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About Geyser Judith Basin Times (Geyser, Mont.) 1911-1920 | View This Issue
Geyser Judith Basin Times (Geyser, Mont.), 29 Oct. 1915, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn85053135/1915-10-29/ed-1/seq-2/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
• eieeee eusee S. .....1011111111.130.114. -1.+ •-• • GEYSER JUDITH BASIN TIMES UXMAL,THE CITY' r me XIUS SELECT SEED CORN FROM STALK IN FIELD 1 • • .1 147G - .51 - FACADE OF GOYER/YOR:1 PALACE HE second city in point of size and importance in ancient Yucatan was Uxmal, the capital of the Xiu or Tutu! Xiu family, who ruled there almost down to the time of the Spanish conquest. This city is lo- cated In the midst of a low range of hills, which crosses the state of Yucatan from east to west, and is about 100 miles from Chichon Itza. ,weitere Sylvanus G. Morley in Pan American Union. The derivation of the name Uxmal or Aimee as some of the early historians wrote it, is rather obscure. \Ox\ is the Maya word for three, and \Mal\ in the same language means to pass:\to pass thrice,\ therefore, would seem to be the meaning of the word, though why the nett! Xiu should have applied this name to their emits( is unknown. Ooncerning the foundation of Vernal, the fol- lowing tradition is related by Diego de Lauda, the second bishop of Yucatan. who wrote in the first generation after the conquest, and who claims to have gathered his information from na- tlfes well versed in the former history of their country: After the discovery and occupation of Chichen Itza, which seems to have been the first place of any importance to be settled in Yucatan, cities sprang up everywhere, and there followed an era of great prosperity. How long these dif- ferent cities lived at peace with one another wo are riot told, but in time dissensions arose, and quarrels became so frequent that the different lords of the country found it necessary to take some concerted action in order to suppress vio- lence and to restore order and peace. It was then decided to build a joint capital, where all those In authority should reside, and from which eat* one agreed to administer the affairs of 'us ewn particular domain. Without loss of time these plans were carried out. A Joint capital was built in a new and unoccupied region, and was called \Mayapan meaning \the standard of the Mayas.\ Thither all the lords assembled mid as the final step in the formation of the new confederacy, an overlord, one Cocom. was elected and duly Installed in the new capital as the supreme ruler. These cucuts laid the foundation for an era of prosperity, which endured for many years. Later, after an interval not specified by Lancia In his history, there entered the country from the south an alien people under the leader- ship of their chief, Tutul Xiu. The newcomers, .Previous to their arrival, had wandered for 10 veers In the wilderness without water other than that which had fallen from the skies. This co. Mc/donee of a \40 -years' wandering in the wilder- ness\ Is sufficiently striking to arouse the suspi- cion that the worthy bishop, in this part of his narrative, hag been at some pains to force a piotis coincidence with a similar episode in the - Oki , TeAtitmont. Immediately after their arrival the wanderers began building in the mountains not 39 miles distant from the capital a new home tdr themseltes, which they called Uxmal. Far from being angered, however, by this appropria- tion of his territory so near at hand. Cocotte the ruler of the Mayapan. welcomed Tutul XIU and his people, and entered into an alliance with Thom. Lands thus describes the event: \The people of Mayapan formed a great friend- ship with the Tutu! Xiu, rejoicing to see that they cultivated the land like themselves. In -'' thfts manner- the Tutul Xiu- became subject to the laws or Meyapan. and allied themseivea with the older inhabitants of the country, and their - ord was highly esteemed by all.\ Judging from its site and magnificence the Xiu - - vital must have played a very Important role in the history of Yucatan before the Spanish con- quest, Indeed, Lauda says as much. After a time, we are told, the supreme power -hold by the Comm family seeme to have turned their heads. They became successively more and more oppressive, each striving to outdo his prede- cessors in acts of tyranny and violence. How- ever, there came a day at last when the other chiefs of the confederacy could no longer endure this despotrc rule. and a conspiracy was hatched to overthrow the oppressor. With one accord, eie conspirators turned to the then lord of Lie - anal. a decendent of the original Tutul Xlie who eiad founded the city, as the natural leader in this - iaovement for liberty, in spite of the fact that ere was of foreign descent. Ile is described as eutving been a true friend of the public weal, as -his ancestors before him, all of whom hail held resolutely aloof from the tyrannies of the Cocom family. On an appointed day the conspirators, ' led by the lord of lermal. met at Mayapan. and ' entering the palace of Cocom slew him and all his progeny, save one son only, who happened . la be absent from the city at the time on a mis- , Mon to a dittant province. After this sanguin- ary reprisal, which avenged at one blow the op- .' press ions of many years, the prorty of the dead • 'I (reler was seized and divided among his murder. era. and the capital was destroyed. Whereupon i each chief departed into his own country once .more and the confederacy was dissolved. After . the destruction of Mayapan. the Tutul Xiu abate eloned Urraal and founded a new capital some 30 eA miles distant which they called \Mani.