Bellefonte, Pa., July 3, 1914, _
A FOURTH OF JULY RECORD.
was a wide-awake little boy
Who rose at the break of day;
were the minutes he took to dress,
Then he was off and away.
were his leaps when he cleared the stairs,
Although they were steep and high,
was the number which caused his haste,
Because it was Fourth of July!
were the pennies which went to buy
A package of crackers ved;
were the matches which touched them off,
And then—he was back in bed!
big plasters he had to wear
To cure his fractures sore;
were the visits the doctor made
Before he was whole once more,
were the dolorous days he spent
In sorrow and pain, but then,
are the times he will celebrate
In such a fashion again.
—St. Nicholas.
FROM INDIA.
By One on Medical Duty in that Far Eastern
Country. Woman Suffrage. Pea-hen Dinner.
Ministering to Suffering Women. Driven from
Bed by Rain.
JHANSI, MAY 21st, 1913.
Dear Home Folk:
Iam questioned about America and
the present suffrage movement until I
feel as though I am as dry as punk, and
am sorry I was not a more enthusiastic
reader along other lines than purely
medicine, for I would be more of an ad-
dition to a dinner party than I am now.
Is this letter rambling? Well, if itis
—one of the nurses has been rubbing my
head, to try and help me keep the hair I
have, and now as my two small boys
(punka-walla) are playing and my big
fan is just barely moving, she is fanning
me and at the same time making some
interesting remarks about why I don’t
like the English, etc., so please forgive
me.
For the past three days a most unusual
thing has been happening here for the
middle of May. We have been having
daily rains—not much, just little show-
ers, so this morning I went to church and
was caught in a big down-pour and was
soaked to the skin; I was on a wheel and
in a short time was able to get into some
dry things. It makes me think of April
at home and to hear the birds fussing |
seems good; just like a lovely spring day |
in Centre county, although I don’t really
believe our birds ever had to be so grate-
ful for rain as these little feathered |
friends of Jhansi have to be. :
Tonight one of the English women and
her husband sent me a “pea-hen” and I
asked Mrs. R., the matron, to come and
have dinner with me and she has just
gone. The bird was truly delicious and
we did enjoy it very much although, as I
told you before, I know a better cook
could make things much more tasty than
our poor chef (?)
Another gorgeous moon is making it
look like day and off in the distance the |
sound of the drum and fife proclaims the
fact that these energetic English neigh-
bors are putting “Tommy Atkins”
through some night maneuver.
gives a wierd effect to our otherwise
peaceful life and one is at times tempted
to think that soldiers and wars are mere-
ly a part of one’s dreams.
I suppose it was meant for a compli-
ment, but the other night at dinner I
said something about America and a
Major who was sitting beside me re-
marked,
lishwoman, I am going to send the pa-
pers around for you to sign.” I smiled,
but scarcely appreciated the compliment,
since I am still an American.
I got up good and early today, with the ;
idea of hurrying through things and then
writing a few letters and finishing this to |
you; but as I finished my meal at six |
o'clock I was told a tonga awaited me |!
and I had to go. Oh, how little we ex-
in India. I was driven a rather long dis-
tance but finally was stopped in front of
a little low building and taken through
into a perfectly dark room, where a lamp
was burning, although broad daylight
outside, and I found a poor little deform-
ed mother, trying to bear her share of
the world’s pain. It was pitiful, but I
realized that nothing could be done ‘to
aid her there so said she must be brought
. into the hospital, and drove off. Well, I
got back, and sent to the civil surgeon a
note, asking his aid, and he came in a
short time, and the patient also. Then
we went to work and for two hours we
butchered that already poor specimen of
womanhood, and tonight she is just liv-
ing. I scarcely can hope that she will
recover; it would be almost too good to
be true and what is worse, I don’t be-
lieve her people care much whether she
does die. But when I think of what she
has suffered for the last three days and
add today’s horrors to that—and she may
go on for a week longer—surely “Ali,”
which she worships (Mohammedan) will
give her a pleasant home when she final-
ly goes torest. These cases are no cred-
- it to any one; just an attempt to help a
poor human sufferer out of a little mis-
ery. But still there is no regret on my
part when they die for no one wants
them to live except my nurses and I, and
we aon’t count.
