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SYLVANUS
COBB. JR.
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Copyrighted 1891 by Robert Bonner’s Sons.
CHAPTER VII.— (Continued.)
When the princess was alone, she
trembled beneath the weight of the
new thought that had been wrought
upon her. Flight was something that
had not made its way to her mind be
fore, but now that it had been present
ed, she could not dismiss it. She had
revealed her whole feeling, so far as
the king was concerned, in her speech
to Aibia. There may have been other
springs within her soul which she did
not then dare to touch; but in her own
soul, unsupported and uninfluenced by
other causes -than such as spring from
reason and reflection, had grown a fear
of Horam, and a terror of being hi3
wife. She had dreamed of poor Helena
until the dead queen seemed almost
an attendant spirit upon her, sent to
warn her. The night passed, and the
day came; and she had resolved that
she would not marry with the old king
if she could avoid it. When Aibia
came, and asked her what she had de
termined, such was the purport of her
answer.
‘But,” said the bondmaiden. “there
is but one way in which the sacrifice
can be avoided. Are you ready to
flee?”
“Not yet—not yet. Aibia. Walt
through the day.”
In the afternoon the king made a
visit to the house of his prime minis
ter and spent a short time with Ulin.
He never looked more repulsive. He
was loud in his words of love, and
made the announcement that fortune
had turned full in his favor. It was
evident enough that he had been tak
ing more wine than usual. When he
went away, Ulin sank down upon a
low stool, and buried her face in her
hands.
“Aibia,” she said, when she felt like
speaking, “I can bear no more. I would
rather die than give myself to that
man. If I should die, my father would
lose me; but if I flee from Damascus,
I may at some time return to him. If
you can prepare for leaving the city, I
will accompany you this very night."
The bondmaiden promised that she
would do all in her power; and without
waiting to waste time in useless words,
she went forth to search for the help
she needed.
Evening came, and Ulin had not
shrunk back from the decision she
had made. There were two reasons
why her home had not power to win
her back from her resolve. The death
of her mother had taken away the
brightest part of that home; and, fur
thermore, its character of home was
soon to be changed if she remained.
It could not be her home any more.
CHAPTER VIII.
Hobaddan.
Thus sat the princess, presenting
herself with every available reason
that could favor her in her resolution,
when Albia came in, with a quick
step and a flushed cheek.
“My mistress,” she said, when she
had assured herself that they were
alone, “there is a man in the garden
who wishes to speak with you.”
“A man!” cried Ulin.
“He says it is a case of life or
death—of life or death to an individ
ual, and of life or death to a city,”
pursued the bondmaiden, without no
ticing the interruption. “He gained
entrance to the garden, and has been
searching for the lady Ulin. He did
not tell me his name; but I know that
he was with the robbers at the Pal
ace of the Valley, and he says he is a
friend of Julian. If you will see him
now, I can conduct him up without
danger of discovery.”
“In mercy’s name, Albia, what mean
you?” The princess trembled like an
aspen. “What can he want with me?”
“I think he is an honest man, my
lady; and I think you had better see
him. I only speak my own feelings.”
"Does he say that Julian sent him?”
asked Ulin, trembling more violently
as that name fell from her lips.
“Julian did not send him,” replied
Albia; “and yet he comes in behalf of
Julian. I think the noble young chief
tain is in danger, and this man hopes
that you may be able to render some
assistance.”
“Indeed, Albia, I must not do such
a thing. It would not be proper. I
must not do it. What is the robber
chieftain to me?”
“I know not of a verity, my lady,
that such Is the man's hope; but I do
know that he prays mo3t earnestly to
see you. Yet, if you will not see him,
I will carry to him your word.”
“What will he do if I refuse?"
“He will go away, and trouble you
no more.”
“Are you sure of this, Albia?’
“I am, my lady. He bade me sax
unto you that you should act your own
pleasure. He urges no claim, and will
take no offense at refusal, but he
prayerfully asks that you will grant
him audience.”
