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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1897-9-23, Page 21 19 **1- **MAK***Z****** :I DOCTOR JACK. r By ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE, Author of 'jDoctorjack's Wife," "Captain Tom," "Baron Sam," "Miss Pauline of New York," "Miss Caprice," Etc. )Xirg�_ The neck of the black terror is all muse!e?, and wizen that awful head is thrown into the air Pedro Vasquez is seen tieing through spate. He strikes a, cruel blew upon a post or pillar that holds up the reef, and falls in among a number of ulxuies grouped there, who inxilleJiately bear him away. Tmmedfately the vast crowd breaks out in excited talk. The black bull goes back to his tuft of grass, and stamps viciously as though asking who will be the next victim. There is generally a reserve mata- dor, and the people wait to see him appear, but time passes, and the bull alone holds the arena. It grows monotonous. News has come that although Pedro Vasquez will live, he has been so tixor- oughiy knocked out that he could not stand up again this day before a yearling bull. What now ? The management ap- parently have made no preparation for an emergency of this character. The people must be amused, but who will undertake the job ? Atter what has passed, it is all a man's life is worth to enter the arena with that sable monster, be he chulo, picador, or matador. What is that ? Some Englishmen and Americans, delighting in fair play, are shouting " Viva torn ! Bravo ! old boy 1 Well done 1" Somehow the words exasperate the Spaniards, whose sympathies have been with Vasquez, They look at each other, and Scowl. More than ane friend of the matador touches his knife in a significant manner. Ah l here is the gentleman who re- presents the management, He ad- vances upon a little elevated plat- form,, and holds up his hand. It is evident he desires to speak. " Silenzio 1" passes the word around, and in, a minute sq quiet is it that one can hear every word the manager utters. He speaks in Spanish, of course, and in a loud voice. FIrst of all he tells of Pedro's con- dition, then of the refusal of the sub- stitute to enter the ring with that mad devil, and deplores the fact that there is no man brave enough to make the attempt pro bono publico. Turning, so that he faces the for- eigners who bave been shouting so loudly, he continues : " The management offers two hun- dred pesos to the man who will enter the arena and slay that torn with the matador's blow. Don't all speak at once, senors, I beg." This is a thrust at the vaunted courage of the foreigners who could laugh to see a brave matador meet his fate. The men look at each other, and smile. Each generously declines to take away this pleasure from his companions. As a consequence, no one arises ; seeing which, some of the Spaniards in the sun seats begin to laugh- Jack au;h.Jack feels a pair of midnight eyes upon him, the colour mounts to his face, and, turning, he looks at Mer- cedes. Her words seem before him in letters of fire—" Caramba 1 I adore a, brave man 1" Somehow the challenge seems to have been dropped at his feet—he must either pick it up or de- cline. The manager still stands on his plat- form looking around, as if hoping that some old matador may deem the gol- den lure of sufficient value to risk his neck for, but no one signifies such an intention. When Jack Evans arises from his seat and takes off his coat almost every eye is instantly glued upon him. He folds his outer garment, and lays it on the seat ; then, with a smile, stands upon the railing, takes one look at Mercedes, sees the surprise and consternation on her face, for she has never expected this, and calls out. in Spanish to the manager ; " Senor, I accept your offer. T am an American, and I will show you how we do this thing out in Mexico." "Hurrah for Doctor Jack 1" cries a voice from the foreign quarter—an ac- quaintance has recognized him. Jack drops lightly over the barrier, and stands in the arena, alone with the black devil of a tore that has been playing such havoc with the regular stock company of bull -fighters. CHAPTER IV. Admiration for bravery is not con- fined to civilized races. Even the most savage people of the world re- spect those qualities in a man which induce him to face death without flinching, whether in front of a mad bull or as a captive tied to the stake with the funeral pyre about him. Hence it is that at the conclusion of the daring American's speech a buzz goes around the whole amphithe- are, which quickly swells into a tre— mendous roar, for, although his words in accepting the open challenge may not bave been understood by the ma- jority of those present, there can be bo mistaking his action in removing coat and vest, While this shout still makes the welkin ring, Jack has dropped into the arena, lightly scaling the inner -bar- rier. Then a sense of fairness seizes the multitude, and immediately cries arise : " Silenzio 1 Silentio 1" The roar becomes a rushing stream, andthis in turn a gurgling brook, un- til almost magically even the last • pounds cease, and a death -like silence