?5he Scovirge I A Story of
-rv the East...
<vUarrvascus
SYLVANVS
^ COBB. JR.
Copyrighted 1991 by Robert Bonner's Sons.
CHAPTER IV.—(Continued.)
Judah got down from the back of
his horse, and having thrown the rein
over the branch of a tree, he started
after the volunteer guide. Half a mile
distant, at the edge of a thick piece
of wood, the Israelite was informed
that he must submit to be hoodwinked.
He made no objections, and the rob
ber proceeded to bind a sash over his
eyes, after which he was led some
distance further, by a winding, tor
tuous way; and when the bandage was
removed, he found himself in a low
vale, beneath a roof of thick foliage,
and in the presence of a hundred armed
men. One man—a handsome, noble
looking youth—arose and approached
him, to whom his guide reported what
had transpired.
‘‘Do you seek Julian?” asked the
stately youth, looking upon the Israel
ite with a searching glance.
“Yes, sir," replied Judah, as frankly
and calmly as though he had been an
swering one of his own brethren.
“I am Julian,” said the chieftain,
quietly.
‘‘Then, sir,” returned the newcomer,
with a low bow, “to you I present my
petition.”
“First,—who are you?"
“My name is Judah, and I have been
a servant in the train of the king of
Damascus.”
“Ah,—is it so?” The chieftain may
have looked a little more sharply into
the man’s face, but he betrayed no sur
prise. “You spoke of a petition. What
Is it?”
Judah removed his mantle, and then
stripped off his tunic, thus baring his
back to the gaze of those who stood
around.
“Do you see that back?” he cried,
■quivering, and grinding his teeth. “Do
you see where the cruel lash has eaten
into my flesh? Horam, king of Da
mascus, put that stain upon me. Do
you wish me to say more?”
“I think you would be revenged upon
the king?" said Julian.
“I would be placed in the very front
-of that force which is to strike at
Horam, or at anything belonging to
him. I am not of Damascus born, and
my love is not there. I would join my
fortunes with those of Julian.”
After a very short conference with
some of his companions, the chieftain
informed Judah that he might remain
where he was; and that, if he proved
himself worthy, he would be received '
into full fellowship.
The Israelite expressed himself as
thankful for the favor thus conferred
and was soon allowed to mingle with
the members of the band. For two days
he ate with them, and joined them in
their sports; and during that time he
knew that watchful eyes were upon
him, But he was equal to the task, and
on the third day he was counted as
one of them.
On the fourth day one of the senti
nels brought a black man into the
camp, who gave his name as Osmer,
and who said that v > had escaped from
a tyrannical master in Aleppo. And he
furthermore said that he had a com
panion who was hiding somewhere in
the forest. Before noon said compan
ion made his appearance, announcing
his name as Selim; and when the two
had been questioned, their stories were
so harmonious, and so frank, that they
were suffered to remain; and finally
they were allowed to perform the
duties of body-servant to the chieftain.
Judah could have asked for nothing
better thus far; and he was resolved
that his further plans should be care
fully and surely laid.
Ah! Julian little dreamed of the
■danger that was creeping upon him!
CHAPTER V.
Caged.
The circumstances which might have
led another to hasten his operations,
led the Israelite to greater care and re
jection. He had not supposed that
Julian would take the two black men
to service so near his own person, and
when he found that such arrangement
had been made, his first inclination
was to hesitate least a suspicion of the
slaves’ honesty had led the chieftain to
place them thus near him. However,
after the lapse of a few days, Judah
was satisfied that no suspicion was en
tertained against himself or his com
panions, and he began to turn his at
tention to the work he had in hand.
On the morning of the fourth day
Julian announced his intention of mov
ing, and gave orders that his men
should be in readiness. A spy had ar
rived during the night with intelli
gence that a large caravan was on its
way from Tyre to Damascus, and the
chieftain had determined to intercept
It. Some wealthy merchants from
Jtome were in the approaching train,
end it was probable that they bore
wealth for Horam.
Just as the sun was rising, while Ju
dah was in the wood after his horse,
lie was accosted by Osmir, who had i
teen out on an errand for the chief
tain.
