URGES CONSERVATION OF
THE NATION’S RESOURCES
President Taft Sends Special Message to Con
gress Recommending Prevention of Land
Frauds, Control of Water Power, Fos
tering of Soils and Kindred Subjects
Washington. Jan. 14.—Following Is
the complete text of the special mes
sage on the conservation of the na
tion’s resources sent to the senate
and house of representatives by Pres
ident Taft to-day:
To the Senate and House of Representa
tives:
In my annual message I reserved the
subject of the conservation or our na
tional resources for disposition in a spe
cial message, as follows:
In several departments there Is pre
sented the necessity for legislation look
ing to the further conservation of our
national resources, and the subject ts one
of such importance as to require a more
detailed and extended discussion than
Can be entered upon in this communica
tion. For that reason I shall lake an
early opportunity to send a special mes
sage to congress on the subject of the
Improvement of our waterways, upon the
reclamation and Irrigation of arid, seini
arid and swamp lands, upon the preser
vation of our forests and the re-foresting
of suitable areas; upon the re-classltica
tion of the public domain with a view of
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral, coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging to the government bor
dering on streams suitable for the utili
sation of water power
In 1SG0 we had a public domain of I.IKS.
911,2SS acres. We have now 731.3M.081
acres, confined largely to the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi-arid plains.
We have. In addition, 36X.035.975 acres of
land in Alaska
Disbursement of Public Lands.
The public lands were, during the earli
est administrations, treated as a national
asset for the liquidation of the public
debt and as a source of reward for our
soldiers and sailors, l.ater on they were
donated in large amounts in aid of the
construction of wagon roads and rail
ways. In order to open up regions In the
west then almost Inaccessible All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than a quarter of a eentnrv ago The
homestead aet. the pre-emption and tim
ber-culture act. the coal land and the
mining acts were among these
The rapid disposition of the public lands
under the earlv statutes, and the lax
methods of distribution prevailing, due, l
think, to the belief that these lands
should rapidly pass Into private owner
ship. gave rise to the Impression that
the public domain was legitimate prey
for the unscrupulous and that it was not
contrary to good morals to circumvent
the land laws. This prodigal manner of
disposition resulted in the passing of
large areas of valuable land and many
of our national resources into the hands
of persons who felt little nr no responsi
bility for promoting the national wel
fare through their development.
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth Is that title to millions of
acres of public lands was fraudulently
obtained and that the right to recover a
large part of such lands for the govern
ment long since ceased bv reason of stat
utes of limitations. There has developed
In recent years a dr< concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper use of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation of the resources
of the public domain A vast amount of
discussion has appeared in the public
plints in generalized form on this sub
ject, but there has been little practical
suggestion. It has been ea*=y to sav that
the natural resources in fuel supply, in
forests, in water power, and in other
public utilities, must be saved from
waste, monopoly, and other abuses, and
the general public Is in accord with this
proposition, as they are with most
truisms. The problem, however. Is how
to save and how to utilire. how to con
serve and still develop, for no sane per
son can contend that it is for the com
mon good that nature's blessings are
only for unhorn generations
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution of land
frauds and the bringing to public atten
tion of the necessity for preserving the
remaining public domain from further
epoliation. for the maintenance and ex
tension of our forest resources, and for
the enactment of laws amending the ob
solete statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part of the pub
tic domain in which there are valuable
deposits of coal, of oil. and of phosphate,
t.nd, in addition thereto, to preserve con
trol. under conditions favorable to the
jublic. of the lands along the streams in
which the fall of water can he made to
generate power to be transmitted in the
form of electricity many miles to the
point of its use, known as "water power”
sites.
The Investigations Into violations of the
public land laws and the prosecution of
land frauds have been vigorously con
tinued under my administration, as has
been the withdrawal of coal, lands for
classification and valuation and the tem
porary withholding of power sites Since
March 4. 19v9, temporary withdrawals of
pow-er sites have been made on 102
streams and these withdrawals therefore
cover 229 per cent, more streams than
were covered by the withdrawals made
prior to that date.
