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AGRICULTURAL HINTS
INSECT-EATING BIRDS.
Bomu Fact Which Fanners Should
Ahrnyx Hoar In Mlnil.
Probably few farmers have nny idea
of the assistance which they receive
from friends who ask no reward, except
now'and then n little fruit, or n few
seeds of grain. A recent number of the
National Stockman gives a mass of tes
timony as to the noble work done by
the birds in the destruction of grass
hoppers and other insects. The experi
ments were made by Prof. Augliey, of
the University of Nebrusk. Tabulated
results show conclusively that birds of i
nil kinds were doing their best to re-'
duce the number of locusts
The brrds
examined
of the thrush family were
first. The stomachs of six robins con
tained the remains of 205 locusts; three
wood thrushes had GS locusts; one her
mit thrush contained 19 locusts; two
olive backed thrushes had gathered m
C5 locusts; two Wilson's thrushes ab
sorbed 73 of the pests, while live cat
bitds had "called" 1.12 of the insects.
Three blue birds yielded 077 of the
"hoppers," and one little ruby crowned
kinglet showed up 29 as the result of
A CROW BLACKBIRD.
its industry. But four tufted titmice
contained no less than 2.')0 specimens,
and nine long-tailed chickadees had se
cured by hard work 4S1 of these ene
mies of agriculture. Pour slender
billed nuthatches had the remains of
f2 locusts. Put the little warblers also
insisted in "talcing a hand" in the gen
eral massacre, for seven golden war
blers turned in 77 locusts and 170 other
insects. Pive black-throated green
warblers had secured 110 of the hop
pers and 104 other insects. Pour black
poll warblers gathered 12.T locusts and
47 other insects. Eight prairie warblers
showed the remains of 11G locusts and
a still larger number of other insects.
Seven barn swallows called in 139 lo
custs; eight cave swallows exhibited
S2G of the pests; five bank swallows
contained 104, and ten purple martins
Hind sacrificed 205 of these insects.
Many of these birds were seen to feed
the inmates of their nests with young
.locusts.
But the roll call does not stop here,
oven if our space should; and we would
gladly give the complete record for
the roll of honor includes the yellow-headed
blackbird, the vireas,
shrikes, the bobolinks, Baltimore ori
oles, Brewer's blackbirds, purple
graoklc and others which ate locusts
almost without limit. Not only these
birds did their full duty, but even the
ravens, the crows, the magpies and
the blucjays followed up the good
work and consumed vast numbers of
the pests. The flycatchers and pewees
were not far behind, while 343 "hop
pers" were taken from the stomachs
of seven night hawks. The humming
birds are generally regarded as simply
ornamental, but Prof. Aughey states
that his eat caught a specimen of the
rruby-thronted humming bird, whose
stomach contained the bodies of four
locusts. Ten specimens of the yellow
billed cuckoos yielded 410 locusts and
352 other insects. But the woodpeck
ers were evidently bent on business,
and did not confine themselves to a
single article of diet, for 29 woodpeck
ers contained 853 locusts and 725 in
sects of various sorts. 12 veil the birds
of prey seemed to have joined in the
good work, for IS owls examined dis
played the remains of almost 000 lo
custs and other insects. Not to be out
done by the owls, the two i.awks which
were taken gave up 378 locusts. In the
snmo line followed the wild turkeys,
grouse, prairie hens and quail. Emu
lating the above good examples, n large
variety or shore birds did almost equal
ly good work, considering that their
natural food is largely found in the
-wiiter.
In view of the above, can any
farmer have a shadow of doubt as to
the inestimable value of the 'birds as
nids in protecting his crops? If a few
birds furnished such results for a sin
gle day's work, what would be the
result were a calculation to be mnde
of the work of all the birds for an en
tire season? All sorts of birds we?e
examined, from the pelican, with its
mnmmoth form, to the gem-like hum
ming bird, and all proved to be the
friends of the farmer in protecting his
crops from the ruthless invader. How
foolish is he who allows these his allies
to be hunted as if they were robbers
and enemies, and especially where he
allows them to be slaughtered for no
.good purpose. Would space permit we
could refer to hundreds of cases, in
many of which the evidence is even
mronger lhan any given above, and
nil of such unquestioned truthfulness
as to leave no doubt as to the facts in
the matter. A word to the wise is suf
ilcient. H. II. WATERS.
WORK FOR CONVICTS.
