SEMI-WEEKLY.
UNION KstKb. July. 1897.
GAZETTE Kstab. Dec, 1863.
i Consolidated Feb., 1899.
CORVALLIS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGON, TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1901.
'VOL. II. NO. 7.
OUSE
BY MARY J.
CHAPTER VlII.r-(ContInued.)
One morning about two weeks after
ward Mary was in the meadow gathering
cowslips for dinner when she heard some
one calling her name; and looking up.
she saw Jenny hurrying toward her, her
sunbounet hanging down her back, as
usual, and her cheeks flushed with vio
lent exercise. As soon as she came up
she begun with, "Oh. my, ain't I hot and
tired, and I can't stay a minute, either,
for I ran away. But I had such good
news to tell yon, that I would come. You
are going to have a great deal better
home than this. Yon know where Rice
Corner is, the district over east?
Mary replied that she did, and Jenny
Continued: "We all went over there yes
terday to see Mrs. Mason. She's a real
nice lady, who used to live in Boston,
and be intimate with ma, until three or
four years ago when Mr. Mason died.
We didn't go there any more then, and
I asked Rose what the reason was, and
she said Mrs. Mason was poor now, and
ma had 'cut her;' and when I asked her
what she cut her with, she only laughed,
and said she believed I didn't know any
thing. But since then I've learned what
it means."
"What does il?" asked Mary and Jenny
replied:
"If a person dies and leaves no money,
no matter how good his folks are, or how
much you like them, you mustn't know
them when you meet them in the street,
or you roust cross over the other side if
you see them coming; and then when la
dies call and speak about them, you
must draw a great, long breath, and won
der 'how the poor thing will get along,
she was so dreadfully extravagant.' I
positively heard mother say those very
words about Mrs. Mason; and what is so
funny, the washwoman the same day
spoke , of her, and cried when she told
how kind she was, and how she would go
without things herself for the sake of giv
ing to the poor."
After a moment's pause Jenny proceed
. ed: "This Mrs. Mason came into the
country and bought the prettiest little
. cottage you- ever saw. She has lots of
- nice fruit, and for all mother pretends in
Boston that she does not visit her, just
as soon as. the fruit is ripe she always
goes there. Pa says it's real mean, and
he should think Mrs. Mason would see
through it." :
"Did you go there for fruit yesterday?"
asked Mary.
"Oh, no," returned Jenny; "Mother
said she was tired to death with staying
at home. Besides that, she heard some
thing in Boston' about a large estate in
England, which possibly would fall to
Mrs. Mason, and she thought it would Le
' real kind to go and tell her. ; Mrs. Mason
has poor health, and while we were there
she asked mother if she knew of any good
little girl she could get to come and live
with her; 'one,' she said, 'who could be
quiet when her head ached, and who
would read to. her and wait on her at
other times.' Mother said she did not
know of any, but when Mrs. Mason
went out to get tea, I followed and told
her of you, and the tears came into her
eyes wheti I said your folks were all dead,
and you were alone and sorry. She said
right oft that she would come round and
see you soon, and if she liked you you
' should live with her."
So saying, she ran off; Mary, having
gathered her cowslips, sat down to think
of Mrs. Mason, and wonder if she should
ever see her. That afternoon, when the
dishes were all washed, she, as usual,
stole away to her books. She had not
been long occupied ere some one called i
her, saying Mr. Knight was downstairs
and wanted to see her, and that there
was a lady with him. . -
Mary readily guessed that the lady
must be Mrs. Mason, and carefully brush
ing her hair and tying on a clean apron,
she descended to the kitchen, where she
was met by Mr. Knight, Who called out,
."Hallo! my child, how do you do? 'Pears
to me you've grown handsome. It agrees
with you to live here, I reckon, but I'll
venture you'll be glad enough to leave
and go and live with her, won't you?"
pointing toward a lady who was just
coming from Mrs. Parker's room and to
ward whom Mary's heart instantly warm
ed. . -.- .
! "You see," continued Mr. Knight, "one
of the Lincoln girls has taken a mighty
shine to yon, and it's queer, too, for
they're dreadful stuck-up folks.
"If you please, sir," said Mary, inter
rupting him, "Jenny isn't a bit stuck-up.'
