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A
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DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
It
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it
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The Last Shot
BT
FREDERICK
(Copyright. 1914. by
8YN0P8IS.
At their homo on the frontier between
the Browna and Qraya Marta Qalland and
Jier mother, entertaining. Colonel Westor
Injrof the Grays, sas Captain Lnnstron,
staff Intelligence officer of tho Drowna,
Injured by n fall In hli aeroplnne. Ten
yearn later. WMterllnft. nominal vice but
real chief of itaff, reinforces Houth Lu
Tlr, meditates on war, and apecul&tei on
tho comparative agea of himself and Mar
ta, who Is visiting In the Gray capital,
westerllng colls on Marta. She tolls him
of her touching children the follies of war
and martial patriotism, begs him to pre
vent war while he la chief of staff, and
predicts that If he makes war against the
Browns ha will not win.
CHAPTER III Continued.
"You think I am Joking!" she asked.
"Why, yea!"
"But I am notl No, no, not about
uch a ghastly subject as a war to
.day!" 8h was loaning toward him,
Stands on knea and oyes burning ltko
coate without a spark. "I" she paused
ab she had before she broke but with
the first prophecy "I will Quote part
of our children's oath: 'I will not be
a coward. It ts a coward who strikes
first. A brave man even after he re
ceives a blow tries to reason with his
assailant, and does not strike back un
til he receives a second blow. I shall
not let a burglar drive mo from my
house. If an enemy tries to take my
land I shall appeal to his sense of Jus
tice and reason with him, but if ho
then persists I shall fight for my
borne. If I am victorious I shall not
try to take his land but to mako tho
most of my own. I shall nerer cross a
frontier to kill my fellowmen.'"
Very impressive sho made tho oath.
Her deliberate recital of it had the
quality which Justifies every word
with an urgent faith.
"You see, with that teaching thero
can be no war," sho proceeded, "and
thoso who striko will be weak; those
who defend will bo strong."
"Perhaps," he said.
"You would not llko to see thou
sands, hundrods of thousands, of men
kUJed and maimed, would you?" sho
demanded, and hor eyes hold the hor
ror of the sight in reality. "You can
prevent It you can!" Hor heart was
In the appeal.
"The old argument I No, I should
Hot llko to see that," ho replied. "I
only do my duty as a soldier to my
country."
"The old answer! The more reason
why you should tell the premier you
-can't! But there is still another reason
Ior telling him," she urged gently.
Now ho saw hor not at twenty-seven
bat at seventeen, girlish, the subject
af no processes of reason but In tho
poll of an Intuition, and ho knew that
something out of tho blue in a flash
was coming.
"For you will not win I" she declared.
This struck fire. Squaro Jaw and
sturdy body, In masculine energy, reso
lute and trained, wero Bet Indomitably
against feminine vitality.
"Yes, wo Bhall win! Wo shall wlnl"
ho said without even the physical dem
onstration of a gesture and in a hard,
even voice which was like that of the
machinery of modorn war itself, a
voice which tho aristocratic sniff, tho
Louis XVI curls, or any of tho old gallery-display
heroes would have thought
utterly lacking In hlstrionica suitablo
to the occasion. He remained rigid
after he had spoken, handsomo, self-
possessed.
Thero was no uso of beating feml-1
nine fists against such a stone wall
Tho force of tho male was supreme.
She smiled with a strange, quivering
loosening ot tho lips. She spread out
her hands with fingers apart, as It to
let something run freo from thorn Into
the air, and tho flamo of appeal that
had beon in hor eyes broko Into many
lights that seemed to scatter Into
apaco, yot ready to return at her com
mand. She glanced at ,the clock and
rose, almost abruptly.
"I was very strenuous riding my
hobby against yours, wasn't 17" she ox--claimed
In a flutter ot distraction that
made it easy for him to descend from
his own Bteed. "I stated a feeling. I
jnaae a suobs, a inreat about your
winning and all in the air. That's a
woman's privilege; ono men grant,
Isn't It?"
"Wo enjoy doing so," he replied, all
urbanity.
