9m Tn Want to Know
What You Swallow?
There is s growing sentiment In this
aonirtry In fsvor of medicines or known
toowronmoN It Is but natural that one
jtbonld hire some Interest in the compo
jsltkm of that which he or she Is expected
V swallow, whether it be food, drink or
ased trine.
Recognising this growing disposition
on the part of the public, and satisfied
that the fullest publicity can only add to
the well-earned reputation of his medi
Sas, Dr. R. V. Pierce, of Buffalo, N. Y.,
l "taken time by the forelock,” as it
rn, and is publishing broadcast a list
ml all the Ingredients entering Into Ills
leading medicines, the "Golden Medical
SRscorary * the popular liver Invigorator,
atoaach tonic, blood purifier and heart
lagalator; also of his "Favorite Prescrip
tion* for weak, over-worked, broken
|own. nervous and Invalid women.
TMs hold and out-spoken movement on
the part of Dr. Pierce, has, by showing
exactly what his well-known medicines
are cceaposed of, completely disarmed all
lanlag critics who have heretofore un
gnstly attacked them. A little pamphlet
lias aaea compiled, from the standard
■radical authorities of all the several
schools ef practice, showing the strongest
■ndi nwnli by leading medical writers
M the several Ingredients which enter Into
pr. Pierce's medicines. A copy of this
little hook is mailed fret to any one de
firing to learn more concerning the valu
able, native, medicinal plants which enter
Inta the composition of Dr. Pierce's med
icines. Address Dr. Pierce as above.
Dr. Plena's Pleasant Pellets art tiny. »ur
nr Belli aatl-bllloue granules. They resr
alile aad Invigorate Stomach. Liver end
aoweln Do not beget the “pill habit." but
•are csaetlpetlon. One or two each day for
a laxative end regulator, three or tour for ea
active cathartic. Once tried always In favor.
•Ul nnn OIVBN AWAY. Id copies of
ROUpllllVI The People's Common Sena*
Dadteel Adviser, a book that sold to the ex
tent of HADOO copies a few
tear* ana, at ti.50 per copy,
bd istr «« (iv« ewer
PAMworthof these Invalua
ble hooka Tala year wa shall
give away IGA COO worth of
■on share In this
so. send only U
imps to cover cost
only for book In
or 81 at amp*
_
j: IK BEST COUCH CURE ij
< Cough syrups are all cheap !!
—Bp, but it you should get a < >
; | gallon of cough syrup that does not |!
i i cure lor the price of a small bottle <,
; ’ of ' i
Kemp’s Balsam]|
« the heat cough cure, you would « >
h«»e made a bad bargain—for one ) ’
i > email bottle of Kemp's Balsam may <,
J ' tha worst cough and save a < >
, , whereas the cough “cure” that ][
i ' doe* not cure is worse than useless. « >
1 1 Sold by all deal rs at 25c. and 50c. 2
f >_. . <>
WMMIHIM»IMI<MMH» ►
Had Mimed It.
IVlul the Ladles' Home Journal.
TttU ara you crying for, my poor
itttle hoyT' mid a man to a crying boy.
“P» fail downstairs."
‘Thai** taka on eo, my boy. He'll get
better soon."
“That lan't It. Slater saw him fall—all
“fee way. 1 never saw nulTen."
WILD WITH ITCHING HUMOR.
draptfon Broke Out In Spota All Over
Body Cured at Expense of Only
fl.86—Thanks Cuticura.
“The Cuticura Remedies cured me of
my able disease, and I am vary thank
ful be you. My trouble was eruption
Vef the akin, which broke out In spots
jail ever my body, and caused a con
'thaual tteblag which nearly drove me
iwUd at times. I got medicine of a
docker, but It did not cure me, and
wheu I saw in a paper your ad., I sent
ike you for the Cuticura book and
studied my case In It. I then went to
the drag store and bought one cake of
Hutteura Soap, one box of Cuticura
Ointment, and one vial of Cuticura
Cilia. From the first application I re
reived relief. H need the first set and
twe extra cakes- of Cuticura Soap, and
was completely cured. I had suffered
far twe years, and 1 again thank Cut!
eure for my cure. Claude X. Johnson,
Maple Grove Farm, R. F. D. 2, Wnl
swt, Kan., June 15, 1005.”
