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COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE. HEM'SV LKFTEHS FHOM OUR SPE? CIAL CORRESPONDENTS. an* of Interest Prom all Parts of Saiutcr and Adjoining Counties. HOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. Mall your letters so that they will Ml this office not later than Tues m<>rnlng. When the letters are Hved Wednesday It is almost an iposslbillty to have them appear in ? paper Issued that day. PISGA1I. Plsgah. Feb. 13.?We are having a of winter and spring altogether. The rain last week and this morning, will stop plowing for a few days. Rev. T. D. Cole went to West Wa? laree last Friday to preach, and from there to Columbia to preach on Sun Senator Clifton's explanation in the its as published In the State Is plain why he did not heartily aapport the bill to repeal the lien law. He bad many senators with him on same line, f am Indebted to Andrew Carnegie Taft s New York address on "The Baaith and the National Government." Stripped of Its verbiage It means this, "You of the South surrender your principles and vote the Republican ticket, then you can come In as part as* the national government otherwise you cannot." I wonder If Mr. Taft in an sap-headed as to bellev) that any true Southern man can be caught In net. It is true that some here will irrender everything for the loaves td Ashes like Judas of old. but not 1 Why don't he try to break up solid North In the Interest of the waole country. Oh. no! They are always right and we are always tag. Mrs. sallle Brown died at her home last Monday night and was at Plsgah church on Wednee qr morning. From the best information to bej she had passed the contury mark years ago. snd literally died old age. She had long been a tsoamber of Piagah church, and her tor. Mr. Cole, In his funeral dla over her spoke of her age. HI ism won was vsry appropriate and line, cans had long been one of the shut-In band, and was universally liked by The Semi-Weekly Watchman and Sawthron gives Ita patrona good and ssalck news service and Is highly ap? preciated. Nearly everybody takes paper here. * Today Is Waahlngton's birthday, manhood of the country has wo tally degenerated since his day and Two of our old citlsena. Mr. A. B. Hat fie Id and Mrs. E. A. Ives hve been quite unwell for sometime. Rev. 8. B. Hattield. Jr.. filled the pulpit of Swift Creek and Plsgah -ahurches on Sunday and preached wood sermona at both churchea. Mr. Hatneld bida fair to take a high stand as the mlnlatry. Today Is the birthday of our ea tesraied fellow cltlaen. Mr. H. H. Sr. Hla many frlenda wfah for many happy returna of the eame. Charlie Josey of Bethany and Bob ibert of Providence, were here Sasday If certain bright eyes lived somewhere else we would not aee faesn so often. Come again boya. ^Murray McLeod of Sumter and sls tsr. Miss Adele and Miss Jenntnga were east at Plsgah church yesterday. Mas Lena Evans who Is attending St. Joseph's Acadsmy. Sumter, came borne last week to spend a few days. Misses Pearl, Alles and Sadie Rog ars visited Misses Rosalee, Elmer and Abble Evans Monday. DARK CORNER. Dark Corner, Feb. 24.?Mr. Pennie im-, was laid to reat on laat Tuea iy In the presence of a large and ipathetic congregation at Calvary church near Plnewood. He was fun wraliaed by the pastor, Rev. J. N. To? las assisted by Revs. Waters of the Manning raptiet church and Rev. Kl? aas of the Patville church. It was a aald scene to Altness, to see a young saan cut off ao suddenly In the prime af life. Also to aee his aged father and mother sitting at the head of the grave mourning over their child with their white and aged heads gllsten aag In the sunshine What could be snore heart-rending. W? bad SSM sd the largeat rains acre last Monday night that has fal? len In many a day. Farm work haa almost Saal mi ? Stand atill SV? r since on account of th. Innd being so wet. The wut? r h I ran Mr Hugh M McLaurln out mi th.