- i i- mm-. fok KING CORN. 4 How the Farmer Can Double HU oiit How the Farmer Can Double Great American Crop. Corn Planting time! The United States this year will have over 90.000- 000 acres planted to this Ring oi crops. For this enormous acreage 15.000,000 bushels of seed will be required. Probably but little thought is given bv the average farmer to the germia atlng quality of the seed used, for he has so long been accustomed to get ting a "stand", under ordinarily favor able conditions, varying from 60 to 85 ner cent, that many have come to think a more complete 6tand Impos sible. Yet experiments have shown that barring unfavorable weather at planting time, the work of grubs, wire worms, and the like, there is no rea son why a stand of corn should be less than 95 per cent Of recent years, how ever, conditions have much Improved, and never before has there been such a demand for seed corn of high vital ity. Some of our best farmers are be ginning to realize that one of the great" est factors in profitable corn produc tion is the use of seed which will show a high per centage of germination. If each corn grower would give a lit tle time during the early spring to the testing of the seed, the vitality of each individual ear of corn intended for planting could be readily determined. The poor ears could then be discarded, and the millions of bushels of seed corn which fail to grow each spring could be very profitably converted In to pork and beef. Of the 15,000.000 bushels of seed corn which will be planted this year. It is almost certain that from two to three million bushels, or nearly 20 per cent, of the corn first planted, will fail to grow as a result of the low vitality of the seed. Thou sands of acres will have to be replant ed either In their entirety or In part. and many thousands more will grow tr maturity with an Imperfect stand. TESTING RACK. It seems Incredible of realization, that the average yield of corn in the United States in 1905, when the total production was the largest in cur his tory, was only 28.8 bushels of shelled corn per acre. It is still more sur prising to know that the average pro duction per acre is practically the same to-day as it was forty years ago. In fact, the average yield per acre for the ten years from 1&86 to 1875 was 26.07 bushels as compared with 25.2 bushels for the ten years from 1S96 to 1905. While there are several rea- I : ll V; i! - e " . 1 TK' 'ACg T.Trr--'- - rr. :;i " Whirry - juuz A SIMPLE GERMINATING BOX. Fona for this, the principal reason Is probably carelessness In the use of beed of low vitality. To Test Each Corn Ear. The statement is made by officials of the Department of Agriculture that Vhile corn breeders have achieved marked success in the production of Improved types of corn during the last flf-cae, unless the farmers take better care of their seed corn and test each ear separately, preparatory to planting, the chances are that the average yield of corn per acre in the United States will not be materially increased. In our principal corn-growing States, corn is planted In hills 3'i feet apart each way, giving 3,.o5f; hills per acre, in most sections three stalks to tfje hill is considered a perfect stand; in some States, two is the- standard. Yet if each hill would produce but one medium sized ear, 6 or 7 Inches in length and weighing a trifle more than 9 ounces, the yield for each acre would be 28. H bushels, the average yield per acre in the United States in 1505. A single ear of corn to the hill the size shown as A in the illustration would give an average of 28.8 bushels to tho acre; a single ear shown as B would give 30 bushels per acre; an ear such as C would produce 40 bushels per acre; an ear such as D would yield 45 bushels per acre; while an ear like E, which weighs a trifle less than a pound, would yield 50 bushels of shelled corn per acre, count ing only one such ear for each of the 3,556 hills. There are, however, very few farmers who raise as much as 50 bushels of shelled corn per acre. Yet f-very corn grower can probably pro