A SHEEP PARADISE.
SHEARING SCENES ON SANTA
CRUZ ISLAND.
Pursuance of Sheep Roaming about
Unattended—Sheep Shearers Who
Work by the Piece and are Des
perate Gamblers.
Travelers who pass up and down the
Southern coast of California never fail to
notice with interest the group of islands
to the seaward side of the Santa Barbara
channel. Their peculiar outlines, their
isolation, and the apparent absence of
human life, render them objects of curi
osity so long as the vessel remains within
sight. They are by no means, however,
so desolate and uninhabited as one might
suppose from a passing glance. Thar is
about all, by the way, that most people
are able to obtain. The company that
controls the largest of the group is very
strict in its enforcement of a loug-estab
lished rule that strangers shall not laud
thereon, while the difficulty of access is
such that few except those who have
business there ever care to undertake the
journey.
The islands of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa
and San Miguel are utilized as sheep
ranges, and finely adapted for that pur
pose are they. There are no coyotes,
lions or other animals which are so de
structive to sheep on the mainland, while
the cockle burr, which is such a nuisance j
and deteriorates the value of the wool so ,
largely on the shore ranges, is unknown,
at least on Santa Cruz island. There be
ing no danger from any source, the sheep
on the islauds nre allowed to wander at
will without herders, the only care be
stowed upon them being at the semi
annual shearing.
On Santa Cruz island, which, by the
way, is of considerable size, being from
twenty-seven to thirty miles in length by
about four in width, the sheep-rearing
business is carried on upon an extensive
and systematic scale. The shore line of
this island is marked by ranges of hills,
which afford tine pasturage, the moist
atmosphere of the ocean promoting a
heavy growth of natural grasses and af
fording an abundance of feed, which
keeps green much later than on the main
land.
Between these parallel ranges of hills
is a lovely valley of large extent, where
are located the headquarters of the com
pany, and in which is a large extent of
arable land upon which hay is raised by
the thousands of tons for use in periods
when the natural feed runs short. This
hay is stacked up uuder shelter, and
sometimes kept for two or three
years in readiness for any demand that
may arise. This idea was evolved years
ago by the occurrence of a season of ex
traordinary drouth, during which it be
came necessary to kill thousands of sheep
for their pelts and the little tallow that
adhered to their attenuated sides.
Although many thousands of sheep are
kept on the island, it is not necessary to
employ any one to look after them, except
during the shearing season. At such
times a large force of shearers, generally
native Californians, is brought over from
the mainland. These men are expert
equestrians, as well as knights of the
shears, aud their tirst task on reaching
their destination is to round up the sheep
or at least so many of them as it is do
sired to keep in the shearing corrals at
one time. These corrals are located near
the island headquarters, in the contre of
the great interior valley.
When everything is in readiness for
operations to commence, horses are sad
dled, aud bright and early in the morn
ing the party of a hundred or more
vaquera shcarsmen starts for one end of
the island. Arrived there they string
out so as to make a cordon extending
across the island, and then, with much
hallooing and spurring of horses and
scrambling over rough hills and across
'rugged barrancas, they work their way
back toward hcudquarters, driving the
constantly increasing band of sheep be
fore them. It is an interesting spectacle
both to watch and to participate in as
the sheep arc driven in dozens aud hun
dreds and thousands toward the point
where they are to be shorn of the great
masses of wool which cumber their backs
and make travel in the hot sun a grievous
task.
Arriving at the great corra the sheep
are driven iu, the horses unsaddled and
turned loose and the riders proceed to
the shearing shed, which quickly be
comes a scene of the greatest animation.
From the groat corral open a number of
smull pens, and into tnese are driven
enough sheep to keep the men busy for
an hour or two. The shed is open ut the
sides, but the sun is hot overhead, the
dust and odor from the sheep is almost
stifling. The men strip to the buff, fre
quently wearing nothing but a pair of
overalls strapped about the waist and a
handkerchief tied around the head.
Their bodies glisten with perspiration,
thcro is a perfect Babel of talking,
swearing and other noise.
The work is all done by the piece, 5
cents being allowed for each sheep. Con
sequently the men work at the top of
their speed. A sheep is grasped by the
hind leg, thrown on his back, a firm hold
taken by one hand and both legs of the
shearer, and in an incredibly short time
the fleece is removed. The writer timed
a number of shearers, and found that the
most expert consumed just four minutes
and a half in taking a fleece, while the
average time was about seven minutes.
A9 soon as the flccco was taken oil the
sheep was turned into a pen with hi 9
shorn mutes. The shearer ran with the
fleece to the end of the room, put it on a
bench, called out his name and was given
a brass check representing 5 cents in
value. The tally keeper also entered a
record opposite the uame of each shearer
as the fleece was deposited.
Another man seized the fleece, weighed
it, called out the weight, which was also
entered in a book, rolled up the wool,
tied it up and tossed it into a bin, whence
it was removed subsequently and packed
in the great sacks used on this coast for
such purposes.
