1 1 '"
VfT
DURING the last few days, using
Mr. Jobst's camp as a basts of
operation, I have made several
expeditions over the Mongolian
prairies and have visited nu
merous Mongol encampments. In this
way I have been able to study at close
range the customs, habits and mode
of life of the Mongols, writes Luther
Anderson from Sangen Talal, Mon
golia. The Mongol habitation is a kind
of a tent, called a "jurt," which is
made of felt stretched over a frame
work of poles and interlaced staves.
The felt Is held In place by strong
ropes, which are wound about the
whole structure in such a way as to
make it Impossible for the strongest
wind to tear it to pieces. The careful
way in which the framework is fitted
together, as well as the extreme thick
ness of the felt, gives the structure
an appearance of solidity and snug
ness which Is not possessed by the
ordinary tent In fact, the "jurt"
comes nearer being a hut than a tent
The "Jurt" is circular in form and has
a confcal roof. A wooden door, very
low, senves as the entrance. An open
ing in the top of the conical root
serves as a vent for the smoke and
also lets In the light Directly under
this vent In the center of the earthen
floor is a fire over which is placed an
Iron stripod which supports a shallow
kettle In which food is prepared.
Easily Loaded on a Camel.
The "jurt" is so constructed that it
can quickly be taken down, folded up
and loaded on a camel or a cart This
feature Is necessitated by the fact
that the Mongols are a nomadio peo
ple and must often move with their
'nerds to new grazing grounds. For a
movable structure the "Jurt" is fair
ly roomy, being about 16 feet In di
ameter, some 5 feet high at the low
est part and from 8 to 10 feet high
In the central part Inside the "jurt"
earth is removed so that the floor is
about a foot and a halt below the
level of the ground outside. This
gives the inside circular wall a height
of six and a bait feet, , thus making
It possible for the tallest men to
move about freely In any part of
the "Jurt"
The interior of the "Jurt" la clean
and presents an attractive appear
ance. The circular wall is ornament
ed with hangings of embroidered silk,
while furs and Tibetan fugs are spread
on the earthen floor.., Brightly paint
ed boxes and chests, pfith brass locks
and hinges, are placed close against
the circular wall. These1 are the fam
ily wardrobes and treasure chests.
Here are kept the holiday clothes, the
silver and gold ornaments of the worn
sn and the sacred books of the Budd
hist religion. Opposite the door Is the
family, altar, whereon one finds a small
statue of Buddha and other deities, In
front of which are placed cups of wine
and tiny lamps which are always light
ed. .
In one "Jurt" I saw an altar on
which was placed a photograph of the
Hutuktu of Living Buddha of Urga,'
the highest ecclesiastical dignitary of
all Mongolia, who was last year crown
ed king of Outer Mongolia when that
country declared Itself Independent of
China. Near the altar Is a lowly cot
for the head of the household. All
the other members of the family sleep
on skins spread on the floor, the wom
en being assigned the most Inferior
and drafty place near the door.
Rich Mongols sometimes build sev
eral "Jurta" close together, one lead
ing Into the other, so that the home
may boast of several rooms. One rich
Mongol whom we visited had one
"Jurt" set aside tor his idols. This
"Jurt" served the double purpose of a
temple and a reception room for
guests.
We are accustomed to think of a
tent as a temporary habitation used
for the purpose of camping out when
circumstances force us to live outdoors
for a short season. To the Mongol
the "Jurt" Is not a temporary habita
tion, but a real home. Here he is
born and reared; here he spends his
life, and here he Is flnallv orenared
1
ravnes
for his lant rest Excepting for a few
rich men and princes, who have built
Chinese houses, all Mongols live In
"Juris."
Food of the Mongols.
The food of the Mongols consists of
mutton, beef, milk, butter and various
kinds of gruels made from millet,
wheat and other grains which they
purchase from the Chinese. Buttered
tea and milk are the most common
beverages. On festival occasions the
Mongols drink a clear, transparent
liquor made from mare's milk. Being
a nomadio people the Mongols have
almost all of their wealth in the shape
of herds of cattle, horses, sheep and
camels. ' I visited one Mongol who
had 600 horses, BOO head "of cattle,
1,000 sheep and some fifty camels. He
was considered a very rich man.