The J' Should Ho Kmplo.ved In thoCn
Mtrtiutlon of llouili.
The abnormal Hoods along the Missis
sippi river have provoked much discus
sion of ways and means for preventing
their future recurrence or for restrain
ing the swollen stream within safe lim
its. Some urge a stronger and higher
system of leees; others the opening of
new, or reopening of old, channels,
through which the river may b partly
or wholly diverted from its present
course; and others yet other projects,
all, of course, involving the doing o:
much work and the spending of much
money. The further suggestion is made,
s applicable for the execution of any
of these schemes, that the manual labor
required on the vast job shall be done by
the able-bodied inmates of the prisons
of the various interested states. This
suggestion is an eminently practical
one, nnd it leads to the further sugges
tion that just such jobs afford the best
possible field for the employment of
convict labor.
Country and suburban roads, for ex
ample, which in all parts of the
union are in need of improvement. The
spi'ing season is the best of all times
for road-building. It is the very time
when farmers and villagers nre most
busy with other matters and can least
well devote attention to the roads. And
it is the time when the housed-up pris
oners are most in need of wholesome oc
cupation in the open air. There are
three elements of the problem which
unerringly point to its right solution.
If to do work when it can best be done.
with the least possible disturbance of
other industries and at the lowest cost
to the proprietor and to the greatest
benefit to the workmen, and, indeed, tc
all concerned if that be business wis
dom, the inmates of our state prison?
should besctnt road-making forthwith.
In that way they will get the exercise
they need, the public will get the much
needed good roads, and there will be no
competition between convict and free
labor. How much the convicts need
such work is demonstrated in the King."
county penitentiary, where the inmates
are reported to be in danger of going
mad, some of them actually doing so.
through enforced idleness. How much
improved roads are needed almost any
suburban or rural village will testify.
N. Y. Tribune.
MUZZLE FOR HEIFERS.
.V Xew K'lml Which In Snlil to Aooom
IiIInIi (ircnt TIiIiikn.
One of the puzzling things in dairying
is the bad habit that calves and heifer.
acquire of self-sucking and sucking
each other. To remedy this, this muz
zle is said to be equally effective for
foals, and having no spikes cannot hurt
TScr:
J'..,ift
MUZZLE FOR HEIFER.
the mother when calf or foal attempts
to suck. When weaned the flap of
leather in front can be removed by un
buckling the straps, and the other part
converted into a useful leather head
stall. This muzzle does not hinder ani
mals from eating grass, even if it be
ery short, as the flap, if properly fixed,
goes out in front suHleiently to ennble
them lo graze with freedom. After hnv
ing them on fo: a day or two they be
come quite adepts at feeding with them.
The two leather straps underneath the
headstall, one on each side, and extend
ing to the flap in front, can be shortened
or lengthened at will. The two iron
clips which nre riveted on the front
flap of the muzzle nre to prevent it roll
ing up when the lenther gets wet.
Parm Journal.
DEPENDS ON FEEDING.
How to Turn a I'toiuImIiik: Cnlf Into a
rrolltultlo Coiv.
When calves are intended to be
grown for cows it is a great mistake to
feed them so heavily as to increase the
tendency to fatten. Often this can be
seen at birth in the thick, bull-like
neck and heavy head. In such case it
is best to fatten and sell to the butcher,
no matter what stock may be its ances
try. But frequently also the calf which
seeni3 to be all right for a good milker
is fed so heavily and on such fattening
food that its tendency for life to pro
duce fat and beef rather than milk nnd
(butter is fully established. To grow a
goodcowthe calf should not be stunted,
s.iys American Cultivator. That will
impair digestion, which is just as im
portant for the cow us it is for a beef
animal. Calves intended to be kept for
cows should have much succulent food,
w ith enough of the hind of nutrition re
quired to make large growth. Then it
will be well developed and come early
into heat. It is always advisable to
breed as early as possible. Then when
the tendency to milk production has
been fully established, good feeding
with the best food will turn the product
of the feed into the milk pail, where it
will be most for the farmer's profit tc
huve it.
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FARM AND GARDEN.
HANDY ARRANGEMENT.
Wiikimi llox for ruriiifps Who Sell
Their Own I'rotluoe.