“Ah, my master,” said the black,
gazing carefully around to see that he
was not observed; "I am glad that I
have met you. I have been wondering
whether you meant to carry out the
j>lan which brought us here.”
“Why have you wondered at such a
thing?” asked Judah.
“Because,” replied Osmir, “I have
made up my mind that if the choice of
masters were left to me I should
choose to serve Julian rather than the
king of Damascus. I like him much
the best. He is not such a terrible
man as he has been represented. He
is a kind, generous man, and I blame
him not for his hatred of Horam.”
“Well, sir," said the Israelite, speak
ing quickly and sternly, "do you think
of turning your face from the work we
have to do?”
“No, no, my master. I am not so
determined. I shall follow you. Your
commands must be my law. If you say
proceed I am with you.”
“And how is it with Selim?”
“You have nothing to fear, my mas
ter, from him. The two men whom you
selected to accompany you will not
betray you. Selim thinks of this rob
ber chieftain as I do; but he is bound
to his duty, and will perform it.”
Judah knew the characters and dis
positions of the two and he felt no un
easiness.
“My good Osmir,” he said, with a
smile, “concerning this Scourge of
Damascus I feel much as you feel. I
have long known that he was a noble,
true-hearted man. But he is an enemy
of our king, and we have promised to
capture him. Just think, for a mo
ment, what must be the result if we
take him, and convey him in safety to
Damascus. Think what peop'e will
say of Osmir and Selim. Now the mer
chants of Damascus are in fear and
trembling on account of this terrible
Scourge, and the king sits uneasily
upon his throne; but if we arrest the
dreaded chieftain, and deliver him up,
the merchants will rejoice, and the
king will be grateful. And upon whom
shall their thanks and their honors
fall?”
This speech pleased Osmir, and fired
him up to new seat in the work he had
undertaken. Judah moved out from
the cover to observe if any one was ap
proaching, and when he was satisfied
that he was still safe, he returned and
gave Osmir such instructions as he
deemed necessary. He was careful that
all should be understood, and that each
projected movement should be so ar
ranged that there could be no possible
clashing. He knew the wit and tem
per of his associates, and he had no
fear that they would disappoint him
by any blunder or mistake.
“And now,” said the Israelite, after
his directions had been given, “if we
are at all favored by fortune we shall
most surely succeed. Thus far fortune
has been upon our side. Your position
near the person of Julian is most fa
vorable. Impart our arrangements
carefully to Selim, and await my fur
ther signal.”
Osmir promised obedience, and the
two men separated, Judah going in
search of his horse, while Osmir pro
ceeded directly to the camp, where,
having delivered a message to the
chieftain, he sought Selim, and in a
little while the two were in secret con
sultation.
Toward the middle of the forenoon
the robber train was in motion, and
when it came night they camped in an
open wood, between two hills, near to
the road which led from Caesarea Phil
ippi to Damascus; and here they were
to remain until the expected caravan
made its appearance.
Sometimes Julian took his tent with
him when leading his band upon long
expeditions, but on the present occa
sion he had left it behind, choosing
that,the place of his encampment
should be as little noticeable as pos
sible. After he had seen his sentinels
all posted, and given such directions
as he thought necessary, he sought a
place of rest beneath a large tree,
where he soon sank into a dreamy
slumber. It must have been near mid
night when he was aroused by some
one moving near him, and on starting
up he was addressed by Osmir:
“My master, I have a strange mes
sage for you.”
The chieftain arose to a sitting pos
ture.
“Is this Osmir?”
“Yes.”
"From whom bring you a message?”
“From one, my master, whom r had
little expected to see here. As I walked
forth a short time since, a sentinel in
formed me that some one outside of
the camp wished to speak with me. I
went to the spot designated, and there
found a young bond-maiden of Damas
cus. Her name was Albia.”
“Albia!" cried Julian, starting to his
feet. “Why, such was the name of the
maiden who attended upon the prin
cess Ulin.”
“Aye, my lord, she is the same.”
“What? Do you mean that the bond
maiden of Ulin is at our camp?”
"She is.”
“What is her business?”
“She wishes to speak with Julian.”
“But her business—of what does she
wish to speak?”