The princess was not proof against
the spirit which prompted to the re
ception of the robber. It was not
wholly curiosity which moved her.
There were feelings working within
her which she could not have ex
plained, even to herself. She told Al
bia that she might conduct the man
to her apartment.
“You will come with him, Albia;
and you will remain with me while he
is here.”
The bondmaiden went away, and ere
long returned, followed by a tall,
stout, middle-aged man. As the rays
of the lamp fell upon his face, reveal
ing features that were far above the
average in their stamp of manhood,
XTlin recognized him as one whom she
had seen with Julian in the Valley of
I.ycanius. He bowed very low as he
entered, and when he saw how the
maiden was affected by his presence,
he proceeded «t once to open his busi
ness.
"Noble lady,” he said, in a tone
which might at once have banished all
fear from the minds of his listeners,
"I have come to you upon a most
strange business, and I will use as few
words as possible in presenting it to
you. My young master is in danger.”
' Do you speak of Julian?” asked the
princess, with a slight start.
“Yes, my lady,” replied the man,
standing respectfully before her, with
his cap in his hand.
"My name is Hobaddan, and I am
Julian’s lieutenant. I have been with
him from the period of his earliest
childhood. Since he was large' enough
to lift a lance, I have been his friend
and companion. He was given into
my care during his opening youth;
and when he reached the estate of
manhood I was content to serve him.
I love him as a brother—aye, better
than most brothers love. I love him
tenderly and devotedly. And all his
followers love him. A thousand stout
men love and worship him.”
What did all this mean? Why had
Hobaddan come to tell her this? Ulin
trembled, knowing not wherefore, and
gazed anxiously into the speaker’s
face.
“Lady,” pursued the lieutenant, who
had stopped a moment, as though he
would assure himself that his lan
guage gave no offense, “my master is
in danger. He is in the hands of his
deadliest enemy. He is in this city—
cast into a dark, deep dungeon, and
Horam means to kill him!”
Ulin turned pale as death, and
clasped her hands upon her bosom.
Her look signified that she would ask
how it happened.
“I will explain,” continued Hobad
dan, “how this misfortune befell my
chieftain. Have you ever seen an
Israelite named Judah?”
“I know him well,” said Albia. “He
is the king’s slave.”
“And two black men, named Osmir
and Selim?”
“I know them also,” answered the
bondmaiden.
“They came to our camp,” said Ho
baddan, “and told so fair a story that
they were admitted to fellowship, and
the blacks were placed as servants
near the person of our chieftain. But
the result proved that they were sent
out by Horam, and that their mission
was to capture the Scourge of Damas
cus. And this work they have accom
plished How they did it I cannot tell.
I only know that we missed our leader,
and that the three conspirators were
missing with him. I came at once to
this city, and have succeeded in dis
covering what I have told you. Julian
is in prison, and of course the fate of
death awaits him.”
“But sir, said Ulin, struggling to
speak calmly, “what can this mean to
me?”
“Noble lady, I know that the
thought of seeking you was a wild
one: and perhaps you will say it was
monstrous; but I could think of no
other course. I know that your father
was prime minister; and that you
were in a position to wield some in
fluence. There is not an officer in
Damascus to whom I would dare to
apply. Is there not some way in
which you can help me?”
“How, sir? Help you in what?”
“In setting my young master free.”
“Indeed, sir, you have taken a step
most wild. How should I, the daugh
ter of Aboul Cassem, dare to step in
between justice and its victim?”
“Ah, lady,” returned the lieutenant,
“some of us think that others higher
than Julian owe more to justice than
does he.”
“Still, sir,” pursued Ulin, “it is most
absurd to think that I could help you
in this.”
Did Ulin appear like one offended?
No. Did she treat the name of Julian
as though she deemed him worthy of
the fate which threatened him? No.
