Southern Illinois Record

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The Southern Ilunois Record
A Good  Newspaper is a  Power in  the  Ilninc.  School,  State and  Nation
VOLUME V.
FLORA, ILLINOIS, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 14,  1916
NUMBER 12
A HUSTLER
FOR BUSINESS
ALSO   A    BOOSTER   FOR   FLORA
J. Bowman's Practical Business
Methods  Has Made for Him
a Decided Success
In making our usual rounds Mondaj we had occasion to call on J. Ilow¬ man, our ever busy hardware mer¬ chant. Upon entering this store we could readily see that there had been something doing. The place resem¬ bled a veritable Christmas palace—a toyland and gift enterprise and prop¬ erly decorated for the occasion. We found everything in this place suited to please the most fastidious. On the east side of the store Is the most complete toj-shop In the city, every¬ thing for tlie hearts desire for the little folks. While to the right the shelving is lilled wltli presents—gifts for everybody and on the other side Is the 5 and 10 cent counters tilled with useful articles. It is a feast for the eyes to visit such a place, and It can be well said that the proprietor Is nothing If not up to snuff in pre¬ paring for the holiday trade in the way of making an attractive looking place.
The subject of this sketch has been In the hardware business in Flora ever since being mustered out of the Spanish American war and through his hustling abilities and ever-stay¬ ing qualities has made a decided busi¬ ness success. Not only In a business way has Mr. Bowman become a prom¬ inent figure In Flora but In the way of being a booster, and bsing a mem¬ ber of the Commercial Club has done much good for our city. He has been an untiring worker for the upbuild¬ ing of tbls city and a citizen of whom we should ail feel proud.
Mr. bowman has one of the most complete systems of conducting his business affairs of any one in the city. He has a daily accountant sheet, showing his dally receipts, what he has paid out, wliat he has In the bank, and what he is worth. To these methods he attributes his suc¬ cessful business.
We note some personal letters written Mr. Bowman from the Sim¬ mons hardware company and one especially In which contains the fol¬ lowing, in part:
"Your business course and success proves whst can be done when a man goes at it right and follows It up with enthusiasm and push as you do. We have thousands of customers that I wish could see your ways and meth¬ ods."
Another letter praised Mr. Bow¬ man for his staying qualities and in letting well enough alone, also for re¬ maining in Flora.
Holiday purchasers will profit by reading Mr. Bowman's page ad. else¬ where in this Issue.
PRIZES GIVEN AWAY SATURDAY
At Scudamore Bros. Big Stores. Winners of Presents
The pri7.es won in the contest re¬ cently closed at Scudamore Hros. big store were awarded Saturday. Miss Susie Frederick of this city was the winner of the pony, buggy ^nd har¬ ness. This was one of a series of popular contests given by the abo%'e tirm, which was sutisfactufy to all concerned.
The winners of the other prizes and the names of the arllcles given away are as follows:
J. Billy Harned, oak folding bed.
Irene Colelasure, oak chiffonier.
Chas. Shunk, book case.
Clay Baylor, Alice Simpson, Otis Pearce, Florence Harper, Dora Wolfe, Ciiester Ruger, Alice Wiseman, Wan¬ da Klrby, Wilbur Dunnigan, Tearl Noblltt, each a large oak rocker.
FRUIT GROWING IN A COMMERCIAL WAY
POSSIBILITIES or FRUIT INDUSTRY
Fresbyterian Bazaar
The Ladies Aid of the Presbyterian church held their annual biizaar ami oyster supper Tueseay afternoon and evening. There was a great call for the fancy articles and home made candy. The Sunday school room was decorated and at the close to tlie great dviiglit of the ladtes the pre.si- flent :itin'iu'i.:-'! •"'.!"•
In  Southern Illinois As Seen By A State University Agri¬ cultural Worker
As a result of proper management, with the scientific niethcxls of prun¬ ing, spraying and cultivating a great many of the old neglected orchards of Illinois are made to produce profit¬ able crops.
We have in mind a twenty-acre orchard in Clay county, leased by a party having had agricultural work at the State University and seeing the possibilities of the fruit industry In southern Illinois has taken up fruit growing in a commercial way.