“She did not tell me, my lord. She
would only say that she was the boad
maiden of Ulin, and she desired to see
you. I knew her not: but she seemed
so gentle, and so timid, and used your
name so eloquently, that I could not
doubt her. I think her story is true.
I think she is what she represents her
self to be.”
“Did she not tell you from whom she
came?”
“No, unless her announcement that
she was the bondiualden of the prin
cess Ulin may be taken in answer to
the query.”
“By the lyre of Apollo, she must
have come from her mistress,” ex
claimed the chieftain, warmly. “The
princess may be in trouble. She may
need stout arms to help her. 1-ead me
to this bondmalden at once."
"She begged, my lord, that she might
not be exposed.”
“Lead on. I will see her.”
The great road wound around
the foot of the hill, and ere long the
guard had reached a point so utterly
shut off from the camp that his loud
est cry could not have been heard by
the robber sentinels.
"Is the girl here?” asked Julian, as
his sable guide stopped and turned.
"She must be very near here, my
lord. I left her upon this very spot.”
The chieftain heard a slight rustling
behind him; but, not being startled
into quick action, before he could turn
he received a blow upon the side of
the head that felled him to the earth.
He was for the moment stunned, and
before his reason was clear enough to
direct his movements, he was set upon
by three stout men, who bound his
arms and legs so quickly that his
power of resistance was gone before
he fairly knew what opposed him.
"Sir Robber," spoke the Israelite
bending over the prostrate chieftain,
“you are my prisoner, and henceforth
you are in my keeping until I deliver
you up to my master. You cannot es
cape me, so do not trouble yourself
with the attempt.”
“You are Judah," said the chieftain.
"I am.”
"And these others are professed to
be of Aleppo?”
"Yes."
‘‘And you three serve the king of Da
mascus?”
“You have guessed the truth.”
“By the gods." muttered Julian, as
though communing with himself, "I
should have guessed this before. I
have been blind. I have acted like a
child. But I am not yet quite lost.
I am still within the—’
The Israelite had been watching him
narrowly, and when he saw that the
chieftain had a disposition to call for
help, he sprang upon him and stopped
his mouth.
“Do not blame yourself, Sir Robber.
Judah of Damascus has done more dif
ficult work than this; and you may
take to yourself the assurance that
when he set out upon his mission the
deed was sure of its accomplishment.
Ah, here comes Selim with the horses.
You shall have an easy ride and a
quick one; and when you are in the
presence of the king you can plead
your case as eloquently as you please.
I have not time to listen; nor have I
the power to judge.”
The Scourge of Damascus, In the full
vigor of robust manhood, and possess
ed of a strength and daring beyond
any of his stalwart followers, was a
prisoner in the hands of
three slaves—a prisoner within
sound of his own camp—and so surely
a prisoner that he had no way of es
cape. His steel-wrought muscles were
powerless beneath the cruel bonds, and
his mouth was stopped from the utter
ance of alarm. He was lifted from the
ground and placed upon the back of
a powerful horse, and in a few mo
ments more he was being borne swiftly
away from his friends and compan
ions—away towards the city where
dwelt his deadliest enemies.
(To be continued.)
WHITE GIRL AS INDIAN.
libs Has Had a Strange Life Among the
Blaokfeet.
The curious story of a white girl's
life among the Blackfeet Indians for
16 years just come out through a suit
brought by Alice Burke against Thom
as Husson, a cattle rancher of Eastern
Oregon to recover a ranch which once
belonged to her father, and is now
valued at 22,000 dollars, says the ‘‘Chi
cago Herald." Burke and old Husson
started to cross the plains from Kansas
to Oregon. Burke was detained and
sent his girl, then two years old, with
Mrs. Husson. Husson sold the child to
a Blackfoot Indian Chief for 12 ponies,
and when Burke arrived in Oregon
told him that Alice had died. Six years
ago Burke died, and the Hussons have
been in possession of his ranch. Alice
meanwhile grew up among the tribe,
and when white people noticed her fine
hair, the Indians said she was a half
breed whose parents were dead. She
gained the love of the son of a chief
named Fleetwing, who was sent to
Carlisle. When he was there Alice took
lessons of the Indian agent’s wife and
kept pace with him in his studies.
