I
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
State and Nation Join to Fight Fire
Forest Lands Put To Many Uses
TEE report of a conference on forest
fire protection by the various
states has just been issued by the
federal department of agriculture. This
conference was attended by represen
tatives from all the New England
itates, New York,lJew Jersey, Pennsyl
vania, Maryland, Virginia, West Vir
ginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan,
Minnesota, Oregon and Washington.
The meeting was called to discuss
the section of the Weeks law which
authorizes co-operation between the fed
eral government and the states in pro
tecting from fire forests situated on
the watersheds of navigable streams.
The conference considered not only the
details of carrying out the law, but the
results which the law has accomplished
and the promise which it gives of future
accomplishment.
The various subjects discussed includ
ed patrol work, co-operation "with pri
vate owners of timberland, and' co
operation with other protective agencies
and with railroads. The conference is
said to have established beyond a doubt
the great value of fire lookout stations
and towers, and the imperative need of
Bees Advised as
llQEE keeping is the one line of
J work with insects that is pro
fitable," said Leonard Haseman,
assistant professor of entomology at the
Missouri university. "The bee is im
portant, not only for its products, but
also for its aid in producing fruit by
helping polinization.
"The hive is the bees' home," con
tinued Professor Haseman; "make it
as convenient as possible. The bee
should not be disturbed when there is
so need of it." '
J. W. Haunch of Mexico, Mo., who
has had about thirty years of work with
bees said: "You haven't anything on
the farm to pay as well as bees do for
the time spent on them. There are
40,000 beekeepers with 200,000 colonies
of bees in the state, and they produced
last year honey werth $1,500,00.
"If you are just beginning to keep
Control Smut With
Formalin
A NUMBER of cereal smuts carry
their spores over the winter on the
outside of the grain. The.npores
germinate in the Bpring at the same
time that the ed germinates. Hence
the sprouting seed is infected and later,
when the head is formed, its grains be
come 1 'smutted," says W. W. Bobbins
cf the Colorado Agricultural College.
The following cereal smuts behave in
the manner described above: Stinking
smut or bunt of wheat, loose smut of
eats, beknel smut of oate, covered smut
ef barley, smut of rye, kernel smut or
orghums.
Iu such cases as these, where the
pores are carried over on the outside
ef the grain, the formalin dip or
prinkle is to be recommended as au
entirely satisfactory control measure.
Formalin (a 40 per cent solution of
formaldehyde gas in water) may be
obtain I'd fro mthe drugist in one pint
(about one pound) lots.
Use one pint of formalin in about
forty-five gallons of water. This amount
will treat at least forty rrshels of grain,
, Dip about half -bushel Jmounts of the
grain into the solution several times,
ontilif lite sure that all parts of the lot
lave been reached. Allow it to drain,
pread out on a clean floor or canvas,
and cover for twelve to twenty-four
lours, then remove the cover -and let the
grain become thoroughly dry. Instead of
dipping, the grain may be spread out on
a clean floor, canvas or wagon box, and
eprinkled with the solution as prepared
above. Mix the grain and formalin thor
oughly by turning the grain over and
ever as it is being treated. Then cover
for twelve to twenty-four hours, after
which time it should be spread out in
a thin layer and allowed to dry.
The highest mountain in Montana, Granite
peak. With an altitude of nearly 13,000 feet,
ft la tin BMitootb National forest.
telephone communication, as well as
other permanent construction work, to
include roads and trails. In all of these
activities the value of co-operation be
tween the various agencies was empha
sized, and it was brought out that effi
ciency could be raised and expenses
lowered when state, nation, lumber
companies and private individuals work
together in accordance with a plan
evolved by all.
It was shown that the disposal of the
slash left after lumbering means the
elimination of a great source of danger
from fires. In some cases it was shown
that it was best to dispose of this ma
terial by burning it under supervision
when there was little danger from fire.
In other cases it was proved to be suf
ficient to lop the branches, so that all
would lie close to the ground and decay
quickly.
In the discussion of actual fire fight
ing it was pointed out that the secret
of the suppression and control of fires
in the woods is not essentially differ
ent from that in the city, and lies in
having a trained and dependable fire
fighting organization.
Money Makers
bees," advised Mr. Kausch, "do not
try to take care of more than two or
three hives, for they will increase as
quickly as you can learn how to take
care of them."
Emil J. Baxter, a fruit grower of Nau
voo, 111., who has kept bees for thirty
six years, said:. "I use bees in my or
chard and also keep them for the profit
they briug. They are an ideal producer
in connection with an orchard; To
raise bees successfully, always have a
good colouy by the time the blossoms
are out.
