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About The Sioux County journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1888-1899 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1898)
aero in CHAPTKK XII. (Continued.) Those only who have ever spent week of months in vain longing for the bodily presence of a frieod Iihii absence took the best part of ( hir life away, and then found that that friend had been en joying himself no well without them as to have almost forgotten their existence can understand whiit Evelyn Kayne felt when Agnes Featherstone told her ahe wan eriHK'd to iv married. No, there is one other who could have sympathized with her. Agnes-her little airier her ehild, almost-engaged to he married to soine stranger whom she had never seen or heard of before! It was incredible, and when she had recovered from her speech less surprise she said RO. "Oh, Agnes! Kignged! Ooing to be married! And you never told me. It is impossible." There was such a bitter sense of not having been treateil ua her love had the right to expect in h. - voice, that-the dull est peraon must have recognised it. "Oh, Evelyn, how could I?" answered Agnes, without raining her head. "Jhb per that la, Mr. Lyle only spoke to papa a week ago. and thi n I thought it would be so much nicer to surprise you by com ing home and telling you myself. And If 1 had written to you about it, 1 shouldn't have known what to fay." "But you have never even mentioned Mr. Lylc's name to me, Agnea. How long have you known him?" "About aix week or two months. We met him in Home during the Carnival. The Hpencern introduced him to ua, and he took such a fancy to me, Fveiyn, that he hii a traveled with us ever since." "I h'uru (o love him, too, for your ake, darling, though be due threaten to tnke my little Agnes from me," cried Mit-s Kayne, an she burnt into tciirs. "Hut, I'.veh n, dinr," Miid thp younger girl, when they could talk calmly ngiiin, "why should you be afraid that Mr. Kyle will not make me happy? It's the usual thing for girla to marry, isn't it? Vou don't want me to be nn old maid like Aunt Sophy? Vou will marry yourself f e day, Evelyn." No, darling, never'" hh id Miss Kayne, vehemently. "Hut why not? Don't you like men? I)o you mean to live nil your life alone at Mount Kden? Surely not! It would be so very dull. Mamma snys you ought to have married years ago." "Your mamma judge me from the uau al femiuine ataudpoint, Agnea, and I atn not like other women. Sometimes I think I have much more the mind and feelings of a man. The care of my property ii enough to occupy my life. I don't ant any interference with it or myself." "Hut some one who loved you very much, Evelyn," whispered Agnea, out of ber new-horn experience, "would help and not hinder you. Wouldn't It be very sweet to have nil the trouble taken off your hands, and to have no ln.tlu r and no am lety? Sometime I think " "Well, darling?" "That there is a reason why you have never married, Evelyn; that there in some one you are fond of, and aomething ha prevented you marrying hltu." "There nun someone," replied Evelyn, with a solemn look in her sad eyea. "I kc d ad?" interrupted her compan Ion, in a tone of a we. "No, Agnea, no! I atn certain that he lit not dead- something in my heart tells me so, but in all the wide, wide world, I do not know where he may be now. My poor Will'." "Tell me about it, Evelyn," aald Agnes, nestling close to her. "Ah, darling, it i the trouble of my life. He was willful and high spirited, like many other young men, and he of fended uncle terribly. He wa ao angry with him that he turned him out of In office, and though I begged for his for gitenes un my knees. ,c nould not lake hi in back again. Ami then Will went to America hat chance was there left him In England?- and I have never heard of bim since." "Never heard of him since! Didn't he write to you?" "No, dear; he didn't even write. For ten years there has bi-n total silence be tween li. Hut he will come back some day. I feel sure of that. It la nil I am waiting for to see Will again before I die." Miss Ireathorstorie was silent. She was cot a clever girl, but she had sufficient sense to wonder at her friend's credulity. To go ou waiting for and expecting the re turn of a lover who had not written for leu years, seemed a very simple thing to do. And Jasper had sworn that If they were separated, he should send her a let ter every day. After a pause she said timidly: "And If he shouldn't come back, Evelynif- if - he should be