French Fancies.
A very dpep-pointed girdle of black
panne velvet hooks in the back. At
the top In the front, it is cut down and
two shallow points at the top in the
center. It is embroidered very light
ly around both edges in silver, and
silver medallions are appllqued on
each side of the center front, there be
ing three inches of the plain velvet
between these silver appliques. In
the back a single large meda’lion hooks
over from side to side, concealing the
joining of the belt at that point.
Still anoiher girdle shows down the
center front a row of tiny French
bows of velvet, each having a tiny
rhinestone buckle in its center. An
other has little rosettes with silver
buttons as centers.
Tailor-Made Coat and Skirt.
The tailor-made of coat and skirt,
to be worn with differing fancy
blouses and bodices, maintains all of
its modish consideration to a remark
able degree. One shows the short
Eton with just self-strappings and a
velvet collar for embellishment and a
deep girdle of panne velvet adds to
the smart effect. The skirt is one of
those extreme patterns with Inverted
and well-nigh invisible plaits on the
hips and just overlapping rows of
strapping on the hem for trimming.
Girl's Dress of Red Cloth.
The skirt is made with a narrow
tablier, trimmed with straps and loops
of black velvet, fastened with steel
: ...-.in
buckles. The blouse, opening over a
lace chemisette, and the short bolero,
with large bertha, are both trimmed
with the black velvet, the ends fin
ished with loops and steel buckles.
The leg-o-mutton sleeves are fin
ished with cuffs of lace headed by the
velvet, and the belt is of velvet
j -
Colors In Harmony.
Certain browns and pinks consort
most harmoniously and with much dis
tinction, but one must choose the right
shades. A pink broadcloth frock of
creamy tea-rose tint, trimmed in
brown velvet, worn with brown furs
and a big pink tulle hat trimmed with
brown plumes and a touch of fur
around the big crown, excited much
enthusiasm at a recent tea and the
color scheme should suggest charm
ing possibilities to any clever artist
In dress. The finish of skirt is three !
applied bias tucks. A vest and collar
pf brown velvet, with a gold embroid
ered line, fills in front of coat and the
belt around sides and back of coat is
Cloth piped with brown velvet. The
deep-turned cuffs are similarly treat
ed and fastened with two gold but
tons.
Chicken Mexican.
One chicken, two small onions: one
egg; half a green pepper; two tea
spoons of salt; one teaspoon of spear
mint; one small clove of garlic; one
teaspoon of lard; three tablespoons of
flour; one teaspoon of black pepper.
Remove the meat from the bones
and chop very fine with the garlic,
one onion, and mint. Mix the other
ingredients, and roll in balls about the
size of a pigeon's egg. Mince the
other onion, fry it brown in a sauce
pan, add two quarts of boiling water,
drop in, and let them boil for an hour.
These may also be made of veal or
lamb.
Hats for Spring.
As to colors of the hats which are
being worn now and will be worn,
the Millinery Trade Review's Paris
correspondent says: “Variety in color
is a particular feature of the new
Straws and hair weaves. All the lead
ing series of shades adapted for the
season are represented, but particular
prominence is given to the new moss
and spring greens, and to the lower
toned pinks, to the orchid mauves,
sky and pale hyacinth colors, to the
bright light wood browns and the
lightest of terra cottas.
“Individuality” in Dress.
With the wide latitude which fash
ion now allows in the various lines of
dress, it is not a difficult matter for
miladi to follow individual ideas in
her gowns and dress accessories. In
deed “individuality” has become the
slogan of the well dressed. Some
thing which is not only becoming, but
expresses “her”—her taste, her indi
viduality-original ideas adapted to
her particular style.
Sarah Bernhardt, with the authority
of a great artist, who studies every
point and with the inherent instinct
of her country to please in appearance,
dwells with emphasis upon the point
of preserving and enhancing one’s in
dividuality. That one can do this
and submit to the doctrine of imperi
ous fashion is a paradox.
The extremes of styles are most
marked at the present moment, not
only In materials, but in mode of con
struction as well. Simplicity walks
hand In hand with an elaboration of
trimming which quite bewilders the
B3The short-waisted effect Is consplcu
ous iu Baris. Exploited originally by
Baquln, this model shows a draped
belt having a round, slight dip in
front.
In this short-waisted class comes
the new polo or pony coat, of which
more anon.
