Zurich Herald, 1957-06-27, Page 3Stubby The Cat And The Weasel
A lady, whoa heterest is much
appreciated, Wrote recently to
inquire why I hadn't reported
lately on my cat. Frankly, ex-
perience has shown that the
flippancy with which I discuss
matters feline is not wholly ap-
preciated by the great society
Of cat lovers, and that said cat
lovers, being misled as to the
direction of rriy thoughts, are
unbending and unyielding in my
direction. So I wind up in, as
we say, the dog house. The cat is
touchy subject, and I astutely
avoid it regardless of the great
ability my oat has about fomen-
ting literary possibilities.
For instance, if I should re-
late, which I will not, about the
way my cat and I sit and read
the newspaper, I'm sure some-
body would misjudge the whole
4.thing, and think me unduly
harsh on my cat. What happens
is that Stubby -my cat, because
she is a Manx - comes and
climbs up on my knee while I
it in the rocker to read, and as
she relaxes and purrs she will
stretch her pins and dig them
Into me. These are the same pins
she keeps sleek and smooth for
her forays into the dense puck-
erbrush after .what she may de-
vour, and with which she can
yank bark off a brown ash tiee.
While my knee is not too
dainty, I do notice Stubby's
claws. I give a jerk which leaves
me sitting on my shoulders, and
without studied aim I usually
whack Stubby with the news-
paper and send her sprawling
into the corner behind the stove.
As I say, if I should relate all
this, I'm sure certain dedicated
fanciers of the cat, in a broad
sense, would feel I had roughly
used the poor beast, and would
hasten to write me letters and
say so. But the reading of the
newspaper by Stubby and me is
not as bad as all that. The fam-
ily tells me what I, behind my
newspaper, can't see - that
Stubby hunches defensively
when she drives her wild talons
into my harboring flesh, closes
both her eyes, and rolls with
the blow. To be sure, she glares
at me with green and maddened
ayes from under the stove, and
looks as if she had decided to
quit her job and go away -but
all she does about it is climb
back on my knee and purr and
4elax and give it to me again,
good.
This has been going on for
years, and my knee looks like
the place a shoemaker keeps his
awl, and Stubby is somewhat
44 •
WHY NOT? - Memphis motor-
ists were amazed, day after
day, when they saw a young
man lying on a safety island
on a busy street. A newspaper
photographer finally asked
him why. It developed that
Robert Patterson, 19, just
doesn't believe in standing
when he can lie down. So he
waits for his bus in supine po-
sition, frequently munching on
a banana to pass the time.
punchie, and we are the closest
of friends.
The thing about Stubby, as
distinguished from other liter-
ary cats, is that she is not pam-
pered, and lives a wild and
roaming life. She may elect to
sleep on the puff on the spare
bed, but is equally comfortable
on an upper beam in the barn.
Her dish is regularly catered
with warm milk, patent foods,
and supper scraps, and she will
sit at the breakfast table polite-
ly and have a bit of doughnut
now and then.
She is, in one side of her na-
ture, a gentle housecat of ami-
able disposition. Yet she is pris-
tine in her other side, and roams
our wilds as the tiger and lion
roam the jungles. She polices the
rat and mice situation with care
and even brings in moles. But
she pays no attention whatever
to baby chicks and ducklings
which live about the dooryard.
Well, the other night I was
sitting reading the paper, and
Stubby had been assaulting me
as usual, I happened to think of
it and I said, apropos of nothing,
"There's been a weasel at the
ducks."
The evidence was clear. The
weasel is a small predator, most-
ly nocturnal, and is a wicked
marauder in a poultry house.
Dogs, cats, foxes, skunks, owls,
and raccoons have been blamed
for wholesale destruction done
by rampaging weasels, and many
a farmer has openly wept at the
sight. The weasel turns white in
winter and becomes an ermine
with a little black tip on his
tail, but winter or summer .he
is a vicious customer, and can
outfight about anything, regard-
less of size.
News that a weasel was work-
ing at •our ducks was bad news
-for they are hard to trap, hard
to shoot, hard to see. They can
go through a crack, and hide in
a shadow.
Anyway, Stubby stood up on
my knee, arched her back in a
lazy yawn, jumped to the floor,
and cried .at the door to go out.
Shortly I went to bed. And the
next morning, when I stepped
out to do the pre -breakfast
chores, Stubby was stretched
out on the back porch asleep.
She was more than asleep, for
utter fatigue was written all
over her. She opened one eye
and looked at me and attempted
a partial meow. The eyelid
drooped, her ears were slit, and
her lip looked like a broken
balloon. And under her fore-
paws was the weasel, done with
ducks and aught else.
My duck pen, when. I got out
to it, was a shambles. The mo-
ther ducks and their little ones,
scarcely a week old, were still
huddled in one corner quacking
and quaking, and the runway -
boards were knocked clown and
the hopper tipped over. It must
have been the fight of the cen-
tury, and as far as I know it
was the only time Stubby has
ever been in any of the poultry
pens. The weasel had not given
up easily, and when I went back
in the house Stubby carefully
got to her feet, limped in with
me, went up onto the spare bed,
and slept all day and all night.