The present statutes, except so far
as they dispose of the precidus metals
and the purely agricultural lands, are
not adapted to carry out the modern
view of the best disposition of public
lands to private ownership, under con
ditions offering on the one hand suffi
cient inducement to private capital to
take them over for proper develop
ment, with restrictive conditions on
the other which shall secure to the
public that character of control which
will prevent a monopoly or misuse of
the lands or their products. The power
of the secretary of the interior to with
draw from the operation of existing
statutes tracts of land, the disposition
of which under such statutes would
be detrimental to the public interests.
Is not clear or satisfactory. This power
has been exercised in the interest of
the public, with the hope that congress
might affirm the action of the execu
tive by laws adapted to the new condi
tions. Unfortunately, congress has not
thus far fully acted on the recommen
dations of the executive, and the ques
tion as to what the executive is to
do Is under the circumstances, full of
difficulty. It seems to me that it is
the duty of congress now. by a statute,
to validate the withdrawals which
have been mad* -oy the secretary of the
Interior and the president and to use
the secretary of the interior temporar
ily to withdraw lands pending submia
iion to congress o9. .recommendations as
to legislation to meet conditions or
emergencies as they arise.
Properly to Classify Lands.
One of the most pressing needs in
the matter of public-land reform is
that lands should be classified accord
ing to their principal value use. This
ought to be done bv that or department
whose force is best adapted to that
work It should be done by the inter
ior department through the geological
survey. Much of confusion, fraud, and
contention which has existed in the
present has arisen from the lack of
an official and determinative classifi
cation of the public lands and their
contents.
If is now proposed to dispose of ag
ricultural lands rs such, and at the
same time to reserve for other disposi
tion the treasure of coal. oil. ashphal
tum. natural gas and phosphate con
tained therein This may be best ac
complished1 by separating the right
to mine from the title to the surface,
giving the necessary use of so much of
the latter as may be required for the
extraction of the deposits. The sur
face might he disposed of as agricul
tural land under the general agricul
tural statutes, while the coal or other
mineral could be disposed of by lease
on a royalty basis, with the provisions
requiring a certain amount of develop
ment each year: and in order to pre
vent the use and cession of said lands
with others of similar character so as
to constitute a monopoly forbidden by
law. the lease should contain suitable
provision subieeting to forfeiture the
interest of persons participating in
such monopoly. Such law should ap
ply to Alaska as well as to the United
States.
Statute Difficult to Frame.
Tt is exoeedlngly difficult to frame
a statute to retain government control
over a property to be developed by
private capital In such a u.anner as
to secure the governmental purpose
and at the same time not frighten
aray the investment of the necessary
capital Hence. It may be necessary
bv laws that are really only experi
mental to determine from their prac
tical operation what is the best
method of securing the result aimed at
The extent of the value of phosphate
is hardly realized, and with the need
that there will be for it as the years
roll on and the necessity for fertiliz
ing the land shall become more acute,
this will be a product which will prob
ably attract the greed of monopolists.
Public Land Alonq Streams.
With respect to the public land
which lies along the streams offering
opportunity to convert water power
into transmissible electricity, another
important phase of the public land
quest tun is presented There are val
uable water power sites through all
the public land states. The opinion
is held that the transfer of sovereignty
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they become
states, included the water power in
the rivers except so far as that owned
by riparian proprietors. I do not
think it necessary to go into discussion
of this somewhat mooted question of
law. It seems to me sufficient to say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power Is to be converted aftd trans
mitted. owns land which is indispens
able to the conversion and use of that
power. I cannot conceive how the
power In streams flowing through pub
lic lands can be made available at all
except by using the land itself as the
site for the construction of the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and securing a right of way
thereover for transmission lines. Un
der these condition, if the government
owns the adjacent land—indeed, if the
government is the riparian owner—it
may control the use of the water power
by imposing proper conditions on th*
disposition of the land necessary In the
creation and utilization of the water
power.