"The secret of keeping the bees from
swarming is to give them room. Dur
ing the fall see that the bees have
enough food to last all winter. Use
sugar syrup if feed is scarce, but never
use honey unless you know just where
it came from, because it may contain
the germs of some disease dangerous to
bees. "
Free Corn Seed To
Be Obtained
INSISTING that corn for ensilage can
be grown in Eastern Washington
and Eastern Oregon in large pro
portions, R. B. Miller, general traffic
manager of the O.-W. B, A N.( is t-end
ing out twenty-four pouuds of .accli
mated corn seed to each applicant from
his offices in Portland. This lot is suf
ficient for two acres. "The amount of
corn already fnrnished this year and
the large number of applications still
unfilled," says Mr. Miller, "justifies
the belief that interest in corn raising
lias become general, and interesting de
velopments may be expected. 'The seed
distributed by our line represents only
a small amount of the acreage planted."
The fruitage of the planting is to be
shown at a corn show to be given in
December, and the company has hung
up cash prizes of $500, with smaller
trophies in addition, for the best dis
plays. The awards will be divided for
corn grown on irrigated and non-irrigated
land, with special prices for boys
under 18 years of age.
Mr. Miller contends that should Wash
ington farmers rtoate crops and develop
the possibilities of the soil in corn
growing, this state would within a few
years not only raiHe enough beef for
its own consumption, but would have a
surplus for shipment to other markets.
Canada has established a forest pro
ducts laboratory in connection with
McGill University of Montreal, on the
lines of the tjnited States institution
of the samo sort at the University of
Wisconsin,
New Jersey is taiil to have the greatest
proportion of railroad mileage of any state
in the- country, or one mile of railroad to
every three square milci of territory. Thia
makes an unusual risk of forest fires Ml by
railroads.
ALMOST every conceivable use to
which land may be put is repre
sented In the permits reported by
the forest serviee for special projects
on the national forests. Some of the
uses shown range, alphabetically, 'from
apiary through rickyard, cannery,
cemetery, church, cranberry marsh, fox
ranch, marine railway, rifle range and
turpentine still, to wharf and whaling
station.
There are 15 ',000 permits in force
for such special uses, which are dis
tributed geographically from Alaska to
the Mexican line, and east to Florida.
This figure does not include any of the
27,000 permits in force for grazing cat
tle and sheep on the forests; nor the
6,000 transactions for the sale of timber,
and the more than 38,000 permits issued
last year for the free use of timber by
settlers, miners and others in develop
ing their homesteads and claims; nor
the nearly 300 permits for water power
development.
California) led all the national forest
states in the umber of these special use
permits, followed by Arizona, Colorado,
Montana and New Mexico in the order
named. The largest single class of per
mits was foT special pastures, or corrals,
to be used for lambing grounds, shear
Verses Grave
WHERE DID IT OO?
What became of the Star, the Bethlehem
- ' Star,
That was followed by hinge and Bagel
As they journeyed o'er desert and mountain
far
To find the Pearl of the Ageat .
Did the angels -quench its torch of fire,
Iu t)i" tint sweet Christmas dawn.
When they sang to the world of the world's
desire,
Ere the night from the hills had genet
Did ft suddenly vanish Into apace,
Blown out, when its. golden ray
Hud bathed in glory the lortely place
Where the Child and Mother lay)
Oh I Star that over the manger stood
The night wheu Christ was born,
When the Only Potent, the Only God
Came down to this world forlorn.
Still shine in the heart of Mather and Child,
Wherever love reigns and sings,
And tho face of a little one nndefiled
Hath that which may conquer kings.
Oh! Bethlehem Star, through pain and loss
Hliil over the cradle shine,
And comfort us if a shadowy cross
There glimmer in faint outline.
Margaret gangster.
BARGAINS.
Spring spreads her pedlar bags to view
And bids us choose what choose we will;
Then I pick out a hud or two,
And otie holf-opened daffodil.
Bpring holds her hands outstretched until
1 pay her for the flowers, and go.
X gave Spring all my heart; but still
1 havuu't half paid all 1 owe.
a
MIME.
Life is a wonderful thing
And it's mine, mine, mine!
A rose, and a song, and spring!
It Is mine!
Death is a wonderful thing
And it's mine, mine, mine!
The last gift, and all It may bring,
It is jninel Mary Carolyn Daviea.