Directly in contrast with the short
waisted styles are the long coats,
closely fitted as a rule, and severe
»nd revealing in their lines.
A belt of peacock feathers, with a
silver mounted bag to match, is novel.
Have you seen those smart little
braided loose coats, just reaching the
hips?
It takes a murderous array of hat
pins to keep the modern chapeau In
place.
The traveling cloaks are smart
enough to make any woman pine for a
journey.
Many of this year’s coats boast of
a cozy high collar, often luxuriously
lined with fur.
Babies of six months old are shod
in boots of buckskin with soles as
soft as a glove.
The steel-stu 1ded elastic belts are
general favorites and by no means In
significant in price.
Auto hoods of rubber, lined with
silk and provided with wide rain
capes. are not really horrible.
Scarfts of tinted liberty silk are
worn again with street' suits, their
long bright ends fluttering from the
coat front.
Care of Street Gowns.
There’s nothing which tends to
lengthen the life of a good street suit
so definitely as taking it off as soon
as you come in. brushing it and put
ting it away on its hanger. Lounging,
as you're bound to do in a measure
in your home, plays havoc with tailor
ed clothes. It’s rather a temptation
to sink into an easy chair wrhen you
come in. just tired enough to enjoy the j
prospect of idling for a little while, but !
those very times take the life out of j
the sort of cloth that tailors sell, and i
probably lays fine little creases which !
result in incorrigible mussing. It's
rather a temptation, too. to hang it
up and postpone brushing and putting |
away properly to a later time, when j
you’re rested, hut it pays to do it
at the time, for dust should be got
rid of before it has time to settle into
the cloth and give it that dingy look
which mars so many otherwise good
looking suits, and careful hanging pre
vents forming of bad lines.
Effective Street Costume.
Rather showy, but in good taste and j
delightfully effective, is a model in
dark green broadcloth, and it is ad
mirably appropriate for street cos
tume for the debutante. Applied
pieces of cloth trimmed with tiny gold
buttons and set on bottom of skirt at
stated intervals, making a unique foot
finish. The short eton jacket is also
trimmed with cloth bands and buttons,
the former making the front lapels,
which open over a vest of dark tan
kid. The small revers at neck are
green velvet.
j
jEgjofflodamis 1
Spar varnish is the liquid to use on
all furniture for out-of-door use, as
it is both weatherproof and lasting.
A few pieces of glue tucked into
the earth around house ferns and
palms will furnish the soil fertilizer In
an inoffensive manner.
The southern laundress ties a lump
of arrowroot in a thick cotton cloth
and bolls it with the fine white pieces
to give them a dainty odor more de
lightful than from sachet powder.
If there are no flowers for the table,
break off a few of the finer sprays of
the Boston fern, arrange loosely in a
low glass bowl with water, and the
delicate gr.een sprays will last for a
week and make a dainty centerpiece.
A glue which will resist the action
of water is made by boiling half a
pound of common glue in one quart of
skimmed milk. Another method is
to soak the glue till soft in cold water,
and then to dissolve it on the stove in
linseed oil.
Dyed to Match Skirts.
At one of the leading houses in Par
is one of the strongest features is bod
ices of lace or mousseline dyed to
match skirts and tight-fitting bolero3
with which they are to be worn. These
bodices are masses of dainty needle
work and are caught in at the waist
with wide belts. They are often cut
open at the neck to show a small gimp
of white lace.
Parisian Skating Costumes.
The costume at the left is of dark
green cloth. The skirt is trimmed
with bands of the material, forming
loops at the ends fastened with but
tons. The jacket, wTith yoke and bo
lero fronts, is trimmed to correspond.
The revers are of light cloth, orna
mented with buttons and buttonholes.
^1
The turnover collar and cuffs are of
caracul. The other costume is of ruby
red cloth. The princess skirt, with
narrow breadth or panel in front, is
encircled at the bottom with two rows
of braid. The short bolero is also
trimmed with the braid and with but
tons, and has little embroidered re
vers. The waistcoat and collar are of
velvet.
Belts and Buckles.
Eelts and buckles play an important
part in the dress question this season,
and certainly add greatly to the ap
pearance of both indoor and outdoor
gowns. With the princess style as
popular as it is at present it might be
thought belts were of no importance,
but it is not the only style of gown;
the empire and directorie are close ri
vals. and as for street gowns, belts
and buckles are almost a necessity.