dead?" "He will come, dear he is not dead," replied Misa Iluyne confidently. "Have I not already told you that I have a con viction on the subject, too di-ep to be un true Hut 1 may not see him yet not for many years. There arc reasons against Jt, but they will not last forever, and then we shall meet." "And lie married," Interposed Agnes. Evelyn shook her head dubiously. "I atn not so sure of that, dear. Time works so msny changes. We may neither f ns wish te marry by the lime we see each other again. Hut, however he may oome bark to me poor or rich, Mirk or well, old or young -Will will find Die the an.e- hia true and faithful friend," CHAITKK XIII. Agnea was in the seventh heaven. All be wanted now was to bring Mr. I.yle nd her dear Evelyn together and see them the Is1 of friends. As the time for Mis Kayue'a arrival approached the neit evening, the girlish gure, robed la sows e'taphsuons, rosy saateriai, flitted between the drawing room and tbe hall doer, aaxlou to secure the flret word with her fries d. Evelyn was true to her tint. The Had did not beep fashionable hour tar aanre than the big heuM, a ad all o'cloek was considered finite law enough (or dinner. As tie lit is omajbw that brought her over Mopped at taw door lake had mere than on grand tarrlej In her eoaeh bouse, bet eh never Hoed tketaj, Agnes flew down the steps to reeejvn kor, - "Ob, gwritag," she eielalmed, "1 havo atowt here tor nearly naif an hour. I am so nervous. Evelyn, and so excited. Suppose, after all, you shouldn't like him?" Evelyn drew the girl into her embrace, she kissed her Iol..1I)'. As they disengag ed themselves ag;iin, they aaw a figure Hianding beside them in the dusky hall. It was Mr. Lyle himself, who seemed to have caught the infection of Agnes' anx iety, and wished to get the introduction to Mis Kayne over before they encountered the many eyes of scrutiny in the drawing room. "Oh, here is Jasper," cried Agnes, with a gasp. "Jasiier, this is my dear friend and sister, Evelyn Kayne. Don't lie for mal with her. Shake hands at once, and let me feel that you are going to be friends." "I am quite winling for my part to be file best of friends," said Evelyn cordial ly, as she extended her hand. Mr. I.yle took it. but for a moment he did not speak. Then he answered, with more decided French accent than usual "I inn happy, also, to make the ac quaintance of one ao dear to Agnea." Evelyn's hist view of Agnea' lover had Iieen a genuine disappointment. Jasper I.yle was not manly enough to suit her tnste. He looked more like a poet or a troubadour than a gentleman of the nine teenth century. An4 then his hybrid dress and manner of talking rather repuls ed her. She liked an Englishman to look and speak like one, and she fancied there was some affectation in Mr. I.yle' pro nunciation, and that it was not wholly natural to him. When Agnes had nt last drawn her into n conversation with him, Evelyn found her thoughts running in the same channel. "Vou must have lived a long time abroad, Mr. I.yle. to have scqui-ed so de cided an accent," she said. "Were you born there?" The simple question seemed to confuse him. He stammered n he replied: "Yes -no. That is to any, my mother was French. Mi-s Knync; ao you ace, 1 atn only half English." "And yon were educated abroad?" "I have lived there nearly nil my life," he answered, with his face bent down. "And you must become English, .vou naughty boy," exclaimed his fiancee. "Ho you know, Jasper, your pronunciation grows worse instead of better? I reully think you are more French to dny than ever. Evelyn is staring with nil her eyes at your accent. She never heard anybody speak so badly before. Did you, Evelyn?" Miss Unyne was indeed stnring in the most unaccountable manner at the strang er. Her eves seemed fixed in hia direc tion, and when Agnea' laughing question recalled her to herself, she turned them in a dazed manner upon her. "Your friend docs not like me. 1 had an Intuition it would be so," whispered Mr. I.yle to his betrothed, under cover of the general conver-ation. "Talk, talk, Evelyn!" cried Agnes guy ly, after a little while. "What has come to yon this evening, darling? You -w ho are generally ao full of life. Have you nothing to say to us after so long an ab sence?" "What shall I say?" exclaimed Evelyn, rousing herself at (he challenge of her friend. "You are the queen of the feast, Agnes, and should had the conversation. It is really very embarrassing to lie or dered to say something. May I make it a question? Have you ever been In Amer