GAZETTE.
CORVALLIS
SEMI-WEEKLY.
SSSr5f&R. i Consolidated Feb., 1899.
CORVALLIS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGON, TUESDAY, JULY .24, 190O.
VOL. I. NO. 13.
WHEN V WAS A BOY.
When I was a boy, oh, the fruits were so
sweet,
Aad the melons so luscious and fine;
The cherries were redder, and richer their
meat.
And the berries were simply divine.
There was nothing but joy when I was
a boy.
What beautiful, soul-thrilling song birds
there were;
How much sweeter the song of the
thrush!
The mocking bird's carolings hallowed
the air,
Which with Eden delights was aflush.
There was nothing to cloy when X was a
boy.
The dogs and the horses were far better
then,
And the game in the woods; and the
guns
Were as much above those of to-day as
are men,
And the bliss could be measured by
tons.
There wus then no alloy when I was a
boy.
In that good and that glad bright day
that is gone
Flowers had sweeter perfume, and the
birds
Wore plumage more gay, while the sun
brighter shone;
Braver men uttered kindlier words.
There was small heart annoy when I
was a boy.
Like angels from heaven wore girls of
that day;
Modest, sweet, and so pure andiso true;
All honor and virtue illumined their way;
They were then far more beautiful, too.
And their ways were so coy wheni I was
a boy.
I know I shall never see times like the
old,
Giving peace, to the day that I die;
Reclaiming these women, so overly bold,
Who with men and the devil now vie.
But had no such employ when I was a
boy.
When I was a boy, a man's riches and
wealth
Were not solely his money and lands;
There were riches of character, riches of;
health,
And the wealth of the work of hisi
hands
I had riches of joy when I was a boy.
Baltimore Sun.
HER UNCLE'S JOKE. !
i O, Kitty; yon must nevermarry
without my consent You are
not In love now, are you?"
"Why, no, uncle. How could) I be
when I don't know any one?"
"That's so. You didn't have much
chance to fall In love at school and
your vacations were spent with me.
Now, Kitty, the man I want t to marry
Is Mr. Right."
"Mr. Wrlghtr
"Yes. You have never seenthim?" he
asked, his eyes twinkling.
"No. I don't know any Mr. Wright;"
"Well, he's the man I wan you to
marry, and If you do you shalh have
every cent of my money."
"But, uncle, I have never seenthim
and might not care for hlru,.andif I
did perhaps he wouldn't wantjme."
"Oh, you'll fall In love wlththlmfast
enough, and as for him not1 wanting !
you why, I'd like to find the man "who
couldn't want Kitty Clinton, even if she
didn't have a nice pocketful of money.
But don't worry your pretty head about)
him, for there's lots of time. Charlie J
Emery is coming here next week and
you can have a good time wlthrhlm and
we will see about Mr. Right hater on.
You remember Charlie, don't you?"
"Yes, indeed, I remember Charlie. I
haven't seen him since I was 14 and he;
was 20. How nice he was to me, al-'
though I was so much younger. But!
do you know, uncle, he was in love
with some one, for one day a picture of J
a young lady fell from his pocket and I
ran away with it." She laughed as she
thought how he had chased her through
the fields, and when worn out she had
dropped down under a tree to rest and
have a look at the picture until he came
up, tired and cross, to claim it. He
had blushed as shehanded It back,
asking, "Is that the future Mrs.
Emery?"
"No, it is Miss Emery, my cousin."
"Well, you needn't blush so. I'm sort
of a cousin, too, but you never carry
my picture with you," she said, getting
up and going quickly toward the house.
"Why, Kitty," he said, following her,
"I think
"Oh, I don't care what you think,"
she said, as she started to run. "You
can marry her for all I care," and she
bad gone In the house and never ap
peared until at dinner, when she was
her old mischievous self again. He had
left the next morning and she had
never seen him since, but she had
heard of him frequently. After gradu
ating from college he had gone abroad
and but lately returned. Miss Emery
had married a college friend of his.
Where did he keep that picture now?
' "Now, Kitty," said her uncle, ''run
away and don't worry about Mr. Right.
He'll be your ideal, I promise you."
"Well, well," he said as she left the
room. "I thought she'd see through the
Joke. Guess I'll let it go now. My ex
perience Is that If you want a couple
to marry, make them think it impos
sible, and then nothing can prevent
them. Bet she'll go and fall In love
with the man I want her to, thinking
Mr. Bight really exists."