She seemed rather to be struggling to
put away some feeling of a very dif
ferent character. The lieutenant evi
dently read her nature, for he pro
ceeded earnestly:
“Do not misunderstand me, lady.
Were the work simply to set Julian
free, I should not have visited you.
The work I would give into your hands
is the salvation of Damascus. If our
master is slain by the king, this city
must suffer terribly. The vengeance of
those who love the chieftain will be
dreadful. If Julian falls beneath the
sword of the king’s executioner, his
followers will draw more blood from
the life of this people than Polypses
drew when he ravaged the city of the
northern plain. To save all this, no
ble princess, can you not help me? Is
there not some way in which you can
remove the bolt from the door of the
chieftain’s prison-house?”
Ulin w-as trembling more violently
than before.
“O, sir,” she cried, giving full scope
now to her feelings, “you find me
powerless to help you. I have not
the influence which you ascribe to me.
If I had the power, I would not hesi
tate If I were the jailer, and held
the keys of the prison door, T would
set your master free; but, alas! I am
more weak than you imagine. I am
more like a prisoner than like a prin
cess!”
At this juncture the bondmaiden
arose from her seat and moved for
ward. Her dark eyes sparkled with
peculiar Are. and her fair brow worked
as though the bain were revolving
mighty thoughts.
“Dear lady,” she said, addressing
her mistress, “there is but one way in
which we can render the assurance
which this man seeks.”
“Speak, Albia." said Ulin, betraying
a suddenness of emotion which told
very plainly how her desire ran.
“Not now. my mistress,” returned
the girl. “I must have time: If this
man can come to our garden two hours
past midnight, I can tell him more."
“Is there help?” asked Hobaddan,
eagerly.
“I cannot tell you now.” replied Al
bia. “I can only tell you this! If
there is help, it is to be found only
in one quarter. I will look for it
there; and, at the time I have men
tioned, you shall know the result. 1
will look for it if my lady is willing.”
“And 1 am pardoned for my intru
sion?” said Hobaddan.
“Yes,” returned Ulin. She would
have said more, but Albia was al-‘
ready at the door, and the robber had
turned to follow her.
CHAPTER IX.
The Dark Hour.
“It seemed like a dream to Illin.
She closed her eyes—and opened them
—and arose—and walked across the
chamber—simply to assure herself
that she was awake. Was it possible
that a member of the robber band had
been to see her—had been within her
chamber—had come, and had gone? A
friend and companion of Julian’s
seeking her for aid in behalf of the
chieftain? She was trying to make
it appear real, when her bondmaiden
returned. '
The door was closed, and Albia re
marked, as she took a seat:
“He will be in the garden two'hours
past midnight, my lady; and if we
can help him. we must do our work as
speedily as possible.”
“Help.” repeated Ulln, gazing Into
her attendant’s face. “How can we
help Julian?’
“The thing may be possible,” replied
Albia, in a thoughtful mood. “If you
would serve him, I think a way can
be opened to the accomplishment.”
1 he princess reflected a few mo
ments, and then said:
"If the man who was here spoke
the truth, it may become my duty to
help him; and certainly his story
seemed plausible. I can very easily
see how the powerful robber band,
moved to desperation by the death of
their beloved leader, might wreak
most terrible vengeance upon this
city; -and surely, if we can be the
means of averting so dire a calamity,
it is our duty so to do.”
“I think it is,” added Albia.
“But,” continued IJlin, “if Julian is
in the power of the king, he must be
in one of the strongest dungeons; and
a strict guard must be kept over him.
How can we reach him?”
“I can think of but one way,” re
turned the bondmaiden, laying do’wn
the plan with her Anger as she pro
ceeded. “Osmir and Selim had a hand
in capturing the young chieftain; and
It is not impossible that they may
have a hand in guarding him. I judge
so from the fact that the capture of
the robber has not yet become gen
erally known in the city, which would
certainly have been the case if the
king’s officers had known it. Now we
have some claim upon the gratitude of
this Osmir, and I think he is, by na
ture, grateful enough to repay us. He
is the man whom we found faint and
dying upon the shore of the lake, and
who must have died if we had not
nursed him. You remember the cir
cumstance?” • «
“He had almost been killed by some
slaves of Aleppo,” explained Albia.
