The Westford Wardsman, January 22, 1916
Center. Barbara Fisher, the little second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Fisher, is recovering from severe burns from coming in contact with steam pipes.
Mrs. David Wallace is confined to her home and is under the doctor’s care, suffering from rheumatism after a severe cold. Mrs. Alice Lambert is assisting in the household.
Mrs. Phonsie Isles and Mrs. Hilda Isles have the sincere sympathy of their wide circle of friends in the latter’s continued serious illness.
Mrs. John McIntosh and an operator from Lowell are attending to the duties of the telephone exchange.
The junior class of Westford academy will give a dance at the town hall on Friday evening of next week. Gray’s orchestra will furnish music, and Miss Marion C. Moreland, a former popular teacher of the academy, will be the soloist of the evening.
Richard Galusha, the little two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Galusha, died very suddenly last Sunday after a short illness. The body was taken to Nashua, N.H., for interment. Mr. and Mrs. Galusha have only recently come to Westford to live and the sympathy of the community goes out to them in their affliction.
The annual town meeting will be held Monday, February 14.
Frank C. Wright, who has been the R.F.D. carrier since the introduction of the first route twelve years ago, sent in his resignation to take effect on February 1. The increased work of the route and not robust health have influenced Mr. Wright’s decision to give up the work. The salary is about $1200 a year and of late years the work has been done a greater part of the year by automobile.
Much sickness has been prevalent among the children in town. Among the children who have had acidosis are children in Dr. Blaney’s family, two children in the Arthur Day family and also the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hamlin. Mr. and Mrs. Harold W. Hildreth’s baby son, Richard, who has been sick all the week with the disease, is improving.
Home-makers’ Course. The home-makers’ course in the extension school at the town hall this week has occupied the attention of as many of the progressive women of the town who were able to avail themselves of its opportunities. The many households having sickness have necessarily affected the attendance somewhat. The enrollment in the women’s classes has been over fifty with additional attendants for separate sessions, as well as the attendance of academy students on different days.
Miss Laura Comstock and Miss Marie Sayles, who have been in charge of the lectures and demonstrations, have proved themselves very capable and likeable experts in their special work and have won many grateful friends during the week. They have taught much to both the older and experienced housewife and to learners and beginners, and acted as the best kind of incentive to real efficiency in the science of home-making and housekeeping.
The lower hall has been occupied for the sessions, and fitted up with its various appliances, has proved an attractive place during the week. At noon, the basket lunch hour, with hot coffee has proved a pleasant feature.
The opening lecture was at one o’clock on Monday afternoon on “Home-making as a subject of study,” followed by a demonstration of interest on “Meat substitutes.” Tuesday morning’s lessons were “Our food stuffs,” “The main workshop of the house,” and a most attractive lecture on “Furnishing the house.” In the afternoon the time from one to three was occupied with a demonstration on “The fireless cooker” and “Vegetables and cereals,” and at three o’clock a talk on “Household appliances.” An extra demonstration at this session was by a representative of the Lowell Electric Light Co.
Wednesday was occupied with “Three meals a day,” “The home fruit garden” and “A sanitary house.” In the afternoon the three fine subjects of “Care and feeding of infants,” “The social life of the country woman,” and “The poultry woman” took up the session.
The closing day gave a demonstration on “Bread and rolls” at nine, followed by a “Round table discussion.” A “joint poultry meeting,” a lecture on “What does the country offer its girls?” and a bread judging finished the week’s lectures and demonstrations.
Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mrs. H. E. Fletcher and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler have been the committee in charge from the Tadmuck club, supplemented by Mrs. S. L. Taylor and Mrs. D. L. Greig from the Grange.
A collection of books covering the various subjects in both the men’s and the women’s classes have been loaned to the J. V. Fletcher library for a few weeks, which Miss Bunce, the librarian, has arranged and supplemented with the many other good ones of the same type already in the library. Miss Comstock said that the collection found in our library of practical home and farm books was the best she had found of any town of its size that she had visited in the state.
Annual Concert and Ball. The Edward M. Abbot hose company held its eighth annual concert and ball at the town hall on Thursday evening of last week. The event was a success in every way, proving one of the delightful social events of the season. The decorations were most effective and appropriate, the stage being banked with green, and overhead on a background of green the letters “W. F. D.” were arranged in large scarlet letters. Below, in front of the stage, the lines of hose belonging to the company were arranged in effective design. A pretty lattice of red paper covered the windows and in the supper room down stairs delicate white and yellow was used in the same way.
Poole’s orchestra, of Boston, gave a fine concert program the first part of the evening and played most acceptably for the dancing following. The grand march was led by Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wright and member of the company followed by about one hundred couples. Dancing continued until two in the morning, with an intermission for refreshments at which D. L. Page Company catered. There was considerable absence of the socalled new dances and many of the old favorites were enjoyed. The bright red shirts of the firemen added a picturesque note of color and many handsome costumes were worn by the ladies. The surrounding towns were well represented in attendance, especially Chelmsford and Littleton, a very pleasant delegation of about [illegible number] coming from the latter town.