"Thank youi" she said simply. "1
must be at homo In time for the chil
dren's lesson on Sunday. My sloopor
Is engaged, and It I am not to miss the
train I must go Immediately,"
With an undeniable chock of regret
ho realized that the Interview was
over. Really, ho had bad a very good
time; not only that, but
"Will it bo ton years before we meet
again?" ho asked.
"Perhaps, unless you change the
rules about officers crossing the fron
tier to tako tea," sho replied.
"Even If I did, tho vlco-chlef 0f staff
might hardly go,"
"Then perhaps you must wait," she
warned him, "until tho toachora of
peaco have dono away with all fron
tiers." "Or, It thero wero war, I Should
cornel" he answered in kind. Ho half
wished that this might start another
argument and sho would miss hor
train. But she mado no reply. "And
you may como to, tho Gray capital
again. You are not through traveling!"
lie added.
This aroused her afrosh; tho flamo
was back In her oyes.
"Yes. I have all the memories of my
journeys to enjoy, all their lessons to
Mudy," she said. "There is the big
world, and you want to have had tho
breath of all Its climates in your lungs,
the visions of all Us peoples yours.
Titan the other thinf is three acres
and a cow. If you could only have the
solidarity of the Japanese, their pub
lic spirit, with the old Chinese love ot
family and peo, and a cathedral
.jtatf-hy on a bill Patriotism? Why,
PALMER
Chailcs Scriboei's Sons)
it Is In the boII of your three acres. I
love to fool tho warm, rich earth of our
own garden in my hands 1 Hereafter I
shall be a stay-nt-homo; and If my chil
dren win," she held out her hand In
parting with tho same frank, earnest
grip of her greeting, "why, you will
find that tea Is, as usual, at four
thirty." Ho had found the women of his high
ofllclal world a narrower world than
ho realized much alike. Striking cer
tain keys, certain chords responded.
Ho could probo tho depths of their
mlndo, he thought, in a single evening.
Then he passod on, unless It was in
tho interest of pleasuro orN)f his ca
reer to linger. This meeting had left
his curiosity baffled. Ho understood
how Marta's vitality demanded action,
which exerted Itself In a femlnlno way
for a feminine cause. The cure for
such a fad was most clear to hiB masculine-
perception. What if all tho
power she had shown In her appeal for
peace could be made to serve another
ambition ? Ho know that he was a
great man. Mora than once ho had
wondered what would happen If he
wero to meet n, great woman. And he
should not soq Marta Galland again
unless war camo.
CHAPTER IV.
Times Have Changed.
The 53d of the Browns had started
for La Tlr on the samo day that the
128th of the Grays had started for
South La Tlr. Whllo tho 128th was
going to new scenes, tho D3d was re
turning to familiar ground. It had de
trained in the capital of the province
from which its ranks had been recruit
ed. After a steep lncllno, there was a
welcome buglo note and with shouts
of delight the centipede's legs broke
apart! Bankers', laborers', doctors',
valets', butchers', manufacturers' and
Judges' boos threw thomselves down
on the groensward of the embankment
to rest. With their talk of home, of
relatives whom they had met at the
station, and of the changes in tho town
was mingled talk of tho crisis.
Meanwhile, an agod man was ap
proaching. At times ho would break
into a kind of trot that ended, after a
few stops, In shortness of breath. Ho
was qulto withered, his bright oyes
twinkling out of an area of moth
patches, and ho woro a frayed uniform
coat with a medal on tho breast.
"Is this tho 63d?" ho quavered to
the nearest Boldler.
"It certainly Is!" some one answered.
"Como and Join us, veteran!"
"Is Tom Tom Fraglnl horo?,"
Tho answer came from a big soldier,
who sprang to his feet and leaped to
ward tho old man.
"It's grandfather, as I live!" he
called out, kissing tho veteran on both
cheeks. "I saw sister In town, and
sho said you'd bo at tho gate as wo
marched by.'r
"Didn't wait at no gate! Marched
right up to youl" said grandfather.
"Marched up with my uniform and
medal onl Stand off thero, Tom, so
I can see you, My word! You're big
ger'n your father, but not bigger'n I
was I No, Blr, not bigger'n I was In
niy day before that wound sort o' bont
mo over. They say It's the load In tho
blood. I've still got the bullet!"