(To be continued.)
Even Family Secrets!
The inquisitorial proceedings of in
come-tax collectors in Austria are a
source of great annoyance to self-re
specting citizens. They pry into every
family secret, however delicate. But
now they do even more than that.
They attempt to check the income of
a man by finding out what is sent him
by rail. The Inspector of taxes at
Myslenice, in order to give the screw
another turn, has applied to the rail
way managers for permission to send
an official to Makow station for p cer
tain time in order to examine all par
cels sent there or thence, and And out
to whom or from whom they have
been sent. Of course the purpose of
such a demand is clear. Proof is re
quired that certain persons spend
more, and therefore have a greater in
come than they have declared, thus
ignoring the fact that a man may pos
sibly live beyond his income. At the
same time it must be confessed that
there is a great difficulty in getting
people to give truthful declarations.
More I.au(fhter» L«M Suicide.
The physiological benefits of laugh
ter can not be overestimated. It
shakes up the diaphragm, sets the
pulses beating to a lively measure,
stimulates the blood corpuscles, en
livens the brain, and sometimes pro
duces dislocation of the jaw when in
dulged in too heartily by a man with
a large mouth. Used with discretion
laughter is as inspiring as a sea
breeze, as refreshing as an August
shower. Its moral effect is beyond
computation. It has killed moiO ridic
ulous superstitions by its rollicking
roars of unbelief than any other
agency, says the Literary Era. What
can be more derisive than a laugh?
The man who laughs never kills him
self. That is the reason so few Irish
men commit suicide.
i
JUBILANT UNCLE SAM
AWFULLY BUSY, BUT FINDS
TIME TO TALK.
tirtnttj Pleated with Our Eiport Trade
of 91,500,000,000, Treasury Ilalaure,
9175,000,000 and Trade Balance of
Nearly 9700,000,000.
I found Unde Sam yesterday deeply
absorbed in a mass of fiscal reports.
The old gentleman fairly beamed as he
gave me a hearty hand grasp, but
when I told him I had come for an
other interview his manner seemed to
relax a little. 1 thought.
“I'll tell you how it is,"TJncle Sam,"
said I. "The people enjoyed your
Fourth of July talk so much that there
are requests from all over the country
^ a small weekly chat. Now you
won't refuse the people, will you?” I
pleaded.
“No, I won't exactly refuse.” he re
plied; "but, really, I’m awfully busy
all the time. I thought I was busy in |
1892, when the McKinley law was in !
such perfect order, but it didn’t com
pare with what, this Dingley law is do
ing. Why, I'm breaking the records
all along the line. Just look at this
total of foreign bills of sale—$1,500,
000,000. There ain't another country
on earth that can show such a total."
“But.” I remarked, “there seems to
be a falling off in exports of manu
factures.”
"Don't you worry about that a min
ute," he replied. "The falling off is in
ngures, not in fact. For instance, I
sold nearly $20,000,000 of goods, most
ly manufactures, to Porto Rico and
Hawaii in 1900. Well, I’ve sold them
considerable more this year, and yet
not a dollar's worth appears in the re
ports. Then the whr in China has cut
off enough to make up the rest of the
difference between this year and last.
And besides all that, there has been a
reduction in prices; so, really, exports
of manufactures have increased.
“But that ain’t the whole point,
either. I’ve sold fully $2,000,000,000
worth more of manufactures at home
this last year; so don’t worry, my boy,
about an apparent loss of a few mil
lions in foreign sales.”
“Does the surplus please you?" I
asked.