The orchard was planted out to several commercial varieties, such as Ben Davis, Jonathan and Maiden Blush and had not been cultivated, sprayed or pruned for years and like¬ wise liad not produced any fruit.
Tlie first season all dead and dis¬ eased limbs were removed, thus get¬ ting rid of many sources of infection from canker blotch, bitter rot and blight.
All the under growth, such as blackberry bushes and rubbish, that might give hibernating Insects a chance to live over winter was cleared out and burned.
This was followed by a thoro culti¬ vation with a disc and spike tooth harrow, which liberated plant food, which was available for producing new growth.
The summer sprays were applied at the proper time witli the proper ma¬ terials and altho no greut amount of fruit was prtKluced the first year the trees were in a much better condition, having put out new growtli and in¬ creasing the fruiting surface by at leust one-fourth that before any treat¬ ment was given the orchard.
The fruit harvested paid tlie ex¬ pense of the orchard forthe Hrst year, while previously it liad not produced u bushel of marketable fruit.
Some summer pruning was done the following yeur, the orchard cultivated and a thoro spraying given, which gave the trees new life; they soon responded tb this treatment and pro¬ duced UOO barrels of marketable fruit.
But there were still some draw¬ backs to this orchard, the trees had been planted 25x25 feet and when they reached the age of from twenty to twenty-two years It was found to be planted too close.
To remedy this, starting diagonally every other row was removed. This gave a chance for the sunlight to get to the insids of the tree, more room to get between the rows with a sprayer, and gave the trees a chance to spread out and produce new growth.
This combination of opening out centers and removing some of the trees from such orchards gives very good results In a short time.
It Is certain that sunlight aids the leaves to function properly and also aids in the colorir.),' of the fruit.
The fruit nn tills or:-!'ird the past two years has been of excellent qual¬ ity and has brought the highest prices.
This orchard is located wllhin haul¬ ing (Mstance of one of the .storage p;ai;tb of the Ebner Icu aiiil Culd Storage Co. Flora, III., where the late varletie,s have been   sirred each year.
The Weather
The weatlier in Clay county Is quite cold, there having been a de¬ cided drop in the temperature, ch?.nglng from autumn breezes to that of genuine old time winter, which came rather sudden, catching mmy of us napping, wondering what we liad done with our summer wages and if there wasn't a shortage In our coal bins. It arrived here "I'ueaday, but the weather was not severe unlll Wednesday when she swooptd down up^m us with a vengeance, the ther¬ mometer hovering around the zero mark As we go to press we are hav¬ ing a fall of the beauliful which bids fair to be a big snow. However, the weither is moderating.
Esq. M. S. Dickerson was taken quite ill Sunday wlilie in his ortlce with a severe attack of indigestion. He wa^ liken home by Dr. Kair"liiid and medii';i| .aid adiiiinfstrred. How¬ ever, he rccovKren rapidly and is able
CHRISTNAS
(Copyrlifht.)
DEMENTED MAN RUNS AMUCK IN FLORA
Caused   Consternation  In West Flora Last Thursday Night
E. C. Hutton, a well-to-tlo farmer of near Cairo, Nebraska, but formerly a citizen of Clay county, run ^uck liere Thursday. He had come to Flora on the 12 p. m. train from St. Louis and had lost his mind on the way. When alighting from the train lie at first noticed that the de¬ pot had been moved and thought that his house had been burned. He then wandered further into the west part of the city and would look at the electric lights, thinking they were torches and that he was going to bc burned. He liad walked inlo a couple of liouses in tlie west end, and aroused the occupants from their peaceful slumbers, who became frightened, and securing assistance from some of the railroad employes, the demented man was brought down town and placed in the city basilic. He had about t78 in his possessiun and he threw It on the tloor and told those around him that they might as well take it all as he was being robbed anyway.
Tlie unfortuuate man came to him¬ self Saturday morning and talked quite rationally to Mayor George Price, wllh whom he had went to school with before leaving Clay coun¬ ty, and with several others who knew hlm when a boy. His son, Sidney Hutton, arrived Sunday morning and relurned to Nehra.ska with him Mon¬ day afternoon.
A Flora physician, who attended him, state that his condillon was broght about by a ba