ensues.. Fifteen thousand human beings have their eyes riveted upon the form of the American gymnast. They seem to breathe as one man, waiting for the shockDoctor Jack : keeps his twits about him, and surely he has need of them with that black devil of a mad torn not more than twenty feet away. He forgets the presence of the crazy mob that tills .the arnanzitheatre to overflowing. A pair of black eyes have sent slim into the arena, and he remembers only this. His manner excites admiration, he is so cool and collected, and the majority of the good people of Madrid presently secretly wish he may be successful, but there are few who do not fully expect the stranger to be demolished at the first desperate onslaught of the animal, for when a man with the pres- tige sof Pedro Vasquez is tossed out of the arena. it seems like madness for an amateur to have a living chance,. no matter how brave he may be. Hardly bas Doctor Jack gained the arena than a: clattering sound is heard beside him, and turning his head, he sees the muleta, or red flees of the matador, together with his sword. lying near by. Bending down, he takes both into his hands, tests tshe quality of the Toledo blade in bending it by main strength, and finds it a remarkabie weapon, which has served Pedro in many a 'successful bout, and finally makes a blow, not in the direc- tion of the representative of royalty, but squarely intended for the black- eyed damsel. whose words have been the means of sending him upon such, a quixotic errand. All this consumes but a few seconds of time. The black torn has divined, from the rush of applause that greets Doctor Jack's action, something of the truth, and has even ceased chewing at the lone tuft of half dead grass grow- ing near the centre of the ring, to lower his head and dig his blood- stained horns into the sawdust -cov- ered ground, which he tosses up in a horribly suggestive manner, the while uttering those peculiar subdued bel- lows that strike terror to the ordinary heart. Evidently the brute sees Jack, and will presently descend upon him with the fury of an avalanche. At present it pleases the royal animal to play with his anticipated victim much as a cat might with a, mouse. This suits the new matador, for it gives him a minute of time to note the position of the bull, and what im- pediments there may be in the arena, for a false step at any instant may cost him his life, and Doctor Jack is not in this game as a reckless fool, however much his admiring compatri- ots in the foreign quarter may be- lieve.. The man who has led the life of a Texan cowboy for several years is apt to know something about wild bulls, and from his observation Jack is cer- tain he has met just as fierce brutes in Mexico as this sable devil now pre- paring to demolish him. One thing is against him he is not in proper dress for such business, and unless exceedingly careful may slip upon the bloody tan bark or sawdust when such a thing will be fatal. What would he not give to have on a pair of baseball shoes at this mo - anent, with spikes that might render his footing positively sure ? If the mountain refuses to Dome to Mahomet, then Mahomet must go to the mountain. The bull continues to toss the earth as though he expected to see his new. antagonist make for the barrier; and in truth the presence of the chilies, picadors, and banderil- leros perched upon the fence like• so many crows, with one leg thrown over, ready for retreat, gives good cause for such belief on the part of the monarch of the battle -field. With a few rapid movements of his left arm Doctor Jack unfurls the little red flag, then he advances straight to- ward the bull, which ceases to plough up the soil, and gazes at the other as though deeming him crazy, lowers his massive head, and shoots forward. The tan -bark fifes into the air as his heels spurn it Every human being in that vast audience holds his or her breath in anticipation of what is to come. Is that a shock as the bull's head comes in Contact with a human figure ? A cloud of dust obscures the scene in the arena, and, confident as to the result, more than one person looks aloft, expecting to see the Am- erican whirling through space, badly wrecked. Suck an anticipate a. speedy ending of the adventurer confess their disap- pointment. and, turning to the ring ageing to learn the cause, discover old toro again tossing tan -bark with his horns while the American stands there taunting him. Jack knows too much to attempt the coup de grace until the beast is in a more ezhausted condition. It has been a fatal mistake on the part of Pedro Vasquez, and he does not mean to repeat the blunder. A nimble .leap asiae . at the proper second has saved him from those cruel horns, and the bull's fury is increased doubly by the fact that he has failed in his first rush. Ah ! again he bears down upon his tantalizing foe, as though determined that this time he will crush the man to the earth or assist him over the barrier. A perfect gymnast, Jack has little trouble in avoiding the onslaught, and but for the ever present danger.of. a slip, might really enjoy the fun. While the toro once