The old man's trousers wero thmmi.
baro but well darned, and tho holos In
me uppers ot ms Biioes were carefully
paicnou. no naa a morry air of v
tlmlsm, which bis grandson had In
herited. "Well, Tom, how much longer you
got to serve?" asked grandfather.
"Six months," answered Tom.
"One, two, threo, four " grandfa
ther counted tho numbers off on his
fingers. "That's good. You'll bo In
time for tho spring ploughing. My,
how you havo filled out! But, some
how, I can't get used to this kind of
uniform. Why, I don't boo how a glrl'd
be attracted to you fellows, at all!"
"They havo to, for wo'ro tho only
kind of soldiers thoro aro nowadays.
Not as gay as In your day, that's sure,
whon you were In the Hussars, eh?"
"Yes, I was In the Hussars In tho
Hussars I I tell you with our sabres
a-gledmlng, our horses' bltB a-JIngllng,
our ponnons a-flylng, and all tho color
of our uniform I toll you, the girls
usefl to open tholr eyes at us. And we
went Into tho charge llko that yes,
sir, Just that gay and grand. Colonol
Qalland loading I" f
Military history said that it had
beon a rather foolish chargo, a fine
oxamplo of tho vainglory ot unreason
ing bravery that accomplishes nothing,
but no one would suggest such skepti
cism ot an Immortal ovont In popular
imagination in hearing ot tho old man
as ho lived over that intoxicated rush
of horses and men Into a battery ot
tho Grays.
"Well, didn't you find what I said
was true about tho lowlandors?" asked
grandfather attor ho had finished the
chargo, referring to tho people of tho
southorn frontier of tho Browns, wbero
the 53d had Just boen garrisoned.
-no, i Kinu or liKea mem. i made a
lot of friends," admitted Tom. "They're
very progressive."
"Eh, eh? You'ro Joking I" To llko
tho peoplo of the southorn frontier was
only loss concolvablo thai liking tho
peoplo of tho Grays. "That's because
you didn't seo doop undor them.
They're all on tho outside a flighty
lot! Why, if they'd dono their part
in thut last war we'd havo licked tho
Grays until they crlod for mercy I It
tholr army corps bad stood Its ground
at Volmor "
"So you're always said," Interrupted
Tom.
"And tho way they cook tripe I I
couldn't stomach It, could you? And
If there's anything I am partial to it's
a good dish of trlpol And their light
beer like drinking froth! And their
bread why, It ain't bread! It's chips!
'Taint fit for civilized folks!"
"But I sort of got UBed to their
ways," said Tom.
"Eh, eh?" Grandfather looked at
grandson quizzically, seeking tho cause
of such heterodoxy In a northern man.
"Say, you ain't beon falling In lovo?"
ho hazarded. "You you ain't going to
bring ono of them southern girls
homo?"
"No!" said Tom, laughing.
"Well, I'm glad you ain't, for they'ro
naturally light-minded. I remember
'em well." He wandered on with his
questions and comments. "Is it a fact,
Tom, or was you Just Joking when you
wroto homo that the soldiers took bo
many baths?"
"Yes, they do."
"Well, that beats mot It's a wonder
you didn't all dlo of pneumoniae Ho
pausod to absorb the phenomenon.
Then his half-chlldlsh mind, prompted
by a random rocollectlon, flitted to an
other subjoct which set him to gig
gling. "And the little crawlers did
they bother you much, tho llttlo crawl
ers?" "Tho little crawlers?" repeated Tom,
mystified.
"Yes. Everybody used to get 'em
Just from living closo together. Had
to comb 'em out and pick 'em out of
your clothes. The chase wo used to
call It."
"No, grandfather, crawlers have
gone out of fashion. And no more epi
demics of typhoid and dysentery
either," said Tom.
"Times have certainly changed I M
grumbled Grandfather Fraglnl.
Interested in their own reunion, they
had paid no attention to a group of
Tom's comrades nearby, sprawled
around a nowspaper containing tho
latest dispatches from both capitals.
"Flvo million soldiers to our thro
million!"
"Eighty million people to our fifty
million!"
"Because of tho odds, they think we
are bound to yield, no matter if we are
In the right!"
