——_—n Demand, Bellefonte, Pa., February 16, 1917. IT’S ALL IN THE GAME. “You're sick of the game,” —well, now that’s a shame, You're young, and you're brave and you're bright. “You've had a raw deal,” 1 know, but: don’t squeal, Brace up, do your best now and fight. It's the plugging away that will win you the day, So don’t be a piker, old Pard. Just draw on your grit; it’s so easy to quit ; It's the keeping-your-chin-up that’s hard. It's to ery that you're beaten, and die, It's easy to falter and fall. But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight, Why, that’s the best game of all. And tho you come out of each gruelling test All beaten and broken and scarred. Just make one more try; it's so easy to die. It's the keeping on living that's hard. From the Tack Hammer. FAREWELL ADDRESS OF WASH- INGTON. President Washington was general- | ly urged to become a candidate for ! the chief magistracy a third time. While some opposition to him had developed there is no doubt that he could have been elected if he had per- mitted the use of his name. His de- clination and the reasons that impell- ed him to make it established the un- written law that no President can serve more than two terms. General Washington’s refusal to let his name be considered for a third election was made in his historic farewell address. “I am influenced,” he declared, “by no diminution of zeal for your future in- terest, no deficiency of grateful re- spect for your past kindness, but am supported by a full conviction that the step is compatible with both.” Continuing, he said: “Here, perhaps, I ought to stop, but a solicitude for your welfare, which cannot end but with my life, and the apprehension of danger natural to that solicitude urge me, on an occa- sion like the present, to offer to your solemn contemplation and to recom- mend to your frequent review some sentiments which are the result of much reflection, of no inconsiderabie observation, and which appear to me all important to the permanency of your felicity as a people. These will be offered to you with the more free- dom as you can only see in them the disinterested warnings of a parting friend who can possibly have no per- sonal motive to bias his counsel. “In contemplating the causes which may disturb our union, it occurs as a matter of serious concern that any ground should have been furnished for characterizing parties by geo- graphical discrimination—northern and southern, Atlantic and western, whence designing men may endeavor to excite a belief that there is a real difference of local interests and views. One of the expedients of party to ac- quire influence within particular dis- tricts is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts. You can- not shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and hearthurn- ings which spring from these misrep- resentations; they tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affec- tion. “It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in these in- trusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their re- spective constitutional spheres, avoid- ing in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon an- other. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate thie powers of all the departments in one and thus to create, whatever the form of govern- ment, a real despotism. A just esti- mate of that love of power and prone- ness to abuse it which predominates in the human heart is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this posi- tion. “Observe good faith 2nd justice to- ward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. “In the execution of such a plan nothing is more essential than that permanent inveterate antipathies against narticular nations and pas- sionate attachments for others should be excluded and that in place of them, just and amicable feelings toward all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges toward another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affec- tion, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interests, “Antipathy in one nation and against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage and to be haughty and intractible when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur; hence frequent col- lusions, obstinate, envenomed and bloody contests. The nation prompt- ed by ill will and resentment some- times impels to war the government, contrary to the best calculations of policy. “The government sometimes par- ticipates in the national propensity and adopts through passion what rea- son would reject; at other times it makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility instigated by pride, ambition and other sinister and pernicious motives. The peace often, sometimes perhaps the liberty, of nations has been the victim. : “Against the insidious