The accompanying illustration shows
a box for a farm wagon excellently
adapted to the requirements of those
who practice selling their farm prod
ucts from house to house in village or
city. There are four lurge compart
ments, easily accessible, one in front,
whose cover forms the seat of the driv
er; one on each side, and one in the
rear. Different sorts of bulk' articles
can be carried in these, while in hot
weather one compartment can be fitted
to contain ice, for the well being of the
butter and dressed poultry that 1h be
ing marketed. In fact, there are many
products of the farm that are benefited
by going to market iced in the hottest
of summer weather, such as early vege-
BOX FOR FARM WAGON.
tables, strawberries, cream, etc. The
drawers at the bottom of the box will
be found convenient for eggs in two or
throe tiers of pustebonid egg fillers, or
in the patent wire fillers, while the
railed space on top will hold any articles
that may be carried In bags or boxes.
Many farmers have a strong prejudice
against "peddling" their produce, as
they call the house-to-house sale of it.
This is an unfortunate prejudice, for
selling directly to the consumer is one
of the most profitable methods of dis
posing of farm crops. Nor need it beat
all disagreeable, if rightly managed.
Have nothing but the best upon your
cart; hae regular routes and regular
customers, and they will watch for
your coming and make your trading
agreeable, yelling at first hand menus
a steady cash income, and prices much
higher than would be received from
dealers. Then, too, it often means the
sale of produce when the dealers are
overstocked, and not willing to pur
chase at any price.
A valuable point to bo borne in mind
by those who thus sell their farm wares
is not only to have choice articles for
sale, but to carry them to the customers
in attractive shape. Let the wagon look
neat, being well painted and having the
name of the farm painted in bright let
ters upon the sides. Then let the driver
be neatly dressed, pleasant ami gentle
manly in his nddress, and the work will
prosper. These little matters are of far
more importance in the successful sell
ing of farm products than many would
beliee. Attractive appearance from
beginning to end sells goods. Don't try
to build up such a trade by using an old
ramshackle wagon, with the articles for
sule dumped indiscriminately on the
bottom; such a plan doesn't attract pur
chasers. N. Y. Tribune.
WILL FIGHT LOCUSTS.
NohruNlot. KiitoinoloKlMt'x Uueor .111
hIiiii to South Ainerlou.
Millions of bushels of corn are an
nually exported from Buenos Ayres,
but Argentine lias so suffered from a
plague of locusts that the entire crop
has been destroyed, nnd not u shipload
has been shipped this season. The
chamber of commerce has engaged
Prof. Lawrence Brunei', entomologist
for the agricultural experimental sta
tion of the University of Nebraska, to
investigate the locust migration. lie
is now at Buenos Ayres, and if he suc
ceeds in exterminating locusts and
grasshoppers will receive a handsome
bonus. He believes that methods em
ployed in Nebraska will be cflicaoious
in South America. During the plague
in Nebraska he de eloped some won
derful results. Panners who desired
aid sent in some healthy insects pro
vided with suillclent food to last to
their journey's end. In return they
received "sick" bugs in packages, with
directions for using. The professor
began by securing sonic dead insects,
killed by the fungus sporotriehum
globullferum. They were placed in
cages with healthy grasshoppers, kept
In a high temperature, and the health'
insects were soon inoculated. The dis
ease is n dry rot, which causes the
bodies of the locusts to decay. The
spread is rapid, and result fatal. It
somewhat resemble leprosy in the
human family. The disease begins to
show from the second to the fourth day
after the infection lias been placed in
the field. The bugs leave their food
plant and keep moving rapidly. The
next day they are sluggish nnd seek
protection from the sun. Prom the
sixth to the eighth day the first dead
bugs nre found wrapped in a fungus re
sembling cotton. The insects do not
hnve sense enough to seek a field not in
fected, but remain in the locality where
they are inoculated. Chicago Inter
Ocean.
Why II' In Poor.
Tho farmer's overalls ore worn,
His back with toll Is bent;
Ills faded coat Is old and torn,
He can't lay up u. cent.
IIo innrkotH half a load of praln,
For mud his farm enthralls.
And so the extra trips explain
The fnrmcr'a overhauls.
Good Rouds.
J.I. .'J.B.J "J'll
A FINE INVESTMENT.
Mono;- Spent for t.ood HoiiiN Drawn
nu litiniciiNc InteroNt.
