THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIDUNE. NOTES ojn ME&DOWBR00K -ms FARM A sntianod pig grunts. Wntch your horse's breathing. Overfeeding the- liens Is harmful. Litter should covqr the hen house feeding lloor. Sutlafled profltablo pigs will grunt, hut they do not equoal. Mill feed can In most cases be pur chased and fed to brood bows at a profit. v A horse will require more feed when allowed to run out. than If kept In the bam. Study your hogs. Hog growing, like inly branch of llvo stock, cannot be' learned In a day. There Is never a time In the year when the fruit grower has no use for his pruning knife. Tho demand for the bacon hog Is growing. Tho largo Yorkshire Is the favorite bacon breed. Shelter all the stock. The increased manure and thrift of stock pay big illvldonds for the trouble. If tho screenings are fed the manure should be thoroughly composted, oth erwise weeds will continue to grow. Brush out tho heels of tho horse at night. If dirt Is allowed to cake, scratches and grease-heel may result. Don't begrudge tho grain the poul try eats. They are returning u higher price for It than any stock on the farm. Farming Is becoming a more sys tematized business. This Is one thing that has removed the drudgery from the work. A mule never seems to be really frightened at anything. When he runs away he does Jt through pure love of mischief. Lounging along in the harness is bad for any horse, young or old. It is a suro sign of a slouchy driver. Either drive or let It alone. Keep tho pigs busy from start to finish. I.e., making hogs of themselves. Afford comfort, plenty of feed and drink, and give It regularly. Tho Ideal peach tree Is one which has a spread of branches nlmost dou ble Its height and well feathered with fruiting branches almost to tho ground. There Is less talk In our time about tho general-purpose cow nnd more about tho utility cow. Tho latter sort can be depended upon to pay the rent when all olso falls. Contrary to tho general belief, It iIoob not hurt a horse to clvo him water In modorate quantities, even when ho is very hot, providing tho water Is not very cold. The brood sow is u pig factory, not herself a pork barrel filler. She Is, or should ho, a creator of strong, hearty pigs. Feed her then o she can fulfill hor real mission. There Is Just as much danger In over feeding farm stock as there is In under feeding. You have to watch the animals In order te know when you have the right kind of n ration. Remember that tho horse Is the most nervous of all animals, and that little things annoy and Irritate him. Remember that ho will bo contented or mlsoruble accordingly as you treat him. Good housing Is ono of the essentials for egg production, and consequently fihould bo given proper consideration. A hen that Is comfortable and happy 1h more apt to bo profitable than one that Is uncomfortable. A recommended treatment for warts on cow's teats: Put some water In a bottle and add as much alum as the water will dissolve. After each milk ing touch the warts with this mixture and tbey will soon disappear. Ice wator to drink when the mercury Is on a still hunt for the bottom of the thermometer brings tho shivers to the cow, and that means that her owner will shiver when he looks Into his pocket book for the profit from her keeping. The poor cow would complain against the abort course it she had tho opportunity to speak herself. She Is tho ono that must fear lest her good fortune bo destroyed when tho boys return with a little better know) .edge of dnlry farming. Ventilate tho stable. Clean up the farmstead. Pear blight Is Infectious. A horse Is a very nervous animal. Sheep need salt In winter as well ns In summer. Keep tho harness soft whero It touches tho horses. If a horBo bolts Us food, havo .its teeth examined by a veterinarian. Never strike a horse on the head. Kindness will do moro than brutality Don't keep the breeding sows or tho growing pigs on a plank lloor all win ter. " Tramp the snow well about applo and plum trees to provent Injury by mice. Cut alfalfa or clovor hay are good green feeds for hens at this time of the year. A mosquito netting will keep llios oft tho separator after It Is washed and before. Ham room Is loo exponslvc to stable cows that lay oft work every time the wind changes. Strive to keep tho sows In good flesh, but do not overload them with an excess of fat. The patient mule Is not much for speed, hut he keeps going and usual ly arrives on time. Many a horse stands up all night because Its stall Is not made comfort able to He down In The Interior of the barn Is the place where the milk la handled. Have this clean and kept In good shape. Never work a team of colts to gether until they aro