"Let them come!" said the butcher's
son. "If wo have to go, it will bo on a
wave of blood."
"And they will como some time,"
said the Judge's son. "They want our
land."
"We gain nothing If wo beat them
back. War will bo the ruin of busi
ness," said tho banker's son.
"YeB, wo aro prosperous flow. Let
well enough alone!" said tho manufac
turer's son.
"Somo say It makes wages higher,"
said the laborer's son, "but I am think
ing It's a poor way of raising your
pay." v
"There won't be any war," said the
banker's son. "There can't be without
credit. The banking interests will
not permit It"
"Thero can always bo war," said tho
Judge's son, "always when one people
determines to strike at another people
even If It brings bankruptcy."
"It would bo a war that would mako
all others In history a more exchango
of skirmishes. Every able-bodied man
in line automatics a hundred shots a
minute guns a dozen shots a minute
.aSjs
'
"But I Won't Fight for Youl"
and aeroplanes and dirigibles I" said
tho manufacturer's son.
"To tho death, too!"
"And not tor glory! Wo of tho 63d
who llvo on the frontier will bo fight
ing for our homes."
"If wo loso them wo'll never got
thorn back. Better dlo than ho beaten 1"
Herbert Stransky, with deep-set
oyes, slightly squinting inwnrd, and a
hoavy Jaw, an onormouB man who was
tho best shot In tho company whon
ho cared to bo, had listened In sllenco
to tho others, hlo rathor thick but ox
presslvo lips curving with cynicism.
His only speech all the morning had
been In the mldBt ot tho reception In
tho publlo squaro of tho town when he
said:
"This home-coming doesn't moan
much to mo. Homo? Hill I The
hodgorows of tho world ore my homel"
Ho appeared older than his years,
and hard and blttor, except when his
oyes would light with a feverish sort
of jlre which shono as he broko Into
a lull -in the talk.
"Comrades," ho began.
"Let us hear from tho Socialist!" a
Tory exclaimed.
"No, tho anarchist!" shouted a So
cialist. "Thero won't bo any war!" said
Stransky, his voico gradually rUlng to
tho pitch of an agitator relishing tho
sensation ot his own words. "Patriot
Ism Is the played-out trick of tho ruling
classos to keop down tho proletariat
Thoro won't be any war! Wily? Bo
cause thero aro too many enlightened
men on both sides who do tho world's
work. Wo of tho 53d are a pro
vincial lot, but throughout our army
thero aro thousands upon thousands
llko me. They march, they drill, but
whon battle comos they will refuse
to fight my comrades In heart, to
whom the flag ot this country means
sy
no more than that of any other coun
try!" "Hold onl The flag is sacred!"
cried tho banker's son.
"Yes, that will do I"
"Shut up!"
Other voices formod a chorus of
angry protest.
"I knew you thought it; now I'vo
caught you!" This from tho sergeant,
who had seen hard fighting against
a savago foo in Africa and thero
foro was particularly bitter about
tho Bodlapoo affair. Tho welt of a
scar on the gaunt, fovor-yollowed
cheek turned a deeper red as ho solzed
Stransky by tho collar of the blouse.
Stransky raised 'Ills freo hand as It
to striko, but paused as ho faced tho
company's boyish captain, slender ot
flguro, aristocratic of feature. His In
dignation was as evident as tho bop
goant's, but he was biting his lips to
keep It under control.
"You hoard what ho said, sir?"
"Tho latter part enough I"
"It's incitatlon to mutiny! An ex
ample!" "Yes, put him under arreBt"
Tho sergeant still held fast to the
collar of Stransky's blouBO. Stransky
could have shaken himself freo, as a
mastiff frees himself from a puppy,
but this was resistance to arrest and
ho had not yot made up his mind to
go that far. His muscles were weaving
under tho sergeant's grip, his eyes
glowing as with volcanic lire waiting
on tho madness of Impulse for erup
tion. "I wonder If it Is really worth while
to put him under arrest?" said some
one at tho edge of the group in amiable
Inquiry.