\ meaning .. In Maya \It le passed,\ emphasizing by this name that the old order was over. Thec events or- eurred about the middle of the fifteenth century, 0027/ ON Of FACAPE O 7:HZ - AW4'/YE/kW J* 1 .4:57 JIPZ Gszel 21`7W{ Y O Pm - 1(011.5E OF rim - ohi/IRP —sg or some 70 years before the Spanish first landed in Yucatan; but even after the conquest. the Xius in their now home continued to exercise consid- erable authority over the natives, and their friendly attitude toward the Spanish greatly. fa- cilitated the final pacification of the country. The ruins of Uxmal are best reached today by stage from the little town of Muna, the nearest railroad station. A ten mile drive from the latter place brings one to the hacienda of Uxmal, from which the ruins are about a mile and a half distant. The first view of the ancient city Is to be had from the top of a hill just behind the plantation house. Across the plain a dozen or more imposing structures of white limestone may be seen rising above the dense vegetation which here enshrouds the countryside. Beyond, in the distance, a ragged chain of low mountains cuts across the horizon, each succeeding ridge a deeper blue. But one does not dwell long on the beauties of nature at Uxmal; the habitations of a bygone race claim the attention. Descending the hill again, one takes the road which leads through the bush. The distant tempi/3 and pal- aces s:nk below the tree tops and for aught that one sees of them they might as well be on the other side of the world. After a half hour's walk, during which the ruins never once reappear, the road suddenly makes a sharp turn to the right, and just in front of one, apparently blocking the way, there rises a lofty pyramid, the highest structure in the city. The splendid temple surmounting this, gro- tesquely called the House of the Dwarf or Ma- gician, probably was the chief sanctuary of Ux- mai. The pyramid on which it stands is over 80 feet high and covers nearly an acre of ground. The summit is reached by a steep stairway on its east and apparently back side. The temple however, faces In the opposite direction, or to- ward the Monja's quadrangle, an adjacent group of structures, with which, as we presently shall Bee, it was closely connected. Clear down into Spanish times, long after Uxmal had been aban- doned by her native rulers, this temple was held in particular veneration by the Indians About a century after the conquent. Father Cogolludo. provincial of Yucatan. visited Uxmal and climbed to the summit of this pyramid. He found there. he says, in one of the apartments offerings of cacao and the remains of copal, burned but a short time before. This be thought Indicated that some superstition or idolatry had been com- mitted here recently by the Indians of the local- ity. And again, slightly later In 1673. a petition addressed to the king of Spain Bays: \That the Indians In those places (Uxmal) are worshiping the devil in the ancient buildings which are there, having In them their idols, to which they burn copal and perform other de- testable sacrifice*.\ Long after the conquest, no doubt, the natives continued to practice in secret their ancient rites and ceremonies. particularly at those places which formerly had been sacred or holy to them. It was to some auch survivals of the ancient ceremonial and ritual that the above citations probable refer. The Monjas quadrangle, mentioned above as being adjacent to the House of the Dwarf. Is, in fact, separated from it only by a small court. Tho four low, massive buildings, of which it Is com- posed, are built around the sides of a square. and, with the exception of the house on the south side, all stand on low plat- forms or terraces reached by broad stairways ex- tending across their fronts. The rooms of this group, of which there are upward of 100. are en- tered for the most part by doorways opening onto the terraces which sur- round the court. A few, however, in the South house, open exteriorly with reference to the group. This same side of the quadrangle is further differentiated from the other three, by the pres- ence of an arcade passing through the middle, which leads from the court to the outside. This passage- way doubtless was the main entrance to the group in ancient times, and establishes the direc- tion from which It was approached. The four houses of the Monjas quadrangle differ very greatly in their character. and probably in their function as well, from the House of the Dwarf near by. The buildings of the former stand upon low platforms and have many rooms. The latter, on the other hand. surmounts a lofty pyramid and only has three rooms. The first because of the greater number and accessibility of its chambers is better fitted for UBC as a dwell- ing place for a body of priests than the second. The second, because of its commanding elevation and fewer chambers, is better adapted for use as a place of worship than the first. The close connection between the