Pocket Searchlight. Court!ry (Jfe in America: A novel «tw! valuable gift tor a suburbanite, fete*fcar to come homo oy dark several asmthsin the year, is a iittle pocket •ravrchiight, costing from 75 cents to $3. 14 fcas » small electric battery, which tuts to be recharged every two months •r so. at a cost of about 25 cents. Such at Befit saves getting into mud puddles. ■tanfeiUog over stones, and is also a glecuuutf companion, for it reveals a fa vorite tree, or the house of a friendly strighbor. It is also something of a pro tect fast. for it enables one to take a task at any one who may be approach fete in the dark. Revenue and Currency. Chicago Chronicle: Secretary nf the Treasury Shaw in his annual report apeak* of the decrease of $23,00,9,000 In j ah* custmre receipts for the lust fiscal par ea compared with 1303 and the oMBUnaed decrease dining the early i annoths of the year. In the opinion of Hhe secretary the decrease was due rather to special and abnormal rondi akrnj than to Industrial and trade de presnuin. There has recently been an Saaease In receipts and the secretary axes no reason to believe that the rev tr— from this source will be less dur ing the cun-ent fiscal year than they were in 1904. ft is pointed out, ‘however, that the | ttn])it« must be expected to fall he- : lew those of 1903 because of the aboil in of the revenue duty on tea and the countervailing duty on sugar and hteausc of the reciprocity treuty with tw. Mr. Shaw repeats what he said in ills j •sport of last year In regard to our Ibank mote currency—that It "docs not respond to the varying needs of i seasons ©r of localities or of changing-! conditions of business.” This is obviously true, hut Mr. Shaw does not propose any rash measures tar imparting “elasticity” to our na tional bank circulation. He declares emphatically that no measure should he considered which would weaken the currency by providing for the issue of j anything less safe and secure than the | mote circulation we now have. Heeding this warning against, an ac- j tkms liable to impair the excellence of She currency, congress will nof be hasty , ta adopting any of the plans that have been offered for imparling “elasticity” to any part of our paper circulation. K is doubtful, to say the least, whether any of them is workable, and whether iiur probability of success In any case would not he greatly overbalanced by the danger of seriously Impairing the quality of our credit currency. Just Thirty One. Representative Holiday of Indiana, when In meditative mood, some!lines 4Pts his head far back In Ills chair, Ittukr into the gay celling of the hull of representatives, and allows his beard teanniiH.' a horizontal position. He was in that kind of a meditative mood when * gray, old man slipped Into the seat behind him. ”t»ay, Holliday," called tHo man In (he rear after a few moments. The Indiana man roused himself and turned around to see. It was Speaker 4.’aiinon. “There are just thirty-one," said the speaker. i ‘Thirty-one what?" said Holliday. ‘Thirty-one hairs in your bald head," replied Ihe speaker, lrlskly. "I know, because I have counted them.” .. s -- Shouting Their Praises, Kirkland, III., Jan. 2.—(Special.) - flared of the terrible Rheumatic pains that made him a cripple for years, Mr. Richard R. Ureenhon, on old and rr kprefed resident of this place, Is sliout *«C the praises of the remedy that cured him, Dodd's Kidney Pills. *T had the rheumatism lii my left Kt»h so that I could not walk over ten to ftftecn rods at n time and that by Ihe u*e of two canes," Mr. Oreenhon *HT»- “1 would have to sll or lie down am the ground when I was out trying In walk and the sweat would run down my face, with so much pain. I «*uld not sleep at night for about live •r six weeks. “I tried different doctors’ medicines, hut they were all no good. Then I sent lor Dodd’s Kidney Pills and almost the first they brought relief. By the time I bad taken fourteen boxes •f them my rheumatism was all gone •ml 1 can truly say I feel better than IUr« In the last twenty-five years.” Too Close. t.'lereland Plain Dealer: "He's fond er literature." ‘Is die a close student?" ‘f should say so. He never spends a penny he doesn’t have to.” tOCCBK ACOI.D IN ONK DAT Take Illative Bromo Quinine Tablets. All refund the money tf it fails to cure. X >T Grove's signature Is on eaeb box. I5o. Cheating in School. Governess—Now, just one more sub traction sum Dolty-'—Oh. Miss Crawford, I don't *nk immune would let me do any snore of these sums, 'cause In them Ttm borrow ten and pay back only one, and that's cheating!—Punch. l*lao'a Cure for Consumption cured ms off a tenacious and persistent cough.