> gpJn Bay. snd he will now move bis saw mill to Wedgefleld In a few d.i.. W. J Anils has l ? ii on the sick list, but Is better thla morning. No atfcer alckness to report. Mra. Emma Mclntoah and daugh tar. Mrs. Joe H. Geddings of Plne? wood spent last Tuesday with Mra. W. J. Ardla. MAX Mas. Feb. la ?Rev. E. P. Huteon preached a splendid sermon before communion services Sunday morn? ing at Xuzareth church. I Kev. Will Truluck happened in Bethel church Sun-lay afternoon and pn-ached. Instead of the pastor, a ? ood sermon to a large and attentive congregation. Mr. and Mrs. Zollie Lynch and Miss Conner of Cowards, Mrs. Tllton, ? ?I Samplt. with her daughter, Mrs. McClam of Lake City, and others t ro in a distance were at Bethel Sun? day afternoon. Miss Annie Brocklnton Is teaching the Bayroad school. ? Miss Mamie Worsham was married to Mr. Frank McFadden last Tuesday Si ?nlng. After a short visit to relatives, Mr. J. D. Burgess returned to Marion Monday. Superintendent Cain spent a night at Mr. A. J. Goodman's recently. John Mac and Chalmers Truluck had fine sport shooting doves one eve? ning last week. Messrs. J. L.. W. G., B. P. and Mar? vin Moore with their families and others, spent last Tuesday with Dr. R. I. Moore and family of Olantn, cele? brating his fiftieth birthday. A resident of Benwheeler, Texas, but formerly of Sumter County writes that he will subscribe for the Watch? man and Southron. He will no doubt be agreeably surprised to find It a first class semi-weekly and at so cheap a rate. Mr. E. R. aoodmdn, Sr., is sick. Township Tax Assessors. The following is an Incomplete list of the township tax assessors for Sumter County. The vacancies on the several boards will be filled by Audi? tor Wilder at the earliest possible date: Concord?R. C. Blanding, Howard Jones. Privateer?S. A. Harvin, W. O. Cain,, H. Drane Tindal. Stateburg?DeS. Bull, W. J. Norris, T. 8. Stockey. Rafting Creek?E. E. Rembert, T. P. Sanders, ? Watson. Providence?R. J. Brownfleld. W. S. Burkett, Marion Dorn. Mayesville?G, W. McBride. Shiloh?S. H. Truluck, A. H. Tru? luck, E. T. Mima. Sumter?H. J. McLaurin, Sr., W. B. Burns. W. M. Graham. Mlddleton?E. E. Aycock, J. B. Crouch, Scrlven Moore. Manchester?W. J. Ardis, M. A. Coulter. Lee County Jury List. Grand Jurors?R. J. Hyatt, Thos. H. Miller, Henry Atkinson, W. E. Lemon. J. W. J. Boykln, Geo. W. Mc Knlght. J. E. Alexander, J. D. Munn, John M. Davis, J. T. Christmas, D. J. Mixon. J. A. Kelley. Petit Jurors?J. E. McCoy, H. L. Skinner. Newton Elmore, Lonnle Fol 10m, R. E. Law, W. C. Rogers, B. A. Sherley, M. D. Davis. H. M. Alexan? der, W. H. Mosingo, W. F. Hancock, W. E. Mathls. S. L. Austin, J. J. Trucs dale, E. G. DesCbamps. L. R. Dixon. S. B. Padgett, E. W. Folsom. J. Hoyt Stuckey. J. R. McFarland, W. A. Gardner, Fletcher Atkinson, R. A. King. T. A. Corbett. A. D. Holman. James W. Grantham. T. N. Grlttln. I. 3. Taughn, J. F. Mosingo, H. B. Fr?? ser. T. H. Josey, J. Furmnn StokcM, | V. M. Pate. W. M. Reid, Jr., J. J. Shaw, Sr., B. S. Folsom. TALK WITH BIUIJANK. Tlie Wizard Tells About the H|iinc!e*? Cactus. While the plant creations of Luther Burbank have made his name a house? hold word throughout the world, very few even of the residents of his adopt? ed state know anything of the "Wiz? ard's" personality. He has no time for the limelight, even If he had the taste, and, as he tells you, he can talk more readily to his llowers than to an audience of people. On rare occa? sions, however, when he emerges from his pleketed grounds for a little jour? ney In the world, to attend a florists'-* convention or what not, he can be persuaded to address a sympathetic company on the subject to which his life Is devoted?the Improvement of plants. A spare man of middle age and me? dium height, with a kindly, clean? shaven face of the "hatchet" typ?