“It’s great, isn’t it? Kept right up
to the mark and the estimates. And
now I have reduced taxation by $40,
000,000 a year, and my friend John
Bull is taxing his people right and left
and wondering how he is going to foot
the bills. I reckon he looks at my
$240,000,000 of customs receipts a little
enviously; but he is too stubborn to
change his fiscal policy, though I ex
pect to see him putting up the bars
before long.
“Then look at this treasury balance,
$175,000,000, besides the $150,000,000
reserve fund. I’m buying bonds all the
time, too. Quite different from what
my last manager, Cleveland, did when
he ran me into debt to the tune of
about $262,000,000, to say nothing of the
interest on the bonds he sold. I tell
you the people did me a mighty good
turn when they gave me McKinley for
a manager and a Republican Protec
tion Congress to back him up.”
The old gentleman rubbed his hands
gleefully and seemed as jubilant as a
boy in swimming.
“You have not said anything about
the big balance of trade,” I remarked.
“Don’t need to; it speaks for Itself,"
tersely responded the happy man.
“But,” he added, “I’m prouder of
those figures than I can tell you. It
isn’t so much the six hundred and
thirty odd millions to my credit, but it
shows that the people are expanding
at home as well as abroad. We are
buying more home-made goods and
getting more and more independent of
the rest of the world every year. We
can afford to buy a few hundred mil
lions’ worth of luxuries abroad, but '{
want my people to buy all they can at
home, and I guess they all see the
point."
And the old gentleman gave me a
merry wink as he went off with his
pockets crammed *o overflowing with
coupons. F. C.
TARIFF AND RECIPROCITY.
Second Declaration by the Ohio Reimb
llcan Convention.
The declaration of the Ohio Repub
licans In their State convention on the
subject of the tariff and reciprocity has
evidently had a good effect In check
ing the nonsensical agitation in favor
of tariff revision. It is well understood
that the Ohio Republicans represent in
their declaration the convictions of the
President on this subject. Hence,
when they declared that the tariff
schedules to protect American labor
against the low wages paid foreign la
bor “must be maintained,” they made
it entirely clear that the President
does not want any tariff revision.
Mr. Hanna put the matter effectively
when he declared that the party "will
not permit an abridgement of the tar
iff that will interfere with the labor of
one man for one day.” There could be
no revision, in the sense that word is
generally used, without throwing thou
sands of men out of work, owing to
the uncertainty that would be created
as to what might be the final outcome.
On the subject of reciprocity the
platform declares in favor of it, only
stipulating that it must be "purely a
reciprocity, not for the sake of encour
aging any nation in closer commercial
relations, with a profit on one side.”
Reciprocity, in the sense the word is
used in the Republican national plat
form, which is the guide to the party,
means the admission into this country
at low rates of duty, or without any
duty, of products that we do not pro
duce In this country in return for sim
ilxr favors from the nation with
which the treaty Is negotiated. It does
not mean cutting down the tariff to
a dangerous extent on any Industry
established in this country by the pro
tective tariff, which course might
throw many men out of employment,
to help some other industry.
There is nothing inconsistent, its the
O'g'T platform shows, between the pro
tective tariff and reciprocity. For that
reason the Republican party t3 in fa
vor of reciprocity, and we have no
doubt that Congress at its next ses
sion will assist the President in carry
ing into effect, to as large an extent as
possible, his ideas on that subject.
Those people who affect to believe that
the President has changed his ideas to
any extent on the tariff question need
only to read carefully the platform
adopted by tho Ohio Republicans.—
Philadelphia Press.
RADICAL TREATMENT RE
QUIRED.
r --rrr
Uncle Sam: “Those bugs are get
ting thick again. Guess I'd better
clean 'em out once tor all.”
Wool Price*.
“The price of Indiana wool is Just
what is was in July 1897, the price
having fallen from 29% cents in Janu
ary, 1900, to 20% cents in May of the
present year. The §ame movement is
shown in all wools.”—Indianapolis
News.