But Kitty did let it worry her, and
again and again she questioned her
ancle about Mr. Wright (as she be
lieved his name to be), but his answers
gave her little or no satisfaction. Fi
nally she determined she would forget
him while Charlie was with them, any
WAy. - " '
When she saw Charlie she said sha
would never have taken that bearded
man for the smooth-faced boy she had
known four summers before. She her
self was the same little sprite, with
her sparkling eyes and mass of dark
brown hair. When she inquired aftei
his "fair cousin," he laughingly re
plied that he had spent the last Sun
day with her and Tom. "What a chase
you led me that day, and I never told
you, but that night I received a letter
from home telling me of her marriage,
and I was so cross I tore the picture
up."
Thus they talked of the past and the
many pleasant days they had spent to
gether. That night in her own room
Kitty said softly as she put out her
light, "I wish Charlie was Mr. Wright."
They had been In the boat all the
afternoon, and were . Just returning
home.
"No, Charlie, I cannot be your wife,
for uncle would never consent."
"And why didn't he tell me so? He
might know what the consequence
would be if I spent much time in your
company." ,
"Oh, Charlie, didn't you know there
Is some Mr. Wright uncle wants me to
marry? I thought likely you knew, and
never said anything about it. Uncle
never changes his mind, either."
"Well, he'll have to, this time," he
said, as he helped her out of the boat,
"for if he doesn't I'll carry you off by
force."
"Oh, you needn't do that, young
man," said a voice close beside them.
"I guess you're Mr. Right, and have my
consent before you've asked it"
"But, uncle, Charlie's name Isn't
Wright"
"I know his name isn't Wright. That
was Just a Joke of mine, which you
didn't see through. I think he appears
to be the right man, though."
"Am I, Kitty?"
"I think you are, but what a funny
way for uncle to put it," and the old
man laughed softly as he went into
the house. Boston Post
A Singer's Voloe by Post.
Of all the uses to which the phono
graph has been put the following is
probably one of the most practical.
A well-known manager received' some
time since a letter from Paris inclosing
the photograph of a lady and what ap
peared to be tinfoil neatly folded up
and curiously indented. The letter was
to this purport:
"Sir: I Inclose photograph of myself
In 'La Traviata' and specimens of my
voice. . Please state by wire terms and
the date when I can appear at your the
ater. I have the honor to be, sir, yours,
F. B."
The poor manager, whose scientific
education had evidently been neglected,
was considerably puzzled. The photo
graph showed a lady of attractive pres
ence, the letter was to the point and
evidently American. But how to dis
cover a lady's voice from tinfoil curi
ously indented passed his comprehen
sion. He consulted his friends and
soon obtained the necessary informa
tion. An adjournment to the Crystal
Palace was unanimously voted. The
foil was at once adjusted to the Instru
ment there, and, after a few revolu
tions of the machine, the notes of a
well-known operatic melody resounded
with crystalline clearness. An imme
diate engagement of the cantatrice was
the result of this novel test of her voice.
He Wanted a Hone Tr ide.
The famous horse trade of "David
Harum" has brought to public atten
tion many other dealers In horseflesh
Rand quaint phraseology. Here is a let
ter, verbatim, from a rather famous
owner of horses names only being al
tered for obvious reasons:
"Spencer Feb 22 1900.
"Dear Sir mr Smith I Seen mr Brown
and he told me is you Wanted to get A
good Horse one that Was climlted Well
mr Smlthe I have got 9 first Class
horse one that Will Sute you for Your
Business and Broked in hall harness
and hall Sound and he binn hear for A
"bout 3 monts and heney of Your Peo-
iple can Work him With Saifety and
mr Smith if you Will come down hear
you can see him and if you Wants A
good Arlabie Horse I am Shure is you
Will Buy this Horse and I have lots of
other Horses you can see
"hopes to see you soon
"Yours trully
"WM. JONES."
Certainly an "arlabie" horse ought to
suit any one musically inclined, and
"saifety" Is what we are all looking
for in horse trades. Boston Home
Journal.
T As Others See Us.
We have a way of generalizing In the
most superior fashion in regard to more
ancient races. This, however, is a boot
for the other foot a quotation from a
certain Chinese essayist, who thus de
scribes the American people:
They live months without eating a
mouthful of rice. They eat bullocks
and sheep In enormous quantities. They
have to bathe frequently.