When the agent was removed she went
with him to Boise City, but his wife
died, and she had to take a place as
a servant., and was a kitchen drudge
for many months. Then Fleetwtng sent
her money, and she returned to the
reservation. The revelation of her
white blood came when she was an ap
plicant for a place in a big tribal cere
mony. Then young Husson appeared
and told her the story, but offered her
only $100 for her father’s property.
She refused and investigated, and is
now suing for the recovery of the land.
When she gets it she is to marry John
Fleetwing.
Topophone Prevent* Collisions.
An instrument named the “topo
phone,” has just been invented for the
prevention of collisions at sea. The
topophone registers even slight sounds
far outside the range of the human
ear, and by enabling foghorns to be
heard at immense distances, will great
ly minimise existing risks in thick
weather.
THE AMERICAN SHE^P
MARKED INCREASE IN OUR
DOMESTIC FLOCKS.
C«n>u» for 1901 Showa ■ (lain Alika In
Numbar Owned and lu Avaraga Valua
Par Haad Orar tha Splendid Spring of
Last Inn
In view of the present low price of
wool throughout the world, the lowest
known for many years, and the great
prostration now prevailing in the wool
and sheep industry in every country,
except the United States, it is interest
ing to know how the American sheep
farmer fares. He fares best among ail
his competitors, very much the best.
His industry has not been ruined; far
from it. He is infinitely better off
than are the sheep and wool producers
of the rest of creation. Vastly better
off he is than during the disastrous
free wool period of 1894-97. and the
succeeding two years of a home mar
ket over-stocked for foreign wools
brought here free of duty. So great
was the glut of foreign wool under the
Wilson tariff law that it was not until
1900 that our domestic growers began
to feel the benefit, of the duty on wool
restored by the Dlngley tariff. Even
now there is on hand a considerable
quantity of the free wool that was
rushed in during the closing months
of the Wilson law.
A year ago the sheep census of The
American Protective Tariff league
showed some surprising results. Con
trasted with the free-woo! period of
1896 the census for 1900 showed a gain
of 71.44 per cent in the total number
of sheep owned and a gain of 121.59 per
cent in average value per head. But
this was before the bottom dropped
out of the world’s wool markets. Since
then tlie great slump in wool values
has taken place.
Have American flocks decreased, and
has their value per head declined along
with the sheep of Australia, South
America and other wool producing
countries? Decidedly not.
On the contrary, the sheep census
of 1901, just completed by the Ameri
can Protective Tariff League, shows:
Number of states reporting... 40
Number of reports received... 707
Sheep owned, March, 1901_1,464,781
Sheep owned, March, 1900_1,256,738
Gain for 1901.208,043
Percentage of gain for 1900.16.55
It is found that against an average
value of $3.90 per head in March, 1900,
the average value for March, 1901,
was $4.04, an increase of 14 cents per
head, or 3.59 per cent.
It would appear that the American
sheep raiser has a marked advantage
over the flock masters of the rest of the
world. First, he has in his favor a
protective tariff, which fixes an irre
ducible minimum of market value for
his fleeces. Unless the foreign grow
er sells his wool for nothing, he can
not compete with the domestic grower
in the American market. The Dingley
tariff takes care of that. Second, the
average value per head of American
sheep is kept up by the enormous de
mand for mutton and lambs for food
purposes. The American wage earner,
when busily employed at high wages'
as he has been for three or four years
past and now is, consumes from three
to thirty times more meat than the
other wage earners of the world. He
is fond of good mutton and juicy lamb,
and he is a tremendous consumer of
these meats. In fact, he is the best
customer the American butcher has.
It is not the rich people, but the wage
earners, that keep the butcher shops
going. It is no longer possible, as It
was in 1896, under Wilson tariff free
wool to buy a good sheep for fifty
cents. That day has passed, and will
come no more as long as the tariff on
wool protects the wool grower while
the tariff on all lines of production
makes times good, wages high and the
consuming capacity of 76,000,000 peo
ple three to thirty times greater than
the consuming capacity of the rest of*
the people on earth.