duce many ears which are larger than that shown as E in the cut. Eliminat ing, however, both ears D and E and granting that every farmer could har vest from each hill two such ears as the one shown as C, an ear which Is less than inches long, and weighs 12.6 ounces, the yield would be 80 bushels of shelled corn per acre. Are there any corn growers who can not produce the equivalent of at least two such ears to every hill? How many grow 80 bushels of shelled corn per acre? The time required to test Individual ears for vitality is very small when it is considered that 12 or 15 ears will furnish enough seed to plant one acre. Experiments have shown that If a few kernels (preferably six) ar taken from different parts of an ear of corn and all are found to germinate well that Is. to produce good healthy sprouts practically all of the kernels on that ear will likewise show strong vitality. On the other hand, if the part of nil of WHAT MAKES THE the kernels tested fail to germinate or show only weak sprouts, the propor tion will be the same for all of the ker nels on such ears. And the experienced corn grower will be not a little sur prised to find many a fine looking ear of corn among his selected seed, the kernels of which will not sprout at all. Better Now Than Not at All. Germination tests should be made five or six weeks before planting time, but even if it is necessary to stop the plow in the field, it is far more profi table to have a good stand of corn on 19 acres than it is to have a poor stand on 20 acres, thereby saving the time and labor necessary to prepare the ground and to plant and cultivate the additional acre. Yet many farmers are every year planting and cultivating 3 or 4 acres in every 20, for which they receive comparatively no returns . In making the test3 it is essential that each ear tested should be given a number and all kernels taken there from given a corresponding number so that after the tests the faulty ears may be thrown out. Many kinds of germinating boxes and methods for testing seed corn have been described in various publications, but the Department cf Agriculture has designed a simple box which Is be lieved to combine most of the advan-j tages, and give good results in the hands of almost any operator. The box would be about lVj or 2 inches deep inside and the length and width such ps to suit the needs of t.e Individual farmer, but It should not be made water-tight. Instead of filling the box with sind, soil, or sawdust, as Is commonly recommended, the seed bed is made of heavy canton flannel or similar ma- terial, using two or three thicknesses of cloth in the bottom of the box and one or two thicknesses of cloch for covering the kernels after the frame has been filled. The cloth at the bot tom should be marked off into squares 2 inches each way, and numbered, each one of which is to be filled with ker nels from ears which are given a num ber corresponding to the square used. A Very Simple Test. For use, first wet the cloth thorough ly by soaking in water, and then place the half cloth, double thickness, which has been marked in squares, In the bot- From M Farming." A BUNC H OF FINE SEED. torn of the germinating box. The ker nels from ear No. 1 are then placed, germ side up, In square No. 1 and so on. When all of the squares have been filled, fold the other end of the cloth carefully over the kernels. If during the sampling the cloths have become dry, sprinkle them well with water - i. . "-. fe. . If 6, .tf .. J. - . T.V5-"j .. . . i , A 1 , ' ....... . t- - i cover the box with a piece of class, or other tight material, to prevent the evaporation of the water from the cloths, and set tho box aside for a few days to await the results of tho test Where only a limited number of cars are to bo tested, a similar germ inating apparatus may bo made by using cloth between two dinner plates. Ten inch plates will give ample space for the testing of IS or 20 ears at one timo. It Is Important that the cars be numbered or arranged In the same definite order as tho corresponding tests in tho