more amuses himself with the inoffensive tan -bark, Jack coolly takes a look around the amphitheater. From the foreign quart- er handkerchiefs are waved, and cries of " Bravo, Doctor Jack 1" arise. These are incautious just now, and more apt to disturb the brave man who risks his life in the bull -ring for a woman's smile, than give him new energy. The Spaniards know better than to breathe a sound while the matador faces his • foe. Jack's sweeping glance takes it all in Ile sees the eager multitude that is ready to shout `+ Viva tore " in case the ball downs him, but makes no note of the swarthy sea of faces. He lets his gaze rest an instant on the Turk- ish pasha, and notes the look of fierce eagerness visible there that tells him how anxious this man is for the bull to triumph, then his eyes sweep along Intl]. they reach his own vacant seat, and catch a glimpse of the beautiful girl next in line, at which he smiles coldly, and bows again. " Look out, Jack 1" This shout comes from his American friend in the foreign quarter, and warns him that the bull has ceased his side play, and is once again on the war -path. Turning to receive the new charge, Jack's foot slips, and there is danger of his being struck, but quick as lightning he hurls himself out of the way, Again the multitude breathe easy. They recognize the fact that this man is no amateur ball -fighter, with only reckless bravery to back him up, but one who has made a study of the ani- mals in times past, and is qualified to anticipate the sable brute's every move. Thus they expect to have pleasure in watching the struggle for suprem- acy. It is a matter of supreme in cifferenceto most of them whether the bull eventually slays the man or is himself downed, so long as the com- batants afford them a good show. The life of abull-fighter is held very cheap- ly in Madrid, Already has Doctor Jack evaded three of those wild rushes, Will he be able to continue this system of tac- tics until he has wearied the animal out, and brought him into the proper condition for the final blow ? The bull no longer tosses the tan- bark with his horns, Bis challenge has been met, and he finds himself op- posed by one whom he cannot ter- rorize. As soon as one furious rush fails the brute wheels and makes another.He is continually in motion, and it seems as though there may come a moment when by some lucky stroke he will disable .his nimble adversary, and change the tide of battle. As yet Jack has acted only on the defensive, leaping aside when the time comes, and each time with rare good judgment. He has not received a scratch, and although the bull steams and puffs with his tremendous exertions, the man is apparently as cool and collected as when lie began the engagement. For the first time the people awaken to the feet that the awful black taro has met his master, and when Doctor Jack begins to assume the offensive loud shouts greet him. Lit 0 scjlx h and the man went As the lumbering animal rushes past, the American plucks him by the tail, and gives that caudal' appendage a twist that elicits a fierce bellow from the furious bull, drowned by the storm of applause from the audience. After eluding another charge, Jack pricks the flank of his foe with the point of his Toledo blade, and his ac- tion suits the humour of the lookers on, who shout their approval, All danger to the man is not yet past, and he does not deceive himself. This brute is to be feared 'until the last vital spark is drawn from his body. Before that time comes, Doc- tor Jack means to show the good peo- ple of Madrid how their cousins in Mexico carry on a bull -fight. Instead of rushing at him now, toro advances with lowered head, as though hoping to come in contact with his foe, He has become blown, and even the chu- los could keep out of his way now. Some of these worthies make a move as though to leave their perch upon the barrier, seeing which, Jack roars out:— Keep back, you cowards 1 This is my game 1" His manner, more than the words he utters, give them warning, and if this is not sufficient, the storm of hisses from the audience declares that such interference with the just rights cf the bull -fighter will not be tolerated. Doctor Jack has tamed the beast, and his must be the glory of the final sacrifice. They once more climb the fence, and watch the work of the man in the arena jealously. Never since the days of Montes or Romero has a Spanish audience looked upon a scent the equal of this. Teak is determined to do the thing up in good style now that he .has entered the game. He cares little for the ap- plause of the rabble. It was not to please them he sprang over the stout barrier and faced this terror of a black toro, but he hopes Meredes is satis- fied now. He seems to once more hear the Spanish beauty say with that expressive glance, "1 adore a brave man," and a warm glow thrills him as glancing up he sees Mercedes watching his movements with an eagerness she makes no attempt to disguise. Again comes the now wearied bruite. It is nearly time for the final stroke, but ere delivering it Doctor Jack ven- tures upon a trick he remembers play- ing in the