Through the shearers an overseer
moved continually, taking note oi o
manner in which the work was do.it*
If any we:o too careless in their lmsic
and cut the flesh of the sheep they were
handling moro frequently than was un
avoidable they were admouished in such
language as one may perhaps imagine,
but could scarcely be repeated, and if
the warning was not heeded a line was
imposed, or if the carelessness was too
gross the shearer was discharged. Oc
casionally a fleece was deposited on the
bench that was almost dyed with blood. ;
and then a volley of profanity would be
hurled at the head of the offender that,
added materially to the solidity of the
atmosphere.
So it went all day long, the men work
ing on the jump and only stopping when
the setting of the sun and the coming of
'night made it impossible to continue.
Theu the bell rang for supper, and the
shearers, stopping for i hasty wash,
poured into themesshoi' o and devoured
a hearty meal, into wt/ch frijolcs, chile
and "sheep meat" largely entered.
No sooner was the meal dispatched
and the rough dishes cleared away than
a new feature of the shearers' existence
was brought to light. Caudles were
lighted, greasy decks of cards produced,
and soon two or three monte games were
in progress. As eager as the men were
to get the pieces of brass during the day
that represented their earnings, they
seemed even more eager now to get rid
of them. No coin is given out until the
close of the shearing season, and there
fore the brass checks are the only cur
rency that is used meantime on the
island. These are piled up on the table,
and as the game goes on one by one the
players see their stacks diminish and
drop out, until at last all the checks are
in the hands of a few professionals and
the game shuts down for the night.
Tne next day the same operation is
gone through with, and at night the
game goes on again. More than one
of the shearers, when settling time
comes, will not have a single brass check
to be cashed, although he may have
sheared hundreds of sheep and worked
as hard as it was possible. On the other
hand quantities of checks will be cashed
for men who have not touched a sheep
but have put in their days smoking
cigarettes nnd watching their comrades
sweating in the shearing sheds, knowing
full well that they would be able to win
all their earnings over the gambling
table.—[San Francisco Chronicle.
STARTLING EXPERIENCES.
A Georgian's Many Close Calls With
Deadly Snakes.
There is a citizen at Valdo9ta, Ga.,
who has had some startling experiences
with poisonous snakes during his life,
lie is entirely responsible, does not like
notoriety and seldom talks of his adven
tures with reptiles, because ho fears the
recital of them would not be believed,
and he does not care to figure as a Mun
cfiausen among snake story tellers.
Sometime ago he was attracted by the
laughing of a child who was at play in
the front yard. Looking through the
window, he discovered to his horror that
the child was playing with a great, live
rattlesnake, which sprang its warning
rattle just as the child was rescued from
what would have been certain death.
At another time recently, while wad
ing in a branch, he stepped on a large
water moccasin, and narrowly escaped
being bitten, as he had crushed the
body of the reptile and aroused its
wrath. It did show tight, however,
chasing him to dry land.
"On still another occasion," says this
liero of muny battles with snakes, "I
had cause to tramp all day with some
companions in a swamp, anu it was dur
ing snake time of the year. During that
day 1 had the misfortune to step on as
many as three live and wriggling mocca
sins at different times, but the good luck
as usual to get off without having their
poisonous fangs stuck into my flesh. No
other one of the party had any such
close calls. It all fell to my lot.
"At another time, while I wa9 push
ing my way through a thick and boggy
swamp, one of my feet broke through
the moss-covered mud, and it threw me
forward. I caught at a tussock just at
me, and threw my hand on a large moc
casin. It flinched, but did not move. I
was stuck iu the mud. Its forked tongue
flashed in my face. I could not get up
without a struggle, and I was afraid to
make the effort, fearing that a move
ment on my part would bring a strike
iu the face. I held my breath, while
my hand went to my belt, and I drew
therefrom a pistol. In an instant I got
in the first blow, and the snake's head
went off. A friend stood on a tussock
five feet away watching the tragedy—in
one act.
"Recently I was hunting cows in the
pine woods. I rode a mule. I was
going at a slow Mope. Suddenly the
beast threw its head down with a snort
and plowed the earth with both fore
hoofs in a desperate effort to take up. I
went over the horn of the saddle and
astride of the mule's neck; and would
have pitched over my head on the spot
had I not seized the animal s ears, one
in each hand, as I struggled wildly to
prevent a fall. My head and chest went
full over its head, but my grip on the
long ears and my feet locked round its
neck saved me for the time. Thus poised
in a ridiculous attitude my beast re
gained its footing and then began back
ing and slamming me about against
brush und sapling, until I rolled off on
the ground. When I gained my feet I
discovered a largo rattlesnake in coil
under a palmetto bush, just in front of
the spot where the mule made the des
perate effort to stop, und if I had gone
over the animal's head I would have fal
len head foremost upon the deadly rep
tile.
