateral branch of the Washing' on fam
ily, the last occupant being chas A.
Washington, a grandnephew. Ke vas a
harum-scarum sort of chap, veiy dissi
pated, and under his management the
estate ran down. The old inhabitants
tell funny stories about "Charley"
Washington and his career as a farm-
i
s
COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY
er. On one occasion he took some plow- j
shares into Alexandria to be sharpened,
which were urgently needed in the
spring plowing, but falling in with
some cronies ho was induced to go off
for a month's sojourn nt the "springs,"
and never came back until his wheat
crop had gone by default. "Charlpy"
Washington was a great theorist. He
once read in a farm paper that the most
profitable crop one could grow was bar
ley. So he planted ten acres. When
the barley ripened he had it "flailed"
out and loaded on a four-horsei wagon
and started it for the Alexandria mar
ket. "Charley" went on ahead on horse
back to dispose of the load. But barley
he found was an unknown grain in the
Alexandria market and there was no
sale for it; but after a whole day's
tramping he succeeded in trading the
load of barley to a brewer for a barrel
KOOM IN WHICH WASHINGTON' DIED.
of beer, which he sent home and stored
in his cellar. The news of the transac
tion leaked out and the same night a
dozen of Charley's cronies in Alexan
dria paid a visit to Wellington Hall,
where they made a night of it with the
genial proprietor. Before morning they
had disposed of the entire crop of bar
ley. Charley Washington died In 1S3D, and
the neglected farm passed into other
hands. Wellington Hall is a frame
dwelling, painted white, and with tho
outbuildings is in good repair. A lane,
lined with poplars, which the railroad
crosses, connects it with the Richmond
turnpike. From Wellington to Mount
MARTHA WASHINGTON S ISEDKOOM.
Vernon the distance is five miles, the
last station being Riverside Park, at
Little Hunting Creek, which stream di
vided the old river farm of Washing
ton's map from the Mansion House
farm. A mile beyond this creek the car
stops at the gates of Mount Vernon.
By this route there is no more climbing
the steep hill from the wharf, but the
visitor enters the grounds at the foot
of the western lawn and walks up a
long flagged path through the trees
to the near side of the old mansion.
Probably 200 people had entered the
historic grounds on the day the writer
was there and the latter from among
that crowd picked out not less than a
dozen bridal couples. It is not given
to the average visitor to the home of
Washington to see all the beauties of
the place. Much less can he know the
details of the home life of the great
proprietor or understand the splendor of
his former environment. The visitor
goes through the old mansion. He
looks into the little, stuffy rooms with
their odd and incongruous mixture of
old and up-to-date furniture. He gazes
at the elegant and extremely modern
tinted and gold frescoes, at the rich
and brilliant Persian rugs with which
the ladies of the association have cov
ered the floors, and he finds it difficult
to imagine this the home of the immor
tal Washington. To most visitors it
seems a great pity that there has been
such an effort made to impress the pub
lic with the fact that Washington led a
luxurious life by means of the rich and
modern trappings they have smuggled
into the old mansion. The splendor of
Washington's life at Mount Vernon was
reflected by his broad acres, by his
hundreds of negroes, including arti
sans and mechanics of all kinds, by the
wealth of his hospitality and the mag
nificence of his military and ollicial
career. There were no frescoes of gilt
and tints in Washington's day no wall
paper, even. There was nothing but
whitewashed walls and ceilings. Nor
were there any Darghestan rugs or Ax
minster carpets.
IS!?
There is an outbuilding on the
grounds, which should have given the
well-meaning ladies a hint as to what
the father of his country used to cover
his floors. The building Is called the
"spinning room" and in it is a great
loom for weaving the good old fash-ionc-d
rag carpets of our forefathers.
Aside from these incongruities, how
ever, the old mansion is an interesting,
almost a hallowed spot. There are not
so many relics of Washington but what
there are are full of interest. The bed
upon which he died, sent by the Lee
family, and the other furniture con
tributed by various families, have ena
bled the ladles In control to fit up Wash
ington's chamber very nearly as it was
when its great occupant passed away.
There are a good many other relics on
view, but not many that are, strictly
speaking, relics of Washington. There
is plenty of colonial furniture, but
Washington never saw It. There are
portraits, engravings, etc., find a valu
able collection of Washington's auto
graph letters, which are mounted in the
former state dining room. There are
two or three swords, suits of military
clothing, articles of camp equipage and
a brown suit of clothes, the cloth of
which was woven on the place, which
the general wore at his first inaugura
tion as President.
