fTKSVI L1 rlLt3 TJT '"V w
CHAPTER XXI. tContiime.i l
She bad said all that she bad intended;
and even if she had contemplated any
further innuendoes it would have been im
possible to speak tlu-ni then, for the door
opened and Elaine entered.
She half sat, half knelt on the fender
stool, and held out her hand to the blaze;
Mr. Bowyer watched her with something
of the old tenderness and concern. Would
he doubt her and disbelieve her as he ha 1
before? Hi! thought not; and yet even in
hi thought he did not feel cjuite sure of
Bim-u'lf.
"Stall I fetch you a eup of tea?" asked
Mr, l'riolo. breaking into his reverie.
"Ellen will bring it to me to-day won't
yon. hud?"
She sprung up eagerly to do hi bid
ding, but Mrs. Priolo blocked the door
way and prevented her from going out.
"You have forgotten," she said, mean
ingly. "It is I who prepare everything
for Mr. Bowyer now."
Ellen flushed up ami hesitated, but the
Invalid enforeed hi wish with a testi
nes whieh neither could disregard.
It was getting dark and past the usual
time for bringing iu the lamp when she
rose to put the tea things by. She was
taking Mr. Bowyer's cup with the rest,
when suddenly she discovered that it was
un tasted untouched even.
"Why," she began, then suddenly stop
ped. It ame upon her in a moment, with a
terrible stunning force, what it ail
meant; and, utterly despairing, ineapable
of self-defense or even indignation, she
stood there powerless and ioechles.
Then .lane entered with the light, ami
the (!! was broken. Hastily putting
down the cup. which half unconsciously
she held ;:!!, she escancd from the room,
and did not appear again that night.
C ' CHAI'TEU XXII.
Varo-tr luo'Jve had kept Severn from
the Iower iioiise during the fortnight
which had elapsed since Mr. Bowyer's
misadventure.
Knowing that his own inexperience
alight injure raihcr than serve her inter
est. b iiad telegraphed for professional
aid. and a very smart detective was sent
down in answer to the summons. He set
te.'vl'k al once, but it was only after sev
eral faise scents that at last a r port was
submitted to the tVonel which showed
that he wa on the right track.
Colonel Severn sat down at once to
rmparf the cheering in ns to Elaine. Of
Iter iliti'ss he had heard nothing. Some
intuitive presentiment of what was even
then occurring prompted him to add a
postcript :
"u no account take any decisive step
without informing me. I know your po
sition must be a very paijiful one; but
bear it oniy a little longer. Do not, I im
plore you. be tempted a second time 10
run away from your difiicnlrie, for I am
confident that in a very short time all will
be e'eared up."
Then something else occurred which,
as one nail drives out another, made her
forget the cause she already had to fed
aggrieved.
Mr. Bowyer had been writing several
tetters lately to his bankers and to a legal
firm that Colonel Severn had recommend
ed to him some time before; therefore,
when one morning a fly drove up to the
door and a gentleman alighted, followed
by a young man in plain black clothes
who carried a mysterious looking blue
bag. Mrs. Priolo felt no doubt concerning
who thi y were and on what business they
had come.
They remained closeted w it.Ii the invalid
for some time; then a servant was sum
moned from downstairs to affix her signa
ture to a document that she had no hesi
tation in pronouncing to be a will.
The housekeeper waa in a state of al
Hiost unbearable suspense. Then a bed
rang, and Jane ran up to answer it.
Homing down presently with the startling
intelligence that Mrs. l'riolo and .Miss
Warde were both requested to join the
Sentiemen in the sitting room.
The lawyer looked from one to the other,
trying to solve the problem of the strange
task with which he had been intrusted.
Since lie had seen Elaine it seemed hard
er than ever to perform, and he glanced
at her apologetically.
"It is Mr. Bowyer's wish that 1 should
Inform you of of something he has done
this morning. You will. 1 hoie. do me
the justice to remember that I am feting
under instructions."
"Whatever it may lie, we shall not
blame yon," Elaine assured bim, in her
low. clear tones.