two types so different and yet so complementary strongly Indicates that the priests, who officiated in the service of the god to whom the House of the Dwarf was consecrated. lived in the rooms of the Monjas quadrangle. The two groups, the lofty pyramid temple and the low multicelled monastery together form a well-balanced combi- nation. Passing out through the arcade of the South house and leaving the Monies quadrangle behind, one descends by three terraces. partly artificial and partly natural, to the level of the plain. A few paces to the south may be seen two large parallel walls, 70 feet apart, each 128 feet wide. 30 feet thick, and about 20 feet high. These two constructions ire the sides of the Vernal ball court—the ends being open. In the center of each at ends directly opposite there had been .fastened originally a great stone ring tour feet in diameter. Both of thece, however, are now broken, and lie in fragments at the bases of their respective walls. Beyond the ball court there is a high terrace or platform, covering over three acres of ground. and rising 23 feet above the plain. This supports a second and smaller terrace. 19 feet high, from which rises the so-called governor's palace --the most magnificent example of ancient American architecture extant today. Behind the governor's palace, and on the tower of its two terraces, is the so-called House of the Turtles. Another very Important building at Uxmal is the House of the Pigeons, so named because of the fancied resemblance of its roof crest, to a dovecot. The structures described above are by no means all that remains of this ancient city Truth is that the jungle on every side for some little distance hides the wrecks of once imposing build- ings. their presence now only to be detected by clumps of vegetation risirg slightly higher than the general level of the plain. These buildings and their substructures have been literally torn asunder by trees which have driven their roots Into them and pried apart the masonry. Creep- ers, vines, and bushes have so overgrown their sides that they look like wooded hillocks. Only on close examination does their real character ap- pear, and it remains for the imagination to re- construct their former glory. But all this ancient life, this great city once teeming with its toiling thousands, is gone. Palaees and temples glisten in the sunlight, with never the tread of sandaled foot echoing through their empty courts nor chant of white -robed priests sacrificing to offended gods. Perchance a bird may flutter through some ruined doorway, chirping for Its mate, or buzzard cir- cling high soar above prospective prey. Save these all else is silent. dead, the ancient pomp and glory forever departed, and gods and men alike forgotten in the onward sweep of time. REALLY PLEASED, THEN. \Mrs. (ladders is a woman who ale a% • ..leare k an artificial smile.\ \Not h a talways. makes you thin so?\ efleet! rms l u ie naturally re qi ‘‘ . y ite natully when her jl h e r am a sarcasm made some other woman wilt\ The Corn Is In the Shook. , (By W. M. KELLY.) Selecting seed corn from the stalk in the field is the only way I know of to have seed that possesses the characteristics we desire represented in the seed ear. It is possible to select from the wagon at husking time as large and perfect ears as from the fields, but it is clear that if we are to understand the type and character of the leaf and stalk, and early or later maturity, we must study the ear and the stalk be- fore the ear is removed from the parent plant. For a number of years I have prac- ticed the various ways of selecting and storing seed corn from the wagons at husking time when unload- ing at the crib, from the stalk when husking and from the field soon after the corn is matured, and the most thoroughly ripened ears have dry husks. Early seed selection from the field is the ideal time for us to take advan- tage of the great law of like producing like, so far as it holds good. By care- fully studying the whole plant it is possible to select ears that embody the most desirable features we wish to breed in our corn. It is not only important that we have good ears of uniform size, form and color and so on, but we want a vigorous stalk for them to grow on. We want to know whether it is short DRYING SEED CORN IS OF IMPORTANCE Freezing With Moisture in Kernel Endangers Next Year's Crop —Few Pointers. (By J. C. HACKLEhiAN, Missouri Col- lege of Agriculture.) Drying seed corn is even mare im- portant than selection this fall. If frozen with as much moisture as it seems likely to contain when the first freezing comes, it may be almost worthless as 'seed next spring. To avoid danger from early frost, select the most mature ears in the field and dry thoroughly at once. If a neighbor's corn of seed variety ripens earlier arrange to pick in his field. Seed grown in the locality in which it is to be planted is always to be chosen in preference to that shipped In from a distance. Air -drying in the sunshine is slow- er but safer unless fire -drying is abso- lutely necessary to secure safety from * - trtrtv:rrti*******•:rtr******IWrtz Drying Pointers. Dry in sunshine and fresh air. Dry before danger of freezing. Use fire very carefully, if at all. Dry the cob thoroughly as well as the kernel. To avoid heating or molding, g let