"UmpL!" returned Mr. Knight. "She
does not belong to the Lincoln race, then,
I guess;.' I know them, root and branch.
Lincoln's wife used to work in the fac
tory at Southbridge, but she's forgot all
about that, and holds her head dreadful
high whenever she sees me. But that's
neither here nor there. - This woman
wants you to live with her. Miss Mason,
this is Mary. Mary, this is Miss Mason."
. The introduction being thus happily
over, Mrs. Mason proceeded to ask Mary
a variety of questions, and ended by say
ing she . thought she would take her, al
though she would' rather not have her
come for a few days, as she was going to
be absent. Miss Grundy was now inter
rogated concerning her knowledge of
work, and with quite a consequential air
she replied: "Perhaps, ma'am, it looks
too much like praising myself, considerin'
that I've had the managin' of her mostly,
but I must .confess that she's lived with
me so long, and got my ways so well,
that she's as pleasant a mannered, good
tempered child, and will scour as bright
a knife as you could wish to see!"
Saturday came at last, and long before
the sun peeped over the eastern hills
Mary was up and dressed. Just as she
- was-ready to leave her room she heard
Sally singing in a low tone, "Oh, there'll
be mourning mourning mourning
mourning; Oh, there'll be mourning when
Mary's gone away." " . - :
About nine o'clock Mr. Knight drove
op alone, Mrs. Mason being sick with
nervous headache. "I should have been
p
TO PALACE
HOLMES
here sooner, said he, "but the roads is
awful rough, and old Charlotte has got
a stub or somethiu' in her foot. But
where'g the gal? Ain't she ready?"
He was answered by Mary herself, who
made her appearance, followed by Billy
bearing the box. And now commenced
the leave takings. Miss Grundy's turn
coming first. .
"May I kiss you, Miss Grundy?" said
Mary. Miss Grundy bent down and re
ceived the child's kiss, and then darting
off into the pantry, went to skimming
pans of .milk already skimmed. Uncle
Peter between times kept ejaculating:
"Oh, Lord; oh, massy sake! oh, for
land!" Billy knew it would be lonely
without Mary, but he was glad to have
her go to a better home, so he tried to
be cheerful.
Aside from him, Sally was the only
composed one. It is true her eyes were
very bright, and there was a compression
about her mouth seldom seen, except just
before one of her frenzied attacks. Oc
casionally, too, she pressed her hands up
on her head, and walking to the sink,
bathed it in water, as if to cool its in'
ward heat. :
: CHAPTER IX
Very different this time was Mary's
ride with Mr. Knight (rom what it had
been some months before, and after
brushing away a few natural tears, and
sending back a few heart-sighs to the lov-
ed ones "left behind, her spirits rallied,
and by the time they reached the borders
of Rice Corners there was such a look
of quiet happiness on her face that even
Mr. Knight noticed it. , As1 they rode on
Mary fancied that the country looked
pleasanter and the houses better than
in the region of the poorhouse; and when
a sudden turn of the road brought into
view a beautiful blue sheet of water, em
bosomed by bright green hills, her delight
knew no bounds. Springing up and point
ing toward it, she exclaimed: "Oh, please
stop a moment and look. . Isn't it lovely?
What is itr
"That? Oh," that's nothing but 'Por
dunk Pond,' or as folks most generally
call 'era, seem' there's two. North and
South Pond.'
"How far is the pond from Mrs. Ma
son s? asked Mary, casting longing
glances toward the distant sandy beach
and the graceful trees which drooped
over the water s edge.
- "It's farther back than 'tis there, 'cause
it s uphill all the way, said Mr. Knight,
"but here we be at Miss Mason's this
house right here," and he pointed to a
neat, handsome cottage, almost hidden
from view by the dense foliage which
surrounded it.
There was a long lawn in front, and
into the carriage road on the right of it
Mr. Knight turned, and driving up to a
side door, said to Mary, Come, jump
down, for my foot is so lame I don't be
lieve 1 11 get out. But there's your cheat.
You can't lift that. Halloo! Judith,
come ere. - .
In answer to this call a fat, pleasant-
looking colored woman appeared in the
doorway, and as if fresh from the regions
or cookdom wiped the drops of perspira
tion from her round, jolly face.