"More wonderful to relate, a lttlc tod
dler, who was burdened with my name,
came across a rattler one day and picked
it up, and went running round playing
with it, until an older brother discovered
the child's peril and jerked it away from
the snuke."—[Atlanta Constitution.
How to Kill the Rose Bug.
The editor of the Rural New Yorker
announces that he has just discovered a
sure way of killing the rose bug or rose
chafer without injury to foliage. The
bug has increased rapidly in the last few
years and has devastated thousands of
vineyards. The editor says:
"Experiments made during the present
week prove that this insev L cannot sur
vive a temperature of over 120 degrees
Fahrenheit. The next step was to ascer
tain if this method of destruction could
be put to an easy, practicable use. Water
was heated to 170 degrees and poured
into a pail. A small hand force pump,
with eight feet of hose and a half-inch
iron tube of five feet (thirteen feet in
all), terminating with a cyclone nozzle,
was theu used to force the water upon
the rose chafers of the magnolia flowers,
in one of which there were not less than
150 of them. The first spray upon the
beetles was shown by the thermometer
to be 120 degrees. The rose bugs receiv
ing the direct spray were dead in about
one minute. The others recovered.
The temperature of the water was then
raised so that the mercury rose to 140
when the thermometer was placed within
two inches of the nozzle. This was
sprayed into a partly open magnolia
flower containing fifty or more beetles.
All were almost instantly killed. Neither
foliage nor flowers was injured."
Weather Plants.
Garden and Forest quotes from a
writer in the Illustrirte Gartenzeituug
of Vienna, who, while he disputes the
excessive claims that have been made
for certain "weather plants," points out
that a modest degree of power in fore
casting atmospheric changes is possessed
by a multitude of common plants. The
pleasant fair-weather odor of Galium
vernum (Our Lady's bed-straw) becomes
strong and pungent at the approach of
rain. Tho leaves of Carlina vulgaris
close before rain. Calendula pluvialis
(marigold) predicts rain when its flow
ers remain closed after seven in the morn
ing. Oxadis acetosella (wood sorrel)
closeß its leaves at the approach of rain
or cold. I.apsana communis keeps its
flowers open at evening if it is to rain
the following day, but closes them if fair
weather is coming. The leaves of Draha
verna (whitlowgraas) droop before rain.
Alsiue media predicts a clear day if its
flowers open about nine o'clock, and a
second one to follow if they remain open
as late as four in the afternoon.
A DESERT BRIDE.
Interesting Account of a Marriage
Among the Bedouins.
A Bedouin wedding, which I lately
had the occasion to witness, took place
in liamleh—a seaside resort near Alex
andria—where mauy houses have a
Bedouin ghaflr. who pitches his tent
near his master's house, and lives there
with his family and cattle, if he has any.
The bridegroom was the son of "a
friend's ghatir. Previous to the engage
ment the father had obtained three days'
leave on the plea of his going down to
Alexandria for the choice of a daughter
in-law. On the evening of the third day
several shots fired successfully announced
to the native Bedouins the ghatir's return
and the happy result of his mission. The
wedding was fixed for that day week.
Groups of Bedouins hastened to answer
to the invitation, and after some talking
and shouting the men soon formed a ring
and began clapping hands, the body
keeping time to the movements of the
hands by going upward and downward.
Now and then one of the fellows wailed
forth a Bedouin song, while the others
chorused. The women sat chatting be
fore the tent and occasionally filled the
air with the shrill sound of the ziraleet.
No refreshment was offered and their
sole eclairage was the moon, whose sil
very light gave a weird aspect to the
whole scene. After an hour's amusement
the guests retired.
The next evening the firing brought
forth all the company of the preceding
night. This time the great attraction
was two dancing women, very pictur
esquely dressed, and their faces covered
with a soft black muslin. They entered
the ring formed by the men, each of them
holding a long staff—an adjunct to the
various movements of their figures. They
went round and round, leaning at
different intervals on their staffs, while
the clapping of hands redoubled in
whichever part of the ring the women
approached. I observed a young en
thusiast take a handful of sand from
where one of the women had trodden
and kiss it repeatedly. I noticed the
bridegroom was absent, and, asking for
the cause, was informed that he was too
bashful to appear. Two hours later the
company dispersed, to begin afresh at
intervals during the short engagement.
At last the eventful moruing dawned.
A new tent had been pitched for the
young couple, while in that of the old
ones several cauldrons full of rice and
water were boiling. When the rice was
done some oil was poured over it, and
then very large wooden bowls
were brought forward to Receive the
contents of the cauldrons. This formed
the whole menu of the wedding break
fast, and was attended to by the bride
groom's mother, aided by some other
matrons. The ghatir and the young
people had gone to fetch the bride.
They had taken with them one of the
ghafir's camels, which they had gayly
decorated with red and blue cloth, and
erected a canopy on its back to receive
the bride.