Value of Water Power.
The development in electrical appli
ances for the conversion of the water
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed so far that
it is no longer problematical, but it is a
certain inference that in the future the
power of the water falling in the strearrs
to a large extent will take the place of
natural fuels. In the disposition of the
domain already granted, many water
Dower sites have come under absolu ;e
ownership, and may drift into one own
ership. so that all the water power under
private ownership shall be a monopoly,
if. however, the water power sites now
owned by the government—and there are ;
enough of them—shall be disposed of to
private persons for the Investment of
their capital in such a way as to prevent
their union for purposes of monopoly
with other water power sites, and under
conditions that shall limit the right of use
to not exceeding thirty years with renewal
privileges and some equitable means of
fixing terms of rental and with proper
means for determining a reasonable grad
uated rental, it would seem entirely pos
sible to prevent the absorption of these
most useful lands by a power monopoly.
As long as the government retains con
trol an«l can prevent their improper union
with other plants, competition must be
maintained and prices kept reasonable:.
Soils Must Be Conserved.
In considering the conservation of i;he
natural resources of the country, the fea
ture that transcends all others, including
woods, waters, minerals, is the soil of the
country. It is incumbent upon the gov
ernment to foster by all available means
the resources or the country that produce
the food of the people. To this end the
conservation of the soils of the country
should be cared for with all means at the
government's disposal. Their productive
powers should have the attention of our
scientists that we may conserve the new
soils. Improve the old soils, drain wet
soils, ditch swamp soils, levee river over
flow soils, grow trees on thin soils, pas
ture hillside soils, rotate crops on all
soils, discover methods for cropping dry
land soils, find grasses and legumes for
all soils, feed grains and mill feeds on
the farms where they originate, that the
soils from which they come may be en
riched.
A work of the utmost importance to in
form and instruct the public on this chief
branch of the conservation of our re
sources is being carried on successfully
In the department of agriculture; but it
ought pot to escape public attention that
state action In addition to that of the de
partment of agriculture fas for instance
in the drainage of swamp lands) is es
sential to tlie best treatment of the soils
ia the manner above indicated.
The act by which, in semi-arid parts of
the publfe domain, the area of i.ie home
stead has been enlarged from 160 to 220
acres has -resulted most beneficially in
the extension or '’dry farming” and in
the demonstration which has been made
of the possibility, through a variation in
the character and mode of culture, of
raising substantial crops without the
presence of such a supply of water as
has been heretofore thought to be neces
sary for agriculture.
But there are millions of acres of com
pletely arid land in the public domain
which, by the establishment of reservoirs
for the storing of water and the irri
gation of the lands, may be made much
more fruitful and productive than the
best lands in a climate where the mois
ture comes from the clouds. Congress
i recognized the importance of this method
of artificial distribution of water on the
arid lands by the passage of the reclama
tion act. The proceeds of the public
lands creates the fund to build the works
needed to store and furnish the neces
sary water, and it was left to the secre
tary of the interior to determine what
projects should be started among those
suggested and to direct the reclamation
i service, with the funds at hand and
through the engineers in its employ, to
construct the works.
No one can visit the far west and the
country of arid and semi-arid lands with
out being convinced that this is one of
the most important methods of the con
servation of our natural resources that
the government has entered upon. It
would appear that over 30 projects have
been undertaken, and that a few of
these are likely to he unsuccessful be
cause of lack of water, or for other rea
sons. hut generally the work which has
been done has been well done, and many
important engineering problems have
been m<*t and solved.
Funds Inadequate for Service.