GEN. LA FAYETTE.
Life Long FrIonI of Washington
and
Callant Soulier.
The Marquis de La Fayette was born
of an illustrious French family on the
7th of September, 1757. He was but
nineteen years old, with every prospect
which great wealth and family in
fluence can give, when he embraced
the cause of liberty in America. Against
the command of the king of France, he
freighted a ship at his own expense,
and landed in America in 1777, to offer
his services as a simple volunteer. He
quickly won the favor of Congress and
the life-long friendship of Washington.
He was made major-general, and.
though so young, showed tonsidtrabl
ability as a commander. His conduct
was always prudent. He was wound
ed at the Rrandvwine. and he distin
guished himself by a masterly retreat
from Barren Hill and fine conduct at
the battle of Monmouth. In Virginia,
when Cornwailis threatened him with a
superior force and boasted that the "lit
tle boy," as he called La Fayette, could
not get away from him, the young
marquis avoided a battle and prepared
by his skillful movements for the final
success of Yorktown. La Fajette was
all his life a lover of liberty and order.
1 le took a brave part in the French rev
olution but refused to go to extremes,
lie was arrested and Imprisoned for
j ears in Austria, in spite of American
efforts to relieve him. At the instance
of Bonaparte he was freed in 17U7. He
visited the United States in 1S24, when
he was welcomed as the guest of the
nation. He made the tour of the coun
try, rejoicing in its prosperity. He was
everywhere received with .enthusiasm
by those whose fathers he had helped
?VjT' .?'&:? A'A'ftfi. i?
GENERAL I.A FAVF.TTE.
in their hour of distress. Congress
voted him $200,000 and a township of
land for his losses and expenses in the
Revolution. Though an old man, he
took part In the French revolution of
1S30, and remained the devoted friend
of human liberty until his death in 1S34.
A Oncer liranch.
George How do
Uncle
you like
rtritbmrtif?
Little Dick Pretty well, so far; but
the teacher says that next week we
are to begin learning how to extract
roots. Guess he must think we're all
r- .4C7ErtK?v.
fKm,r,i r..
going to be dentists.
I
.
20, 1895.
GROUND SUBSOILING.
SECOND ONLY IN IMPORTANCE
TO IRRIGATION.
Ih BBfits of Snbaoltinc Set Forth
br the Experience of Younicers A Co.,
Proprietors of the Geoer Xnrer!e
llielf Methods of Operation A Plain
Statement from the Commencement of
Experiinelitt Eight Years Ago.
iicnefits of Snbolllng.
,- ., r a : .:-:. tn '
in answer to numerous iuijiuh" ,
roBard o our MM .ubSoi..S
will endeavor to prese'flt a plain state
ment from the commencement f our
experiments as conducted during the"
past eight years at Geneva, Nebraska.
In the spflnsr of 1SS7 we commenced on
our hnr'ser'y gfottnda to prepare the
ground for planting hi the ordmary
irianner. We" plowed the ground about
eight inches fleep and planted our nur
sery stock, among" vrh'iMt was a quanti
ty of seedlings which were ng tne
same fall. In order to get the propel'
length of root to successfully trans
plant the seedlings it became necessary
to get under them much deeper than
the ground had been plowed, which
,, ilihmnli1ip(l b? liftintr a seedling
digger set to fun nearly sixteen inches
deon. It reoutreel six liorscs to cio nu
UCIMJ. 11 ICVIHIItu .w..v .
work and the trionnd was stirred upas
it bad never ueen Ue.orc. me dbm'
.. i
ccnonn this fiVld mis ulantcd to corn
nnil th viold was nearly 70 bushels
per acre, while land plowed in the ordi
nary way yielded only 35 bushels. This
led us to experiment in preparing the
soil, our motto being: "Plow deep and
soil, our motto being: "now deep ami (
thoroughly prepare the sou oeiore
n nntinlP
Each succeeding yeaf gave us good
results by deep stirring, though we did
not attain the full measure of succes in
our experiments until we began to use
"a plow to subsoil the efitire ground. In
the fall of 18'.1 we purchased a Ma pes
subsoil plow with which we succeeded
in gettting dottn to the depth of six
teen inches below the nurface. Our
method is to first plow eight inches
deep with an ordinary 14-inch stifrimr
d!ow which is followed by the subsoil
piow running in the same furrow loos
ening the soil to the depth of eight
inches more but not throwing it to the
surface. This gives tts a reservoir six
teen inches ih depth to catch and re
tain all the moisture that falls, and we
are convinced that during the twenty
three years we have resided in 1'ilmore
county there has never been a season
when the rain-fall was not sumcient iu
fill this reservoir with water before the
growing season commenced.