"Here, Judith," said Mr. Knight, "help
tnis gal lift ner trans out.
j Judith complied, and then bidding old
Charlotte to "get up," Mr. Knight drove"!
away, leaving Mary standing by - the
Kitchen door. ' : "
"Come in and sit down," said Judith.
pushing a chair toward Mary with her
foot. "It's as hot here as an oven: but
I had crambry sass and ginger snaps, and
massy knows what, to make this morning
and I got belated; but set down and
make yourself to home."
Mary took the proffered seat, and then
J udith left the room for a few moments,
saying when she returned that, as Mrs.
Mason was still suffering from a head
ache, she could not see Mary until after
dinner. "And," continued Judith, "she
told me to entertain you, but I don't know
what to say nor do first. Harry died
just a week to a day before he was to be
married, and so I never had any little
girls to talk to. - Can't you think of some
thing to talk about? What have you
been used to doing : '
"Washing dishes," was Mary's reply,
"Wall," answered Judith, "I guess you
won t nave that to do Here for one night
when some of the neighbors were in
heard Miss Mason tell 'em that she got
you to read to her and wait on her. And
then she said something about your not
having an equal chance with your sister.
You nan t but one, now t other s dead,
have you? - '
Mary replied in the negative, and Ju
dith continued: "Wall," now you've got
over tne hrst on t, 1 reckon you s glad
the baby-'s dead, for she must have been
kind of a bother, wasn't she?"
Instantly Mary's thoughts flew back to
an empty cradle, and again a little golden
head was pillowed upon her breast, as
often in times past it had been, and as
it would never be again. Covering her
face with her hands, she sobbed, "Oh,
Allie, Allie! I wish she hadn't died!"
' Judith looked on in amazement, and for
want of something better to do placed a
fresh stick of wood in the stove, mutter
ing to herself, "Now, I never! I might
of knew I didn't know what to say. What
a pity Harry died. . 1 11 give her that big
ginger snap the minute it's baked. See if
I don't."
Accordingly, when the snap was done,
Judith placed it in Mary's hands, bidding
her eat it quick, and then go up and see
tfle nice cnamDer airs. Mason had ar
ranged for her.
"Come," said Judith; and leading the
way, she conducted Mary up the stair
case, and through a light, airy hall to the
door of a small room, which she opened
saying, "Look, am t it pretty?"
Mary's heart was too full to speak, and
for several minutes she stood silent. With
the exception of her mother's pleasant
parlor in old England, she had never be
fore seen anything which seemed to her
so cosy and cheerful as did .that little
room, with its single bed, snowy counter-
pane, tnuslin curtains, clean matting, con
venient toilet table, and what to ber was
fairer than all the rest, upon the mantel-piec-
there stood two small vases, filled
ith sweet flowers, whose fragrance fill
ed the apartment with delicious perfume.
All this was so different from the bare
walls, uncovered floors and rickety, furni
ture of the poorhouse that Mary trem
bled lest it should prove a dream from
which ere long she would awake. -
When Mary was finally sent for by
Mrs. Mason she had been so much accus
tomed to sick persons that she knew in
tuitively just what to do and when to
do it, and her step was so light, her voice
so low. and the hand which bathed the
aching head so soft and gentle in its touch
that Mrs. Mason involuntarily drew ner
to her bosom, and kissing her lips, called
her her child, and said she should never
leave her; then, laying back in her easy
chair, she remained perfectly still, while
Mary alternately fixed her hair end
smoothed her forehead, until she fe'.I into
a quiet slumber, from which she did not
awake until Judith rang the bell for sup
per, which was neatly laid out in A little
dining parlor, opening into the Bower gar
den. There was something so very social
and cheering in the appearance of the
room, and the arrangement of the table,
with its glossy white cloth, and dishes of
the same hue. that Mary felt' almost as
much like weeping as she did on the u.i,ht
of her arrival at the poorhouse. But Mrs.
Mason seemed to know exactly how to
entertain her; and by the time that first
tea was over there was hardly a happier
child in the world -than was Mary. -
Mrs. Mason soon dismissed her to her
own room, where she for some time
amused herself with watching the day
light as it gradually disappeared from
the hills which lay beyond the pond. Then
when it all was gone, and the stars be
gan to come out, she turned her eyes
toward one which had always seemed to
her to be her mother's soul looking down
upon her from the windows of heaven.