A large procession was formed, headed
by horsemen and other Bedouins armed
with guns, which they tired frequently.
The bride, completely hidden from sight
by the curtains of the canopy, aud fol
lowed by the woiqen, brought up the
rear. They went all over liamleh, stop
ping before every friend's tent to dance
lire and sing. At about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon the merry party arrived at the
bridegroom's place. The latter had re
mained at home. The father, who was
holding the camel's bridle, handed it
over to his wife, who led the animal
seven times around the bridal tent, each
time accompanied by shots, which are
the chief feature in a Bedouin wedding.
Finally the camel stopped before the eh
trance of the tent, and the bride was
carried in by her mother-in-law.
I was curious to see her face, and as I
was asked to go in, I gladly accepted.
The tent had two compartments, and
was quite devoid of furniture, excep
some rugs and straw mattings, on one of
which the bride sat, surrounded by other
women. She wus a girl of 14, with
regular features, beautiful blaclc ejesund
tattooed chin—a most prevalent fashion
among Bedouin women. She wore a
loug dark-red silk garment,caught up at
the waste with a deep sash. On her
head she wore a dark blue veil, tied with
a red silk handkerchief, beneath which
very tine plaits of jet black hair came
down in two bandeaux over her temples.
After exchanging a few complimentary
words with her, I withdrew, glad to es
cape the stilling atmosphere of the
tent.
A sheik had been called to perform
the marriage contract, which took place
between the parents of both parties.
The new couple were not present at the
ceremony. The ghafir handed over to
his son's father-in-law £SO on condition
that if later on the young wife should
ask to bo divorced from her husband,
the money was to come back to its first
owner; and if, on the contrary, the hus
band claimed a separation, the sum
would remain with his father-in-law.
During that time the guests had sat
over their frugal meal, of which they
partook in groups of four or live persons
around each wooden bowl. Theft lingers
spared them the use of forks and spoons.
While they were still occupied with
their repast the bridegroom stole to the
nuptiul tent, where ho saw his wife for
the first time. Half an hour afterward
the noisy party broke up, and quiet
reigned.—[London Queen.
Britain's White Buffaloes.
At Chillingham, near Carlisle, upon
the estates of the Karl of Tankerville, is
a herd—or the remnant of a herd—of
wild white cattle the history of which is
not known; but they are supposed to have
been fenced in or enclosed accidentally,
possibly hundreds of years ago.
The herd numbers about seventy and
does not increase; for a great many years
past the number has been neariy the
same.* They are extremely shy in the
summer, but in the winter, when fed up
on hay, they can be inspected at toler
ably close quarters. They have certain
points of the bulTalo which show in tho
head and hump, but their horns are con
siderably longer and sharper. No person
has been known to have been attacked
or iujured by them. They are of a small
stature, not being much larger than a
good-sized Jersey cow, but their heads
aud chests are certainly very fine. It is
a great pity that no trace can be found
of their past history, as they are tho
only baud of wild cattle known to be in
existence in England. Tho present and
past Ear Is ot Tankerville have been of
fered large sums for some of them, but
all oilers have been refused, P. T. Bar
num, amongst others, having offered a
fabulous sum for two or three head for
his circus.
A MERCILESS THUNDERBOLT.
The Wild Horse of the Texas Prai
rie and His Fate.
We were encamped in a valley about a
mile long and half a mile wide—a cove,
you might call it, which was surrounded
on three sides by the walls of tho Guada
lupe Mountains of Texas, and the fourth
side was open to the green prairie which
went rolling away to the east for a hun
dred miles without a break. It was a
bay of a lake—a nook sheltered from
everything but the skies above. It WHS
summer time, and the mountain sides
were covered with green to hide the
ugly rocks; cascades of the purest and
coldest water poured down into the val
ley at intervals, and the carpet which
nature had spread out for our feet was
beyond the handiwork of man. The
grass was about six inches high, of a
dark green, and mingled with it in the
grandest profusion were the flowers of
the Western prairie in endless variety,
while here and there the grass blushed
with patches of red strawberries.
One morning, when we had been in
camp about a week, und just as the sun
was rising out of the prairie and sending
a flood of golden light into the vqjley to
kiss away shimmering dew-drops, we
were startled by a shrill neigh and the
sound of galloping lioofs, and we turned
out to behold one of the grandest sights
of prairie life—a wild horse, lie was all
alone, and he had come from the open
prairie to investigate us and treat us to
such an exhibition as only the oldest
plainsman ever saw.
lie was black as midnight—a sixteen
liand coal-black horse, with flowing mane
and tail, a perfect model, with a blazing
white star on his forehead. This star, or
spot, was so white by contrast that we
at first believed it to be some artificial
mark. He came thundering down
straight upon us until about two hun
dred feet away, then he swerved to the
left with a snort of alarm and ran across
the valley. Our horses were hobbled be
hind the tent, and as one of them neighed
a welcome to the stranger he came
galloping back. The sight of human
beings was no novelty to liim. He came
within ahundred feet this time, and then
stopped suddenly and reared up and
snorted and pawed the nir. No one
thought of doing him harm, but every one ,
settled down to enjoy the sight.