halcyon days of long ago before an audience in the land of the prickly pear and cactus. Waiting until the massive head is lowered again, instead of springing aside, as has been his wont, he places one foot upon the broad space between the short horns. The animal has evi- dently expected to miss his enemy, as usual, and must necessarily be tre- mendously surprised at this move- ment. Before he can take advantage of the sudden opportunity, Jack, with a light spring, has vaulted to his back, where be stands for a few seconds saving the muleta, to the intense my- stification of., the puzzled bull and the delight of the Spanish audience, who, forgetting that the brave matador is a foreigner, give vent to their approval in a whirlwind of shoutsand clapping of hands. Then Jack drops lightly to the ground and makes ready for the final work. He knows his audience, and how far show goes with these people, of impulse, so he rolls up the right sueeve of his shirt for business, ,show- ing the wonderful arm' that has al- ready this day elicited words of ad- miration from Don Carlos. All readily guess his motive in doing this. He desires to warn them that the time has come for that seran ann the time has come for serious work. and begs• them to keep silent in order that his attention be not distracted at the trying moment. The shouts cease. Again an ominous silence spreads about the amphitheater. The torn stands near the centre, pawing at the ground with one of his hoofs, as though to prove that the spirit has not yet been entirely broken in him. Evidently he is endeavour- ing to recoup his broken wind in or- der to make a last gallant charge. Ail is now ready. Athlete, in one land and Toledo ,blade in the other, Doctor Jack advances toward his ad- verean . The scarlet flag is waving in tee eyes of the bull, and tantalising him to his death. He is no coward,. and the stratagem sueee gds perfectly, just as Jack has planned. As the American slips away a dozen feet, and v‘ aving the flag, plants him- self for business, the black bull lum- bers forward, shorn of much of his' far?ne•r Iwtivity, but still determined to curry tho \var into .Africa. Not once has the red iiag deceived hilts, and on this occasion, too, he heads direct for the titan. Jack has fu'iy expo',t•:�d such a thing, and hence is nut c u,>ht trapping, Just before that heavy Set head reaches him he ,t i, fele. Itis aye has marked the .put where he gleans to press the 1.t s; of the sword, and the forward uxutlgxx of the bull will do the rest. (To be Continued.) FERRIS WHEEL RIVAL. l.rnnn:•' ewe )1cei,anical Device ra its Erected ,.t. A"maimit. i-rts t:t pci'tment of concessions of the Chn:.ha i• r:pt,sition; bas received an ap- t l :taloo for space for the erection of a nteellanical CLOT iCe which will equal, says the Bee, if not surpass, the great Ferris n heel in novelty and engineering in- genuity. It resembles the framework of a gigantic umbrella more than anything Lisp which might be mentioned. The matt corresponaing to the stick of the umbrell.ti is an immense cylind r, thirty feet in diameter, constructed of steel piates, firmly riveted, making a "stand• pipe" which rears its bead 260 feet above the level of tbe ground. At the extreme top of the cylinder are fastened to vivo long arms, resembling the ribs of an umbrella. These are steel trusses, reaching almost to the ground. At the lower enol of each of these ribs is sus• pended a car for carrying passengers, each car having a capacity for twenty p'r;ous. These monster ribs are raised by hy- draulic power, acting by means of steel cables operating through the 'cylinder, sided by a mechanism greatly resembl- ing that portion of an umbrella Which mines into action when tho umbrella is opened. By means of this mechanism the gigantic arms are raised until they are horizontal, the cars in the meantime being carried outward and upward until they reach a point °?5o feet above the ground, tine diameter of the huge finis formed by the suspending ears being also :?;t0 feet. When the highest point has been reached another mechanism comes into play, and the suspended ears are swung slowly around in a circle, after which they are lowered to the ground. The sides of cars are formed of windows, from which a view of the surrounding country for miles may be obtained. The Ameer of Af,cinuiittan. Abdurraliman Khan, the Ameer of Afghanistan, who, it is said, is conniv- ing at the overthrow of British suprem- acy in India, is one of the most powerful monarchs in all Asia. He was put upon the throne of Afghanistan practically by the British Government of indite Abdur rahnian is 67 years old and is a .ephew of the late Ameer ;;here Ali. In the civil war of 1864 he took sides against his uncle on behalf of his father, Afzal Khan, and distinguished himself by winning several important battles. He was made Governor of Balkh, and his moderation and kindne,s won for him a high degree of popularity. He married A13DURRAITLtie KHAN. the daughter of the chief of Badakghen and thus served to increase the popular- ity which he had made for himself by his beneficent rule. In 1868 his cousin, Yakub