"Then I will proceed at once to business.
Mr. Bowyer made a will some months
ago, leaving half his fortune to Mrs. Mar
tha Priolo, hi sister-in-law, and half to
Miss Ellen Warde no relative, I believe,
kmt adopted by him about two years ago.
Thi morning he has made a codicil to
that will, not revoking it, but making its
aslasinistratlon subject to a certain pro-riston-a
provision strange, unaccounta
ble. The money is forfeited by both, and
C to different charities, should Mr.
wyer not die a natural death. It la
atterly abaurd, of conrac a monomania,
I afconld any; bat you understand I am
kssiad M repeat to you the terms of the
vM, according to my client's desire."
Leoklntf ap, his fane Brat encountered
Hn, Priolo, and so crest-fallen was her
gan and so evil the expression of her
fee, thatt be felt that hie clieat'a
ness was not without method after ail
that this woman might be capable of any
villuiny.
Then his eye rested on Ellen Warde.
She was very pale while her downcast
eves and troubled, trembling mouth spoke
plainly of the pain that she felt. Just
such a look of woe and resignation ha i
he seen iu pictures of martyred aint;
and all his sympathv was roused on her
behalf.
"I am more grieved than I can say to
be the bearer of such a message. No one
could imagine for a moment that any as
persiou was cast on you," he protested
earnestly, but shrunk back appalled a,
with a slirh-d cry, she rose ami passed
him to leave the room.
CHAPTEH XXIII.
Mr. Bowyer. cowering over the lire in
his bedroom, half proud and half asham
ed of bis scheme for self-protection, was
waiting anxiously to hear what effect it
had had uiri the two most concerned,
when a knock came at the door and his
ward entered.
"What what do you want?" he asked,
in evident perturbation.
"May I M"ak to you a moment?" she
said, iinietly.
''I am at your disxsal, of course."
"We have just been informed of your
intention of leaving your fortune in two
equal parts, one of which is to come to
me."
'Remember the circumstances in which
I adopted you, and that I consider my
self answerable for your future fate.
And. Elaine, make some allowance for
my broken health, snd and the experi
ence J have passed through lately."
"I am not blaming you. I bare never
blamed you."
"But you look at me with those large
sorrowful eyes of yours, and make me
teel a perfect brute. I am one, I be
lieve." "You are all goodness. Yon have been
far kinder to me than I deserve or wish,
but I want to tell you that I can no long
er accept that kindness, and must seek
another home, unless "
"I'nles I cam-el the codicil of rny will?"
She shook her head impatiently.
"You have a right to make whatever
provisions you think best you have a
right to do what you please with your
own; but money should go as a blessing,
not as a curse. It is a cruel gift, if an
unwelcome one."
"What do you mean?"
"I want you to erase my name from
your will absolutely and forever."
He stared at her in undisguised amaze
ment. Was this acting or reality? Yet
something in her attitude impressed him
against bis wiil.
"That is a strange request. Why do
yon urge it?"
"Because it is only o that I can re
main with yon at all. The gratitude and
love I owe you prevent my reseating any
unjust suspicion yon may harbor, the
good you have done me far outbalancing
the evil; but don't you understand that
such patience is incompatible with dig
nity and self-respect if in the end 1 am
to gaiu by it?"
"And if 1 refuse?"
"Then I will leave your house at once."
Mr. Bowyer looked thoughtfully into
the tire and pondered the matter for fully
five minute without speaking.
"Can you throw any light upon upon
that painful business the arsenic you
know?"
"I know nothing almut it beyond the
mere fact that I aw Mrs, Priolo place it
quite out of the way in the morning, and
Ibat in the afternoon I took the milk and
tea and sugar from the usual daces."
Eor a miuute or two he waited, listen
ing eagerly for some protestation of inno
cence, strongly inclined to believe in it
were it forthcoming, though his mood
might change when pressure was again
brought to bear upon bim. Perhaps
Elaine guessed that, even were shp to con
vince him. it would have merely a transi
tory effect. At sny rate, he remained
mute.