One of the difficulties which has
arisen is that too many projects in
view of the available funds have been
set on foot. The funds available under
the reclamation statute are inadequate
in complete these projects within a
reasonable time. And yet the projects
have been begun; settlers have been
nvited to take up and. in many in
stances. have taken up. the public land
within the projects, reiving upon their
prompt completion. The failure to
complete the projects for their benefit
is. in effect, a breach of faith and
leaves them in a most distressed con
dition. I urge that the nation ought
to afford the means to lift them out of
the very desperate condition in which
they now are.
This condition does not indicate any
excessive waste or any corruption on
the part of the reclamation service. Tt
only indicates an over-zealous desire
to extend the benefit of reclamation
to as many acres and as many states
as possible. I recommend, therefore.,
that authority be given to issue, not
exceeding $30,000,000 of bonds from
time to time, as the secretary of the
interior shall find it necessary, the
proceeds to be applied to the comple
tion of the projects already begun and
their proper extension, and the bonds
running ten years or more to be taken
up by the proceeds of returns to the
reclamation fund, which returns, as
the years go on. will increase rapidly
in amount.
I here is no doubt at all that ir
these bonds were to be allowed to run
ten years, the proceeds from the public
lands, together with the rentals for
water furnished through the completed
enterprises, would quickly create a
sinking: fund largre enough to retire
the bonds within the tim»* specified. T
j hope that, while the statute shall pro
vide that these bonds nr** to be paid
out of the reclamation fund, it will he
drawn in such a way as to secure in
terest at the lowest rate, and that the
credit of the I’nited States will be
pledgred for their redemption.
1 urge consideration of the recom
mendations of the secretary of the
interior in his annual report for
amendments of the reclamation act.
proposing: other relief for settlers on
these projects
New Law Requisite.
Respecting the comparatively small
timbered areas on the public domain not
included in national forests because of
their isolation or their special value for
agricultural or mineral purposes, it is ap
parent from the evils resulting by vir
tue of the imperfections of existing laws
for the disposition of timber lands that
the acts of June 3. 1S7S. should be re
pealed and a law enacted for the dispo
sition of the timber at public sale, the
lands after the removal of the timber to
be subject to appropriation under tlie
agricultural or mineral land laws
What I have said is really an epitome
of the recommendations of the secretary
of the interior in respect to the future
conservation of the public domain in his
present annual report. Tie has given
close attention to the problem of disposi
tion of these lands under such conditions
as to invite the private capital necessary
to their development on the one hand,
and the maintenance of the restrictions
necessary to prevent monopoly and abuse
from absolute ownership on the other.
These recommendations are incorporated
in bills he has prepared, and they are at
the disposition of the congress. I earnest
ly recommend that all the suggestions
which he has made with respect to these
lands shall be embodied in statutes and.
especially, that the withdrawals already
made stall be validated so far as neces
sary and that doubt as to the authority
of the secretary of the interior to with
draw lands for the purpose of submitting
recommendations as to future disposition
of them where new legislation Is needed
shall be made complete and unquestioned.
Disposition of Forest Reserves.
The forest reserves of the United
States, some 190,000,000 acres in extent, are
under the control of the department of
agriculture, with authority adequate to
preserve them and to extend their growth
so far as that may he practicable. The
importance of the maintenance of our
forests cannot he exaggerated. The possi
bility of a scientific treatment of forests
so that they shall be made to yield a
large return in timber without really re
ducing the supply has been demonstrated
in other countries, and we should work
toward the standard set by them as far
as their methods are applicable to our
conditions.
Upwards of four hundred millions acres
of forest land in this country are in pri
vate ownership, but only three per cent,
of it is being treated scientifically ami
with a view to the maintenance of the
forests The part played by the forests
in the equalization of the supply of water
on watersheds is a matter of discussion
and dispute, but the general benefit to be
derived by the public from the extension
of forest lands on watersheds and the
promotion of the growth of trees tn
places that are now denuded and that
once had great flourishing forests, goes
without saying. The control to be exer
cised over private owners in their treat
ment of the forests which they own is a
matter for state and not national regu
lation. because there is nothing in the
constitution that authorizes the federal
government to exercise any control over
forests within a state, unless the forests
are owned tn a proprietary way by the
federal government
Improvement of River.