A broad fitted and embroidered belt
is quite the feature of the newest fash
ions, so cut as to give a long waisted
effect without so exaggerated a point
in front as was fashionable last year.
Short at the sides and high in the
back gives a better line to a short
figure.
Smart in the Extreme.
A stunning gown was worn by a
well known actress noted for her
smart dressing. It is deep purple chif
fon broadcloth with stitched pieces
of same around bottom of skirt. The
chic little jacket is prettily trimmed
with heavily stitched bands of cloth
and shaped pieces of embroidery vio
let silk, which also make the chemi
sette and stock. Long suede gloves
in violet and ermine muff and turban
of violet French felt with white wings
complete a most striking costume.
WINTER COSTUMES FROM PARIS.
The first Illustration shows a tailor
made costume of striped cloth. The
skirt is made with a group of stitched
plaits on each side of the front, and
is trimmed at the bottom with a
shaped band of the material, the ends
turned up in front and fastened with
buttons. The short, half-fitting jacket
s also made with a group of plaits on
each side of the front, and shaped
bands from the border and the odd
yoke. The collar and cuffs are of Per
sian lamb, the latter finished at the
top with little plaitings of silk match
ing the gown. The muff is also of Per
, sian lamb. The other is a calling cos
tume of violet cloth. The new and
odd skirt is made with 10 gores mount
ed to a fitted hip-yoke, the gores or
namented at the top with points of
velvet of a little darker shade than
the cloth The bolero is made and
trimmed to correspond, and is orna
mented in front with passementerie
brandenburgs. The knot, edge and
girdle are of velvet, the first orna
mented with a gold buckle. The col
lar and cravat are also of velvet, the
chemisette of linen. The sleeves are
plaited and draped and ornamented
with points of velvet. They are fin
ished with deep cuffs trimmed with
bands of the material.
FARMER HAT) QUEER 'RIDE
Artemus Hope of Mentone had a
strange, wild ride yesterday which he
does not want to have repeated very
soon, if ever.
He was coming from several miles
out In the country, riding in a platform
huggy, and on top of this he was haul
ing home a neighbor’s buggy that had
been disabled in a runaway and was
placed bottom-side up on Hope’s
buggy, with the wheels uppermost and
firmly tied in place.
Hope was sitting on some blankets
that were laid on the upturned bottom
of the neighbor’s buggy and riding
along quietly and peaceably when, just
as he had got about half way down the
long hill past the Hemerick farm, the
horses became frightened, sprang to
one side and tipped the buggy entirely
over, bottom-side up.
This maneuver brought Hope's buggy
wrong-side up, but also brought the
neighbor's vehicle right-side up, and,
with Hope clinging like a bat beneath
the combination of vehicles, the horses
ran off down the road at a high rate
of speed, paying no attention whatever
to the frantic calls to “whoa” which
Hope shouted to them from his peril
ous position, with nothing but his
clinging hands and feet to keep him
iq place.
It was hard work to hold on and his
strength was just about spent when
the rushing horses veered oft to near
the side of the road near the poor farm
and running into a shallow ditch there
tipped the combination vehicle entire
ly over again, this time with Hope's
buggy right side up and the other in
verted, and this placed the farmer in
just the same shape he had been when
he started.
The lines were still within his reach,
now that he could afford to use his
hands to pull on them with, and he
soon had the horses under control and
drove into town all right.
But here a new difficulty confronted
him, for no one could believe his story,
and after friends had smelled his
breath and found he was not intoxi
cated, he was in a fair way to have a
court of inquiry sit on him to investi
gate as to his sanity, but fortunately
just as the matter was growing se
rious indeed two farmers came into
town who had seen the strange spec
tacle as Hope rushed past beneath the
rigs, his back scraping the ground and
his voice shouting to the horses and
their confirmation of his story restored
his reputation for sanity at once and
made him an object of pity instead of
suspicion.
The neighbor had agreed to pay $1
for having the buggy hauled in, but
now he will not do so, for he claims
that Hope used it to haul, his own
buggy on.—Cincinnati Enquirer.
EGGS WO'RTH MUCH MOftEy
Rarest of all die eggs of a still ex
istent family of birds is that laid by
the condor. At the present moment
there is not in existence one single
dozen perfect specimens and the few
there are can be seen solely in some
of the wealthiest and richest collec
tions. The condor, which is found in
southern California and the Andes, is
now hopelessly doomed to die out. It
is also practically impossible to collect
any fresh specimens of its eggs, as
these rare and extremely shy birds
nest thousands of feet above the
plains, in the most rugged and inac
cessible fastnesses of the San Ber
nardino and San Jacinto mountains.