"I will think it over snd let yon know,"
he said. "I am not sure whether I have
the right to leave you utterly unprovided
for destitute, in fact." .-
"If I do not complain, surely no one
else has the right to do so."
"Well, I will see I will see. If yon
meet Mr. Lerison, will you ask him to
come to nie for a moment?"
She bowed her head iu assent. The
tear were in her eyes, and her mouth
still trembled, as, going round the corner
of the stairs, she encountered the lawyer
coming up.
".Mr. Bowyer wishes to speak to you,"
she said.
"You have been with bim?"
"Yes." A sudden impulse moved her
to confide in him and seek bis aid. "I
have been asking him to leave my name
out of his will altogether," she said,
speaking very rapidly to conceal the tre
mor in her voice. "I do not want his
money; and will yon try to persuade him
that It would be bestowed more Judiciously
and received more gratefully elsewhere?
I do not car far money. It is no deprive
tloa ta me at all. Never having possessed
a fort, I shall sever mlsa it."
"I tsaat aaatad ran. however, that
there la a great differ between the
comfort yea aajejr at present and abso
lata penary."
"I dare say," he returned, indifferent
ly; "but 1 ui not afraid of being our.
That a thing are bow seem a uiiuor
evil."
"But things, I hope, will not always he
a they are now; and. Mis Warde. will
you remember that 1 will do anything 1
can for you? If you want rue. telegrapri
at any time, and I will eonie at once to
right the wrong that is beirig doue you
now."
She looked up at him gratefully, lu?r
heart too full for speech, then passed on
her way down tair, while the lawyer
proceeded to Mr. Bowyer'a room.
CHAPTER XXIV.
It wa Sunday afternoon, and through
out the bouse reigned that strange still
ness w hich i suggestive of and insepara
bie from the day. The servauta had
walked over to Ureathaveu to church, and
no on wa iu the kitchen except Mrs.
Priolo. who dozed before the 6re. Life
seemed Very pleasaut to the housekeeper
just theu. All her schemes had succeed
ed. A new will was made, iu which Mrs.
Priolo was nominated sole legatee. A
ring at the front door roused her, and she
ran upstairs.
It wa Colonel Severn; and with a bland
mile she wa ushering him into the sit
ting room,, when he stopped her peremp
torily. "It is you I wish to see. Where isd I
speak to you undisturbed ?"
A little startled, yet too secure in her
own jnitj to be actually alarmed, ahe
led the Colonel to the kitchen, the tire
being out iu her own room.
"Well, sir, what can I do for you?" she
asked, somen hat defiantly, having dust
ed a chair and placed it for hitu.
"Some time ago Mr. Bowyer took some
poison given him in a cup of tea."
"Made and gwen by Miss Ellen
Warde," put in the housekeeper, quickly.
"So far you are correct; but one fact
you have withheld-that the poison was
placed in the sugar basin by you."
The woman hail turned ashy white, and
clutched the table for support, yet, over
come as she was, she made a desperate
effort to defend herself.
"It is false false, I tell you!" she gasp
ed, convulsively.
"It is true-perfectly true and you
know it!" he retorted, calmly. "Shall I
go on '!"
"You can say what you choose; I have
no oue to protect me. or you would not
dare to attack uie o."
"It is useless to deny anything I say.
You have proofs to fight against not
mere idle accusation. When Mr. Bowyer
waa so ill that you supposed him dying,
you gave him a tumbler of what you as
serted to be hot brandy and water; but
the cook noticed that there was no smell
of spirits, ami tasted what a left. It
was merely hot water and salt, which you
gave him as an emetic."
"It saved his life"-doggedly.
"At that time no one knew that he was
(i-iisoned. so that your acting on that
knowledge alone would condemn you in
any court of justice."
"It was because 1 suspected ber."
Hush!" sternly. "Such prevarica
tions aud denials do no good. Further,
yon were seen immediately afterward
to go and empty the contents of tile sugar
basin and put fresh sugar into it. Are
yon satisfied now that I know all? A
detei-tiie has been here ever since, and,
connecting several incident, each insig
nificant in Itself, but incontrovertible w hen
taken w ith the rest, hag the whole chain of
evidence against you complete. He is
here now to act un any iustruccions that
Mr. Bowyer may give him."
