The Athena press., May 01, 1908, Image 6

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SHOOTHTG MESSAGES TO MARS.
BARE SUMMER FALLOW.
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SUGGESTED METHOD OF COMMUNICATING WITH MARS.
That Mare Is Inhabited, scientists
ire convinced, and for years efforts to
communicate with the planet, 83,000,
000 miles away, have been made with
out avail.
That communication between our
world and tho Martians will one day
be established, however, Is practically
agreed, writes D. S. Landls, a noted
scientist. Following the death of an
army officer-scientist there came to
light papers dealing with Interplanet
ary communication, which suggest a
way of putting Into execution the long
dream of the scientific world.
This officer knew that a rifle ball
driven by army powder traveled 1,000
feet per second, and the projectiles of
large cannon much faster. But they
fell after a time, duo to the attraction
of the earth.
He estimated that If a projectile
could bo fired that would travel 20,300
feet per second It would overcome
gravity and travel round the earth at
a fixed height, returning to Its start
ROYALTIES IN ENGLAND.
Mdle Prince of Norway Disputed
With Kaiser In I'opolnr Favor.
Seldom before has there been a
greater gathering of royalties In any
European kingdom than that which
was seen in England recently. There
were, besides the members of the
British royal family, the Emperor and
Empress of Germany, the King and
Queen of Spain, the King and Queen
of Norway, and the heir apparent, lit
tle Prince Olof, Queen Amelia of Por
tugal and the Infanta Isabella of
&paln, the two last being present to at
tend the marriage of Prince Charles of
Bourbon to Princess Louise o Orleans,
Of all the visiting royalties, the
Kaiser is the most important and his
4h ; "f&t'
J -alt-: Mi'U:' is ' ,' ;.:!:," ' '..!'-
iuInsIou to England Is interpreted as
oillolal and polltieul. The visits of the
others are purely social, 'lhat the
meeting of William II ami King Ed
ward will conduce to European peace
and to a fuller uuderstaudiug between
tho two coiiutries U taken for grauted
at all the chancellories of Europe. It is
n Interesting clrcunistauce that amid
all the numerous ' wars of Eurtiean
lilstory there has never been a .breach
of the peace between England and
5ermany, or betwtvn Ensland and
Prussia, and jtlie nwetins between
Kaiser and King will undoubtedly bind
tlie two nations more closely together.
While the Kaiser was the center of
Attraction for statesmen and diplomats
and the great of the land, the little
Prince of Norway drew the plaudits
of the people. Prluco Olof Is a manly
little chap, now a little over 4 years
oll, and Uressf-d in li!s uni'mr suit," as
leoouies a representative of the Scandi
navian race, he apix'aled strongly to
the English Imagination and to English
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ing place In one "hour and twenty-three
minutes.
Going farther, he learned that If a
velocity of 37,000 feet per second was
achieved, the projectile fired from a
cannon on the world's pinnacle would
pass straight Into space, escape the
earth's attraction, and Instead of fall
ing to the earth, would drop upon the
planet nearest it at the time.
This theory, If executed, would makt.
communication with Mars possible. A
speed of 37,000 feet per second Is not
impossible. When the gun and explo
sive capable of such velocity are dis
covered, scientists can drop a projectile
upon Mars, beyond doubt
A non-fusible projectile, partially hol
lowed, could carry messages from this
world to any toward which it was di
rected. The motions of the earth and
Mars being known, it would require but
little calculation to so fire the pro
jectile that it would, when stopped, be
attracted toward its intended destination.
sentiment His father Is Haakon VII,
who as Prince Charles of Denmark
was elected to the throne of Norway,
In 1905, and his mother is the Princess
Maud, third daughter of King Edward
and a popular English princess.
BABY WEIGHED FOKTY POUNDS.
Obliging Iceman Used lit Own
Scales Trouble Follow.
