Conservative * 9
much new business is reported , as the
convention's agent is not inclined to sell
freely for forward delivery at cur
rent prices , which range from 17J to
21 } cents , according to style of pack
ing. * * * Foreign makes do not
cut any ice in this market , and may be
quoted nominal at 1GJ cents for kegs. "
Regarding the situation in 1899 the
Oil , Paint & Drug Reporter of January
10th said : "Chief makers are not in
clined to sell freely at 9 to 10 cents.
* * * The general impression is
that when the demand domes in spring
all differences will be patched up and
prices will be raised. "
By March prices have been marked up
to 12) to 14 cents where they were held
until June 26fch. This being a bad
season and "outside" makers being
somewhat numerous and troublesome
the manufacturers did but little in the
price juggling line.
The interesting period of 1900 , for
both manufacturers and consumers , is
now here and all are wondering what
will happen. Prices are already up to
18 to 15 cents partly , it is said , because
the prices of the basic materials acetic
acid , blue vitriol and arsenic , all con
trolled by trusts are high. The chances
are that some of the outsiders who last
year made trouble will be admitted into
the inner circle and that prices will
again in May and June go up to 18 and
20 cents.
The surest , and about the only way to
injure , and possibly to kill this nasty
little trust , which has put hundreds of
thousands of illegitimate dollars into
the pockets of its members , is to put
paris green on the free list.
BYRON W. HOLT.
Now York , March 16 , 1900.
THE FEEDING VALUE OP SORGHUM ,
The Nebraska Experiment Station has
just issued Bulletin No. 62. This treats
of the feeding value of the sorghum
plant , both for summer pasture and win
ter feed. It shows the best stage of
growth at which to pasture sorghum
and the best time to cut it for fodder ,
The bulletin may be obtained free of
cost by writing to the Agricultural Ex
periinont Station , Lincoln , Nebraska.
Chemical analyses show that the feed
ing value of sorghum is greatest when
the plant is young. When two feet high
it contains three times as much nitro
genous matter , twice as much fats ,
and only two-thirds as much fibre or
woody material as it does when it has
attained its growth and formed seeds.
Young sorghum is an almost perfect
stock food since it contains flesh form
ing materials and fat-forming materials
in the ratio of 1 to 7. "When nearly
mature this ratio is 1 to 28 , the fat-
forming materials being very excessive.
Therefore the crop should be used for
pasturage at least before the seeds form.
It would be profitable to begin to pasture
the sorghum when it is not more than
two feet high , since the stalks first eaten
off will usually produce a second growth
f young cane , which will balance the
ncreasing fat-forming properties of the
ther crop.
Young sorghum is a very succulent
bod. it contains about 85 per cent of
ivator , or only 15 per cent of dry mat-
; er. Over 160 Ibs. per day of the green
'odder would be required to furnish
luffloient food for growing cattle or
milch cows of 1000 Ibs. weight. The
est results are obtained by using some
dry feed along with sorghum pas-
xirage.
As compared with forage plants
, vhioh are available for late summer
pasturage , young sorghum is somewhat
deficient in flesh-forming material , con-
aiuing loss than blue grass or Bromus
nermis , about the same as timothy , and
little more than Indian corn.
Sorghum should be out for fodder at
as early a stage as it can be well cured.
Analyses show that after the period of
flowering the sorghum stock rapidly be
comes more fibrous or woody and the
proportion of the more valuable food
principles is correspondingly decreased.
Sorghum fodder does not possess any
great feeding value. Even if cut while
heading out it will have a somewhat
smaller amount of flesh-forming
material than most bay crops , and less
than corn fodder , but more than straw
of the small grains. The fondness live
stock have for this fodder is doubtless
due to the sugars ( probably chiefly glu
iose ) which it contains. Its relatively
high percentage of heat-and-energy-
producing materials makes it especially
adaptable for cold-weather feeding.
R. W. THATCHER.
Nebraska Agricultural Experiment
Station.
FAMOUS TICHBOKNE DOLE.
From Self-Culture Magazine : The
ancient manor of Tichborne lies near
Winchester. Two hundred years prior
to the Norman conquest this manor was
known as Itohenborne , because within
its border rose the river Itchen. Shortly
after the first Plantaganet ascended the
throne , Sir Roger de Itchenborue
knight , married Mabel , only daughter
and heiress of Sir Ralph de Lammer
ston , of the Isle of Wight. After many
years of godly living and kindness t <
the poor , Lady Mabel , realizing that shi
was near to death , besought Sir Roge
to bestow upon her such means as would
enable her to leave a loaf of bread to al
applicants on Annunciation day , forever
Sir Roger was unwilling to grant the
request , except under a condition ex
tremely hard for his wife , who had
been bedridden for many years. He
said , in effect : "To-morrow will be
Christmas. All the land from yonder
oak tree that you can traverse north and
east while the morning Yule log burns ,
I will inclose within parallel lines cor
responding on the south and west , and
it shall be your own. "
The following morning Lady Mabel
was borne to the corner of the park ,
and , at the lighting of the Yule log ,
commenced her painful task. Before
the cry came from the hall that the log
was in ashes , she had won a tract of
fifteen acres of rich land , known to
day as "The Crawls , " in memory
of her painful task. The land was
surveyed and deeded to Lady Mabel ,
but her heroic deed had hastened
her end. A few hours later the
parish priest was summoned to prepare
her for death. While awaiting his
coming she called her household around
her and prophesied that the house of De
tcheuboruo would prosper so long as
he dole to the poor should be continued ,
but that if it were ever neglected the
'amily ' name should be lost for the want
of male issue , and that in such an event
; he baronet of the day would be the
father of seven sons , the eldest of whom
would have seven daughters , but no
sons. She then accepted the ministra
tions of her confessor and died.
Through more than six centuries of
sunshine and shadow the house of
Tiohborne continued , at Annunciation ,
to distribute the dole. During the 14th
and 15th centuries 600 loaves were baked
on the day preceding Annunciation.
The number grew in time to 1,000 , 1,500
and 2,000 loaves. In the 18th century
more than 8,000 loaves and from 65 to
90 in money were distributed annually.
Though for more than 600 years this
charity fed the poor for one day in the
year , kept its foundress in pious mem
ory , and furnished to other wealthy
families an example of emulation , its
distribution became at length an in
tolerable burden. Tichborne park be
came , in mid-Lent , the rendezvous of
tramps , beggars , costermongers , pick
pockets , sneak thieves and acrobats , who
camped in extemporized shelters all over
the fields and gardens of the manor.
With the distribution in 1799 the dole
was discontinued. By a strange coin
cidence , in 1821 Lady Mabel's prophecy
was partially fulfilled , for in that year
the head of the family died , leaving
seven sons. The eldest succeeded to the
baronetcy , and died in 1845 , leaving
seven daughters. Ho was succeeded by
his eldest brother , who , on his marriage
in 1826 with Miss Doughty , a Lincoln
shire heiress , had taken the name of
Doughty-Tiohborne. At the death of
his only son , in 1885 , Doughty-Tioh
borne , impressed by the singular fulfill
ment of Lady Mabel's prophecy , be
sought his elder brother to restore the
dole. This was done with certain re
strictions confining it to the poor of the
parish of Tiohborne. In this manner it
continues to be distributed to the present
day.