wiles of for- eign influence I conjure you to believe me, my fellow citizens, the jealousy of a free people opght to be constant- ly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. But that jealousy to be useful must be impartial; else it be- comes the instrument of the very in- fluence to be avoided, instead of a defense against it. Excessive par- tiality for one foreign nation and ex- cessive dislike of another, cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence on the! other. Real patriots, who may re- sist the intrigues of the favorite, are ; liable to become suspected and odi- i ous, while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people to surrender their interests. “Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any por- tion of the foreign world. Taking care always to keep ourselves, by ! suitable establishments, on a respect- ably defensive posture, we may safe- ly trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies. “Harmony, liberal intercourse with , all nations are recommended by poli- cy, humanity and interest, but even ; our commercial policy should show an ‘equal and impartial hand, neither | seeking nor granting exclusive favors i or preferences, constantly keeping in . view ’tis folly in one nation to look | for disinterested favors from another; i that it must pay with a portion of its i independence for whatever it may ac- . cept under that character; that by ! such acceptance it may place itself in { the condition of having given equiv- i alents for nominal favors and yet of i being reproached with ingratitude for i not giving more. There can be no ; greater error than to expect or cal- { culate upon real favors from nation i to nation. ’Tis an allusion which ex- | perience must cure, which a just pride { ought to discard. . “In offering to you, my country- men, these counsels of an old and af- fectionate friend I dare not hope they will make the strong and lasting im- pression I could wish—that they will control the usual current of the pas- sions or prevent our nation from run- ning the course which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations. “But if I may even flatter myself that they may be productive of some partial benefit, some occasional good —that they may now and then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of for- eign intrigue, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism— this hope will be a full recompense for the solicitude for your welfare by which they have been dictated.” GENERAL WASHINGTON WEPT. By Ammi Bradford Hyde, S. T. D., Litt. D. (It was in Philadelphia, September 9, 1777, two days before Brandywine, and Lord Howe was moving up the Delaware. For three months the pa- triot soldiers had received no pay. Their families were in want, and the fine enthusiasm that wins before the fight was dwindling. Gouverneur Morris, chairman of finance in Con- gress, had in the city an office, and to this Washington came—the wealth- iest Virginian and the wealthiest New Yorker. “Morris, can you and I and Congress raise any money?” “General, not a penny can now be had. Not by all of us.” Washington stood a moment, then burst into vio- lent weeping, pressing his fingers up- on his brow, and tears flowing down upon his wrist. His only known weeping! He left the room and Mor- ris followed him. Soon came the de- feat and Congress was driven to York. It was the midnight of the Revolution, for then came Valley Forge. Soon, however, light dimly rose in Baron Steuben’s skillful or- ganization of the army and then the alliance with France. But the dark- ness overhanging was dreadful.) Stuart, thy skill that kingly form has shown Where soft, faint sunlight ever seems to rest. Could these commanding lips send forth a groan? I'rom eyes so strongly calm could tears ‘be pressed ? But look! That head is drooping as in pain! Those fingers screen that clouding o'er; brow quick Grief wets those hands with drops like summer rain. That groan. As if some pang a heart- string tore! “Morris, our men, ill-fed, unpaid, are true, But suffering, homesick. That keen tem- per fails That dashes forth to win a vietory new, And in fierce storm of battle never quails. Pay will restore their stricken hearts, I know, And prove their country feels their loy- al pain.” “There is no slow, . “Not your estate and mine could ease the strain.” The hilt-worn fingers pressed those eye- lids sore, money,” answer sad and And tears fell fast as in a sudden shower. The General, groaning, turned to find the door, His bosom heaving in grief’'s awful power— Not for himself. The woes of others came Upon his thought. 