germinating box. One of tho most satisfactory methods Is the use of a rack as Is generally used for drying seed corn. This Is generally a pleco of 2 hy 2 inch ploco of pine from which extend on all four sides long nails, each of which la numbered. After the kernels from tho first car have been placed In square No. t of tho germinating box, the ear Is shoved on nail No. 1 of tho drying rack, and so on. Those racks can then be CORN AVERAl.E LOW. suspended In some sultablo place and there need bo no fear of tho ears be ing mixed while the germination test is in progress. The kernels In the testing box should begin to germinate freely a bout the third or fourth day, but the counting should not be done until the sixth or seventh day. or until most of the shoots or stems are from 1 to l'i inches long. This part of the tistitu; must be done with considerable care, and requires good judgment, as ker nels will be found in all stages of de velopment. If the six kernels In any one square in the germinating box show six good healthy sprouts, the ear CAN NOT YOU GROW TWO EARS which they represent should be taken for seed. There will also be cases in which all six kernels have germinated, but will be lacking in vigor. While these kernels migiit produce a good ear of corn, the chances are that they will never develop, or else will produce but a barren stalk. It is only necessary to remember that all ears showing dead kernels or weak and poorly devel oped sprouts must be discarded and only those used for seed in which every kernel tested has given a good healthy sprout. The ears which have shown a perfect germination are now ready to be butted and tipped and shelled for planting. In order to In sure further uniformity in planting It is advisable to sort the ears before planting into two or three grades, ac cording to the size of the kernels. This grading may also be done by screening, if more convenient. Remarkable Results of Government Tests. The Department of Agriculture re cently made tests of seed corn fur nished by farmers In the corn produc ing States, and of the 3,322 ears tested, 1,906, or the startling percentage of more than one-half, were unfit for seed. These samples were taken from ears picked for seed by good, careful far mers, and are evidently much above the average. The average germination of the 1,900 poor ears was only 77.7 POOR, SMUTTY SEED. per cent., while the average germina tion of both the good tnd the poor ears, the seeds of which would ordin arily have been used for planting, had not these tests been made, was 86 3 per cent., showing that 13.7 per cent, was gained by discarding ears of low vitality (Irani Ing, however, that the r ' hi samples tested aro representative of the present supply of seed corn, tho testing of every ear and tho subsequent rejection of poor ears will Increase tho stan J 13.7 per cent. This Increusod stand would mean an increased yield or :".S.140.;!r bushels, with a value of 1100,739,912.91 calculated on the basis 3S& COMMON PINNF.R TI.ATE FOR RF.F.D TESTERS. of tho average yield and price for tho last ten years. A full description of bow to make tests Is found In Farmers Itulletln No. 253. by J. W. T. Duvel, which can bo had from Members of Congress or tho Secretary of Agriculture. wojma-'s Ain ici: to farm- Miss 1-Mlth Urtney, au Iowa hospital specialist, states that many of the In mates of eastern Insane asylums are sons and daughters of Uu farmer pioneers. They have Ikhh brought up to lives of Idleness and luxury or suf fered from monotony of country sur roundings. In either case the direct cause for mental derangement Is the lack of diversified work for body and mind. The pioneers of the country had no time for brooding over Imagin ary troubles and were lmpp.v. Hut they neglected to map out the prnjM-r courses for their children aud In treating them with kludness bnvo paved the way to Insanity. The cities present numerous enses of physical and mental wrecks of young persons brought on by dissipa tion and strenuoslty lit the battlo for commercial supremacy. Farmers