Hence finding and plundering a con
dor’s nest is regarded as a wonderful
and sensational event. A prize of $500
would not tempt any sane man to start
out on the hunt for a fresh condor egg.
Still more costly are the eggs of the
great auk, or garefowl, a flightless
marine bird with large head, heavy
body and compact plumage, the last
two living specimens of which were
discovered and killed in Iceland in
1S44. One of these eggs is now to be
seen, carefully preserved under a
glass case, in the National museum at
Washington. The original owner sold
it in London for £22 ($110) in 1851,
whereas its present value is estimated
at more than $10,000. «In 1853 two
other auks’ eggs were sold in London
for £85 ($425) apiece, while in 1869
Lord Caervagh paid £74 ($370) for a
damaged specimen. A Scotchman of
the name of Powell got two of these
eggs in Edinburgh in 1879 for 32 shil
lings. A few weeks afterward he sold
them for £240 ($1,200) each.
At the present time there are only
from seventy to eighty specimens
known to be still in existence. Twelve
of these are in the British museum.
This bird died out because of its in
ability to fly and of the difficulty of its
movements upon dry land. It used to
nest in thousands on Funk island, a
rocky islet opposite the coast of New
foundland, which at one time was used
as a kind of provisioning station by
whalers, who used to kill these fat and
palatable birds in hundreds. The birds
were knocked on the head with clubs,
plucked—the feathers used to fetch a
good price—and salted for future con
sumption.
TE'RMS VSED Iff AVSTRALIA
Cockatoo is a word of varied mean
ings in Australia. It was originally a
contemptuous nickname for the small
Australian farmer, but was gradually
accepted as a synonym for that class.
“Cocky,” says Prof. Morris, “is a com
mon abbreviation.” Anthony Trollope
committed a good many blunders in
his book describing his Australian
tour. One of them was his definition
of cockatoo: “It signifies that the
man does not really till his land, but
oftly scratches it as the bird does.” A
critic gives this as the true explana
tion: About 1860, when the great rush
to the gold fields had ceased, immi
grants turned to the land, swarmed all
over the country, and ate up the sub
stance of the squatters, who likened
them to an invasion of devastating
birds, and christened them "cocka
toos.” By 1867 the word had traveled
to New Zealand, for Lady Barker, au
thor of “Station Life in New Zealand,”
writing in that year, remarked: “I
have heard a man say in answer to a
question about his occupation, ‘I’m a
cockatoo.’ ”
“Bushranger”—another instance of
Australian slang—is a curious case .of
verbal degradation. From an etymo
logical point of view there is no rea
son why bushranger should not be as
respectable a word as parkranger. In
the early Australian newspapers such
advertisements as “Wanted, a good
bushranger,” were quite common. The
word then meant an experienced bush
man. But when the bush became the
refuge of robbers of banks, mail coach
es and lucky diggers, the word ac
quired the sinister meaning that it now
possesses—brigand, outlaw, desperado.
A “swagman” or “swaggie” (so
called from the “swag,” or personal
luggage wrapped up in a blanket
strapped to his back) is a genuine
Australian traveler in search of work,
but a “sundowner” is the antipodean
professional tramp. The “sundowner"
strolls from one squatter’s station to
another, always taking care to ’arrive
at sunset, for it is the traditional prac
tice of Australian squatters to give
food and shelter to all comers for the
night.
KEVT THE ‘RETAIJVIftG FEE
When Daniel Webster was at the
zenith of his career, a gentleman
waited upon him one day to engage
him for the defense in an important
case at law, the amount at stake in
the suit being $S0,000. The gentle
man asked Webster what the retain
ing fee would be.
"A thousand dollars.”
“A thousand dollars!” exclaimed the
gentleman.
“Yes. But think for a moment what
I am engaged to do, sir. I do not only
hold myself at your service in the mat
ter, perhaps for a month or more, but
I debar myself from accepting any
ofTer, no matter -how large, from the
plaintiff.”
The applicant, being satisfied with
the explanation, wrote out a check for
the amount and gave it to the great
advocate, who, after he had put it in
his pocket, said:
“I will now give you a bit of advice
gratis. If you can compromise this
business upon fair terms with the
plaintiff, you had better do so.”