Mongols live a life in the open air
very much like that of our western
cowboyB. They spend a large part of
their time on horseback and are there
fore wonderful riders. Not only the
men, but the women and children ride
horseback with that natural ease and
dignity which comes only by contin
ued practice. The Mongol herdsmen
perform all the dashing feats of horse
manship for which our cowboys are
famous. They lasso horses and cattle
with a rope which Is fastened to a
long pole, forming a loop at one end
and passing along the pole to the rid
er, who can loosen or tighten the noose
at will. They brand horses and cattle
much In the same manner as it is done
on our western plains. The horses,
cattle, sheep and camels are out of
doors the whole year round. In the
winter they scrape the snow away with
their hoofs and are thus able to find
their sustenance from the dry. grass.
The herds require constant watching
so as not to stray too far from the
"Jurts" of their owners. Several herd
ers can 'be 'seen .with each herd at
any time during the day or night
The invigorating, open air life of the
Mongols make them a strong, healthy
race, free from most of the diseases
which afflict more civilized but less ac
tive nations, Rheumatism is, how
ever, very common among them, ow
ing to. their sleeping on the ground
with only some skins for a bed and to
their being exposed to extreme cold
winters, against which their huts do
not afford sufficient protection. Many
Mongols are also afflicted with diseas
es of the eye caused by the smoke
which fills the "jurt" when a fire Is
kindled, and on rainy days when the
smoke vent at the top of the "jurt"
must be made smaller or even closed
entirely.
When a rich Mongol dies he is
placed on a funeral pyre and cremated.
On such occasions hundreds and some
times thousands of MongoU come to
witness the ceremony. After the cre
mation the ashes are collected and
placed In a covered jar, which ' la
burled. A poor Mongol has a less class
lo but more picturesque funeral The
body Is stripped of clothes and placed
on a low cart, which is driven at break
neck speed across the prairies. The
driver, who never once looks behind
him, does not turn homeward before
he feels, by the way the cart Is run
ning, that the corpse has been Jolted
off. Some time later a small stone or
perhapc only a piece of wood Inscribed
with Mongol and Tibetan characters
Is placed near the whitened bones of
the decedent
The Mongols are a good natured peo
ple friendly and kind. They are fa
mous tor their hospitality and are al
ways ready to give the stranger the
seat of honor opposite the door of the
"Jurt" He is welcome to partake of
anything they have to at or drink,
and is as safe at their hearth as he
vould be In his own Home.
.
Home Work.
"Willie, why couldn't you find the re
sult of these examples you took
home?" Inquired the teacher, In a
sharp voice. "Please, ma'am," re
plied the shaking boy, "me father says
they wuz too hard for him, an would
you mind giving me a few easier ones '
to dorWoman's Homo Companion.
housing thejheep flock
Keeping. Large Number of Animals
, Together In One Barn Has Ten
dency to Breed Disease.
At one time I matin fip.rmnnv mv
home; I handled about 6,000 sheep.
xnese sneep were owned by different
parties, from SO to 200 belonging to
one man.. Each owner had his sta
bles, one or more according to the
number of sheep, he handled. There
were never more than 100 sheep In
one stable, says a writer in the Amer
ican Agriculturist These stables were
built like houses along a city street
That is, they were built in a row on
each side' of an alley, facing each
other. -
One of the things that surprised me,
on coming to America, was the large
barns that farmers built, and then run
all the sheep together In this one
barn. I believe this has a tendency
to breed disease. I do not believe
sheep ought to be herded together In
a small place, and they should have
frequent change of pastures.
I have always found sheep-raising
very profitable. In fact, I think a few
sheep should be kept on every farm
A Fine Specimen.
From 10 to 15 head can be taken care
of at very little expense, as they will
eat what horses and cattle will not
For one thing, they are very fond of
weeds, etc. Sheep will follow cattle
In the winter into cornstalks and fur
ther eat weeds out of the hay. My
sheep have averaged 10 pounds of
wool per head. They nearly always
raise twin Iambs In one season. In a
small flock, I believe, there Is not so
much danger of disease as there Is In
a large herd. , My experience with
sheep has been that they are Just
Bide money. It pays to be careful
during the breeding season, and to
watch young lambs. The middle of
April Is the best time for breeding.
About three days after shearing I dip
the lambs for ticks.
RHEUMATISM OF THE HORSES
Chiefly Affects Fetlock," but May At
tack Navicular Joint Lameness
- Is Quite Painful.
In the highly fed and pampered
horse. Inadequately exercised, a form
of rheumatism, indistinguishable from
gout, Is met with, says the . Horse
World. It hJefly affects the fetlock,
but may attack the navicular Joint
when the patient experiences "those
pains arthritic which infest the toe of
libertine excess."