I come now to the improvement of the
inland waterways. He would be blind
indeed, who did not realize that the peo
ple of the far west, and especially those
of the Mississippi valley. have been
aroused to the need there is for the im
provement of our inland waterways.
The Mississippi river, with the Missouri
on the one hand and the Ohio on the
other, would seem to offer a great nat
ural me ins of interstate transportation
and traffic. How far. if properly improved
they would relieve the railroads or sup
plement them in respect to the bulkier
and cheaper commodities is a matter of
conjecture. No enterprise ought to be
undertaken the cost of which is not def
initely ascertained and the benefit and
advantage of which are not known and |
assured by competent engineers and other j
authority. When, however, a project of
a definite character for the improvement
of a waterway has been developed so
that the plans have been drawn, the cost
definitely estimated, and the traffic
which will be accommodated is reason
ably probable I think it is the duty of
congress to undertake the project and
make provision therefor in the proper ap
propriation bill.
One of the projects which answers the
description I have given is that of intro
ducing dams into the Ohio river from
Pittsburg to Cairo, so as to maintain at
all seasons of the year, by slack water,
a depth of nine feet. Upward of seven
of these dams have already beer con
structed and six are under construction,
while the total required is 50. The re*
rnaining cost is known to be $63,000,000.
It seems to me that in the development
of our inland waterways it would bi
wise to begin with this particular project
and carry it through as rapidly as m if
be. I assume from reliable informatinj
that it can be constructed economicallj
in ten years. I recommend, therefor**
that the public lands, in river and har«
bor bills, make provision for continuing
contracts to complete this improvement,
and 1 shall recommend in the future, if
it be necessary, that bonds be issued to
carry it through.
What has been said of the Ohio river
is true in a less complete way of the im
provement of the upper Mississippi from
St. Paul to St. Louis to a constant depth
of six feet, and of the Missouri, from
Kansas City to St. Louis to a constant
depth of six feet and from St. Louis lo
Cairo of a depth of eight feet. These
projects have been pronounced practical
by competent boards of army engineers, *
their • ost has been estimated and there ,
bind ness which will follow the im
prove merit.
As these improvements are being made,
and the traffic encouraged by them shows (
tself of sufficient importance, the ‘im- :
proveinent of the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down to the gulf, which is now
going on with the maintenance of a depth
of nine feet everywhere, may be changed ,
to another and greater depth if the neves- j
sitv for it shall appear to arise out of the |
traffic which can be delivered on the river
at Cairo.
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
I am informed that the investigation
by the waterways commission in Europe
shows that the existence of a waterway
by no means assures traffic unless there
is traffic adapted to water carriage at
cheap rates at one end or the other of
the stream. It also appears in Europe
that the depth of the streams is rarely ,
more than six feet, and never more than
nine. But It is certain that enormous
quantities of merchandise are transported
over the rivers and canals in Germany
and France and England, and it is also
certain that the existence of such meth
ods of traffic materially affects the rates
which the railroads charge, and it is the
best regulator of those rates that we
have, not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the interstate
commerce commission. For this reason,
I hope that this congress will take such
steps that it may he called the inaugu
rator of the new system of inland water
ways. For reasons which it is not nec
essary here to state, congress has seen
tit to order an investigation into the in
terior department and the forest service
of the agricultural department. The re
sults of that investigation are not needed
to determine the value of. and the ne
cessity for. the new legislation which I
have recommended in respect to the pub
lic lands and in respect to reclamation. I
earnestly urge that the measures be tak
en up and disposed of promptly without
awaiting the investigation which has been
determined upon.
WILLIAM H. TAFT.
A Bird’s Savings Bank.