• The census of 1900 gave Washington
U population of 278,000. Since that
time, according to estimates based on
the new city directory, the Inhabitants
■ef the national capital have increased
ho practically 328,000.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY
■fafceffAXATlVE RROMO Quinine Tablets.
Drugglsu refund money If It falls to cure.
M. W. Grove’s signature Is ou each bos. 33c.
«ev.—- Garb of Alice Roosevelt.
Erom the New York World.
Miss Alice Roosevelt has won the '■
reputation of being one of the most :
tastadaliy gowned young women In this
•"wiry, and all through her Ingenuity
fa touting unusual combinations In col
or and becoming ways of making her
nsbos. One evening dress that will
adorn this attractive young daughter
of. America when she appears In courts
vf Marope is of pale green tissue, made
•wer deep yellow moire. The tissue
fa draped aver the petticoat effectively,
mm3 the ends are embroidered with a
running vine of gold. A full court train
■Mrauwrs and glows over the moire
•ad b dotted with gold and leaves at
faug Intervals. The bodice Is green and
«*bt. A wreath of frosted leaves be
,g*bv ag the left shoulder, stretches
aeroa* the front and down the right
•Ide. and catches some of the tissue
dmpery in the back. The sleeves are
two pig puffs of tissue, with a circular
.wstfa off moire, embroidered with yel
faw fane ef three lengths at the elbow.
Title green suede gloves and yellow
paths slippers, with bunches of green
vflfam. are among the accessories of
Mds striking costume
v s .s—
*
Vi"
| The Return of Sherlock Holmes |
BY A. CONAN DOYLE. I
Copyright. 1903. Copyrijhl, 1905.
bjr A, Conan Doyla and Collior'a Woakly. by McCInra, Pkillipa ® Co. I
1 I.—THE ADVENTURE OF THE
EMPTY HOUSE.—CONTINUED
It was Indeed no longer the profile,
but the back, which was turned toward
us.
Three years had certainly not
smoothed the asperities of his temper
or his Impatience with a less active in
telligence than his own.
"Of course It has moved." said he.
"Am I such a farcical bungler, Wat
son, that I should erect an obvious
dummy, and expect that some of the
sharpest men in Europe would be de
ceived by it? We have been in this
room two hours, and Mrs. Hudson has
made some change in that figure eight
times, or once In every quarter of an
hour. She works it from the front, so
that her shadow may never be seen.
"Ah!" He drew in his breath with a
shrill, excited Intake. In the dim light
I saw his head thrown forward, his
whole attitude rigid with attention.
Outside the street was absolutely de
serted. Those two men might still be
crouching in the doorway, but I could
no longer see them. All was still and
dark, save only that brilliant yellow
screen In front of us with the black
figure outlined upon Its center. Again
in the utter silence I heard that thin,
sibilant note which spoke of intense
suppressed excitement. An Instant
later he pulled me back into the black
est corner of the room, and I felt his
warning hand upon my lips. The fin
gers which clutched me were quivering.
Never had I known my friend more
moved, and yet the dark street still
stretched lonei> ana motionless before
us.
But suddenly I was aware of that
I whieh his keener senses had already
distinguished. A low, stealthy sound
came to my ears, not from the direction
of Baker street, but from the back door
of the house In which we lay con
cealed. A door opened and shut. An
Instant later steps crept down the pas
sage—steps which were meant to be
silent, but which reverberated harshly
through the empty house. Holmes
coruched back against the wall and I
did the same, my hand closing upon
the handle of my revolver. Peering
through the gloom, I saw the vague
outline of a man, a shade blacker than
the blackness of the open door. He
stood for an Instant, and then he crept
forward, crouching, menacing, Into the
room. He was within three yards of
us, this sinister figure, and, I had
braced myself to meet his spring be
fore I realized that he had no idea of
our presence. He passed close be
side us, stole over to the window, and
very softly and noiselessly raised it
half a foot. As he sank to the level
of this opening, the light of the street,
no longer dimmed by the dusty gluss,
fell upon his face. The seemed to be
beside himself with excitement. His,
two eyes shone like stars, and his feat
ures were working convulsively. He
was an elderly man, with a thin, pro
jecting nose, a high, bald forehead, and
a huge, grizzled mustache. An opera
hat was pushed to the back of his head,
| and an evening dress shirt-front
i gleamed out through his open overcoat.