The committee who arranged the details so successful consisted of S. B. Watson, Robert Prescott, Wm. E. Wright and Edward Clement.
About Town. A call has been issued by the town committee for a caucus of the republicans of Westford Monday evening, January 31, to nominate candidates for town offices.
The first meeting of the registrars of voters will be held at the selectmen’s room on Wednesday evening, January 26.
Middlesex North Pomona Grange has at last wheeled into harmony with all Pomona Granges in the state and its lecturer, George W. Trull, of Tewksbury, has prepared a printed program. At the next meeting, Friday, February 4, the forenoon session will bring out “Roll call of charter members”; “How to make the most of life,” Mrs. Vickery, of Chelmsford Grange; afternoon, “A trip across the continent to the world’s fair,” E. W. Boutwell, of Andover, with the stereopticon.
At the meeting of West Chelmsford Grange next Thursday evening the lecturer’s hour will furnish Lowell talent, who will entertain with readings and songs, and home equipment will discuss “Who gets the most out of life, the farmer who goes around or the farmer who stays at home?”
Extension School. The Massachusetts Agricultural Extension school opened on Monday afternoon at one o’clock [at Westford town hall]. It opened with enthusiasm on the part of the attendants and snow squalls and roughage on the part of the weather.
Prof. Ralph W. Rees opened the sessions and lined up for fruit, starting with the strawberry. He said the strawberry is one of the youngest of fruit industries in this country. It was not introduced until 1800, and as late as 1850 only fifty acres were under cultivation in this country. At the present time there is 5,000,000 quarts grown annually in Massachusetts and [it] is our third crop in value, apples being first and cranberries second. There are 853 varieties of strawberries in the United States. Some of them will succeed under all soil conditions. The ideal soil is medium loam that will hold moisture by cultivation. For exposure the bed should be protected from strong summer winds [more] than anything else. The southeastern slope is apt to give frost trouble. They thrive best on land planted two years to hoed crops. Matted rows are preferable to the hill system in yield. The rows should be three and a half feet apart and 6 and 22 inches in the row. For fertilizer potash is beyond reach—as a substitute use wood ashes.
For varieties the Marshall is large and handsome, but fussy as to soil. Senator Dunlap, Sample and Clyde are good berries, less fussy about soil and will do for a wide range. Strawberries need frequent but shallow cultivation. Mulch them to prevent heaving by frost. Pine needles are not so good as hay, but make clean picking.
Prof. Frank T. Haynes followed on “Soil fertility.” He said a ton of green corn contains 98 percent of water and the balance is gasses and minerals. Under all soils is a water table which varies in every field. In the upper soil is a film of moisture called capillary water. The tiny roots of the plants feed on the latter, but stand water is a detriment because the roots require heat and air. Fall plowing is preferred to spring because it increases its power to absorb moisture. From shallow plowing to deep plowing should be gradual; don’t increase from four to eight [inches?] in one year. A dust mulch on the top of your garden is the blanket that holds the water in the soil. Too deep cultivation limits the feed area of the roots.
W. F. Turner followed on “The dairy.” He said one-half the risks in buying cattle from outside your neighborhood is the danger of disease. At the U.S. experiment station near Washington, with the last scientific tests made upon cattle brought in, disease developed in six months after purchase. Raise your own stock, it is slow work, but paying work. Heredity, environment and selection are three important factors in raising stock.
The morning session on Tuesday began with a talk on “Cane and bush fruits.” Good cultivation will gain a year in the growth of [a] raspberry plantation. Set canes two to three feet apart with some exceptions at eighteen inches apart. Remove the old canes in the fall. Head back to thirty inches for a larger yield of berries. Good fertilizing is a partial remedy for winter killing. Should be well balanced with potash rather than high in nitrogen. The Cuthbert and St. Regis are red, the latter a full bearing variety. Late berries lack flavor. For raspberry blight cut down; lime and sulphur may check it, but not contract it. As soon as the raspberry patch shows sign of decline cut it down and start anew. The blackberry is not being raised as extensively as fifteen years ago, but the selling price is much higher. The Snyder is a good bearer and hardy for the winter, but its quality has done much to create prejudice against the blackberry and is inferior in all ways to the Eldorado except in hardiness. The Blower berry has blowed around about much, but it is still an infant in expansion and marketing.