Tn California the woodpecker stores
acorns away, although he never eats
them. He bores several holes, differ
ing slightly in size, at the fall of the
year, invariably in a pine tree. Then
he find an acorn, which he adjusts to
onp of the holes prepared for its re
ception.
But he does not eat the acorn, for,
as a rule, he is not a vegetarian. His
object is storing away the acorns ex
hibits foresight and a knowledge of
results more akin to reason than to
instinct. The succeeding winter the
acorns remain intact, but, becoming
saturated, are predisposed to decay,
when they are attacked by maggots,
which seem to delight in this special
food.
It is than that the woodpecker
reaps the harvest his wisdom has pro
vided. at a time when, the ground be
ing covered with snow, he would ex
perience a difficulty otherwise in ob
taining suitable or palatable food.
His “Penitentiary Den.”
“And now I mnst show you what I
rail my penitentiary den.” said a popu
lar author. "This" he continued, as
he drew open a door, "is where I oc
casionally spend an hour or so when I
am developing symptoms of that by no
means uncommon malady among suc
cessful men called ‘swelled head.’ "
The room was a charming little
snuggery about seven feet square, the
only remarkable feature of which was
the wall-covering. “If you look close
ly,” explained the host, “you will see
that my wall paper consists, on two
sides of the rom, of those too-familiar
and unw-elcome printed forms on
which editors express their regrets at
declining one's pet manuscripts.”
Zoological Puzzle.
Italian zoologists have a puzzle to
solve, owing to the discovery on
Mount Blanc of the body of a white
bear, which has been brought to Aosta.
It was thought at first that the bear
must have died some three hundred
years ago, and must have been pre
served by the ice, since it has always
been held that white bears vanished
from the Alps three centuries ago. But
it has since been demonstrated that
death could only have taken place a
few days previous to discovery. At
this would seem to show that there
are still white bears in the Alps, ex
peditions are to be sent to test the
theory.
Tooly Lural!
“How far is it between these two
towns?" asked the lawyer.
“About four miles as the flow
cries." replied the witness.
"You mean as the cry flows.”
“No,” put in the judge, "he means
as the fly crow’s.”
And they all looked at each other, i
feeling that something was wrong.— !
Everybody’s Magazine.
CHASE GAME IN MOTOR CARS
New Sport That Is Said to Be Popular
Among Hunters in West
ern Kansas.
Automobiles are revolutionizing
methods of hunting wild game in
western Kansas. A wolf hunt under
the new plan is most exciting. One
runs the automobile and another does
the shooting. A machine can run
miles and miles on the open prairie of
the west without coining in contact
with a fence or a creek. When a
wolf or coyote is scared up the auto
mobile takes after him. A wolf runs
in an easy circle. He doesn't dodge
back and forth. So it is comparative
ly easy for the driver to keep right
behind him. Eut the automobile must
have great speed.
A coyote can run 30 miles an hour
with ease. A few days ago some Gar
den City hunters ran down a coyote
and killed him with the wheels. That
was considered a great hunting feat
When hunters used to chase coyotes
on horses and with dogs there was
never a record of where they drove
the coyotes to their dens. But it is
different with automobiles.
Coyotes run until they are about to
be taken in and then make for their
dens In order to "smoke them out"
the driver attaches a rubber tube to
the gas tank of his car and runs the
other end down in the hole. That sood
brings the coyote out, and the race is
resumed until the animal is bagged.—
Chicago News.
Carver of Figureheads.
William Southworth. the city's old
est wood carver, died the other day
at the age of S3 years He estimated,
only a short time before his death,
that he had made carvings for more
than 500 vessels His principal work
w-as the carving of figureheads for
vessels, this beln^' a lucrative and im
portant occupation at one time, until
the rise of commercialism blotted out
the poetic significance of these
models.—Bath Correspondence of Lew
iston (Me.) Journal.
BRONZE TURKEY RESULT
OF SCIENTIFIC CROSS
Beautiful Filch Plumage and Its Size Comes from Wild
Progenitor and to Maintain Qualities
Crosses Are Made.