His face was gaunt and swarthy,
scored with deep, savage lines. In his
hand he carried what appeared to be
a stick, but. as he laid It down upon
the floor It gave a metallic clang. Then
from the pocket of his overcoat he drew
a bulky object, und he busied himself
In some task which ended with a loud,
sharp click, as If a spring or bolt had
fallen into Its place. Still kneeling
upon the floor he bent forward and
threw all his weight and strength upon
some lever, with the result that there
came a long, whirling, grinding noise,
ending once more In a powerful click.
He straightened himself then, and I
■aw that what he held In his hand
was a sort of a gun, with a curiously
misshapen butt. He opened It at the
breech, put something in. and snapped
the breech-lock. Then, crouching
down, he rested the end of the barrel
upon the ledge of the opifn window,
and I saw his long mustache dtx>op
over the stock and his eye gleum as it
peered along the sights. I heard a lit
tle sigh of satisfaction as he cuddled
the butt to his shoulder, and saw that
amazing target, the black man on the
yellow ground, standing clear at the
end of his fore-sight. For an Instant
he was rigid and motionless. Then his
finger tightened on the trigger. There
I was a strange, loud whiz and a lond,
I silvery tinkle of broken glass. At that
Instant Holmes sprang like a tiger on
to the marksman's back, nnd hurled
him flat upon his face. He was up
again In a moment, and with convulsive
strength he seized Holmes by the
throat, but I struck him on the head
with the butt of my revolver, and he
' dropped again upon the floor. I fell
upon him, and as I held him my com
rade blew a shrill call upon a whistle.
There was the clatter of running feet
upon the pavement, and two policemen
In uniform, with one plain-clothes de
tective, rushed through the front en
trance and Into the room,
j “That you. Lestrade?" said Holmes.
"Yes, Mr. Holmes. I took the job
myself. It's good to see you back in
London, sir."
“I think you want a little unofficial
help. Three undetected murders In
one year won’t do, Lestrade. But you
handled the Molesey mystery with less
than your usual—that’s to say. you
handled It fairly well.”
We had all risen to our feet, our pris
oner breathing hard, with a stalwart
constable on eueh side of him. Al
ready a few loiterers had begun to
collect In the street. Holmes stepped
up to the window, closed It. and
dropped the blinds, Lestrade had pro
duced two candles, and the policemen
had uncovered their lanterns. I was
able at last to have a good look at our
prisoner.
It was a tremendously virile and yet
sinister face which was turned toward
us. With the brow of a philosopher
above and the Jaw of a sensualist be
low, the man must have started with
great capacities for good and evil. But
one could not look upon his cruel blue
eyes, with their drooping, cynical lids,
or upon the fierce, aggressive nose and
the reatenlng. deep-lined brow, with
out reading nature’s plulnest danger
signals. He took no heed of any of us.
but his eyes were fixed upon Holmes'
face with an expression In which
hatted ana amazement were equally
blended. “You fiend!" he kept on mut
tering. "you clever, clever fiend!"
"Ah, colonel!" said Holmes, arrang
ing his rumpled collar, " 'journeys end
<n lovers' meetings,’ as the old play
«o.ys. I don’t think I have had the
pleasure of seeling you since you fa
vored me with those attractions as 1
lay on the ledge above the Relchenbaeti
Fall"
The colonel still stared nt my friend
like a man in a trance. "You cunning
cunning fiend!" was all that he coulc
say.
"I have not Introduced you yet," sale
Holmes. "This, gentlemen, Is Colone
Sebastian Moran, once of her majesty')
Indian army, and the best heavy-game
shot that our eastern empire has ever
produced. I believe I am correct, col
onel, In saying that your bag of tigers
still remains nnrlvaled.
The fierce old man said nothing, but
still glared at my companlonlst with
his savage eyes, and bristling mustache
he was wonderfully like a tiger him
self.
"I wonder that my very simple strat
agem could deceive so old a shikari,”
said Holmes. "It must be very familiar
to you. Have you not tethered a young
kid under a tree, lain above it with
your rifle, and waited for the bait to
bring up your tiger? This empty house
Is my tree, and you are my tiger. You
have possibly had other guns In reserve
In case there should be other tigers, or
In the unlikely supposition of your own
aim falling you. These,” he pointed
around the room, "are my other guns.
The parallel Is exact.”
Colonel Moran sprang forward with
a snarl of rage, but the constables
dragged him back. The fury upon his
face was terrible to look at.