-, i shr>ck of Iron gray hair and u stu? dents stoop of the shoulders, Bur bank makes rather on uneasy figure before an assemblage expecting him to be as entertaining jus he can, and he is palpably relieved when, his pre? liminary "ladles and gentlemen" ?pokMi he gives the word to his as? sistant to throw some plant pictures on Uli si r? t?n. Then you can SS? that he Is among his friends and his sp< e h is from the abundance of the loan "You can do anything yotl Hit! with ? plant If you have time enough," he utmrn t ;is ? picture of his thorniest i'lKiiiH pateh at Santa ROM came to vi? w. "Twelve years ago I became impressed with the poitlbllltltf of the opuntia cactus, or prickly pear, as a forage plant, If only the spines and the bristles could be done away with. There exists In nature certain of the i act is tribe which are thornless, but none of these are of suineient size or are rmpid tRough growers to be of practical value to the stock raiser. I had specimens of opuntias sent to me from all over the world, and by se? lection and crossing, raising year af? ter year thousands of new seedlings, only to he grubbed up as unavailing, I at last was rewarded in creating a va? riety absolutely without spines or bris? tles. The original plant from a seed has grown in three years to a height of six feet and is six and one-hall' feet in diamet r. I have half a dozen other spineless varieties and they were all put on the market for the first time last summer, although some dis? honest dealers both here and in Eu? rope have been offering so-called Bur? bank spineless cactus for a couple of years. The thornless varieties cannot be raised from seed, but are propagat? ed only from cuttings, which must first be wilted in the sun for a week or two before they will grow. After that they root anywhere, any end up ?even in your overcoat pocket or on the floor back of the stove." A single leaf of the best variety of the thornless cactus?the Santa Rosa ?was sold for 11,000 to John If. Rut? land of Melbourne, Australia, with the rfght to sell in the Southern Hemis? phere; and one leaf of another va? riety was disposed of to the same Au? stralian horticulturist for $500. ^But the forage proposition," con? tinued Mr. Burbank, Ms by no means all there is to cactus culture. The fruits have wonderful possibilities. Many of my helpers may prefer 'pear' to apricots or peaches, and I myself find it delicious. There is great variety in the taste of the different sorts, and my ambition now is to produce a type that will bear distinct varities of cac? tus fruit, the same as different vari? eties of apples are characterized by different flavors. "Changing the subject now to flow? ers, the famous eschscholtzia, or Cali 'ernla poppy, used to be known only as a yellow flower, but now the florists will sell you a crimson variety. This was six or seven years in the making. I had often noticed Individuals with a bronzy tint on the outside of the pe? tals; but one day I came across one that had a streak of red inside the cup. I saved its-seed, and by the pro? cess of selection finally got a good crimson. It takes five or six genera? tions to fix any new variety. "Speaking of poppies, I was once surprised to get a new red garden poppy as the result of a cross between two white varieties?the common white opium poppy and another. Of? ten I am unable to account for un? looked-for results of my experiments, but in this case the reason was to be found In the tendency of the opium poppy sometimes to produce red flow? ers; and, though the particular flower that I used in this cross was white, the hereditary strain was in Its blood and cropped out in the offspring. "A desideratum in the improvement of plants is to secure new varieties that shall mature more quickly than the original ones. Few people note the fact that different individual plants of the same species often have different rates of growth. You think one blade of blue grass in your lawn grows Just as fast as another, while, as a matter of fact, some produce their seed four or five times as quick? ly as others. It Is the same way with trees. 