— Wm. H. Harrison, 227 \V. 121st street Xevr York, March 2.\ 1901. Horrors of the Stockyards, Chicago Tribune: The foreigner was Inspecting the hog killing department. "Zey don't speak softly here." he said, * but xay are all in favor of ze pig aitck.” The Heading company has placed an •rder for slaty-coaches and baggage ears at a cost of ovet; $100,0011. The ears are to be delivered In the spring. It Cams Colds, Coughs, Sore Throxt, Croup, Inflo •m. Whooping Cough, Bronchitis snd Asthma. A oertm» cure for Consumption In tint stages, and a cure relief In advanced stages. Vss st once. Tea Win see the excellent effect after taking the Ant does. Bold by dealers everywhere. Large lass'll» Pcents and 60 cents 1ECGS’ CHERRY COUCH SYRUP curss coughs and colds. f 1 **** - Jtesi »**.*.>- * . , ...__ . '»;■*? * 1 IN THE SHADOW OF SHAME I C.prriA' 1301 b, *a,W “T1" °im P<»etiny. An Ex:el T. Fittgcra'd Malloy te.il Knave.*’ Etc. "This man, Mezza, has probably been guilty of a terrible crime. anil to shield him from Justice by concealing what may be known is a serious of fence in tile eye of the law. You un de rsi and ?" "Oh, yes, T understand," answered Carlo, nodding his head, carelessly. "Therefore, if you know anything of hlrn, it’s your duty to tell me." “I know nothing." Carlo said sulkily. "He was never a friend of mine. I never liked hint. That is all l have to say." "He was a, devil," Carlo’s wife added. "But there, Angela, she would marry him. because she was a fool." "You have said that a thousand times," Angela said gloomily. "And I will say it again—it’s (rue! it's true!" "Stop! stop!" Carlo cried out in a voice of authority. Mackworth, who had listened eager ly. hoping an argument might produce some statement he could build upon, now asked: "Did you not hear from any of your countrymen that Mezza was in Lon don?” "No,” Carlo replied. “We were not likely," added the wife quickly. "flow is that?” Mackworth inquired. "We are Tuscans," she said proudly, "and as you might expert—well he is a Neapolitan, and would, it he came here, stay with the people of his own country." "But you are ills country people," re marked the inspector. "We are not Neapolitans,” replied Carlo. "We do not consider them our people. We do not mix with them— not we!" "Then if Mezza was in Londonf him,” Carlo requested. "We like to live In peace," answered its \ylfe. as she once more set the 'rying pan on the lire. Maekworth deliberately advanced to •vhejjp she stood and asked her: "Is It your desire for peace which irevents your telling me about Mezza?" “No," she rejoined quickly, he eyes lashing with excitement. "How can ■ tell you of him if 1 know nothing— lothlng at all?" "And that Is true," echoed Carlo. 'We know nothing at all.” If they had any knowledge of Mezza’s movements, Maekworth knew that to •xtrnct It was Impossible, therefore he urned to depart. "I may call again, and very soon,” le said as he reached the door. “Whenever you please, signor,” re eled Carlo politely. "I shall be anxious to hear what ir-ou have learned,” said Agenal. “And I will let you know,” answered he inspector. As lie descended the stairs he could henr Carlo's voice •aised In a loud and excited tone, volu bly talking In his own language, An- j fela, answering with equal ardor and in i higher voice, until the violent slam ming of a door was heard, wheat Mack ivorth supposed Mezzo's sister-in-law :o have netreated to her own room. "I wonder If they are keeping nny Idng from me,” the inspector reflected is he went away. Half an hour later he had reached Hammersmith, and with the aid of a policeman had found the district fre juented by Italians. Further Inquiries from a lazy looking, handsome youth, ounging against the portal of a door way, led Maekworth to a house, on he third story of which he was as sured he would find Pietro, the model. "lie came back one hour agoAyou will see him in his room.” sain the Pietro, who, used to finding English garlic. j Maekworth found the dwelling inril ; rated and mounted Its narrow, dirty stairway, until he arrived at the top most floor, where the sound of a deep j baritone voice singing snatches of a j Neapolitan air could be heard. Maekworth waited to recover his breath before rapping at the door ot the room from which the sounds came, la response to -his knock a loud voice shouted one word: “Entrate." MackwortJj entered and bowed. "You are Pietro?" he said. "At your service, signor," the model j replied, with a bland smile on his lips and a questioning glance in his eyes. "Then," remarked Maekworth, "you J are the man 1 want. k CHAPTER XVII. Pietro, the model, was a man whose remarkably line ilgure, classically shaped head and handsome face en abled him to earn