"I confess that you had one small
surprise for me,” said Holmes. "I did
not anticipate that you would yourself
make use of this empty house and this
convenient front window. I had Im
agined you as operating from the
street, where my friend I^estrade and
his merry men were awaiting you.
With that exception, all has gone as
I expected.”
Colonel Moran turned to the official
detective.
"You may or may not have Just
cause for arresting me,” said he, "but
at least there can be no reason why
I should submit to the gibes of this
person. If I am 1 if the hands of the
law, let things be done In a legal way."
"Well, that's reasonable enough,”
said Lestrade. “Nothing further you
have to say, Mr. Holmes, before we
go.
Holmes had picked up the powerful
air-gun from the floor, and was ex
amining Its mechanism.
“An admirable and unique weapon,”
snid he, "noiseless and tremendous
power. I knew Von Herder, the blind
German mechanic, who constructed It
to the order of the late Professor Morl
artty. For years I have been aware of
Its existence, though I have never be
fore had the opportunity of handling
It. I commend It very specially to
your attention, Lestrade, and also the
bullets which fit It.”
"You can trust us to look after that,
Mr. Holmes,” said Lestrade, as the
whole party moved towards the door.
"Anything further to say?”
"Only to ask what charge you intend
to prefer?”
"What charge, sir? Why of course,
the attempted murder of Mr. Sherlock
Holmes.”
"Not so, Lestrade. I do not propose
to appear In the matter at all. To you,
and to you only, belongs the credit
of the remarkable arrest which you
have effected. Yes, Lestrade, I con
gratulate you! With your usual happy
mixture of cunning and audacity, you
have got him.
"Got him! Got whom, Mr. Holmes?"
"The man that the whole force 4tas
been seeking in vain—Colonel Sebas
tian Moran, who shot the Honorable
Ronnld Adair with an expanding bullet
from an air-gun through the open win
dow of the second-front of No. 427
Park Lane, upon the 30th of last
month. That’s the charge. Lestrade.
And now. Watson, if you can endure
the draught from a broken window, I
think that half an hour in my study
over a cigar may afford some profitable
amusement."
• •****•
Our old chambers had been left un
changed through the supervision of
Mycrnft Holmes and the Immediate
care of Mrs. Hudson. As I entered
1 saw. It Is true, an unwonted tidiness,
but the old landmarks were all In place.
There was the chemical corner and the
acld-stalned. deal-topped table. There
upon a shelf was the row of formidable
scrap-books and books of reference,
which many of our fellow citizens
would have been so glad to burn. The
diagrams, the violin-case, and the pipe
rack—even the Parisian slipper which
contained the tobacco—all met my eyes
as I glanced round me. There were
two occupants of the room—one, Mrs.
Hudson, who beamed upon us both as
we entered—the other, the strange
dummy which had played so Important
a part In the evening’s adventures. It
was a wax-colored model of my friend,
so admirably done that It was a perfect
fac-simlle. It stood on a small ped
estal table with an old dressing gown
of Holmes’ so draped round It that the
Illusion from the street was absolutely
perfect.
“I hope you preserved all precau
tions, Mrs. Hudson?" said Holmes.
"I went to it on my knees, sir, Just
as you told me."
"Excellent. You carried the thing
out very well. Did you observe where
the bullet went?”
“Yes, sir. I’m afraid it has spoilt
your beautiful bust, for It passed right
through the head and flattened itself
on the wall. I picked It up from the
carpet. Here it Is!"
Holmes held It out to me. “A soft
revolver bullet, as you perceive, Wat
son. There’s genius In that, for who
would expect to find such a thing fired
from an air-gun. All right, Mrs. Hud
son, 1 am much obliged for your assist
ance. And now, Watson, let me see
you in the old seat once more, for there
are several points which I should like
to discuss with you."
He had thrown off the seedy frock
coat, and now he was the Holmes of
old in the mouse-colored dressing
gown which he took from his effigy.
“The old shikari’s nerves have not
lost their steadiness, nor his eyes their
keeness," said he with a laugh, as he
inspected the shattered forehead of the
bust.
“Plumb in the middle of the back of
the head and smack through the brain.
He was the best shot In India, and 1
expect that there are few better here
In London. Have you heard the
name ?"
"No, I have not.”
"Well, well, such is fame! Hut. then,
If I remember right, you have not
heard the name of Professor James
Mortarlty, who had one of the great
brains of the century. Just give me
down my Index of biographies from the
shelf."