When Assistant Attorney-General
Cliarlcs W. Lyon, of Iowa, discovered
that a forty-pound baby boy had been
uorn 10 nis wire the other day he im
mediately ordered an lnvesMirnrinn of
the Des Moines Ice Trust. Ordinarily
naoies ana lee have no intimate con
nection. Iillt In this lnSto.u tlu hnrl
Says the Des Moin correspondeut vi
me rvew lork 'nunu.
ivijt fr tile baby wins born the other
day the proud father it was his first
born immediately called for a pair of
scales to weigh the youngster. His de
mand could not be supplied from the
house furnishings, but It so happened
that the ice man, came along.
"A pair of scales to weigh the
baby?" said the iceman to the ques
tioner, "sum, I have; what do you
think I weigh ufy ice with?"
"Bring thorn in," said the attornev-
general. Then the nurse carefully bun
dled up the baby and carried him out
to the iooninn. The beam on the scales
shot up when tho baby bundle was at
tached to it.
"How much docs he weigh?" ques
tioned the anxious father.
"Just forty pounds," said the Iceman,
who was a bachelor.
"I knew he was a husky un" said
the proud father, who also didn't know
much about babies and lie hurried off
to his office at the State house to tell
the glad news and pass around the
cigars.
"How much does he weigh?" was the
first question put to the Joyous father.
"lorry jKiumis." the assistant told
A t to rney-G one ra 1 Byers.
"Why, you must be crazy," said Gen.
Byers. Then Lyons told the attorney
general Just how he .knew the baby
weighed forty pounds. "I guess all the
trouble Is that .the Iceman has been
beating you out of thirty pounds of lee
every day this summer," was Byers'
comment. And now a petition Is about
to be filed to dissolve the ice trust
Beyond Doubt.
When Ikey entered the shop with a
limp, dejected air, carrying a pair of
cheeked trousers over his arm, Mr.
Solomon looked at him with displeas
ure. "Ikey, why do you pring dose pants
back?" he Inquired, severely.
"He would not to keep them,' said
Ikey, sorrowfully. "He said they were
not of any wool pants."
"He did!" cried Mr. Solomon, In
dignantly. "Here, Ikey, see dose mot"
holes In dis rlfiht leg, my son? Take
dose pants right avay back and show
htm dose mot' holes?'
At Their Second Meet lac.
"May I call you Mabel?" he asked,
pausing In his perusal of the menu.
"If you wish to." she said, "but my
name Is Gertrude." Plok-Mo-Cp.
Great Thtasa.
It's easy for the average man
To do great things, you'll 6nd ;
That is. it's easy quite for him
To do them ia his mind.
"The Devil's Disciple," Bernard
Shaw's puritan play, Is found "dull"
by London theatrical critics. The au
thor of "Man and Superman" and "Ma
jor Barbara" Is to blame for that
"The Life of Henrik Ibseu," by Ed
mund Gosse, is a new volume In the
Literary Lives Series. It is valuable
inasmuch as It uses a quantity of in
teresting material when has only be
come available since Ibsen's death. '
Jack London continues to be Inter
ested in the fauna of the arctic region
and the theory of evolution. The magic
of his terrene types, hU fearfully
strong characters clenched In an ele
mental struggle with hunger or cold
or lust, perhaps does not hit one so
forcefully as at first. Yet there are
few men writing magazine fiction who
manage to get tenser situations or
stories more efficiently told.
Mitchell Kennerley, the New York
publisher, wishes It to be known that
the favorite novelist of King Edward
VII. is "Victoria Cross." His majesty
does not follow In the footsteps of hli
revered mother, who delighted in Marl
Corelll. The first copy of each new
work by "Victoria Cross" Is forwarded
by order to the royal library. It is to
be hoped that none of the majestic
grandchildren have access to the,, li
brary. ,
"Nietzsche, the most original thlnkei
of our age, whose thoughts . came to
him In snatches," says Arthur Symons
in the Saturday Review, "was concern
ed for the most part with problems of
man, the creature as he Is to be seen
in the herd and on an occasional moun
tain top. Take the book which has at
last been translated, and admirabiy,
Into English, 'Beyond Good and Evil.'