Now, I am only telling this as
it happened. There may be those
who know more about cats than
I who will explain in almost -
human terms what went on. No
doubt Stubby heard me mention
a weasel, and construed my anx-
iety as an order. No doubt. She
is really a wonderful cat and
smart. And although some may
deplore some of her escapades,
you have to give her credit
where credit is due. -By John
Gould in The Christian Science
Monitor.
A laundry in a small Scottish
city receiVed a note from a wom-
an customer: "Tell your man to
call because I .can't wash myself
this week."
CROSSWORD
D. Large cupola 31. Ballad
10. Poisonous 32. Before
tree
39. Lumps
H. Bird's home
PUZZLE 9. Cretan mt. 35. Strips
1.8. Profit
21. Preceded 37. lore°
40. Let down
24. Pulpy fruit 41. ICnock
of 26. Gil in violet 92. Hindu prayer
leaves carpet
20. Expert
aviator 43. Clourcl
44. Prophet
27. A eriforin
fluid - 47. Girl's name
6. By '48. Average
7. Glossy fabrics 30. 'Vessel in 50. Dined
S. Building which meat Is 02. Utilize
angle cooked 55. Thus
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1, ChancS
4. Coax
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payment
12. Wing
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time that
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17. So. Amer,
animals
19. Deward
20 Sort
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23. Magnesium
oxide
20, (row old
25. Color
29, Firearm
31. Plower' ng
plants
16. U. S. monetary
unit
10. Bar
37..7ap, weight
38. Watch closely
49. ITands over
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recess
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4.nswer elsewhere on thie page.
NOT SO BRAVE BOYS -Waving a white flag of truce and wear-
ing clothespins on their. noses, Chuck Dunker, left, and Eddie
Taylor take a closeup lock at their new pets. The 11 -year-olds
found the eight baby skunks on the farm operated by Eddie's
parents.
111FRE FRONT
The ubiquitous ,potato chip,
requiring an annual supply of
more than two million bushels
of potatoes, has become an im-
portant , market for the potato
grower. The requirements of
this market differ somewhat
from the familiar requirements
of seed and table -stock potatoes,
states G. W. Hope, Food Tech-
nologist. * *
High dry matter content, pre-
ferred in table stock because of
its association with mealiness,
is essential to high yields of oil -
free chips. In addition, frying
of the thin potato slice must yield
a crisp well -flavoured morsel
which is free of objectionable
brown colour or scorched taste.
*
It is this latter requirement,
freedom from browning when
fried, that appears to be the_
chief problem in the successful
production of chipping potatoes.
Desirable shape, tuber size, eye
depth and to some extent at least,
dry matter content may be ob-
tained by selection of the cor-
rect variety. Browning when
fried, on the other hand, is re-
lated to the chemical balance, in
the tuber itself, of sugars and
certain nitrogen compounds.
* *
Chilling of the tubers to tem-
peratures below 40 degrees F.,
in the field or in storage, may
cause an irreversible build-up
of sugars which makes the tuber
unsuitable for chip production.
Tubers stored below 47 degrees
F. will brown if fried direct
from storage, but if held a suit-
able time at 70 degrees F., be-
fore frying they will make sat-
isfactory chips. The most satis-
factory storage temperature ap.
pears to be about 50 degrees F.,
but at this temperature new
problems of ventilation and
sprout inhibition become import-
ant. *
Work at the Kentville Experi-
mental Farm indicates an unde-
sirable effect of excess nitrogen
and potash in the plant on the
chipping quality of the tuber,
But it is also apparent that the
maturity of the tubers is more
effective in influencing chip col-
our than is the fertilizer balance.
*
Whether applications of
fertilizers to the foliage of
canning crops restuls in in-
creased yields has been studied
at the Horticultural Sub-
station, Smithfield, reports 'H. B.
Heeney, Central Experimental
Farm, Ottawa. In the study the
crops were sprayed with two
materials, either alone or in com-
bination with soil fertilizer ap-
plications, On a sail considered
to be slightly above average in
fertility level.
* *
Results with the toinato crop
indicated that any beneficial ef;•
fects due to the sprays Wer*
confined to the yield of ripe fruit
before September 5, While two
sprays of 5-10-5 at 11/2 gallons
per acre two weeks after trans-
planting and at last cultivation
increased average early yields
over a three-year period, this
increase was only significant
when the normal soil application
of fertilizer was not applied.
Only in 1955, a year of very high
temperatures and drought con-
ditions, did the sprays appear to
increase early yields over those
obtained with normal soil appli-
cations of fertilizer.
Canning corn results were
quite similar to the tomato re-
sults. Two sprays of a 5-10-5 at
11/2 gallons per acre when the
plants were 6-8 inches high and
again when 16-18 inches high
resulted in an average 13 per
cent increase in marketable yield.
This increased yield was signi-
ficantly greater than normal soil
application only in 1955 as was
noted with the tomato result.