The woman fell ujmju her knees with a
sob. and covered her face with her dress.
"On my honor, sir, I never meant to
do him any harm I swear it!" she pro
tested. "I only wanted to frighten bim.
to to "
"To throw suspicion on to Miss Warde.
1 know that, too. That in itself i a
criminal offense. I also happen to be
aware of the conversation between you
and the chemist of whom you purchased
the poison."
She g:tzed a' hitu iu speechless, hopcics
amazement: and he went on remorseless
ly, feeling that every blow he struck was
only avenging a slight part of the pain
she had caused to the woman he loved.
Alarmed by the gravity of his manner
as much as by hi words. Mrs. Priolo
could not restrain a shrill scream. The
sound arrested the attention (,f Eiicn
Warde, who happened to be on the higher
flight of stairs. She thought some one
wa hurt, and ran down at once to see;
but ahe started ba.-k iu uncontrollable
aurprise, a ahe saw the Colonel standing
there in an atriiude of denunciation and
Mr. Priolo in tears.
"We have solved the mystery of the
arsenic more fully aud circumstantially
than I had ever hoped," announced fuj.
Severn. This wretched woman placed
the poison iu the sugar basin with the
deliberate intention of throwing the guilt
upon you."
Ellen looked from one to the other in
breathless agitation. Her delight at being
exonerated for the time overwhelmed
the feeling of disgusted horror. Present
ly ahe said:
"Does Mr. Bowyer know? Have you
told him?"
"No; but I will do so now."
The hotisekeeper Jumped up and caught
hold of Ellen's soft black gown.
"If he does. I will tell all I know!" she
hissed out spitefully, as a last desperate
chance of escape.
Severn did not hear the threat, it hsv
ing been uttered in a whisper, and was
at the door almost on the tbreehold
when a slight touch upon his sleeve
brought him bsrk at once,
"Must you is It absolutely necessary to
let Mr. Bowyer know w hat she has done?'
. could not do otherwise; it is due to
him and, what is more, to yourself."
"But if I wsive my right?" looking
earnestly into his face.
"Why should you spsre her? Has she
ever spared you?"
"It is not that; it is not from soy feel
ing of magnanimity or mercy," she mur
mured, in a low abashed voice. "It is
from fear. She can injure meoh. more
fatally than you can imagine possible!
if she I driven to desperation."
"Hut sorely you don't wish her to go
scot free, so inst if she chooses she nisy
lie at liberty to continue her cruel schemes
sgainat you!"
The housekeeper had been hanging anx
iously on every word in their low-toned
conversation. Her fate a well as Elaine's
was trembling in the bslsnce they would
stand or fall together.
She held up her head aud stood up
right again, feeling that, with Elaine
Warde to back her op, ahe might dictate
her own terms.
"There ia a middle course. Miss Warde
shall lie exonerated completely if you will
let me do It In my own way; and I prom
ise I will never try to injure ber again. I
will write a full confession, of my action
iu the matter of the renic, and Mies
tv'arde shad make useof it if ever she bss
reason to complain. Secret for secret; are
iia!l Ue quit theu, auj neither free to
harm the jtlo-r."
'oi. Severn looked displeased. It jarred
upon hiiu to hesr this woman claim an
-ijujlity w ith Eisineou such a score. Mrs.
. nolo a. oa:n fti-oed pen, ink and paper,
aud -t :.nit fulfilling her part of the
contra -l, the Colonel standing over her
and iusis'iLg on a full confession of the
motives that had moved her s well a an
a iuiis:on of the actual deed couimjtted.
When it in written and signed he put it
into hi pock,.
'l.'l. O" explained to Mr.
Prwio, "to Mr. Levison to-night, and I
hall give him minu'e iustrictioii a to
when and under what coudi'ion he may
use it. S Jong as y.vj do your duty to
your employer and do no harass Mis
Warde in any way. you w :!! be as safe a
though you had never wr;ten it."