his living without labor, and in a manner that suited his ?asc loving, indolent and pleasure-seek ing nature. As t^e Stood before Maek worth the inspector was struck by the man's countenance with itsYrlive tinted I -'ornplexion, heavy lidded, almond . shaped, lustrous eyes, where passion ■slept; tire mouth, with Its full, but jowifeetly shaped lips and while teeth, _ ' cruel in their expression; the nose de scending straight from il low, broad forehead on which the crisp, blue-black hair grew in a peak. Wanting in principle he might he, a scoundrel he possibly was, but the-e was something winning in his pleasant smile,and in the almost child like man ner with which he challenged and ac cepted an admiration impossible to deny him. ‘■('ome in, signor,” he said, and then fetching the chair which he believed the firmest on its legs, he added, "and sit down here.” "Much obliged,” remarked Mack worth, conscious that his manner, his movements, and his phrases lacked the easy grace which his host possessed. "You are a painter, signor?" said Pietro, who, tised to iliuling English artists commonplace in appearance, and with little trace in their dress or bearing of the art they followed, ■considered his visitor was one of that class. "No,” answered Mackworth. "A sculptor then?” suggested the model, who haif-unconsciously fell into a graceful attitude. "Nor a sculptor.” "What then?” asked Pietro, who be gan to lose interest in a visitor who was not a probable patron. •T came here to ask about your friend Mezza,” Mackworth said. "What, Marco?” answered (he model, looking up quickly, and with something of surprise in his glance. “The same.” “What about him?” Pietro asked, looking shrewdly at his questioner. "That is what I want you to tell me.” "I have not seen him for some time. He owes you nyney?” Mackworth, nodded his head, thinking he might more readily obtain the in formation he desired If Pietro was al lowed to remain under a deception for the present. “There are many like you: I among them .signor," said the model, rolling himself a cigarette between his long, brown fingers. “When dlft you last see him?” “He stayed with me in these rooms last summer, then lie went back again to Paris.” "What month did he leave you?” “It was In July; yes, it was just be fore the first days of August. You will not get your money, signor.” “And lie stayed hern with you?” We were old friends; we had been boys together In Naples. Then when I grew up I went' to Rome. A French artist had seen me, and; he took me with him ns his model, and X remained with him some years. After that I went to Paris, where I was in great de mand,” he said smiling complacently. "I met many English there. They taught me their language. I was young aild handsome. I had artists waiting on me by the dozen, ready to give any price I asked. I-,ook here," he contin ued. pointing to a chalk drawing on the wall representing a youthful Apollo with his lyre. "That Is what I was then; the sketch was given me by the great Monsieur Jullen." Pietro stepped back in order that he might admire this portrait of lilmself, a child-like look of pleasure in his dark ey'^s. "Very fine, very fine Indeed!" replied Mackworth, who, though he had no ap preciation of art, could not help recog nizing the beauty of the figure, lithe and graceful as a fawn. "I made money then," Pietro said, the natural characteristic of greed be traying itself, "for I charged highly for my sittings. I lived well, I dressed handsomely, I associated with artists whose names I helped to make and whose pictures X helped to sell; for, you see, without me they could not chisel or paint the statues or pictures their patrons bought, because I was the subject.” This frank admiration of himself was expressed with such an air of simplicity that Mackworth began to think there was more of the fool than the knave In the model’s nature. "Ah. how pleasant was that: It was the midday of my life, for it w-ill never he so bright again, so happy!" Pietro said meditatively. "But Mezza?" suggested the in spector. "Ves; I had forgotten Marco.” an swered the model, whose appreciation of himself left no room in his mind for others. “One day In Paris he came to my atelier. I had not seen him for years, and lie had changed much, to my eyes at least, for I remembered him only ns I had seen him last. Many things had happened meantime; he had become a violinist, who might have been great If he was not so idle. He had no ambition, and was satisfied to remain for years as first fiddle In the orchestra of I,a Scala in Milan. Then he had married.” Pietro paused, shrugged his shoulders and sent a cloud, of cigarette smoke through his nostrils. Mackworth kept