i must tell you about a night I had a
short time ago. As I have told you, it
is quite cool, but still for air we go clear
out of doors to sleep whenever possible,
and, although the men had fixed my bed
This
“Oh, you are not an American |
any longer, you are a naturalized Eng-'
on the veranda I later decided to Fave it
then told the old watchman to be sure
and wake me up and get my bed in if it
came on rain, then to sleep I went. Some-
time later I awoke with an immense
drop of rain on my nose and sitting up
found it really was raining hard. Out of
bed I jumped and grabbing a kimona at
first thought I would call for the men to
get my bed in but as it was simply pour-
ing by this time, I decided to roll my
bedding in a bunch and rush for shelter,
which I did, forgetting that my slippers
might be useful to one who hadn’t gone
barefooted for years. Ireached the porch
without much water, but_ my poor foot
struck a snag and I cut a big hole in the
sole, then hopping around stork fashion
I yelled for help, but those stupid men
never came until my bed was soaked. It
ing up and down with the end of my bed
like a “hobby-horse,” trying to drag it in,
while the blind boy was slowly finding
! his way toward him to help. The light-
ning made the picture very vivid and I,
standing in my night clothes, grinned
enjoyably. I then had to wait until that
rain stopped for, being a good house-
keeper all the doors were locked and I
had to get around the house to my room
and then I had to unload another bed and
having made it, go off to sleep. Since
that I have been sleeping under cover;
don’t like too much of a good thing.
(Continued next week.)
The Glorious Fouuth.
What are you going to do on the
Fourth of July? Picnics are such fun, and
there are so many ways of making the
day full of patriotism and of good times,
too, without fireworks. You can tie the
sandwiches upin red, white and blue rib-
of the lunch basket. Paper table cloths
and napkins decorated with flags can be
used and cakes can be cut like stars, or
little drums, or round cannon balls.
Cocked hats made of newspapers, or of
tissue paper if you have it, and sticks of
wood whittled to look like guns, will turn
| a crowd of boys and girls into a band of
{ Revolutionary soldiers. Really you do
not need fireworks at all.
Every year many children are killed or
injured through the use of fire crackers
and toy cannon, and serious fires occur
{ on the Fourth. Even torpedoes are dan-
gerous, for the small stones may fly up
into the eyes, hurting them so that they
never recover. All over the country
laws are being passed, forbidding the use
of fireworks, and many cities and towns
are planning big celebrations of other
| kinds, which will be just as much fun as
{ the dangerous explosive, without injuring
| those who take part. Some of the boys
| and girls think it is too bad that they
cannot have the old kind of celebration;
. but if they will remember that hundreds
- of people have lost their lives, and thous-
ands have been crippled for life by the
. use of fireworks, they will be willing to
join in a less dangerous kind of amuse-
ment.
i If, in spite of these warnings, you will
' celebrate with fireworks, be just as care-
ful as possible. Do not leave lighted
punk around. Never chase another per-
son with firecrackers, and do not hold a
firecracker in your hand. If your cannon
or fireworks will not “go off,” never
bend over them to see what is wrong, for
they are liable to explode in your face.
| Turn your face away when you hold the
punk or match to the fuse. Do not point
' a sky rocket towards a house or barn.
Girls, with their thin dresses, should be
especially careful not to go near a bon-
fire or to stand where sparks can set fire
to their clothing. But the best advice of
all, to keep from hurting others and from
being injured yourself, is to leave fire-
works out of your celebration, for that is
: the only way you can be sure there will
be no pain and sorrow which you have
caused, to spoil the glorious Fourth.
The Liberty Bell.
Here are some things about the bell it
| would be well to cut out and paste in
{ your scrap book:
| July 4, 1776, the bell was rung for the
proclamation of Independence.
October 24, 1781, the bell rang out for
the surrender of Cornwallis.
April 16, 1783, it rang out for the proc:
lamation of peace.