The strongest argument which can bo
made for good roads is to show the re
sults which have come with their con
struction. Mecklenburg county, in
North Carolina, otters an illustration,
which contains an eloquent plea for
good roads. That county has built ma
cadamized roads during the past few
years. Before they were built, two
bales of cotton were considered
a good load on the old dirt road,
for a team of mules to draw.
That was during fairly good weath
er. When the weather was bad,
no one undertook to haul cotton. Since
the construction of macadamized roads,
the ordinary load has been regularly In
creased from two bales of cotton to ten,
and the same single pair of mules con
tinue to draw it. The weather, too, is
left entirely out of consideration. The
roads are just as good after a rain as at
any other time. Whenever the load can
be properly protected, farmers rather
prefer to do their hauling in rainy
weather, because they are then unable
to work in their fields. Col. .1. C. Tipton,
of North Carolina, is authority for these
statements, as made before the National
Boad conference.
Good roads will always raise the value
of real estate. Beady access to market
is considered a most valuable feature of
farm property. This is why a farm near
to a market town brings a much higher
price than one situated several miles
away. Where a farm is connected with
a good market by n first-class road, its
distance becomes of little importance.
This has been strikingly shown in New
.Jersey. Farmers in that state have en
joyed the benefits of good roads to n
greater degree, perhaps, than any
others.
Peal estate has risen in value wher
ever macadamized roads have been built.
H. II. Brown, a farmer residing at Old
AN' IDEAL HIGHWAY.
(Forest Hill Road, Near Chicago.)
Bidge, N. J., declares that since his town
has built a few miles of macadam
roads, property has almost doubled in
value. New .Jersey farmers are enthu
siastic for the further extension of the
state aid system, under which the im
proved roads of that state have been
built.
Good roads have paid for themselves
in New Jersey. They have paid for
themselves in North Carolina, in Massa
chusetts and in Connecticut, the states
in which the greatest progress has so
far been made in their construction.
Prance, Germany, Holland and Belgium
have found macadam roads profitable.
Is there any reason why they should
prove unprofitable in any state in tho
union, with our vast agricultural inter
ests? Our exports of grain are growing
steadily from year to year. Machinery
is used at every step. Large amounts
are spent for this machinery each year,
because of the saving it effects. If our
agriculture is to continue to compete
in the markets of the world, those who
are engaged in it must practice economy
at every step. The loss due to bad roads
is one of the greatest wastes of energy
connected with farmingas carried on in
this country. Why not, then, invest in
good roads, which will save farmers
more than any other investment they
can make? Otto Dorner, in Cycling'
Gazette.
I'roper llnntllliiKr of (irupeH.
Grapes, like other fruits, need to be
carefully handled to bring the best
prices. The vines need to be gone over
frequently during the ripening season,
gathering only those with full color,
because grapes do not, like other fruits,
color after being gathered. The huueh
ea should be cut off with a jiuir of scis
sors, and so handled as not to disturb
the bloom. Ordinary varieties may be
ut once packed from the vines into the
basket that is intended for sale. Choice
varieties should be gathered into shal
low trays or baskets, in which they
hhould stand a day or two on shelves in
the fruit house, and then repacked. By
this treatment tho stems will wilt, and
the bunches will then keep without
molding and pack more closely than
when green.
The Coloring of Hotter.
One of the nice points in butter-making
is to color the butter the proper
shade, as the quantity of color used
must almost continuously bo chnnged,
according to the season. Great care
must be taken to use the properumount
of salt. A butter-maker's eye or taste
may deceive him, and he may not see
butter other than his own make more
than once or twice a year, perhaps not
that often, so it is pretty hard for him
to fix his eye on the proper shade for
color and his taste for the proper
amount of salt. Field aud Farm.
ml . HWji' .-f'"' "SBjaJ
4 -.--rg
FUS.bv WOMEN.
They Are Not All Slender Don't Itc-
fonjr to Any l'artluulnr C'unIc.
Of what use is n fussy woman In the
emergencies of life? Shu loses her
head figuratively, In an accident;
fidgets the patient's nerves to fiddle
strings in n sick-room nnd becomes su
pine and hysterical in a domestic cata
clysm. Does the fussy, fidgety woman
ever enjoy herself on a pleasure trip,
or, as important, does she ever allow
members of her party to enjoy them
selves? Barely, 1 think. 1 took a bank
holiday excursion trip to Margate this
year In search of "copy," and tho full
significance of the fussy woman, was
borne In upon me by one of the occu
pants of the third-class carriage that I
elected to honor with my company.