The voice came from an officer of
about thlrty-flvo, who apparently had
strolled over from a near-by aeroplane
station to look at tho regiment. From
his shoulder hung the gold cords of
the staff. It was Col. Arthur Lanstron,
whose piano had skimmed tho Gal
lands' garden wall for tho "easy
bump" ten years ago. Thero was some
thing more than mere titular respect
In tho way the young captain saluted
admiration and the diffident, boyish
glanco of recognition which does not
presume to tako tho lead in recalling
a slight acquaintance with a man of
distinction.
"Dellarme! It's all of two yeara
sinco we met at Miss Galland's, isn't
it?" Lanstron Bald, shaking hands with
the captain.
"Yes, Just before wo wero ordered
south," said Dellarmo, obviously
pleased to be remembered.
"I overheard your speech," Lanstron
continued, nodding toward Stransky.
"It waB very informing."
A crowd ot soldiers was now press
ing around Stransky, and in the front
rank was Grandfather Fraglnl.
"Said our flag was no better'n any
other flag, did he?" piped tho old man.
"Beat him to a pulp! That's what tho
Hussars would have done."
"If you don't mind telling It In pub
lic, Stransky, I should like to know
your origin," sold Lanstron, prepared
to bo as considerate of an anarchist's
prlvato feelings as of anybody's.
Stransky squinted his eyes down the
bony bridge of his noso and grinned
sardonically.
"That won't take long," ho answered.
"My father, so far as I could Identify
him, died in Jail and my mother of
drink."
"That was hardly to the purple I" ob
served LanBtron thoughtfully.
"No, 'to the red!" answered Stransky
savagely.
"I mean that It was hardly Inclined
to mako you take a roseate view ot Ufa
as a beautiful thing In a well-ordered
world where favors of fortune are
evenly distributed," continued Lan
stron. "Rather to make mo rejoice in tho
hope of a new order ot things the
recreation of society 1" Stransky ut
tered tho sentiment with tho trium
phant pride of a pupil who knows his
text-book thoroughly.
mi1!,
TAKES HIS REST INDOORS
Hubby Hat, Given Up His Porch Bunk
and Wlfey Is at a Loss to Un
derstand Why.
A man living on tho West side has
not been feeling very well recently,
and after much urging from tho wlfo
consented to sleep in a couch ham
mock on the rear porch of the home.
Tho first night his wlto mado up a
nlfce llttlo bunk for him In tho ham
mock, and In a tow minutes ho was
sound asleep.
Ho had slept about an hour when ho
was awakened by his anxious wife,
who camo out to seo if ho was sleep
ing all right Being assured that sleep
and tho man wero bosom friends, the
wlfo withdrew and once more the man
slept This tlmo ho rested a little
over an hour before his wlfo once
moro appeared on tho sceno and anx
iously Inquired how hubby was sleep
ing. Hubby was a llttlo soro by this
time over being aroused from a good
solid Bleep twlco, and curtly Informed
the wltd that ho was doing all that
could bo expected In tho sloop lino.
Wlfey again retired Into tho houso,
and hubby was soon Bnorlng and en
Joying his rest.
Wlfey stood It as long as sho could,
but Bhortly before midnight sho again
tiptoed out onto tho rear piazza and,
after rousing hubby from his sleep for
tho third time, sweetly Inquired if ho
was slooping nil right Hubby didn't
offer any explanation or deign to re
ply, but, crawling out of the hammock,
botook himself to his bedroom, locked
mo door, tumbled Into his bed and
managed to finish tho night without
any further Inquiries as to his ability
to sleep. Now ho refuses to try the
out-of-door slooping stunt and wlfoy
says sho can't understand why, be
causo sho JuBt knows It will do him
a world of good. Worcester Post
Columbia's badgo Is a lion, and In
tho Intercollegiate thoy cortainly ro'd
llko a lion? New York American,
By this tlmo the colonol command
ing tho regiment, who had noticed the
excitement from a distance, appeared,
forcing a gap for his passago through
tho crowd with sharp words. Ho, too,
recognized Lanstron. After thoy had
shaken hands, tho colonel scowled as
ho heard the situation explained, with
tho old eergoant, still holding fast to
Stransky's collar, a capable and In
sistent witness for tho prosecution;
whllo Stransky, tho flro In his eyes
dying to coals, stared straight ahead.