thoroughly bro ken, ns they will worry each other. The fall born pig nearly alwuys proves profitable, because ho usually sells at u profit tho following spring The man with good brains and good cows goes steadily on towards pros perity. The beef man sometimes doesn't. Tho greater the variety and the richer the feeds given cows, tho more and better manuro can he had from the herd. The sow that catches chickens car. be cured of the bad habit by feeding her well' for a few weeks" on a ration rich in tankage. The good road brings the market nearer your farm and adds materially to the value of the place whether you want to sell or live thoio. A scratching pen .10x10 feet will give a dozen hens plenty of room, and ono 10x15 feet will be plenty large for 20 birds. It is good place to pro vide. A shovelful of rock phosphate scat tered In tho gutters after each clean ing takes up a lot of the liquid manure and holps swell next season's corn crop. Cooling rooms adapted to the stor age of small fruit and other quickly perishablo products, even for a short time, could be used to advantage on every full farm Watch your sheep and you will most likely see that some of them are apt to get more than their share If fed In an open trough or box, where all can put their heads In at once. Clover, alfalfa, blue grass, skim milk and mill-feed, with a very little corn, will form an Ideal combination of foods to Insure tho young sow's usefulness as a breeder In different varieties of apples the calyx remains open longer than hi others, and on account of this tho first spraying must bo done rapidly on those which close most quickly. The farmer -who arranges his work so as to bo busy all the year around and to keep his men busy all the year around Ib the man that gets the largest profit and has the least trouble with help. Do not ask tho cow to make milk and keep herself warm with the same feed. At least give her a fair chance to be protected from the storms and then let her use tho feed for milk making alone. In the addition of manuro to the garden, much will bo gained If It is thoroughly decomposed, as then It Is moro quickly Incorporated with the soil, nnd the plant food It contains Is most readily nvailnblo. The man who comes to your dairy farm and wants to buy the heifers from tho best cows is not always your beet friend. Ho caroful before you soil them to htm. It Is moving back ward In (ho dairy Industry to let these go. A well-kept flock of hens means a steady Income enough to keep you In spending- money while you are waiting for your crops to grow. That one thing is enough to recommend poul try keeping as a suitable "side line" for the boy farmer j HOG CHOLERA PREVENTION BY ALL OWNERS j HPSSPSBHmm Cement Trough for Pigs. No matter how healthy and lgor- germs to be cpread by buzzards, dogs, ous our hogs may be, It pays to and other carrion eaters, watch for news of a possible out-1 Hurial of the bodies is satisfactory break of tho cholera nnj where In your neighborhood. The sturdiest hogs will curl up nnd die when the germs of this hog peBt are introduced Into their system. Clean quarters, puro water, dry quar ters and good breeding aro worth whllo for themselves, but they will not keep cholera out of a herd. Tho only preventive of cholera Is the serum treatment. Most states I arc prepaiiug n serum for their farm ers, says an Illinois writer In tho Farm Progress. All should lo so The statu veterinarian Ib tho man ou should appeal to as soon as the cholera appears In your neighborhood. It makes no difference whether the disease Is among your hogs or not. It may-be, and that very soon, unless It is checked. When cholera gets among hogs on my place 1 separato the healthy from those that are ailing Just us quickly ns I can. Tho next move Is to notify the state agricultural college, or Its nearest experiment Btatlon. Whllo waiting for expert relief, either at the hands- of tho state ex porta or some local veterinarian, the hogs should be watched, and any new cases that develop should cause the well part of the herd to be. moved once more. Of course, all animals that die of cholera should bo burned as quickly as is convenient. Leaving them lying in the open will cnuso the cholera FEW PRINCIPLES OF BEE-KEEPING Essence of All Profitable Work Is to Keep the Colonies Strong and Vigorous. The Importance of scientific apicul ture Is being Blowly but surely recog nized. With a wider knowledge of the part bees play In the pollination of fruit blossoms and the spread of rural education generally, bee-keeping can not any longer be regarded as merely a hobby, but as one of the most I in portant of tho minor branches of the science of agriculture. Although conditions differ", the prin ciples of bee-keeping are the same the world over. The following axioms should be noted: 1. Hees gorged with honey never voluntcor un attack. 