ica. Mr. I.yle?" There was a tone in her voice that made Jasper I.yle ilrend he knew not what, ami forced hiui to niise his eyes against his will. It was the first time Evelyn had fairly met his gaze, nnd the room seemed to go round with her ns she encountered It. "I - lui re not been to A mericn, mademoiselle," lie answered slowly. "Have you not ?" she asked again, with out removing her eyes from his. As they regarded each other thus, Mrs. Feathi-rsione saw all the coir die out of .Miss liayne's fresh cheeks, leaving then) of 1111 ashy paleness. "Evelyn, my dear girl," hIic cried, ris ing and passing round the table to her as sistance, "what i the mutter? Are you ill?" "I don't feci very well," said Evelyn, in a strange voice. "It i this sudden spring heat that always upsets me. With your permission, Mrs. Featherstone, I will leave the table and await your return In the drawing room." Mrs. Featherstone gave early notice of a retreat to the drawing room. As soon as she had left the dining room behind her, Miss Hayne's lassitude gave place to an eager excitement, which accorded strangely with her pale face and luster less eyes. "Dear Mrs. Featherstone, do let me go home before the gentlemen leave their wine. Inded, I am not well. It is im possible that I can sit out the remainder of the evening. I'ray let me order, my carriage and go at once." They did not oppo'-e her decision, though Agnes insisted upon walking down also, with her arm fondly thrown about her friend's waist. Evelyn kissed her me chanically, and bade her good night as she mounted into her vehicle; but as soon as she had passed through the drive gatea and Featherstone Hull was left behind her, all her enforced calmness gave way, and she sank back upon the cushions in a storm of grief. CHAl'TEIt XIV. A very blank reeling fell upon the party at the Hall afier Evelyn's departure. Agnes was almost In tears, nnd Miss Mac. donald declared she had no belief la the statement that Evelyn was ill. They had known her now for ten years, and when had she ever Iieen taken ill In this myste rious manner before? "I wanted ber to slay here, but she wouldn't hear of it," replied Mrs. Feather stoos. "In fact, she was ao uulike her self that w hardly knew her. 8he aeenv ed te me on the point of bursting Into tears, so I thought It kinder to let her bate her own way." "You must send the first thing to mor row morning to bear hnw she is," said her hue band; "or I will ride over after breakfast, nnd make the Inquiries my self. I shall not be easy till I hear she is all right again. What ahonld we do without the mistress of Mount RdenT" Jatier I.yle had not Joined In the gen- J oral lamentations; hut, a stranger, M was, of course, not expected of him. Ou the contrary, he mm uied rather Iwred by the fuss made over the visitor's departure. But as Mr. Featherstone uttered the last remark, he raised his heed. "Is this Mademoiselle Kayne th real owner of the place il Mount Eden, then?" he asked of hi intended futher-in-law. "Yes. She owns the entire prorty un der the will of her late uncle, Mr. Caryll. It was an immense responsibility to lay upon the shoulders of so young a woman; but Evelyn has proved herself to be quite equal to it. She is a little queen among her tenants and farm laborers, and they think there is no one like her." "And there were no males in the fam ily?" "None. Mr. Caryll lost his only son at sea, uud this girl was the sole comfort of his declining years. She richly deserved all he could give her, and he could not have found one to fulfill the trust more nobly. She is a perfect angel of a wom an, and we nil love her dearly." Agnes and Mr. I.yle later went to a distant sofa, wb-re their conversation could not be over, aid by the rest of the party. "I know what dear Evelyn is hoping for," reiterated the girl In his ear "the return of someone who was very dear to her-a cousin whom she was engaged to, and who went to Amorica. I mustn't tell you any more, because it is a secret, but she says she knows he is lijive, and will come back to her some dny, and then " "And then what?" demanded her lover. "She will marry him, of course, and give him Mount Eden, and they will be very, very happy. At least I hope so," sighed Agnes, "Ix-causo I am afraid she will never l.e happy until he does return." "J 10 yon nully think a woman could remember a man for an long as that ten of eleven yeurs?" questioned Mr. Lyle. "Oh, yes, Evelyn could. She is not like other women. Besides, she told me so herself only yesterday. When