OUR RURAL READERS.
OMETHINQ HERE THAT
INTEREST THEM.
WILL
urein Weevil and It Work of De
struction Device for Keeping Pool-
try Food Clean How to Iam
Stream to Secure Ice.
Grain Weevil Destruction.
In their work of destruction, grain
KeerUa devour all the grain, kernel
except the shell and gvrui. The
Vila lea ve small hobs iu the kernels and
It la often a great loss In weight which
Brut attracts the attention of the owner.
Tbe train will usually grow, t,ut from
the loss of so much nutritive material
It makes a weak growth. Several spe
cles of weevil attack cereals, hut the
inost destructive as well an the most
common is the grain or wheat weevil
shown in the illustration, lu its perfect
tate It is a slender Is-etle of a dark
reo.riMi coior, naving a long snout, it
multiplies very rapidly, several broods
C-KAIX WBfcVIL ASn t.AJiV.E.
lelng produced each yejir. The female
Insect lays her eggs on the kernels of
wheat, corn, oats or barley. The eggst
fcoou hatch Into legles larvae which
eat out the substance of the kernel aud
reach maturity In a few weeks. They
then change to pupae and soon after
ward transform Into adult beetles
which lay eggs for the succeeding
lirood. They can be destroyed by plae-
; lng carbon bisulphide In glass tulies ex
tending nearly to the bottom of a bin
of grain, and stopping the top with a
-cork or rubber stopier or some other
material which will prevent the gas es-
raping. This will cause it to pass
through the lower part of the grain and
permeate it thoroughly. It is very de
structive to insects, killing all with
which it conies in contact. A half
Iiound of carbon bisulphide is sufficient
to destroy the weevils in a ton of grain.
This chemical does not affect the color
- or smell of the grain, and does not in
jure its f of 1 properties nor does it
.appreciably affect the germinating
power of the seed. I'a nil and Home.
A Good Old Hickory Fire.
Hickory is considered the best wood
for open tires. Even-sen soned hickory
will cany fire for a long time, ami a
log of green hickory may lie buried !n
ashes at bedtime, uncovered the next
morning, and. five minutes' work of the
bellows, blown into a lively name, says
the Maryland Farmer. If covered deep
enough it will waste but little in all
the intervening hours. Oak makes a
brilliant, hot fire, but Ik ;ig less dense
than hickory, will not '.:t so long. One
hickory log four li.chcs it: diameter will
outlast perhaps twice it.-- bulk of oak.
Maple, round green In; s f the pin oak,
sassafras and three or l.mr others of
the native woods burn well, though
most of t'.i tii rapidly. It is a sin to
burn elms, but an elm butt, with part
of the root, make a lasting (ire. Tie
tulip tree is on no account to Is- used
unless nothing else Is to be had. for it
burns ill when given, goes like tinder
when dry. cml in i.rlior case snaps
great burning ennis a .van I or more lie
yond the fireplace. Whir- birch makes
a good fire. Chestnut is another of the
light, snappy woods nut 10 be depended
upon for the hearth.
For Keeping I'oiiltry Fowl Clean.
Where soft food is given fowls. It is
usually trampled upon by all the fowls
is-fore fully eaten. To avoid this,
make a shallow box and hinge to It a
cover of slats made of laths. Through
these the fowls can reach nil the food,
but cannot soil It. The same device
also be used with a smaller box
giving water. Have a Isix Just
enough to set the dish of water
SECI'ftK FKKfl BOX.
within, ami shut the slut cover down
over it. A similar device for giving
water in a way to keep the fowls out
of the water vessel, is to have a moder
ately high tsix, with shits up and down
one side. Then set ihe water dish with
in, and the fowls can drink through the
slats. The top of the box. or cover,
should 1m' sloping, to keep the fowls off
from it.
IaiM
e" .
it
Btorina Cobbae for Winter.
Iig a hole in the ground and Into if
fit a common salt barrel with earth and
Jmck It closely. Trim the heads of cab
toges. removing all loose leaves, and
pack solidly in the barrel. Cover tightly
with boards, and over the ! mrds throw
An armful of strn w. ri the straw place
few shovelfuls of earth. When a
ftead Is wanted for the lable it can be
Anally secured; This method Is prac
tfcable, as I Jiave demons! ra led from
tKirsoDfll experience.