H« turned over the pages lazily,
leaning back In his chair and blowing
great clouds of smoke from his cigar.
"My collection of M’s is u fine one."
! said he. "Moriarlty himself la enough
i to make any letter illustrious, and
here is Morgan the poisoner, and Mer
1 liner of abominable memory, and
, Matthews, who knocked out my left
1 canine In the watting room at Charing
Cross, and, finally, here Is our friend of
1 tonight.”
I He handed over the book, and I read:
s | "Moran, Sebastian, colonel. Unem
ployed. Formerly of 1st Bengalore Pio
neers. Born London. 1840. Son of Sir
Augustus Moran, C. B., once British
minister to Persia. Educated Eton and
Oxford. Served In Jowakl campaign.
Afghan campaign. Charastab (dispatch
es), Sherpur and Cabul. Author of
! 'Heavy Game of the Western Himalay
as’ (1881); ‘Three Months In the Jun
gle,' (1884). Address, Conduit street.
Clubs, the Anglo-Indian, the Tanker
vllle, the Bagatelle Card club."
On the margin was written. In
Holmes’ precise hand: "The second
most dangerous man In London.”
"This is astonishing,” said I, as I
handed back the volume. "The man’s
career Is that of an honorable soldier.”
"It Is true," Holmes answered. "Up
to a certain point he did well. He was
always a man of iron nerve, and the
story Is still told In India how he
crawled down a drain after a wounded
man-eating tiger. There are some trees,
Watson, which grow to a certain height,
and then suddenly develop some un
sightly . eccentricity. You will see It
often In humans. I have a theory that
the Individual represents In his de
velopment the whole procession of his
ancestors, and that such a sudden turn
to good or evil stands for some strong
influence which came Into the line of
his pedigree. The person becomes, as
It were, the epitome of the history of
his own family."
"It Is surely rather fanciful.”
"Well, I don't Insist upon it. What
ever the cause, Colonel Moran began
to go wrong. Without any open scan
dal, he still made India too hot to hold
him. He retired, came to London, and
again acquired an evil name. It was
at this time that he was sought out by
Professor Morlarlty, to whom for a
time he was chief of staff. Morlarlty
supplied him liberally with money, and
used him only In one or two very high
class Jobs, which no ordinary criminal
could have undertaken. You may have
some recollection of the death of Mrs.
Stewart, of Lauder, In 1887. Not?
Well, I am sure Moran was at the bot
tom of It, but nothing could be proved.
So cleverly- was the colonel concealed,
that, even when the Morlarlty gang
was broken up, we could not Incrim
inate him. You remember at that
date, when I called upon you In your
rooms, how I put up the shutters for
fear of air-guns? No doubt you thought
me fanciful. I knew exactly what I
was doing, for I knew of the existence
of this remarkable gun, and I knew also
that one of the best shots In the world
would be behind It. When we were In
Switzerland he followed us with Morl
arlty, and it was undoubtedly he who
gave me that evil five minutes on the
Reichenbnch ledge.
»',, ,nn« ilinl ▼ ...Ji A
iuu may mime mai i read me
papers with some attention during my
sojourn in France, on the lookout for
any chance of laying him by the heels.
So long as he was free in London, my
life would really not have been worth
living. Night and day the shadow
would have been over me, and sooner
or later his chance must have come.
What could I do? I could not shoot'
him at sight, or I should myself be In
the dock. There was no use appealing
to a magistrate. They cannot inter
fere on the strength of what would ap
pear to them to be a wild suspicion.
So I could do nothing. But I watched
the criminal news, knowing that soon
er or later I should get him. Then
came the death of this Ronald Adair.
My chance had come at last. Knowing
what I did, was it not certain that
Colonel Moran had done it? He had
played cards with the lad, he had fol
lowed him home from the club, he had'
shot him through the open window.
There was not a doubt of it. The bul
lets alone are enough to put his head
in a noose. I came over at once. I
was seen by the sentinel, who would,
I knew, direct the colonel’s attention
to my presence. He could not fall to
connect my sudden return with his
crime, and to be terribly alarmed. I
was sure that he would make an at
tempt to get me out of the way at once,
and would bring round his murderous
weapon for that purpose. I left him an
excellent mark in the window, and,
having warned the police that they
might be needed—by the way, Watson,
you spotted their presence in that
doorway with unerring accuracy—I
took up what seemed to be a Judicious
post for observation, never dreaming
that he would choose the same spot
for his attack. Now, my dear Watson,
does anything remain for me to ex
plain?”