discreetly silent. "His wife had left him nnd I was not surprised at that," continued the model, "for Marco always had a temper, was as jealous as the moor of Venice, and looked on life darkly. Ask yourself signor, what must be the life of a wom an with such a husband?” “Did she run away with someone else?" asked Mackworth suspiciously. "No: she was virtuous; she went back to the sister who had reared her." "So that Mezza had no cause for jealousy ?” "No. hut he was jealous all the same. —*--v-— Making Himself Solid. Miss Hint’—Everyone says I’m the picture of mamma. Bo you think so? Mr, Wise—Yes; but a very flattering picture. He would have doubted the virtue of a saint if she had happened to be his wife. He came to Paris to watch her.” “Who was the man he suspected?” as/.e ’ Mackworth. "An Englishman. I will not mention Ills name," added Pietro after a sec ond's hesitation. "Well?” "I received Marco as a friend; he had no money and I lent him some; he stayed with me, and through my in fluence I got him a place in the orches tra of the Vaudeville," said Pietro With an amusing air of patronage. “And he remained there?" “As long as I was in Paris.” “When did you leave?” inquired Mackworth. “The first week in June.” “Why did you leave Paris?” Pietro shrugged liis shoulders and looked shrewdly at his questioner. “You see, I had been there for years,” he answered, “and I had posed ns a model to all the great artists until I was tired of seeing myself for ever on the walls of the Salon year after year and in the picture shops. I had been Narcissus, and Romeo, and Mercury, and David, and Icarus, and Perseus, and I.eander, and St. John, a monk, a dryad, a martyr, an Arab, a bandit, ev erything and every one. Then I thought to myself I would try Rondon. My friends, they told me artists did not know how to paint here, but that they paid models well, and so,• as I knew Ihelr language, I came here for a change.” Remembering the words Carlo had spoken, Mackworth doubted if this ex planation of Pietro's departure from Paris was correct; but, as at present it seemed to have no bearing on the case under Investigation, the inspector forebore to question him on“the point. "You left Mezza behind you in Paris?” "Yes. Then through drink he lost the place I had got for him, and lie could get no other.” "Was he in the habit of drinking?” “Yes, he had become a drunkard." “Now.” said Mackworth, rising slowly from his chair and approaching the model. " was it, while you were in Paris that Mezza, on attemtping to draw his knife, was knocked down in the P.ue Cajas by the man of whom he vus jealous?” Pietro's eyes met those of his ques tioner in a steady glare, but without expressing surprise or fear. “Ah,” he'said, “1 thought you had come to question me about him—the Englishman who was killed.” And he nodded his head knowingly. "I have.” “And you will have noticed, signor, I have spoken to you openly." “You have not answered my last question.” “No; t was not in Paris when it hap pened; I was here. I can prove it to you, I can prove everything I say.” "So much the better," replied Mack wqrth. “Then you are what is called-" “A detective; yes." “After you had said you were not an artist I began to suspect you were a policeman in disguise, and I was right." said Pietro, admiring his own shrewd ness. • “Very well. You must now tell me everything you know about Mezza. and be sure of your statements, for you will probably be called to repeat them at his trial." “Y'ou have but to ask. I will tell you all I know,” answered Pietro. “What time did Mezza come here?” “It was in July, toward the end. When one evening I had come back from St. John's Wood, where I had been posing' all day, I found him here waiting me.1’ “Did you expect him?” “No.” "Why did he coine to London?" “I will tell you" answered Pietro after a slight pause. “The truth.” “The truth, signor. He missed the Englishman from Paris and he came here in search of him.” “With the intention of killing him?” “I will not say so much; hut the Eng lishman he had struck Mezza and knocked him down, and Marco said he would have revenge." "And he had,” suggested Mackworth. "That I don’t know, signor,” replied , Pietro with a serious air. •‘‘He remained here with you while he was In London.” “He did." "Then you saw him the night David Dumbarton was killed." "No, r.o. no," answered Pietro ex citedly. “Mateo remained here but a little while. lie went away to Paris in August." “Are you sure?" "That I will swear." “And when did you see him again?" "I have not seen him since." Mackworth frowned and looked at the model searehingly. "Do you mean to say that Mezza was not here in September?" he asked. "I do. You cun ask