Ia the Stable the l ear Round.
I believe the time Is coming, and is
' not very far off Indication point that
way wlin cow will not only be kept
In th stable during the winter months
r daring fly time, tart during the entire
nllk-fflvlnc period, and pushed to their
foil nparlty. '.'ontpetltlon, say the
Oruf County farmer, has done this
lor other Indostrioa, and in time wlU
do It for the dairy. There is no profit
In any business these times unless It 1
pushed to Its full cajiacity, and men
will find out, sooner or later, tliat this
applies as well to dairying as to any
other business, and they will find It
more profitable to grow such crops n
are most suitable for the cow's ueed.-i.
Tbese will be grown and delivered
her In her stall, ready for her use, la
stead of compelling her to travel from
two to ten tulles between milking times
to gather them herself, and get. In the.
same time, her ttiuch-ueedcd exercise.
Hint, on Milking.
Clean milking, with a view rf getting
all the milk at one sitting. Is of the high
est iniisirtance. and to accomplish this
ought to be rhe earnest aim of all milk
ers; no cow should be left until the last
drop ig drawn, says the Jersey Bulletin.
"Stripiring" Is. for the uiot purt, to be
avokled; it encourages a habit lu the
cow of retaining part of her milk, which
is liable to operate toward drying her
flow, and. ts-sides, it Is thought that
through ab.rprion of the milk Thus left
Into the system, the hcnltii of the cow
Is affected. The onlv good that can xk-
sibly result from the practice of strip
ping is the check It forms upon careles
milkers, where a numlrer are emploved.
and there are those of them Inclined
to slight their work. It Is much lietter
to milk the cows In a large herd thor
oughly and at one operation, but if
stripping must lie resorted to It ought
to be continue.!. ,r n actual lessening
of the milk yield, as well as probable
injuries to the milking properties of the
cow, will follow.
Ventilation of Barns.
There have been noted manv cases of
bams without cellars when finished ti
tight, where the roofs load.nl up with
frost during protracted cold weather
to such extent as to work serious dam
age later to th- hay stored beneath.
says ihe Maine Farmer. Tbe stock are
continually throwing off moisture.
which at once rises to the highest point.
and finding no means of escape freezes
to the cold roof, and there accumulates
till a thaw, when it melts and falls on
the hay below. The barn cellar niav In-
rease the amount in small measure.
but Is not the prime cause. The remedv
Is obvious--give rhe moist air a ohance
to escajre, or dry It out bv a draft of air
through the barn loft, both of which
processes are covered In rhe one word -ventilation.
A ventilator on the roof
corrects Ihe difficulty at once.
Damming a Stream to Srcur- Ice.
There are hundreds of farms through
which small streams flow. These could
easily be dammed ami a supply of ice
obtained that would lie a great source
of comfort during the hot summer
mouths. Judgment must Is- exercised
In selecting a place where the b-avt
height of dam will How the largest
1?
e
inkxi'kxmve wr. ro.sp.
space. Itrive down stakes and prop
them against the current. Then Isiard
against the stakes, and caulk the
cracks. One could hardly get so much
benefit for so little labor as In this
way of si-curing a supply of Ice for
family use. American Agriculturist,
Clubfoot in Cabliatrea.
For club root, or foot, as it is various
ly caueti, in catmges. turnips, etc.. no
remedy or sure prevention has yet been
discovered save rtrict rotation. Never
plant cabbages or any other member of
the same family twice on the same land
eXcep; H 1m ill old gardens or in calcare
ous soils. The New Jersey Kxperinieiital
Station says that In its experiments
air-slacked stone lime gave sufficient
evidence of Its Usefulness as a preven
tive of club-root of itirnljis to warrant
if being recommended for flint purjsise.
But no less than seventy-five bushels
should le applied per acre, and at least
three months previous to the time of
planting. The soil on which these ex
periments were made was probably. a
light sandy loam. Cndoubtedly, even
a small quantity of lime would answer
for s.ime other soils.
Tester for Small Hairr.