The lameness is peculiarly painful
when the latter Joint is Involved, as
no swelling can take place and give
relief which is afTorded by the puffing
of a fetlock, a knee or hock. . There
can be little doubt that many of the
intermittent foot lamenesses attribut
ed to true navicular disease are, rheu.
matio In origin, and that the so-called
cures of navicular lameness other
wise than, by the operation of un
nerving are due to the disappearance
of rheumatlo athrltis. Many navicular
bones examined after, the "'death of
horses long suffering from disease
have all the appearances of the rheu
matic deposits.
PROPER LOCATION FOR SILO
Should Be Placed Near the Stock
Barn, Handy for Breeding, and on
. Well-Drained Place.
The silo should be located near the
barn, handy for breeding, and on a
well-drained place. It is advisable to
place It about six feet away from the
barn, and connect the barn with the
silo by means of a little chute or en
closure large enough to permit the
entrance of the silo cart This pre
vents the silo odor from getting Into
the barn when the silage Is thrown
down.
It convenient to feedroom looate
the' silo ou the south side of the
barn. This will to some extent pro
tect the silage from the frost A
north or northwest exposure Is cold.
While the frost does not Injure sil
age, too much of it may make it un
handy to feed. There may also be so
much frosted silage that It cannot
be properly thawed out before feed
ing. Cows should never be, fed frozen
silage.
Some sort of summer house Is
welcome addition to soy garden.
I VALUE OF GOOD BULL
Must Have Good Breeding for the
Best Results.
Most Practical Way Is for Dairyman
Dreet ! Own Cows Impor
tant Matter Is to Find Results
Given In Milk Pall.
On the majority of the dairy farms
WO find a hftrrt of rr..1o
Impossible for everyone to own pure-
uiou cows, out it is possible for all to
build up their herds tn .
where they are practically the equal
vi pure urea. . .
Every dairyman
of a herd of grade cows should, be
cognizant of the fact that there is
nothing so Important Qn far a a lm.
proving the herd Is concerned, as a
imre-urea Dull that shows aU of the
aesirable characteristic
It is a fact that the Influences of
me duu are equal to those of the cow
when both are of th ton...
but when the cows are of a low grade
vuo ouus innuence is Just as much
greater as his nunlitioa ra u.,t.
" ' J
to those of the cows.
However, if thn hnii h. ,f
the grade of the cow, the progeny will
a retrogression, says, a writer In
the Farm Proerpns
w - hwuv WUO IU1'
punance or naving a bull that Is su-
voiiur 10 me cows so that there may
be a continuous tendencv tnwnrrt in.
provement so far as the progeny is
vuueernea. 1
The individuality Of t il A ISllll rOTk-
senta 50 per cent of the breeding
u 01 me nerd at the beginning of
a system of breeding for improve
ment of the standard of the herd,
dui Dy continuing after the first cross
and Working until a Standard nnnal
to the pure breed is secured we must
aamit that the bull really represents
100 per cent of thn hrooiiino-
His superior qualities are what have
ouuaea up the herd.
The most nrantlpnl nrov
dairyman who cannot afford to pay
me nign prices that breeders ask for
their pure-bred cows to secure a first
class producing herd, is to breed his
best cows to a bull of known virtues
and then raise the heifer calves. By
breeding them properly It will only
be a few generations until be will
have a herd that is practically as val
uable as one composed of pure-blooded
animals.
Before beginning any system of
breeding the dairyman should ac
quaint himself with the record of the
results given In the milk pall by the
bull's dam, for that Is what he Is
breeding for. Remember that the
bull will transmit any weak points
more readily than the strong points,
which is proof that the keeper should
know Just what sort of ancestors the
bull may have had.
FROZEN BEETS, ARE POISON
Stockmen Are Warned of Fatal Re
sults In Feeding Root Crop Con
gealed With Cold.
Stockmen are being warned as -to
the possibility of poisoning stock from
feeding frozen beets, by Dr. F. B.
Hadley of the veterinary department
of the College of Agriculture of the
University of Wisconsin. Last year
a considerable loss was sustained by
Wisconsin . Stockman from this cause.
The greatest trouble resulted from
beets that were fozen and afterward
thawed before being fed. In one seri
ous case the frozen beets were boiled
with grain to make a slop. After this
mixture was fed the hogs died in a
short time, due to paralysis of the
heart Recent investigations show
that the chemical changes which take
place In the processes of freezing and
thawing' produce a poisonous sub-'
stance which causes rather sudden
death when eaten.
Quick-Acting Fertilizer.
Nitrate of soda is a fertilizer that
acts almost Immediately and Is used
chiefly for foliage plants and where
quick growth Is wanted. It is a fine
stimulant for rhubarb, asparagus,
spinach and kale. A tablespoonful of
nitrate of soda dug around the plants
which are slow to mature will speed
them up, and regular applications of
manure water are a help.