no ear touch the next ear. freezing. Well -dried corn will stand any freeze it is likely to get in Mis- souri but the danger from too rapid fire -drying is only less than that from freezing. The corn is not safe for storage or exposure to cold weather quite as Boon as the appearance of the kernels might indicate because there is so much more moisture in the cob and the cob is so much slower in drying than the kernels. Ile sure not to store while there is still moisture enough in the cob to cause heat or molding. Each ear should be so placed in wire or slat racks, or so hung that no two ears will hang together so as to hold moisture and cause molding. The storage place should be airy and well ventilated. It should not be closed until drying is completed, unless cold weather necessitates closing. A little fire may be used to hasten drying. AUTOMATIC DEVICE DESTROYS INSECTS Hogs Soon Lein to Rub Portions of Body Alected by Lice Against Oil Surface. Automatic devices which allow pige to rub against an oiled surface have been placed en the market. The pigs soon learn to rub the portions of the body affected by lice against the oil which will kill the insects. This plan requires no time after installation ex- cept to keep the reservoir filled with The medicated hog wallow has been recommended by some stockmen. This consists of pouring crude oil on the surface of the hog wallow. or long between joints, whether the ear is located too high or too low, and whether it is vigorous or spindling and has a good leaf development. In other words it is of paramount Importance that the ear have plenty of feed, light and range upon which to draw for its supply of plant food. When we find a stalk that, under av- erage conditions, bears an ear of ex- ceptional quality above the average in the field, we snap it and carry it to the corn house and hang it up to dry so thoroughly that the first hard freeze will not injure its germinating qualities. Practical experience, as well as the testimony of many of the best corn growers, shows that an ear taken from the stalk as soon as it is glazed or even before, shows a great vigor after planting, as do the ears that are left on the stalk until the entire crop is fit to husk. Such experiments and testimony seem to justify us in taking advantage of the early maturing ears and those that are less mature, if they possess many of the more desirable character- istics. Some authorities seem to favor marking the desirable ears and leav- ing them on the stalk Which is right am not able to affirm, although I have never noted any ill effects from selecting my seed corn from the field early in the season. CULL OUT POULTRY FLOCK IN THE FALL Successful Farmers Dispose of Two -Year -Olds and Poor Layers Before Winter. The more successful farmers cull their poultry flock in the fall. All two -year -olds, lazy and poor layers, are disposed of before winter to give room for the layers. Hens that make a hate molt are sold, as they seldom lay enough eggs through the winter to pay for the feed they eat. To place the fowls on the market the day after culling is a mistake, as the fowls are seldom in prime condition, says a writer in American Agricultur- ist. Although this applies more particu- larly to range flocks, small pens also need special care previous to mar- keting. An old hen is nice and tender, If fattened properly. A ben In poor condition weighing three or four pounds can be made to double her weight in two or three weeks if given a fattening ration. I have used both crates and pens for fattening fowls. The method to follow depends on the condition of the fowls, whether they have been on free range or yarded. If the latter, I think the crates are best. But by experience with range fowls, as they are naturally used to so much exer- cise, I find they fret a little in close confinement. The crate I use has a slatted bottclm. It Is fastened against a tree a few feet from the ground and so insures plenty of shade. The slatted bottom allows the drop- pings to fall through, keeping the crate clean. Being above the ground, It is not damp. A can for water is fastened so as to be easily cleaned but not easily upset by the hens. CARE FOR ALFALFA DURING FALL SEASON Growth of From Four to Six Inches Necessary to Hold Snow and Protect Plants. (By A C. ARNY, University Farm, Pt, Paul, Minn.) A growth of from four to six inches is necessary to hold the snow and to protect the crowns of alfalfa plants. A higher growth is not often nocere sary. If alfalfa sown early in the spring has become sixteen or twenty inches high it may be cut for hay not later than the first week of Septem- ber. This will allow time for a new growth before freezing weather. Fields a year old or more may in ordinary seasons be cut as late as September 15. New seedlings of alfalfa should not he pastured. The ground in these fields is not firm and considerable damage is done by the trampling of the plants, especially during wet weather. Fields established a year or more may be pastured lightly in the fall, but should never be eaten down close , If the growth of alfalfa is not very strong the field may be top -dressed any time during the fail, preferably just after the third cutting has been removed. New seedings may he top - dressed at any time except during wet weather when the ground is soft.