I was tell ing her nl about you, and how happy I am! it made her think of Will poor dar ling; and she told mo the whole story." "Ah! he will ! a lucky fellow when he does return," remarked Mr. Eyle, as he rose from the sofa and went out of the room. I'rescntly he came buck with a photo graph. "('an you tell me who thut is, Agnes? She took it under the gas chandelier to examine it properly. It represented a tall lad of eighteen or nineteen, with eyes that looked dark, set In u beardless face, ami a general look of extreme juvenility. "No," she replied, shaking her head, "never." "Are you sure?" "Quite sure. Who is it? Anyone about here, or someone I met abroad?" "Someone about here, and someone, also, whom you met abroad," he answer ed, smiling, as he took it back again. "It represents myself," "You!" exclaimed Agnes, making a dash at the photograph. "Oh, Jasper, It is impossible. It is not a hit like you. Do let me see it again." "No," replied Mr. I.yle, holding it be yond her reaeh ; "it Is not worth a second glance." "It is too bad of you," pouted Agnea; "you might let me huve It, when I toll yon it is of value to me. Why, Evelyn has the portraits of her cousins espe cially Hugh since they were little babies, and she Wouldn't purt from tlieiu for all the world." "Has she shown them, then, to you?" exclaimed Jasper Lyle quickly. "Not all, perhaps- but the oil paintings hang in the dining room. Oh! why did you do that?" she cried, breaking ort sud denly, as she Maw him tear the photo graph he held in two, and fling the pieces into the lire, which the chilly spring even ings still rendered necessary; "and when I told you I w isl.ed to keep it." "And I said I did not wish vou to do so," returned Jasper Lyle. This little episode, combined with Eve lyn's departure, seemed to break up all the harmony of the evening, and the par tj retired to rest at an earlier hour than usual. As Mr. I.yle reached his room he rung the lu ll. "Did you ring, sir?" inquired the ser vant who answered the summons. "Yes," replied Lyle, "I want you to en II in'' early to morrow morning quite early at siv o'clock. I am guing for a long walk." "Very good, sir," said the man, who proved true to his trust, and brought up the boots i.n.l the warm water punctu ally to the lime desired. Lyle dressed quickly, and went down stairs. It was a lovely morning the pre cursor of one of the first warm days in May and all Nature seemed to he alive. The flower-hnds of Featherstone Hull had Just been laid nut for thn season, and the rows of variously tinted foliage plants, from the palest velvety green to deep claret color, contrasted vividly with the white and red geraniums, and yellow cal ceolarias, and purple heliotrope with which they intermixed. Everything about the Hull was perfectly organized, and bore the stump of wealth; hut It was more for show than use. It swallowed money, but it yielded none. Yet It im pressed most people with its magnificence, and none more so than the needy man who now surveyed it. "And all this," he thought, as he looked around him and saw the glass of the hot houses and conservatories glistening in the distance, and heard the "hissing" of the grooms as they attended to their charges In the stable yard, "all this la as nothing compared to the riches of Mount Eden. It would only occupy a little cor ner of it. That is what Mr. Featheratone said. And it la actually all hers. What a fool I was to be In such a hurry." He turned and walked on rapidly, for he did not wish bla morning stroll to be patent to all tbe world. H pressed for ward tiil he reached the drive gates of Mount Eden, which were guarded by a pretty Gothic lodge. A woman came out while he was loitering there and held the gale open for him to paas through. "Fifteen thousaud a year, and this es tate," he thought, as he drew a long hrentb, "and ail in her owu hands. It mukes me sick to thing of It. I deverse to be killed for having thrown away my rhances In this manner. She recognized mi I am certain of it. I knew It directly I met her eyes, and it was ou that account that she returned home. Now, the ques tion Is, hiw did my presence affect ber? I should have had no doubt on the subject If It bad not been for what Agnes told me. I never dreamt that Evelyn could have remembered snch a boy and girl af fairthe veriest shadow of a courtship. Itut If eh does, what then? I think I know what women are by this tins, aad can pretty wall calculate the effects of an Interview, it all evnnta I'M try H And in any case it would