2. Hees may always bo made peaceable by Inducing them to accept liquid sweets. 3. Hees when frightened by smoke fill themselves with honey and lose all disposition to sting, unless they aro hurt. i. Hees dislike any quick move ments about tholr hive, especially any motion which Jars their combs. 5. In districts whero forage Is abundant only for a short period, the largest yield of honey will be secured by a very moderate Increaso of colo nics. G. A moderate IncreaBO In colonies In any one soason will, In tho long run prove to bo tho easiest, safest and cheapest modo of managing bees. 7. A .queenlesB colony, unlesB sup plied with a queen, ' will inevitably dwindle away or bo destroyed by tho wax moth or by robber bees. 8. The formation of new colonies shouhl ordinarily be confined to the ueuEon when boos aro accumulating honey, and if this or any other opera tion must bo performed when forage Is scarce the greatest precautions should be used to prevent robbing. Tho essence of all profitable bee keeping is contained In the ono golden rule: ''Keep tho colonies strong." If anyone cannot succeed In doing this tho more money ho Invests In bees tho heavier will bo his losses, whllo If his colonies are strong ho will prove a bee-master as well as a bee-keeper, und may safoly calculate on a gener ous Teturn from his Industrious sub jects. Variety for 8heep. Sheep ore partial to a change diet, consequently tho greater variety of feed, tho better tho suits. of the re- Lime for Chickens. Air-slaked lime, freely dusted every where, is cheap, and will destroy lice, rapes and roup germs. only when the are sprinkled with quicklime and burled at a depth of three to four foot. Many holds havo bcfn wiped out by disease carried Into tholr ranges by prowling dogs carrying bones nnd pioce3 of carrion through the fields. There aro no breeds of hogs that are Immune from the cholera. Thero ! are certain Individuals amoiif a herd that show great reslstanco to tho dis ease, but they aro few In. number. So far tho efforts of breeders to -pro' duce such a strain havo been failures. As to rearing, feeding and caring for a herd so farefully that cholera gormH cannot hurt them, It Is Impossible. Anything moved from an Infected farm to a place that Is not inrcctcd may carry tho seeds of tho disease Of course hogs aro most apt to carry It, but the utmost precautions should be taken that no animals, implements or foodBtuffs should be brought from an Infected place and left whero the hogs might be exposed to contact with thoni.- Sick hogs are tho most common of disease carriers. State vetcrlnnrianB ore always anxious to bo Informed of tho out breaks of cholera. Tho soouor they know of It tho better chance they havo of keeping It Isolated In ono com munity, it Is a duty that every hog raiser owes to himself and neighbors, to get word to tho proper authorities ns soon as-possible that the necessary steps may be taken TREATMENT FOR GAPES IN CHICKS To Eradicate Disease, Affected " Birds Should Be Isolated Burn All Dead Fowls. (By II I KKMPSTI3R, Mlaiourl Expert " ment Station.) Gapes Is a disease affecting certain birds, fowls, and particularly chicks one to four weeks old. It is caused by a small worm, called tho gapo worm, which attaches itself to the windpipe of its victim. The symtoniB are frequent gaping sneezing, a whistling cough, with dls charge of mucus and worms, dumpish ness, weakness and dropping of wings Dead birds will show forknd worms at Inched to the windpipe. Tho adult female gape worm Is much larger than the male, her body being filled with eggs and embryos. These embroys appear in the droppings or are coughed up. So the trouble is spread by contamination of runs, feed and drinking water. EmbrqyoB are uncn lounu in eaiinworms. To eradicate the disoaso, Isolate af fected birds, treat drinking water with potassium permnnganato; burn dead birds and remove chicks to fresh ground which is not Infected. Cultiva tion of Infected ground Is said to eradi cate tho worms In threo years. Individual cases may bft treated in one of three wnys: Hy confining tho. chick for a short time In a box which has air-slaked lime on the floor. The lime Is Bald to cauac the worm to relenso ItB grip and the chick to sneeze It out. Stripping a feather, leaving a email tuft, moistening with turpentine and Introducing Into tho windpipe, caro be ing taken not to lacerate the windpipe or Biiffqcttto the chick. Two horse bairn tied together, the knot trimmed, run down tho chicken's Uiroat nnd removing In a twisting man ner will also remove tho worms. Gape worm