We have been asked the following
questions by correspondents
(J. When do you subsoil fall or
spring?
A. We have subsoiled both in spring
and fall ith equally good results.
Q. How many horded do you use?
A. We use three tiOfses on each
plow, though two good horses will do
the work.
Q.What kind of a plow do you use?
A -The Mapes subsoil plow, manu
factured by Deere & Co., Moline, 111.
Cost 6f plow, S14.00.
Q. What is the nature of your soil?
A. See analyses of the soil, and let
ter of Prof. Whitney appended hereto.
Q. Is your land upland or bottom?
A. It is upland prairie, the depth to
water being 114 feet.
n What is the cost ner acre of
plowing by your method?
A. As the subsoil plow is drawn by
a separate team and follows id the
same furrow behind the stirring plotv,
it simply amounts to one extra plow
ing. o. What is your method of cultiva
tion?
A. Our method is first to harrow
each evening all the land plowed dur
ing the day. This breaks up the clods
before they become hardened, and pre
vents the soil from drying out by evap
oration. Uefore planting we again
harrow and pulverize the surface with
a "float" We are then ready for plant
ing. If we plant to small grain we drill
east and west, leaving the surface just
as the drill leaves it As the prevail
ing winds are from the north and south.
tii crffirn liointr mud p. rouirh east and
west helps to protect the grain and pre
vent blowing out
If we plant to corn our method is to
plant about three or four inches deep,
follow the planter with the harrow,
and give surface cultivation, run
ning the cultivator teeth just deep
enough to destroy the weeds and break
up the surface of the soil. We endeavor
to cultivate the corn just as soon after
each rain as the condition of the
ground will permit. If the rain le a
heavy one and the soil is firmly packed
it is of the utmost importance that the
crust be broken as soon as possible in
oraer to retain tne moisture in me auu,
the loose surface soil acting as a mulch
to prevent evaporation.
During the past exceedingly dry sea
son, our nursery stock particularly
nnp field containing 800.000 apple trees
was cuitivateu once a weeu.
used a spring tooth cultivator merely
was cultivated once a week. Wc
ctSvinrr t)ir siirfncf nml ns a result of
this method of cultivation there was no i
time during the entire season when the
earth would not ball in the hand under
slight pressure at a depth of three
inches below the surface. This condi
tion was brought about by having a
deep subsoil reservoir to store up the
surplus moisture which fell during the
early part of the season, and retained
by frequently stirring the surface to
prevent evaporation. j
We find that it is not necessary to
"subsoil each season, but that once in
three years will answer all practical
purposes. If a field is subsoiled and I
plazttd to fo-ii the first, or first and
second year, tlu-n followed by ,
wheat or oats, the results will be satis
factori, though a slight falling off
wiil be noticed in the third crop after
subsoiling. Yor instance. A field
that was subsoiled in the fall of 18'Jl
and cropped to corn seasons of '92
and '03, was planted to oats in the
spring of '04 and produced a yield of
30 U bushels per acre; while on another
portion of the same He'd which had
been subsoiled in the fall of "02 and
raised a crop of corn the season of '03,
the yield of oats was44J bushels per
acre, showing a difference of 5 bushel
per acre in favor of the land which had
raised but one crop since subsoiling.
Xoiv we will compare the results on
land on the same farm not snbsoiled.
Land subsoil plowed in the fall of 18()2
and planted to corn in the fall of 183J,
j'ielded 75 bushels per acre; while corn
on land not subsoiled, but otherwise
treated in identically the same manner,
yielded but 31 bushels pur acre. Land
subsoiled and planted to potatoes in the
spring of 1803 yieldt-d 125 bushels per
acre, while the potato crop on land not
euVicnilori was nmtii;:llv a failure.
This season (1SJ4) the yield of potatoes
on subsoiled land was Ofi bushels per
acre. The potatoes were planted on
the 18th of May, and on .Iune23 we had
the last heavv rain of the seasou. From
June 25 to August 1J we had 49-100
inch of rainfall, less than 3 inch in
fifty-four days, and still we raised a
fair crop of potatoes, live on subsoiled
land yielded 30K bushels per acre; on
land not subsoiled 2 bushels. Oats
sown on land which had raised one
crop of corn since subsoiling yielded
44 bushels per acre, on land whicU
had raised two crops of corn since sub
soiling, 39 H bushels per acre; on laad
not sufcsoiled, 17 bushels per acre.