1 have been working for a . Sod wh'ie to produce a quick-bear? ing ohestnut The ordinary chestnut of the woods may take fifteen years from the seeding stare to the nut bearing r-ta^e, but as a result of my experimenting I have ? specimen tree on my grounds this year* six months old, teat has borne two perfect burrs and each has Its regulation quota of nuts. Now I can glUIOSt promise you chestnuts v.hlle you wait! "Failures? Oh. yes. I have failures. Here is a picture of an Improved prune plum. It excels the old kinds in size and sweetness, but it is a com? plete failure as a prune for the rea? son that the skin, instead of splitting lightly in shallow lines in the 'dip* to which prunes ure subject before dry? ing, cracks wide open like a plum skin in canning. Then there was my cross of the raspberry and strawberry. The? oretically that cross Ought to produce a good new fruit. I succeeded in get? ting between 300 and 500 VigorUB seedlings from the crossing) and they throve well. The plants had the tri? foliate leaves of the strawberry pa? rent, but occasionally they would semi up canes?that was the ras? berry In them. By and by they bloomed, large, perfect flowers, that gaVS every evi? dence of maturing seeds, but not a solitary fruit set upon the. whole plan? tation. It was a BtralghtOUt failure, but somebody will be aide to estab? lish that cross yet. "One Interesting feat tire in plant experimentation is the occasional cropping out of reversions to primi? tive forms now lost through long cul? tivation. This fai t glVSS us a hint as to the original form of some plan's no longsr found Wild. I am Just now running Indian corn"?In his New Bngland way Mr. Burbank calls it in Jun corn?"buck to where It was may be two or three thousand years ggo. Corn, as we know It today, it an arti? ficial product, the result of genera- | tlons or centuries of selection before the white man ever saw it. I have already secured forms with the grain! borne in the tassel, like other gramas, for corn in a grass, "The variation in the leaves of plants make an absorbing Study, and I would like now and then to develop something new in the foliage line, for leaves can be made as beautiful a.s flowers; but there is so much to be done among the ilowers that I am leaving the leaves for tbe present." Luther Burbank's talk is singularly free from egotism. He is absorbed in the love of his subject, and as he touches lightly now on one feature of It, now on another, he Impresses you with the feeling that his work, far from being hard to do, is really very easy. That, however, is the sim? plicity of genius.?Philadelphia Re? cord. The banner given by the State Sun? day School Association for the best organized county was presented to Horry. Mr. Paul Quattlebaum, pres? ident of the association for that coun? ty, received the banner and made a neat speech of thanks. This is the second time that Horry County has won the banner. $109,000 FROM SOUTHERN LIFE. Semlnole Receivers Get Check in Full Settlement of Claims. Columbia, Feb. 22.?Southern Life officials today turned over to the Seminole receivers a check for $109, 000, in full settlement of the Seml nole's claim except a check for some $22,500 which it Is alleged that John Y. Garlington paid over to Heber, who was middleman in the deal. It is understood that this will be settled in court. It is said that the receivers' suit against the Southern Life will be withdrawn. Cuba has had a little mutiny al? ready, the people just beginning to realize how free they are.?Philadel? phia Ledger. The graduating address to the class of 1909 of the University of South Carolina will be delivered by Dr. David Francis Houston, president of Washington University at St. Louis, a distinguished alumnus of the South Carolina college. There Must Be Publicity. It is high time for publicity in the matter of licenses in Columbia. Two or three years ago a.resolution passed council giving the consent of that body to the publication of the license record?those who paid and the amounts paid?but, although the of? fer was made to publish the list in both the morning and afternoon pa? pers for the legal price of one inser? tion in one paper, the charge was considered "too high," and there has been no publicity. When it comes to getting publicity, the municipality is a medicant; It is only when gather? ing taxes and licenses that is is ar? rogant. In reference to taxes and licenses, The State has not "kicked." It is al? ways