Aftej a moment the horse began a cir
cuit about three times as large as a circus
ring. And for half an hour he pranced,
trotted, cantered and galloped as if he
carried a circus rider who desired to
show oil his paces. With head held
proudly erect, with mane flying on the
breeze lie created—with tail sweeping
the flowers as he moved, he presented
such a picture of an ideal horse that we
cheered him again and again. Now he
rushed around the circle he had marked
out as if under the whip and spur of a
jockey —now ambled and danced—now
reared up and shook his head in a play
ful way and challenged us to catch lnm.
Our horses neighed and snorted and
strained at their stout hobbles, anxious
to enjoy his freedom, and one would
have thought from his actions that he
was taunting them with their bondage.
By and by, as we continued to watch
his antics, we became aware that a cloud
was rising off the prairie. It came up,
seemingly from the green grass, no larger
than a man's hand, and even as it
climbed up the horizon it grew in size
very slowly. At sea it would have been
called an "ox-eye," or squall. There
was a dash of rain in it, and it had that
ugly green look which tells of a bolt or
two of lightning stored up to wreak
vengeance upon something. We had no
fear, however, and had turned again to
the horse when he stopped his play and
stood facing the cloud. His head was
held high, his ears worked back and
forth and his eyes fairly blazed with ex
citement as he lifted his right foreleg
and pawed at the glass. Nearer came
the cloud, and the horse uttered a snort of
defiance, wheeled around two or three
times, and suddenly reared up until
we thought he would go over and pawed
the air.
Crash! Crack! There was a flash
which blinded us—a shock that threw
every man to the earth, and for thirty
seconds uo one moved or spoke. Then
we struggled up, confused and be
wildered, to see the gallant horse lying
prone on the grass. We went out to him
and saw he was quivering in the agonies
of death. The white spot on his fore
head had disappeared—scorched and
withered by the thunderbolt which
had aimed for it and found the target.
We could have shot him down as he
gambolled in front of us, but we would
not even raise a stick to frighten him.
The thunderbolt had been merciless—
and more; it had selected one of
nature's noblest type of animal life for
its victim and smote him down at one fell
blow.—[M. Quad, in The World.
How Paris Is Governed.
In summing up, let me commend the
simplicity of the organization of French
municipal government. The people elect
a council, varying in numbers according
to population upon a scale fixed by
general law. In all but the large places
tho council is elected upon n general
ticket. The important cities are usually
divided into sections, or large wards, to
each of which several councilors are
assigned, and the ward chooses its coun
cilors upon a general ticket. The coun
cilors hold office for four years, and all
retire together—being, of course, eligible
for re-election. The English and Ameri
can system of partiul renewal annually
or biennially is contrary to French habits
and ideas. The council names the
mayor, and also his executive assistants,
from its own membership. Tho mayor
is the presiding officer of tho council, as
well as the executive head of tho munici
pality. ilis adjuncts, or executive as>is
tants, are designated by their fellow
councilors. In large places these number
ten or twelve, and they have no executive
duties except such as are specially as
signed to them by the mayor. The
couuoil holds four ordinary sessions
every year, each of which may last for
fifteen days, while the one iu which the
annual budget is discussed may last for
six weeks. But the mayor may call
extra sessions at any time, and he is
obliged to convene the body upon request
of a majority of tho councilors. The
council appoints consultative committees
which meet ad libitum between sessions,
with the mayor as nominal chairman of
each, while one of his adjuncts is more
usually the actual chairman. The mayor
has the appointing power, and names
the minor officials ol the commune, sub
ject iu some coses, however, to the
approval of the prefect of tho depart
ment. 'With the advice of the council,
and under the surveillance of the depart
mental authorities, the mayor executes
the business of the commune. The
council has a large authority in the levy
ing of taxes, authorization of public
works, provision of education, etc., but
in most of these things its decisions must
be approved by the higher authorities.
[The Century.
Boston is erecting the first American steel
bark.
IRRIGATION IN THE UNITED
STATES.
What Baa Dn Acooinpllaliwd—Wonderful
Pomit bill tins tit tho Futurn.
It is only twenty-ono years since irri
gation on a large scale first was at
tempted in this country. In 1870 the
Greeley Union Colony was founded in
Northern Colorado on a barren plain
and an experimental system of ditch
ing was begun in imitation of the irriga
tion fields of Utah Territory. Now
from 1,500 to 2,000 carloads of potatoes
a year are shipped from Greeley. At (
the same time was founded the City
and Colony of Riverside in Southern
California, now the center of the
Pacific coast orange culture, the value
of ita shipments last year being nearly
$2,000,000. The next year saw the
foundation of the Fresno Colony in
Central California, which started the
raisen industry and produced last year
some eighteeeu million pounds of fruit.