Now to-night there shone beside it a
smaller, feebler one, and in the fleecy
clouds which floated around it she fan
cied she could define the face of her baby
sister. Involuntarily stretching out her
hands, she cried, "Oh, mother! -Allie! I
am so happy now;" and to the child's im
agination the stars smiled lovingly upon
her, while the evening wind, as it gently
moved the boughs of the tall elm trees,
seemed like the rustle of angels' wings.
Who shall say the mother's spirit was
not there to rejoice with her daughter
over the glad future opening so brightly
before her?
(To be continued.)
NO WONDER HE WAS BALKED.
Difficulties the Frenchman Ex peri-
- enced in Learning: Kagrlisn.
A. Frenchman thirsting for linguistic
superiority recently began a course of
English lessons with a teacher of lan
guages. . After toiling conscientiously
through a good many exercises-ihe fol
lowing dialogue between the pupil and
his master was overheard:
I : find the English very difficult,"
complained the Frenchman. . "flow do
you pronounce t-o-u-g-b?"
It is pronounced tuff.' "
Eh, bien, tuff;' 'snuff,' then, is spelt
s-n-o-u-g-h, is it not?"
'Oh, no; 'snufF. is spelt s-n-u-ff. As
matter of fact words ending in
o-u-g-h "are somewhat irregular." - -
I see; a superb language! T-o-u-g-h
is tufF and c-o-u-g-h is 'cuff.' I have
a very bad cuff." "
No; it is 'coff,' not 'cuff.' "
Very well; cuff, tuff and coff. And
d-o-u-g-h Is 'duff,' eh?"
"No, not 'duff.' "
," 'Doff,' then?" -"No;
'doh.' "
"Well, then, what about h-o-n-g-h?"
"That is pronounced 'hock.'".
" 'llockT Then I suppose the thing
the farmer uses, the p-l-o-u-g-h, ; is
pluff, or is it 'phlock,' or "plo?" Fine
language plo.' " v - ".
No, no; it is pronounced "plow.' "
I snail soon master English, I am
sure. Here we go. 'Plow,' 'cony tuff,'
'hock,' and now here Is another
r-o-n-g-h; that is 'row,' I suppose?"- "
'Oh, no, my friend; that's 'ruff
again." v-
"And bo-u-g-h is 'buff ?' "
"No; that happens to be 'bow.' "
"Yes, wonderful language. - And 1
have just e-n-o-u-g-h of it; that's 'enou,
is it not?" :
"No; ' 'enuff.' " Sheffield - Weekly
News.
Lady "Bobs" and Her Trunks.
There is a story going around about
Lady Roberts and her trunks, for the
truth of which, says the Westminster
Gazette, a man returning from South
Africa vouches. - '
At the height of the transport difficul
ties, Lady Roberts carried eight large
trunks from Cape Town to Bloemfon
tein in the very teeth of the officers.
Everybody wondered,-7 everybody
grumbled. No one but Lady Roberts
could have taken the things through.
The.transport of stores had been stop
ped for the time, the sick lacked every
comfort, and those who were not sick
were half-starved and -only half -clad.
Therefore, when a fatigue party was
told off to fetch those eight trunks from
Bloemfontein station, some rather un
complimentary things were said about
women travelers in general and this
latest transgressor in particular. ;
Next day seven of the eight, trunks
were unpacked, and their contents dis
tributed among the soldiers. The clever
lady had snapped her fingers at red
tape, and, had smuggled through com
forts for the men. One small trunk con
tained her personal belongings.
Sea Fish in Lake Ontario.
The. deepening of the St Lawrence
canal system has had other results
than to allow the passage of ocean
going freightage. Following in the
wake of the vessels sea herrings have.
made their appearance in Lake On
tario, and are being eagerly captured
by the fishermen. . - ' ::
. Preliminary Step.
"Are you educating your child with
a view to his future college career?!'
"Oh, yes; he's got to - begin - next
week and take a drop of tabasco sauce
three times a day." '.,
The Game of Buried Treasure.