She was a large woman with a lnrgo
party. She upset one of my precon
ceived notions that fnt women never
fuss, for she was very largo and sho
fussed very conspicuously.
I had watched her on tho platform
before the train came in sight. She was
makingspasmodic dires after her purse,
her tickets, her children, her lunch bns
kets; Bhu was evidently possessed with
the notion that she was about to lose
them. When she hnd cackled all into
the carriage her fussing was not fin
ished; she fussed because she could
not see where tho 'am sandwiches 'ad
(jot put to; she fussed because George
had lost his penny; she fussed because
shecould not make up her mind whether
It would be 'better to have the window
up or down; she fussed because some
body "thought as 'ow it might he r'ln
ing in Mnrglt," and she omitted to bring
the "macs."
The climax of her fussing was seen
when the departure bell sounded ami
"Sandy," presumably her husband, had
not come back from having a "arf-and-urf"
with his mate in the resterong."
She was a specimen of the lower-class
"fusser," but 1 have encountered qulto
ns bad fidgets among women of a higher
grade, and 1 am not sure that their fuss
ing Is not more trying than the fussing
of the lower-class woman, who may
perhaps be pardoned for not knowing
uny better. Daughter.
DAINTY COTTON MATERIALS.
Make l'retty Com! union for the Warm
SeiiNon.
Grass linen, in plaids, stripes, lace
effects, embroidered and plain, again
is prepared to lead all transparent
fabrics. It is to be found for twenty
five cents up to five dollars a yard and
in several shades of tho "nutural"
color. The heavier linen crashes are
of an improved smoother weave, and
are gray and natural colored nt 15 to
CO cents for odd skirts and jacket suits.
Striped and llowered dimities are in
light green, blue, pink, yellow and vio
let aliudes at 15 to 60 cents for dresses
tind shirt waists. Organdies arc even
prettier than they were last summer,
iu natural-looking blossoms over deli-cutely-tlnted
grounds, und will retull
at from 25 to 50 cents. Their rival is.
Swiss muslin with small or medium
dots and all of the light tints for the
ground, which may be plain or in lloral
figures. Plain-colored lawns will sell
chiefly for lining these transparent ma
terials. Piques will llouribh in spite of
the crash fever, in medium cords of one
or two colors, and are only intended for
jacket suits. Plaids iu every material,
silk, wool and cotton, are among the
promised successes. Percale in stripes,
dots and small figures sells at from ten
to twenty-five cents for shirt wuists
and morning dresses. A touch of black
in the figure Is very stylish in cotton
fabrics. In white goods dimity, Swiss
muslin, nainsook, organdie and lawn
have the preference, and arc ranked
among the cheapest as well as the most
expensive goods. Foreign nnd domestic
ginghams show plaid, striped, checked,
etc., patterns, in which green is promi
nent, ns it is in all wush goods. Ging
ham is not as popular as It was owing
to the craze for sheer goods, but it was
too useful a fabric for women and chil
dren to be without. This is in medium
sized plaids, stripes of immense variety
and checks of various kinds. Green,
red, strong pink, yellow und n touch of
black are prominent tints introduced
in ginghams. Vivid colors predomi
nate in ull spring materiuls. Ladies'
Home Journal.
Tho Wearing of TiicIcn.
To bo really fashionable one must
wear tucks. They are seen on every
thing, and the work on some of the new
blouses and bodices is enormous. Not
only ure quarter-Inch tucks closely set
in groups all over tho bodice and up
the sleeves, but these are frequently
supplemented by a tucked bolero and
by groups of tucks on the skirt. Fven.
low cut evening bodices are arranged
with tucked draperies of llsse. Some
times the tucks are horizontal, but more
frequently thej' are arranged to rim
around the figure. Philadelphia Press.
Fruit JunihluM.
One cupful butter, two cupfuls sugar,
one cupful rich buttermilk, 42 cupfuls
flour, three teaspoonfuls baking pow
der, one tcaspoonful each cloves und
cinnamon, one cupful stoned, chopped
rnsius. Mix soft as possible, lay a largo
spoonful for each jumble on buttered
tins and sprinkle with sugar. Ladies'
World.
Caullllotver Salail.
Boil a cauliflower till about two
diirds done; let it get cold, then break
it in branches, and lay them neatly in
lish. It is then ready for the dressing.
Good Housekeeping.