The success of these undertakings has '
been due entirely to artificial irrigation. 1
Their success led to similar ventures
throughout the area west of the Rocky
Mountains, and to-day the Secretary of
Agriculture report# that in Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Western
Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mex
ico, Oregou, South Dakota, Texas,
Utah, Washington, and Wyoming over
thirteen million acres are under ditch—
that is, subject to irrigation—and over
7,000,000 acres are actually irrigated.
The stupendous and sudden change
in the methods of agriculture is revo
lutionizing the conditions of life and
society on the Great Plains and in parts
of the Western slopes. On the Great
Plains cattle ranching is giviug place to
grain raising, and along the Pacific
Srain raising, as in the wheat growiug
istrict of California, is giving place to
fruit farming. The large holdings
taken up by'ranchmen and by farmers
of the last generations are now subdi
viding rapidly into small farms of from
ten to 100 acres, for the soil of even the
most barren valleys of the Great Amer
ican Desert is rich in phosphates, and
when irrigated produces on the same
area double the grain raised from lands
naturally moistened, and crops of roots
and vegetables from five to tea fold
greater, while in parts they are unex
celled for the growth of semi tropical
fruits, such, as olives, oranges, grapes,
figs, prunes, as well as hemp and
tobaoco. Such small farms are spring
ing up in New Mexico, on the staked
plains of Texas, and on the desert lands
of Arizona, especially in the Valley of
Salt! River. In California the change
has already produced important ef
fects, as is shown by the enormous gain
in population in the last decade of the
eleven counties most interested in irri
gation. This increase is counted at
753 per cent., as compared with 39 per
ceut. for the State at large.
Nothing more is needed to show that
irrigation is both practicable and pro
fitable. It is noteworthy, however,
that in Gallatin County, Mont., I°">
bushels of oats have been raised to the
acre, and near He'ena 113 bushels of
wheat, on land irrigated by ditches
from mountain streams; and in the An
telope Valley, which is part of the no
torious Majavo Desert of California,
wheat was harvested in 1890 that took
the prize in competition with all South
ern California. Similarly in Eastern
Washington, in Idaho, and in Montana,
the most valuable frnit land is in the
districts that depond for fertility abso
lutely on irrigation.
Throughout the rainless region the
Bources of water supply are various and
ample. Wherever there are mountain
streams the process is simple; the
streams are dammed and their water 1
stored in large reservoirs. Where
rivers flow through sandy or gravelly
plains, tho saturated gravel adjacent to
the banks is Rapped by so-called sub
canals that utilize an indefinite amount
of the soepago from the river.
Where there are neither streams nor
rivers, but opeu valleys passing through
beds of porous soil absorb all the rain
fall from tho mountain, this subsoil
drainage is collected in large ditchee
where the gravel beds meet the praries.
When these methods fail recourse is
had to artesian wells. The liockj
Mountains and the Sierras are like
huge sponges that absorb the rainfall
and deposit it below in porous store
houses that are waiting to be tapped.
Thero is thus a sheet of subterranean
water of incalculable extent moving
•lowly under the desert to the Pacific.
In the Great Plains region there arc
now some 1,400 flowing artesian welle
and four times as many welle
showing artesian pressure, all supplied
by the drainage of the Rockies. Even
ou the outer rim of the terrible Death
Valley there are thirty flowinc wells
Good as Gold
Ro enthusiastic aro thousands of people over tho
benefit* derived from Hood's SarsaporlUa, that they
Ban hardly find words to express their confidence
In and gratitude for this mediclno. "Worth Its
weight in gold" la u favorite expression of those
warns friends.
If you are In need of a good medicine to purify
your blood, build up your strength, cure dyspep
sia, or create au appetite, try Hood's Horsnparilla.
N. B. Do sure to get
Hood's SarsaDarilla
Fold by all druggist*. $1; six for sl. Preparodoaly
bye. i. HOOD & 00„ Lowell, HAM.
IQO Doses One Dollar
limSStidßSl
I'or liiternnl and External I sr.
Stops Pain, Cramp*, Inflsmmntlnn In body or
like tnnglc. Cures Croup. Asi lima, Colds, Catarrh. t noi
era Morbus. Dlarrho-a. Itheumatlsm, Neuralgia, L*""©-
hack, Stiff Jcl::tsuni| Strains. Full particulars free. I rleo
*6cts. iH-t-mld. I. H. JOHNSON & CO.. Dcjton. Mam.
PSIIVSIOZVa - Due All OLIEHt
X disabled. f2 fee for Increase. ex
perience. Write for l aws. A.W Mt< names
BONO. WAHHISSTON. D. C. X CIMCIMSATI. O.
m m ■ AHOIJT Hunt Tennessee'a FINK
■ I I CLIMATE and URKAT itxsouncKS IN
111 | KNOXVILLE SENTINEL; dally 1 ino..