Exactly bo. The price of Indiana
wool Is juBt where it was in July, 1897,
when the enactment of the Dingley
Tariff saved the farmers of Indiana
from the legislation so loved by the
Indianapolis News. Incidentally it
may be remarked that the price, 29%
cents, received for Indiana wool in
1889, is the highest on record.
The price secured for Indiana wool
by the tariff advocated by Mr. Bryan
and the News in the happy summer of
1896 was 14% cents. As South Amer
ican quarter-blood,shrinking less than
Indiana, can now be landed in bond
at 10 cents a pound, the adoption of
the tariff policy of the News would
mean that Indiana wool would be sell
ing for just half the price it brings in
Boston to-day.
Prices on wool are low as compared
with 1900, thanks to the drop in wool
all over the world, but, thank God,
they are not at the ruinous level that
would exist if the Dingley tariff were
not' in force with wool abroad break
ing all records for cheapness, nor have
they even dropped in the United States
to the low level secured for American
wool in 1896 by the Indianapolis News
and its allies.—Boston Commercial
Bulletin.
In Bnliatf of Bnalneu,
Speaking for the business interests
of the entire country in deprecation of
any and all attempts to reopen the tar
iff question, the New York Commer
cial wisely says:
“It would be extremely unfortunate
to precipitate a national agitation that
would call a halt on the country’s bus
iness just at a time when popular feel
ing over the outlook is most hopeful
and confident. But if there really ex
ist two wings in the Republican party
—one demanding a lowering of duties
or their repeal in some Instances, and
the other determined to stand by the
policy that has built up American in
dustry, and, incidentally, the party—
why, the sooner the thing is fought
out to a finish the better, perhaps. But
no American business man wants to
see the next session of Congress given
over to an acrimonious debate that
would imperil the passage of needed
legislation that the business of the
country is crying for—on the isthmian
canal, for instance.”
if there is one thing more than an
other which business does not want it
is tariff tinkering.
No I^onsror Hate the Octopnn.
If Bryan wants to know how much
"more power the trusts have in the
Democratic party today than in 1896,”
he may take a run down to Texas and
make a thorough inspection of the
Standard Oil Company’s late acquisi
tions there both of statesmen and real
estate. Only a year ago the Texas
legislature buckefl and gagged the oc
topus and stored him in a barb wire
cage.—Little Rock (Ark.) Republican.
Railroad Work and Wages.
Five years ago many of the rail
roads of the country were in the hands
of receivers. Today <>very railroad of
the country is ir>:«dc taxed to its ut
most resources. There will be nearly
10,000 miles of track laid this
year, against 1,600 in 1895. and the
railroad employes will get $100,000,000
more wages than during the Gorman
Wilson tariff.
Clover Ex ha nation.
From the Farmers’ Review: The fa
mous clover sub-soil pump has been
spoken of so much In farm papers and
fhstitute lectures that It seems to have
gotten beyond the stage of a mere fig
ure of speech. As a matter of act.
clovers have no more power to draw
plant food from the sub-soil than
every other crop of an equal root area;
furthermore, there Is always a great
deal more plant foqd In available form
In the top soil than in the sub-soil. In
many cases the penetration of roots
Into the sub-soil Is of very doubtful
value to the plant. Plants take up
moisture through their roots and draw
moisture from depth Just as a wick
draws up oil in a lamp. This moisture
flowing as It does over and around soli
particles, dissolves a very small quan
tity or mineral matter, and In this
manner In the aggregate, a great deal
of plant food is brought to the plants,
but this supply is too scanty and too
Irregular to be depended on for profit
able culture. If such plant food sup
plies seems all that Is needed, there
never would have been any need of
what Is called modern agriculture.