September 29, 1824, it rang to welcome
Lafayette to the Hall of Independence.
{ July 4, 1826, it ushered in the year of
Jubilee, the fiftieth anniversary of the
- . Republic.
pect and how horribly much we run into
July 24, 1826, it tolled for the death of
Thomas Jefferson.
July 4, 1831, is the last recorded ring-
ing of this famous bell to commemorate
the day of independence.
February 22, 1832, is its last recorded
ringing to coinmemorate the birth of
Washington.
In the same year it tolled the death of
the last survivor of the Declaration,
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton.
July 2, 1834, it tolled once more. La-
fayette was dead.
July 8, 1835 while being tolled for the
death of Chief Justice John Marshall, a
crack was developed, starting from the
rim and inclining in a right-hand direc-
tion toward the crown.
Another attempt was made to ring it
on Washington’s birthday, February 22,
1843, but the fracture was so much in-
creased that no attempt has ever been
made to ring it since. Its voice is now
silent, and yet it will ring in the hearts
of all patriotic people so long as the
name of liberty shall last.—Leaves of
Light.
Program Committee for Suffrage Con-
: vention.
The State committee to arrange the
program for the meetings of the annual
convention of the State Suffrage Associa-
tion has been appointed and consists of
the following members: Dr. Anna C.
Clarke, chairman, Scranton; Miss Ethel
Boise, Miss Jane Lewis, Mrs. S. Freede-
wald, Miss Jessica Repple, all of Scran-
ton; Mrs. W. J. Pach, West Pittston; and
Mrs. H. H. Harvey, Wilkes-Barre. Mrs.
Maxwell K. Chapman, general chairman
of local arrangements for the conven-
tion, will be an ex-officio member of the
committee. The convention will be held
in Scranton in November. ;
—For high class Job Work come to
the WATCHMAN Office.
clear outside, and out we carried it and '
was funny to see that old native jump- |
bon, and fasten a bow of it to the handle |
Beautifying Village Stations.
When the owners of ground in villages
and railroad companies join in an effort
for the beautifying of the surroundings
of the station the approach to many
beautiful suburban places will be rescued
from the incongruity that travelers often
remark. It sometimes seems as if all the
less beautiful and more squalid objects
and occupations of a village must have
been diligently gathered and dumped
‘about the station and its approaches,
with express intent to intimidate any
who might think of alighting. A modern
station is usually attractive in architec-
ture, but its surroundings often do not
come up to the standard thus set; while
the older building, dingy as it may be, is
only too well matched, instead of being
: redeemed by an attractive setting.
Everywhere, however, of late years
there has been springing up a desire on
the part of suburban dwellers to make
| a pleasing one, and much has been done
toward this end. The New York Sun
relates a typical instance, where the good
work was begun with two members of
the village improvement league, who
righted up their own grounds, trimming
trees and hedges, and renovating lawns.
Neighbors copied their good example, a
widening neighborhood em lated these;
it became possible to have the streets
put into better order, many objectiona-
ble buildings were removed, and finally
tion the railroad company to provide a
building with grounds that should be in
keeping with the well ordered and well
kept village.
| The station itself was remodeled, the
| tramped down soil of many years traffic
| was renewed and planted with grass,
| driveways and footpaths made, a hedge
{ of hemlocks placed so as to shut off an
unsightly view that could not well be
remedied, shrubbery and perennials
planted, such as would need little of a
gardener’s care. A small triangular strip
receptacle for rubbish, was leased and
planted, and a movement is now under
way to make it village property as a lit-
tle beauty place, with a fountain contrib-
uted by a resident.
The moral appears to be an admoni-
tion to other villages to go and do like-
wise, for no one is likely to dispute the
concluding words of this writer when he
says: “The value of such betterment
is out of all proportion to the cost which
it entails, and wholly apart from its ef-
fect upon property values is its help in
fostering a spirit of civic pride which is
priceless to any community.”— Zhe Mon-
itor.
Dr. Dixon on ‘“The Fatal Fourth.”