warn their sons and daughters of the damrers that lie In their paths when leaving the farms, but often forget to correct the evils nt home. They glvo their children nil the benefits of schools and colleges nod leave out the essential fundamental principles of lif. Too ninny are left to remain In Idleness because they are taught lu LIKE ME" TO EACH CORN il ILL? schools and at home that manual labor Is not honorable. There is no renson why farm life should become monotonous to any one residing with in tho boundaries of ordinary civiliza tion. The rural mail carries the dully puHTS and magazines to the farm door yard; telephones place the farmer in direct communication with the out side world; railroads open the channels of trade to every commercial port; yet there is a life of monotony on many farms. The places are not Im proved, tho owners follow the fashions of their forefathers, they do not adopt new methods In any lino uml their children U'come discouraged. OWEN DAYS OF WHALING. The days of the old-time whaling fleets when more than two hundred full-rigged ships sailed out of New Bedford harbor on three and four year voyages to tho most distant and dangerous seas, were over more than half a century ago. The right of Greenland whale of tho Arctic waters with his mouth full of whalebone and his cousin, the sperm whale of tropi cal waters, bearing In its head the precious spermaceti, were practically exterminated by those all-daring, Iron nerved, keob-eyed Yankee skippers. Their splendid ships, the Annie B., the Mary Jane, the Blue-Eyed Susan great lovers of their wives and sweet hearts, were this race of gentlemen ad venturers rotted at the wharves or were degraded to service as coastwise and with them vanished a world of romance and adventure. No men, In no time, more truly than they, "went down to the sea In ships". But when the pennant of the laat old-time whaling ship was hauled down forever, there still proudly swam the oceans the vast rorqual or racer whale, greatest of all his mighty kin. To the sailing fleet of the old days, the rorqual was an almost Impossible prize because of lta tremendous speed. It was practically unmolested, and mul tiplied exceedingly In both North At lantic and Pacific waters. It was the abundance of this levi athan, measuring ninety feet In length and weighing almost as many tons bulking larger than a whole herd of el ephants which was the Inspiration of the modern whaling Industry. At least one Amerlcnn tin suc ceeded In Iondon Journalism. Ralph D. Blumenfeld, late of Milwaukee, Is the editor of the Ixmdon Express. Artificial pumice stone Is now made from a mixture of sand and clay. About on billion feet of timber in 'he Black Hill forest reserve has been killed by the Black Hills beetle. 1 JOURNALISM IN CIIINA. Dialect Newspapers Increase' Oulf Uetweea lYovlncee. United States Consul Anderson, at Anioy, has luado a report on Journal Ism among the Chinese. Ho ravs: "It la rather surprising, lu view of uie comparatively small population of foreigners lu China, how many largo publications there are In foreign languages. The prices they obtain for tnoir publications and their work probably explain tho situation. Shanghai has five dally newspapers, three morning and two evening pa pers; one Is French. It has six for eign weeklies, ono Herman. It also has four Chinese dallies and a largo number of Chinese weeklies. "l'ractlcally all of tho foreign pa pers sell for 4 1 j cents gold per copy. Tho subscription prh-o Is about $15 gold per annum, postage extra. Tho Chinese dallies sell for about cent gold per copy, lu addition to theso publications thero aro many religious papers, mostly In Chinese, published by the mission authorities. "In the south Hong Kong domi nates tho publication business, and as It Is a British colony, KimlUli publi cations might reasonably bo expected to lead, but on tho face of the record tho Chines predominate. Thorn are four English dallies, the l'ost, tho l'ress, both morning papers, and tho Telegraph and tho Mali, both evening papers. "Thero aro six