The Bron ze Turkey.
The bronze turkey probably origi
nated from the cross between the wild
and the tame turkey. Its beautiful,
rich plumage and its size have come
from its wild progenitor. To maintain
these desirable qualities crosses are
continually made. In this way the
mammoth size has been gained. Their
standard weight ranges from 16 to 36
pounds, according to age and sex.
Probably more of this variety are
grown each year than of all others
They have been pushed on all sides
almost to the exclusion of the others j
until within a year or two. If possible ;
the bronze turkey has developed too |
much in the direction of size. While
size, within reasonable limits, is to be I
desired and encouraged, when it is I
confined to length of thigh and shank,
it is a gain of weight with but little
additional value.
The coloring of this variety is a
ground of black blazoned or shaded
with bronze. This shading is rich and
glowing. and when the sun’s rays are
reflected from these colors they shine
like polished steel. The female is not
as rich in color as the male, but both
have the same color and shadings
Much of this richness of color is lost
through inbreeding, as it is improved
by each cross with the wild specimens.
Of all our domestic fowls none suffer
from inbreeding so much as turkeys
This should be guarded against at all
times, if it is hoped to gain the best
results.
ASH SIFTER FOR SAVING COAL
An ash sifter for saving the un
burned coal and coke should find a
place in every woodshed or coalhouse.
A home-made sifter that will answer
every purpose for which a sifter is
used may be built by almost any man
or boy, as shown in the accompanying
illustration. It may be built of old
dry goods boxes, or any old lumber,
and the boys will enjoy sifting the
ashes. If placed outside, cover the
roof with any of the roofing felts now
on the market. As shown in the end
view, an old tub or box is placed in
the center of the structure for catch
ing the sifted ashes, the two pieces
DD, are for catching any ashes that
may fall outside of the tub. The ashes
are poured through the small spout C,
which should have a hinged door as
shown. The sifter rests in the wood
frame A, and is removed for cleaning
through the door E. The sifter may be
covered with screen wire. The build
ing should be four or five feet square
and about five feet high in front, and
four feet at the rear. A door must be
Cut in the rear side for removing the
tub, as shown in the rear view. Much
coal and coke will be saved during the
season, to say nothing of the many
uses that will be found for the
screened ashes. If the building is con
structed of boxes, or lumber found
around the place, the cost to build the
entire device will be less than twc
dollars.
CONCRETE CISTERN PLATFORM
Make a square box of 2xl0-inch stuff,
any size you want the p'atform. Six
feet square is a nice size.
Cut out the pieces as shown in the
cut so the frame will fit the crown of
the cistern. Clean off all the earth
and old matter. Set the frame level
and about two inches lower than the
cistern curb. This will give fall suffl
cient to lead all water away from the
pump.
Make a mixture of cement and sand
or gravel. Put cement five parts sand
and gravel. Mix all together, dry
then add water to make a stiff mortar.
Pack in the form and smooth off with
a straight-edged board. Run a seam
from each corner to the crown to pre
vent cracking.
Adopting a Lamb.
In case an ewe loses her lamb she
should be made to adopt a twin, and
this is often a difficult thing to do. One
of the best methods is to strip the
skin from the dead lamb while it is
yet warm and place it over the body
of the lamb that is to be adopted, ty
ing it on by wrapping a light string
about it many times. Then if this lit
tle orphan in another’s clothing is
placed with the mother, nine times out
of ten she will adopt it without pro
test. As soon as the lamb has suckled
two or three times the skin may be re
moved and no further difficulty will be
experienced.
Feed the Lambs.
The lambs that are to remain on
the farm should not be forced so fast.
They need plenty of food, but the
grain ration should be small and no
30m should be used. They should be
given plenty of exercise and an abund
ince of good pasture when possible,
^orn tends to fatten, and will produce
mcertain breeders of short season.
.Vheat bran and oats are probably the
safest food materials that can be used.