Thousands of small boys have been
practicing an unwonted thrift for days
their money on July 4th.
The State Department of Health is
also making its preparations by ordering
a special supply of tetanus antitoxin in
the effort to prevent cases of lock-jaw
among these same small boys.
There are a great many grown-ups,
who having been permitted to run the
risk of blowing themselves up in their
youth and not having succeeded, believe
that their sons and their neighbors
should be given the same glorious ptivi-
lege. This excess of sympathy should
be reserved for those chiidren who are
unfortunate enough to lose their hands
or their eyes or life itself in their “cele-
bration.”
Last year Pennsylvania dad more ac-
cidents on the Fourth of July than any
other State in the Union. Nine deaths
and 482 accidents were reported for the
day in this Commonwealth. In the en-
tire United States there were only 1163
accidents and 32 deaths, so it is evident
from the most casual observation that
Pennsylvania had far more than her
quota in this distressing and unnecessary
sacrifice.
Let the municipal authorities do their
part in preventing the barbaric sacrifice
by prohibiting the sale and use of dan-
gerous fire-works, by providing a suffi-
ment to make the day a real celebration
for young and old.
Franchise Reforms in Denmark Include
Woman Suffrage.
A Constitutional Amendment giving
the suffrage to women and removing all |
property qualifications for the exercise |
of the vote has been passed by the Low- |
er House of the Danish Parliament, by a !
vote of 102 to 6. The Amendment also
deprives the Crown of the right to nomi-
nate twelve members out of the sixty-six
members of the Upper House, and
amends the system by which the remain-
der are chosen. Under the present sys-
tem two-thirds of the electoral college
which chooses the members of the Up-
per House represent the wealthy class,
only one-third remaining to represent
the rest of the country. The amend-
ment was sent by the deputies of the
Upper House, but the Conservatives
there absented themselves and prevent-
ed a vote. The Premier has announced
that the Government will urge the King
to dissolve the Upper House as a result
of this action, on the ground that the ob-
struction was unconstitutional. Tax-
paying women and the wives of men
who pay taxes have had the municipal
franchise in Denmark since 1908.
Club Women’s Action Equals Year's
Work for Suffrage.
—
The endorsement of Woman Suffrage
by the great General Federation of Wom-
an’s Clubs was hailed with delight and
smiles at State Suffrage headquarters.
“This action by the club women is the
equivalent of a year’s work for suffrage,”
said Miss Hannah J. Patterson, State
chairman of the Woman Suffrage party.
“It was not taken hastily but after years
of careful deliberation, and proves be-
yond question that the vast majority of
the more than 18,000,000 women repre-
sented are in favor of our movement. It
was characteristic that in that huge as-
sembly only one woman should raise her
voice against it, and the comparison for-
ever routs that threadbare argument of
some Antis that the majority of the
women do not want the ballot. It is the
most far reaching event in the suffrage
world since the Illinois victory.”
——"“This man has made a speech
contradicting what he said some time
ago,” said the paste-and-scissors editor.
“All right,” said the headline artist.
“We'll print it under the caption, ‘At-
mospheric Change.’ ”
the first sight of their particular village
the residents were in a position to peti-
of ground that, because of disputed own-
ership, had been neglected and made a :
past in order that they may express their ;
patriotism by a prodigal expenditure of |
cient amount of pleasurable entertain- |
RA ————————
The Production of Maple Syrup and
Sugar.
While maple sugar and syrups are
essentially products of the north, north-
eastern and north central States, the
process of making them is an interesting
one to people in every section where
these delicacies are used.
Maple sugar is made by boiling down
the sap of the maple tree until it grains.
The sap flows most freely and the best
sugar is made in early spring. Cold
nights and warm sunshiny days make
ideal sugar weather. The sap is -obtain-
ed by boring into the tree and inserting
some kind of a close fitting tube, either
wooden or metal. Experiments in New
Hampshire show that practically twice
the amount of sap is obtained when the
' trees are tapped to a depth of 4 or 5
inches as when tapped but 2 or 23 inches,
. as is the usual practice. If a 3-8 inch bit
be used in making the holes practically
no harm to the tree is done. Sugar
makers frequently tap their trees so that
2 sprouts run into the same pail. In
such cases the holes should be at least 6
inches apart.