A few iiiinufe later he icf ! ; .ind Elaine
repaired with a be.ihtig heart in the sit
ting room.
Sile opened the d.Hir. atl i is stl.' lid so
Mrs. Priolo bn;hed pas- hr !ias';ly and
went out.
That she had .lone t'.i .ro':g!ily what she
had undertaken to do there was n j doubt
from the reception that Elaine r. ved.
Weak as he was. Mr. Bowyer rose from
hi chair, and tottered forward t meet
eer with outstretched anus. She was his
daughter now indeed, and ail the dearer
for the estrangement thar there had been
betwepn them. No suspicion would ever
sunder them again.
CHAPTER XXV.
It was a V.-ry different Elaine, radiant
as well as lovely, rhat a'ood before (leorge
Severn a week later. But the light faded
somewhat from her face as he told her
how long it must be before they met
again.
It appeared th.it he ii i l invested ome
of his savini; in house and mortgages ou
house" iii India. nn,l that now. i being ad
visable for him to transfer it to his ac
count at home. 3jrt presence was abso
lutely needed there,
"1 don't want to go m file very least,"
he said, dolefully. - was heartily si.-k
of India before 1 left."
"Will Mr. Severn go with you?"
"He j r-oiuitig here to study wifh hi
tutor. Yon will be kind to him, ivili you
not. while he is at the Abbey?"
"I'aniiliarily may brew! contempt"
blushing brightly.
"Not in your case. But he is very
young, and perhaps, if he sees there is
no hope "
"He knows rhat now. He is very
young, as you say; of course htt will grow
wiser and forget."
"And you are quite happy now?" he
asked, gazing searchingly into hr face,
"As happy as I shall ever be. I i-an'
tell you bow good Mr. Bowyer is to rue,
how penitent for his doubt. I really be
lieve" smiling - "he has gone to the oppo
site extreme, and suspects m now of be
ing perfect."
"Anil Mr. Priolo does she kfep her
promise ?"
"Most faifhfnlly. When she is rvbiige.)
to spca to lit e she dors so wi?ii c'vi.'n ;
but she avoids me as much a pos;!f!c.
and that please me best."
"I wish," said Col. Severn presently,
"that you had some friend, some woman
friend, in whom yon could confide, who
could give you the help of sympathy .it
least. There is Miss KesthertoneI
know you would like her if yon knew her.
But it is time that I wa going. I must
sny good -by."
She looked up. startled and disturbed.
In the last supreme moment of th- r part
ing no disguise seemed possible; and.
as her eyes met hi, each read in the
nrher' the whole truth. Such a yearn
ing, grieving expression crossed her face
that it caused almost superhuman reso
lution on Severn's part not to take her in
his arms and console her with a promise
of a happier future.
"We will mis you very much," she
said, gravely.
It was impossible to pretend indiffer
ence. Sorely It was happiness enough for
uer to know rhat she wa loved by the
one man in the world Whose love she
could have przed!
Almost simultaneously they said "!.od
bye!" A cold, piercing wind was whistling
through the trees and blew down a shower
of leaves wet with the ruin of the previous
night, (die fell against Elaine's check,
ami struck her w ith a keen sense of chilli
ness. It seemed to her then as thongh she
had been growing copier and colder all
the while, aud that the culminating jsiint
was reached only rhen. as Severn turned
abruptly and strode sway, while she was'
leu alone, with the hand that he had drop,
ped clasped tightly in rti other, and his
word of farewell sounding mournfully in
her ear.
(To be continued.)
Kvnlntion of the Doa.