It is probable that on some occasion
a number of boys were Idly kicking a
can about, and the game of buried
treasure just evolved itself without
any particular effort on their part . It
Is certainly a good game, and those
whom I have watched play It seem to
enjoy themselves immensely.
The equipment for the game Is hot
difficult to procure; cans are always
available. Decide by counting out who
shall be "it," or the miser who must
guard his treasure.
The miser-will take a position direct
ly over the can, his treasure, one foot
an each side. At least, this is the posi
tion usually chosen as being the best
suited for guarding the can. There Is
no rule, however, about this, and some
A GAME IS PKOGBE8S.
boys prefer other defenses, as standing
just behind the can or continually mov
ing about it - -
. The rest of the boys are robbers, and
circle about, attempting to steal the
treasure, or, In other words, kick It
away without being tagged. If "one
succeeds, another immediately kicks it,
and away goes the can down the street
with a crowd of yelling robbers after
it doing their best to prevent the poor
miser from regaining his position over
the treasure. If the miser succeeds in
tagging any boy who has kicked the
ean before another boy kicks it the boy
tagged becomes the miser and must
stand over the treasure. .
Of course the boys who are attempt
ing to get at the can will help each
other. One should attract the miser's
attention In front while another creeps
up from behind, or vice versa. If the
distracted guardian of the treasure
turns his attention to the man behind
him, the man in front will immediately
dart in, and so on. I think you will
find that the game, simple as it seems,
offers numerous chances for judgment
and quick maneuvering.
Onr Weights and Measures.
Perhaps you have heard that the gov
ernment is establishing a "standard
izing bureau" at Washington. ; It may
not have meant anything to you when
you read it but it really is an impor
tant step toward setting up in business
wholly for ourselves. Why, do you
know, if every weight and measure in
the United States had been destroyed
a few years ago, we should have- bad
to send to the standardizing bureau of
England for patterns to make the new
ones by. . r,
We pride ourselves upon being a na
tion of business men, but still we are
unconsciously a very careless people
about the weights and . measures we
trade by. They are made after all im
aginable designs, and, differing as they
do in shape, they easily deceive pur
chasersif the .seller so wishes. But
when the standardizing bureau gets in
to thorough working order all this will
be changed. -- Weights and measures
will, not only-be uniform throughout
the country, but they will be absolute
ly correct This standardizing will in
elude scientific instruments, so that
surveying will be done more accurate
ly, gas and electricity will be measured
exactly, physicians' prescriptions filled
with greater exactness and all meas
urements, in fact, from dry goods to
machinery, will be made with greater
care. :
Mr. Noboiy.
I know a funny little man, :
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody's house.
There's no one ever sees his face.
And yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked
By Mr. Nobody. -
?Tis he who always tears our books
Who leaves the doors ajar;
'He pulls the buttons from our shirts
Ana scaicers plus mar.
That squeaking door will always squeak.
For, prithee, don t you see, . ,
We leave the oiling to be done ,,
By Mr. Nobody! - .
The finger marks upon the doors : I
By none of us are made; - I
We never leave the blinds unclosed
To let the curtains fade. .J'
The ink. we never spill; the boots !?
That lying round you sec, . . jj
Are not our boots! They all belong
To Mr. Nobody! .
A. Tinshop on a Bicycle. -
A tinshop in a wagon has been a com
mon sight on country roads for years,
It seemed as if there was no limit to
the amount of tinware the peddler
could store into the many openings
and "cupboards" in the great boat
like vehicle.. But the bicycle may take
the placeof the old tinshop wagon.
By means of It thanks to modern in
vention, the peddler can now travel
much more quickly and at the -same
time have his wares on ..exhibition.
The new vehicle, however, in point, of
steadiness is perhaps better adapted
to city use than to the country. . -'-
- Extending beyond the handlebars of
the bicycle In front and behind the
saddle. In the back, is a rod to each
end of which Is fastened a skeleton
cone of wires. All up and down the
wires are numerous hooks, to which
the various cooking utensils are hung.
The whole thing is but another con
trivance to gain trade, for of course.
many persons will buy that which is
brought to them, who hesitate to seek
it for themselves.
All Children Should Learn.
To swim.
To run.
To sew on their own buttons.
To be neat -
To be punctual.
To be respectful.