In “sugaring off”—boiling down maple
sap into syrup and sugar an accurate
thermometer is one of the best helps the
sugar maker can have., Common tin
thermometers are seldom accurate. When
sap first boils its temperature is about
213 degrees F.; as it increases in density
by boiling down the temperature rises.
This fact is taken advantage of to make
syrup and sugar of uniform character
each time. To make a syrup that will
: not granulate on standing and yet have
body, the sap should be boiled down
until the thermometer registers 219 de-
grees F. Syrup thus made will weigh
exactly 11 pounds to the gallon and will
not grain on standing. If allowed to go
above this it will grain. In practice, the
syrup is usually taken off just before it
reaches 219 degrees F.
Maple sap contains some impurities,
one of the more prominent of which is |
“nitre” or “sugar sand.” This consists |
mostly of the malate of lime and greatly |
increases in quantity toward the end of |
the sugar season.
should then be allowed to rise to 238 de-
grees F. before the sugar is taken off.
Maple sugar thus made will analyze 80
per cent of pure sugar. Pure maple
sugar is perfectly white and has the same
sweetening value and chemical composi-
tion as granulated sugar or beet sugar.
The white sugar can be made by strain-
ing the sap or syrup through animal
charcoal. This takes out all the color-
ing matter and also the peculiar flavor
of the sugar which gives it its chief value.
A gallon of good syrup weighing 11
pounds to the gallon will make 8% pounds
: of sugar testing 80 per cent pure—which
| is a very good sugar, or 73 pounds test-
ing 90 per cent pure
How to Get Up a Fourth of July Party.
In the July Woman’s Home Companion
| appears a page entitled “Entertainment”
on which several contributors give sug-
| gestions for picnics and partis. One con-
| tributor gives the following suggestions
'to hostesses who wish to entertain
| patriotically on the Fourth of July:
“For table decorations use as center-
piece a small ‘ship of state,’ flower-trim-
med, floated on a mirror, on a cheese-
cloth rippled sea, or on a large shallow
tray of water. Thirteen tall crystal can-
. dlesticks bearing candles of red, white and
- blue, alternating lighted or not as desired,
simulating the “Thirteen Colonies,” may
illuminate the table. Pure white candles,
i each stick bearing a perky bow of tricol-
: ored ribbon, might be used instead. All
| the candlesticks could be joined either to
i the ship by narrow tricolored ribbons or
; separate red, white and blue ones. For
; a daylight party the candlesticks might |
i bear firecrackers instead of candles.
! “As place cards use Liberty Bells or
“little ships bearing quotations from the
poem ‘The Launching of the Ship,’
which refers to the Union as a
giant ship. Another place card sugges-
tion is to make use of wee rolls of the
' “Declaration of Independence’ tied with
| tricolored narrow ribbon and bearing the
' clause beginning, ‘We, the people of the
. United States—’
“Fer favors, small drums containing
‘patriotic’ confections, with small drum-
i sfitks made of red, white and blue re-
| ception ‘sticks’ can be used.
| “Tiny American flags stuck upright in
| individual forts of vanilla or chocolate
{ice cream add a patriotic touch to an
| easily prepared dessert.”
« Making Historic Motion Picttres.
Writing of what is to be seen at the
i motion picture exposition in the Grand
: Central Palace in New York, a writer in
the New York Evening Post recalls how
the films for the story of Moses were
prepared.
| the pictures should be taken on the Nile
| where the events occurred. When the
| spot where the cradle of the infant Mo-
ses should be discovered was to be de-
cided upon, it was found that the exact
historical location, according to the
guides, was scattered all along the river
at intervals of several hundred miles. So
a likely place was chosen and that set-
| tled the dispute for all time, as since
| then the guides show this as the authen-
| tic spot.