"Yes,” said I. “You have not made
it clear what was Colonel Moran's
motive in murdering the Honorable
Ronald Adair?”
“Ah! my dear Watson, there we come
into those realms of conjecture, where
the most logical mind may be at fault.
Each may form his own hypothesis
upon the present evidence, and yours
is as likely to be as correct as mine.”
“You have formed one, then?”
“I think that it is not difficult to
explain the facts. It came out in evi
dence that Colonel Moran and young
Adair had, between them, won a con
siderable amount of money. Now,
Moran undoubtedly played foul—of
that I have long been aware. I be
lieve that on the day of the muruer
Adair had discovered that Moran was
cheating. Very likely he had spoken to
him privately, and had threatened to
expose him unless he voluntarily re
signed his membership of the cluh,
and promised not to play cards again.
It is unlikely that a youngster like
Adair would at once make a hideous
scandal by exposing a well known man
so much older than himself. Probably
he acted as I suggest. The exclusion
from his clubs would mean ruin to
Moran, who lived by his ill-gotten
card gains. He therefore murdered
Adair, who at the time was endeavor
ing to work out how much money he
should himself return, since he could
not profit by his partner’s foul play.
He locked the door lest the ladies
should surprise him and Insist upon
knowing what he was doing with these
names and coins. Will it pass?”
“I have no doubt that you have hit
upon the truth.”
"It will be verified or disproved at
the trial. Meanwhile, come what may.
Colonel Moran will trouble us no more.
The famous air-gun will embellish the
Scotland Yard museum, and once more
Mr. Sherlock Holmes is free to devote
his life to examining those interesting
little problems which the complex life
of London so plentifully presents.”
(Continued Next Week)
Feds of the Wealthy.
Saturday Evening Post: These strong
men of money have their weak sides;
they have their fads, und will spefid
money like water on them. Mr. Keene's
weakness is th,e race horse; Mr. Mor
gan's is pictures; the late Mr. Whit
ney's was rugs (he is said to have paid
335.000 for one. and the transaction
would have been all right had he left
the two last ciphers off the price); Mr.
Brady's of the tobacco trust is black
pearls; Mr. Addicks', of Bay State Gas,
is emeralds; while Mr. Lawson will go
in pawn to buy a ruby.
Mr. Lawson travels beyond fads and
owns to superstitions. He pins his faith
to the numeral three and its multiples.
His telephones are 3333 and 3339; his
offices are 33 State street; one of his
pet copper mines is the Trinity, and he
begins his great enterprises on the
third of the month. His “big medicine."
as the Indians would call it, is a chain
of 333 golden beads, each with a gypsy
girl’s face enameled thereon, and this
fetish he consults and communes with
in ways known only to himself.
A PRACTICAL ICE HOUSE.
Assuming that there Is still prospect for
Rn Ice crop throughout the country the
jilan here suggested for a small but com
plete Ice house will be found not only
useful but decidedly a reliable guide to
builders. The manner of construction la
as follows: Figure 4 In the Illustration
shows that part of the wall extending two
feet under the ground and Is composed of
loose stones rammed Into a trench. The
top of the wall, figure 3, Is built one foot
high with stone and cement In the usual
way. Stones are filled In to the depth of
a foot to form the floor of the house, figure
2 and above theso is a twelve-inch layer
tl lf\ U.-& Tf III
* ?
it sawdust tramped down to give a level
Burface. Figuro 6 shows the drain pipe.
The smaller diagram shows how the lum
ber Is put together. The boards of com
mon lumber both inside and outside are
Indicated by A while X shows the air
chamber between. P Indicates a layer of
paper and lastly, on the outside, the clap
boards shown at C. The Illustration Is
plain and will serve as a guide for build
ing In any dimensions desired. On the
farm where poultry, milk and fruit Is
raised an Ice house Is a necessity and If
one is near a body of water that freezes
the Ice obtained Is worth all Its costs to
haul it and to build a house for It.
FEEDING LAMBS IN WINTER.