The men dress all alike, and to Judge
from their appearance, they are all
coolies; neither are they ever to be seen
carrying a fan or an umbrella, for they
manifest their Ignorant contempt of
these Insignia of gentlemen by leaving
them .entirely to women. None of them
have finger-nails more than an eighth
of an inch long. They eat meat with
knives and prongs.
They never enjoy themselves by sit
ting quietly on their ancestors' graves,
but jump around and kick balls as if
paid to do It They have no dignity, 1
for they may be found walking with
women.
An old bachelor says that an appro
priate design for the engraved portion
of an engagement ring Is a spider's
web with a fly in it
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.
THIS IS THEIR DEPARTMENT OF
THE PAPER.
Quaint Sayings aad Cute Dolus of the
Little Folks Everywhere, Gathered
and Prim ted Here for AU Other Lit
tle Ones ta Bead.
Mr. Wind thought he would have a
bit of fun.
"There's Mr. Brown coming along,"
said he; "how very cross he looks! Now,
I really think I must blow his hat off.
Here goes!"
But Mr. Brown got hold of the brim
Just in time, held on to it very firmly
and looked crosser than ever.
"Never mind," said Mr. Wind, "ril
have it off yet, when he's not thinking,
but I'll wait a bit. Ah! here come two
little girls and (blowing very bard) off
goes the smallest one's hat Ho, ho, ho!
why, she Is enjoying it as much as I
am. How merrily she laughs as she
runs after it! I really believe she would
like me to blow It off again. So the
other little girl has put up her um
brella to protect herself from me. Now
what shall I do to show her that I am
the master? I know I'll wait till she
turns the corner and then I'll blow her
umbrella inside out! Won't that be
fun? and after that I'll have another
try at Mr. Brown's hat, and if I suc
ceed this time I'll send it ever so far
away."
The Favorite.
"Girls, won't one of you bring in the
evening paper?" said grandpa.
There was hardly a moment's pause
before Grace went to the piazza for the
paper, and placed it open and smooth
upon the old gentleman's knee.
"Mattie, please bring my scissors
from the sewing room," says mamma.
"Oh, Grace, you do It; I'm all nicely
seated now." And Grace leaves her
piano practice and goes for the scis
sors. "Papa wants one of you to take a note
to Deacon Lewis, girls. Which will
go?"
"Oh, I don't want to, mamma," says
Mattie.
"Oh, I want to read my new book,"
says Grace, "but I will go for papa."
"I want to take one of the girls home
with me for the holidays, sister," said
the girls' aunt. "Which can you best
spare?"
"Oh, Mattie, by all means. Grace is
Mir household comfort and solace," said
the mother. "But which would you
rather take?"
"I hoped that you might choose to let
me have Grace. I really want her, and,
I think, sister, she needs and deserves
the outing."
So Mattie stayed at home, and pouted
and said It wasn't fair, and wondered
why "everybody always wanted
Grace."
The girl who is thoughtful and oblig
ing is the one that is wanted at home,
at school everywhere. No one wants
the girl who is always seeking to please
herself.
tin-Natural History.
"I think it is a funny thing," remarked
Young William Lee,
One night when he was studying his nat
ural history,
"How animals with plants and trees can
get so strangely mixed.
Although this book declares that in their
'kingdoms' they are fixed."
I smiled at William's quaint conceit, but
when I'd thought a minute
1 couldn't help acknowledging that there
was reason in it;
For in the park across the way, as plain
as plain could be.
Beside the gateway growing was a tall
horse-chestnut tree.
And dainty dog-wood blossoms from the
woods we often bring,
And there's the yellow cow-slip that we
gather in the spring;
We've hunted .for the fox-glove and the
timid hare-bell blue,
And captured spiky cat-tails and the
pussy-willow, too.
In a corner of the garden is the tiger
lily's lair.
Last April there were dande-lions ram
bling everywhere;
rn fact, a whole menagerie I very quickly
found
Of animals, both wild and tame, a-grow-
ing in the gronnd.
Woman's Home Companion.
Big Elephant Got Hungry.
There was a big elephant at the Phil
adelphia Export Exposition with an in-
jstinct that approached very closely to
human understanding. He was one
of the most patient of animals, but
when hungry he demanded attention
in the most imperative way.
