fc . . . . . ... ' - ' .. .1 1. .
ENTRANCE CLOSED
PORT ARTHUP IS NOW BLOCKED TO
. BIQ YESSELS.
Battleship Is In the Way Oaly J Small
Cruisers Can Qo Out Japan Foresaw
Possibility of Coal Being Held Con
traband of War and Has immense
-Supply on Hand.
March 7. Little chance in
the Far Eastern situation is reported
this morning. It is apparent that the
Japanese are busily engaged in trans-
nortins their forces into Corea, and
4his work is facilitated by the enforc
ed inactivity of the navy.
According to the Sebastopool cor-
reenondent of the Daily Graphic, Ad
jniral Skrydloff has learned privately
irom Port Arthur that the Russian
battleship Retzivan lies in such a po-
-sition as to block effectually the exit
.of battleships from the harbor, the
passage being practically only the
cruisers. The correspondent adds that
.Russia's new battleships now building
-on the Baltic will not be ready for ac
tive commission before the end of Au--gust.
The Japanese officer who has charge
of Japan's financial and commercial in
terests In England aeciares wiai m
.government foresaw the possibility of
coal being declared contraband of war,
and that it had been collecting large
stores of Welsh steam coal ior years,
so that today it had a supply suffici
tr- tha Tin i7v fnr vears to come.
CUb vuv
According toa Tokio correspondent
rf the standard, the Mikado has sent
a personal message to the Emperor of
Corea assuring mm mai iue wai wn
declared solely with the ivtw to se
curing permanent peace,, and express
ing the sincere wish that the recently
concluded Japanese Corean protocol
would increase the intimacy of the
nn the atrfineth of a statement made
by a missionary, the Shanghi corres
pondent of the Daily Chronicle sends
in a doubtful report mat zs japaueae
. sailors have landed at Tengehau, west
rhoofnn Ravine their vessel had
sunk as the result of an engagement
with Russian warsnins. wmcn mau
Ttfn Rusian were saved
but 200 Japanese were rescued by
Chinese junks. This action is report
mA tn have occurred between Port Ar
thur and Miao in Laothieshau chan-
: nel.
GO TO PANAMA.
Canal Commissioner Called to Wash
ington for Conference.
Washington, March 7. Admiral
Walker, chairman of the Isthmian ca
nal commission, naa a conierence iu
day with the President relating to
-canal affairs. At the conclusion of the
conference Admiral Walker said he
had advised the commission by tele
graph to come to Washington at their
earliest convenience. He said he ex
pected the commission would sail for
the isthmus on March 22. If, however,
all the members could not arrange
thoir nffnira sn as to leave at that time
rh rnmmiaion would leave a week
.later.
it ia aaA thfi President adopted an
unusual procedure in specifiically
naming in the list of "nominations Ad
miral Walker as chairman of the
commission, as it is usual to leave the
selection of chairman to the commis
sion. But there were slight signs of
friction, it is said, which impelled the
President to prevent any contest in
the commission by naming the chair
man himself.
Rear-Admiral Rixey, Surgeon-Gen-
-eral of the Navy, is going to Panama
to make an insepction of the sanitary
conditions on tne isthmus. No date
has been set for his departure, but he
will have a conference with Rear-Admiral
Walker before working out the
details of his trip.
The health of marines and of the of
ficers and men on the ships on duty in
isthmian waters comes under the
charge or Rear-Admiral Rixey, and
he will make a careful investigation
of the sites selected for camps, and on
his return probably will draft a report
he may see fit regarding proper quar
ters for the men and the making of
whatever sanitary safeguards he
thinks necessary.
There are on the isthmus six sur
geons of the navy already. One of
them who has just returned reports
that the health of the men Isexcel
lent. Anxiety for Von Waldersee.
Hanover. Prussia, March 7. The
condition of Field Marshal Coutat Von
Waldersee is causing anxiety among
his friends. He has been ill for some
days, and is losing strength. There
was no improvement late tonight, ac
cording to dispatch from 'Hanover,
in the condition of Count von Walder
see. Professor Orth of Berlin, and
Professor Eppstein of Gottingen, have
diagnosed the disease as intestinal
inflammation. The Count is very
weak and the worst is feared. Emper
or William has ordered that full re
ports of the Field Marshal's condition
be wired him frequently.