Clover makes growth where such
crops as corn, wheat and timothy fall
because clovers have the power of sup
plying their own plant food nitrogen,
taking it from the atr. Of course, they
must have potash and phosporlc acid
to do this. Solis after many years un
der cultivation lose a great deal of
plant food which they contained as
natural soil, and are apt to be short
of at least one of the three elements
of plant food. As nitrogen is subject
to more losses in the soil than potash
and phosphate, soils are most com
monly short of nitrogen, hence clovers
which supply their own nitrogen will
make a good growth when non-le
gumes fall. They are the potash and
phosphate and add to their own nltro
gefi. This la about all there Is to the
famous clover "sub-soil pump.”
We have often read that quick act
ing chemicals fertilizers are injurious
to the soil because they stimulate the
soil to the quick use of all the availa
ble plant food "In sight.” Really, the
clovers are much worse than chem
icals. Chemicals can go no further
than an equal balance to the plant food
they contain, while clovers supply all
the nitrogen needed to draw out of the
soil every bit of its soluble potash and
phosphates. As 100 pounds of nitro
gen acting through clovers takes out
about 106 pounds of potash and 25
pounds of phosphoric acid, the speed
of this exhaustion becomes apparent.
If a soil contains say 400 pounds of
soluble potash per acre, the clover will
furnish nitrogen to take up all of it,
and no more, just as It will do if there
are but 100 pounds of soluble potash
present. Hence the exhausting nature
of clovers is very severe and lasting'
in Its effects. We are all pretty famil
iar with clover sickness and know that
ltjneans nine times out of ten simply
soil exhaustion.
This exhaustion should be guarded
against by liberal applications of pot
ash and phosphate fertilization, where
clovers are used In rotation, and the
best time to use this is for winter
wheat. The corn has drawn heavily
upon the plant food stocked up In tho
clover, roots and stubble, so that
there Is little available mineral plant
food left for the wheat, and conse
quently It Is In no shape for spring
stooling. In this way clover exhaus
tion becomes a very serious menace to
profitable farming. It Is useless to try
heavier seeding, deeper plowing, roll
ing, etc., when the whole trouble lie3
in a soil exhausted of its soluble min
eral plant food by a rank growth of
clover. Of course the clover may be
returned to the soli as manure, but It
never pays to grow a crop simply for
manure, at least not in cereal farming.
—Geo. K. Wilson. ,
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i
Rape and Tarolpi a» Green Manure.
A Pennsylvania farmer recommends
a combination of rape and cowborn
turnips as a green manure crop for
the renovation of soils deficient in
humus. He sows it broadcast in his
corn field the last time he cultivates
the corn, scattering the seed in ad
vance of the cultivator. When sowing
on an unoccupied field he harrows in
the seed. The rape and turnips ma
ture in the fall and may be plowed
under then or in the spring, at the con
venience of the farmer. By this plan
he Incorporates with his soil several
tons of matter that is immediately
available as plant food.
Pruning Old Apple Trees.—Prof.
Taft of the Michigan Agrlcaltural Col
lege says it is well to go slow before
sawing off the lower limbs in a neglect
ed orchard sufficiently high to permit
of cultivation. The injury might be
greater than the benefits that could be
secured from cultivation.
Ordinarily the best time to prune
old trees is just before growth starts
In the spring, but, as this is generally
a busy time on the farm, the work
may be done in the late fall or win
ter. If the branches are not frozen
when the pruning is done the injury
will be slight. If the trees are making
a rank growth and are unfruitful, it
will often be found advisable to delay
the pruning until the last of May
when, the trees being in leaf, they will
be subjected to a check and the for
mation of fruit buds will be promoted.
Mucks vary greatly in the organic
matter they contain. Occasionally a
peaty muck will have as high as 95
pounds of organic matter for each
100 pounds of dry matter, while others
will have little more than half that
amount. Since the value of the muck
as an absorbent depends upon its or
ganic matter, it follows that for litter
a peaty muck is better than one that
is clayey or sandy.
Cerritos, Cal., claims to have the
largest artesian well in the world. It
is 14 inches in diameter and 684 deep.