Prof. X. S. Shaler. In ids study of
domesticated animal, advances this
theory in regard to the dog, which ex
plain in large measure why the best
traits of the do have been developed;
1 Tie dog of the savage could not have
been a cultured creature. Hp had beetj
not long enough atelatel with man
to subdue his native Impulse. The
dog hunted for bis master. When
game was plenty, man and animal had
enoug-h to eat. But when game wa
scarce, the savage ate the dog. To-day,
when in n state of famine, Eskimos
will cat some of the pack. But choice
is exerchv'd then. The strongest, or
the most affectionate, or the unwt In
telligent animals would he spared. The
weakling, the cross, the ttiipld doy
would go to the pot "In I hi way."
writes Prof. Shaler, "for nges a careful,
though unintended process of selection
was applied to these creature," and to
tills we may fairly attribute, aa many
considerate naturalists have done, a
large part of the Intellectual. -Indeed,
we may say moral elevation to which
dogs hare attained.
A Sew Strawberry.
A San Plegn man has produced a
strawberry plant which, unlike the or
dinary plant, bears fruit of a large
and delirious flavor on running vine,
and not almost directly from the roots,
much after th manner of bearing of
quash or melon vine. It astonishes a
horflcultnrla to see bunches) of rip
Krawberrlee growing on a slender run
ner which aboota out from a pares.!
tern.
TOPICS FOR FARMERS
A DEPARTMENT PREPARED FOR
OUR RURAL FRIENDS
V
The Tendency I to Force Larger
Crop end to Cultivate Cheaper
Animal telect Food from lustinct
-Medium Crop Not Proiitab'e,
Medium Crop Not I'roHtah'e.
Most farmers iu this couutry otily aim
at medium crops. Thi is a mistake.
The average crop ouly pays iu the years
w hen price of farm products arc high,
aud such year iu recent wasoun have
U-eu few ami far between. It a said
some years ago by Sir J. Bennett Laws
of England that be did n Hud it paid
with graiu to try for uikp'li more tliau
the average crop. But In England the
conditions are very ditTiTrtit thau they
ure here. There the average yield of
wheat is go very Bear the maximum
that It prubaldy will ut Jay to go to
auy great expense to Increase It. Tim
result might well be that the land w ill
be made tiK) rich, ami the crop ill fall
dowu and not till well. This danger is
less probable lien-, aa our summer are
dryer aud hotter tliau tlmse of Eug
latnl, so thai the straw will not grow
so rank. It probably will Hot pay any
where here to apply stable manure to
grain crop diivcil.v with the expi-cla-tlou
of profit. But It w ill txtirly always
pay to use some kind of mineral ferti
lizers with nil grain crop, and It cer
tainly never pay to plant a Inx'd crop
on land that has not 1 n Pin-rally fer
tilized with malile manure or other
nitrogenous fertilizer.
The llen'H Crnvlftuia,
Instinct Implants iu all animals a
taste and desire for foods thai ure suit
able for them. A lieu will leave auy
other food at any time for a mess of
green bone. In summer, w In n allowed
tree range. Suite mid worms supply this
craving for animal food, and thai i-
one reason w hy liens lay better in sum
mer tliau iu w inter, 1 luring winter, o,
when confined, lings ami worms ctinii.it
be hail, and the lieu ha to wail day
and sometime even week to accumu
late from the Insulllcieut food supplied
ber (liisutlicleut not in quality, but iu
egjj-mnklng eleineiiti enough to tiinkc
an egg. But w ben given a daily allow -auce
of green bone rich In every con
stituent of the egg, the ben no longer
has to wait, each organ receives its
necessary nourishment, the egg Is
formed quickly, and the hen has got to
lay, ll is precisely the sanic principle
as feeding the soil with fertilizer. It
doe no: hurt the soil to enrich I',
neither does It hurt I lie ben to supply
her natural cravings; she Is healthier,
sironger and better Iu every way for it.
Hcnvy Crops of I'otatoe.
At fust it doe not cost $l.'8; If It did
we should have lo abandon the busi
ness:. I think that In most potato-growing;
sections that sum would buy the
land, raise aud market the crop and
have a fair profit left, ay a contribu
tor iu the New England Farmer. But
very few farmers plant more than
eight bushel of seed or pay more than
$S Iht digging, and If one should use
$so worth of manure and fertilizer ll
would be no more than fair to cred.t
w hat would be left more thau tin- crop
appropriated to the Improvement of
the laud. And again, the uiinierchaiit
nble potatoi-H. of which the article in
question give no account, would bo
worth enough to pay for sorting au
ordinary crop.