But when the taking of the pictures
was half completed, the company of pic-
ture actors which was making its tour
around the world received word that
much better pictures were being taken
in New York. A bulrushy spot had been
chosen on the shore of Sheepshead bay,
and people who saw the films said they
looked just like the Nile. So the work
in Egypt was called off, And the
flight of the children of Israel and
all the rest of the deeds of Moses took
place on Long Island which couldn’t be
told from the Holy Land.
Illinois Women Win Again.
The Supreme Court of Illinois has giv-
en its decision upholding the right of
women citizens of that State to vote in
accordance with the law passsd last year
by the Illinois Legislature. This settles
the question finally in Illinois. The
women there are now engaged in a cam-
paign to secure the few remaining elec-
toral privileges.
——After you have been introduced
half a dozen times to a man who knows
you well but pretends he doesn’t, refuse
to shake hands with him. He will know
you the next time. }
If each one his own doorstep swept,
The whole village would be nicely kept
Why not begin with our own doorstep.
The temperature
It was at first intended that!
A homely old adage runs in this wise: | tog
What Oriental Rugs Express.
The chief rug-producing lands are Per-
sia, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Central
Asia, and China. Symbolism enters
largely into the designs for rugs, particu-
larly the Namazlik or prayer rug with its
arch or mihrab pattern as the principal :
feature. In Persian rugs it is formed
by gracefully curving lines, and in others
is of geometrical design. The arch
being symbol of the mosque, “at call for
prayer,” says Waker A. Hawley, who has
written a book of great interest to rug!
collectors which is reviewed by the Egyp-
tian Gazette, “the faithful Moslem spreads
his rug with arch directed towards
Mecca, and kneeling with the palms of
his hands at eachside of the center, he
bows his head till it touches the rug.”
As these are held sacred by the Moham-
medans of Persia and seldom sold, they |
can only be actually distinguished from
those made for trading purposes “by the
well worn nap showing where the knees
of father and son have often pressed.”
The size and shape of the rug are indi-
cations of the purpose to which it is as-
signed, e. g., the large square center
piece (the Khali) is used to cover the
center of the assembly hall, and the nar-
row strips (the Renares) are placed at
the sides and ends for the servants and
less honored guests.
However pleasing the design or elab-
orate the detail, it is principally in the
coloring that these rugs claim our inter-
est and admiration. The different shades
have different moods, expressing peace,
joy, pensiveness, sorrow, the meaning of
which the oriental mind, with its subtle
and serious imagination, has grasped as
has none other.
In the highest grade of antique rug we
find, as in all real works of art, that ex-
cellent combination of work for the love
of work, and personal distinction in han-
dicraft which results in satisfaction to
its creator as well as its possessor. With
these happy conjunctions, and the use of
wool of the finest texture and colors,
have been produced those delightful
tones which only time can produce. Mr.
Hawley gives expression of this feeling
when he says: “There was a time when
the Oriental had not learned the mean-
ing of tempus fugit or seen the glitter of
western gold, when his dyeing and weav-
ing were proud callings into which en-
tered his deepest feelings.” — The Monitor.
The Fotlowing, Taken From Unwritten
History, Proves George Washing-
ton Was Only Human.
On the afternoon of October 14,
1768, George Washington stepped into
the private office of his good Philadel-
phia friend and dentist, Silicum Stra-
dles. Twas an elegant fall afternoon
and Chestnut street was alive with
colonial damsels out in their new furs.
“Good-day, friend George,” quoth
the dentist, as he finished polishing a
long, wicked-looking spear and picked
up a gleaming crowbar.
“What brings you downtown thus
early?” pursued Stradles, as he laid
down the crowbar and picked up an
eight-pound monkey wrench. “Noth-
ing wrong with the teeth, I trust?’
And he put down the monkey wrench
and picked up a bone-handled
mallet weighing it carelessly in his
hand.
“I beg pardon,” said George Wash-
ington, rather nervously.
you say?”
“I say, is it your teeth that brings
you here this beautiful day?” said the
dentist, as he put down the mallet
and picked up a pair of gas pliers.