Khan, the son of Shere Ali, fought Abdurrahman and defeated him at I3ajgah and also at Tinah Kahn. He then fled from the country and took up his resid'nce in Russian territory. Gen. Kaufmann permitted him to live at Samuxcand, and the Russian Govern- ment allowed him an income of 25,000 rubles a year. In 1879 he left Turkestan and marched with some forces to the Cabul border. One year later he was chosen by the principal leen of Cabul tis Ameer of the country. "Didn't I hear that man address yon as colonel?" said Mrs. wliiffett to Tired Traddles as she gave him some cold vict- uals. "Yes'm." "You don't belong tothe army?" "Yes'ni " "Not the United States regular army surely?" allo'm," "It can't be that you belong to the Sal- vation Army?" "No'm." "Then what army are you a colonel in?" "The-arnhy of the unemployed, muni." —New York Sunday world. Firing in China. "What an unspeakable costume!" ex claimed the emperor irritably. "You ought to be fired." The mandarin with the yellow jacket trembled visibly. "I aro not aware" he faltered, of being dressed to kiln. In that country the jokes are not unlike the political system.—Detroit Journal. HINTS ON PLOWING. Arrangement of Fields With Reference to Long; Furrows. The arrangement of fids and their size and shape have much to do with sale and rapidity of getting in crops, and sometimes the saving of a few hours' work makes a week's difference in the time of finishing plowing and !it LONG AND snorer mallows. the sowing of a field, it is strange that more attention is not given to the ar- rangement of fields with reference to long furrows and to similarity of soil: A square acre plowed with a 16 inch furrow requires 84 rounds and 336 turns, while the same area in the form of a parallelogram, 2 rods by 80, requires only 18 rounds and 62 turns. It is safe to say that in the one form it will take twice the time to plow that it does ill the other, to say nothing of the serious trampling which the square piece will be subject to. These figures were origi- nally given in The Country Gentleman by a 'writer who said; There are two farms in my own town on which fences between the fields .have been removed, yet cultivation is con- tinued as formerly, eaoh field' by itself, although in one case the furrows might be tripled in length by plowing clear across the farm. On another farm, four Ave aore fields have been thrown into one, making a field 80 by 82 rods in size. This field is plowed as often the short way as the long one and when mowed is generally cut in plats of four or five sores across the field. To mow this field with a four foot swath, it would require 132 rounds and 528 turns. To mow it in five separate pieces would require 412,E rounds and 1,650 turns. By refer- ring to the first illustration the reader will see at once bow much morn eco- nomically a 20 acre tract of land can be plowed in one piece than it can be in five. The second out shows a farm origi- nally divided into six fields by fences and still plowediu the same fields..A B is the highway; 0 D E are house, barn and orchard, while F G H I J is tbe plow land. The dotted lines show the original fence rows, while the entire lines show a butter way of dividing in. 11 1 DIVIDING INTO LONG FIELDS. to six narrow and long fields with Dart path at the end from 'Ito I. By refer- ring to Fig. 1 it will readily be seen what a saving of time and trampling would be made by plowing this tract in long fields instead of the shorter ones. Rotation often stands in the way of making radical changes in the form of fields, but in most cases greater econ- omy of culture would soon make up for any loss of this score. Shredded Ensilage. A New Hampshire farmer who bas demonstrated to his own satisfaction that shredded ensilage possesses marked advantages over that prepared by cut- ters writes to Country Gentleman that he has found by actual weight that corn fodder out green, three-fourths inch in length, required about 20 per cent more room than when shredded. He says: "After shredding our ensilage for sev- eral years, we filled the silo one year with out ensilage and found it necessary at once to brace all sides to keep it from bulging out—thus proving that ensilage shredded exerts much less lateral pres- sure than that which is out. This fea- ture would probably not be considered of so muchimportance by those whqse silos are already constructed with refer- ence to the use of out ensilage, but in case a new silo is to be put up it can undoubtedly be built for much less money if it is to be filled with ensilage prepared by the shredder. Shredded en- silage certainly packs snugger than out, and it is handled in the most convenient manner with a manure fork. After au experience of 13 years we are firmly per- suaded that economy and convenience are both promoted by the use of the shredder in the preparation of ensilage." Goat industry in 'Maine. A company has been formed to stook lands in northern Maine with goats, in the belief that these will pay better than sheep. As told in the New 'York Sun, 600,000 acres of land will be stocked with approved breeds of goats and put in charge of