To be truthfuL
To be obliging.
To be unselfish.
To be observant
To be studious at study times.
To be merry at play times.
A Not Uncommon Remark.
Harry, aged 5, went to church one
Sunday, and on his return home his
grandmother asked him what the min
ister said
I don't know, grandma," replied
Harry, "he didn't speak to me."
A good many older people who attend
church seem to think the same thing.
Why She Wa Sweet.
A foud mother who was caressing
her 3-year-old daughter .exclaimed
Nellie, I wonder what makes you so
sweet?"'
After a moment's profound thought
the little miss replied: "I guess God
muust have spilt some sugar in my
dust."
CAREERS CHOSEN BY CHILDREN
Most Girls Want to Be New Women
When They Grow tip.
"What would you like to be?" is a
question that has been put to the chil
dren of 'different nations during the
past year, with some startling results.
The replies to the inquiry among
French children are now being pub
lished, and some are quite as amusing
those received from English and
American youngsters. . .
Judging from the replies of the girls,
it looks very much as if the new wom
an will have things pretty much her
own way over there in another gen
eration. Who would have believed,
for instance, that of these 442 little
yirls, more than one-half aspire to what
are called in French parlance liberal
careers,- asks the Philadelphia Tele
graph. The first French woman to be
admitted to the bar had scarcely got
into her new robes of office when
these questions were sent out . Yet
fifteen little girls declare their inten
tion of following her example.
The small boys, of course, have the
primitive -small boy susceptibility to
drums and enld braid and hane! tinner!
Says one:
I want to regain Alsace and Lor-
aine. "
I'm already a good deal of a sol
dier. I have a sword and four or five
guns," says another. ,
'When the trumpet sounds," writes
a third, "I feel my heart beat faster."
"I want to be a soldier because I am
tall, strong, not stupid, and not a cow
ard." . - . ' ' -
Only one of these 2C4 belligerent
youths owns up to a bit of vanity in
his choice of a career, but it is safe to
believe that being human and French,
the others are not Insensible to the
charms of gold braid and spurs and
brass buttons. Says the honest one.
'The uniform Is very pretty, so that
my sister's girl friends will look at me."
The would-be farmers have a touch
of poetry in their natures, not sur
prising in lovers of the country. Says
one: ' -,.' - "'. ; ..- .... ...
"I shall be a vine grower. It is my
father's occupation. A good worker
is esteemed by all the world."
'Agriculture," says another.
"is the
I don't
but an
most noble of the professions. '
want to be a routine farmer.
educated agriculturist."
'I am 13 years old," remarks a philo
sophical youth. "If Bonaparte had
been alive I should have enrolled my
self under his flag. But not having a
sword, I shall take a plow."
Danish Export of Eggs.
In 1895 we scarcely knew Denmark
as an egg producer; but in that year
was founded the first Danish-co-operative
society for the export of eggs. The
same system which had succeeded with
butter was now to be applied to eggs.
The country was divided up into dis
tricts; each district had in some rail
way station a collecting depot, and all
members of the society were bound to
deliver three times a week at the de
pot. The depot agent refused, or bad a
right to refuse, all eggs more than four
days old, and every producer of each
district - had a distinctive number
branded on the egg.. Thus, in the event
of an egg proving bad, the depot which
shipped it would be proceeded against
and by means of the distinctive num
ber the depot agent would be able to
detect the producer, on whom the loss
would finally fall. '
By thns guaranteeing absolute fresh
ness and making good any occasional
loss, the Danes established a high
standard, and so created a continuous
demand. And what is the result? In
1895 the first year of the experiment-
there were established six local egg so
cieties, with an aggregate of . 2,000
members; in 1900 there were actually
no fewer than 837 separate co-opera
tlve societies, with a total membership
of 130,000 producers! . Is it surprising
that Denmark should send to England
alone 300,000,000 of eggs annually?
London Mail.! v ; V
. But for adversity lots of men would
never find out whether they were hon
est or not ' X
None but tha grave deserves the mon
ument. .
Size of teed Potatoes.