“No, my feet,” said Mr. Washington,
with a forced laugh. “Ha, ha, Silicum,
my feet brought me here, to be sure.
Well, I am glad to have seen you, I'm
sure—I must go now.”
Outside on the pavement he held his
hand to his aching jaw and murmured
guiltily:
in a lifetime won’t do any harm, and
mayhap the historians will never get
hold of it.”
Descenaants or Aztec Royalty.
Descendants of the Aztec monarchs
of Mexico still live. There is one in
Holland and another in Mexico iiself,
while some of the lesser kinsmen are
still drawing pensions from the Mexi-
can government on the strength of
i that kinship. Direct descendants of
Montezuma live in Salamanca, repre-
sented by the Maldonado family, allied
by marriage with the English house of
Lancaster. The Empress Eugenie of
France claims descent from the great
Montezuma, and, as a biographer
writes, “the widow of Napoleon III. is ;
thus of greater imperial stock than
her husband, and brought to the al-
liance more dignity than she acquired
bv it? .
Ancient Forms of Soap.
It is probable that some of the in-
gredients, especially the essential oils,
which enter largely into the composi-
tion of modern soaps, were employed |
in early times for the same purpose.
Soap in the form of vegetable ashes
mixed with grease was in vogue
among the ancient Egyptians. A sim.
ilar preparation was used by the He-
brews, and when Jeremiah said:
“Though thou wash thee with nitre
and take thee much soap,” he referred
to “borak,” procured from the ashes
of the saltwort and other “washing
7erbs.” Porak is in use among the
nly ta EE
—Itisto be feared that a great
many persons agree in practice, if not in
theory, with the idea of a certain Wash-
ington schoolboy to whom the question
was put: “What is a synonym?”
“A synonym,” explained the lad, “is a
word you use when you don’t know how
to spell the one you thought of first.”
~——Apropos of an inefficient manag-
er's resignation. George Gould said to a
New York railroad reporter:
“It’s every man’s desire to wabble
round in a big job rather than to fill a
small one, and that’s why so many res-
ignations are by request.”
——“] wonder why the baron and
Javomir, the poet, always go about
ether! They are so utterly different!”
“Well, the baron thinks himself intel-
lectual when he is with the poet, and the
poet thinks he looks smart when he is
with the baron.”
iron !
“What did :
“Ah, well, just one little lie
—
FARM NOTES.
——
—The first eggs laid by pullets should
{not be set as they are small and will
i produce weak, undersized chicks. Let
! the eggs come to full size before setting.
! —Do you want better fruit and more
of it? There is but one way to get it.
; Buy the best trees from only reliable
i nurserymen and care for them according
. to the best methods.
—Every farm boy (and many city boys,
, too), sooner or later gets the chicken
| fever. When he does give him a few
| hens for his own, and allow him to fix
| up suitable quarters for them, He will
enjoy caring for them and the work will
be an excellent business training. Do
| not neglect or discourage the boys.
i —When incubator chickens are from 8
[to 10 weeks old. we give them a free
range, and feed them from hoppers, which
are filled once a week. These hoppers
‘ have two compartments, one for the meal
i mixture and the other for the cracked
grains. Some poultrymen water their
| chicks only once a week. They use a
| good-sized barrel, fill it with water, and
{haul it to a shady place where it will
. keep cool. The barrel is fitted with a
tap, which is set so as to let the water
| drop into a pan just fast enough to keep
up the supply without waste. This plan
is followed until the time for rounding up
the chicks for the winter.
—After much computing, the experts
of the department of agriculture at Wash-
ington have set the value of the agricul-
tural products destroyed each year in
the United States by insect pests at eight
hundred million dollars, says the Youth's
Companion. That vast sum may be call-
ed the insect tax paid by the farmers, It
is much larger than the tax paid each
year for the education of American chil-
dren, and much larger than the amount
at which the buildings and endowments
of the six hundred colleges in this coun-
try are valued. Itis twice as largeas the
amount lost in the San Francisco fire,
and three or four times as large as the
combined bonded and floating debts of
all the States of the Union.