There Is considerable difference of opin
ion between expert sheep raisers on the
subject of winter feeding of lambs, the
I claim being made on the one hand that
the lamb can only be carried through the
winter In good shape on a ration com
posed largely of grains, while others feed
i ers claim this method to be extravagant
! and advocate the feeding of high class
: roughage almost exclusively. As for the
j latter plan it is admitted that the season
! of feeding is of necessity longer to obtain
the best results but that is balanced by the
i decreased cost. The experience of other
l feeders is along the line of using both
| grains and roughage intelligently, start
I ing the lambs on the best of clover hay
j and alfalfa is possible and when they get
' large enough feed a small ration of corn,
1 increasing it as they grow. On farms
where root crops can be grown and where
i some portion can be given over to small
; crops of grain It p.ays to follow the plan
of both grain and roughage for the lambs
particularly If the latter can bo fed In
racks In large comfortable sheds where
i the lambs will have plenty of exercise,
j With fresh water at hand, room to gambol
i and sweet fodder In the racks they will
I consume surprisingly large quantities of
j roughage and thrive on It.
TIMOTHY HAY FOR COWS.
The man with a good crop of first class
' timothy hay and a good herd of milch
cows Is to be envied for he can sell the
hay at a price which will enable him to
buy almost anything his cows need to give
the best results. With a crop of oat hay
or oat straw as It is generally known, on
hand the sale of the timothy to horsemen
will enable him to buy all of the grain
| needed to make with the oat straw a
I splendid balanced ration. The timothy
hay Is first class for horses, but very poor
feeding for cows that are being milked.
Bran, corn meal, oil meal and gluten meal
In equal quantities fed with the oat straw
as roughage will give the milch cow a
pretty well balanced ration wrhlch will
bring the rich milk. Add to this occasion
al feeds of root crops, keep the cows clean
and comfortable and well watered and tho
results should be entirely satisfactory.
The beauty of this plan Is that at the us
ual price for clover hay and the price for
timothy the sale of the timothy will pay
nearly the entire cost of the other good
things recommended for tho cow.
GROUND FEED FOR HORSES.
Horses do much better when they grind
their own feed no matter what It may be,
hence, except on special occasions, It is
not desirable to let horses have much
ground food. Corn, If fed should be given
shelled at times and other times on the
ear; other grains should Invariably be
given whole and, only on rare occasions,
should the hay he cut very line. Timothy
or mixed hay should he fed, the former to
be preferred. Fed the proper rations In
this way with some roots occasionally
there will he little danger of Indigestion
provided the horse Is properly stabled
where there is considerable ventilation.
Exercise and good water are, of course, es
sential and with the other things men
tioned there ought to be little trouble with
the horse at any time. During the winter
grooming should be done with special care
for with the. thick coat It Is apt to get
dirty and the dirts go out of sight unless
the grooming Is done thoroughly each day.
Use the comb, the brush and a large cloth
for the final rubbing off of the dust by the
j brush.
DANGER TO POULTRY.
While it Is pleasant to see the fowls get
so much exercise and sunshine during this
long open winter, one should be prepaied
at all times for the colder weather likely
to come any day. The main danger lies
In permitting the homes to become damp
or to allow the fowls to remain out too
long. Even during these pleasant days
we find It the best plun to give the birds
the range only about three hours at the
middle of the day; the rest of the time
they have the open scratching shed for ex
ercise, but the curtains are dropped as
soon as the cold wind begins to blow. By
this treatment the fowls become rugged
end yet are not permitted to get chi.ltd
by standing around out of doors when
they can tlnd nothing to pick at; they are
much better In the scratchig shed search
ing for the few grains of corn or reheat
scattered through the chafr. Remember,
the grit box. the dust boxes and all feeding
utensils should be In the scratching shed,
the house proper containing only the nest
Foxes and the roosts. On the other hand,
do not make the roosting compartment too
dark and cheerless; have enough windows
so It will be fairly light and see that It Is
• comfortable. Cover the floor with chaff
■ so that the birds may find comfort there
. should they desire to stay. Ventilation Is
- essential In this portion of the house for
i the air will become heavy during the night
i and the fowls will be dumpish and not
i likely to lay well If there Is not good ven
i ttlation.
USING THE OPEN WEATHER.
The man who does not spread the ma
j nure on the soil because It Is too hard
i work In cold weather has little excuse for
, this neglect this winter. If he would make
. some sort of a test. In a small way, of the
comparative value of manure In the barn
yard all winter, that stored In suitable
sheds and that placed directly upon the
soli soon after It Is made he would find the
results in favor of the last named method,
but, more especially, would he realize
what he Is losing yearly by having the
manure In the open barn yard subject to
the elements. We do not know If any one
has ever been able to calculate the loss In
one year to farmers throughout the Unit
ed States because of the manure lying In
the open barn yards, but It must be slmply
enormous. During the open weather, with
little snow on the ground, the manure
spreader will do splendid work and will
put the manure Just where one wants It.