my neighbors, they will say as I have.” "Probably.” replied Mackworth, feel ing assured that the whole Italian col ony would back up Pietro's statements. Then after a moment’s-reflection he 1 conintued, “Look here, this is a serious business, and if you wish to get out of it safely, you had better tell me all you know.” “I have,” replied Pietro, his dark eyes flashing under his contracted brows, one hand raised in vehement gesticu lation. “Then if Mezza was not with you on the night of the murder, where was he?” "That I can't tell—I don't know—I said to you I have not seen him since August,” the Italian replied in a loud voice. "But you know it was he who mur dered Dumbarton?" Mackworth cen tured to say. "No, no; I don't know it was Mezza; how could I when I did not see him?" said Pietro angrily. "You come here and ask questions; I answer all I know; you want to make me say what I don't know,” and he turned away muttering maledictions to himself. "Very well, tell me where he is now." “I can't tell you. I don't know.” - “Did you not hear from him?" "No. Soon after his going away from here I wrote asking him for some of the money he owed me, but I got no answer. I know nothing more.” “Had he any other friends in Lon don?” "All the Italians here knew him. but I don’t think he had any friends. Mar co was not a man to make friends; he was silent, he never laughed, and was often drunk. Other of our people did not like him.” "And you don't know where he is now?" persisted the inspector. (Continued Next Week.) Home Made Cement. A capital cement for broken china and bric-a-brac that can be made at home is obtained by mixing half an ounce of gum arable with half a tea spoonful of boiling milk and adding enough plaster of Paris to produce a creamy paste. To use successfully have the pieces to be merulfed warm and ap ply the cement warm with a J small brush. Objects repaired with efris ce ment havatto be set aside for a week before thej^fcan be used, but after that they can be washed in either warm oi cold water with safety. .. ' W — - W 47'* — -•=* W SELF OPERATING FEED BOX. There art? experienced poultryxnen who believe that the best results in feeding poultry comes from having grain before the birds at all times and permitting them to help themselves. Of course if this is done -some plan must be contrived where by the grain could be mixed for it would not do to set one kind of grain before the birds for them to c;at as they would. It is comparatively easy to arrange a feed box which will be automatic to a certain extent, using the following plan. With half inch lumber make a box of the de r >—. f *. * lid ... ■ sired dimensions, dividing it into three compartments. Have the back board about 6 inches wider than the front board so that holes may be made in it by which to hang the box to the wall with screws. The front board is to slope in at the bot tom. hence tlie end pieces are cut at the proper angle. The bottom board extends about t> inches and around the three sides of this bottom board are run strips about 2 inches high, so as to form a sort of trough. The feed is placed in the com partments, corn in one, wheat in another and a third grain in the third. By reason of the slope this grain will run readily to the bottom and into the trough so the fowls can easily reach it. Hang the box to the wall so the trough will be a little lower than breast high before the fowls. Covers should be placed over the top to prevent the birds eating the grain out of the bins. The illustration /dearly shows the contrivance which may be readily made by any one handy with tools. CONSIDER ROOT CROPS NEXT SEASON. The writer has urged for many years the growing and feeding of root crops to stock, and urged them solely on the basis of their value as furnishing a change in the diet and as being an excellent diges tive. Of late years scientific farmers and experimenters have boldly made,the state ment that certain combinations of root crops have a feeding value equal to grain; not that they will take the place of grain in the ration entirely, but that they may , be substituted for from 30 to 50 *»er cent, j of the grain ration. If this Is so the i growing of root crops opens up a field j which dairymen should take advantage of. j There are few farms which will grow' j grain but what will grow root crops and : the labor in grow’ing the latter Is cer- I tainly no greater than that required to ' grow* grain. No better advice can be given •.he reader than to urge him to obtain all*, Whe information possible this winter con- ! corning the growing of root crops with ! the idea of thing some space to them the coming season. During the winter more information along