a book which Is full of magnificent
speech, as straight 'as Vhltman's or
Carlyle's, but more brilliant, more mod
era, more cutting than theirs; a book
In which Ideas are tumbled together, In
a dazzling confusion; one of the most
vital of books ; and look here and there
at the criticism, which comes In by the
way, mostly criticism of literature, and
sometimes as Inevitable as this on Po-
tronlus, 'who, more than any great mu
sician hitherto, was a master of presto
In Invention, ideas and words.'" But
Nietzsche's criticism that music since
Beethoven is "not musical enough" is
Nietzsche reasoning himself out of his
Instincts. He does uot allow himself to
recognize that music is music, not a
j tendency or a tradition, "and all that
he has to say now about music is val
ueless, because he has ceased to hear it
'or his own sake, disinterestedly."
A Careful y&lle. .
Royalties are much like other folk,
after all. A pretty little story is told
In W. Beatty Kingston's "Men, Cities
and Events," which gives a pleasant
picture' of ..ih..najsnt. Kaiser's father,
then Crown Prince of Prussia, and af
terward the Emperor Frederick III.
The incident took place at the nuptial
ball of the "Pearl of Savoy," now the
Queen Dowager of Italy, the well-beloved
Margherita. She was dancing
when her dress caught In the spur of
a cavalry officer, and was so badly torn
that a wisp of gauze trailed from the
skirt along the floor.
Quickly the frusstan heir apparent
.auie up, produced a dainty little moroc
co case, took from it a tiny pair of
scissors, and kneeling down, deftly cut
aAvay the wreckage. When her royal
highness had resumed her dance, Fred-
prick William went up to Prince Hum
bert and craved permission to keep the
tatter as a souvenir of the queen-to-be.
The request was cordially granted, and
the prince carefully folded up the bit of
gauze and put It In his pocketbook.
King Victor , Emanuel complimented
the young man on carrying such an out
fit, even In the ball room.
"The merit belongs to my wife, sire,"
answered the crown prince. "Long ago
she gave me a pocket necessaire with
all sorts of useful things, needles,
thread, buttons, hooks, scissors, and so
forth, and made me promise to keep It
always about me. What took place
Just now only proves tliat I am a lucky
fellow to have such a clever wife to
'ook out for me."
Preaching: and Practice.
Lord Lawrence, one o'f the famous
Viceroys of India, was an able and very
simple man. He used to do his work
In hla shirt sleeves, and discouraged as
much as possible all state and cere
mony. He was Inclined to treat the
natives like children, although he al
ways strenuously Insisted upon their
meriting and receiving Justice and
kindness.
Lord Mayo went to India to suc
ceed him, and on the last afternoon be
foro Lord Lawrence was to leave for
home he took the Incoming viceroy foi
a drive. Oa he way he Impressed his
doctrine of kindness very emphatically
and solemnly on his successor.
Lord Mayo thanked him for his help-fur-
advice, and they returned in due
course to Government nouse. The syre,
or footman, wo slow and awkward in
opening the door of the carriage, where
upon Lord Lawrence Jumped out In a
temper and gave his ear an unmistak
able tug. Lord Mayo turned to the
viceroy's aid with a smile.
"My first practical lesson la kindness
to. natives is undoubtedly an odd oue,"
he whispered.
Really superior people do not ac
wperlor
Agricultural College Makes Interest
Ing Experiments.
By A. L. KniselJ, Oregon Agricultural College
In taking a walk over the fann at the
Oregon Agricultural college, looking for
interesting and instructive object les
sons, there may be seen north of the
old barn and just to the south of the
path leading to the orchard, an enclos
ure containing some very interesting
experiments. This enclosure contains
an oblong box probably ten feet long,
three feet wide and three feet deep. In
this box are installed four galvanized
iron tanks or pots, each holding aprox
imately 500 pounds of soil. Each pot
is provided with a drainage spout so'
that all water leaching through the soil
in these pots may be collected and
measured and analyzed.
Many farmers practice bare summer
fallow and the question often arises as
to the good or bad effects arising from
this practice.
Should the practice of bare summer
fallow be discouraged? It was for the
purpose of answering this question that
these experiments in the galvanized
iron pots were started.
