ciirsEoiBAn
There are times when the spirit of
the law Includes the letter ; when Indi
vidual Judgment has no place In action.
However broiid a principle may be, its
practical value Is destroyed unless It Is
applied by the 'individual and demon
strated by hlui. J. O. Fagan, writing
In the Atluntlc Monthly on "The Confes
sions of a Railroad Signalman," Illus
trates this truth, and speaking as a
railroad man, places much of the re
sponsibility for railway disaster upon
ihe disregard of essential regulations.
As far as speed and comfort go, there
Is little to be asked for In railroad
service. But when we take Into ac
count the human lives which have paid
tell to the American system, we can
n.it avoid the conclusion that something
Is wrong fundamentally. The popular
discussions In regard to block signals,
tried employes and faulty rules are
endless and fruitless. Investigations
and pennltles are in effect secret, and
the world remains In Ignorance. It is
the men who know the details of 'all
rond life, the men who pull the signals
and handle the trains, who must be
hoird from.
The significant facts In accidents are
the personal conduct of employes, and
not the nature of signals or the word
ing of rules. Most of the trouble can
be traced to us railroad men, to our
own personal behavior as railroad men.
1 litre Is a rule that a freight train
tiTSt not leave a station to follow a
pntM'tiger train until five minutes after
tl'i departure of the passenger train.
TliU seems plain and positive, yet no
attention whatever Is paid to It by the
engineers, conductors or superintend
ents and Its violation Is the cause of
ii'iich loss of life. The fault lies not
In the rule, but In downright neglect
on the part of the men to do as they
IN! told.
A ftagmnn protects a train to the very
Utitr of the rule when It is manifestly
necessary, but when, In his opinion, it
Is uot, he takes the chances. If an en
gineer encounters a single torpedo, the
rule calls for a full stop. If he hap
pens to have n clear track for a mile
or so ahead he keeps on, and some day
THE POOR
he finds that his Judgment was at
fault.
' A green light with semaphore norl
Eontal calls for caution. This should
not be Interpreted at will. It demands
en actual, not a theoretical reduction
of speed. It Is not a piece of Informa
tion to be stored away In the engineer's
brain, to be utilized when a reur end
or a broken rati Is In sight. Instead,
train after train runs past without re
duction, provided the track looks clear.
It should not make a particle of differ
ence to the engineer whether the track
was clear or not ; he simply has to fol
low his Instructions.
Practically there Is no out-supervl-
slon of the American railway. IU-poiti
of employes are depended on for infor
mation In regard to violations. Un
checked negligence can be shown to be
the direct cause of nearly all preventa
ble accidents In America.
It Is "up to" the management to en
force rules. It Is "up to" the men to
obey rules.
No practical system can enforce obe
dience at all times. The whole business
resolves itself Into a personal matter.
It Is up to all to do the square thing.
Employes should be educated to appre
ciate the fact that successful and safe
railroading depends, not on the multi
plicity of safety devices, nor the r3on
structlon of rules, but on personal ef
fort, and the conduct of conscientious,
alert and careful men
THE UNIVERSE.
Man's Plea la Tale Eternity f
Spar and Matter.
The solar system Is but a fragment
of the universe. Every star Is a sun
with a solar system. It Is possible that
there may be millions of planets In
habited by beings higher or lower than
ourselves. What we see going on is
what we call the process of evolution
from broken fragments to coherent
masses and to Inhabited worlds, from
chaos to cosmos, a struggle upward of
the universe from something lower
and disorganized to something higher
and organized.
As to how life originates on these
planets science Is Ignorant at present
It Is an entire mystery. I would not
have you think It will always remain a
mystery, nor w ould I have a theologian
shaken In his views If science should
discover something about the nature
and origin of life. I want you to real
ize that this process of evolution is
not a process which negatives or ex
cludes the Idea of divine activity. It
Is, I venture to say, a revelation, to us
of the manner of divine activity. It Is
the way the Deity works.
The attempt to show that evolution
Is unguided, that it Is the result of ab
solute change, falls. What Is pointed '
to Is not unguided random change, but i
guided change. The other could not be
done In time.
What we have to realize In regard
to our place In the universe Is that we
are intelligent, helplul and unlive pui'ta
of the cosmic scheme. We' are among
the Agents of the Creator. One of the
most helpful Ideas Is co-operation
helping one another. Co-operation
this In a new and stimulating sense
co-operation with the Divinity Himself.
Sir Oliver Lodge.
The Doctor Habit.
One of the tendencies of 111 health Is
to make one morbid. People who are
constantly thinking about their ail
ments, worrying about their troubles,
suffering pain, often develop a morbid
passion for sympathy. They want to
tell everybody of their aches and pains,
lo describe their symptoms.