We have always obtained better re
sults from the- use of seed potatoes
"about the size of a hen's egg" or as
near that as we could judge by the
shape of the potato, and cut In halves,
as from any seed we had and we have
tested them against larger ones cut In
halves and In quarters, against smaller
ones used whole and against pieces
cut to two eyes each. Yet the pieces
of two eyes were so nearly equal that
we would use that method If the seed
cost a high price, by which we do not
mean the early price of the Early Rose
at a dollar a pound, but if they cost $3
a bushel. But the potato, of that size,
scarcely marketable, unless there was
a season of scarcity, is as well matured
as the potato that weighs a pound, and
we think throws as strong a shoot and
produces as much. We never made a
test by comparing the use of pieces of
large potatoes against pieces of about
equal weight of the smaller ones, and
to learn anything from such a test one
would need to continue it for a term of
years, using the largest from the larg
est seed each time. It might be well
after selecting as we would, for some
years, to change to pieces from the
large ones for a season, but we are not
sure of it Massachusetts Ploughman.
To Keep Milk Cool.
A correspondent of Hoard's Dairy
man gives a plan for a combined ice
house and cooling chamber. The cool
ing chamber Is partitioned off in such
a manner that it has ice on top and
on three sides. The dimensions are 12
feet Wide, 14 feet long and 12 feet
high, with a cooling chamber parti
tioned off 8 feet long by 6 feet wide.
The floor of a cooling chamber should
be placed about three feet below the
surface of the ground so as to take ad
vantage of the coolness of the earth.
: Growios Unions.
The use of good seed for the onion
crop is most important as the labor of
preparing the land, weeding the rows
and other care necessary is as great for
the part of a crop as for a full one,
while the cost of fertilizer Is not lessen
ed, nor are the onions better or in as
good demand if they grow too large.
The onion seed deteriorates very rapid
ly in germinating properties if it is
kept until more than one year old, ex
cepting that in very small quantities
it may be kept in something practical
ly airtight as in a tin box with snugly
fitting cover. We would not sow onion
seed without having it tested, and mak
ing sure that not less than 80 per cent
would germinate. Those who sow
under glass-and transplant have at
least the advantage of not having to
care for any rows that are not filled,
and if a part of the seed is too old to
sprout the only loss is the price paid
for the seed. This practice is growing
in favor, and fast taking the place of
the old method of setting out the dry
sets in the spring to grow the early
onions for bunching, as it requires but
little more labor to fit the land for one
than the other, and the new plants
seem to grow as rapidly, as the dry
sets. American Cultivator.
Weed Seeds.
If the farmer desires to know how to
select good clover seed he should learn
to know weed seed as soon as he looks
at it. - Then if his eyesight is not
good enough to distinguish it when it is
among the clover seed, let him spend
from fifty cents upward for a good
magnifying glass, and let him buy no
clover and not much other seed until
be has examined it and found it rea
sonably clear of the weed seeds. It
may be hard to find it perfectly pure,
but there W no use in buying such seed
as a sample sold in Vermont last year,
which had 59,310 weed seeds in a
pound. Just think of sowing ten,
twenty or more pounds of such seed on
an acre. ' The seeds of plantain, sor
rel,: pigweed, smart weed, curled dock
and the foxtail grass were the most
abundant in this lot and each of them
might pass for clover seed at first
glance, but can be detected under a
magnifying glass. It would be a good
lesson for the boys to collect samples
of "each of these and some other seeds
In little vials, and label each, that they
mighty . study them until they knew
them too well to buy them as clover
seed. ' ' " " '
Forshnm as Fo lder.
We plow the ground in the spring
after corn planting, says a Kansas cor
respondent in Prairie Farmer. The lat
ter part of June is soon enougn. De
cause if you sow too early it will get
ripe and you will have to cut it in the
warm weather of Aogust It is better
to plant so you can cut it just before
frost. It will keep better ana is not iia
ble to sour, as it might do if cut in the
warm weather., We sow It-broadcast
shout two bushels to the acre. Be sure
and sow It thick or It will grow big
ICEHOUSE AND CO0LI5O CHAMBER.
rank stalks, which will be hard to
handle and stock will not eat so well.