be necessary, for I must secure ber friendship and good ser vices with the Featherstones. Suppose she should betray ine? No! That is im possible!" lie began to take his way back to Fealhem'one Hull. It was nine o'clock by this time, and all the family were as sembled there. As soon as breakfast was over, Lyle escaped to hia own room. Ha sat down and wrote a few lines to the mistress of Mount Eden, which he bribed a groom to carry over to ber in the course of the day. The letter he wrote waa as follows: "I see that you have recognized me, and feel that my future lies in your hands. When can I see you, and explain every thing? Grant me an early interview, and, for t.ie sake of the paat, keep silence until we have met. I have so much to tell you and to ask your pity for." To this be received the brief reply: "This afternoon at three o'clock." 1T0 be continued.) ARMORED PLANTS. Thorns and Fpines that Protect Plants from Their Iviiemics. Plants and Their Enemies" Is tbe title of an article by Thomas H. Kearney, Jr., In the St. Nicholas. Mr. Kearney says; There are a thousand things that threaten the well being, and even tho life, of every tree and shrub and lowly herb. Too much heat, or too little, work Ki-cut liurm to plants. Then there are all rummer of wasting diseases caused by other tluy jilimts culled fungi und bacteria. Many large unimalr, an hoi-sen uud cows and sheet.), live by grazing nnd herbage und grass, or browsing the foliage of trees and shrubs. Of course they greatly injure Ihe plants they feed upon, and there fore ninny plnuls nre la one way or an other protected against such attacks. Did you ever slop to think why this tles are so well unneil willi Hhnrp prickles, or why the ugly rondaide net tles lire I'liniiHlied with sitlnglng hairs? Notice ciiitle grazing In a field where thistles or nettles grow; see how care ful tliey are to let those disagreeable plantM uloiie. Thut I the rcuaon for the Ktings und the npines. See this honey locust tree bristling with Its horrid nrruy of three-pointed thorns. Whnt nnlni.'il is brave enough to try to rob it of Uh leu vex or great pods? Haw thorns, too, and rose bushes, and black berry briars, nil huve their stmrp little swords und (luggers to defend them selves ugaliiKf browsing unlmals. Out on the wide, hot deserts of Ari zona and New Mexico those odd plants, the ctictl, grow In great numbers. Some of them tuke strange shapes tall, flut ed coluiinis. branching candelabra, or mere round bulls, like the melon-cactus. They are almost the only plants that grow In some parts of that country, and there Is always plenty of sap In side their tough skins. To the hungry find thirsty creatures that roam those llreary wastes In search of food and water they tiro very tempting. Were they not In some way protected, these cuetl would soon be entirely destroyed. Rut nature bus made them to be like strong foils or great armored battle ships among plants. They are guard ed by nil sorts of sharp spines and prickles and line hairs that burn when they get Into the flesh. To Stop Jtice Throwing at Weddings Throwing rice at bridal couples Im mediately after the ceremony will con tinue to be in vogue in this country. An effort to stop the good old custom bus proved a failure. Nearly two years ligo the untlrice crusade began la Bos ton, und for a time the gelatine flakes thut w ere sulmtituled were used almost entirely. Tho chief argument against rice was the danger that lay In tbe In discriminate throwing of small, hard particles. Sertoli accidents have re-' suited from H, a notable cae being that of a young woman In this city who got one of the particle In her eye and lost the sight of It. Anolhor young woman ulmost choked to death on rice which struck In her open mouth. Yet bridal purtlc arc showered with rice nowa days Just as they have been for years. The antl rice agitation was shortlived, and now that it has been crushed out entirely, ieople seem to be trying to Diakc,,,up for the lapse by more elabo. rate Indulgence In the old custom. At a recent wedding brenkfant In New York i'My a young electrician, who Is something of a practical Joker, tried a brand new device on the asseirj bl'il company. It was a paper ball, llllrvl with rice, and It stood In the cen ter of tin? table and was so completely covered with flowers that It was not noticed by any of the guests. By an In genious nriangetnent of springs the ball could be broken and the rice scat tered In every direction by merely touching nu electric button which the young