Food Cost.
On farms that grow grain and where
there is much waste grain r.hat the
chickens eat. the cost of feeding a hen
for one year would probably not ex
ceed 75 cents; but where all the feed
has to be purchased and paid for at
market prices the cost wil vary from
$1 tc $1.50 per fowl. The coat of rais
ing pullets will usually be offset by
the price received for the hens when
they are marketed. If properly cared
for and fattened, the surplus cockerels
should be marketed at a profit.
The Dairy Cow.
The cow alone of all domestic ani
mals is able to utilize profitable
farm land worth $150 an acre and up
The raiser and seller of grain or hay
cannot use such land; it is too costly
for the production of beef or mutton
or pork, save as the hog is a by
product of the dairy. The silo is in
dispensable on such land, s.s is well
kept poultry.
The Orchard.
You can double the value of your or
chard in one year when properly
treated.
CHICAGO MERCHANT
MAKES STATEMENT.
After Spending Thousands of Dollars
and Consulting the Most Eminent
Physicians, He Was Desperate.
CHICAGO, Ills.—Mr. J. G.
Becker, of 134 Van Buren St., a
well-known wholesale dry goods
dealer, states as follows:
"I have had catarrh for more
than thirty years. Have tried
everything on earth and spent
thousands of dollars for other
medicines and with physicians,
without getting any lasting re
lief, and can say to you that I
have found Peruna the only rem
edy that has cured me per
manently.
"Peruna has also cured my
wifeofcatarrh. Shealwayskeeps
it in the house for an attack of
i cold, which it invariably cures in
a very short time.”
KOW- KURE
is not a ‘'food”—it is a medicine, and the
only medicine in the world for cows only.
Made for the cow and, as its name indicates,
a cow cure. Barrenness, retained after
birth, abortion.scours, caked udder, and all
similar affections positively and quickly
cured. No one who keeps cows, whether
many or few, can afford to be without KOW
KURE. It is made especially to keep cows
healthy. Our book “Cow Money” sent FREE.
Ask your local dealer for KOW-KURE or send
to the manufacturers.
DAIRY ASSOCIATION CO. Ljndonvllle, Vt
Nebraska Directory
After Curing Yourself of
CONSTIPATION
by using
Uncle Sam
Breakfast Food
You will continue to use it
because it is a delightful
breakfast dish.
If you don’t know it’s merits
ask your grocer
He Certainly Knows
JOHN DEERE PLOWS
ARE THE BEST
ASK YOUR LOCAL DEALER OR
JOHN DEERE PLOW CO., OMAHA, NEB.
2-Ib. Red
Cans
Paxton’s
Per lb. 25c
2-lb. Air-tight Sealed Cans
Positively the highest value
you can get anywhere for
the money. You know
you are always getting the
same when you buy
PAXTON’S Gas Roasted
in red sealed cans.
Ask Your Grocer
for It
MILLARD hotels:; ^
American--$2.00 par day and upwards.
European-- si.00 per day and upwards*
OMAHA
Take Dodge Street Car
at Union Depot.
ROME MILLER
TYPEWRITERS ttU
\ to 4 Mfr's price,
men in. " * *
irr s price. Caen or time pay*
Rented, rent applies. We ship
re for free examination. No
lany where t
Writs *i
B I' Ssuim Co .4*7 Woodman Hld| Oraaka.
Writs %r bi* bargain list an l off«*r
TAFT'S DENTAL ROOMS
1517 Douglas SI., OMAHA, NEB.
Reliable Dentistry at Moderate Prieok
dirds & Animals kinds Mounted
J. E. WALLACE, Taxidermist and Furrier
•020 Lake Street OMAHA, NEB.
DEFIANCE STARCH
Save the Baby—Use
Should be given at once when the
little one coughs. It heals the del
icate throat and protects the lungs
from infection—guaranteed safe and
very palatable.
All Druggists, 25 cents.