—In his capacity as State Poultryman
of Pennsylvania, William Wittman, of
' Allentown, who is also superintendent of
the poultry department of the Allentown
fair, named Monday, June 1st, as “Rooster
Day” for this Commonwealth, when it
was proposed that every male chicken in
the State be killed, sold for eating or
locked up.
Mr. Wittman began the cry several
years ago that the rooster was only a
star boarder, and that he ought to be re-
duced in numbers or locked up for the
betterment of the egg supply of the
country. Mr Wittman was the pioneer
to advocate this treatment for the rooster,
and the theorv has been universally
adopted by breeders and egg producers.
An infertile egg is much superior in both
keeping qualities and for eating pur-
poses.
The Pennsylvania embargo on roosters
is to last until January 1st next, or until
. the new breeding season begins, so that
' the enormous annual waste of bad eggs
' may be stopped, and that eggs for table
purposes may be better, more numerous
and cheaper.
{ The Pennsylvania Department of Agri-
culture will send out a notice in detail
‘ very shortly as a matter of instruction to
' poultry breeders, farmers and keepers of
| chickens generally.
—A dipping tank should be on every
farm. The tank can not only be used
, for sheep but for hogs and young calves
| as well, so that the entire outlay need
not be charged up against the sheep.
{ Dipping is especially valuable in over-
| coming the ravages of scab, lice and
| ticks, but it will prove beneficial in pre-
! venting eye, nose and mouth troubles. If
regular dipping is practiced it will not
only prevent to a large extent many of
the ravages common to sheep, but it will
maintain the flock in a much better state
of general healthfulness.
There are a number of proprietary
dips on the market which can be used
successfully at a moderate cost. Stand-
' ard dips of this kind are generally used
i in the proportion of one part of dip to
| forty parts of water, making a two and
' one-half per cent solution. The best and
most effective time to dip sheep is about
ten days after shearing. It will take
.much less of the solution and be far
more effective. Dipped in this way the
sheep can be put through the tank very
rapidly. While if they are dipped for
scab or while the wool is on they should
be immersed several times and held un-
! der, excepting the head, from one and
‘one-half to two minutes. In case of
sheep scab all should be loosened so that
the dip will thoroughly penetrate the ex-
posed parts.
The dipping tank can be made of
| wood, galvanized iron, or concrete. The
. concrete tank will last indefinitely and is
the most economical type in the end.
‘ The galvanized tank can be purchased
' on the market at a moderate cost.
{ In the actual construction of a dipping
tank the aim should be to provide for
i efficient dipping and still not have the
| tank so large as to require an excessive
{ amount of dip. If properly constructed
the saving of dip will prove to be an item
during the season. ;
The ordinary galvanized iron tank is
| the one in most common use, but it is
not as lasting as a tank built of brick and
! then cemented, or the solid concrete vat
| built in 2 mould or form. This will cost
{ more, but will last a lifetime, and there
, will be no bulging or leaking if the ma-
“sonry work has been properly done. A
tank 10 feet long at the top, 4 feet long
at the bottom, 20 inches wide at the top
and 8 inches wide at the bottom, and 4}
| feet deep will answer every purpose. The
| tank should be set 4 to 8 inches above
i ground to keep out surface drainage and
| filth. All necessary equipment for dip-
ping should be located convenient to the
yards or lots where the stock is kept.
This will make frequent dipping less
trouble and expense. The animal should
be dropped buttlock first into the disin-
' fecting solution. A draining floor should
be provided. If sheep are dipped with
, the wool on they will carry considerable
i dip from the tank and make the opera-
tion more expensive. By building a fence
around the drain leading back into the
. tank the sheep can be held there for a
| short time and thus save much of the
liquid carried out in the wool. Where
large flocks are being dipped it will be
' advantageous to divide the draining pen
j into two equal parts, having a swinging
' gate at theend of the partition next to
_ the outlet end of the tank. This gate
' can be swung to either side, thus closing
; one of the pens and allowing one side to
‘ be filled with sheep to drain while the
other side is being filled. By alternating
in this way much greater headway can
be made.