While quarters were being prepared
for bim. the elephant was tied to a
post in the rear of a restaurant' The
smell from the kitchen was very ap
petizing to a hungry pachyderm, and
one day a gentle tap came on the kitch
en window. The chef paid no attention
and in a few minutes the tap was re
peated, louder than before. This suna
mons also passed unnoticed, but the
next one that came could not be mis
understood. The end of the kitchen
was built of thin boards, and the first
thing the cook knew his pots and pans
were flying about the kitchen. The
angry elephant was flailing the thin
THE WIND'S AMUSEMENT.
partition with tremendous blows. The
frightened cook fairly flew out of tLe
back door with a dish of apples and
other edibles so highly prized by ele
phants, and there was no further sum
mons that day.
Where Corks Grow.
The cork tree is an evergreen, about
the size of our apple tree. The bark is
stripped in order to obtain the cork,
which Is soaked and then dried. The
moment the bark is peeled off the tree
begins to grow another cork skin, and
each new one is better than the last;
so the older, the better the cork.
The trees are stripped about every
eight years, and so strong does it make
them that they often live to the age
of 200 years. Besides Its chief use as
stoppers for bottles, cork is made into
buoys, making life preservers to save
people from drowning, soles of boots
and slippers, fancy rock work, largely
for life boats, and sometimes for arti
ficial limbs. After the bark Is stripped
off it is trimmed and dried and flat
tened out Then it is packed and
shipped to all parts of the world.
If 1 Were Ton, My Boy,
I wouldn't be ashamed to do right
anywhere. I would not do anything
that I would not be willing for every
body to know.
I wouldn't go into the company of
boys who use bad language.
I wouldn't conclude that I knew
more than my father before I had been
fifty miles away from home.
I wouldnt get into the sulk, and pout
whenever I couldn't have my own way
about everything.
I wouldn't let other boys get ahead
of me In any studies.
I wouldn't abuse little boys who had
no big brother for me to be afraid of.
I would learn to be polite to every
body. Bound to Have It.
A year-old Margaret wanted more
cake, but she was told that It would
make her ill.
"Well," said she desperately, "give
me anuzzer piece and send for the doc
tor." TAKING CARE OF A GUN.
Some Hints Which Tonng Sportsmen
Would Better Observe.
A veteran hunter lays this down as a
point which must be carefully attend
ed to: "Never under any circum
stances lay away your gun at night
without cleaning. Never mind how
tired you are, attend to it at once.
There should be no 'next day about it."
Not a few of the older hunters would
profit by accepting this advice. The
veteran quoted above says he got this
idea from his father, who loved his
guns and dogs almost as well as he
loved his children. The old man gave
his boy a single barrel muzzle-loader,
which was for many a day the young
ster's treasure of treasures, and was
never allowed to get rusty. Before be
ing put away for the winter it was
carefully cleaned and oiled and was
once In a while taken down and ex
amined. If a speck of rusFfeppeared
anywhere it was at once removed.
After an outing among wild pigeons,
squirrel or grouse he removed the
barrel from the stock, swabbed it out
with hot water and wiped it out with a
clean rag. Then he fired a little pow
der, just to be sure that no moisture
was left after which an oil rag was
used assiduously. Then stock and
barrel were rejoined and the weapon
was put away for the night The
breech-loader Is much less troublesome,
but the same principle obtains in both
cases. By using care such as indicated
this hunter has for fourteen years kept
a gun in first-class condition, though it
has done a great deal of work.
A Good Witness.
A horse from a livery stable died
soon after it was returned, and the man
who hired it was sued for damages.
The question turned largely upon the
reputation of the defendant as a hard
rider.
The staoble boy was called as the
first witness.
"How does the defendant usually
ride"
"Astraddle, sir."
"No, no," said the lawyer. "I mean,
does he usually walk, or trot or gal
lop?" "Well," said the witness .apparently
searching in the depths of his memory
for facts, "when he rides a walkln'
horse, he walks; when he rides a trot
tin' horse, he trots; and when he rides
a gallopin' horse, he gallops; when "
The lawyer interposed: "I want to
know at what pace the defendant usu
ally goes fast or slow?"
"Well," said the witness, "when his
company rides fast, he rides fast; and
when his company rides slow, he rides
slow."
"Now, I want to know, sir," the law
yer said, drawing a long breath, "how
the defendant rides when he is alone."