willing to do its share, and then a good deal more on the side. It has not protested against injustices. But now we are going to demand publici? ty, so that every one will have a bet? ter understanding of the manner in which licenses are imposed and paid. The State was for years required to pay a license for the morning paper and another license for the semi weekly paper, a license for a job office and another license for a bind? ery, which is part of the job oiHce. But we make no protest. This year a change has made as to job offices, and the license tax is levied on the volume of business. In order that this tax may be paid, a sworn statement of the cash re? ceipts for job work for the year has been made by The State Company ? fifty-seven thousand dollars. Tne license for the conduct of the morning newspaper has been raised from $100 to $150. Separate licenses are paid for two branches, besides the job department. Those amounts refer to "licenses." The taxes upon The State building and contents are, of course, quite sep? arate, and amounted for the last year to $1,579.68. In this connection, we wish to make a point which is not appreciated by Columbians: The State Company pays out In this city?chietly in wages and salaries?twenty thousand dol? lars a year more than its entire gross income from Columbia for advertis? ing, subscriptions and job work. It is one of the few newspaper enterprises In the country that, in the direct course of its own business, brings new money Into the town Of publica? tion. Tins.- ftgtirei are mentioned, in the first place, to show that those making holiest return! for licenses and taxes. nr?' entitled to have others do like? wise', and the only way of knowing what others are doing, Is through publicity. And they are mentioned. In the second place, to show that The State is directly holding up its end of the line in Columbia. THE PREMIUM LIST. -o Solicit Subscriptions for the Twice a=Week Watchman and Southron. Valuable Prizes to be Given for Work in Spare Time?Number of Prizes Unlimited. The Watchman and Southron which has been the family newspaper of Sumter County since the days of your grand-parents is now published twice a week?Wednesday and Saturdays?and is the biggest and newsiest county paper published in the State of South Carolina. The price remains th% same as when it was published once a week only?$1.50 a year. At this price the Watchman and Southron is the cheapest and best family paper within the reach of the people of Sumter and adjoining counties. It gives twice a week the local, County, State and general news in a condensed and readable shape, as well as many timely special articles on farming, household and other topics. Mr. E. W. Dabbs, President of the Sumter County Farmers' Union will have editorial direction of a special department devoted to Farmers' Union News and Farming, that will be particularly interesting. The Watchman and Southron should go into every home in this section of the State, and those who are not now subscribers can easily be induced to subscribe. As an inducement to those who have spare time 10 solicit subscriptions for us we are offering a number of valuable premiums for lists of new subscribers and we want agents in every neighborhood in Sumter, Lee and Clarendon Counties. ALL. PERSONS who desire to do so, whether they live in Sumter County or elsewhere, are cordially invited to act a* subscription agents. All will be entitled to participate in the competition, will be paid for their work in pre? miums, commensurate in value with the value of the work performed or in cash, as they may prefer. The price of Subscription is $1.50 a year, or 75 cents for six month*?and may be sent in one, two or more at a time, with or without the cash, to suit the convenience of the agent, but for an old name to be connted for a pre? mium the subscriber must pay up all arreage and one year in advance. HERE ARE THE PREMIUMS. FOR THREE NAMES?A Red Midget Stylo Fountain Pen; a two Blade Pocket Knife, or an Ingersoll Watch. FOR FOUR NAMES?A Fountain Pen with 14k solid gold