extractors are also on the mar ket. Disposal of Manure. Tho most Important part of (he stable sanitation from tho other fel low's standpoint Is tho disposal of manure. The liquid muuurc should bo ab sorbed by tho bedding and tho bod ding changed every day. The solid manure should he cleaned up morn ing and evening and 'towii In u fly proof box or vault. If possible, have It hauled away daily. Rye Meal for Cows. Tho Pennsylvania experiment stn Hon haB found that rye meal as a part of properly balanced ration for dairy cows Is sufllcieut In milk and butler production to an equal weight of corn meal, mummunmmummmmmmmmmu THIRTEEN AT TABLE By FRANK FILSON. Although tho New Year of his o"wn people was eolehrated moro tnan threo months earlier, Isaac Mandolstamm re Jolcod In keeping festival upon tho New Yoar of tho nation of which ho folt hlmsolf to bo an Integral part. It was moro than forty years since ho had arrived from Russia nnd opened n llttlo tailor's shop on tho lower East sldo' Ills sons and daughters had prospered and had moved uptown, but old Isnnc and his wlfo Rcbeknh still lived In tho modest tenement In which their children had been born and had grown to manhood and womanhood. Every December 31 thero was n re union lllto this one. Abraham and his wlfo Yetta nnd majored down from their country homo near Yonkers, with their children, Morris nnd Frank. Is! dor, part owner of a department store, had brought his wife and daughter. Rachel, tho school teacher! bad brought hor fiance, Meyer Scldlltz; and there woro Philip, the rising young lawyor, and Marcus, tho architect, who hud only begun to prosper after sev eral years of obscurity. Only ono child was nbsont Lawrenco, tho youngest, nnd the Benjamin of his father's old ago. No matter what the passing year had brought forth, each child of tho aged couple mado It a point of honor to pay rospoctB to his parents by din ing with them In tho llttlo flat. Every body looked forward to this annual gathering. Thoy were the happiest peoplo In tho world ns thoy took their places at tho table. Isaac, a halo octo genarian, sat at the table, wenrlng IiIh black skull cap, nnd began Bharponlng tho carving knlfo. At tho foot his wlfo sat facing him, her wrinkled face smiling, her eyes beaming with lovo as sho gazed upon her children. Abra ham, tho financier, and Isldor, tho mer chant, fraternized on equal torniB with Marcus, who wns Just beginning to emergo above tho horizon of bucccbs, and Rachel and Philip, who had not seen each other for months, wqro bo preoccuplod that Meyer Scldlltz folt a pang of Jealousy, In Bplte of the fact that thoy wore brother and slater. Tho turkoy was sizzling In Its rich brown Know What You're Father." Thinking of gravy, tho potatoes seemed ready to melt lnsldo tholr Jackets, tho celery was crisp and dainty, tho olives gleamed lusciously, and there was an Inviting sparkle of cut glaas and sil verware. Just as old Isaac took up tho carv ers )ils wlfo held up hor hand. "Wo aro thirteen nt table," aho ox claimed. Each lookod at the other. Nobody believed In tho foolish legend of dis aster, and yet somehow tho discovery caBt a gloom over tho gathering. "What's the odds?" asked Abraham. "Who believes In that, I'd like to know?" But old Robokah had been falling, and to contlnuo with tho meal seemed Impossible if this was to bo hor last Now Year's dinner each would feel Hko a murderer. Meyer Soldlltz Jumped out of his chair. "I'll got somebody to mako the four teenth," ho Bnltl. "Whom?" asked Rachel. "Tho first person I moot," answered Meyer, and departed amid shouts of approval. Old Isaac put down tho carvers and sighed deeply. "I know what you're thlnklug of, father," said Rachel, patting his hand. "Poor Lawrenco!" Isldor and Abraham exchanged glances. Lawrence was the black sheep of tho family. Success had never como to him. Time and again his father or his brothers had made good defalca tions and dishonesties on his part, un til at last Lawrenco had embezzled a largo sum of money from a business firm for which he worked, Isldor had got him that position. Ho paid cheer fully, but Lawrenco had rccolvcd six months' Imprisonment. He had written pitiful letters to his parents and broth ers after his release, but nobody had truBted him ngaln or answered him. "Tho boy's no good," Isldor declared emphatically. "He's Just crooked by nature." "A bad lot," Abraham sighed. "Still," said Rachel, "those things aro largely a matter of temptation. I think ho ought to havo had one moro chanco, Isldor." "No," Bald Marcus, emphatically. "I had to struggle for nearly ten years : mmt ii 7 JfrfrnS, boforo I could oven bo assured of my noxt month's rent coming In. If ono la bad, ono Ib bad. Don't yau agreo