Have you ever known a woman who
has acquired the doctor habit, a worn
tin who loves nothing In the world
quite so well as an opportunity to tell
the doctor of her ailments! She has
WIDOW HAT.
poured them out to unwelcome ears, to
forced listeners, till she longs for some
one who can really appreciate It all,
who sympathizes with her In her trou
bles; so she sends for the doctor, or
goes to see htm.
This becomes almost a mania with
some women, who have few outside ac
tivities to divert them. Their minds
naturally revert to themselves and
they think of their unfortunate condi
tion until they become saturated with
the poisoned thought. Success Maga
y.lne.
Practice Make Perfect.
At the appointed time Edwin Jones
had called at his best girl's home, but
somehow Miss Wrinkle was not there
to greet him.
He seated himself In the drawing
room and anxiously awaited her ar
rival. .
Presently the door opened ; but, alas .
it was only her elght-ycar-old brother.
"Hello!" exclaimed Edwin. "Is your
sister busy?"
"She seems so," replied the young
ster, "but I don't know Just what she
thinks she's doing. She's standing In
front of the mirror, blushing Just awful
and whispering- to It, "Oh, Mr. Jones,
this Is so sudden !"
The average woman feels proud of
her housekeeping every time a bug,
seen crawling on the bedroom wall,
turna out Not to be a bedbug.
GROWING HOGS IN IDAHO.
Industry Is Receixing Greater Atten
tion Than Ever Before.
Prof. H. T. French, D rsctor Idaho Experiment
Station.
The hog industry in Idaho is re
ceiving more attention now than ever
before in the history of the state.
The tendency to diversify farm op
erations is stronger now than in the
past. All alfalfa, or all sheep or all
of any other one thing, unless it
should be fruit, is out of date for the
majority of farmers of Idaho, both in
the northern part of the state, where
irrigation is not practiced, and in the
irrigated sections of southern Idaho.
The most succesful farmer, here as
elsewhere, is the one who is making
livestock on the farm one of the im
portant factors. As the dairy indus
try increases in interest the raising
of hogs will receive more attention.
A farmer who is not adverse to milk
ing cows will, as a rule, be a success
in handling pigs, because no one can
succeed in either line, to the fullest
extent, unless he looks carefully after
details.
In Idaho the dairy industry is grow
ing, therefore I expect a more rapid
development of the hog industry. In
fact, there is a strong indication that
this is the case just now in several
sections of the state. In holding far
mers' institutes in southern Idaho
much interest was noticed in the sub
ject of feeding and breeding hogs.
Several shipments of pure bred stock
have recently been made into south
ern Idaho. Pure bred Poland China,
Duroc Jersey, Chester White and
Berkshire pigs are found in increas
ing numbers in every farming seUiuii
ot the state. .Poland Chinas predomi
nate, no doubt; but the Duroc is be
coming a close competitor in many
sections.
Alfalfa pasture, with a small ration
of shorts, ground wheat or finely
ground barley, will grow pigs very
rapidly. This, supplemented with sep
crator milk, will produce a growth
equal to that secured in the corn belt,
and in quality we flatter ourselves
that it is superior.
In growth, our pigs can be made to
compare quite favorably with those
fed on corn. Numerous reports were
made last winter at farmers' meetings
that it was not difficult to produce a
pig that would weigh two hundred
pounds at eight months old.
Some sugar beets and other roots
can be fed, and are being used in
feeding hogs in Idaho. Potatoes boiled
and mixed with one and a half to two
pounds of grain per hundredweight of
pig, will produce good gains in live
weight. Alfalfa, cut up with feed cut
ter, and softened by steaming or even
a sprinkling of cold water, with a lit
tle grain, makes a good ration for
brood sows during winter. A gre.it
many hogs are wintered largely on
dry alfalfa hay, and they do very
well.
In a state where so much cheap for
age can be grown for hogs, there is
great encouragement for the industry.
Large yields of wheat and barley can
be secured on irrigated lands, and
often the wheat is of low mil'irg
quality, making it much more profit
able to feed it than to sell it in the
sack. A bushel of wheat will make
from 12 to 15 pounds of gain in live
weight when fed to thrifty young
hogs weighing from 75 to 175 pounds.
In young pigs even greater gains can
be secured.
Field peasare grown in some sec
tions for hog pasture, and serve an
important purpose in providing good
pasturage during the summer before
the stubble fields are ready to glean.
There is a period in summer when
there is a lack of good pasture in the
grain-growing sections of the state.
Little alfalfa or clover is grown on
many of the farms, and often pigs
make very small gains during this
oeriod. Some farmers sow grain,
such as wheat or barley, for hog pas
ture, but even this does not produce
as good results as 'vould a pasture of
alfalfa, peas or clover.
