fete in honor of a Doge of Venice a
child was covered with gilt and posed
to represent a golden angel. The child
mysteriously died. We now know why
the child died. The skin was pre
vented from "breathing;" the child's
pores were closed ,and it suffocated.
"Dry farming" consists simply in clos
ing up the earth's pores and prevent
ing the moisture from being dissipated
into the air too soon. When the mois
ture is needed the pores are opened up,
and the moisture comes to the surface
and is eagerly lapped up by the thirsty
plant roots. Very simple, isn't it?
But you may have your doubts about
the earth having pores, or about the
earth perspiring. The facts are easily
demonstrated. Spade up a bit of
ground in your back yard, rake it
smooth and then wait for a rain. After
the rain ceases and the sun 1 as shone
brightly upon the spaded spot for a
few hours, look at the soil carefully.
You will see that it is thickly perfor
ated with tiny holes. Through fhoee
holes the sub-moisture is being drawn
into the air very much like the mois
ture in the human body is drawn out
through the pores of the skin when
one is hot. Now leave these tiny holes
undisturbed for a few days, then dig
into the earth. You will find it dry
and hard several inches deep. But
just dig it up again, wait for another
rain, and then go out after the sin
has been shining brightly upon it for
a few hours. . This time, instead of
leaving the soil undisturbed, just take
a hoe and stir the surface slightly,
thus breaking up the "pores" and
forming a thin dust mulch. Then,
after three or four days, or a week,
of uncomfortably hot weather, maybe,
go out and dig down into that spaded
spot. It will be dry and dusty for a
depth of two, perhaps three, inches,
and then your hand will find warm,
moist earth just about near enough
to the surface for the plant roots of
the corn or the wheat or the kaffir to
reach it and thrive upon it.
Campbell, the man who figured this
all out, did not do it in a week, nor
in a year. It was too simple to be
figured out quickly. ' But he knew
that not all , the water that fell in
the form of ram could sink down into
the soil and be carried away to appear
in sprinks or creeks perhaps hundreds
of miles away. Some of it must of
necessity remain in the ground and
finally be carried off by radiation or
evaporation. He kept right on figur
ing and ' investigating until suddenly
he bethought himself of the human
skin with its pores and its perspira
tion.' He knew that inability to per
spire when hot meant sickness and
death. He looked carefully and saw
. . . 1 " 11J 1 A 1 .
tnose minute lime pores in me earrn
nd thfn
"Ah, I will just close up these little
holes for a time and-see what hap
pens!" he exclaimed.
He did; and a couple of weeks later
he scratched below the surface and
found moisture. Near by,' where the
pores had not been closed the earth
was aa drv an a bona ton. rfonth flint.
: t
would have discouraged the greatest
moisture seeking rootlet known to the
agricultural world. That was enough
for Campbell. He had discovered the
rudiments of "dry farming" a dis
covery that will, in time, bring mil
lions of acres into productivity. In
ether states than Nebraska and Kan
sas there are millions of acres of fer
tile land that need only intelligent
cultivation adaptation of the man to
the soil instead of the ages old
struggle to adapt the soil to the man.
Colorado has millions such acres in the
"dry belt" acres that receive enough
rainfall to make them productive if
intelligently tilled. There are millions
in Arizona and New Mexico. Other
millions are in Utah and Idaho.
The problem of feeding the world is
not a problem of finding enough fer
tile land to raise the crops the prob
lem is to rightly handle the soil; to
make the soil produce the utmost with
out in any wise exhausting it. On
these millions of acres of unproductive
oil there is room and a competence
for millions of people. They need but
to know how to work that soil and
have the ability to get upon it. i The
most successful farmer in the i United
States lives in Pawnee county, Ne
braska. So successful is this , man-
a v Swiss named Arnold Martin that
the United States Bureau of Agricul
ture has issued bulletins describing his
system and his success. A few years
ago he was a "hired hand" upon a
Nebraska farm. He saved a few dol
lars and then rented a farm. He made
a little money and saved it,' and then
bought twenty acres of the man whose
farm he had rented. The man sold
him the twenty acres because he did
not think them worth cultivating, and
imagined that he had made a good bar
gain. Upon these twenty acres of hill
land, with a clay sub-soil, Arnold Mar
tin has built fame and a modest for
tune. What he has done any other
man can do with equal industry and
equal study of soil and seed.
If the world is facing starvation it
is because the world is ignorant of its
opportunities. Less than one-half the
fertile land west of the Mississippi:
river is under cultivation, and the half
that is cultivated is not producing to
its limit nor anywhere near it. Ne
braska, which raises more bushels of
wheat per acre than any other state,
has averaged less than twenty bushels
per acre during the last ten year per
iod, and that, too, upon almost virgin
soil. England, where they have been
raising wheat on the same land tf or a
thousand years, produces upwards of
thirty bushels per acre, and the soil
is better today than ever. Nebraska
has 3,500,000 acres sown to wheat this
year, but' she has 10,000,000 acres of
unbroken land that will raise just as
much wheat per acre as any wheat
field now within her borders and the
pessimists tell us that the land is no
longer available and that the world
is facing starvation. It is false. These
croakers are birds of evil omen. They
are either ignorant of vicious or both:
There is land in plenty fertile land
capable of producing immense crops,
without costly irrigation systems. But
two things are required to bring these
lands into fruitfulness putting the
landless man on the manless land, and
teaching that man how to make the
soil produce. ' The first should interest-
the philanthropist and the social
economist; the second is the work of
the splendid agricultural colleges of
such wonderfully progressive states as
Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Minne
sota. .