Even If It must be spread by hand It will
certainly pay to do It. Why not try the
plan suggested of a small area manured
with the part which has been In the bam
yard all winter and an equal area with
manure which has been under cover and a
third equal area covered during the win
ter with manure and plowed under In the
spring. Us the same quantity of manure,
the same crop and keep careful note of re
sults. It will certainly pay and another
year you will not need advice on the sub
; Ject for you will know from your own ex
I perlence Just what to do.
PREPARATION FOR ALFALFA.
Unless positively sure that the soli L>
sweet It Is a good plan to start the pre
paration of the soil for alfalfa by apply
ing about 500 pounds to the acre of un
slaked lime and plow under; then Inocu
late the soil by spreading broadcast over
it 500 pounds of soil from a field which has
grown good crops of alfalfa. The soil
ought then to be harrowed and re-har
rowed until one has as fine a seed bed as
he would prepare for wheat. If the soil
is rich It will be a good plan to let the
field lie for a little time, which may be
done If the work is done early in the
spring, so that the first crop of weeds will
j start and row large enough so that, with
j the harrow, they can be gotten out of the
| way before the seed alfalfa Is sown. Next
I comes the sowing of the seed and it must
be said here that the finest seed obtain
able. that which has been well cleaned and
I cleaned again Is none too good. It will be
J expensive but tt will pay. Sow this seed
| by Itself (do not mix any other seed with
it for alfalfa does not need a “nurse
crop") at the rate of 30 pounds per acre.
On rich soil the weeds are quite likely
to get the start of the alfalfa making It
necessary to clip them oft onee and per
haps twice before the alfalfa will hold Its
own; this will be tedious work but it will
pay. A field prepared and sown to alfalfa
as directed will become a permanent fix
ture on the farm nine times out of ten.
VENTILATION FOR COW STABLE.
Any dairyman who has had experiences
on both sides of the question will say
without hesitation that ventilation In the
cow stable means an added profit to the
dairy. Ventilation by no means can be
had through open windows unless they are
skillfully placed but even this plan Is
much better than the practically closed
room. While the best system of ventil
ation Is undoubtedly the one that admits
the air from the bottom, we have made
the same plan we use In the poultry
houses work very nicely. In the stable
containing 16 cows we have three of these
ventilators which are simply hollow fun
nelsa foot square running through the roof
with holes eight Inches square on the sides
at the top, and one board cut out- entirely
at the end which rests on the floor. This
board Is cut out so as to leave an opening
just a square foot. An excellent plan of
window ventilation Is that described some
weeks since with a double window, one
of glass and one of muslin, the latter to
slip over the opening when the window of
glass Is pulled aside. It Is also possible
to provide ventilation without draughts
through windows by the use of screens.
That Is, arrange a light board screen on
the side of the casing next to the cows so
that when the window Is opened the wind
may be deflected away from the animals.
As a matter of fact anyone with a little
skllt can arrange a ventilation system
which, while it may not be pretty nor
the best thing obtainable will answer the
purpose admirably. Have some sort at a
ventilating system then keep the cows and
the stables clean and one will see a de
ckled Increase in the pro-fits from the
dairy.
THE HONEY MUSKMELON.
One of the astonishing things In vege
table growing o* rather in growing vege
tables for the express purpose of supply
ing the consumer, Is the utter indiffer
ence shown by the grower to the matter
of quality. The same thing applies to
fruits. It woukl be excusable If there
were no other sorts but when there are a
dozen more or less far better than the
varieties offered it Is strange indeed they
are not grown. A family well known to
the writer was especially fond of musk
melons and bought them in large quan
tities until all that were offered them were
so poor in quality they stopped using
them, and the producer lost valuable
trade. The honey melon which has been
tested for three years past Is one of the
promising new sorts. It Is a nicely formed
melon, the skin green and the flesh a
yellowish green. The flesh la firm and
deep and of a sweet spicy flavor decidedly
pleasing to the taste. If it does as well
In general planting as on small plats, and
there is no good reason why It should not.
It will be a variety that should be exten
sively planted In all sections where the
meskmelon may be grown. It will cer
tainly please the consumer. ,