Bluegrass and white clover will
make a good pasture in some locali
ties where there is olenty of moist
ure and good soil. This does not. in
our opinion, give as good results,
however, as the crops mentioned
above. Idaho farmers are much en
couraged in raising hogs from th
fact that large packing plants are be
ing established on the coast, thus in
suring a steady demand for live hogs,
and while the price may not be any
more satisfactory than in the past,
with a limited supply, there will be a
permanency to the demand even
though the number of hogs produced
increases several times.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Valuable Information to Pacific North
wast Inquirers
By J. L. Ashlock, Waahlnsrton Experiment Sta
tion, Pullman.
Elma "I have a tract of land near
Quiney, Wash., that I wish to irrigate,
lr order to do this 1 will have to uo
well water, and possibly do the pump
ing with a gAsoline engine, or some
other mechanical device. Will you
please give me any information that
bears on this subject!" A. L. (J.
"I am quite familiar with the con
ditions around Quincy, and believe that
irrigation in that region would bring
very good results, providing the cost
was not too much. In that locality the
depth to water is quite considerable
and the cost of operating a pump would
therefore be heavy. The farmers there
use windmills quite exclusively, using
gasoline engines only when the wind
I fails. However, the water is quite
abundant when It is reached. I do not
1 believe that' it would be profitable for
you to irrigate as many as ten acres
I unless you have a system of pipes to
conserve the water. The soli around
Quincy is so light that the water will
seep away and be lost, unless you put
in such pipes. A ten horse-power en
gine would be sufficient to raUe water
for ten acres, but it might be necessary
to sink more than one well. I am be
ginning to believe that irrigation will
be necessary in the Quincy section to
obtain the best results."
Baird. "I have been quite success
ful with corn in this locality, except
that the corn matures rather small. Can
you advise me of varieties of corn that
I might try!" FAKMEB.
"I advise that you experiment with
Kaffir corn, since it seems that it will
do well in your region.' Try a good,
early maturing Dent variety. This
should be preferable to the Flint, and
it certainly makes better feed. The
conditions of your region require that
you cultivate to retain moisture, as well
as to destroy toe weeds."
Chewelah. "Is wood as desirable as
cement for building a silo f Is silage
apt to freeze in this country! What
forage plants should be grown in the
Chewelah region!" STOCKMAN.
"RrnmA araaa tnirrlif An wall it
'uu ... ' .' U J TTW1, .1. ,ua j
auu is not too gravelly, nut it stiouM
not be grown in rocky soil. Vetches
will be desirable in such soil as you
have, as these plants reseed themselves.
If you can get lumber at a reasonable
price in your vicinity, it would be jnoro
costly to build of cement than of wood.
Silage stays warm, and it is not apt to
x'reeze in this country; but if it sticks
to the sides of the silo from any cause,
it should be tramped down in order to
prevent it from settling unevenly."
Leahy "I would like to know if it
would be advisable to plant the Aus
tralian salt bush in this region! Has
the plant any desirable qualities!
J. S.
"I advise you to let the Australian
salt bush alone. The plant has a few
desirable qualities, but we have heard
tnat in the Walla Walla country it has
developed into a pest. It resembles
tumble weed in its manner of erowth.
and in windy weather will break off and
roll for a great distance, scattering
seed as it goes. Except when young
and tender, it is undesirable for stock."
Washtucna "I hav a whitn lnvcr
lawn, and would like to know what sort
ui uuub iernuzer is nest to use on it."
W. A. P.
"I question the advisability of using
bone fertiliznr nn vnnr lnurn Pr.
niercial fertilizers arn o-nnprallv nnnrlv
adapted to the soils in semi-arid re
gions, weu-rottea manure placed on
the land late in the fall and raked off
in the spring would, I believe, be far
more preferable. Th unit in vnn m.
gion needs humus rather than fertiliz
incr elements. Mannm ! wall nmni;
with phosphates and nitrogen, and
Bu...u ,i
uuuiu mereiora give your sou the
needed stimulation."
Sunnvside "Would
vise me to feed grain hay with alfalfa!
I am a dairvman. and hava Kon
only alfalfa." p. w.
I am sura that them nnnM V.. ..
omy in combining- alfalfa mitt, -,;..
From four to ten pounds of grain per
day should be sufficient, using rolled
V. 1 . 1 . i . . .
vaiiejr raiuur man wneat or bran. The
bran would practically be wasted. You
would net stood result T v,Ho u
feeding about one-half a pound' per
uay or. nnseea meal. Alfalfa is entire
ly nitrogenous in eomnnaifinn and
should be balanced by a more concea-
. . 0 : I . .
Littmu iurm oi me carDo-nyarates."
QUERIES BY FARMERS.
Experiment Station Called Upon for
Advice on Various Subjects.