Less than a quarter of a century ago
a governor of Nebraska sneered at men
who proposed irrigating land in western-Nebraska,
and said that it was
folly to. think of trying, to make the
western half of the state anything
more than a grazing country. He
lived to see the great cattle ranges dis
appear before the homesteader; to
see that once great cattle country be
come the greatest producer of alfalfa
and corn and wheat and sugar beets
in the world. Yet, strange to say, that
same country is today also raising
more cattle and hogs than it did in the
old days of the free range.
Men have simply adapted themselves
to the soil; have studied climatic con
ditions; have studied seed selection.
And in this wise will the pessimist and
the prophet of calamity be confounded.
TO BE SURE.
The master plumbers in convention
asembled in Lincoln decided that
plumbing should be taught in the uni
versity. Of course. That would make
it possible to secure plumbers at con
siderably below the present rate of
wages, but would not prevent Ihe
charging of the present rates for
plumbing work. And if plumbing,
why not everything elset Let's make
carpenters and barbers and brick
masons and printers and grocery clerks
and milliners and dressmakers and
cigarmakers at the university. Let's
turn the university into a school for
the purpose of turning out half-baked
mechanics who will beat down a wage
scale already too low. By this means
we will soon make it impossible to
maintain a university.
WHAT'S THE OUTCOME?
Let's see; isn't it about five years
since we began agitating for a high
school t And isn't it about two years
since we voted bonds for a new high
school T And haven't we endured the
present inadequate and ' unsanitary
building about long enough t And
isn't it about time we had something
better than friendly lawsuits evi
dences of a new high school, for in
stance t We've decided on the loca
tion, and we've voted the bonds.
What's the . matter with seeing some
evidences of work on a new high
school building t
Special Sale of Dresses at $9.75 and $6.75
ASSORTMENT 1 Messaline, Taffeta, Silk Mauve, Pongee
Silks and Serge Dresses, sold at $13.50 to $17.50.
Special Sale at $6.75
ASSORTMENT 2 Messaline, Taffeta and Raja Silk; also
Velvet Dresses, sold at $19.50 to $25.00, Special at $9.75
In Selecting a Skirt for spring wear you will want a good
assortment of materials and styles to pick from. See our
' line, before buying. It will please you. Our prices are
low, from $3.95 up to $7.95
Lace anofBobinet Curtains "
$2.50 up to $5.95 values, at....;.......... ...........One-Half Price
. Embroideries and Laces
This is to be a great season for laces and insertions. An
ticipating this we have gathered here a most elaborate
showing of the very newest patterns. Pure Linen Torchons,
Fine Valenciennes Laces and Dainty Swiss Embroideries.
You will become interested the moment you see them. We
cordially invite your inspection whether you are ready to
buy or not.
We offer a special value in 45-inch Flouncing, regular 75c
value, at the yard... 49c
An extra good value in a fine Embroidered Waist Front,
each : ........59c
Dress Ginghams
The well known brands of Ginghams, Red Seal and Renfrew,
in 27 and 32-inch widths, 10 to 20 yard lengths. On sale
this week, at the yard - ..8Jc
Woman's White No-Buck
Button Boots, pair $4.00
Children's White No-Buck
Button Shoes sizes S to
5, pair $1.50; sizes 5 to 8,
pair.... ...... .... S1.7&
917-021
SOME REAL SPORTING DOPE
Manager Eager of the University
athletic department has - finally suc
ceeded in making Minnesota's athletic
authorities, come across. As a result
well be privileged to see Minnesota
in action on Nebraska field in 1913. It
is only due to. Manager Eager to say
that he has more than made good in
his posit idsian Not -only has he given us
some splendid .football and basketball
dates, but he has so managed affairs
as to" put .a large wad of mazuma hi
the treasury of the athletic depart-;
ment. While other states have been
complaining about losing money, Ne
braska has laid up a sizeable sum.
Fremont has decided to stick to the
state league, which shows that Fre
mont's judgment is yet all to the
.good.
Third base is still proving a puzzle
to President Despain. He has plenty
of offers but to date he hasn't struck
one that looks quite good enough
and he will have a good one.
William Holmes is said to be ang
ling for a position as manager of a
Mink league team, with his eye on Ne
braska City.
The woods are full of base ball
"phehoms." : Every day some man
ager in the Western loop asserts that
he has just signed up a world-beater.
The trouble is that a vast majority of
these world-beaters develop into pas
timers who would find it extremely
difficult to beat an egg. But the man
ager who call pick one genuine "phe
nom" in a hundred times trying finds
his bank account enlarged to a grati
fying extent.