We do not lay down our vines at the college and have a very low temperature. Pinch back your vines to the lateral system. In the growing season currants want a soil of moisture and fertility. The Wilder and Perfection are satisfactory varieties. We are more likely to under prune than to over prune. Cut out about one-third of the wood each year so that the bush will renew itself in three years. The best fruit comes from the new wood. For pests, spray as for apples. Use arsenate of lead early in the spring and lime sulphur later.
On “Preparedness of the soil for field crops,” Prof. Haynes said harrow as much as the land needs and then harrow as much more and you will get the nearest to the crop conditions required. Use the straight tooth weeder every week until the crop is six inches high. In some respects the smoothing harrow is an advantage; both make the complete implement.
Prof. Turner was the last speaker in the morning on the subject of “Herd management.” Raise your stock and by the law of heredity. The calf in New England is being sadly neglected. If a farmer can get five dollars for a young calf it is certainly worth more for him to raise. Skimmed milk is the best food.
In the afternoon, speaking on the peach orchard, Prof. Rees said that the fellow who goes into it has got to have some sporting blood in him. Winter freezing, followed by a high temperature, is what is the weather menace to the peach tree. For soil, apple land of high altitude is best; use only one-year-stock; older ones will be slow in starting. Head the tree back and cut off the side branches. Fruit come on one-year-old wood, so pruning should be distributed. Prune heavily in a year of a light crop or damage by the frost. A tree properly taken care of should last twelve years.
Forge Village. The Daniel Gage Ice Company of Lowell, who have been harvesting ice at Forge pond the last ten days, expect to have all icehouses filled and work completed this week. The ice is of good quality and the increasing cold weather has added to its thickness. William Leahy has had charge of the work.
There was no session at Cameron school on last Friday, it being visiting day for the teachers. Miss Pyne and the principal, Miss Forster, visited in Boston schools, while the Misses Garvey and Blaisdell spent the day in schools nearer home.
Charles Flanagan is ill at his home on Central street.
The Misses Delia and Catherine Connell are in Florida, where they are spending the winter.
Mrs. V. C. Bruce Wetmore and Mrs. Hanson Curtiss, her sister-in-law, will spend the next few weeks in Jamaica. On their return journey they will visit Panama.
Peter Delaney, who has been ill with pneumonia, is recovering. Mrs. Delaney is suffering with a severe cold.
The skating on Forge pond has been fair and many lovers of the sport have been enjoying it to the full.
The Y.P.S.C. of St. Andrew’s mission held their regular meeting in Recreation hall on Thursday evening of last week. Miss Ethel Sleeper, of Lowell, gave a cooking lesson. The people of the parish enjoy these meetings and look forward to them with anticipation.
Loyal Self Help lodge, I.O.O.F., M.U., held their regular meeting on Monday evening in Abbot hall.
The John Edwards hose company held a supper in their rooms at the firehouse on Thursday evening which was very much enjoyed.
F. Conture [sic], of Graniteville, while working on the ice on Forge pond, injured his foot and had to be taken to his home in an automobile.
Little Wesley Farrell, who has been very ill at the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Margaret Wilson, is well on the road to recovery again.
Graniteville. Frederick Conture, while at work for the Gage Ice Company at Forge pond on last Saturday, received a severe cut in the leg with an ice hook. He was taken to the home of John Edwards, closeby, where he was attended by a physician and later conveyed the injured man to his home here. He is getting along nicely, although the injury is very painful.
Rev. and Mrs. Alonzo Fite are receiving congratulations on the arrival of twin daughters [Virginia and Vivian], born at the Coram hospital, Lowell, Sunday, Jan. 16. Mr. Fite is the pastor of the M.E. church here.
Many from here went to Forge Village last Sunday to witness the large number of men employed by the Gage Ice Co., harvesting the annual ice crop.
Joseph Wall attended the master painters’ convention that was held in Boston last week, and also took in the sights at the poultry show.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held a sale and entertainment in the church on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and evening that was largely attended. The various tables did a good business in selling ice cream and cake, candy, popcorn, potato chips and useful articles. An excellent entertainment was given by local talent on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday evening a fine program was presented that consisted of readings by Rev. Mr. Pittenger, of Lowell; vocal solos, Mrs. Florence Saxon, and selections by the M.E. church quartet. A neat sum was realized on the event and the members of the Ladies’ Aid feel deeply grateful to all those who helped make this affair the big success it proved to be.
Word has been received of the death of Mrs. Michael Sullivan, who died in Lynn on Thursday, January 13. Mrs. Sullivan was formerly Miss Mary Jane Driscoll of this village. The Driscoll family had resided here for several years and were favorably known. The funeral took place on last Saturday. Burial was in the Driscoll family lot in Lowell.
The management of the Graniteville Baseball club has recently received word from several fast ball players who want to be listed among the Graniteville forces next season. Among the number is a pitcher of great promise who, as the boys say, “has everything.” Graniteville certainly made a great finish last year and hopes to be right among the top-notchers next season.