'Tis manly then to weep. Men sick at heart, pale wives, defeat and shame Rose to his view like demon-dreams in sleep! Historic tears! war, The lofty calm that soothed the boister- ous State, Each its place filled, and yet sublimer far Tears telling of a soul humanely great. -~Christian Advocate, The darkening frown of Your Five Hundred Muscles. The five hundred muscles in the human body depend on pure rich blood for their health and contractile energy which is the ability to labor. If they are given impure blood they become enfeebled, the step loses its elasticity, the arm its efficiency, and there is incapacity to perform the usual amount of labor. What a great blessing Hood's Sarsapa- rilla has been to the many toiling thous- ands whose blood it has made and kept pure and rich! This medicine cleanses the blood of all humors, inherited or acquired, and strengthens and tones the whole sys- tem. It is important to be sure that you get Hood’s Sarsaparilla when you ask for it. No substitute for it is like it. One Instance. “Like produces like.” “Yes; I suppose that is one reason why they have baggage smashers on trunk lines.”—Baltimore American. To Preach by Motion Pictures. Motion-pictures are becoming so familiar an adjunct of church work, even taking their place in the regular Sunday service, that “The Advance” (Cong., Chicago), recently offered a prize for the most informative article describing their use. The winner is the Rev. Chester S. Bucher, who has used motion-pictures at a church in Cleveland. The people, he says, had previously “passed by our leaving its pews empty and filled the seats of the nickel university at the next corner.” This was the answer: “For thirty-five dollars we bought a second hand Edison machine; for thirty dollars we secured a second- hand galvanized-iron booth; for about forty dollars we purchased electrical materials, and an electrician in the church installed the equipment him- self and operated the machine. Our regular order of service was used on Sunday evenings, with the single ex- ception of substituting a scripture- lesson on the screen for the lesson which had been formerly read from the pulpit Bible. The Bible film was the basis of the sermon. The life of Christ was used in series, one reel each Sunday night. When the peo- ple actually saw Jesus sink to his knees under the weight of the cross, there were involuntary exclamations of horror as the Roman soldiers goad- ed him on with the points of their spears. Then came my chance to make plain how our sin crucified Christ today. During Holy Week, instead of conducting services each night for a faithful few, we used ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ as the basis of a series of illustrated sermons that actually brought in the people of the neighborhood for our services. Al- though these services were not treat- ed as evangelistic, people united with the church and were brought into the Kingdom as a direct result.” In Dr. Bucher’s present church in Lima, Ohio, the motion-picture outfit is more elaborate, and the results are eminently satisfactory. The church, it seems, “is located one block from the public square.” Each week, says Dr. Bucher, “we use display adver- tisements on the amusement-page in all the papers, and on Sunday nights the people who drift up and down the streets—when churches have not been reaching—come to the popular illus- trated service for a genuine religious message.” The writer continues, with some details which ought to prove useful to any church contemplating the employment of motion-pictures in its regular work. “We heve heard some criticism from other churches where the pews are always empty, but the unchurched people who attend our service are grateful, and attentive, and respon- sive. The loose-change offering pays for the expenses of publicity and films. I am confident that we have the best projecting machine of any that have been designed for schools and churches. It cost two hundred dol- lars. I prefer it to any other machine at any price, for it does not require an unsightly fire-proof booth, it can be used in any room in the building. It requires no special electrical wir- ing, and it can be operated by any one. A sixteen year old boy runs the machine now. “The educational film companies supply us with films on Abraham, Joseph, Samson, Saul, David, Abso- lem, Solomon, Esther, Jephthah, Elisha, Jesus and Paul for $1.50 to $3 per reel, plus carriage charges. On occasional week-nights an entire evening’s program, presenting Bibli- cal, scenic, dramatic, or educational films, is offered for ten cents admis- sion. “The operating expense of our pres- ent machine has involved nothing but the electric current, and this is less than the current used to illuminate the lights that are turned off. We have an aluminum drop-curtain, which is unrolled when needed, and after service it is put out of sight. An aluminum surface is best for tinted or colored pictures or slides. “In both churches we secured the outfits by asking a few men who be- lieved in the idea to