The client expressed his thanks and
took his leave. A few days after the
gentleman called upon Webster again,
and told him that a compromise had
been effected and the matter satisfac
torily settled. Webster duly congrat
ulated his visitor on the result, and
would have turned to other business,
but the visitor seemed to have some
thing further on his mind.
“Of course,” he ventnred, after a
pause, “I shall not require your serv
ices, Mr. Webster.”
"Certainly not, sir.”
“And how about the $1,000 I paid
you?” faintly asked the gentleman,
who was not quite reconciled by pay
ing such a sum for services which
were never to be rendered.
"Oh. ah!” responded Daniel, with a
bland smile. “You don't seem to un
derstand. It iS very simple. That
was a retaining fee—called in law a
‘retainer.’ By virtue of the contract
I also become a retainer. What should
I retain, if not my fee?”
THE SWO'R'D OF 1812
It has his name upon it. See, the let
ters are not clear.
For they are woi n and blured by hands
that touched them year by year,
But if we bend and trace them ^e may
then decipher all. ., , _ „
You smile? The quaint old letters spell
the name of “Cuthbert Small.
A quaint old man he was—O, this was
long, long years ago;
His face was like the laces that the
olden pictures show;
A strong *and earnest one, with lips tnat
met in sturdy line, .
And eyes that sometimes could be stern,
but always were benign.
And he was tall and soldierly; at his
three score and ten
His step was quick, he set the pace for
many younger men;
His hair was white and long, and you
would look to see a queue.
And to see ruffles on his shirt and buckle
on each shoe.
But this old sword—we gave it him; his
country, yours and mine.
And set his name upon it for some sort
of grateful sign
That what brave deeds he did for us
were cherished at their worth.
That country love and courage were far
more than wealth or birth.
And how he used to tell of when the war
of ’12 was on!
His brave old eyes would glimmer with
the fire of days agone;
His old white head would be flung back,
his shaking voice was clear.
And those who heard and saw must know
to him his land was dear.
Ho, Cuthbert Small, this score of years
and more have been dust.
But this old sword is clean and keen and
f^ir and free from rust—
And all the fine old faith that you and
your sword typified
Is living now in every heart that beats
with country pride.
—W. D. N.. in Chicago Tribune.
Just the Same.
For days and weeks before his
death it was remembered, the
wealthy old foundryman pottered
around In the molding room, over
some task which he would not per
mit any one to help him about.
Chuckling and nodding his head he
kept at his work, until finally he or
dered the molten iron run into an
immense flat mold.
When the result had cooled off, it
was seen to be a huge, thin, flat sheet
of icon, bearing a lengthy inscription
in raised letters, beginning: “I, John
Pott Mettle, being of sound mind and
body,” etc.
“There,” murmured the old man,
with the grim smile for which he
was famous, “they will see that the
iron will which is characteristic of
me shall be in evidence even after I
have passed away.”
How vain are the hopes of man!
Six months after the death of John
Pott Mettle the lawyers had broken
his will as easily as if it had been
written on ice.
Feeding and Watering Poultry.
In regard to keeping water before
the fowls In winter I use sanitary
fountains. They can be hung up out
of the dirt. On very cold days I use
warm water and it will not freeie dur
ing the day, and if it should freeze
before I empty the fountains in the
evening I pour a little hot water on
the sides and pull off the bottoms and
they are all ready for the next day. It
must be understood the fountain is in
two parts, top and bottom. I think
this is the best fountain on the mar
ket. I feed corn on all cold nights. If
It comes off warm then I feed oats,
wheat, buckwheat, sometimes one
kind, then another, sometimes mix. In
summer I feed corn about one feed a
week. I go according to my own
Judgment, when I think a change
would do good. I never use
skim milk. I feed oats in a litter of
scratching material, of about three or
four inches deep. I throw a handful
or two in each pen in the morning,
when they get their mash, so as to
keep them busy. All grain is thrown
into the litter. In regard to green
food, I use cabbages as long as I can
keep them profitably. If they are
kept too long they will go to waste.
So I put in enough to last until the
first part of January. I hang them
up in the middle of the pen, so all
the fowls can get a chance at them.
One small head will last twelve Wyan
dottes a day. I think it Is the best
winter green food there is. The birds
seem to do well on it. Sugar beet is
a food I never use. But I do use
mangel wurzel and fowls do enjoy
them very much. I have used some
turnips, but not many. The birds
don’t do so well on them as on man
gels and the turnip is not so large.