Hoard's Dairyman states emphatical
ly that It will certainly pav a man
who keeps only three or four cows to
know what each cow Is doing. If lie
cannot otherwise conveniently get hU
milk tested, say. twice a month. It will
pay him to own a Halwock fester and
spring scales or balances. The small
testers, especially those running with
gears, are us"lly quite accurate. It
Is sometimes necessary to "whirl' the
Isittles a minute or two longer In the
smaller machines. Weigh the milk giv
en by each cow at every milking, test
two or three times each month, and If
you do not find It necessary ta dispose
of one or two cow, your case will Is
one of the rare exceptions to the gen
eral rule. A four-lsittle tester suffices
for a small dairy.
Fronts In Poultry.
Ioti'f go Into the chicken business
largely unless you have sufficient capi
tal to run it rlg'tit. 1'roflU on paper are
very deceptive. If you have hens that
pay you a profit of $1 each slmve ex-IM-nses,
you are doing finely. One of
the mst delusive things ami easy to
figure large profits on in the Kultry
business. Vet, It does pay aorne people
a good profit.
Have More Trees to tbe Acre.
1'lant more tree to the acre, and
plant muressrlve orchards. Ret apple
tree thirty feet apart, and clean out
old ones, hiving new onea coming; on
ail tne time. The W fruit ta crown
from young tree.
ONE VALENTINE.
1 remember bow lovely abe via,
1 remember It clearly, because
There are auuie ibiugs ooe ran not forget.
I lur by (be blue of ber eye.
1 measured ber love by luy slgha.
And I mlgtic bar been doluj it yet,
. J 1-1 it not breu for Salut Valeuttne
A expressed iu her wishes aud ml tie.
lu a manner 1 did not eipecL
I sent bet the beat 1 could buy;
A twenty it coat tbey come blab
I mean Due ones. Imported direct.
I aeut ber the dear valcutiue,
"To oue dearer. 1 hoped to be mine."
j Then I mailed to get oue from ber,
I Aud 1 gut oue no fate could prevent
Sue aeut back tbe one tbat 1 sent,
I With an uuklud aud empbatic "No. air!"
1 remember bow costly it via,
, 1 remember It clearly, because
j Tbere are some thing one cannot forget.
SOME JOLLY VALENTINES.
Theae Will Occasion Much Pleasure,
specially to Little hoiks.
Though the oid-liuie seutiinenlal obaerv
auce of St. aleutiue's Hay has lapsed
luto "innocuous desuetude," it is still th
occasion of much pleasure and mirth. Lit
tie people, especially, eujoy tbe mystery
of the season and the pleasant myatin
cation of their playfellows, and if the
hutuor indulged iu is of a kindly nature.
and not s personal as to wound, happy
henna can enjoy a very gay time.
An evening can be very merrily pasted
r T-.-)rr
Jto. 1.
in making the humorous valentines which
are here illustrated. Tbe materials are
very simple; some rough water color paper
or thin cardUiard, crepe tissue paper of
row ribbon, a sheet of celluloid and some
clothes pins, pewter spoons, a little nar
row ribbon ,a sheet of celluloid and some
NO. 2.
pi
of red cloth or flaunel are ill that ia
nee
?eAV-d
For No. 1 a piece of cardlsiard or water
color paper, a little more than twice the
length of a pipe stem and 4 inches wide,
is folded double, and a hole large enough
to thrust the pipe stem throuch is cut in
the center of the fold. The stem is hel l in
place by a strip of while paper pasted ovr
it od tne front fold. Faint as irmtesnno
face on the pipe as you please: fanrv
may have full play here. Cslher mi iueh
wide strip of red tissue pit per into the
form .of a but brim and paste on the ton
of the head; the trimming and crown are
made of a very narrow strip of the paper
put on in hsips. A frill of the tissue pith-r
NO. 3.
forms a collar round the neck, and a tiny
how finishes it ia front. The lettering
on all the valentines may be done iu car
mine ink, iu water colors or with gold
pain t.
t or No. J, "ti case of sssins." a card 7
inches square is needed. Faint the "old
man in the moon" with a thin wash of
yellow ochre on a pale, cloudy blue
ground; two bright pewter spisins have
grotesque faces painted in the howls, and
are tied on the card with bows of bright
ribbon, Faste a narrow strip of the same
cardboard on (he back of the card to sup
port it tike an easel.