In 1900 all pots were filled with the
same soil thoroughly mixed so that
each pot was identical with the others.
Since that time part of the pots have
been bare summer fallowed, whilst oth
ers have been growing crops, usually of
grain. The teachings from each pot
during the rainy season have been care
fully saved and analyzed with the result
that invariably the leaching from the
bare summer fallow pots carried from
two to over six times as much nitrogen
as did the teachings from the pots that
had not been bare summer fallowed.
The first few weeks of leachings in the
fall cairy most of the soluble d Urate
nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen
leached out of the soil in one month in
the fall was equivalent to approximate
ly 6 pounds per acre in soil not summer
fallowed and over 40 pounds per acre
where the soil had been thoroughly
summer fallowed.
From the plant food point of view
bare summer fallow cannot be recom
mended. Summer fallow aerates the soil, con
serves moisture and oxidizes the organ
ic matter of the soil, converting much
of the organic nitrogen first into ammo
nia compounds and then into nitrate
nitrogen; that is into a form which eas
ily leaches from the soil and is lost to
the farmer, whilst organic nitrogen does
not readily leach out of the soil. At
times bare summer fallow may be de
sirable but usually it is to be con
demned. BROOME GRASS.
Director of Experiment Station Says
' It Has Been Overdone.
By H. T. French, Director Experiment Station
Moscow, Idaho.
In response to numerous inquiries
regarding out experiences with Bromus
inermis, I take occasion to present the
following brief account of the results
thus far attained on the experiment sta
tion farm.
Broome grass has been growing on
the farm in small plats, and in pasture
fields, for six or seven years. Wher4
it has been allowed to stand unmUted
it has produced a dense sod, h Jd com
paratively little growth after the second
or third1 year.
Where it has been re-deeded, or the
ground disturbed by harrowing, it has
made a much better growth. Around
the borders of fields where the land is
cultivated the growth isrankandcoarset
My opinion of broome grass is, tha.
it has been somewhat overestimated for
general use; but that it has a place as a
grass to be used in out-of-the-way
places, where it can not, on account of
the nature of the soil, form a dense sod.
Such a place would be found on stony
land, or rocky hill sides.
It will produce one or two good crops
on farm lands, then it should be either
plowed up and a crop of -grain taken
off, or else given a good discing to pre
vent its forming such a dense sod.
This grass, like most of the others, will
do best on rich moist land; but at the
game time will withstand severe
drought, if the sod does not become too
dense.
All kinds of stock seem to relish eith
er the grass or hay made from it if it is
cut early.
Publications on Farming.
The following publications of interest
to farmers and others have been issued
by the Agricultural department of the
Federal government and will be fur
nished free, so long as they are avail
able, except where otherwise noted,
upon application to the Superintendent
of Documents, Government Printing y
Office, Washington, D. C:
Farmeis"Bulletin No. 46. Irriga
tion in Humid Climates. By F. H.
King, professor of agricultural physics,
college of Agriculture, University of
Wisconsin, and physicist of the Wis
consin agricultural experiment station.
Pp. 27, figs. 4. Treats of the neces
sity, advantages, and methods of sup
plemental irrigation in humid regions.
Circular No. 65. Irrigation From
Upper Snake Eiver, Idaho. By H. G.
Saschbacber. Pp. 16, figs. 1.
Circular No. 67. Investigations of
Irrigation Practice in Oregon. By A.
P. Stover, Irrigation Engineer, irriga
tion investigations, office of experiment
stations. Pp. SO, figs. 4.
CrfM9d Oyatera.
Cook together a tableepoonful of but
ter and one of flour, and when they
bubble pour upon them a large cup of
cream or very rich milk, to which a
pinch of baking soda has been added,
and a gill of oyster liquid. Stir In a
smooth sauce, lay In the oystera, sea
eca wlti salt aad orbits pepper, and
cook until the edges Just begin to curl,
then pour In gradually, stirring all the
time, two well-beaten eggs. Cook foe
only half a minute and err.
Surreatlon-. (or Dairymen.