They both make* a good substitute for
cabbages. I feed them raw. I put
them in what I call my green food
racks. They are made the same style
as the old-fashioned hay rack for
horses. The rods are one inch apart.
The rack is six inches deep at the
top and one inch deep at the bottom
and can be made any width.—W. H.
Shute, Middlesex Co., Conn., in Far
mers’ Review.
City ar.d Country Hens.
It would probably be interesting
both to the farmer and the city man,
to compare results as to the produc
tion of eggs in winter. It is difficult
to make a comparison of the same
sized flocks, as the city flocks are gen
eral]}' very much the smaller, but fig
uring on a percentage basis I believe
the city man wins, and personally I
think this is entirely due to the kind
of feed whfch his hens get. One of
my city friends has six Black Minorca
hens and during the first part of Jan
uary was getting two and three eggs
a day. From a flock of about 125
Barred Plymouth Rock hens on a farm
50 miles from Chicago they were get
ting at the same time nine and ten
eggs a day, and these hens were well
taken care of, too, with a good warm
henhouse and a large scratching shed.
I also know of a flock of about 180
hens, White Wvandottes, Barred Rocks
and a.mixed lot, where, during Janu
ary and February last year, they did
not get sufficient eggs to use in cook
ing and baking. I also know of a city
flock of ten hens where during the
same time they were getting six and
eight eggs a day, and the feed that
was bought for this latter flock did not
amount to over 5 cents a week. They
were fed principally on table scraps,
and from my observation I think it is
this feed that makes the eggs in win
ter. I am not prepared to say just
what there is to this feed that makes
the eggs, but if the farmer could
strike the same combination he would
make a small fortune off his eggs in
winter, as at 40 cents a dozen (whjich
one of my neighbors is paying for
strictly fresh eggs) the farmer ought
to realize about $2 a day for eggs
from a flock of 125 or 130 hens. It i
would pay him to spend some money j
for the right kind of feed.—Aaron
Kline, in Farmers’ Review.
Good and Bad Eggs.
A reader asks us for some way to
tell good eggs from bad ones. The
method being followed in the commer
cial world is the one that we recom:
mend and the only one that we believe
suitable to farm work. This is the
candling process. Take a box and
place in it a lamp, making a hole
about the size of an egg. In this box
put a light, so placing the light that
the gleam will stream out of the hole
mentioned. The candling is done by
taking this box into the gloomiest part
of the room and passing the eggs be
tween the opening in the box and the
eye. A good strong light will render
the egg transparent or translucent. If
an electric light can be obtained, so
much the better, as the inside of the
egg will be that much more illumi
nated. The stronger the light the bet
ter can one see what is inside the egg.
The good eggs will show a translucent
liquid. An egg that has begun to
undergo the changes noticed in incuba
tion will be cloudy at first and later
will show veins. Later it will show
dark clots at certain points, as the
physical system of the unborn chick
develops. For common use, it is nec
essary only to find out the clear eggs
from the cloudy ones. The cloudy
ones are not fresh, while the others
are if they have not been undergoing
incubation. If the eggs are in an in
cubator or under a hen and have been
there some days, the fertile eggs will
be showing a cloud or streaks. The in
fertile eggs will still be clear and
should be taken out and afterwards
cooked as food for the young chicks.
Poultry houses should be set on
brick piers or on cement rather than
cn posts; as the latter rot away in
time.
Don’t let mites attack the legs of
the fowls. Prevent this by doctoring
the legs of fowls that are affected.
Unsympathetic.
Boggs—I began at the bottom and
worked up.
Joggs—You don’t look like an ele
vator boy.
Planting Trees on Sod Land.
I would say to the man that has just
purchased a farm and wishes to set
out apple trees in sod land this spring,
that he can do so easily, as he would
have to prepare his ground anyway be
fore planting. If I had the planting to
do I would plow the ground and pre
pare it Just as I would for corn. Then
I would plant my trees, which can be
done as late as the 5th of May in Illi
nois.
I would plant between the rows of
trees such crops as onions, peas,
beans, cabbages, potatoes and sweet
corn of the low growing variety. Mel
ons and cucumbers also do very well
on new land. I also recommend sweet
potatoes. Field corn would Aoke the
trees more or less, and while they per
haps would grow Just as well with
field corn planted among them, the
next spring would show them badly
frozen back, because the wood will not
ripen as well when shaded by the
corn as when they are free to receive
the light and air. But as I do not
know how many acres of land the cor
respondent wishes to plant to trees I
offer another Idea;
Suppose that he wishes to plant an
acre or two and that near the house.