pen; a Three Blade Pocket Knife or one year's subscription to either of the following Maga? zines; Bohemian, Metropolitan, Argosy, Cosmopolitan or The Delineator. FOR FIVE NAMES?A Diamond Point Fountain Pen, a year's subscrip? tion to either of the following Magazines: McClure, Murisey or Woman's Home Companion, Saturday Evening Post, or a Stem-Winding Nickle Watch. FOR SIX NAMES?A Waterman's Fountain Pen; Cteia-Winding Nickle * Watch; a year's subscription to Ladies Home Journal or Review of Reviews; a fine Razor; Pocket Knife; Baseball Mitt; or Ball and Eat. FOR EIGHT NAMES?A Guaranteed Stem-Winding Open Face Nickle Watch; a fine Razor; Catcher's Mitt; A Waterman's Fountain Pen; a Teach? er's Bible. FOR TEN NAMES?Single-Barrel Breech-loading Columbia Shotgun; Gold mounted Waterman's Fountain Pen; Guaranteed Stem-Winding Nickle Watch, either polished or oxydized case; a fine Catcher's Mitt, or any other article of equal value. FOR TWENTY NAMES?Ten Year Gold Case Trenton Watch; Hopkins & Allen 16-shot Repeating Rifle; Single-Barrel Special Breech-loading Shotgun; a fine Toilet or Washstand Set. FOR THIRTY NAMES?20 Year Gold Open Case Elgin Watch; 22-Calibre Winchester Repeating Rifle; Double-Barrel Shotgun, or any other article of equal value. FOR FORTY NAMES?Union Arms Co., Double-Barrel Hammerless Shot? gun; 82-calibre Winchester Repeating Rifle; 20 Year Gold Case Elgin or Wal? tham 7 Jewel Watch, or any other article of equal value. FOR FIFTY NAMES?Ladies Solid Gold WTatch, 2 0 Year Gold Case Elgin or Waltham 7 Jewel Gentleman's Watch; Hopkins & Allen Double-Barrel Hammerless Shotgun. FOR SEVENTY-FIVE NAMES?$35 Ithica Double-Barrel Hammerless Shotgun; a New Ideal Sewing Machine; a 20 Year Double Case Elgin or Wal? tham Watch. FOlt ONE HUNDRED NAMES?A Smith or Fox Double-Barrel Hammer? less Shotgun; a New Home Sewing Machine; a Solid Gold Waltham or Elgin Watch. TERMS AND CONDITIONS. THE CONTEST BEGINS NOW and will come to a close on June 1st. at 6 o'clock p. m. sharp. Bach agent will be held individually responsible for the payment of the amount due on all names returned by him or her. Where it is desired to stop a subscription before the close of the Club contest, the Agent may do so by paying the amount due at the time of such stoppage. Where u subscription has been paid in full, it cannot be discontinued. The Agent however, may, if he sees proper, transfer the unfulfilled portion of the subscription to another subscriber, provided the person to whom the transfer is to be made was not a subsciber at the time the original name was entered on our books. No name will be counted in competition for a premium until the subscrip? tion price has been paid, nor will any premium be delivered until the Agent has either paid or made satisfactory settlement for all the names sent in by him or her. In cases of contention by two or more Agents over the right to a name, preference will be given to the one who pays for the name FIRST; but where both pay.we shall not attempt to decide the matter except by crediting the name for one year for each such pagaaaaa, After a name has been entered on our books, no transfer will be permitted. This is positive and emphatic, and where Agents attempt to make such trans? fers, they must concede our right to take such steps as may seem necessary to protect the fairness of this provision. The Agent who returns names must pay lor them. Any and all Agents will have the right to Oat Sub>cril>ers Wherever They Can. It is not necessary that all the names shall go to the same poetolfice address, ah subscriptions must be forwarded to us at the expense of those sending them, and we will be responsible for the safe transmission of money only When it is sent by Draft. Registered Letter. Kxpress or Postotlice Money Order. In sen ling names. Always give correct name or Initials, ami present po*t? ofBce address, and if possible say whether the subscribers are now taking the papsr. Careful observance of this will be the means of avoiding much trouble and confusion. OSTEEN PUBLISHING CO., 18 W. Liberty St. Sumter. S. C. 1