* *
It seems apparent that yields
of tomatoes and corn can be in-
creased by applying fertilizers
to the foliage during the growing
season, but that yields resulting
from these treatments are not
likely to be greater than those ob-
tained with normal soil applica-
tions of fertilizers except during
years with adverse growing con-
ditions resulting from drought,
low temperatures, etc. Results
to date do not warrant recom-
mending the use of these mater-
ials as a replacement for ade-
quate soil applications of fertil-
izer. Their use must still be con-
sidered as an emergency supple-
ment, particularly as they are
much more costly, on the basis
of a pound of plant food, than
soil fertilizers,
Rubbish Dump
Worth a Fortune
We all hope and dream that
one clay we shall "strike it rich."
But eleven men living in North
Merionethshire, North Wales, are
doing more than hope and
dream about it - they spend
every weekend prospecting for
gold.
They are confident that a rich
seam of gold -bearing quarts ex-
tends for at least twelve miles
through the hills of North
1VIerionethshire. They know that
gold has been dug from "them
thar hills" for centuries' and
they hope to "strike it rich" be-
fore the end of this year.
Near one of the old mines -
on the Clogau mountain, behind
the village of Bontddu - these
weekend miners have already
found samples of gold. They
are digging where nobody has
ever dug before and not far
from the place where gold for
the wedding rings of the. Queen
and the Duchess of Kent was
mined.
An amazing thing happened
at the Clogau mine after the
gold there was thought to have
been completely worked out last
century. For nine years the deb-
ris from the workings was al-
lowed to lie disregarded.
Then someone discovered that
what was thought to be rubbish
was actually a heap of gold ore.
Within a short time the area
resembled a miniature Kion -
dyke. More than $180,000 worth
of gold was cleared.
These Welsh gold -miners of
to -day are using modern drill-
ing and pumping equipment. If
they are successful it is likely
that efforts may be made to get
a number of Wales's ancient
gold -mines restored. Most of the
old mines are in the neighbour-
hood of Barmouth and Dolgel-
ley. ,
"He said, your honour, that
I was no cook," sobbed a wife
during a divorce action.
"And what did you do then?"
asked the judge.
"I struck him with the can -
opener."
Upsidedown to Prevent Peeking
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11NDAY SC11001
LESSON
+A QM.
By Rev. R. Barclay Warren
B.A., B.D.
What Makes a Man -Great?
Genesis 45: 34.5
Memory Selection: Blessed art
the merciful: for they shall eh,
taro mercy. Matthew 57
One of the most touclaint
scenes in the Old Testament Ili
that one when Joseph, the primi
minister of Egypt, reveals MI
identity to hs brothers. Sotne
of the past had been like a hor-
rible nightmare to him: hie
brothers planning to kill him,
then selling him as a slave; his
period in prison; waiting two
years before the ungrateful but-
ler remembered to speak for him
to the king of Egypt, No won'
der Joseph named his first son,
Manasseh (forgetting) saying,
"For God hath made me forget
all my toil, and all my gather's
house." He named his second
son, Ephraim, (fruitful) saying,
"For God hath caused me to be
fruitful in the land of my afflic-
tion."
Joseph first tested his brothers,.
Had they changed? When Joseph
proposed retaining Benjamin
Judah came forward to plead.
Yes, they cared for Benjamin
and for their father. Judah of-
fered to stay in Benjamin's stead.
The discipling was over. Joseph
sent out the Egyptians and then
he said, "I am Joseph." He did
not reproach his brethren.
Rather he said, "Now therefore
be not grieved, nor angry with
yourselves, that they sold me
hither: for God did send me be-
fore you to preserve life. . . . so
that it was not you that sent me
hither, but God." He kissed all'
his brethren, and wept upon
them.
It is a mark of greatness to for-
give. Jesus prayed on the cross,
"Father, forgive them; for they
know not what they do." Stephen
cried as he was being stoned to
death, "Lord, lay not this sin tie
their charge." In the home, in
business and politics we Often
have the opportunity to exercise
the grace of forgiveness. If wo
have ourselves received forgive-
ness at the hand of Jesus Christ
then we delight to forgive others.
Let us remember, too, that
through life's sharpest struggles
God can work out good for us
if we love him with all our
heart. Let this thought be to us
one of the springs in the valley.
In 1830, children were working
13 hours daily, with a half-hour
break, in woollen mills in Eng-
land.
CAT -SUP -Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dutton thought their two collie
pups had been weaned by their former owner. So they were
understandably surprised when they spotted this scene in their
back yard. Mrs. Dutton says the cat comes every morning and
the two six -week-old pups are always eagerly awaiting their
nourishment.
ee9isiMilf,SeeeMli44.eleeeeiek eeeeeee,mee
.eIte:leefes'eeeeeeeeeeeeoeee•••
ON LAND, ON ICE, IN THE WATER - Maynard L. Popp has built a very versatile vehicle in his
"snow -plane on wheels." The aluminum -and -steel vehicle has plexiglass windowl and a 65
horsepower airplane engine powering a pusher propeller. Popp uses the runners 'leaning
against the vehicle to fit it with pontoons for use in the water ths summer. Lack of proper
brakes prohibits licensing the vehicle for highway use.
9