He would do a wise thing if he did
not break up the sod at all. Every
farmer has chickens and I assume that
this farmer has. He could skim off the
sod for about four feet square (oi
round if he prefers) in the place
where he is to set each tree. He can
plant a tree in each place so prepared
and afterwards allow the chickens to
run there.
If your correspondent will buy only
trees that are dug fresh from the field
next spring, I think the loss will be
small. But if he buys trees that have
been stored or heeled-in over winter
his loss will be great. As to whether
it would be possible to perfectly pre
pare ground in so short a time, I will
say that it depends on other things,
including money and help, the latter
being the most important—Henry
Dant, Macon Co.. 111.
AsHes for Fruit Trees.
I have found out by experience
that wood ashes is the best fertilizer
that we can put around our fruit
trees. Ashes should be placed closer
to the trunks of the trees than other
fertilizers. The quantity of ashes to
be placed around a tree depends up
on the size of the tree and the
strength of the ashes. About a peck
of good strong ashes is enough for a
tree just set in the ground, but if
the ashes are leached, about again
as many may be used. Older trees
need more; about two bushels will do
for a tree five years old. I have found
that wood ashes make a better fertil
izer than barnyard manure. The ma
nure causes a more rapid growth, be
ing more apt to winter kill, while the
growth produced by the ashes is more
sound and therefore can better endure
the winter than the other growth. Ap
ple trees treated with ashes yield from
one-half to one-third more sound ap
ples. The trees and vines benefited
by ashes are peach, pear, apple, cher
ry, plum, grape, raspberry, blackberry
and strawberry. Wood ashes are a
common and ready source of potash.
They improve the mechanical condi
tion of most soils. The lime they con
tain tends to correct •'sourness" and
to promote the important chemical
process of nitrification. Corncob ashes
are the best for potash, as they sup
ply from 15 to 20 per cent of pure
potash. It has been estimated that
every one thousand pounds of hard
wood ashes will give about sixty
pounds of potash, and when com
pared with that in cobs they aic worth
much more in the shape of ashes.—
Geo. Van Gundy, Morgan Co., 111.
Dust Spraying.
Spraying by means of dust has been
discussed in these columns quite oft
en. So far as investigations have been
made in the past the liquid spray
would seem to be superior to the dust
spray. Some experiments have been
made in Delaware, however, that seem
to show that the dust spray can be
used profitably under some conditions.
It was used there during the days
when heavy dews prevailed, and it
was estimated that the cost was about
half that of the liquid spray. Apple,
plum, peach, pear and cherry trees
were sprayed. The codling moth and
apple scab were successfully con
trolled by this means. The only dust
spray that seems to be effective, how
ever, is pulverized copper sulphate and
hydrated lime, to which paris green
or some other poison has been added.
The Hillside Orchard.
In regard to our brother farmer
who is thinking of setting
his hillside grass land to ap
ple trees, I would say: Plow the land
and put it in good shape as early in
the spring as the ground is friable.
Set the trees and then for at least
three years use an abundance of well
rotted barnyard manure. Each year
cultivate the trees well till near’ the
middle of July. Then sow the land to
cow peas and then turn them under
after the frost has killed the vines.
The vines will help to keep the land
from washing and will furnish food •
for the trees. Plenty of cultivation
and food is what the trees want.—T.
W. Griffith, Union Co., 111.
Drags the Corn After Planting.
In the preparation for my seed crop
I pay most attention to the selecting
of the seed and use the seed grown by
myself. We begin to prepare the corn
land just as soon as possible after
the oats are sown. All of my land is
a clay loam, but I think that sandy
land is a little earlier as a rule, as
the water dries out quicker from it
and it can be worked without getting
lumpy. My method for putting in the
corn crop is to thoroughly prepare the
ground. In my operation I vary ac
cording to the seasons, but I try to
have the soil as Bne as dust if possi
ble. We plant in checks three feet six
inches each way and put in the com
1% to 2 inches deep when the corn is
moist and 2% to 3 inches deep when
the corn is dry. We drag the corn
once or twice as soon as it is planted.
—W. L. Wells, Winnebago County, I1L
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