62 



Cleaninn in B«e Culture 



Well, I have told you so many doleful 

 stories about getting no eggs in summer and 

 fall in Florida that I am glad to give you 

 one on the other side. My old friend and 

 neighbor, Mr. Raub, who did not commence 

 with chickens until past SO, came back here 

 in October; and (hiring November, when no- 

 body else was getting any eggs, he got 700 

 by actual count in that one month, from 

 50 laying hens. He and his chickens are 

 not only good friends, but they are well 

 "acquainted." 



OIIB AUTOMOBILE WHEN WE GOT BACK IN 

 NOVEMBER. 



I mentioned, as we were about going north 

 last spring, the trouble with the coil to our 

 machine. Well, after standing idle for six- 

 months during the summer time, it started 

 off at almost the first turn of the crank, but, 

 of course, it had the same trouble when 

 starting as when we left in the spring — that 

 is, on account of the defective coil it " limp- 

 ed " a little before it got warmed up. Sears, 

 Roebuck & Co., however (according to agree- 

 ment) , had a new coil here almost on our 

 arrival; and when this was put in place of 

 the old one it worked so perfectly that it is 

 really not only "a thing of beauty" but a 

 wonderful convenience in taking Mrs. Root 

 and myself wherever we want to go. Dur- 

 ing the spell of hot weather just at the close 

 of the old year, some of our inner tubes in 

 the tires began to play out, it is true; but 

 they were just about a year old; and standing 

 all summer in our hot auto house (which is 

 but poorly ventilated) it was very likely not 

 the best place for them. Neighbor Rood 

 suggests that, when they are not in use, rub- 

 ber tires should be kept protected from hot 

 air and from light; and, down here in this 

 hot climate, tliey should be placed in the 

 coolest i^lace possible. The tubes have been 

 repaired; and as w^e are now having cooler 

 weather they will likely do us considerable 

 service yet. Even if they do fail soon, the 

 cost of a set of inner tubes will be but a 

 trifle compared with the comfort and con- 

 venience of having "a horse always ready 

 to go, fast or slow," and no expense except 

 when he is at work. 



FLORIDA FRUITS IN WINTER. 



When we arrived the neighbors told us 

 our .Japanese persimmons had borne a beau- 

 tiful crop of fine fruit; but they got so dead 

 ripe they were able to save only one fine 

 specimen for us by tying it on the tree so it 

 would not drop off. We regretted this, and 

 have since purchased a tree that ripens a lit- 

 tle later in the winter. After we had been 

 here about a week, Wesley informed us 

 there was a bunch of bananas ready to cut, 

 and this great bunch supplied Mrs. Root 

 and myself with the finest bananas I ever 

 tasted, for nearly two weeks. Thev made a 

 most pleasing and welcome addition to my 

 "apple supper," and so far I have found 

 them fully as wholesome as the apples. The 

 variety we grow is called Hart's Choice. 

 'J^hcy are rather smaller than those usually 



found in the market, but they are of a pe- 

 culiar and most delicious flavor. Right 

 close to the door of our auto-house is a large- 

 leaved guava-bush. It is not as tall as I 

 am, and yet it has given us 30 or 40 great 

 fruits as large and as handsome as big beau- 

 tiful pears, and, to my notion, no pear can 

 equal them. Of course, most people have 

 to get used to them; but a guava shortcake, 

 as Mrs. Root makes them (with a duck egg) , 

 is ahead of any strawberry shortcake (for 

 me) that can be made. The bush is really 

 a sight with its branches bending almost to 

 the ground, and one more turning yellow 

 (and dropping off if they are not picked) 

 every day. It is fun to see it putting out 

 new blossoms, and green fruit of all sizes 

 coming on all the while. To save inquiries 

 I am glad to tell you that all the fruits and 

 trees I mention here can be had of the Rea- 

 soner Bro's, whose nurseries are at Oneca, 

 Fla., only four or five miles from our home. 



THE EWING blackberry; DYNAMITE FOR 

 SETTING TREES, ETC. 



Friend Ewing sent me four blackberry- 

 plants to be tested here in Florida; and as I 

 am greatly interested in the plan of making 

 a hole for trees or plants with dynamite, I 

 procured at our hardware store a stick with 

 caps and fuse for 25 cts. ; and by cutting the 

 stick in four pieces we made four holes, or 

 cavities, one for each plant. The charge 

 was put down about three feet, and it made 

 an egg-shaped cavity as big as a bushel bas- 

 ket, pulverizing the soil and subsoil for a 

 much larger distance around, and making 

 a most ideal condition for any plant or tree 

 to grow. It is also claimed that the gases 

 and chemicals liberated will for a long time 

 keep away cutworms and other worms or in- 

 sects that might prey on the tender new 

 shoots. I don't as yet know just how true 

 this may be; but my blackberries have all 

 started to grow beautifully. We have since 

 planted a dozen or more trees in the same 

 way, and so far are much pleased with the 

 plan. 



MORE ABOUT LAEGE FAMILIES. 



I was awfully " beat "' to see that letter published 

 in the Oct. 15th issue. In regard to the boys help- 

 ing me in the mines, the laws of Pennsylvania do 

 not allow boys in the mines under 16 years of age, 

 and the school laws require all under 16 to attend 

 the common schools, and I have 7 going to school. 

 Some of them, I am glad to say, have never missed 

 a day. nor been tardy once in three and four terms, 

 and have received certificates of merit from the 

 county superintendent of schools. I have one boy, 

 16 years old last June, who is quite a help in many 

 ways. This is a poor farming locality. Some farm- 

 ers oflfer a boy 30 cts. a day for 12 to 14 hours' work 

 or longer. With the high cost of every thing, that 

 would hardly pay for clothes and shoe leather. 



You say I suggest that a large family is a hin- 

 drance. I assure you, Mr. Root, such a thought 

 never entered my head. At home with your fami- 

 ly, big or little, is the best place on earth. Such are 

 my thoughts. Children are never taken care of by 

 others as their parents do it. and it does make one 

 do some thinking at times. The happiest men and 

 women in existence (or should be) are they who 

 have good health. I get up at 4 o'clock, and walk 

 a mile to the railroad; travel by rail 15 miles to the 

 mines; enter the mine at half-past 7: leave at 4:10 

 p,M., travel 15 miles back, and get home at six, 

 through all kinds of weather when able to work, as 