Chinese dallies, and, as in the eve of Shanghai, theie are a largo number of publications de signed to till various wants In South China, a rortugtiettu weekly and the Ciovernment Uovtto being among them. In nearly every port of 1m portanco In China there Is au English publication of Bomo Hurt. "The publication houses, as a rulo, both newspaper concerns and con cerns for general printing only, are fairly well equipped for their work. Some of them attempt work In the lino of high grade magazine aud hook publishing, aud while It is not always an unmixed success from a technical typographical standpoint, it demon strates that tho Chinese workmen who do most of tho work under for eign supervision, will in time ac quire consMerablo merit In this lino of effort. "It Is rather Interesting to note that China at present seems to be passing through much the same pro cess with Its newspapers and other publications that many parts of tho United States have passed through. All over the emulre native newspap ers are being started In tho collo quial dialects, nnd aro more or less local In character. "It Is unfortunate In many re spects that tho publication of news papers In tho several local dialects has developed no generally. While such publications will afford mentis of educating tho people of the em pire In soino lines, they also furnish tho means for deepening tho gulfs, dividing tho several provinces which differ In dialects. Eadi newspnper center, If It performs Its natural mis sion, will develope Its own laiiKiiaKO In Its own field to tho exclusion of langusKO which nibtht In tlruo bo- come common to all China." BICYCLF.S ON TUJ! WANK. Over Three Times a flany Fac tories In 1 900 as at Present. Statistics furnished by the Census Bureau at Washington kIiow a marked decrease In the manufacture of td cycles. Since 1!00 the business has fal len off i;r ir cent., tho numler of ostahllshments being reduced from 312 to 97. Kornierly there were 2.034 salaried officials and employees of tho facto ries where now there are only 3G0. The falling off In tho number of ware enrn ers wos 81 per cent. The capital In vested In 1900 was $2n.7S3.C59, where as In 1905 It was $3,K47 K03. Tho production In 1900 amounted to nearly 32,000.000 bicycles and was re duced In tho flvo years to little over 6,000,000. In contrast with these figures, the motor cycle factories Increased from 159 to 2.289. New Zealand exports nnnnnlly ft!5, 000.000 worth of knurl gum. It Is used In the manufacture of varnish. Don't Die Millions Die Every Year Nature's Laws of Health Ask yoirrprlf the question i "Is I.lfo Worth Llvlngr" And the anawtr will bo : " It depends on your hoslth." Then why not have good health ? If ynu lire sick It Is because some simple, nutural law of health has been violated. Nature in a Htcrn tuul Incxorublo Judge, nnd Grants No Pardons 'When Her laws are Broken Hotter Learn Tliuso Laws. You can't learn them too soon. You can't leurn them all at onco. ik'tfin right now, and Learn a little every month. Sfnil a oime i llvo iwo-rent ftamni to jrara aunarripnnn hit maxwi-ira jiomi-muKi-r Alauaz nr- nnrt read th Dnurtmant 'n Uh In the Home ll. alth from NHiurn, l.y lliul.t ThouKl,t ! UK"i Llvlnij. " uelrtmn "ralth iMr'i nl,rrtnli..n 1,yr M.u.-..ll'. I nm.imiL.. ii 1.1 1 i ,r " V11' Ilea III IUi.! .hvi, lHH tora' lull, ami ,ri, llilB, tr.io.1 IikuIIIi afi.T voi, mlmrwiw. wonl.l l,av Whi-lher you am huri. i or cninuUMl .I,mii i i ji"i I'luiHui U'HlT-UUarll 11 KICK 1)1(1 Hi I in Di'htli Hrythi .ami all. lino tho ainn-t If li call. uli.ul of turn.. tJH your " poli.U-n on trill" nit from HazwL-U'1 IIiiiiiciiiiiUit Mauazlna. r NOTK.-If you do not wlnn to cut I ho coupon out of your j.auur, jou can turuU In your uliatriptlon on a acpuruU. piuce of pupar; ONE YEAR FOR 10 CENTS Subscription Prloa lo Chicago and Forln Addraasoa. 