■— ■■ 50c.; weekly 1 yeur, 91; samples 3c
PATE NTS
■ ** ■ fcuiMl ■ W 4<,-uue boak free.
DONALD KENNEDY
Of RoiimMass. says
Kennedy's Medical Discovery
cures Horrid Old Sores, Deep-
Seated Ulcers of 40 years'
standing, Inward Tumors, and
every disease of the skin, ex
cept Thunder Humor, and
Cancer that has taken root.
Price, $1.50. Sold by every
Druggist in the United States
and Canada.
and in tiio Autelone Vftlier are lift T
such wells supplied from the great
Sierras.
The Great American Desert atili
covers not less than 1,000,000 (one mil
lion) square miles. One hundred mil
lion acres are believed to be reclaim
able. The reclaimabie area in Sac
Bernardino County, in California, alon€
is larger than the States of Delaware
and Maryland. Much benefit may bt
expected from the irrigation law*
passed or proposed in California,
Wyoming, Washington, South Dakota,
and Colorado, defining the legal prin
ciples of "water rights," and providing
for their expropriation and ownership
by public bodies.
As it is, the entire dependence of
land values upon water throughout a
great part of the country insures tiia
rapid extension of irrigation by private
enterprise. Already in Nebraska, Kan
sas, Colorado, South Dakota, and
Southeastern New Mexico innumerable
irrigation projects on a great scale are
contemplated or actually begun. From
an economical point of view the busi
ness transacted by such companies is a
natural monopoly in each locality, and
it may be believed that the time may
come when, in the absence of special
legislation, the farmers will hate their
present benefaotors as furiously as many
of them now detest the railroads, and
perhaps with much better reason.—
New York Sun.
Chickens Picked by Electricity.
Can it be possible that wind alone can
completely strip the feathers from a
chicken and not hurt the foul? Never:
but it is possible for electricity to do this.
Place a man or a woman on an insulated
stool so that the electricity will not pass
through the body to the earth, and then
heavily charge the body with electricity
and every hair of the head even u
| woman's long hair, will stand out like
I iron spikes or the sized hair of the
j Circassian show girl. No doubt if the
' electric charge should be increased it
j would drive every hair out of the head,
j nnd this is the reason that so many
( chickens arc stripped by tornadoes.—
[Fort Worth Gazette.
Catarrh Can't be Cured
WITH LOCAL APPLICATIONS, OS THOY CFTOILOT
roach the beat of the dispose. Catarrh is a
blood or constitutional disease, and in order to
cure it 'you Lave to take internal remedies.
Hull's Catarrh Cure Is taken internally, and
acts dirocttv on the blood and mucous sur- 1
faces. Hall's Catarrh Cure is no quack medi
cine. It was prescribed by one of the beet
physicians in this country for years, and is a
regular prescription. It is composed of the
best tonics known, combined with the best
blood purifiers, acting directly on the mucous
surfaces. The perfect combination of the two
Ingredients is what produces each wonderful
results iucuring catarrh, Send for testimoni
als free.
F. J. CHEN ST A CO., Props., Toledo, O.
I Sold by druggists, price 75c.
America has 441 educational institutions
with the right to confer degrees.
CIIILDKEN ENJOY
The pleasant flavor, gentle action aud sooth
ing effects of Syrup of Figs, when in need of
a laxative and if the father or mother be cos
tive or bilious the most gratifying results fol
low its use, so that it i* the best family remedy
known and every family should have & bottle.
Fifty Tennessee farmers will settle in Ne- i
vada.
JflTL' stopped free by Da KLINK'H GRSAI
NKKVE KKSTOKKR. NO fits after lirst day's use.
Marvelous cures. Treatise and $2 trial bottle
free. Dr. Kline. 881 Arch St.. Phila.. Pa.
Bee culture is an important industry in
Southern California. I*3o
Nothing Eise Will Do It.
We have volumes of evidence to prove that S. S. S.
is the only permanent cure for contagious
Blood Taint.
I suffered for Ave years with the 11 then commenced taking Swift's
worst form of blood poison, during j Speciflo (8.8. S.), und in a few months I
which time I was at- was entirely oured.and
tended by the best phy- n f 0 " 1 medidno
siolansl could And, and <T ' S Db. do I attribute my re
tried numbers of proprio- 1 °° very - Th.s was over
tary medicines without B3CCB <Q two ycar * BB °' 8
any beneficial results. I irVINTJI have had no return or
continued to grow worse Is as near infallible as it Is any effects of the dis
all this time, until my possib | e , or a medicine lo be 0880 . ™,I
whole system was do- ekm is to-day as smooth
strayed by the vilo dis- in the cure of Blood poison. anybody's.—William
case, my tongue and Bowers, Covington, 0.
throat having great hdlcs caused by it | IF" Books oh Blood and Skis Diseases fkoo.