Naval Station a Live Issue.
Washington. March 7. Almost the
entire time of the senate today was
given to consideration of the question
of a site for a naval training station
on the Great Lakes. The controversy
arose over the appointment of a new
commission to select a site. The com
mittee amendment was so amended as
to make it apply to all the Great Lakes
and not alone to Lake Michigan, but
Juarles amendment calling for a new
commission to select a site was not
acted on.
Great Earthquake in Peru.
Lima. Peru, March 7. A tremend
ous earthquake, which did much dam
age, occurred here at 5:20 this morn
ing. Nothing comparable with it has
been experienced during the last 30
ears.
GALE DRIVCS FIRE.
Prairie Fre Sweeps Over Oklahoma
With Great Damage.
Lawton, QkUu, March 5. Driven by
a terrific gale from the north, which
at times reached the velocity ' of 90
miels an hour, a prairie fire swept
over thousands of acres of Kiowa and
Comanche counties last night, destroy
ing hundreds of farm buildings and
much live stock, made 1000 persons
homeless, caused the death of several
persons, threatened a number of
towns and swept away scores of build
ings in the outskirts of towns.
The losses from wind and fire re
ported to date follow: Hobart, 4000;
Vinson, $8000; Lawton, $10,000; small
country towns, aggregate, $50,000;
farm property, $100,000.
The country was very dry, no rain
having fallen for months. Grass and
stubble fires set by farmers, as is cus
tomary nt this season of the year,
were soon driven beyond control by
the gale, which rose suddenly. x
All estimates of the loss exceed
$200,000. At Hobart, the county seat
of Kiowa county, the fire destroyed
numerous outlying buildings. The 75,
000 acres of Government military and
timDer and Indian reserve near io-
bart were swept with loss of buildings
and cattle.
In the Homestead district near Law-
ton, occurred the loss of life.
Late at night the fire began moving
southward toward the city. At 12
o'clock, midnight, 5000 people of this
city were up in battle with the flames.
The advance line of the fire was fully
two miles in length and moved in a
semicircular form.
Two thousand men turned their ef
forts to checking the grass borders of
the reservation at the city limits..
Water from every source, carried in
every conceivable way, was distributed
along the line and caried all around
the city limits. This served the pur
pose of checking the advance lines of
the fire, but was of little avail in
hindering the continued rolling of the
firebrands into the streets of the city.
In more than a hundred places flames
aross from dwellings, barns and out
houses, but wherever a blaze grew
men were present to quench it with
water. As a result of the cool judg
ment of the fighters, the city's loss
was only $10,000.
Stories are coming in tonight of
how families laid out on the barren
prairie through the freezing night
after the storm had passed with only
the thin clothes on their backs as re
minders of once prosperous homes.
Hundreds of people are destitute and
are sufferinging intensely in the cold
with the excruciating pains caused by
their burns. Clothes, medicine and
physicians are being sent out from all
the cities and towns of the district to
relieve the suffering.
TO RENEW FIRE.
Japanese Ships Believed to Be Re
plenishing Supplies.
St. Petersburg, March 5. The au
thorities are badly puzzled at the ap
parent disappearance of the Japanese
squadron which has been investing
Port Arthur, and are inclined to be
lieve that the ships are being coaled
and their ammunition supply replen
ished, in order to renew the bombard
ment at an early date.
The report which is being persis
tently circulated by the "official" news
agency that the Japanese have retirel
discouraged at their lack of success in
damaging the fortress, and the severe
injury to some of their ships, is laugh
ed at by the best-posted of the naval
experts here. They point out that the
ships of the Japanese squadron have
used a great deal of ammunition in
their several bombardments of the
fortress, and declare it was to be ex
pected they would have to withdraw to
their base in order to load supplies
and coal.