Corn In 8II0.
Twenty acres of corn put into the
silo Is worth more In feeding a dairy
herd than 80 acres in the crib.
Get Good Digestion.
Good digestion follows a balanced
ration fed in moderation where the
sows have a, dry sleeping place and
plenty of exercise.
Beans for Family.
Half a dozen hills of pole beans will
be sufficient to supply a small family
and one planting will suffice.
Feed for 8ows.
Feed the sows for health and ready
digestion and not for fat and sluggishness.
WINTER EGG PROFITS
Hens Should Have Been in Good
' Condition in Fall.
Fowls 8hould Not Be Allowed to Eat
Grain as Fast as They Can Con
sume It, But Rather Made to
Scrstch for It
(By If. M. CHANDLER.)
As much depends upon the condi
tion of the hens themselves as any
thing else, If you are expecting the
winter eggs. You should have seen to
it that your hens were not running
wild during the late fall, getting too
much corn about the fields or hog
pens, or that they are not starving
when you think they are picking up a
good living for themselves after the
grain has all been put away for the
winter.
For many years I kept only a small
flock of hens and paid little attention
to them except during the winter. I
got, of course, very few eggs and
found that if I wished this much
sought winter supply I must look clos
er to business.
I tried shutting my hens in a large
park during the month of November
and feeding them cooked vegetables,
milk, a little of everything in the
shape of grain, Instead of letting them
run to the corn houses; that Is, all
but those I wished to market, and
those I confined in a large coop with
a floor in It so they could not do too
much scratching, and fed them more
grain and less milk, plenty of clean
water and usually two weeks would
find them In good condition for the
market '
This, I find, pays better than al
lowing the hens you wish to keep over
remain with those who are going to
Bell, since the feeding methods differ.
A hen should not be fat when the
cold weather sets In any more than
Bhe should be starved. She should be
fed according to . the egg-producing
method, and with me that method is
regular meals, plenty of variety In
food and a good chance to scratch for
-her living.
I never allow a hen to eat grain as
fast as she can pick it up, but make
her hunt for it in a good pile of litter.
Soft food for breakfast, fed at six
o'clock, milk and a little wheat or rye
for dinner, and supper at four o'clock
of corn, two quarts to forty bens.
This may seem a small ration, but
where three meals are given you will
find that it is enough aad if more Is
allowed them there will be fewer eggs.
Some think It better to feed all
small grain and no corn, but in the
cool weather I find that corn satisfies
the fowls much better and It should
be fed as hot as they can stand it
Never expect real success with win
ter egg-raising without a good bone
mllL A bone mill can be had for $5
and will nnv fnr Itaolf In l v mnnfh .
Bone meal should be a part of every
breakfast in the hen roost and the
oyster shells and sklmmilk are quite
as essential
Meat is good, but never throw the
carcass of a dead animal into the
chicken house unless you want to
create disease germs and impure eggs.
Never expect winter eggs in a dark.
damp, chilly coop. ' Have plenty of
windows and fresh air. There is
nothing better than fresh air and
sunshine. Keep the house clean.
Every morning while the flock are at
their breakfast take a shovel and
scrape up the droppings under the
perches. Take care that they do not
use the nests as roosting places, and
always change the straw In the nesta
and get fresh straw or, better still.
clover hay scatterings for litter at
least as often as once a week.
Real 8clence.
After all real science In farming
Just as in everything else, meana
nothing more than knowing things
Without the knowledge there can be
no science.
Test for Oleo.
A convenient teat for nian m
- wuiaiou
with butter Is to heat with a lighted,
match a teasnoon nontnininv n
- . -o biuuu
piece of butter, says the Wisconsin
Dairyman. If butter, tt m
TV 11 VIU
freely, but without sputtering. A piece
vi uisu uuuer me same conditions does
not froth, but melts down like grease
and sputters. Renovated butter acta
much like oleo, because the fats which
produce the frothing have been most
ly melted out during, the process of
renovation.
Chickens Relish 8our Milk.
Sour milk is mora mllaharf k i
than sweet milk; sweet skim milk la
lor mixing mashes. The birds
will drink more milk if given either
uniformly sour or nnirnrmi. .
than when given sweet one day and
sour the next When the milk is sep
arated after souring, use the whey to
net me luasu.
Locate the Fault
If Vour henfl ara nnt .
uut uuiug VU BUIt
you look over the situation carefully
and find out whom ha
You may be sure the fault Ib yours.