THE BWIFT SPECIFIC CO.. Atlanta. Ca.
-cr A * felt neerbe marri e< £
®ar Advice
bo US g POLJ 0; 11" is cdr
caJte oj-scouring soap,
used/-or cleaning purposes
I asked a maid if she would wed,
And in my home her brightness shed;
She faintly smiled and murmured low,
■ T3IBOV REMEDY FOR CATARRH -Best. Easiest to use.
cheapest. Relief Is immediate. A cure is certain. For
Cold in the llead It has 110 equal.
■ It is an Ointment, of which n small particle Is applied to the
nostrils, l'rlce, oOc. Sold by druggists or sent by mail.
Address. E. T. Hazrltink, Warren. Pa. ■■■
BEST /Qi Il°P l L H0 ! LDER '
livi ft\ l S ' t " >>)lu A^ c " postpaid.
KXt.I.E <JI'N C-O.t Hnileton. I'a. Ntmp taken.
CANVASSERS WANTED,
jeffffll BAKER AND ROASTER.
improved and must
HIIKAIV and"('AKK BAKING? Six
>l. K <■ n iir A wiilo-d"!
FRAZERAfhI
BEST IN THE WORLD U 11 b HO C
ry Oof th.' Q"n1li'. Sold KvprrxrhorA.
|IE NS S ONw 1 ", "iu, n?."',":
■ 3Trainlut war. 16a<\JudioaMiicc!aiina. attT alnno.
UAV ECU CD CURED TO STAY CURED.
If Ml |C 1 Lit We want the name and aJ
dressof every sufferer in the
O ACTUM A U.S. and Canada. Address,
<SL nu I nlflH P.HaroldHyei,M.D., Buffalo,H.T.
fulfill VVKAK, MtIIVOUS, WIUCTCHKD mortals
XII ill well and keep well. Health Helper
WiWlw telle how. 50 eta, n year. Sample.oop/
tree. Dr. J. U, 1) YE. fiOJtor. UttSalo. >\ Y. „
Stamped oat
blood-poisonn of every name and
nature, by Dr. Pierce's dolden Med
ical Discovery.
It's a medicine that starts from
the beginning. It rouses every or
gan into healthy action, purifies and
enriches the blood, and through it
cleanses and renews the whole sys
tem. All Blood, Skin, and Scalp
Diseases, from a common blotch
or eruption to the worst Scrofula,
are cured by it. For Tetter, Salt
rheum, Eczema, Erysipelas, Boils,
Carbuncles, Sore Eyes, Goitre or
Thick Neck, and Enlarged Glands,
Tumors, and Swellings, it's an uoe
qualed remedy.
Don't think it's like the saraapa
rillas. They claim to he good for
the blood in March, April, and May.
" Golden Medical Discovery " works
equally well at all seasons. And it
not only claims to do good—it
guarantees it. If it doesn't benefit
or cure, in every case, you have
your money back.
You pay only for the good you
j get.
"August
Flower"
The Hon. J. W. Fennimore is the
Sheriff of Kent Co., Del., and lives
at Dover, the County Seat and Cap
ital of the State. The sheriff is a
gentleman fifty-nine years of age,
and this is what he says : "I have
'' used your August Flower for sev
'' eral years in my family and for my
"own use, and found it does me
'' more good than any other remedy.
" I have been troubled with what I
" call Sick Headache. A pain comes
'' in the back part of my head first,
" and then soon a general headache
'' until I become sick and vomit.
" At times, too, I have a fullness
" after eating, a pressure after eating
"at the pit of the stomach, and
'' sourness, when food seemed to rise
'' up in my throat and mouth. When
'' I feel this coming on if I take a
" little August Flower it relieves
" me, and is the best remedy I have
" ever taken for it. For this reason
'' I take it aud recommend it to
" others as a great remedy for Dys
"pepsia, &c." ®
G. G. GREEN', Sole Manufacturer,
Woodbury. New [ersey, U. S. A.
They said T was consumptive, sent rne to
Florida, told mo to keep quiet, no excite
ment, and no tennis. Just think of it!
One day I found a little book called 'Gnidft
to Health,' by Mrs. Pinkhain, and in it I
found out what ailed mo. So I wrote to
her, got a lovely reply, told mo just what to
do, and I am in splendid health now."
LYDIA E. PINKIfAM'ScXS,™.
conquers all those weaknesses and ailmcuta
so prevalent among women, and restores per
fect health.
All Druggists sell it as a standard arti
cle, or sent by mail, in form of Pills of
Lozenges, on receipt of SI.OO.
Pt.kh.m'. book, •• fluid* to U | c
lirautlf.il; Illu.traUd. tml on rerrlpt oflwo t*. Uanpt,
Lydia E. Pinkham Med. Co., Lynn. Mjm.