goatherds, who must at- tend the flocks, out meadow hay to carry them through the winter and cull out the young males for market as fast as they grow. The females will be kept for breeding purposes for a few years until the waste territory is occupied. A BARN CAR. It Lightens ravel Labor by Carrying En- silage or Manure. The help problem among farmers is today one of the most serious with which they have to contend, and any device that tends to lessen or save la- bor will or should be hailed with de- light as a boon of no little value. The accompanying illustration is presented in the hope that some one may be as- sisted in lightening the farm laborsby the use of this ensilage or manure oar - ries. It was formerly illustrated in Farm, Field and Fireside and desoribed es follows by a New York correspond- ent, who writes that be had seen it in praotioal operation on a dairy farm da an ensilage carrier and in a stable as a manure carrier: G G G is a track of iron such as is used for barn doers, and F a car for carrying the manure or ensilage. Fas- ten the track securely to the ceiling either ahead or behind the cows, accord- ing as it is desired for use in feeding or in stable cleaning, running it the whole length or clear around the stable as is most convenient, the carrier being so constructed that the wheels will turn on a curve in the crack,• Four carrier wheels are bolted in pairs to the blocks, A A, and hung to the track, the blocks running close to the track to prevent the wheels jumping off. These blocks aro bolted to a heavy scantling, B B, under them, to connect A 111ANURE CARRIER. them a single bolt only being used in each block, thus allowing the wheels to turn the curve in the track as referred to above. D is a crossbar above the car and to which the car F is hung by rods, H H, the lower ends of the rods hooking into staples near the bottom of the ear. There may be a rod from the crossbar D to the back end of the car to steady it until ready to dump, which'can be done easily by simply unhooking this rod. C is a heavy swivel connecting the timber between the two pairs of wheels and the crossbar D. By the Bandies at the forward end of the car it can bo easily moved in either direction upon the track, even when fully loaded, the oar holding about one- fourth of a wagon load. Winter Grain Seeding. , August is the month when the farmer in all the winter wheat sections of the country is busy in preparing the seed bed for winter grain. Rye is less in- jured by lack of preparation of the seed bed than is wheat. Tho chief object for both grains is to make a shallow seed bed able to bold as much moisture as is needed to germinate the seed grain, but at the same time have a firm and dry bottom for the seed bed, which the grain roots shall not be able to penetrate. Early plowing and abundant use of the roller will secure these conditions. If possible slightly barrow the surface soil and then roll it down after each rain. This may seem to the inexperienced to make the surface too hard for a good seed bed, but so that the wheat will germinate and catch hold with its roots of the surface soil the seed bed cannot be too Lard. --American Cultivator. New York's Hay Crop. Here is what the New York Sun says about the state's bay crop: The New York hay orop is larger than that of any other state in the Union, but this year the recent heavy rains damaged part of it. New York state hay always has the commercial advantage of access to market. The value of the New York hay crop is $50,000,000 a year, and what is called "New York state hay" is placed on the same commercial plane as Kentucky whisky, Maryland . tobacco and Ver- mont maple sugar. Maine and Vermont are hay states to a considerable extent, While Connecticut and New Jersey yield but little. Strawberries of Merit. Nearly 200 varieties of strawberries have been tested at the station at Am- herst, Mass. The following are :report- ed to be of greatest merit: Beverly, Bubaoh, Brandywine, Enhance, Golden Defiance, Greenville, Haverland, Lead- er, Lovett and Parker Earle. The ten most promising varieties of those less generally grown were Arrow, Glen Mary, Gandy Belle, Howard's No. 14, Luther, Marston, Pacific, Princess, Rio and Splendid. News and Notes. Compared with last year, there is a decided reduction in the potato supply. A big shortage is indicated in the Dorn crop of 1897. The oat crop is a moderate one, but of fair quality. Returns indicate a heavy yield of winter wheat. Most growers agree that level culture of potatoes brings the largest crops. Professor J. C. Arthur of the Indiana station has found that a solution of formalin gives on the whole better re- sults than the corrosive sublimate in preventing potato scab. Rural New Yorker says: "Don't dig the potatoes until the vines are entirely dead. The tubers grow while there is a spark of life in the vines." The agricultural department, after long experiments with lawn grasses, declares that creeping bent is the finest lawn grass known. The government crop reports show the apple promise as extremely low save in the far west and on the Pacific coast. ad. 1.1k, Sea 01 YP.