this line will be given in this department. GROUND FOOD AND CUT FODDER, j One may argue that nature intended ani- 1 mala to tear their food apart and grind ' it for themselves. This is so beyond doubt so far as wild animals are con- 1 corned; but long years of domesticity has J dulled some of the masticating powers of I the farm animal. This may not be good j science, bii? all who have experimented intelligently know that most farm ani- j mals, with |he possible exception of the , horse, do best when the food is ground ; before feeding and the roughage cut into short lengths. We experimented tvith corn stover along this line last winter, cutting , the tender part of the stalks into pieces- j 6 or 8 inclies long artd the heavy parts j cutting crosswise with a hatchet. In feed ing we sometimes moistened the mass I with warn water and then sprinkled a | little bran* through it. We would then | take a fofkful of nice clover hay, place i it in one corner of the manger and this ! mass of corn fodder in the other corner j with the result that the corn fodder was invariably eaten first. This is to see which they preferred; then, by careful records, we found that our grain ration could be reduced 20 per cent, and the same results obtained in milk, both as to quality and quantity. We figured this paid for the labor in preparing the cut fodder. Try it. THE MODEL HOG PEN. I recently saw an argument for a hog j pen which suited my ideas of such a place i exactly. The yard was arranged so that from tho middle there was a slope to every side to a gutter which was on the outside of the fence, making it practically Impossibly for the yard to stay wet long. The bottom of the yard was hard packed j gravel over which was scattered two inches of clear sand, and every ten days or two weeks most of this sand was re moved and other clean sand substituted. The pen had a roof porch, so to speak, j extending out six feet and sloping down : in front to within four feet of th«• floor, J thus furnishing ample protection from | storm. From this porch a wide door, hung j to swing readily both ways, opened into the pen proper and windows were in both j sides of this house, giving amnio light ; and sun. A door opened on the si«1e to permit the owner to enter the pen with- j out going into the yard. It was almost i impossible for the hogs to catch cold or be at all uncomfortable under tliis ar rangement, and as a result it cost less to feed them, they W’ere never ill and they were in prime condition for breeding or for for fattening for market. The ex pense of such quarters is not great for all the material used is rough lumber, while, so far as the yard is concerned, it costs no more to arrange it on the plan indi cated than any other. JAMACIA GINGER FOR COLIC. It is probably generally known that Jamaica ginger is used freely in all con dition powders put up for animals, and it is undoubtedly one of the best tonics known. It is used for mild attacks of dys entry and colic by humans and we have used it very successfully in incipient at tack* of colic with horses. Usually the ground root is mixed with powdered char coal and calcined magnesia in the pro portions of four ounces of ginger, and two j ounces each of the charcoal and mag nesia. The ordinary dose is a tablespoon- j ful of the mixture. althc*igh tills may be ' increased one-half if the attack is so- , vore Oftentimes acute kidney attacks , are mistaken for colic and generally the f two go together, so it is a good plan to give the horse a dose of‘sweet spirits of till re the day after the Jamaica ginger is given. It can do him tw harm, for the kidneys of a horse are generally more or J less clogged even when the animal seems in fairly good health. After an attack of colic the animal should be well blank eted. MARKET FANCY APPLES NOW. It is not a good plan to attempt to hold apples for a high spring market unless one has a perfect place of cold storage. If one has a lot of first grade apples they can be marketed at a good price by the simple plan of fancy packing. Just now there Is a great demand for nice apples in ten-pound grape baskets. Polish each specimen until it shines, wrap those that go into the lower part of the basket in the same way. hift leave* the most at tractive side of the fruit exposed. Use some care in having the baskets and the paper clean; see that the fruit is first class and there will be no trouble in mar keting it in any large city. Figure out what you ought to have for the fruit at barrel rates, add the cost of paper and baskets and a fair price for your labor*, offer the fruit to discriminating customers, whether the fancy fruitman or the con sumer. and you'll get the price