CEMENT BIDS EXCESSIVE.
Government Will Erect Own Plant at
Arizona Irrigation Works.
Washington, March 5. The" Interior
department today rejected all the bids
submitted several days ago for the
supply of some 150,000 to 250,000 bar
rels -of Portland cement to the gov
ernment for the Salt River irrigation
project in Arizona. The action is the
result of the excessive prices submit
ted by the cement manufacturers, the
department stating that first-class
Portland cement can be manufactured
at the dam-site on Salt River from
good materials at hand there for less
than $3 a barrel, including the entire
cost of the plant, fuel, operation, etc.
The department will now consider
the question of erecting a plant for
the Government manufacture of the
cement, the purchase of the supply in
open market, or readvertisement of
bids.
Steamers Intended for Russia.
Tacoma, Wash., March 5. While no
confirmation of the fact is obtainable
at this time, the belief is gaining
ground that the steamers sold by the
Northern Pacific Steamship Company
to the Northwestern Siberian Com
pany are intended for tue Russian
government, and will never be put on
the Alaska run, except to pass Alas
ka on their way toKamschatka. The
fact tnat John Rosene, manager of the
purchasing company, recently return
ed from St. Petersburg, and the fur
ther fact mat -e is owner of valuable
concessions from the Rusian govern
ment, lends odor to Uie report.
To Prevent Crossing of Yalu.
Seoul, March 5. The Rusian forces
at Anju are compelling the Coreans
to supply them with rice, fodder and
fuel. The Russians are fortifying An-
ung heavily, with the apparent inten
tion of preventing the Japanese from
crossing the Yalu. The commander of
a British gunboat, bringing down res
idents of that nationality from Song
Chong. reports the death .of Prince Yi
Chai Sun, a nephew of the former king
and a man who has filled all the high
posts in the kingdom.
Siberian Reserves Anxious to Go.
St. Petersburg, March 5. Mail ad
vices from Siberia say the army re
serves from the rural districts seem
to be more anxious to go to the front
than the townsmen. Many of the lat
ter are presenting physicans' certifi
cates of illness.
SUNK BY SHELLS
RUSSIANS AGAIN LOSE IN BATTLE
AT PORT ARTHUR.
One Torpedo Boat Sank and Two Battle
ships Badly Damaged Attacking
Fleet Which Withdraws In Good Or
der. Is Met Outside, but Opponents
Soon Seek Shelter.
London, March 2. A - dispatch to
the Dally Telegraph from Yinkow,
dated February 29, says:
Fifteen Japanese warships furious
ly bombarded Port Arthur from 10 un
til 12 o'clock this morning. The Rus
sian cruisers Novik, Askold and Bay
an, accompanied by four ' torpedo
boats, steamed out to meet the at
tack.' They were, however,- forced to
retire. The Askold was in a sinking
condition. The Novik was badly dam
aged, and a torpedo-boat was sunk.
The Russian battleship Retvizan
was"again damaged. The Japanese
withdrew in good order.
This battle shows a repetition of
the now familiar tactics of Japan, and
it is presumed the attack was made in
bad weather, previous telegraphic ad
vices having reported a severe gale
raging at Port Arthur. As usual the
Japanese did not remain long enough
oil the harbor to enable the gunners
at the fort to get their range. Again
at the time the three cruisers, the
Bayan, the Askold and Novik, came
out to meet the attack, and this sug
gests that either they were the only
effective ships there, or that the
larger battleships were unable to get
out.
Many alleged dispositions of the op
posing forces are published this morn
ing, but they differ too much in de
tail to be of any great value.
A dispatch from Shanghai to the
Daily Chronicle says the Russians are
transferring the guns from the dis
abled ships at Port Arthur to the
forts there.
A dispatch from Chefoo to the
Standard, dated February 29, says a
Japanese cruiser and torpedo-boat en-
tered that harbor without lights at 1
o'clock on the morning of the 29th,
and it is believed they embarked the
Japanese who took refuge there after
the attempt to bottle up Port Arthur.