man had fixed in the floor right under his seat. At an opportune mo ment the Joker serf his machine off, sprinkling everything on the table with rice. The rice bomb was a tremendous sucrees, and the electrician has been asked to fix up similar bombs for a half doneti weddings to take plac among his friends thin winter. Woman's Inarrntitnde. Hawley I've come to the conclusion that women haven't a particle of grnt ttnde in thlr composition. Manley Why snob radical vlewa? Hawley You no doubt beard that I saved a woman's life at the seajrhors last summer? Manley Yes; wasn't she grateful? Hawley On the contrary, she wag ungrateful enough to marry me. W ouldn't Talk Hack. Biggs It's awfully inconvenient liv ing on tbe fourth floor and having ta carry up everything one nana. Dlggs Why don't you try a dumb waMer? Biggs We did, bat K wouldn't an swer. Home people am not satisfied wWJi tbe mlUt of bMata UaWhaaan Murj want the soiiai Gates for Handling Hons. The device shown 1u the accompany ing illustrations for handling bogs when they are to be rung or for other purposes, Is very useful on the ordinary farm. The first picture represents a chute and gates which will shut behind and before t'ue bog find hold bim in position. There is Just room enough for him to stick his nose out und while In this position rings can be Inserted. The sides of the chutes must be much closer together than shown in the en graving, so that the bog cannot turn about. In fact tbe width should be Just Biiflicient to allow a hog to pass through. In the second Illustration Is represented the side view of another DEVIOK KOB (l'l:.INO GATK. gnte and pen so arranged that the door can be opened and shut without getting Into the pen. These devices are so con venient about the hog lots that it is a surprise that more of them are not in use. Orange Judd Farmer. Manure for Mrawlierries. The strawberry plantation requires very heavy manuring to produce its best yield. Every year on motit plants there is a succession of berries, the first antl second pickings bedng almost always larger and liner than those that ripeu later. But if the later season is very wet, as It sometimes is, we have known the later crop to ripen up and be very nearly an good as the first. Tliis suggests that in addition to the top dressing applied in winter there ought to lie an additional fertilization, while the crop is forming, and this last should be always dissolved in water, so as to Ik; readily available. Ni trait e of potash Is the best manure to be thus applied. Tubs Is saltpetre, and costs five to six cents per pound. But a very small lump dissolved in warm water and applied freely will keep the vines fresh and vigorous to the hist, and will make a great Increase In the size of the fruit. The lalsir of applying liquid ma nure is more than Its cost, and is great er lhan can be generally afforded for any other crop than the strawberry. Handy Whecltxirrow. The Iowa Homestead gives an illus tration of a handy wheelbarrow thut may be used about the farm. It is liiad" from the two frout or the two hind wheels of a little express wagon which has seen its better days. This wheelbarrow has the advantage of hav ing tho load over the wheels and sus tained by them Instead of being held by the one wheeling It. The design ex- I1ANDV FARM W IIF.M.H A R 110 W. plains itself, and the vt heollmrrow can be made very easily if the wheels are at hand. The ALuruKiiM Bed. To make a new asparagus led dig a trench two feet deep and fill It with rich, well-rotted manure to the depth of twelve Inches. Over the manure scatter bone meal and sulphate of pot u.sh, any quantity preferred. Then cover with three Inches of rich dirt, and on the dirt place the root, using U.veur-ole growth, about two feet apart, as they will thicken in the bed every year. Cover with rich dirt, and throw the soapsuds over the bed when ever pomtlble to do no. Once an aspara gus bed Is made tt should last for twen ty years. lluylDB! Cheap Fertilisers. There Is no longer much desire among ell Informed farmer to get the lowest i i Iced fertilizer with the Idea, that these are therefore tha cheapest. It Is liiisissible to cheat nature. All tbe ele ments of fertility, mineral or nitrogen jus, cost money, and if little money Is flven for fertilisers, w can expect but IIOO flll'TR. t -V IB r " ' -m T 1 Hi ayraafc little good to the crop from them. When we take into account that much of the expense of commercial fertilizers con sists in tbe c(st of distributing them evenly through the