The corn on snbsoiled land this sea
son was, bv an error, planted too thick.
The planter had been used to drill corn
for fodder, and when we commenced to
plant the field corn the plates were not
changed. This error caused us the low
of a corn crop this season, there being
as many as five to seven stalks in each
hill. The corn stood the drouth and
hot winds without injury to the tassels,
nr,A ,ft,vr.vr bv acciueut ll was miu-
. " .. fiii,i nnd
'" oMJ A
doubt but that with proper planting
and good cultivation, we can raise a
crop of corn with no more moisture than
we lirtd tliia season of 18U4.
Just north of this field of snbsoiled
corn, we had a piece of corn on land
not subsoiled. The two pieces were
planted from the same seed, on the
same dny. with the same planter, and
received e.xactlv the same after cultnra
tion, there being nothing but a drive
way between the two pieces. The dif
ference in these two fields was very
marked. The corn on subsoiled land
made a rigorous healthy growth, the
stalks were large and tall, there was
an abundance of pollen up until tho
fifteenth of August, notwithstanding
t, t ,f 5t hnvino- been planted en-
I . ;-..i.. M,;..l.- vi.filod a little over 13
j bushels of sound corn per acre. On the
bind not suusoileU tlie .slants .-cw.
, twn.tbirds as tall, were
iw v " w
, .
much smaller in diameter, the tassels
were completely withered by the hot
winds of July 2S, and there was not a
peck of corn on the entire field. Wo
are convinced from these facts that if
there is a fair amount of moisture in
the feo;1 hot wina;s arc not necessarily
faXal to a crop of
rop of corn.
r)nr. aF si,, ri.nfrii nnri iHr. ,1. 11.
Heath, living a short distance from Ge
neva, succeeded in raising the best held
of corn in this neighborhood. His
method is to use a lister with a subsoil
attachment. He runs the lister ten
inches deep, the subsoil attachment
loosening the soil three or four inches
below that. He believes in thorough
cultivation, and this season his corn
averaged 20 bushel ber acre.
We append both the chemical and
mechanical anahysis of the soil, togeth
er with a letter from Hon. J. Sterling
Morton, also weather report from the
government station at this point.
Respectfully,
Younckbs & Co.
VIEWS OF snCKETAHV MORTON.
United States Department of Ag
riculture, Office of the Secretary,
Washinoton, D. C, Aug. 14, 1804.
Hon A. .1. Sawyer, Lincoln, Neb. Dear
Sir: This department recently received
from the firm of Younger & Co., Gene
va, Neb., a sample of the surface soil
and corresponding subsoil which is sup
posed to represent a large amount of
soil in that section of Nebraska. These
samples were subjected to mechanical
analysis in the divisions of agricultural
soils. The result of this analysis are
so exceedingly interesting that 1 beg
to call yor attention to them and to ask
you to present them to the irrigation
convention about to assemble in your
state at Lincoln.
I enclose yon herewith a copy of the
division of agricultural soils and also a
tabulated statement of the analysis,
accompanied by specimens of the dif
frent ingredients contained in the
samples, arranged so as to make an in
teresting object lesson of the result.
Experience has snown inai iius
is very refractory and very diffi
cult to improve. In dry seasons
it produces almost nothing. It haa
also been ascertained by experience
that this soil is greatly benefitted by
subsoiling and thorough cultivation.
The question to be answered by the
analysis was, therefore: Does the sub
soil contain anything which enriches
the surface soil when it is brought up,
or is the improvement resulting from
subsoiling and cultivation due entirely
to the loosening of the soil? The an
alysis shows that the latter is the trne
explanation.
A chemical analysis of the samples
is being made and will be reported to
you later, but sufficient has been dope
to show that there has been no consid
erable amount of lime or other chemi
cal substance in the subsoil to explain
the favorable results oi suu&omug.
These favorable results must, there
fore, be wholly due to the loosening
and opening up of an otherwise imper
vious soiL
This soil and subsoil are both com
posed almost wholy of very fine sand.
sdt and clay. Lliere is aiso a largo
amount of organic matter containing
considerable nitrogen. Cultivated in
the ordinary manner, a soil of this
character remains impervious to water
and air, and therefore very subject to
drouth, and although it contains many
elements of fertility, these cannot be
come readily available.
WHY NOT fcl'ISSOII.?