The heart-shaped cards (Xos. 3 and -I)
may he from 5 to 7 inches long, and
should have a strip of card pasted on the
hack lo ii,ort them. Cut a small heart
shaped piece of red flannel, aal
the shoe sole from a bit of
kid, and past on No. 8, doing
the lettxrlng wilb gold paint or carmine
ink. No. 4 ii decorated entirely with th
ren or a brush, though a piece of a paste
board meainre con Id be pasted on Instead
4 drawing if.
Vo. 9, the cloth pia carl, ia od of th
li m tl M je - -
I life's S'PH $
MO. 4.
PORTRAIT OF LINCOLN AS A RAIL-SPLITTER
I fJ" '-t S is, V VieO-fc 1 fcV
The portrait of Abraham Lincoln guru
herewith has a State reputation iu In
diana. It is called the "Justice" picture.
from the mime of its owner, James M.
Juslii-e. Mr. Justice died at his home iu
Iognnnport. Ind., in ls.su, and the Hrtrait
was left by will to his dauirhlera. Mrs.
A. 0. I'atterson and Miss Maibelle Jus
tice, who now reside in Chicago. Mr.
Justice's death was sudden ami he left
no written record of the history of the
picture. Its present owners say it was
painted in l,Sio and was carried as a ban
ner through the campaign of that year.
it is about (5x10 feet, and the figure of
Lincoln is a little larger than life sire. It
was attached to a pole and not stretched.
The name of the artist is iirpnosed to be
most amusing. A face must be painted
upon tile head of the pin. and a bit of
grayish wool is pasted on the top for
bair; make a hat of pink crepe paper,
and wrap a piece of the pnner around the
tin for a gow n. The arms are cut from .1
trip of paper or cardboard ljke the card
iipou which it is to Is- mounted. I ante
the sirip on the back, and cut tlnv hearts
mt of red cloth or flannel and fasten willi
paste on the ends of the arms. The card
should lie alioiit 5 inches by 7; and when
the lettering ia done the clothes pin doll is
-NO. 5.
.isicii.d .in th,. card, with a bit of white
ribbon lied as a sash in frout.
No. ;. the card with the inscription. "A
oken of sentiment." is made of a niece of
Moid inches long bv l!Vi w ide A
bright, new cent is fastened on near .tic
enter with glue, ami a wreath of purple
violets is painted around it. The lettering 1
is done with gold paint, and the edge of
the card is rut in fine saw teeth.
jo any ingenious young folk cnrrving
. ...
out these suggestions an infinite numb"'
.r . - .
oi wnjs i.ir varying, ciiarigmg ami ex
pnniling them will occur; and the results
Ml. fl.
of an evening's work will tery probably
be quite a pleasant surprise to the work
ers. llemorest's Monthly.
A Valentine.
I'll build a house of lollypops
Just suited. Sweetheart, to your taate;
The windows shall be lemon-drops
Tbe doors shall Ire of Jujube paste
Helgh-bo. If you'll be mine!
With peppermints I'll pave the walks;
A little gardeu, too. I'll sow
With seeds that scud up sugared stalks
On which the candied violets grow
llelgh bo, my Vslentlue!
Rome seals of sassafras I'll make
Iieeaiise I know you think It's nice;
The cushions shall Ire Jelly cake,
Laced all around w ith lemon ice
Heigh bo. If you'll Ire mine!
We'll have a party every day.
And feast on cream aud liouyder:
And thmigh you're only six, we ll play
That I am Just ss young ss you
Heigh bo, my Valeutlue!
St. Nicholas.
A Horrible Superstition.
Alsiut a month ago, while the native
of Kleili-Iiataiiga, lu Die German js.s
session, in Africa, were assembled at a
dance, two negroes sneaked Info oue of
the huts, stole a small child, carried her
Into the bush and there murdered her
that they might prepare from her skin
a charm against attack from leopards.
The mother did not rest until ihe had
ferreted out the murderers, and they
are now very dead men.
Idleness I ernptlneaa; the tree In
which aap i stagnant remain fruitless.