Condensed into a form easily read
and understood, the sheep census of
the American Protective Tariff league
for 1901 is as follows:
Number. No. of sheep owned In
. of March, March.
state. reports. 1900. 1901
Arizona . 1 37,500 32.500
Arkansas . 2 265 5*>0
California .. .. 7 27.015 30.170
Colorado. 9 70.624 70 030
Cnnecticut. 3 35 ’ 97
J?*ho. . S 133,160 m.rioo
Illinois . 0 500 501
Indlnna. 59 8,351 7 616
Indian Ter .... 2 94 155
. 8 268 1,029
Kansas . 8 3,813 4 307
Kentucky .55 1,712 1 641
Louisiana . 1 10 ’ p;
Maryland . 6 156 301
Michigan . 49 4,309 4 10"
Minnesota. 4 616 ’935
Mississippi .. .. 1 2,000 2 1i)0
Missouri . 711 4,033 5'046
Montana .S3 481,520 530 010
Nebraska . 12 5,815 6 M0
Nevada. 1 7,000 7.000
New Mexico _ 9 32,400 62 710
New York . 17 1,054 1 279
North Carolina .. 28 1,22'. 1 051
North Dakota .. 20 31,236 3" 747
Oh*® . 39 21.929 25! 735
Oklahoma . 5 4.950 6 760
Oregon . 32 25,159 2s|9t7
Pennsylvania 4 882 974
South Carolina . 1 31 71
South Dakota_ 17 29,533 37 378
Tennessee . 1 172 * 98
Texas .*25 58.587 69.069
Utah . 15 99,925 115 725
Vermont . 4 625 655
Virginia. 5 135 360
Washington _ 14 24.027 32 715
West Virginia . 53 3,785 3J51
Wisconsin . 4 238 ’*>71
Wyoming . 28 129,102 154,505
Totals .707 1.256,738 1.464J81
Number of states reporting. 40
Number of reports received.707
Number. Value.
Sheep owned in March, 1901... 1,464.781 $4.04
Sheep ow ned in March, 1900.. .1,256,738 3.90
Gain for March. 19itl. 208,043 $0 14
percentage of gain for 1901.. 0.16.55 0.0359
Commercial Isolation.
In an article deprecating the grow
ing conviction in the south that the
same kind of protection which has
built up the manufactures and wealth
of the world would be also good for
that section of our country, the New
fork Times warns them that they
‘in so doing lose sight of the fact that
the logical result of protection would
be commercial isolation."
Logic Is defined as the science of
the distinction o£ true from false rea
soning. If the result of the Dtngley
tariff has effected the commercial Iso
lation of this country the logical result
of developing the manufactures and
wealth of the south might be Its com
mercial isolation. But the article In
question is headed “increasing Exports
from the south,” but the increase as
shown has occurred since the Dlngley
tariff went Into effect, and we all have
been assured that if we don't buy we
can’t sell.
The fact Is there Is no logic In,
about, nor anywhere near the assertion
that protection leads to commercial
isolation. The editor of the Times has
apparently mistaken Mr. Gladstone’s
advice that we grow more cheap cot
ton and wheat for logic.
SOUND AND SENSIBLE.
Philadelphia Manufacturing Club
Strongly Opposed to Tariff Revision.
The significance of the action of the
Manufacturers’ Club of Philadelphia
on the subject of tariff revision anil
reciprocity, taken in connection with
the statement of President Search of
the National Association of Manufac
turers, given in another column, can
not but suggest itself to every mind.