"It Is only a suggestion, of course,"
said Lanstron, speaking quite as a
spectator to avoid tho least Indication
of interference with tho colonel's au
thority, "but It seems possible that
Stransky has clothed his wrongs In a
garb that could never set well on his
naturo If he tried to wear it In prac
tice. Ho Is really an Individualist. En
raged, ho would fight well. I should
llko nothing better than a force of
Stranskys If I had to defend a redoubt
in a last stand."
"Yes, he might fight." Tho colonel
looked hard at Stransky's rigid profile,
with Its tlghfllpa and chin as firm as
If cut out of stone. "You never know
who will fight In tho pinch, thoy say.
But that's speculation. U'b the ex
ample that I have to deal with."'
"He Is not of the insidious, plotting
type. Ho spoke his mind openly," sug
gested Lanstron. "If you give him the
!mlt of tho law, why, he becomes a
martyr to persecution. I should say
that his remarks might pass for barrack-room
gassing."
"Very well," said the colonel, taking
the shortest way out of the difficulty.
"Wo will excuso the first offense."
"Yes, sir!" said tho sergeant me
chanically as he released his grip of
tho offender. "We had two anarchists
In my company In Africa," he observed
In loyal agreement with orders. "They
fought like devils. Tho only trouble
was to keep them from shooting Inno
cent natives for sport."
Stransky's collar was still crumpled
on the nape of his neck. Ho remained
stock-still, staring down tho bridge of
his noso. For a full minute he did not
vouchsafe so much as a glance upward
over the change In his fortunes. Then
he looked around at Lanstron glower
lngly. "I know who you are!" 'he said.
"You were born In the purple. You
havo had education, opportunity, posi
tion everything that you and your
kind want to keep for your kind. You
aro smarter than tho others. You
would hang a man with spider webs
Instead of hemp. But I won't fight for
youl No, I won't!"
Ho throw back his head with a de
termination in his defiance so Intense
that it had a certain kind of dignity
that freed It of theatrical affectation.
"Yes, I was fortunate; but perhaps
nature was not altogether unkind to
you," said Lanstron. "In Napoleonic
times, Stransky, I think you might
even have carried a marshal's baton In
your knapsack."
"You what rot!" A sort of triumph
played around Stransky's full lips and
his Jaw shot out challenglngly. "No,
never against my comrades on tho. oth
er side ot the border!" he concluded,
his dogged stars returning.
Now the colonel gave tho order to
fall In; tho bugle sounded and the cen
tipede's legs began to assemble on the
road. But Stransky remained a statue,
hiB rifle untouched on the sward. He
socmed ot a mind to let the regiment
go on without blm.
"Stransky, fall In I" called the ser
geant Still Stransky did not move. A com
rade picked up tho rifle and fairly
thrust it into his hands.
"Come on, Bert, and knead dough
with tho rest of us!" he whispered.
"Come on! Cheer up!" Evidently his
comrades liked Stransky.
"No!" roared Stransky, bringing the
rlflo down on the ground with a heavy
blow.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
TOOK AWAY HIS APPETITE
Lover of Mince Pie Had Decided Ob
jection to Sharing the Delicacy
With Restaurant Cat.
Until recently Detective Sergeant
Tim BaDey was n lover of mince plo.
Today If anyone offered him a bakery
full of minco pies ho would turn on
his heel and do a quick countermarch.
Figuratively he has had his fill ot the
good old pastry.
At dinner time ono day not long
ago Bailey went Into a little restaurant
near tho Hall of Justice. "Three"
boiled eggs, a cup ot Java and a 12 by
14 wodgo ot mince pie," he told tho
waiter.
Bailey polished off the eggs and
coffee in great shape, and then at
tacked tho plo. He had Just begun
when a big black cat that had been
reposing on tho counter a few feet
away awoko, stretched, struck at a
vagrant fly with a chubby paw, nnd
then leaped Into tho display window
of tho place. Tho window was laden
with delicacies to allure the hungry
passerby.
Tho first thing that Tabby made for
was tho remains of tho pie that had
beon cut for Bailey. Kitty's first bite
was Bailey's last. Ho dropped his
fork with a bang, reached for his hat
and rushed uu to tho counter.