Mitt
1. 1 IP
t numbers, and he is said to hn-.e been
Lincoln's htkoiiI friend. James M. Jus
tice first saw it during the war. when it
was carried by a regiment of Imliiiua vol
unteers in which he had enlisted. It was
twice captured mid recaptured. It wn
captured a third time, and Mr. Justin
lost track of it for several yearn. He wn
determined to get it, however, and finally
found it after (he war in an old warehouse
in (Jeorgia among the effects of man
who had lecti killed in battle. Mr. Jus
tice restored it, had it framed, anil gav.
it the place of honor in his law office in
Moiiticello, I lid. Iter he moved to I,o
g.inaisirt, Ind., where the picture remain
ed until recently. It has been in the Jus
tice family for twenty-six years.
AT THE LINCOLN MONUMENT.
(Hemlnlsrenres of tue Hon. Jnmes I'ettl-
grew. of Cnlhouu County, Illinois)
Aire Lincoln? Willi, I Teckou: uot a mile
Coin where we be.
Itlcht here In Kprlugnel', Illinois. Aire used
to room with me.
He represented Kaiigrunon, I tried It frr
t ulhoiin,
An' me an' Ale wis cronies then; I'll not
fr rglt It Kjoii.
I'll not forget them happy dsys we used to
sort o' hrit.ii
Together lii a little room tlist dldn' he nn
latch
To keep the other fellers out that liked to
cine slid stay.
An' lienr 'lo in drisicd funny thli:f Aire bin
coin li-.) t any.
Them days Ahe blu.-oln an' myself was pore
ss any i h log.
Job's turkey wiisn' porer; but we used lo
isff snd sing.
An' Abe wss clean sliuek full of fun; Irul
he was shdrp ss tnr-ks.
Ker linn there omle face o' hls'n wan fort I
UcU Willi fuc s.
Kouie fellers used to laugh at Aire because
his Imh.Is aud pants
Appeared to he on distant terms, hut when
he'd Kit n chance
He'd glie 'em si- li a druhbln' tjiat they'd
clean fergll his looks,
rer Al e made up In cninnion sense the things
he In. kr .l lu h.roks.
M ull, nex' election I got beat, su' Abe conn
ha.-k jrloni-;
I sep' s llnklii' on the fiirui, penldin' fer
my own.
Von sec. I had a woman an' two twins lli.it
called lue paw.
An" Abe he kep' a-clliikln- too. at
I"
I didn't hear much more of Abe
out tlu-r
In ole Calhoun,
Ker 1 was out of politics an' kind
tune
roil li
'ilh llidies that happened, but way
bark C,
ii.'iio. u n, y t o t it lu boys
"lie Abraham, one Lincoln; ttued i.-ui.i i,
iHJIiolse!
Wull, here one .lay 1 read that Abe
tbe candidate
i My old friend Abel fer President
Nlliohg
I hese
I lilted Slates;
An' though I bad Ihe rheuinallx an" felt run
dott u snd blue
I entered polities again an' helped to pull
blur through.
An" when nex' spring he called fer men to
fet. li their gill an' guns
An' keep the Ship o' State afloat, I s.rit
li I in both my sous.
An' would a' gone myself an' loved lo maUe
JI..Jtlx''Mr:NT AT
tbe bullets wlili
F It hsdn' tieen 1 c-.jiiI.Iii'
wslk c.-ouiit b'
rheiimatlt.
Wull, Abe, my little a he, 1 mean, he start
ed nut srlth tiranf
They burled bin at Hhlloh. Ricise me. I...)
Help feellh' fattier tike, you know, fer them
was likely tsiya,
Tbe' wasn't l aicrtlu-r seen that went
f U1U IllillirilM-.
An' l.lu.olu. ury arm Lincoln, b went oa try
hlsself
A fTlciiri' fer his brother Aba liiey istd
upon the shelf.
An' when he coin tu Vl. ksburg be was all
thrushed out an' si. k ;
Au' yli. when there aas Bhtln'. Link Bt
riKlil lu the Hoik
tine miiiit afore Iheui rebel guns my pore
ts.y went tu sleep
iru n. ket ib-.lr. no. sir. 'tslu't ths shams
lust norkes tne seep,
It's how Abe l.liiMrln, ITesideut, at Wash
ington, li C,
Had tune l.r rlculieik tbe days he used to
room 'lib iue.