It means that the Philadelphia organi
zation, the largest ami most influential
of its kind in the United States, is un
alterably opposed to tariff tinkering
in any and all forms, whether by out
right alteration of the schedules or
by a scheme of special trade treaties
which calls for a reduction of duties
on competitive products. At a largely
attended meeting of the Manufacturers’
club of Philadelphia, held on the even
ing of June 17, 1901, the following
resolutions, previously adopted by the
board of directors, were by a unani
mous vote ratified by the club as a
whole:
Whereas, The great and acknowledged
pi asperity which this country enjoys today
is directly traceable to the Protective system
under which our revenues are raised and our
industries have been developed and the condi
tions created which have given us a com
manding position in the world's trade; and
Whereas, This country by popular vote has
many times and very recently recorded it
self in favor of the Protective principle, so
that this is no longer a mooted question; and
Whereas, Such imperfections as are insep
arable from any TarifT law are more appar
ent than real, inasmuch as any Tariff sched
ule which may seem to be excessive or un
necessary becomes Inoperative when the ne
cessity for Protection censes, thus automatic
ally removing the burden; and
Whereas, The disastrous experience caused
by the agitation for Tariff revision prior to
and during 1894 is still fresh iu our minds;
therefore, be it
Resolved, Thnt the Manufacturers’ Club
of Philadelphia deprecates any attempt to re
vive Tariff legislation as a menace to our con
tinued prosperity; and
Resolved, That should the alteration of any
part of the Tariff schedules seein necessary
in the judgment of the Industrial Commis
sion now investigating the subject, the same
should be taken out of politics and be made
the subject of careful revision by a non
partisan Tariff commission; and
Resolved, That In adhering to the prin
ciple of reciprocity as originally formulated
in the Republican platform of 1900, to-wit:
"We favor the associated policy of reciproc
ity so directed as to open our markets on
favorable terms for what we do not ourselves
produce, in return for free foreign markets,"
and as expressed in existing laws operating
through the Tariff, which provide for con
cession on articles not produced by ourselves
In exchange for like concessions on our do
mestic products, having in view the preserva
tion of the Integrity of our home markets, we
have a valuable means for the expansion of
our world trade without injury to our indus
tries.
The whole question of tariff and
reciprocity is contained in these reso
lutions. In them the attitude of the
great body of industrial leaders
throughout the United States is, we
believe, accurately defined. There
shall be no tariff tinkering on the dis
honest plea that the trust evil may be
thereby remedied, or for any other
reason now apparent. There shall be
no experiments In the line of foreign
trade expansion which take from any
domestic industry the measure of pro
tection guaranteed by the tariff law as
it now stands; no displacement of
American labor, no decrease of em
ployment and wages through the In
creased admission of foreign made
goods competing with goods of like
character now being successfully pro
duced In this country. Sound Repub
lican doctrine, sound protection, sound
patriotism, sound practical, business
common-sense!
A “Warning.”
The Protection organ, the Economist, If
it has any discreet friends, will stop its call
ing Representative Iinbcoek a traitor because
he has expressed the opinion thnt it would
be well to reduce certain duties. The delib
erations of the National Association of Man
ufacturers and its resolution should be a
warning to that element not to be arbitrary
in affairs which concern the Republican party
rather than the Economist.—Indianapolis
“Journal.”
Perhaps a careful reading of the
statement of President Search as to
what the National Association of
Manufacturers did and did not do on
the subject of tariff revision might
suggest to the Journal that the •'warn
ing” in question applies not so much
to the friends as to the enemies of
protection.
They Mean Hu.lne...
In 1894 we were producing 128,000
tons of pig iron per week. Now w?
are producing and using over 300,000
tons per week. Protection and pig
iron are great friends, and both mean
business, and the farmer is just as
much interested as the manufacturer
and laborer.
Greatest Consuming Nation.
The population of the world is about
1.600.000. 000; of the United States.
77.000. 000, or about one-twentieth. Yet
we consume about one-third of the
whole world’s products. Why? Be
cause we do forty-nine fiftieths ‘if our
own work, make big money and live
like lords.
Rowland's Supply of “Store Cattle.”
The rearing and selling of store cat
tle Is one of the most important and
lucrative departments of Irish stock
breeding. says the English Live 8tock
Journal. "The trouble and expense of
raising young cattle" have little to do
with It Though we always advise
breeding In preference to buying It
must be recognized that In parts of
England and Scotland the system of
farming and other circumstances ren
der It more convenient to buy than to
breed store cattle. The expense is
probably as great to buy the stores as
to breed, them—at any rate, the farmer
who buys and feeds a large number of
stores Is, as a rule, a capitalist, and
the plan suits him best. The agricul
turists of Canada and the United
States would certainly like very well
to oust Ireland from this profitable
market The extensive pasture lands
of Ireland enable the farmers of Great
Britain, and especially those of Scot
land, “to forego, to a great extent, the
trouble and expense of raising young
stock.” The frames of the store cat
tle exported from Ireland are built up
out of the Irish grass lands, the ani
mals being fattened and “finished” in
Great Britain. “This Interesting In
stance,” It Is stated, “of a territorial
division of labor, within the sphere
of agriculture, between different coun
tries, affords evidence, for one thing,
of the fine bone-producing qualities of
the great limestone plains of Ireland.