"Well," said the witness, very slow
ly, "when he was alone I warn't there,
so I don't know." Collier's Weekly.
Chief Justice Marshall's Homestead.
The general assembly of Virginia has
recently passed a bill appropriating a
sufficient sum of money for the pur
chase of the homestead of Chief Jus
tice Marshall in Richmond, Vo. The
house is now owned and occupied by
two granddaughters of the great jurist
and is little changed from what It was
when it was built In 1795. It will be
preserved as a memorial.
Paris Fountains.
There are now eleven fountains In
Paris at which water is sold "by the
bucketful, the price being 1 centime.
The individual who walks fastest
when troina to dinner usually walks
slowest when going back to work.
But little history was written in the
dark ages. Probably the people could
n't see to write.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS.
Vtniu Notes Calling the Wicked te
Repentance.
7 ITTLE men can
.never do great
'things.
It is only exter
nal piety that
fears a shower on
Sunday.
R i c h e s on the
heart are a bur
den; under the
feet a blessing.
Heaven is not In
streets of gold.
but in hearts of peace and love.
The prayer is never a monologue.
"Down street" is usually the devil's
resort
Prayer meeting piety needs office
practice.
The foibles of fashion are the fool's
spinions.
Worn and battered gold is better than
newly polished brass.
The counterfeit is often better look
ing than the genuine. v.
The devil does not need to fight those
who will not fight him.
Prosperity tests character as a heavy
harvest tests the granery.
The faith of the world depends on
the works of the Christian.
The man who really cares to, will
always dare to do the right
Much of the music of life depends
on your touch and your time.
There is no true human fraternity
without the divine fatherhood.
What Christ saves us to Is as Impor
tant as what He saves us from.
It takes no more than one serpent of
cherished sin to strike the heart.
Fame offers not so glorious a vision
as that of bearing shame for Him.
God neither asks for more than we
can do nor expects less than the most
It Is possible to be a glass-eye Chris
tian, a dead member in a living body.
God sees to it that the cheerful givef
never has to go out of the business ff
want of capital.
There isn't any use in going into the
church to work for the Lord, if you let
the devil hold your purse.
Hope believes less of man on account
of what he is than In what he may be
on account of what God Is.
The greatest mistake In life Is seek
ing to Improve the circumstances with
out regard to the character.
To the aged saint heaven looms up
brighter every step, and amid a chorus
of hosonnas angels escort him to a con
queror's crowning.
THE CZARINA'S TOYS
Curious Russian Fashion in the Giv
ing; of Kaster Kggs.
Among the most precious and curi
ous things to be seen In the Russlar.
section of the Paris exhibition are aL
the Easter eggs which have been se
selved by Maria Feodorovna, the widow
of Alexander III., and Alexandra Feo
dorovna, the wife of Nicholas II. The
French consider, with perhaps a cer
tain amount of reason, this envoy of
the illustrious ladies as the greatest
proof of their love for their nation and
a symbol of the solidity of the alliance
between the two countries. As a mat
ter of fact both empresses felt a cer
tain amount of uneasiness at the pros
pects of sending into the wide world
their treasures.
It was always the custom for the
Czars to present to their imperial
spouses each year, at Easter, an egg
containing a surprise gift, in keeping
with some particular event public or
private. When the czarewlteh now
Nicholas II. was sent round the world
with the double aim of completing his
education and forgetting, if possible,
an unsuitable love, his father presented
to the Empress a large Easter egg In
jasper, covered with curious ornaments
in gold and diamonds; inside was a
tiny ship, the model of that in which
the boy was sailing. It was made In
gold and mounted on a beryl stone;
masts, cables, anchors, decks, every
thing was complete; there were even
two small guns, perfect in all their de
tails. It was the work of an old Fin
lander, who had devoted ten months of
his life to the completion of this mas
terpiece. ;
In the year of her coronation the
granddaughter of Queen Victoria re
ceived from her imperial husband an
Easter egg in pink enamel on gold. In
side was the model of the gala car
riage which conveyed the young
Czarina to Moscow Cathedral. Noth
ing is wanting, not even the cushions
of the seats, which are made of red en
amel, and the tiny silk curtains, which
move on small golden wires. The im
perial crown, in diamonds, surmounts
this miniature of the gorgeous coach.