A Tokio correspondent of the
Times cables that the steamers sunk
by the Japanese on either side of the
Russian battleship Retvizan at Port
Arthur practically obstruct the en
trance to the harbor.
NOT RELISHED BY RUSSIANS.
Chinese Treops Are Consentrating to
the Westward of Mukden.
Liao Yang, March 2. General
Mishtchenko, with a detachment of
mounted Cossacks, has reached
KashnJa, Corea, and is expected at
Ichio Yang at once. . His men and
horses are in good condition and he is
well supplied with provisions.
The concentration of Chinese
troops westward of Mukden, in the
district of Gubantsa, is not relished
by the Russians. War material is being
brought up and the militia posts are
being strengthened. It is doubted if
the attitude of the population can be
relied upon. The people at several
points refuse to sell produce to the
Russians. Snowstorms are raging
here and the frost is ..intense. The
railroad is working perfectly and
troops are arriving uninterruptedly.
Their health and spirits are excellent.
SAY FORT WILL DESTROY FLEET
Russian Military Authorities Have No
Fears for Port Arthur. .
Moscow, March 2. - Interest
throughout Russia is now ' fixed on
Port Arthur, and speculation as to the
probable fate of that supposedly im
pregnable fortress takes the widest
range.
The publication of General Stos
sel's order to the troops, while it nas
had the effect of arousing enthusiasm
in Russia, had also attracted atten
tion o the tremendous strategic val
ue of that fortress and to the crucial
part it plays in Russia's plans for the
defeat of the Japanese in Corea.
While the failure of the Japanese
attempt to bottle up the fleet evoked
sarcastic comment from the Russian
press as to the Japanese cunning and
the miscarriage of the enemy's plans,
the Russian military authorities are
pointing out that this attempt having
been defeated, therefore it must fol
low Port Arthur is impregnable and
the Japanese can never capture it.
Original force of Rebels Was 3000.
Manilla, March 2. General Leon
ard Wood reports, under date of Feb
niary 15, an engagement with Datto
Moros, under Hasan, on the Island of
Jolio. Lieutenant West and six pri
vates were wounded. One has since
d:ed. The Moro loss was heavy.
Hasan succeeded in making his es
cape. His original force of 3000 has
now been reduced to 15. The island is
now under . control of the American
authority, and influential Moros are
aiding in the pursuit of the outlaws.
The members of the constabulary
who revolted at Vigan are all in cus
tody. No Trace of Japanese Fleet.
St. Petersburg, March 4. The War
Office has given out what purports to
be a summary of an official telegram
from Viceroy Aleieff, which states
that Admiral Stark, commanding the
Port Arthur squadron, reports that
there was no attack by the Japanese
on February 2S or 29. On March 1,
Admiral Stark reports he .made a re
connoisance with his cruisers and
destroyers within a radius of 60 miles.
but failed to discover any trace of the
enemy.
Will Not Advance for Month.
Pnrla March 2. Renorts received
from Russian sources state that the
Hneelan lanjl nrpnttrfltlnnn in Man-
churia will not be completed for a
month, and. the general advance can
not be ordered before, that time, it
la then (vrnocteri that whatever
ground the Japanese have gained will
. a tr i
be overcome ana tney wiu oe nnauy
annihilated.
NO -TROOPS TO GO
Cabinet Decides to Let Marines Re
: ;. main at Panama, - "
Washington,, March 3- Important
matters relating to tne Panama canal
were under discussion by President
Roosevelt and his cabinet today. Attorney-General
Knox and other offi
cials of the department x 'of justice
have under consideration the title -to
the canal property, which is to be
passed to this country; by the Panama
Canal Company, but as yet they have
reached no conclusion.
It was said after the meeting that
no money could be paid by this gov
ernment until a clear title to the prop
erty was obtained, but no intimation
was given as to the length of time
which might elapse before a decision
was reached.