with mo, Philip?" Philip stirred unoaBlly in his chair. Ho looked toward his mother. Tho smiles had gone from her faco and tears woro streaming down her with ered cheeks, "I wish tho boy wore hero," burst out old Isaac. "Ho ought to have ono more chance. He's paid for his folly. Don't cry, mother. I'm going to find hlro and tell him so. I guess we can do something for him yet." "Well," snld Abraham, reluctantly, "runybo, ono chance moro. But who would employ him? Who'd give him n, v chance, with such a character us he's got?" "I will," snld Isldor. "I'll take him on In my storo if ho really means to run Btralght." "I know you would, Isldor," said Ra chel, patting hor brother's hand. "Well, I didn't qulto moan what I say," admitted Marcus. "After all, he's our brother, nud one ought to stand by ono's own through thick nnd thin." "That's right," said Philip. "Bo Bldos, this Is Now Year." "Children," said old Isaac, address-, lng tho bearded men In vehement tones, "I stand by what Phil says. This Is Now Year, and no matter what has happened during the past year, all of you meet hero as friends and in mu tual forgiveness. Cheer up, mother. I'm going to find that boy, coat what it may, and do tho right thing by him." "And ho Bhall start In with mo at onoo," said iBldor. "Gee, that turkoy smells good!" said llttlo Frank. "Why don't wo begin, pa?" "I wish Meyer would hurry up," said Rachel; and Just, then thoy heard Meyer Soldlltz como bounding up tho Btnirs, Outsldo tho door ho halted and a heated discussion appeared to bo taking plnce. Meyer flung tho door wide open and tho nltercatlon changod to a scufllo. "Hero ho Is," ho yelled triumphantly. "First man I mo"t. He looks aa If bn wants n meal 1 Haw him standing near tho water front, looking aa though he was about ready to throw himself In. Como In, you donkey. Dou't you underfltnnd that you're In vited to dinner?" Ho dragged him inside. "Lawrence!" crjed each one, rising; and then thero was a Bcrlmmage to got to tho fugitive. But old Robokah had him in her arms, and bIiq was crying over him, aa though ho wero a child ngaln. (Copyrlsht. WH, by AV. O, Chapman ) RELICS OF PONCE DE LEON Collection of Extraordinary Interest, Belonging to Illinois Man, Mas Been Enriched. A collection of relics, not rolatcd In any way, but each object of which la particularly Interesting in Itself, is that of Michael noblnson of Shawnee town, III., to whoso troasuroa waB re cently added a pleco of tho coffin In which Ponce d Leon was hurled In tho old cnthedrnl nt San Juan. Porto Rico. When tho leaden coffin of tho ex plorer wns cxnmlned before it wns transferred from the old cathedral to tho now one, It was found to bo In a very poor condition. So Insecure did it apepar that It was decided u, now coffin should bo provided. Tho old ono was thou discarded nud cut Into pieces, which wore given to per sons of prominence who attended tho cathedral ceromonlea. Cardinal Far loy, who was in chargo of tho celebra tion, gave ono of theso pieces to Cnpt. O. P. Townsond, who command ed tho guard of honor for the body, nnd Captain Townsend gavo tho rcllo to Mr. Robinson to add to his already Interesting collection. From eons and eons further back In the history of this continent conica. another interesting relie which Mr. Robinson treasures, a block of sand utono bearing the clear Imprint of tho human foot. It was taken from "Tho Rocks," a short distance from Shaw nootown, but over tho border lino In Kentucky. It Is believed in tho neigh borhood that the imprint is that of prehistoric man. A third era of the continent's his tory, that which brings the collection! down to the modern world, is repre sented by nn old silk revolutionary flng. He Capitulated. His wlfo met him at the door, sayu the Chicago-Record Herald. His dln nor had been waiting for thirty mln-utcs.-but ahe was smiling sweetly. Her hair was dono up in a becoming Btylo, und she looked ton years young er than usual, She put her arms around his neck, drew his head down and kissed him sweetly. "Give mo your hat and coat," bIio Bald. "I will hang thorn away, for I can bcq that you nro tired. Havo you had a hard day at tho office, doar?" "Yes," ho replied. "I'm all fagged out." "I'm sorry, but never mind. I feel sure that things will tuke a turn for the better soon. I've got a surprise for you the mnld Iibb prepared a nlct chicken stow, the kind you Hko tc well. Shall I run upstairs and get your slippers?" v "Never mind, little woman," he re plied, pushing his hand Into his pock ot, "how much do you want?" Ark-alc. Inquisitive Little Boy Were" you la tho urk?" Peevlah Old Gontloman No, of course I wasn't. Inquisitlvo Little Boy Woll, why weren't you drowned, thon? London Tatler,