bear the initial expense. Under favorable conditions it is possible to rent a week-night program for six or eight to fifteen or twenty dollars, plus express charges. By charging ten cents admission enough money can be made to pay for the original cost of installation. “Some churches use motion pictures for a half hour preceding the morn- ing Sunday-school service, and thus insure the presence of every pupil on time. Or they give free admission tickets to the week-night program to every member of the Sunday-school who is present on time the previous Sunday. A church in New Jersey gives a program each week that is supported by a collection. Admission is by tickets that are given free to those, present at Sunday services. © “One of our churches in Detroit presents a clean recreational program of pictures on Sunday afternoons with free admissi .n. A social hour and re- freshments follow. Splendid pro- grams exclusively for children can be offered on Sundays for a penny ad- mission. “The Bureau of Commercial Eco- nomics, at Washington, D. C., offers a service of two educational reels gratis each week. We plan to use these soon, simply as a half-hour prelude to a regular evening service. That pro- gram will be designed simply to ‘at- tract a congregation that will remain for the customary preaching service. “A very satisfactory plan of orga- nization is the election of a motion- picture committee that sustains the same relation to the church as the Sunday-school management. One member of the committee books and censors the films, a second has charge of a separate treasury which receives admission charges or the Sunday ev- ening loose-change collections, a third operates the machine, a fourth man- ages the publicity, and a fifth looks after the ushers and tickets.”—Liter- ary Digest. Scientific Comparison. “Do you regard the Darwinian theory as proved?” “No,” replied the stubborn citizen. “In my opinion it’s one of those things that kept being investigated so long that everybody decided there wasn’t any answer and lost interest.” church, | | i i : i i i Matter of Wages in Alaska. The scale of wages paid for vari- ous kinds of labor in Alaska has at last become standardized in large measure. Before the United States began the construction of railroads in the Territory, two years ago, the wages paid was generally a matter of agreement between employer and em- ployee, without much reference to any recognized standard, except in the mining industry alone. Within the last five years wages in that in- | | dustry ranged from $5 to $7 a day for eight hours’ work. Prior to that mining wages were somewhat higher, in some instances running to $10 a day. When the Government entered this field as an employer of labor a regu- lar scale was fixed for the different : classes of railroad labor. This scale in several instances was not more than half what it should have been, measured by public opinion in Alas- | ka. The dissatisfaction finally culmi- nated in a strike, but not before it had been seized upon by many Alaska em- ployers as an excuse for wages in private employments. Government at Washington sent its Conciliation and Arbitration Commis- sion to Alaska with power to fix a uniform wage scale. This was done, resulting in a general increase of from 35 per cent to 90 per cent over the scale first fixed. The lowest wages now paid by the Government is 46 7-8 cents per hour to trackmen or section hands. Civil engineers receive from $150 to $200 a month and board; chairmen and rodmen, $3.50 a day and board; tie cutters get from 14 to 16 cents per tie on the ground, for which the Government pays the tie reducing | The: con- |! FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN. DAILY THOUGHT We complain, we fret, we hurry, we strive to make a figure in the world, and chate against our limits. Let us live firmly, quietly, trustfully, without the desire to push or make haste, yet with the constant desire to do all with our : might whatever our hand findeth to dao. not taking too much thought for the “morrow-—and our life will be victory at last. -Stopford Brooke. These relaxing exercises for in- somnia are recommended: Before re- tiring, stand erect and clasp the hands behind the head with elbows forward. Hold the head in this position as if you were supporting or pulling it for- ward. Resist the tension of the muscles of the arms and hands with those of the neck, pulling backward and forward in this position until you begin to be weary. Upon retiring practice this exer- cise: Lie on the right side with the right hand beneath the right cheek. : Now draw the left knee up to the : chest and hold it there by passing the left arm underneath the knee in such ‘a manner that the palm of the hand lies flat upon the bed. Lie in this at- titude for five or ten minutes and you will experience such relief