We are hearing less and less each
passing day about how Pueblo is go
ing to put the rollers under Isbell and
O'Neill, to say nothing of skidding
the whole WeBtern - loop into the
discard. Isbell remained silent a long
time under Pueblo's charges, but when
the old baldhead finally opened his
mouth and spake there was a scurry
ing to the tall grass. ,
What's the use talking about Tip
O'Neill putting a team in somewhere
or other? Hasn't Tipperary got a
pretty fat pair of jobst He pulls
down a fairly good sized roll of ses
terces as president of the Western,
and he also drags down quite a roll
of ducats as scout for Commy. Be-
IN THE CLOAKROOM
Strong yalues in Waists at $1.25
The showing of Washable Waists for spring and summer
. wear embraces the newest and snappy designs in high and
,". low necks. The variety of fast colored fabrics could not
be better.:, Special price of $1.50-$1.75 values, only $1.25
, ,.,tt. The Bargain List Contains
Coats, black and mixtures, 14.50 to 25.00 values,
now at-.;'...';;......, .10.00, 7.50, 6.00
Suits, 1450 to 25.00 values, now at.........:..... 9.75, 7.50, 500
Rain Coats and Capes r
5.95 to 17.60 values, now at ......One-Half Price
DRY GOODS DEPT.
0. OPPOSITE POST
sides, Tipperary has no difficulty in
getting cashed such checks as he finds
it necessary to draw. Why, then,
should he court trouble and disaster
by putting himself at the head of a
base ball team t :,, v.:,,,
s With Stratton sure behind the plate'
for the Antelopes, - with Wilkie ' Clark
ready if needed, and with Art, Kruger
thinking it over, theTbaCk " stopping de-
partment is not' giving President Des
pain any particular worry; : But, just
the same, he'd feel better; 'if Chicago
Art would send in a signed contract.
The wrestling game is losing favor
rapidly. To much backcapping among
the wrestlers, too much' evidence of
stalling, and entirely too' much evi
dence of a desire to get the public 's
money without returning an equivalent
in the way of genuine contests all
these are combining to make t"
these are combining to make the lovers
of genuine wrestling a bit wary.
"Smiling William" is using a Jot of
stamps these days. He is also adding
to the unearned increment of the
telegraph x companies by a lavish use
of the wires. AH this in an effort to
get things into shape for putting the
Antelopes at the top during the com
ing season. , William isn't laying any
claims to making a pennant winner,
but. he contents himself with saying
that the team beating Lincoln will
have a mighty good chance to cop the
flag.
Denver's atmosphere seems to breed
the art of "chewing the rag." The
base ball scribes of Tuberculosisville
are now making a holler about the
excessive mileage the Denver team
will have to cover during the season.
It is true that Denver will i have to
travel more miles than any other city
in the loop. . It is also true that the
difference in railroad fares s between
the one covering the most and the one .
covering the least will be ,less than
$400. We'd give a cookie for a photo
graph of MeGill making a holler over
a little thing like that. , !
. . . 50c Silk Fabrics, 39c
A beautiful showing of Regent Silks, Silk Dimities, Etc.; in
: plain and fancy colors. On sale now, at yard ...39c
4 r 28-Inch Percale, 7 l-2c
A new shipment of 100 pieces of 28-inch Percale, all nice
clean patterns, at, the yard............ .....7c
' Everett Shirtings
60 pieces of Everett Shirtings. Just the thing for boys'
waists, etc, mostly light patterns, tft, per yard 8Jc
" ' A '', " ; Silk Cords '''-
25 dozen of Silk Cords and Tassels, in all colors, 65 inches
long, special this week, at each ...:,.15e
15c Handkerchiefs 10c
75 dozen of Ladies' Embroidered Handkerchiefs, a good 15c
value, special this week, at, each..'.. 10c
Agents for
"Ye Old Time".
, . Comfort
Shoes and JuHeta
$1.60 and S2JS0
Pair
OEHCQ
THE WESTERN TRADER.
:.-..-?- OMAHA.; v,.--.'
,.. .
Will Haupm Weekly, Lincoln,
Nebr. Yesterday for the first
time we saw a copy of your He-.'
braska Industries number. It
impressed us as being: of great
value in advertising the various
industries . of this great state,
: and also in encouraging the
. many manufacturing concerns
now here to greater efforts in
marketing their products in
' trade territory farther distant
from Nebraska. Keep up the
good work. Nebraska manu-
factures are increasing but the
many - manuf acturing institu-
tions located within the borders
of this state need more adver-
yon are doing your part in
giving wide publicity to them
and to their, wares. . ; -
We are also glad to see the
fine write-up articles of both
Omaha and Lincoln in the same
issue of your paper. Anything'
that will add to the commercial
friendship of these two cities is
to be commended, and we are
glad that you and your Weekly
are taking part in this good
work that will redound to your
everlasting . credit and to the
benefit of Omaha, Lincoln and
the entire state.
Waning your Weekly the
greatest financial success and
extending to you personally the
compliments of the season,' we
, remain, Yours very truly,
THE WESTERN TRADES,
ZANE THOMPSON,
Associate Editor.
SK
r