23o. Pr Year HU flit thla mhacripilon l.liink, wrlu. iunn nnrl n.lilp.. on I in... .nw, ami ,l ,,a 10omui(allvr oriaiiip)aiil w II n,HI vu Muxwvll'H Uunn inaker MatuxltwVvair uuilitll lor twelve uiontLa, lion'l dcliiy, Imi m ini 1,1 on,.,.. ihoii vvutj Name , . Box or Street No. . Posloffice y:ari' Edi'IohimI Hud for . ubacrlljur Too can iiiharrlhe for ono. two, throe or five yuan at 10 oenti for each ynr nttar lend Wl cema and have Ave ywira irooil rfailliiff N.niln to you. Tlila la ih. IIhh'P Ui7,, ZlUa, for the money, ever puliliahi'd, Addrexa In full ' 1 HBr MAA- Subaorlpllon Dept. MAXWELL'S HOMEMAKER MAGAZINE, I40S Flkher Ilulldlnif. CHICAGO 111 If yon wl-h tn liava TIIR flOV KMAKKIt MAI.AZ1NH .,,t to fr ;.'. piece of jmier for iminc and aihlrBH, anil i im Inui. lu i,i ih for cuch y. urly aulaiirlptloii. rt ! rornm-n. Nil. US .n,litrMl,iI FurtiaiVKOXlaMt. TrlIl I tiiill. OOirl. Writ. Menu Wsrin'f I h V.nt'i 0..7 Tara lil., Ohlm I FREE BASEBALL OUTFIT!! YOUR EXACT SIZE SI! HIT. hunrtinm wrf iirt, fiill at rin. f ITC' thro bullnn front, rt.xil'l 's r. rmwi "t inii""t itlo.tltMihl unit trU dad lnta In ym,f lrol. on hfKitiirl lhnti. WIUalMll '. r-l'i.l ! kit la. Kt" lilr tnp, I"L .i.irrci, mini, iim iiui mix. mrltel mirn i. boys, sr. ll I. MM!, Intstil for ii.bIKJ fitta bnicff. Ktnrniir itu nvrvti frmn H' ti.tl Will IfnmenUBjtnlT Ton t Is la ttlnii'lit! tmfitilt out' HI ffMftriMit'tlnm unit tnsjlt 'wTCfr rti'.yrxfi V VIV yn n pair. 1X11(4 I'll!-. M II' M. Jut IIt-o li-li.i y ..u wnt miiii a mmt m mm imi rvpti m'l l.i, t lull. f'Tf.mr I.IH frnc.t, ill frtw. Mti ti II li "U rniuru uur uiauar wiiui. iv.aia UI.UIMC MKO. CO., rf IM trm 14 Mill HI., ( inirnrn jnnninn, mmmm. I ft mn Hi. riilUlcpin. UInaft .'"lit or I whim uiouniln mil lirart tianirl. r, r. ii'i. ii tl.it. !t.riiM Mhll IUi I'imiI iu mt a. p,r Ulf tmra I xUrr.. - trtt4 yM umI rtMlirM.uii4 If Tmiaand u 1 i wiihta Iu4aya mm will annil yotf In atlttltioa lo tit aratwl4 . rMauliruf .Mala. woiMcfc. .i.uraaus v, uryvi uar.v,uuaac will linns in t Cy nt. Ivi ef HV Xomx: t urs I Imi tn anr 83c U wllltirlnir to ri hr tnlt STALH aiiMr txrttlc f Ituulil raiiiul iiim ruinKqAnl. in took, int( nml nn.i-Ak-uhntir, V.nlll., Iriuiut. cimni-i". almond, i lnv. . Innnmen, i!"'-',-r ""'1 nuimrg Itiif.in, lndomrl hy U. H. cntu nnsim at I'urln KiMtiin. Your lU'inr bKk if ynu want It. nimi.I !' f'Wlav I" llutlcrlo.t? Uaterjllac A. r. I It J 5 Ytar SOLID GOLD Fllltd Witch 15 An H )-( Hslrk ttl mm H ! M'rm. tUi I..HH MM kkmlf fa SmM i ru4 a- )i4 tM.NI,MNl Si atM4r . ShI MM a4 4 til .4 tlmtA.t MJ Ml IHM a, if a4 tm iaalil m4 11 !! A . Mifi MNi 1 r wtm im m mwrnta MllvrnAt, Only Sars Cars. PoiUIts sad rtnnsntnt Abtolutf ly Part. $1.00 ajcuraa0jr uiilinnry iitr. $3.00 Pscksjmrm.a tum.it nionrv Icluntlrtl, Krnl KMilialdna rnrlpl of plli. AiiltKT. ! kjl. l.itirral Irrma. III AVE V I Ml III MUtril Hllfl Rimtdjf Co 4 It 41k Art., fill,. Pa, Dashboard Line Holder ijuirkly a!iitM to al! lop of any ilaahtart, K' ! or K r-t llni-4 flout umlrr hnrae'a frrt whili- AtitmltiiK. I.inra art-nrr, llmtiilitly Hhilr atrppliiK finttt vrhirlr. I'rrvrula Iratiiplril ami nflr! tinea. H4vr troiililr. tlmr ami irmprr. Vou nrl tntr iiiilrna ynu ilrlv an auto luotiilr. o --tta KMtill. XANOY HUPI1.Y c:. ia wtauiaoTuii, d. a. BOX .CnagaYft.!!! Lctcf WarM Own buy. Lot of Mon.yi tan Intftiii Inui Coiwtoftal Can lnrrn Yoiif Prof II ll if y"l ar lncrtM In htum Ihlnr wau ilk vo Mud juu uur Claw buwk about ELECTRIC Hi II 6TFZL WhMlt MS) IIS ELECTRIC M'r0on m Morcthanft million nd 4 qtirtr of ltm qtirtr of ltm r In ttM BtiJ sjoversil ImnilriMl (ti'iussml fs.rnir mmf that Uimy mrm U. tt itivftmunt UirJ mvmt ovl. Thsty'llMTs) yon m -rm moni'r, mora urk, slvi t)rarTli4util frr-nlrrMiiifsrilon than mnf oilier mala. rhfl m 1 ! Ty'r 94 li vmry tmt ihjr am tit twnU Mpokwa uolu4 lo t)i buK If thejp work 1'ir.M, your ttuttimj hark, lion't hny vhiMiia nur RKoa on til yo rsd our buuk. It maraavaynu many rinir and If tr. ELEOTRIO WHEEL OO, Box 203 Qulnoy, HI. That Way from Mere Ignorance of 14IW Klahi-r RniMi., -'M,. .... j " "!K", wuoi. "'"-""'I li'ru ll about NaturVa law. of .,! , will .Tiny inmiy y,.Br. of l.lfo and ln-ii .1. , .ml burl.ul- ifr mayhn Z, ... ,.!, mailer. Ii'a tlio lvl,,K pari "hat Slto aulwrrlutloik Hlato wIikiIut a nw or old