The entire subject of the canal and
its construction was discussed in ad
dition to the legal phases of the ques
tion. In .this connection it was decid
ed, as heretofore indicated might be
the case, to countermand the orders
issued to the Third United States In
fantry to go to the isthmus to relieve
the marines now on guard duty there.
ror some time the marines willvcon-
tinue to guard the isthmus. This gov
ernment is opposed to establishing
two jurisdictions on ths isthmus, and,
as the naval vessels must remain
there, it was thought best to allow
the marines to continue to do land
duty.
It is the earnest wish of the Presi
dent and the members of the cabinet
that no unnecessary delay occur in be
ginning the work on the canal, and it
is their intention to press it with the
utmost vigor.
CHINA CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
Russia Knows She Can Never Take
Up Siberian Railway as Per Lease.
Paris, March 3. Information has
been received from Harbin which is
extremely interesting at the present
time, dealing as it does with the
i rans-siDenan Kaiiway. . A corres
pondent of Martin met M. Chaffaujon,
the noted French explorer, and the
latter discussed the railway, which
he has recently inspected. He de
clares Russia does not own the land
the road is constructed on, despite the
general opinion to the contrary. Rus
sia merely has a 99-year contract or
lease.
M. Chaffaujon declares the treaty
with China stipulates that, if at the
end of 99 years, China desires to en
ter into possession of the line, she
may do so, after reimbursing the
company for all of its expenditures
for the construction and maintenance
of the road.
M. Chaffaujon declares it is difficult
to imagine China refunding to this
Russian company the millions that
would be necessary under the lease,
and declares the Flowery Kingdom is
caught in a trap.
The terms of the lease, also, he de
clares, provides that Russia shall
have the right to place all of the sol
diers necessary in the territory ad
joining the line of road in order to
guard it, and also to build -such sta
tions as it desires.
RUSSIA IN FEAR.
Combination of Yellow-Races May Be
Formed Against Her.
Moscow, March 3. Among thought
ful Russians, there is a constantly
deepening impression that Russia will
yet have to face the combined power
of the yellow races, the cunning neu
trality proclamations of China and
Corea to the contrary notwithstand
ing. There are serious traces of des
pondency among the better class of
Russians, and some solid Russion suc
cess is anxiously awaited and badly
needed as a tonic.
The government, knowing this fact,
caused to be circulated a report of a
Russian success at Port Arthur yes
terday, in which a. Japanese warship
was said to have been sunk, but the
news was received with open skepti
cism in the absence of direct official
confirmation.
It is semi-officially stated that the
Japanese and Russian advance are in
sight of each other, and news of the
first land battle is awaited with a de
gree of apprehension.
News of the activity of the Chinese
troops in the province of Chi Li is con
firmed from official sources. Generals
Yuan Shi Kai and Ma are concentrat
ing their foreign-drilled forces at
strategic points and trouble is feared.
Farmers Form Big Concern.
Omaha, Neb., March 3. Twenty
states were represented by 250 dele
gates to the National Co-Operative
Gralngrowers and Stockraisers' As
sociation, when that body convened
here todayN It provided that the name
of the association shall te changed to
the Farmers' National Exchange
Company. Its object shall be to "buy,
sell and deal in grain, livestock and all
kinds of produce on commission and
otherwise, and for that purpose build
and equip elevators, warehouses, cold
storage plants, stockyards and what
ever shall be necessary for the carry
ing on of the business
Great Attack May Now Be On.
London, March 3. No confirmation
of the report published yesterday in
the daily Telegraph that the Japanese
had bombarded Port Arthur February
29 has been received from any point.
The wires from the scene of war have
been practically silent for the past 24
hours, and in some quarters this si
lence is supposed to indicate that Jap
an's great attack on Port Arthur is ac
tually in progress, and consequently
the use of the wires has been discon
tinued. Essentially a Military City.
Yinkow, March-3. Liao Yang, Man
churia, is now essentially a military
city, as an area comprising three and
a third square miles adjoining the
railroad has been inclosed for a mil
itary camp and magazine purposes.
There is also a military camp at Hal
Cheng, Manchuria, 30 miles from Niu
Chwang, which, with its defenses,
covers over 1000 acres.
Small Stock Barn.