A good time to do your dehorning is
to dehorn the calves with a good de-
horner when they are a few days old.
Mark them with an aluminum earmark
so you can keep a record of them. '
Keep a 'record of the breeding of
each cow, so you will know when she
Is due to calve, and then allow her to
go dry six weeks before calving.
The dairy bull should be fed like a
working horse and should receive plen
ty of exercise. Work him in a tread
power.
The milking is one of the most Im
portant parts of the dairy business.
Tte cows should be milked quickly,
cleanly and quietly. Do not exete your
cows or they will not let their milk
down. Don't abuse a cow because she
kicks. If she kicks there is some cause
M It. Look for the cause and remedy
it It may be a sore teat It may be an
Inflamed udder or It may be that she
has been misused and regards her milk
er as an enemy that she must fight If
such Is the case, treat her kindly and
she will soon learn that you are not
going to harm her;
Clip the long hair off the udder and
flanks and tall, and wipe off the udder
with a damp cloth before milking, and
you will be surprised to see how much
deaner the milk will be.
Weigh each cow's milk with an ac
curate scale and test the milk with a
Babcock tester and you will be able to
see how many of your cows are paying
for themselves. Dr. David Roberts,
Wisconsin State Veterinarian.
. Wheat tn the Cotton Belt. '
The first week in November is early
enourh to sow wheat throughout the
middle portion of the cotton belt This
crop often succeeds well sown as late
as Dec. 1, provided the conditions shall
be favorable for germination for two
weeks after sowing (not too cold and
wet). Land covered with a thick
growth of grass or other vegetation Is
not considered the best condition for
wheat, for the reason that wheat likes
a compact smooth surface soil. Turn
your land well, then harrow, then roll
with a heavy roller, thea sow the seed.
A on or one and a half ton roller run
over a freshly plowed surface once or
twice will compact the three or four
Inches of surface soil. The wheat seed
should then be put In with a regular
wheat drill, says a Southern authority.
I would not apply less than 400 pound
of fertJMzer per acre and would prefer
600 to 600 pounds unlee the land be
already rich. I rommend this for
mula: Two hundred pounds acid phos-
nstr 400 pounds of cottonseed meal
""d 50 pounds of muriate of potash
per acre, suppiemenrea witn a top
dressing of 50 to 75 pounds of nitrate
of soda in March if the appearance of
thes plants seem to Indicate the need
of more nitrogen. Exchange.
Durable Gate Hlngre.
In the accompanying sketch A rep
resents a block of hard wood in which
a socket hole is made, says a writer to
the Prairie Farmer. In this socket
rests the gate piece, which is of a suit
able size to turn easily. Through the
upper part of the post a two-Inch hole
Is bored Into which is driven one prong
of a hedge fork. A small hole is bored
through the end of the prong and a pin
Inserted to hold It In place.
Wintering; Sheen.
It Is not cold weather that hurts
heep so much as It Is getting wet
Sheep to fatten well should be fed reg
ularly twice a day, morning and even
ing. Sheep naturally drink a little and
often, and should have water con
venient to them all the time. Don't
feed well and give good shelter, then
allow your sheep to drink loe water to
cool off.
Link Talnea Advaaelna-.
During the past ten years there has
aeen a building up period In the lamb
trade. Lambs are now in demand In
every consuming center and the' trade
appears to have no limit The fact of
the matter Is that lambs-are becoming
scarcer each year. Any first-class
lambs win be sure of strong prices for
many years to come.
Oalr Health? Anlmala Par.
Pure water only should be allotted to
the hogs. Do not think that the hog
will eat anything and It will be best
for him. Clean food and drink are bet
ter and more profitable for any anlmaL
Healthy animals only are profitable In
hls age. E. J. Waters tripe, in Swine,
Grata Will Tanu Crtaa,
It Is claimed that cows that are fed
a little grain in connection with their
pasture yield a larger proportion of
cream In the milk and always make
hard bntt
- n H JLT 1
jgb : -
GOOD HINGI rot GATE.
Spraria Potatoea.