soil, it will be Been thut the highest priced, If also the best, may be really the cheapest. l.'uplowed Headlands. It Is the practice of many farmers In plowing grass land, especially for hoed crops, 1o leave an unplowed space, us ually called a headland, on which the horse can turn when used In cultivat ing. But with a careful horse this care is not necewtary in growing corn or jKitatoes, though the lurseryman's more valuable stock may Justify it. In growing corn, some farmers plant two or three rows of jiotatoes next the fence. But these scattering rows of potatoes are dlllicult to harvest, as the wagon has to be drawn all around field to gather a few iotatoes. Wl twed, in the later years of our fannini,', to plant corn out to the end of the row. If, while small, a hill of corn waa step ped on, there it still time to plant a hill of beans. Yet we always noticed that the outside rows of corn ripened ear lier and hail better ears thau those In ti.e middle of the field. Most corn is planted too closely to yield the largest amount.s of grain. American Cultiva tor. i IiijieKtiti!ty of l-"nsilaa:e. I There can be no doubt, that ensilaged I food, being succulent, is much more dl I gesfJble in winter tiiau the dry food ! that it then supersedes. If there is a I little fermentation in it, that show! ! that the food is already partly decom posed and more ready for the gastrin juices to act ou. But to effect this advantage the succulent ensilage hag lost some of its carbonaceous and trior, of its nitrogenous matter. This is rep resented by the carbonic acid gas at tin top of the silo, which is relied upon to keep If sweet by excluding oxygen and preventing further fermentation. New Cisterns. It is a hard matter to use the water from a newly cemented cistern. The common vny is to let It fill up and then stand awhile, then draw the water oul and even then the next filling will tasti of the cement. Instead of all this la bor and waste of time and water, take pearllne or salsoda, dissolve it, and scmb the cement thoroughly after It li hard. After scrubbing, rinse the els tern out clean and remove the water. The cistern will then be ready for the water and will taste very little of tha cement, and can be used at once. I'lieup Sweet Potato Plants. A correspondent of the American Ag riculturist says that when sweet pota to vines are about 18 inches long, cut off 12 or 14 inches and set out as shown In the Illustration. Treated In this way, this planted vine will raise tha THK ri.ANTKU POTATO VINK. best of potiitoes and Us removal will not Injure the original plant. Knst in Carnations. A writer in nn English paper gives this recipe for preventing rust In car nations, which he received from a gar dener in Germany, whose plants were unusually fine and in healthy condi tion, lie mixes two pounds of vitriol and four of freshly slacked lime in twenty-seven gallons of water, and stirs well together, until It Is clear, not blue, and then he adds two pounds of sugar und mixes all again. With this he syringes his plants once a week, early In the day. The syringing should be done quickly, finely and evenly. Arbor Vltae Hedges. In order to have a full hedge the, plants fihould be about two feet apart In the row and carefully trimmed once . a year. In the fall loosen tho top soli on both sides of the hedge and apply wood ashes. Keep a close -watch foj the basket worm, which does consider able damage to evergreen hedges of this kind. The plant Is best known to some as "flat cedar," because the leal is flat. It In one of the most beautiful ornamental plants grown. I'canuts. reanuu require a light soil, sandy loam being excellent, The seeds art planted about three Inches doep and the soil kept loose. They seem to be benefited by lime or wood ashen on tnt soil. The plan', is very pretty while grow lug, and i tew of them In a garden add to Its: attractiveness. Plant the seeile In May, or as soon as possible after danger from frost Is over. TH seeds should be removed from tli shells, and care should be taken not break the crown skin covering of tbs seeds. Wlit ii to I'laut the Oardea. Do not be deceived by the advance, w arm weather of spring und put lu the garden crops too soou, It will be tluit enough to complete the planting whet the apple trees begin to bloom. A lut frost will destroy all tender plants ('ool nights are nlso detrimental to tht grow tli of such plunts as squash beui is. melons, tomatoes and com. Tht ground must be warm before plant! will make headway In growth. filiiiliWiii