At the same time so great an expan
sion of the export trade In store cattle
as has now taken place Involves an
exhausting drain on a great natural re
source of the country.”
On the same subject Live Stock
Journal (of Chicago) says:
As there has been no case of pleuro
pneumonia In the 800,000 Canadian cat
tle landed and slaughtered at British
ports since 1896 the English and Scot
tish farmers are again protesting
against the continuance of the em
bargo of Canadian live cattle as stores
(feeders). Ireland supplied Great
Britain/427,891 store cattle last year,
and half as many fat cattle. Of the
bulls used in Ireland for breeding there
were, according to the official returns,
8,406 Shorthorns, 329 Hereford3, 764
Aberdeen-Angus, 116 Red Polled, 376
Kerry, 103 Dexters, 66 Channel Islands,
and 4,126 cross-bred and other bulls.
The total is 14.286. of which 13,836
were bred in Ireland and 450 were im
ported.
Great Britain has Increased her pas
ture lands from 12,000,000 acres in 1870
to 16,000,000 acres in 1900. That is.
more than half of the 32,000,000 acres
of farm land is in pasture. This in
dicates the extent of live stock breed
ing and feeding among British farmers
on their high-priced lands much higher
than any American farms. As the
competition of cheap grain from for
eign countries Increases, live stock of
the improved breeds Increase and with
it the inevitable increase in pasture
lands as the highest source of agri
cultural prosperity. So, too, will our
eastern and southern states And in
creased prosperity as they Increase and
improve their live stock, especially on
their high-priced lands.
Slop or Dry re»(l for Swine.
At the Indiana Experiment station
several tests were made to determine
whether slop or dry feed were most
profitable and to determine in what
proportion to solid food water should
exist In the feed. The figures reported
also bring out the fact that pigs
weighing 60 pounds, fed dry feed, con
sumed on an average of 2.35 pounds
of water dally, and that this amount
increased nearly constantly until these
same pigs weighing 218 pounds con
sumed 11.07 pounds per day. It is
also shown that pigs fed water In their
food as a slop, when weighing about
60 pounds consumed either 2.42, 4.25 or
5.79 pounds of water per day, while
these same pigs weighing 213 to 222
pounds consumed either 8.17, 14 or 18
pounds of water per day. Undoubtedly
much of this water was consumed un
necessarily and certainly one lot was
given much more water with its grain
than was required. There was no ma
terial difference in the appearance of
the pigs in either lot, so far as quality
is concerned, and so far as this one
experiment goes, the use of about two
times the weight of water to grain in
dicates a satisfactory proportion. In
view of the fac: that the pigs fed dry
grain made slightly the best gains, it
would appear that there is really no
gain in feeding the pigs a slop instead
of a dry grain excepting as a feeder
may regard it a matter of convenience.
Horticultural enervations.
In the growing of small berries, ir
rigation is destined to play an im
portant part, even in the states of good
rain-fall. In the semi-arid states ir
rigation for fruit-growing is an ac
cepted necessity, but up to the present
time it has been thought to be quite un
necessary for fruit growers In the Blast
to consider irrigation. Perhaps one
of the most successful of irrigation ex
periments was conducted at the Wis
consin station, where the yield of
strawberries was Immensely Increased
as well as their quality.
...
There is one point in favor of ir
rigated berries that should not be over
looked, and that is the certainty of a
crop in very dry years when most ber
ries prove a failure The irrigated
berries, being as abundant as usual,
yet bring a higher price than usual on
account of the scarcity. The New Jer
sey station reports that in one year
their berries sold at wholesale at 10
cents per quart, and the scarcity of
berries was not as great as it had been
during some other years.
Unless you can be patient, unless you
can be satisfied to reap your reward
after your work is done, the same as
in any other business, our advice to
you is let breeding of poultry alone.