"Sa-a-y," ho cried, "what are you
running hero, a restaurant or a ken
nel club?" Ho paid his bill, and was
away down tho street before the
dazed kooper ot tho placo could catch
his breath. New York Times.
Sharpens the Appetite.
Jokelolgh (visiting Subbubs) "And
you havo a grindstone, too. Will It
put an edgo on a dull appetite!" Sub
bubs "Certainly! If you turn the
handle long enough."
On tho other hand, with eggs at one
cent a dozon, tho ordinary shad would
be a millionaire?
PROFITABLE SEED-CORN DRY HOUSE PLAN
Interior View of Seed Corn
(Prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agt (culture.)
The profits to be derived from the
good preservation of seed corn havo
been put to practical tests by tho of
Qco of corn Investigations of the
United States Department ot Agri
culture. The cuts show a building
constructed solely for the purpose of
preserving seed corn. It haB a con
crete basement and flue. Warm air
passes from the basement through
openings In the floor, ascends through
the corn, and escapes through venti
lators. This house was constructed at a
cost of $500, and In one year returned
to the farm $1,500 In profit, due to a
live-bushel Increased acre yield on 740
acres planted with seed corn dried
mil stored in It. These figures were
obtained as the resuPurf 17 separate
tests. The owner of the farm on
which this teat was made was not
tully satisfied with It because It was
made on small plats, and he there
fore made more extensive tests. At
corn-gathering time In November he
selected two bushels of seed, placing
one bushel In a crib and the other
bushel In the seed-torn dry house.
In .the spring with a two-row planter
he planted four rows 1,280 feet long
and 3& feet apart with the seed kept
.n the dry house; then four rows with
he seed kept In the crib. This he re
peated seven times, making eight
ests In all In whlcn four rows planted
with one lot of seed were compared
(vith the adjoining four rows planted
tvlth the other lot of seed. At bar
rest time four rows yielded a wagon
oad of ears, which constituted a
weighing. 'From the seed kept In the
:rlb there were produced 15.2G5
pounds, while from seed kept lndry
Seed Corn House at Plketon, Ohii,
bouse there wero produced 16,255
pounds. Each row of the latter pro
duced uniformly more than each row
of the former.
These results are the same as In
tho tests ot the department where
the rows wero thinned to the same
Btand of stalks.
The experiments emphasize the fact
that tho productiveness ot the stalks
Is more Important than the number.
Full stands can be obtained by the
heavy planting of weak seed. Good
yields cannot bo obtained In this
way. The most expensive seed to
plant Is that from which a stand of
stalks can he obtained but from which
a gopd yield cannot bo obtained.
The stand of stalks bears tho same
relation to tho grain yield as tho num
ber .of trees In an orchard bears to
the amount of fruit produced. Pro
ductivity as well as number must be
considered.
Stirring Milk to Cool It.
Tho Importance ot stirring milk
(vhilo being cooled has been demon
strated In experiments conducted by
tho United States Department of Agri
culture. When the cans of milk are
merely sot In cold water the cooling
process Is vory slow, much too slow.
In fact, to be at all satisfactory to a
progressive dairyman. In particular
the milk at the top of the can abovo
tho level of tho wnter Is hardly af
fected at all. Tho cold milk, being
heavier than tho warm, will remain at
the bottom of tho can, whllo t!ho
warmer and lighter milk stays at tho
top. Ultimately, of course, tho entire
canful will acquire tho sumo tempera
ture, but this will requlro such a long
period of tlmo that for practical pur
poses stirring Is now regarded as In
dispensable. In ono oxporlmeut it was found that
the milk at the top of tho can abovo
tho level of tho surrounding water
was from flvo to six degrees warmer
than tho rest of the canful. In con
sequence, bacteria developed at a
higher rate nt the top. When tho
milk bocamo mixed later tho in
creased number of the bacteria In tho
w armor portion resulted In hasten
ing tho souring of tho entire canful.