The practical suggestions which i
wish to submit to our friends is: Why
not subsoil and cultivate more thor-mirriiH-'
TnRti-.id of di"-inir ditches
letus first try subsoiling as a means of
""-,. ,", , ,. . ,,' ,..- ,.,
' catching and holding the water that
nntnri Hurmlies US on the SDOt.
The success that Messrs. Younger &
Co. have attained by subsoiling their
land, as now explained by this mechan
ical analysis, suggests that this is tho
possible solution of the question that
the irrigation convention is called upon
to solve. My proposition, therefore, is,
instead of digging ditches, subsoil and
cultivate thoroughly-
I remain, with warm personal re
gards and best wishes for the success
of the convention of irrigationists at
Lincoln, very truly yours,
J. SiKi:i.i:o Morton;
te'ecretary.
chemical analysis.
L'nitku Stat::.s I)kiartmkxtof Ao
kici:ltvi:k, DivisfoN or Chemistry,
Wamu.nc.ton, I). C. August 30. 1804.
Hon. Chas. V. Pabncy, jr.. Assistant
Secretary. Sir: 1 submit herewith the
result of the analysis of the samples of
of soil and subsoil from Younger fc Co.,
Geneva, Xeb.. transmitted by you to
this division for examination.
Ti.e analyses show a remarkable sim
ilarity between the two soils, indicat
ing ti:at the subsoil is practically as
rich in plant food as the soil itself. The
soil in its constitution is remarkably
simi ar to the typk-al blue grass soils of
Kentucky. Its great fertility depends
largely upon the high content of pot
ash which it holds and on its content of
humus.
1 here is no basis for the idea which
is entertained by the owners of the
soil that the subsoil is of a marly na
ture. It contains rather a low percent
age of lime carbonate. Its fertilizing
value as indicated above, and which
has been noticed by the people in the
vicinity, depends upon the abundance
of the plant food elements already
mentioned. Ilespcctfully,
II. V. Wiley,
Chief of Division.
If there is any member of congress
who has not brought forward a cur
rency reform scheme, let him be deo
orated with a peacock feather or something.
WHOLE NUMBER 1,293.
THS OLD RELIABU
Cohmbus - State - Bank J
PapIitemtnTlisDeidts
lata lira ii Heal Estate
HigianDBAfTiei
Cklwa. Ttmw Tack aa fJI
mil t ITIAXIIIt : HOXZTS.
BUYS GOOD NOTES
Mlalwte
IMWfHNillil
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:
Leaxder Gerrard, Pres't,
B. H. Henry, Vice Prest,
M. Bruoqer, Cashier.
John Stauffer. Q. W. Hulst.
or
COLUMBUS, NEB.,
HAS AX
Authorized Capital of - $500,000
Paid in Capital, - 90,000
OFTICEB9.
O. H. SHELDON. Pres't.
H. P. H. OEULRIOH. Vice Pre.
CLARK GRAY. Cashier.
DANIEL SOIIRAM. Ant Cufc
DIRECTORS.
H. M. 'Wnfsi.ow,
O. II. Shkldow,
Joxas Welch,
n. P. H. Okhxiuctl
W. A. McAlXIflTBB,
Carl Uiemkk.
STOCKHOLDERS.
e. O. Orat. J. Hksrt ToRsntAa;
Gerhard Losikb, Hexry Loskkr,
CLARK G RA Y, G EO. W. O ALLEY.
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RABK BORER. J- P. BECKER E8TATB,
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ceive your bsulnes. Wo solicit your pat
ronage. THE
First National Bank
omens.
A. ANDERSON. J. H. GALLEY,
President. Vice PreVt.
O. T. BOEN. Cashier.
DWOTORS.
.AiTOhlOS, P. IHDtMOW.
JACOB BIHIS. KHBI EAQATZ.
Ststemest f the Ch41Um at the Glese
f Baslaees Jaly 12 180S.
RESOURCE.
Loans and Discounts....
S X41.4C7 57
Real Estate Furniture and Fix-
turps. .....-.
U. S. Bonda. ;
Duo from other banks.. ...7,876 33
Cash on Hand 21,M7 M
16.784 01
IBjOOJ
59.743 89
Total..
....$333,196 30
ZZASIXJXXM.
Capital Stock paid la SMSSSK
Surplus Fuad j'S22 91
Undivided profit 'S5 nf.
Circulation 1 .Ji
Deposits ZiJ.iitf 37
Total.
, 1333.190 as
HENRY GASS,
UNDERTAKER !
Coffins : and : Metallic : Cases !
3T Repairing of dU kind of Uphol
itery Goods.
Ut COLUMBUS. 5XBRA8KA.
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