This year's egg contains a heart made
Of sparkling multi-colored stones and
the Inscription: "The heart of my
Czarina." The heart is surrounded by
twenty-five tiny portraits, all represent
ing the members of the Russian im
perial family. New York Commercial
Advertiser.
Needed Gaits in a Saddle flora :
A good saddle horse nowadays must
walk, trot, canter and gallop. These
are all natural gaits to all horses, so
that any ordinarily active horse can lie
more or less perfected in them. But
more was needed in the time of our
great-grandfathers, when loug journeys
had to be made over roads wnlch were
not much better than trails. Then the
amble was considered desirable, and
later a much pleasanter gait, which is
called the running walk. The amble
is a SiOW pace, a gait where the pro
gression is secured by the feet on the
same side moving, forward at the same
Selecting Seed Wheat.
This very good suggestion comes
from the Kansas Experiment Station,
and wheat growers should bear it in
mind. It is also applicable to other
grain crops, as barley and oats. It is
common among corn raisers to main
tain or Improve a given variety by se
lection of the seed. Ears showing de
sirable characters are set aside, and
furnish seed for the succeeding crop.
Though not so convenient this method
can be applied with equal success to
the selection of seed wheat The Ex
periment Station of the Kansas State
Agricultural College Is endeavoring to
breed up improved varieties of wheat
There is nd reason why the simple
method of selection should not be ap
plied by the individual wheat raiser.
We would advise the following pro
cedure: Before harvesting, the grower
should go into the -wheat field and se
lect a number of the most desirable
beads The basis of selection depends
upon the wishes of the individual, but
is carried on as In the case of corn.
Usually it will be upon the basis of
yield and quality. In this case the
beads selected should be large, well
formed, and with plump, uniform
grains. The grain derived from these
heads should be grown upon a plot of
ground under the most favorable con
ditions. The grain gathered from this
plot furnishes the seed for the third
year. But before harvesting, a selec
tion of suitable heads should be made
from this for the next seed plot In
this way the seed Is each year Im
proved or at least maintained at its
present standard. The size of the seed
plot depends upon the total area of
wheat to be grown. Furthermore the
seed plot may be given much more
careful treatment than is applicable to
the field. It is best to have the seed
plot within the main field so as to be
entirely surrounded by wheat This
lessens the loss from grasshoppers and
other insects, and gives the plants bet
ter protection.
No tea About Geese.
A quiet docile goose does better than
a shy one.
Geese are generally allowed to sit on
a part of the second or third litters laid.
The eggs should be gathered as soon
after they are laid as possible to avoid
their being chilled.
A goose is usually given 11 eggs for
a sitting, although a very large one
might cover 13.
The fertile eggs usually batch at the
end of 2S or 30 days, but a longer time
is occasionally required.
When each goose has her own nest,
she can easily be set at the end of the
second or third litter, as desired.
The eggs should be kept in a moder
ately warm place, not too dry, and
should be turned over every day until
set
Children should never be allowed to
approach geese during incubation, as
they are capable of Inflicting serious in
jury. Eggs can be successfully hatched in
Incubators, but most of the breeders
set the eggs under hens or geese.
The ganders should be left with the
geese during Incubation. They will re
main near the nest of their favorite
and courageously defend her from any
Intrusion.
It Is well to place food and water
near the nest of the sitting goose at
hatching time, so that she will be less
likely to leave the nest before all the
goslings are hatched.
Watering Troujeh.
Many pastures and farmyard water
ing troughs are half hogsheads set
upon the ground. They are in con
stant danger of being upset by the cat
tle, which also fight each other away
from the water. A plan to obviate. In
part, at least, both of these evils is
SECURED WATERING TBOUOH.
shown in the illustration. Two posts
are driven beside the tub and a wide
board nailed across, as shown. This
holds the trough firmly to the ground
and f lso separates the cattle while
drinking. The same plan can be used
with any shape of trough. Farm Jour
nal. Oat Hay.