without trouble and save the expense of carrying the fruit through the trying months to come. Any one located near a large city or thriving town can carry out this sug gestion with profit. EXPERIENCE WITH A SEPARATOR. There is always some trouble experi enced in convincing people with a small business that it is profitable to have la bor-saving devices. They argue in reply that their business cannot afford it, and go on dragging out the small profits by hand labor when a little money invested in some- special tool or implement would materially increase their profits. Such is the case with the hand separator. Dairy men with less than thirty or forty cows will say they cannot afford a separator. I thought so once, but have discovered that, it pays a profit on the investment with my herd of seventeen cows because we save carting the milk to the creamery and cart ing the skim milk l^ack and then and then by doing the separating morning an A evening we always have the_sweet skim milk' to feed while it is in condition to do the animal the most good. The separator does the work quite as well as the larger machine at the creamery and much better than hand skimming. Altogether, count ing the increased value of skim milk to swine or poultry and the other advant ages, I am inclined to think that a hand separator is a good investment for a man with even ten cows. VALUE OF GRAINS FOR POULTRY. When one considers that the per cent, of fat in corn is nearly four times that < f any grain except oats it is plain to see why it must not bo fed in too large quan tities to poultry if we expect eggs. Corn will always remain the basis of all rations for poultry, and properly so, but anywhere near a full ration of it should not be given two days in succession. Indeed, this same rule aplics pto any grain, for it is variety in feeding that gives us the best laying hens. Of the several grains fed to poul try corn, wheat, oats, barley and buck wheat arc the most desirable, and the lat ter should form the smallest portion of the ration at all limes. During the winter, and particularly in cold sections, corn should form about one-half of the grain ration for the day. This is really neces sary to provide the proper amount of heat and if care is taken to feed a variety of other grains at the other periods of feeding, altogether with a liberal quantity of green food, the quantity of corn men tioned will not make the hens over-far. FRUIT TREES FOR FENCE LINES. There are many farmers., who say they would set out fruit trees if it were not that they occupied ground which it was felt must be devoted to other crops. It is too bad that so many farmers consider an orchard as somewhat of a luxury and begrudge the ground space the trees oc cupy. For such men here is a plan which has been worked with success' aud which will not take up any of the ground needed for regular crops. Set trees along the fence lilies both between the farm and the road and between fields except where stock is pastured. Set the trees close to the fences so that in time the fences may be removed. Take good ehro in setting the trees and the fertilizing given the field for the regular crops and the cultivation will be near enough to the trees so they will get the benefit of them. Beyond this the trees will need no care, except spray ing, pruning and the general care a tree requires under any conditions. By this plan the trees will he out of the way. not interfering with rogulac^rops, require no cultivation or fertilizing Wyond that given the field and, in a few years, will be a source of profit. CUT CLOVER FOR POULTRY. If it is difficult to obtain roots or other green food for the fowls invest a few dol lars in cut clover hay which may be ob tained from dealers in poultry supplies. The fowls, and especially the laying liens, enjoy this especially when it given to them after being moistened with warm water Feed it in a trough, giving a small quantity every other day and the layers will give you a full quota of eggs. A SINGLE ROPE HALTER. Rope halters are quite common in many sections, hut as they are usually made by tieing short pieces of rope around the loops to hold them m shape, they are not safe for any length of time. Here is a way of making the halter and having a piece at one end long enough for tending all from a single length of rope. The small cut shows how two loops are made, on« Cjumavut. to com* each side of the mouth, and the manner in which the entho end passed through and fastened and the loops pulled tight, which finishes tho^halter. The il-' lustrations show clearly; how the loops are made so by follow in*rihe linos closely any one can do it with a few minute*’ practice. «- ^ f*