upon re- leasing the pose that you will fall asleep at once. No housewife can expect to keep her floors looking beautiful without | some attention, so, naturally, she ! wants to find the simplest way in which it can be given. In searching for this many adopt methods which experts on floor finishes know are i ruinous to the finish and often even to the wood itself. tractor 373 cents each for first-class ties, and 32% cents for second-class ties delivered at the track. Brake- men and firemen are paid $5 a day for eight hours, and the same rate of pay for extra time. Locomotive engineers receive a flat rate of $200 a month; bridge carpenters, 75 cents an hour, and railway clerks from $150 to $200 a month. Drillers get 75 cents an hour, | and powder monkeys or blasters, $7 a day. Outside of the Government employ- | ment, the following scale of wages is customary in coast towns, and slight- | ly higher in the interior: Stone and brick masons, $1 an hour; painters, $1 an hour; teamsters, $6 a day; timber fellers, $4.50 a day; buckers, $4, and swampers, $3.50. Cooks, in camps of from 10 to 20 persons, $90 a month; | while in camps where 30 to 40 persons | are fed the cook is paid from $150 to $200 a month. These employees have helpers, who receive from $60 to $75 a month. Clerks in stores are general- ly paid according to their capacity, from $80 to 150 a month. Stenogra- phers and typists in offices receive from $75 to $100 a month. Compara- tively few Alaskan families keep do- | mestic servants, but such persons as serve in that capacity receive from $40 to $75 a month. Board, according to accommoda- tions, ranges from $10 to $15 a week, excepting in the case of laborers, who pay a rather uniform rate of $1 a day. This entitles them to three meals a day and sleeping quarters in a bunk- house. Laborers furnish their own bedding. Work is plentiful at the wages given. Here is Some Live, Up-to-date Gossip | for the Man Who Hunts. United States and Great Britain have signed treaty for the mutual border protection of migratory birds. One of these days Uncle Sam will have a like treaty with Mexico. Forest fires have been costing Pennsylvania $25,000,000 a year. Sta- tistics for Canada show that the prov- inces have been losing about $9,000,- 000 annually because of these fires. They are very expensive. It is claimed that the 1916 bag of rabbits in Pennsylvania will exceed 4,000,000. Thre hundred and twenty-one thousand eight hundred and twenty- three persons have visited the Cana- dian National Park at Banff. It is a great place for tourists. Connecticut sportsmen are demand- ing a closed season for deer. The man whose eyesight is so poor he cannot tell a deer from a man at ordinary range should not be allowed in the woods with a firearm, and the man who shoots at every movement of a leaf or branch of a tree should be debarred from even entering a woods. The Flags Come Out Slowly. Slowly the Flag of the Nation is making its appearance on buildings in Centre Co. If ever there was a time when the colors should be flown, it is now. Inquiries made of several as to why their business houses were not showing the flag developed that there are many people who do not think of what is the proper thing to do under certain conditions. “I forget all about it” was the answer a number made. Rushing business, it was evident, en- gages more attention and thought from some people than the strained conditions their country is just at this time experiencing—conditions that call for evidences of the partriotism of citizens. It is hoped, however, that every citizen of the county will show his patriotic enthusiasm at an early date, by displaying the stars and stripes from some building on his premises. An Ungallant Hobo. A hobo knocked on the back door of a suburban home, which was opened by a large, muscular, hard faced woman. “Get out of here, you miserable tramp!” exclaimed the woman in a screechy voice, at the first sight of the hobo. “If you don’t march straight for that back gate I will call my hus- band!” “I guess not,” was the calm re- sponse of the tramp. “He ain’t home.” “Is that so, Mr. Tramp?” was the scornful rejoinder of the large lady. “How do you know he isn’t at home ?” “Because,” grinned the hobo, back- ing toward the aforesaid gate, “when a man marries a woman like you he is home only at meal time.”