Potatoes ure grown Iu this section for
an average of about 1.", rent a per bushel.
oud if treated liberally so a to Insure
a large crop for much less than that
We rarely expend mote than :iu pet-
acre except for fertilizer, wed, rent
aud labor Included. I grew l.'.'iai bush-
el last year (in live acre and liav
lone as well before. A neighbor, w hose
crops I helped harvest ami weigh and
photograph, raised nt ilie rate of 7:r
bushel per acre last year-on green
sward that bad Im-cu mowed six year
without any ilre.sing -ami I be expense
of growing was;
Eight loads of manure JS.Dll
Thirteen hundred pound of fer
tilizer L'lJ.i)
Plowing h.imi
Harrowing o isi
Planting ii.(
Cultivating twice is)
Hand hoeing twice t;.m
One application of pari green .... 'Jist
Eight bushels of seed at ,V) cent. . 4.11
Harvesting ii.isi
Interest and taxes ;j -jo
Tola I
.IfTil.'-U
pieed Corn.
A great many fanner who regard
themselves ns quite careful In the w
lectlou of seed content theuiKoIvi-H with
making the Bebt tion lit bunking time
or from the crib, lielug guided by the
appearance of the ear. Thi Is n..i Hif
flcleut, however, to Kecnre the uft
results. Prof. II. .1. Water, di iiu of
the Missouri Agricull nral College, nai
rates a direct experiment on thi point
The Held wn gone through, aud lino
ears were selected from the .urge,
thrifty stalk Inn ing mi nliundiuit leaf
growth. Another lot of eurtt, equnj Iu
size, was gathered from stalks smaller
ami less thrifty. Aftes the wed hud
Ixfcn gathered, the one lot could not be
illHtliigulslied from the other, ho far ns
the appearance of tl urs went. The
only difference was In the kind of stalk
Hint produced the ears. A field was
planted with these two lota of necj.
All through the sen sou that Hrtlon
which had liecn grown from wed takeu
from the thrifty stalk could lie distin
guished from the planting made from
the aeed taken from the leas thrifty
stalks. At harvest times the difference
In favor of the aeed from the larw,
thrifty italic with plenty of leaf
growth waa seven bushels per acre, aud
Prof. Water thlnka that If thi process
f selection wa carried on for a wrle
of year a variety of corn could lie con
alderably Improved au I he oue baud,
or almost entirely run out on the other
It follow, therefore, that the selection
of wed ear from the nam- crib, belug
gunb-d by size and getieral apjear
a u-e of the ear simply, is not sufficient,
and that ll i quite a liuinirtant t
kuow the kind -r stalk that produced
the wed ear a it i to know that th
ear Itself has the size. form, etc., wbkh
suit the purixw of the tanner.
Asparagus from Peril.
Asparagus germinate lowly. It is
easier and not inm-a more exiM-nsive to
purchase outright the plant required
for a family supply. Those who ar
going into asparagu planting for mar
ket will, however, wish to know bow
lo raiw it f ro;ii -ed. The seed should
be soaked In quite hot water until near
ly ready to germinate, au 1 should theu
lie planted closely la a rich seed bed.
Here it may be allowed tu grow for a
year, and if the soil I rich it will pro-dui-e
large root tit for Immediate plant
ing. This plan saves much labor. Tbo
asparagus Iu the 1-1 can Ite kept freo
from weeds, whlb- If the seed ar
plained where the rw for the crop are
to lie grown a year's work in keep! as
dowu weeds must be d me oa an un nec
essarily large piece of laud. Om- year
old plants will be fit for cutting the sec
ond year after planting. Prom seed,
therefore, it requires three full je.ir
before anything can tie cut from It.
Another object lou to planting seed
where ihe crop l"to Tie grown is that
the wed has to be planted .too near tjji
feurfacc. while the asparagus rot do
better to lie deeper Aowu. so that the
Mill alsive them can Is- culllval.tl an l
even plowed in spring without disturb
ing tllctll.