Chemists tell us that oats cut for hay
contain as much nutritive value as they
do when ripened, so far as the grain
itself goes; still there is a loss by gram
rattling out when too ripe, and a lose
of the feeding value of the straw in
ripening. We think every farmer who
grows oats for home use will find a
profit In cutting them while the grain
is "in the dough," or soft enough to
crush between the thumb and finger
and curing them for hay. Both horses
and cattle eat them greedily, leaving
no straw, and seem to keep in quite as
good working condition as if fed on
timothy hay and dry oats. It is a saving
also of the labor of threshing, and there
may be another saving they may be
harvested before they begin to rust By
the way, how many know that the rust
on the oats and that on the barberry
bush ore Identical, and that to sow oats
near a bunch or a hedge of barberries
is to invite the rust to attack them. We
were told so many years ago. and we
have seen facts that seemed to prove it
EAhange.
Sweet Potatoes.
Have any of the readers tried per
fectly flat culture for sweet potatoes?
We should as soon ridge up and soil
for onions as for sweet potatoes. Ex
perimenting along this line, we first
made beds 9 or 10 feet wide by back
furrowing. On these beds the plants
(yellow Jersey) were set out in rows 83
inches apart A small one-horse culti
vator, supplemented by a small amount
of hand work, kept the plants free from
weeds and in excellent condition until
the runners took full possession of the
beds.
Later, it was found that even the bed
system was superfluous, and for some
years the ground is prepared as for
onions, the plants put in rows 33 Inches
apart At harvest time the vines are
cut between sets of three rows, and
with weed hooks and prong hoes rolled
like strips of carpet into bunches and
dried for fodder. If you have never
tried sweet potato forage, well cured,
for your cows, horses and swine, there
is a new experience in agriculture for
you. Farmers' Advocate.
Shorthorn Bull.
The Shorthorn bull Royal Chief is a
roan, calved January 2, 1899, Sire.
Prince of Masters (73305). He was
bred by J. Maxtone Graham, of Red-
ROYAL CHIEF.
gorton, Perth, and sold to D. McLen
nan, Buenos Ayres, for 230 guineas, or
about $1,200.
Concerning Fences.
The fences between pastures and cul
tivated fields should be made strong In
the spring before the cattle are turned
out, but it Is well to keep watch of
them at later times, especially if the
pasture grows scanty. Then a look
over the fence at a field of corn or wav
ing grain is a temptation that should be
guarded against -as it may not be eas
ily resisted. Then in some localities
there are a class of trespassers who
think little of throwing a stone off the
wall or letting down a rail in the fence
to make an easier passage for them
selves when they go that way gunning,
fishing or berry-picking. Such parties
should be punished, but It Is not always
easy to detect them. We have seen a
half rod of stone wall that had been
thrown down, apparently to get out
some woodchuck or rabbit and left as
If the ones who had done the mischief
thought there was no need of any wall
there. American Cultivator.
The Mule Trade.
For January, 1900, there were export
ed 5,769 mules, against 538 head In
January, last year. The export of
mules for the seven months ended Jan
uary, 1900, comprises a total of 22,264
head, against 4,834 mules for the cor
responding period in 1898, the former
valued at $1,947,214. and the latter at
$431,372. Evidently the wars are of ad
vantage to the horse and the mule
growers, and the end of the wars will
not end all, because the whole horse
and mule supply is reaching a low point
and it will take a number of years to
catch up with the demand.
Sell the Wrong Hens.
It is natural for the hens to lay and
when they do not produce eggs in the
summer or fall the cause should be In
vestigated. When eggs cease to come
in the farmer sells the molting bens,
which is just where he makes his
greatest mistake. The ones to dispose
of ore those that are fat and In high
condition. If the poultry on the farm
have the attention given them that is
received by the cows the farmer would
soon learn to 'know more about his
flocks and understand how to correct
his mistakes.
Washing Wool.
Sheepmen are quite generally aban
doning the washing of wool on the
sheep or any other way. The price re
ceived for washed over unwashed wool
Is now not enough to pay for the work
and for exposing the sheep from colds
from the water. The centrifugal ma
chines that wash the wool so quickly
and thoroughly are too keen competi
tors of the shepherd. Perhaps the
washed wool is really a little more val
uable, but If it is the buyer is unwill
ing to make Inducements In the way of
better prices. ',
Fertilizer Values.
According to the director of the New
Jersey experiment station-, it has been
estimated that if nitrate of soda. Is
rated at 100, blood and cottonseed meal
would be about 70, dried and ground
fish and hoof meal 65, bone and tank
age 65, while leather, ground horn and
wool waste range from as low as 2 to
as high as 30. From these figures it is
to be seen that nitrate of soda is the
most effective form of nitrogen
1 5MJ sr