The . accompanying plan of base
ment of barn, SO by 34 feet, contains
rooms for eight head of cattle, one sin
gle horse stall, one box stall, and one
sheep pen. The floor above has a drive
way of 12 feet, with a mow of 12 feet
one side over the cattle, and one of
10 feet over the horses and sheep pen.
The stairway goes down from the side
of the barn floor and the feed is put
down through a swinging door in the
side of the mow beside the stairway.
By using the swinging door it will al
ways be kept shut and prevent
draughts in the stables.
The cost of a cement concrete wall.
and concrete stable floor, together
with the frame work above, would be
o
PLAN OF STOCK BARN.
A Box stall; B Horse stall; C
Sheep pen; D Feed room; E Cow
tails; F Gutter; G Passage behind
cattle; H. H Mangers; I, I Posts un
der sill.
about $419, besides the expense of
boarding the men working on the
barn. If the board has to be paid
for it would cost about $125.
, Honet in the Country.
The advantages of country life over
crowded quarters in our large cities
was discussed in a sermon by Dr. John
Merrith Driver delivered recently in
one of the Chicago theaters. - Dr.
Driver said in part:
"With the almost illimitable em
pires In the West and Southwest, rich
with opportunities for the poor man
to-acquire a home and competence, yet
thousands beg in Chicago; other thous
ands live by crime alone; other multi
tudes eke put a pitiful livelihood al
ways within easy reach of the tooth
and claw of abject nakedness and star
vation; others, by close and often hu
miliating economy, get along fairly
well until the first strike or shutdown,
or sickness, or accident, and then go
to the wall.
"And yet out in God's country the
green fields and blue skies and rip
pling brooks are fairly riotous with
invitations, saying: 'Come hither from
race course and dance hall; come out
of slum and back alley and dingy tene
ment and find for yourselves and for
your children acres of your own, so
ciety at once simple and inexpensive
and yet self-respecting and ennobling,
and religion pure and undented.' "
Cook Vegetable Outdoors.
The practice of cooking cabbage
and turnips in the house sometimes
leaves an odor that Is unpleasant to
most people, and
some very good
-f'
housewives do not
cook these vegeta
bles on this ac
count. That these
vegetables may be
served without be
ing bothered with
this unpleasant
condition, I have
hit upon a very
good plan. At first I took an old piece
of stovepipe and made some openings
in the bottom for admitting the air
and In this pipe I made a good fire,
hanging my kettle over as shown In
the sketch. I liked this plan so well
that I have since had a camping stove
made for cooking things in an out
house or out of doors that leave an
unpleasant odor in the dwelling. Cor.
St. Louis Republic.
Feeding; Applea to Stock.
A correspondent asks for an opin
ion as to the advisability of feeding
applea to farm stock of various kinds.
There can be no possible objection to
it, provided the feeding is done in con
nection with the other rations. A large
orchardlst living near the writer stores
all his elder apples for feeding to his
stock, as long as they last. In feed
ing to horses and cows bis plan is to
cut up several quarts of the apple into
small pieces and mix grain with them.
In feeding to hogs, sweet apples only
are used for this purpose. They are
fed whole or, if large, cut in half. ' For
poultry they are chopped fine and well
mixed with bran, and sometimes with
wheat, the. feeding being done in a
trough, so that there will be little
waste. As a matter of fact, unless
there is a silo on the farm, our animals
get too little green food and oftentimes
the surplus apples and potatoes, as
well as other vegetables, can be used to
better advantage in feeding stock than
in any other way.
The Futore of Poultry.
That the poultry industry of the
country is yet in Its infancy is clearly
shown In the constantly-increasing de
mand of both eggs and dressed fowls.
The general trend of the markets
for the past two years has shown a
Ft
shortage M? supply, and" a" comeqvent
advance In price, until to-day the pro
ducts of the poultry yard are at high
tide, -with, no prospects of any early
change. -
More poultry has been raised thlx.
season than ever before, and yet the
people want more, and the demand
will continue to grow.