We aim to feed it out before Christmas
or before It freezes too much. Of
course, if It is fine, say like millet It
will keep Just as good as any hay. We
usually cut It with a mowing machine,
rake it put It In big shocks and feed -from
the shocks just as needed, as it
will keep' just as well as if stacked.
for if it is coarse and rank the stalk" -will
have lots of juice In them and will
not keep if stacked. Sorehum fodder
Is splendid for all kinds of stock. Hogs
will eat It with a relish; cattle and
horses like it also.
Eowlns- Clover Seed.
The Department of Agriculture says
there are 17,856,000 clover seed In a
bushel, which would be 297,000 In a
pound. There are 43,560 square feet in
an acre, so that one pound would fur
nish about 6 seeds to the square foot
And yet we are afraid to advise a far
mer, to use less than eight or ten pounds
per acre, giving fifty-four seed to the
squaue foot, and yet if every seed grew,
the small number would place the
plants close enough together to produce
a good crop. The extra seed, or seven-
eighths of the seed cost, is the price we
pay for not having well-cleaned, plump-
seed, and the land in such condition
that each one will have a fair chance to
germinate and grow.
Parsnips for Milch Cows.
The parsnip is probably one of the
best roots ever grown for milch cows,
and it has a great advantage in that it
may remain in the field until spring
when other roots are all gone, and then
be used until grass has grown. It is
as easily grown as the carrot and like
that root it wants a deep, rich and mel
low soil. Many object to growing It
even in the garden, because the weeds
are apt to get such a growth before
the parsnips come up that the labor of
weeding is greatly increased, but this
may be remedied by mixing a few rad
ish seed with the parsnip seed, which
will come up so that the rows can be
seen and hoed out long before the par
snips are up. They can be pulled when
the parsnips are thinned.
Keeping Country Boys at Home.
The drift of rural population to
cities has long been a characteristic of
recent times. Every census hi recent
years both in this country and in Eu
rope has shown the vastly greater
growth of cities as compared with ru
ral regions. If there were wider ' In
telligence among farmers in feeding the
ambition of the young, if they were to
give their children something that they
might Improve by industry, something
that would stimulate ambition and
awaken pride, there would in all like
lihood be less discontent with country
life and less of longing for the untried
and unknown life of the city. Indian
apolis News.
Cnttni; Asparaerns.
The question of the propriety of cut
ting all or certain asparagus shoots as
rapidly as they appear and for a con
tinued time often arises, for it Is well
known that the continued cutting away
of all a plant's growth has a weaken
ing tendency at least As recently
stated, most gardeners cut all growth
during the first half of the season. But
a correspondent recommends leaving
nil the very light growth, that it may
strengthen the plants for the following
season, and only cutting that which Is
strong. Meehan's Monthly.
Time to Eow Tobacco Feed.
There seems to be a general rule for
sowing tobacco seed in each State with
reference to the frosts which are likely
to" occur in the spring. Seed beds
should be planted from six weeks to
two months, according to the variety
of the seed, before the latest date at
which killing frost has occurred in the
locality. This is for domestic seed.
Imported Cuban seed should be plant
ed a month later and imported Sumatra
six weeks later than acclimated seed. .
Don't Spray Frnit Trees in Bloom.
Professor Beach recently discussed
before a beekeepers' convention the
spraying of fruit trees when in full
bloom. Generally speaking, his con
clusion seemed to be that spraying dur
ing blooming time was not only waste
ful, but decidedly harmful as well, cut
ting down the supply of fruit to an ex
tent that if generally practiced, would
amount to thousands of dollars to the
fruit men all over the state.
Farm Notes.
The market for American apples Is
now worldwide.
Interest in farming is undoubtedly
reviving In New England.
Don't sow alfalfa seed on unprepared
soil as you do clover. ". If it fails with
you, manure the land and try again.
The family horse should be raised
and trained on the farm. Then you
thoroughly understand his disposition
and know how far he can be trusted. '
The application of sulphur to soils
for the prevention or potato scab re
gardless of the character of the soil is
liable to occasionally cause much la
jury. ' v . : '.'
Bordeaux mixture has been fonnd of
value in stimulating tomato plants to
more rapid growth. Increasing their
vigor and of particular merit in keep
ing down the attacks of flea beetles,
i Twenty thousand mutton sheep are
being ' fattened at Rocky Ford. Col,
on beet pulp, with a little corn added.
There is another "waste' product" be
ing utilized turned Into mutton.