Careful potato growers can no longer
doubt the advantages of spraying in
"blight" years ; but Borne doubt whether
the practice Is profitably year after
year. Tests along this line, have been
continued for five years by the Experi
ment Station at Geneva; and the evi
dence presented In Bulletin No. 290,
giving details of the .fifth year's test
and summaries of preceding ones, seems
conclusive in favor of the practice.
The gain each year has been profitable;
and there Is already much more than
enough excess of gain over cost to pay
for spraying five years more. Similar
gains, though not quite so great were
obtained by farmers under tests care
fully checked by the station and by
much larger number of farmers who
sprayed Independently.
Red Texas Oata.
The strain of the Red Texas oats
which has given the largest yield for
two seasons and which stands third in
order of yield for the four years' trial
has been grown at the Kansas station
for four years and has seemed to Im
prove rather than to deteriorate in
quality and yield. Oats are not consid
ered well adapted for growing in tlw
State. : It Is the general experience
that oats soon "run out" In Kansas,
and farmers consider It necessary to.
secure new seed every two or three
years. The trials at the Kansas sta
tion, however, indicate that It Is not
only possible to maintain the quality
and yield of oafs, but also to even Im
prove them by good culture and by
sowing only the best grade.
A Natl Box.
By having a regular and orderly nail
box always at hand In some convenient
place It may come In handy In an
HA1TDT KAIL BOX.
emergency. The box with separate
compartments for the different sized
nails may be easily made by Inserting
partitions la the box, the size depend
ing the number of apartments desired,
r Trrim Dlaeaaea,
It may not be generally known, but
many twig diseases of trees jiro spreaa
by the pruning. fcl.' "wie very suc
cessful - nurseryman dips his pruning
knives and saws In a solution
of carbolic acid before beginning to
prune another tree, so if any germs
are on the tool this treatment will" de
stroy them. As boob as a wound Is
made It is a goctf Idea to disinfect and
paint It to keep out the moisture. There
Is danger of trees contracting disease,
as the germs enter the wounds and dis
eased places result or the exposed parts
will begin to decay as soon as the mois
ture gets a hold. Apple Specialist
Sarins; the Clover.
It Is a falling of the American farm
er when a blade of grass or a stem of
clover makes a strong showing to try
to turn it into beef, muttorf or pork.
In this effort to utllibze It he entirely
forgets that the plant may need a little
winter protection. He does not under
stand how little is often sufficient to
save the plant from frost Destruction.
Where the clover Is not pastured It Is
often allowed to perfect its seed, which
is as fatal to the crop next year as the
winter freezing. Clipping would save
the crop where It la so forward as to
bloom and perfect seed. Rural New
Yorkfr.
Beans Fed to Swtne.
Beans can be med to swine only la
the cooked form. The pig seems to be-
unable to utilize beans which are at
all hard or firm, even though they have-
been boiled for some time; hence it is
very essential that they be thoroughly,
and carefully cooked, says R. S. Shaw,
Michigan. To supply a single feed of
half-cooked .beans to a pen of hogs robs
them of their appetites and relish for
their food. If Indeed It does not put
them off their feed.
The Asparag-ns Bed.
Burn off the asparagus beds now an
clean the ground thoroughly, applying
manure plentifully. ." All bushes and.
weeds that have not been cleared from..
the ground will serve as harboring
places for mice and Insects. When the
materials on the surface of the ground
which have been destroyed by frost
are dry, and the grass also dead, it Is
not difficult to bum an entire bed over
and thus consume many seeds on the
ground.
Bern Davis Good Enona-h.
A Maine farmer who has been mak
ing money during the past eleven years
from growing Ben Davis apples, re
cently disposed of a shipment of this
fruit at $4.85 net profit per barrel.
When all other apples are past their
usefulness, old Ben Davis Is good
enough for the most of the people.
Guinea Pawls.
It is a hard matter to extinguish.
the sex of guinea fowls. Some authori
ties claim that the male chatters in a
quick manner,, while the female give
off a sound like "Otraei" or "Joe
Pratt," or 'Buckwheat" The male
gives a sound similar to a screech.
tamed late a fatccsv
j l