Ker don't you know I wrote to biiu they'd
scnfeic-ed to be shot
His naioesiike. I.lrirolu i'ettlgrew. In shams
to die and rot;
The son o' his ole crony, sn' the last o tbs
tnlu troys
lie used lo plague nis so about at Spring
tier, llliouise.
Irld bet did Abe wull. now, be sent a tele
graph so ipil. k
It burnt them Is.tties on the poles su' oisde
the ligtitulu' sl'k!
"i'srdon for l.lu.olu I'rttlgrew. A. Lincoln,
president."
Tbe boy has got that paper ylt, tbe tele
graph Abe scut.
I guess I knotted Aire LIdcoIuI an' Dow I ts
come d" n here,
r'lrs' time I'e been lu Sprlugflei' for nearly
sixty year.
To see ins grate sn' touihstoliea, becsuee
because, yno see,
We legislated In caliuots, Abe Lincoln did,
an' me.
Koherlua I. Ixrte. lu New York Hun.
HOUSE WHERE LINCOLN LIVED.
For Many Veara a ntarine Vialtrd by
J liousunds of l'atrlota.
The I.iiicolu homestead stands on the
northeast corner of Light h and Jacksuu
streets, Springfield, 111. Mr. Lincoln
bought it iu lspj. Jt was then a story
ml a half house, but subsequently raised
to two stories. It is a plain frame struc
ture and contains twelve rooms. Mr. In
colii lived there fifteen years; in fact, un
til he departed for Washington on the
Il'lh of February, lht'd. to lake the 1'reai
il. iitiiil chair. A family !y the name of
Tiitou occupied the house during the war,
ai d in those four years tSTr.lKHi people vis
ited the house, rilnce then hundreds of
thousands hate passed iu and out of its
door. These included men and women
representing every clviliied nation of the
earth, and suine of the barbarous ones.
W. for that matter. Some years ago
John I'hilip Sousa, then the leader of the
Marine Hand, gave a maiinee in Spring
field. At the conclusion of the erfortii
nnce he frsik his hand, sixty five pieces
in nil, over to the Lincoln mansion. After
appropriate music every meiiilrcr of this
famous Is-d) of musicians made his sig
nature on tin' register Urok. The ocr-ssion
attracted an immense crowd, and numer
ous and prominent speeches were made
i.y citizens of note. Soiisa held a special
train two hours to accomplish this, he and
his men regarding it a slight test Lmoniif!
I UK .IN ot
IHMK. ftTKINfiriKLD.
which they held Mr,
of
tile respect in
coin's memory.
FAREWELL TO HIS FRIENDS.
Lincoln's Lust Words to Ilia Neigh
bors Hcfore Iicpurtlnu.
Win n Abraham Lincoln left Springfield
I'cli. II, lsill, to assume Ins duties and
e.poiisibilities as President of the
on, a great crowd of people assembled
.1 tin- railway station lo bid him good by.
. Ie was overcome Willi emotion ami he
i ... ceded to say a few Moid to the people
l.o s!o... closely packed urouiid. It
.as li,.- last nil. raiue of tins grand man
to Ins neighbors mid friends, lie a): i,
"My I'm ii. Is: No one, not in my poi
:ion, can appreciate the sa.lin-ss 1 feel at
tins parting. To Ihis people J ,n,t.
I 1 "in. Here I have lived mr(. ti1MII
a quarii r of a century; here n,y children
were horn, and here one of them In s bur
ied. I know- not how soon I shn ,. y(m
again. A duty dctoltcs upon me which
is pci Imps greater than that which ha
devolved iisiii any other man since the
days of Washington. He never would
have succeeded except l,y the aid of livinB
rrovidence. iism which he at all times
relied. I feci that I cannot succeed with
out the s:ime divine aid which sustained
KPniNC.FJBU, JJ
him, and on tbe same Almigbly lir!.lf I
Plee my reli.nc. for ,p1M)rti 0 , l1
JU. m, friends, will prsy',n ?
receive that dlvln. .Ml..Dr, w Z '
which I cannot Mccee.1 vs.., . .w "f?"'
sure... I. ""lea
I
x II
Aia I bid yog ,
i