Dairying and
IN MANY sections of the west, dairy
ing and beet gtowing seem to go to
gether almost perfectly in making the
farmers prosperous, says A. K. M., in
Kimball's Dairy Farmer. OriginaHy
some of the farmers were grain growers
strictly; then they took up beet grow
ing as a more intensive line. As with
all other crops they found that diversi
fication and rotation were necessary.
Under tho single crop plan tho yield
gradually decreased,' diseases came in,
the quality of beets was loworcd. Dairy
ing offered the diversification needed.
Alfalfa was the Iegnmo crop needed
to restore nitrogen. . Alfalfa would give
its greatest returns when fed to dairy
cows. Alfalfa pasture and a year of
grain with a covering of mauue from
the cow yard would restore the produc
tiveness of worn out beet fields. On the
other hand natural evolution has chang
ed some former range. men into dairy
men, Beets as a crop bring them a nice
lump sum of money appealed to them.
They were not ready to devote all their
time and energy to dairying. There was
ing pens and the like. Next came rightsj
of way for conduits, ditches and flumes,'
practically all of these being free. Vari
ous agricultural permits eome third, telei
phone lines fourth with more than a
thousand permits for 6,500 milos of line,
and drift fences for the control of graz
ing animals, fifth. In both of these
latter classes, too, practically all of the
permits are free. Reservoirs for which
more than 600 free permits were issued
for the occupation of more than 100,
000 acres come sixth. The rest of the
uses are not classified'though there are
a large number of Apiaries, cumps, sum
mer hotels and schools. The use of tho
government's lands for schools is given
free; for hotels a charge" is made.
The principlo which governs the
chargo is based, according to the forest
service, on whether or not the use of
the land is sought by the permittee for
a commercial purpose. If it is the in
tent of the user to make money from a
resource which belongs to the whole
people, the service holds that he should
give a reasonable return for that use.
If, on the other hand, farmers want to
use government land for their own tele
phone lines, irrigation works and schools,
the government gives them that use
without cost.
and Gay in Tone
BELLS.
They check us on the grovelling way
A gnuntlet thrown, a challenge hurled,
Mimic is amiUen out of clay.
. The Spirit breaks out into the world.
Out of the metal eold and dumb
Man calls a soul, a singing bird;
What may he himself become
In foundrica of the Eternal Wordf
The vacant bells hold hidden chimes,
Ho secret is Emmanuel ;
Oh, heed the lesson, learn betimes
Of Angelua and sacred bell.
Oh, heed and kneel, for every morn
Great Gabriel comes down from Heaven,
Of you a Child would fain be born,
To you, to tou a Son be giveu.
Anna Bunston,
THE KETTLE'8 SONG.
I wish the kettle would sing again,
Just as it used to do.
I wish it would sing of a lion slain
With a eabin boy, and the boy was 1 '
Of a pirate crew an the Spanish Main
Of a cupper ahip on the seaway high
With a oabin boy, and the boy was 1
JuHt aa it used to do.
Just as it nsod to do. '
Of a title girl in a bonnet red,
Saved by a pnnce from a hydra-head
That lurked in the corn thnt towered high
And tho girl was Sue, and the prince was 1
Just as it used to do.
I wish the Itettlo would sing again,
Just as it used to do.
The lyrics it crooned and the tales it told
Hut the hearth is chill and the years are old:
The fancies it whispered have all taken wiup.
And never again the kettle will sing,
Juat aa it UBed to do.
John I). Wells.
The heavv-storms in Southern rnlifnpni
during the past rainy season wiped out many
miles or trans in me national loruata of that
part of the stute. Tliey are now being re
built for tho coming summer, for use in fire
protection. Thev are also of trout use tn
tourists, campcra and prospectors.
Beet Growing
moro money to be made in beets than in
grain. Beet tops and low priced beets
made excollent cow feed. Beet fields
made profitable places for the disposal
of barnyard manure. The income d-'
rived from beets and from dairy prod
ucts supplement each other nicely. Tho
lump Bum derived from the beets in th
fall is very useful in paying off the
mortgage or to meet any large obliga
tion. The regular weekly or monthly,
check for milk products keep the fam
ilies in plenty or very nearly in luxury;
and relieves them Of all worry as to the)
source of their daily living. Really
this latter is one feature of greatest
merit in favor of the farm dairy. At
one place farmers, were paid last year
$50,000 by the sugar factory and $70,000
by tho milk condensory. The immense
satisfaction and security brought by th
regular checks from the condonsory.
made the $70,000 from that sourca
equivalent to twice as much as th
$50,000 from the beet factory in pro
ducing human comfort