A special Hnom for Itaroesse. ''
A great many farmers continue th
practice of hanging up the bann-ss on
pegs behind the horses, where It I ex
posed to the odor which come from
their excrement, and is quite oflea
knocked iiowu ami trampled In it. This
wiMts out a good h.-irm much faster
than will use. It w ill pay gol interest
on tin- cost lo have a separate room Iu
which to keep the harness. Nothing
d-ntroy leather more quickly thau dirt
ami the ammonia which I always
found In stable. The harness should
le frequently sponged to remove dirt,
ami then be oiled, allowing the oil to
s.sik iu. and thou lightly rubbed with
n dry cloth. Kept thus, instead of lie
coinitig rotten after one or two yetir.
a bai lies may be kept In gsxl conditbHi
for from teu to twetily yi-ar. We
know farmers who have kept harness
for this longer time, while other farm
ers, w ho did no more work with their
h-;im. had lo buy a new harness every
I wo or three year.
1 u rcliHsl nit hpraving Outfit.
Partners who have not secured ptil
flts for spraying their orchard should
do so early lu the wnson. The tlrst
spray ing ought always lo lie done be
fore the leave are out, especially for
fungous disease. The spray can then
lie made quite strong without endanger
ing; Injury to the b-nf. Ib-sides. us Ilie
fungus attacks the leave while they
are small iind lender, miles It sre
have Im-cu killed Wfore, a great deal
of damage w lfl be done before the lut
spraying reaches and destroys It. Ia
spraying orchard a iu most other
farm work, promptness) an Important
factor of Htiece.
(VrlnUled Varieties Hot.
The wrinkled varieties of jx-a arc
the besi for the table, but are not pre
ferred Tor canning. Any of the early
dwarf pen may be used for a first
crop. The dwarf kind give only almiit
one ph-klug. It I the standard varl"
ties which bear Ihe heaviest crop, but
tln-y requite support and are .iter ti,Sn
the dwarf kinds. The champion of
England 1 considered one of the best
for quality, bin I not a prolific as ouu
otSicrs, and I also n lale variety.
Cabhnue and Celery In I lie Ilenhoune.
Hang up a cabbage uud celery in
the hen-houe. The fowl will eat just
ho much and stop,' and the benefit iu
cold weather from this green food can
not be estimated. If jott can get let
luce or young onions, you can lie as
sured of plenty of life and a great 1h-ii..
lit to the nock. Hang I hem up lu such
a way that the fowls can barely reacu
them by jumping up a little.
Farm Note.
It I claimed that nuy laud that will
produce corn will be suitable for ap
pie, pear, plums or cherries. Fruit
growing has noi yet Ih-cu overdone in
this couutry. a the demand seems M
keep pace with the supply.
If old pastun-s are lo be retained sow
seed on them early, first applying wood
ashes. In the fall cover the field with
manure if It can lie obtained, lu the
spring the best thing to start the grass
i fifty pound or more nitrate of soda
lo the acre, about two weeks nficr ap
plying Wood ashes.
Whether the land was plowed In tin
fall or not. It should be plowed lu th
spring early in the season, so as to se
cure the effect of Ihe frost. Kali
plowed land may be hard, and If so It
will not provide a line seed bed, n
should be cross plowed and harrowed
until It is as fine as a garden, and cp.
dally If Intended for corn.
A chestnut grove lu lllluol has been
In bearing for thirty years, ami has
failed of a crop but once or twice !o
that time. The trees often average a
much as two bushel of nuts, and are
worth from 2 to $5 a bushel. That
would make rather rich profit frwn an
acre of them. Doe It try our patience
too much to grow them?
A building with a shed roof .i
though It doe not make to good uu au.
Iea ranee, win oe rneaper and warmer
than one with a gabk roof. There .in
be lee apace Inclosed above th. a....
If eight feet blg-h In front and alt a
rear, fourteen-foot aiding and -.
ling will cut without waste. Covm
Idea and roof with hlp lap, well bat
tened, and line with building paper.