The wise poultry man will, as the
buying goes, "get In on the ground
floor" and be prepared to furnish his
part of the supplies which the markets
are sure to demand. -
Bide Llneeta Far sat n a.
Some of these may be very profit
ably taken up by farmers as well as
gardeners, advises Rural New Yorker.
In some localities the farmers follow
this course to such an extent that it is
hard to tell just when farming leaves
off and gardening begins. It is a good
practice, and the small farmers are
often able to turn as much clear money
on two or three acres of sweet corn, cab
bage, horseradish or like crops as from
their entire regular crops. It would
be time well spent for many farmers
favorably located to plan for some of
these crops. There is easily $75 to
$100 in an acre of sweet corn proper
ly managed, and more than that in
horseradish. With the latter cfop
nearby markets are not so much of an
object, as it will stand storing for
high prices and hauling or shipping
to any distance. The sweet corn, how
ever, Is an entirely different matter,
and without easily accessible markets
at the canning factories or the larger
cities for immediate supply the grower
will very likely get caught. Cabbage
also Is worthy of attention as It may
be easily stored to await favorable
market opportunities or long shipment
if necessary. So there is no reason
why many of the ordinary farms may
not become far more profitable than
as at present conducted.
Stunted Pigs.
Sometimes these are caused by an
inherited disability to make use of
the food given them, but probably
more often by conditions after birth.
If they are watched it will be found
that the other pigs are driving them
from the teats and later from the
trough, says Farmers' Review. Having
once become weakened they are less
able than the other pigs to fight for
their food and have to be satisfied
with short rations. It is evidently a
part of the plan of nature to eliminate
the weakling as a breeder. However,
these same pigs, if given a chance at
the teats and the trough, often devel
op into good sized hogs and prove
profitable. We would not, however,
advise using such an animal as a
breeder. The hint that nature has
given us should be taken. We agree
with her In wanting for breeders only
the most vigorous.
Simple Feed Ina; Rack.
The accompanying illustration
shows a rack which, as told in the
Tribune Farmer, is much used in
Pennsylvania for feeding cattle In the
yard. The corner pieces are made by
quartering a log about ten inches in
FEEDING BACK.
diameter and five feet long. The
boards should be five Inches wide and
one and a quarter Inches thick. The
figure simply shows the manner of
making the rack, without claim of ac
curacy in dimensions. Four head of
cattle can feed at one time, and all
loss of feed is prevented in wet
weather when hay or fodder would be
trampled into the mud. Brace rack
as shown:
Barley Crop Is Increasing;.
The production of barley in the
United States has increased greatly
within the past few years. It is esti
mated, in a general way, that about
two-thirds of the product is good
enough for malting purposes, the re
mainder being used for feeding. Only
a small proportion of the crop is ex
ported; in the record year 1898-99 the
exports amounted to 23,661,662 bush
els, but this was exceptional. The
usual quantity of exports in late years
is from 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 bushels.
Farm Notes.
A Williamston (Mich.) farmer hired
four women to husk corn, being unable
to get men, and in seven days they
husked 1,160 bushels.
If we could only do our own work
as easily as we sometimes think we
could do the other fellow's work what
a happy life we would lead.
An Illinois farmer is said to dry out
bins or cribs of damp grain by putting
layers of drain tile through the mass.
We should like to hear from any read
er who has tried this.
Eggs are sold by the dozen regard
less of size. Should potatoes be sold
in the same manner a gigantic kick
would be made by potato consumers.
A dozen potatoes may weigh one or
ten pounds.
The State of Wisconsin, says Rural
New Yorker, is trying to get rid of the
German carp in its southern lakes,
which are destroying the bass and
spoiling the wild celery beds that fur
nish a feeding ground for canvasback
ducks.
It is very essential that each farm
er should know the nature of his own
soil. It may differ materially from that
of a neighbor, in which case it would
be folly to imitate him. Many failures
are made by not knowing the nature
of the soil. When a crop is grown on
soil unfitted to it it is very much like
fitting a square plug In a round hole.
One should study to adapt crops to his
soil. '