From the Washington State College. Pullman.
A Seattle correspondent asks for a'
statement of the experience the sta-1
non nas nad with the novelty veg
etables." He was informed as fol
lows: "The station has experimented with
all of them, and finds that they will
grow successfully in eastern Wash
ington. The tomato and egg plant
should be started early in the season
in hotbeds, or cold frames. With
this care a creditable crop will be ma
tured. The egg plant is a native of
warm climates, and, likehe tomato,
should be given a high, warm eleva
tion. The okra and artichoke have
each done very well with us, requiring
only the ordinary garden culture."
A farmer of Arden wishes to know
what apples would do well where he
lives. Professor Thornber advised
him as follows:
"For the soil and general climatic
conditions you have, I advise the use
in equal quantities of the Jonathan,
Rome Beauty and Wegener. It is
possible that you might make use of
a great many other varieties, but
these are apples' that the all doing
well, and sell for very good market
prices in the annual markets.
"Vary the number of tree, accord
ing to whether you are going to irri
gate or not. If you are going to irri
gate, plant your trees from twenty
five to twenty-seven feet apart, in
alternate rows. If you are not going
to irrigate, you had better plant them
on the hexagonal plan, placing the
trees in the rows thirty-three feet
apart, with the rows themselves about
twenty-seven feet apart. It will not
injure the trees to grow vegetables
between them for the first three to
five years, but, of course, you should
plant nothing that will take the
moisture or plant food from close to
the young trees."
Mild Punishment.
Stranger In your town they close ths
front doors of the saloons on Sunday, and
open the side doors, do they? Isn't that
whipping 'the devil around the stump?
Natlrs Tes, and the whipping doeen'f
hurt him a bit, either.
CZAB'S LITTLE SOU.
Uraly Russian Youngster Wht Ii
Constantly Guarded.
Despite early prophecies that hi
would grow up a sickly child or pos
sibly die before attaining manhood, tb
Czarowltz Alexis, son and heir to thi
Czar of all the Russlas. Is to-day ai
bright and hearty a little lad as could
be found In any American household.
Hedged In though he Is with court
ceremonial and constantly guarded
against possible kidnaping by Nihilists,
Alexis manages to get as much fun out
of life as the average boy of his age.
He is never happier than when romping
around the staid and sombre corridort
In a game of tag with his sisters, and
the silent guards stationed at regulai
and frequent intervals fall to attract
his notice at all, except when one In-
,4
KAXSVlTClf
ALEXIA
advertently stations himself in soui
favorite corner of the baby prince.
Alexis finds little enjoyment In th
supposedly favorite game of king's
son's, playing at soldiers. He finds the
tin men and tiny fortresses too tedious.
He wants to romp with other children
and, If allowed his own way, would
spend the day playing with boys In
the garden, . street, or anywhere, ai
long as he could have fun, active fun,
and lots of It. Alexis' happiest mo
ments are probably spent on his fath
er's yacht, where, free from danger ol
death at the hands of revolutionists, h
can romp with the loyal sailors at will
PUSS TO THE BESCUE.
UrotiKht a Rabbit to If a nary Phil
adclphla Cave Dwellers.
When the first settlers enme to Phil
adelphia, of ourse there were nc
houses ready for them, says Sel in th
Cat Journal, so a good many of the
men dug small caves In the bank ol
the river. They would dig several
feet Into the bank, then build walls ol
sod In front of the little caves. Thej
made the roof by laying branches ol
trees on top, covering these with rush
from the river and putting pieces
sod on the riiHhes. The chimney w
made of stones plastered with clay.
These caves were used only until the
men had time to cut timber and build
the houses they wished. ,
One of the old families of Philadel
phia owns a quaint silver tureen on
which Is engraved a cat seizing a rab
bit In the early days at Philadelphia
Elizabeth Hard was living with hei
husband In one of these dug-out cavei
while be was building their house. Th
work went very slowly, and Elizabeth
often helped her husband. She brought
the water' to make the mortar for th
chimney, and even helped at one end
of the saw.
One day she was very tired, for sh
had helped all the morning. Her hus
band told her to rest a while and then
think about dinner. Mrs. Hard walked
sadly away. The food was nearly
gone. Only n few biscuits nnd a littl
cheese were left. Just theu Bhe saw
her cat coming toward her with a larg
rabbit In its mouth. Mrs. Hard cooked
the rabbit nnd had a nice dinner ready
for Mr. Hard when he came for hit
noon rest. Ro kitty helped, although
she did not know It.
We Are Fortunate.
"Bach day brings some new worry,"
declnred the pessimist
"Which enables us to forget the wor
ry of yesterday," was the optimist's re
ply. Washington Herald.
We have an Idea that the women
pay a good deal of attention to the
hats worn by the milliners.
111