—Phila- delphia Telegraph. Shellac Finish—If water has been spilled upon the floor and it has turn- ed white in places, moisten a soft cloth with a little alcohol and rub the spots lightly. Do not repeat this op- eration too often, however, or the finish will be entirely removed. Shel- lacked floors sometimes take on a clouded or grayish appearance due to dampness in the air. This condition | can usually be greatly improved by ' the same treatment. If the finish has become so dirty that it is necessary to remove it, first scrub the floor with wood alcohol and then bleach it with ‘oxalic acid; never use lye, asit turns the wood black and ruins the surface permanently. After all moisture has evaporated the original finish may be applied. Varnish Finish—If the finish has become badly worn, scrub with a brush, but never flood the floor with water. After it has dried out, apply a thin coat of varnish; or in case time cannot be allowed for the varnish to dry, wax may be substituted. Do not use shellac on top of old varnish or varnish on top of old shellac. I Wax Finish—Waxed floors should be dusted daily with a broom covered i with canton flannel. Keep a can of { wax on hand, and should the finish become worn apply a thin coat, rub- bing well into the wood. Allow the {wax to dry for one hour and then | polish thoroughly. Before rewaxing ' the floor scrub it with turpentine and ! a piece of cheesecloth. ~~ The rules apply to virtually all : hard-finish floors. Adding a tablespoonful of solution | of tartaric acid to a boiler of water { before putting clothes into the boiler will soften the water, loosen dirt and ! whiten and bleach clothes. : 1 - Remove iron rust from white clothes { by plunging into a solution of oxalic i acid made from a tablespoonful of i acid crystals dissolved in a pint of | water. Remove articles as soon as | rust disappears and plunge into cold | water, then wash in the usual manner. | There is nothing more potent for | beauty purposes than the all-over | warm bath. It has something sweet in it—something you know is going | to improve your looks—it acts like a | charm, for both the senses and the {imagination count with beautifying ricks Common oatmeal, the coarse, cheap sort that is bought in bulk, and bran are materials any home that is not in the wilderness can have, and with the use of either of these a bath that is reviving to both looks and nerves can be had for less than 5 cents. Either medium is put in a cheesecloth bag four or six inches square, the filling rather loose than packed, and one of these, or more as liked, is agitated in the warm water until it looks a little thick and milky. Oatmeal used in this way makes a specially delightful bath, definitely whitening to the skin after a .while and imparting to it a satin softness and the most subtle fragrance. The bran is a shade less useful, but a bath with it leaves the sense of delicious cleanliness. A bag, with embroidery hoop to keep it open, hung on the corner of the sewing machine, makes a conven- ient place for threads and clippings that would otherwise litter the floor. A stiff paper bag may be used instead, and then the whole bag, when it is full; may be destroyed. Keep your hat off as much as pos- sible. Hair cannot lie too easily or loosely for its own well-being, and any sort of pressure, heat or stain about the head inflicts injury on the finest part of the nervous system. Pulling the hair up too tightly from the back of the head and ears will cause the glands of the neck to swell in an ugly and uncomfortable fash- ion. Notice what a relief it is to take all your hairpins out and let your hair hang loosely for a few hours. With an easy, natural and artistic hair dressing, nervousness and head- aches will be to a great extent eliminated. “Woman’s Home Companion says: “Heavy traffic is the true test of good driving. The expert never attempts to make speed through traffic. She realizes her own expert operation will not save her from the mistakes of others, and so she never sees how closely she can pass another car, but how much extra space she can give. She never insists upon right-of-way because it is legally hers. ‘Safety first’ is much better than ‘My rights first.’ FARM: NOTES. . . —Milk exposed to bad air or placed {In unclean vessels absorbs impurities, bad flavors and collects bacteria or | germs. —A forestry expert makes this i suggestion: In going through your ! wood lot cut the poor trees, the decay- Ing and crooked ones, instead of the { best ones. Do not take out the clover i and leave the thistles. © —Small families will find that a | few of the best squab-producing va- i rieties of pigeons will make many an enjoyable meal where a large chick- en is not wanted. Two or three pairs i of pigeon breeders kept in a small i wire-enclosed fly will be sufficient for | an occasional meal of squab or young { pigeon. | —High-Yielding Wheat.