When the water In tho cooling tank
i'G degrees F the temperature
1 It was reduced by stirring
ngrir n Mr i
? :, " " - - i. . i '
Houso at Plketon, Ohio.
from nearly 90 degrees F. to 60 de
grees F. In about threo hours. Ur
stirred milk did not reach tho lowof
temperature until four hours and
fifteen minutes had elapsed. The
stirring was done at Intervals el
fifteen minutes. A period of even
three hours, however, is regarded as
too long time to cool milk, and tho
specialists of the department consider
that the tests demonstrate the neces
sity of employing some 'suitable form
ot milk cooler that Is more efficient
than running well water. Where Ico
Is plentiful It Is easy to cool the milk
to as low as 40 degrees F. by run
ning It over some form of coolei
around which cracked ice or a mix
ture of ice and salt Is packed.
To Improve the Farm Egg of th
Middle West.
If tho farmer, the country mer
chant and cash buyer, tho railroad
and the car-lot shipper will give spo
clal attention to certain points In the
marketing and handling of eggs in the
mlddlo West, tho farm egg of that
section may be greatly Improved, act
cording to the United States Depart:
ment of Agriculture.
Here are some suggestions which
each Individual factor in tho process
may follow with profit to tho whole:
Suggestions for the Farmer.
1. Improve your poultry stock.
2. Keop ono of the general-purpose
breeds, such as the Plymouth Rock,
Wyandotte, Orpington or Rhode
Island Red.
3. Provide one clean, dry, vermin
free nest for every four or flvo hens.
4. Conclude all hatching by June 1
and sell or confine male birds during
the remainder of the summer.
5. Gather eggs once daily during
ordinary times and twice dally during
hot or rainy weather.
6. In summer pluco eggs as soon as
gathered In a cool, dry room.
7. Use all small and dirty eggs at
home!
8. Market eggs frequently, twice a
week if possible, during the summer.
9. In taking eggs to market protect
them from the sun's rays.
10. In selling, insist that tho trans
action be on a quality basis, for it
care has been given the eggs, this
system will yield more money to tho
producer.
Suggestions for the Country Merchant
and Cash Buyer.
1. Candle and buy on a quality
bapls.
2. Allow the farmer to see you
candle his eggs.
3. Pack carefully In strong, clean
cases and fillers.
4. Do not keep' eggs In a musty cel
lar or near oil barrels or other odor
lferous merchandise.
5. Ship dally during warm weather.
Suggestions to the Railroad.
1. Provide a "covered portion of sta
tlon platform where cases of eggs can
bo stacked, and see that tho-agont
stacks them there.
2. Provide refrigeration for th
eggs on the local freight.
3. Where refrigerator cars aro used
on local freights, see that tho door
are kept closed when not loading.
4. If refrigeration cannot bo sup
piled, provide stock cars for this pur
poso during tho summer.
5. Where box cars are used for egg
do not allow freight which may hurt
their quality, such as oil barrels, to bo
loaded In tho same car,
Suggestions for the Car-tot Shipper.
1. Buy strictly on a quality basis.
2. Incourage the smaller buyers to
trade on a quality basis.
3. Join the State Car-Lot Shippers'
association.
4. Co-operate with other shippers
and with tho stato officials In bringing
nbout this system of buying.
5. Keep 'the subject agitated and
before the people; Jn other words, edu
cate them.
PICKED UP IN THE ORCHARD
Bad Packing or Unsuitable Conditions
In City Storehouses Given as Rea
son for High Price,
Ono reason why the retail pflco of
fruit is so high that at least one
third of the entlro crop rots either la
tho hands of tho wholesale or retail
dealers. And this Is due to bad packi
Ing or unsuitable conditions In tho cltyt
storehouses.
If you havo a bU of rocky land not
too steep, and which has lain idle fop
years, you may havo a valuable apple-,
tree site. It would not cost much to
try It
Do not be afraid to put plenty of
stablo manure upon tho orchard.
Wood ashes applied to stiff clay;
soils havo a flno effect upon orchard;
lands.
It Is a mistake to cultlvato tho
orchard late In tho fall as It keops tho
sap running and the trees aro apt tq
bo Injured by early cold weather.
Trees exposed to tho direct raya
of the Bun on a Mllslde should ba
prelected or they are llkoly to ba lar
Jured by sun scald.
V
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