—Are you | raising the same variety of wheat you did twenty-five years ago? Are your yields in proportion to the fertility i of the soil as high as the varieties i grown by your neighbors? At the { Ohio Experiment Station, variety | tests have shown that some strains i of wheat yield 40 bushels and others I but 25 bushels. It is evident that on {land of the same fertility some va- i rieties are better yielders, therefore farmers can profit by securing the i seed from high-yielding varieties in ‘ their neighborhood. | —The Pennsylvania Experiment Station has obtained excellent results {in feeding hogs with grain mixture | of cornmeal, 4 parts; wheat middling, | 3 parts, and tankage, 1 part. The : addition of skim milk increases the | rate of gain. If skim milk is fed with this grain mixture the amount of cornmeal may be increased to 6 parts. Other mixtures recommended are cornmeal, 8 parts, and tankage, 1 part, or skim milk, 8 parts and corn- meal, 1 part. If possible, pasture crops should be used for growing pigs. For quick growth, 2 to 4 pounds of grain per 100 pounds of live weight daily in addition to pasture crops are required. —Nearly all of the spring flowering bulbs can be forced readily in the house and require far less skill in handling than the usual run of house plants—geraniums and like commonly seen flowers which so often disappoint one by refusing to bloom. Like a great many things we do, the easiest, simplest way is the best, and the less the bulbs are fussed with the better the results. Just get a good working idea of what is required and go to it with confidence in the re- sult. In a nutshell the mode of procedure is this: Get good sound bulbs from the florists as early in the fall as they can be obtained; a sufficient number of narrow, shallow window boxes or of pots to contain them ; good friable, sandy loam which will not pack, and plenty of drainage. Plant one hya- cinth or narcissus bulb to a four-inch pot, three to a six, setting them with the tip just below the surface, water well, and set away in a dark airy cel- lar for from two to three months for the different bulbs, or until top growth is well established. Tulips re- quire more time than hyacinths and narcissi, and should be kept cool after bringing up-stairs until in bloom. They are more effective and satis- factory in window boxes of one sort. Plant liberally for your friends, and especially for the invalid and shut-in. After blooming, if the bulbs are al- lowed to ripen naturally, they may be planted in the open ground the follow- ing fall, where they will bloom for years. —It is none too early to prepare for an early garden. You can have fresh radishes, lettuce, onions, toma- toes, sweet potatoes, and other spring vegetables of your own raising serv- ed on your table several weeks before your neighbors have them. You can enjoy such fresh vegetables at little trouble and small expense. How? By building a hotbed. I have obtained the best results with hotbeds by constructing them this way: I dig a pit two feet deep and the width and length I want it. Then I put a layer of straw or leaves two or three inches deep in the bot- tom of the pit. On top of this I place a layer of horse manure 18 to 20 inch- es deep, and tramp thoroughly. I cover the manure with a six-inch lay- er of leaf mold or good garden soil. When I desire to make the hotbeds permanent I dig the pit a foot wider than the frame and wall with brick or stone. Otherwise I don’t wall up the sides. When the weather is set- tled in the spring I remove the frame and allow the plants to grow where they were started. Otherwise I trans- plant them. I have had success with each plan. I locate my hotbeds on the south side of a building or a good windbreak where the drainage is good. I use 3x6-foot sash, which I have found to be a convenient size. Thus, as many sections of sash may be used as de- sired. I make the frame upon which the sash rests about six inches high- er at the back than at the front. I have used both glass and muslin in the sash. Many persons use mus- lin for the sweet-potato hotbed sash. I have used more glass sash than muslin. I generally get my hotbeds started early in March for early tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, onions, and sweet potatoes. Though there is nothing to prevent their construction earlier in the year, at least the trench should be dug and covered before the ground is frozen. I use water sparingly on the hot- beds during cold weather, as an excess of moisture cools the manure and stops fermentation. I ventilate the beds frequently during the warm part of the day. I find that hotbeds are best warmed by the fermentation of horse manure. Since the manure will not heat well if too dense, I mix it with equal parts of straw or litter. I place the litter and manure in a long, narrow, square- top pile, and allow to ferment. This process during cold weather requires at least two weeks. If the weather is too cold and the manure does not fer- ment, I put a little hot water on the pile to start the heating process. To secure uniform fermentation, I turn the piles occasionally and break the lumps. When the pile is steamin throughout it is ready for the hotbed. —By Jane Macpherson. wel »
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers