Beworrat atm
Private “Ginger” —
As Seen Through
| the Barbed Wire
Mr. Empey’s Experi-
ences During HisSeven-
teen Monthsin theFirst
Line Trenches of the
British Army in France
RSD
i ht, 1917, by The McClure N
(Copyright, 191 ey re ewspaper
There were six of us.
“Curly” Wallace was called “Curly”
because he had the cutest little Della
Fox, or spit curl, as the gum-chewers
call it, you ever saw. Wallace was
proud of that curl, and gave it the
best of attention and care. He was
Scotch.
“Happy” Houghton earned his nick-
name by his constant smile and happy
disposition. He was English, a Lone
doner.
“Hungry” Foxcroft really earned his
title. He took special pains that our
rations would not become mildewed by
lying around too long in the dampness
of our dugout. He was English; also
from London.
“Tkey” Honney, dubbed ‘“Ikey” be-
cause in one of our theatrical at-
tempts he took the part of “Ikey Co-
henstein,” and made quite a hit. Eng-
lish, via London.
“Dick” Turpin, called “Dick” in
memory of the notorious highwayman.
He used to help the quartermaster ser-
geant, so the name was very appropri-
ate. He was Irish, from Dublin.
I was the sixth. ‘The boys put the
prefix “Yank” to my name, because I
was /merican and hailed from the
“Big Town” behind the statue of lib-
erty.
The six of us composed the crew of
gun No. 2 of the ——th brigade ma-
chine company. We were machine
gunners and our gun was the Vickers,
light, 803, water-cooled.
It was a rainy afternoon in June,
and: we were sitting in our dugout in
the front-line trench, about 300 yards
from the German lines.
If you should ask a Tommy Atkins
“What is a dugout?” he would look at
you in astonishment, and, pitying you
for your apparent lack of education,
would answer, “What's a dugout?
Why a dugout is a—well, a dugout’s a
dugou.. Only being a Tc “Vv pro
tem—opro tem in my case meaning “for
duration of war"—I will try to de-
scribe to the best of my ability this
particular dugout.
A dugout is a hole in the ground.
Gets its name because it is dug out
by the Royal Engineers, or R. H.'s as
we call them. It is used to shelter the
men in the trenches from shell fire,
‘They also sleep in it, or try to. From
our point of view, its main use is to
drain the trenches of muddy water
and give us rheumatism. It also
makes a good hotel for rats. These
guests look upon us as intruders and
complain that we overcrowd the place.
Occasionally we give in to them, and
take a turn in the trench to rest our-
selves.
Our dugout was about twenty feet
deep, or, at least, there were twenty
wooden steps leading down to it. The
ceiling and walls were braced by
heavy, square-cut timbers. Over the
timbers in the ceiling sheets of cor-
rugated iron were spread to keep the
wet earth from falling in on us. The
entrance was heavily sandbagged and
very narrow; there was only room for
one person to leave or enter at a time.
The ceiling was six feet high and the
floor space was ten feet by six feet.
Through the ceiling a six-inch square
airshaft was cut. ‘We used to take
turns sleeping under this in wet
weather,
The timbers bracing the walls were
driven full of nails to hang our equip-
ment on. After our ammunition, belt.
filling machine, equipment, rifles, etc.
had been stored away, there was not
much space for six men to live, not
forgetting the rats.
It was very dark in the dugout, and
as we were only issued a candle and a
half every twenty-four hours we had
to economize on light. Woe betide the
last man who left the candle burning!
In this hotel of ours we would sit
around the lonely candle and through
a thick haze of tobacco smoke would
recount our different experiences at
various points of the line where we
had been, or spin yarns about home.
Sometimes we would write a letter,
when we were fortunate enough to be
near the candle, At other times we'd
sit for an hour without saying a word,
listening to a German over in the en-
emy’s front trench playing a cornet.
My, how that Boche could play! Just
to make us hate the war he'd play “Su-
wanee River,” “Home, Sweet Home,”
or “Over the Waves.” The latter was
my favorite. During his recital our
trenches were strangely quiet. Never
a shot from either side.
Sometimes, when he had finished,
Tkey Honney would go into the trench
and play on his harmonica. As soon
as we'd see that harmonica come out
it was a case of “duck down low,” for
the Germans would be sure, when the
first strains reached them, to send over -
“five rounds rapid.” We hated that’
harmonica. More than once we]
chucked one over the top, but he'd sit
down, write a letter, and in about ten
days’ time would receive, through the
mail a little oblong package, and we'd
know we were in for some more “five
round rapids” We didn't blame the
Germans. ; |
Still, that harmonica had its uses. |
Often we would get downhearted and
“fed up” with the war, and “grouse”
at everything in general. Then Ikey |
would reach in his pocket and out
would come that instrument of tor |
ture. We would then realize there
were worse things than war, and cheer
up accordingly.
On this particular rainy afternoon
in June we were in a talkative mood.
Perhaps it was due to the fact that
Curly Wallace had made his “Tom-
mie’s cooker” do what it was supposed
to do—make water boil in an hour |
and a half. A “Tommie’s cooker” is a |
spirit stove which is very widely ad-
vertised as a suitable gift to the men
in the trenches. Many were sent out,
and many were thrown away.
Anyway, the “cooker” lived up to its
reputation for once, though a little be-
hind its advertised schedule in mak-
ing water boil. Curly passed around
the result of his efforts, in the form
of an ammunition tin half full of fair- |
ly good tea. We each took a good |!
swig, lighted a cigarette—they had
“come up” with the rations the night
before—and settled back against the
damp earthen walls of the dugout, to
see who could tell the biggest lie. For
a few minutes silence reigned—no one
seemed to care to be the first to break
in.
Then Dick Turpin, turning to me,
asked:
“Remember Burton of A company?
Think he was in the Third platoon;
the fellow that was recommended for
the V. C. and refused it. Got the rec-
ommendation for rescuing his platoon
commander under fire.”
I answered in the affirmative and
Dick “carried on” with: “I never could
see’ into that affair, because they
seemed to be the worst of enemies.
The officer was always picking on him;
used to have him ‘on the crime sheet’
for the least offense. Got him sever-
al days of extra pack drill, and once
he clicked twenty-one days’ crucifixion’
—(field punishment No. 1, tiled to a
limber wheel two hours per day for
twenty-one days).
“No matter what dirty fatigue or
working party came along, Burton's
name was sure to head the list.
“This Burton appeared to be a surly
sort of a chap, kept to himself a whole
lot, always brooding, didn’t have many
friends in the company, either. There
seemed to be something on his mind.
“Most of the company men said his
sweetheart back in Blighty had thrown
him down for some other bloke.”
Happy Houghton butted in: “That's
the way with this world, always ham-
mering at a fellow. Well, I know this
Burton, and there's not a better mate
in the world, so let that sink into your
nappe”
“Don’t get sore, Happy,” said Hon-
ney. “If you don’t mind, let’s have the
story. 1 meant no offense. Just nat-
urally curious, that's all. You can't
deny that the whole affair has been
quite a mystery to the brigade. Spit
it out and get it off your chest.”
“Let's have it, Happy,” we all
chimed in chorus.
Happy, somewhat *mollified, lighted
a cigarette, took two or three puffs,
and started:
“Well, it was this way, but don't ask
any questions until I am through.
“You know Burton isn't what you'd
call a prize beauty when it comes to
looks. He's about five, six in height,
stocky, a trifle bowlegged and pug-
nosed. To top this he has a crop of
red hair and his clock—(face)—is the
boarding house for every freckle in
the United Kingdom. But strong! Say,
that fellow could make Samson look
like a consumptive when he got
started.
“In Blighty, before the war, Burton
and this lieutenant—his name is Hus-
ton—went to the same college.
“Huston was nearly six feet high
and slender. Sort of a dandy, fair-
haired, lots of dough, which he never
got by working; his papa wished it on
him when h2 went west—(died). He
was good-looking and had a way with
the girls which made them think he
was the one and only. Didn’t care
much for athletics. Girls, dances and
card parties were more in his line.
“They were in the same class. Bur-
ton was working his way through, and
consequently Huston looked down on
him as a bally bounder. Among the
athletes Burton was popular, Huston
wasn't.
“Burton was engaged—or thought
he was—to a pretty fine girl by the
name of Betty. She thought Burton,
or ‘Ginger,’ as she called him, was the
finest thing out. One day Ginger took
her to see a football game at the col-
lege; he was playing on the team, so
she had to sit it out alone. During this
‘sitting it out,’ she met Huston and the
trouble started. He was dead gone on
her ang she liked him, so he made hay
while the sun was shining,
“She didn't exactly turn Ginger
down, but he was no boob and saw
how things were, so he eased out of
the running, although it almost broke
his heart; he certainly loved that girl.
“This state of affairs widened the
gap between Huston and Burton. They
hated each other pretty fiercely, but
Burton never went out of his way to
show it, while Huston took every op-
portunity to vent his spleen. Ginger
saw Betty very seldom, and when he
did, she was generally accompanied by
Huston.
“Then the war came; Ginger imme-
diately enlisted as a private. He could
have had a commission, but did not
Re ———
want to take a chance of having to
mix with Huston.
“A few weeks after Ginger’s enlist-
ment, Huston joined too—was I
prestige in Betty's eyes by staying in
mufti. He went into the O. T. C.—(of-
ficers’ training corps). In seven months
he received his commission and wa»
drafted to France. Ginger had been
out three months.
“Before leaving, Huston proposed to
Betty and was accepteg. By one. of
the many strange coincidences that
happen in this world Huston was sent
to the battalion and company that Gin-
ger was in and was put in command
of Ginger’s platoon. Then things hap-
pened.
“Ginger could hardly believe his eyes
when he first saw Huston and knew he
was to be his platoon commander. He
knew he was in for it good and
plenty.
“That night Huston sent for Ginger
and had a talk with him. Tried to make
him believe that he harbored no ani-
mosity, detailed him as mail orderly,
the first act of a campaign of petty
cruelty. By being mail orderly Ginger
would have to handle Betty's letters to
Huston and Huston's letters to her.
Ginger saw through it immediately
and his hate burned stronger. From
that night on it was one indignity aft-
er another, just a merciless persecu-
tion, but Ginger never complained;
Just stored up each new act and swore
vengeance.
“It came to such a pass that Gin-
ger could bear it no longer; he decided
to kill Huston and only waited for a
favorable opportunity to present itself.
I think it was only his love for Betty
which -had held him back so long; he
couldn’t bear the thought of her griev-
ing for her dead lover.
“One night, in th: front-line trench,
orders were received that after an
hour’s intense bombardment of the en-
emy’s lines the company would go over
the top at four-thirty the next morning.
Huston was to go over with the first
wave, while Ginger was in the second.
Here was his chance.
“All that night he crouched on the .
fire step, musing and brooding, nursing
his revenge. He prayed to Betty to
forgive him for what he was going to
do.
“After the bombardment the next
morning over went the first wave, a
line of bayonets and madly cheering
men. Ginger only saw one in that
crowd ; his eyes never left Huston. His
finger twitched and caressed the trig-
ger of his rifle—his long-looked-for op-
portunity had come.
“The first wave had gone about six-
ty yards when Ginger let out a curse.
Huston had been hit- and was down,
and- he saw his revenge slipping
through his fingers. But no, Huston
was not dead ; he was trying to rise to
his feet; he was up, hopping on one
leg, with the blood pouring from the
other. Then he fell again, but was
soon sitting up bandaging his wounded
: be true. He gasped out the one word,
‘Betty!’
leg, using a tourniquet from his figsi- |
aid packet.
“A surze of unholy joy ran through
Ginger. Lifting the safety lz’ cu on his
rifle. unheeding the rain of Tillets
which were ripping and ‘tearing the
sand-bagged parapet about him, he
took deliberate aim at Huston. Then
he saw a vision of Betty, dressed in
black, with tear-stained eyes. With a
muttered curse Ginger threw the rifle
from bir, climbed over the parapet
and raced across No Man’s land. No
act of his should bring tears to Betty's
brown eyes. He would save her worth-
less lover and then get killed himself—
it didn’t matter.
“Reaching Huston he hissed at him:
‘Damn you, I was going to kill you,
“Damn You, | Was Going to Kill You;
But | Won't.”
but I won't. I'll carry you back to
Betty. But always remember it was
the man you robbed who saved your
worthless life, you despicable skunk!’
“Huston murmured: ‘Forgive me,
Burton, but for God's sake get me out
of this. I'll be killed—for God’s sake,
man, hurry, hurry I’
“ “That's it, is it? Whine, damn you,
whine! It's music to my ears, Lieu-
tenant Huston begging a “bally bound-
er” for his life, and the bounder giving
it to him. I would to God that Betty,
could see and hear you now.’
“With that Ginger stooped and, by
main strength, lifted Huston onto his
back and staggered toward our lines.
The bullets and pieces of shrapnel
were cracking and ‘swishing’ all
around. He had gone about fifty yards
when a plece of shell hit his left arm
just below the shoulder.
went, Huston with him, but was soon
up, his left arm dangling and swinging
at his side. Turning to Huston, who
was lying on his back, he said: ‘I'm
hard hit—it’s your life or mine, We're
only ten yards from our trench; try to
make it on your own. You ought to
be able to crawl in.
“But Huston answered: ‘Burton,
Down he |
don't leave me—I am bleeding to death. i
For the love of God get me in! You :
can have Betty, money, anything I
have, it is all yours—just save my life.
Ariswer me, man, answer—" i
“‘You want my answer, do you?
Well, take it and damn you! With |
that Ginger slapped the officer in the |
face; then, grabbing him by tae collar
with his right arm, the blood soaking |
his tunic from the shell wound in his |
left, Ginger slowly dragged Huston to
the trench and fainted. A mighty |
cheer went up from our lines. Stretch- |
er bearers took them both to an ad-
vanced first-aid post, and their journey
to Blighty and Betty was started.
On the trip over Ginger never re- ;
gained consciousness. They landed in |
a hospital in England and were put |
|
i
i
1
in beds next to each other, Ginger
was taken up into the ‘pictures’ (oper-
ating theater), where his arm was am- |
putated at the shoulder. Huston's !
wound was slight; bullet through the
calf of leg.
“While Ginger was coming out of
ether he told all he knew. A Red
|
|
A Red-Cross Nurse With Tear-Dimmed
Eyes Was Holding His Hand.
Cross nurse, with tear-dimmed eyes,
was holding his hand. Occasionally
she would look across at Huston in the
next bed; he would slowly nod his
head at each questioning glance of
hers, while the red blood of shame
mounted to his temples.
“Then Ginger came to. He saw a
beautiful vision. Thought he was
dreaming. Sitting by his bed, dressed
in a Red Cross nurse’s uniform, was
Betty, Huston’s Betty, holding his
hand. Betty, with tears in her eyes,
but this time tears of joy. The sweat
came out on his forehead—it couldn’t
“Stooping over, the vision kissed him
on the lips and murmured, ‘My Ginger,
vou have come back to Betty.’
“Then he slept. Next morning the
colonel of the hospital came to Ginger’s
bedside 2nd congratulated him, telling
him that he had been recommended for
the V. C. Ginger refused the V. C.
from the government; said he had not
earned it, would not give the reasons
but persisted in his refusal. They can’t
force you to take a V. C.
“Five months later Ginger and Bet-
ty were married. She cuts his meat
for him now; says that all his faults
were contained in his left arm. He
lost that. So, you see, Ginger was
somewhat of a man, after all, wasn’t
he, mates?”
We agreed that he was. 1 asked
Happy how he came to know these de-
tails. He answered:
“Well, Yank, Betty happens to be my
sister. Gimme a fag, some one. I am
about talked out, and, anyway, we've
only got a few minutes before ‘stand
to.’ ”
Just then the voice of our sergeant
sounded from the mouth of the dug-
out: “Equipment on! Stand to!”
So it was a case of turn out and
mount our gun on the parapet. It was
just getting dark. We would dismount
it at “Stand down” in the morning.
Tommy is like an owl, sleeps in the
day and watches at night. It was a
miserable night, rainy and chilly. The
mud in the trenches in some places
was up to our knees. We knew we
were in for it and wished we were back
in Blighty, where one can at least
change his clothes when they get wet,
instead of waiting for a sunny day to
dry them. At times we have been wet
for a fortnight.
— CP
New Substitute for Wheat.
Quinoa as a food plant is not a new
discovery; a native of Chile and Mex-
ico, it has been used by nations of
the west Cost of South America and
Mexico for hundreds of years. It has
only just come into the notice of the
civilized world north of the equator
on account of the food shortage caus-
ed by the war. The plant grows four
or five feet high. Its seeds are ground
into a meal which contains a large
amount of starch and gluten, and is
made into cakes and porridge. This
cereal, which has for centuries prov-
en to be so nutritious, is now c -
ing the attention of the agricultural
department of the Zoverunient, which
has imported seed for planting and is
engaged in finding the soil and cli-
mate most friendly to its cultivation.
The plant is hardy, thriving in a cold
climate in the Andes at an elevation
of 10,000 feet.—Christian Herald.
Roused Dad’s Dander.
“Our chauffeur wants to marry me
papa,” said the daughter of the rich
man.
“Marry you! Well, I like his
nerve!” exclaimed the incensed par-
i of a stone marble in a kettle will pre-
' vent furring, but do not bring that
‘ knowledge to bear when it is a ques-
of stirring these things while cooking.
in the water and it will add to the |
i that every member of her household
i ed to the grocer he will stop sending
ent.
“Oh, I'm glad of tha, papa, I was
so afraid you wouldn'
FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN.
DAILY THOUGHT.
Whenever you find humor, you find pa-
thos close by its side—Whipple.
The housekeeper will find a few
tubes of oil pain and some squares
of a good e of water color money-
savers. ith the water colors she can
touch up breaks and scratches on
tinted or papered walls. The oil col-
ors, dissolved in gasoline, give an ex-
cellent dye for removing faded or un-
sightly fabrics. A beautiful velvet
rug was ruined for one woman by
staring white figures, so she dissolv-
ed sepia in the gasoline and went over
all these white figures with it, rub-
bing it in with a stiff brush. The re-
sult was a soft, deep ivory tint that
enriched the entire rug.
Washing in hard water and neg-
lecting to thoroughly dry the hands
after washing are frequent causes of
‘ chaps and chilblains on the hands. |
The most effective water softener in
| winter is oatmeal, though a little |
trouble is entailed in preparing it for
use.
‘Most people know that the putting
tion of boiling milk, porridge, cus-
tard, ete. A large, clean marble ob-
viates the necessity to a great extent
When washing glasses put bluing
brilliance.
Celery will be more tender if it is
allowed to stand on ice for a day or
two before serving.
The housewife’s first duty is to see
is properly nourished.
If unsatisfactory things are return-
that kind of produce.
A portable oil stove is a handy thing
when it comes to heating an imper-
fectly warmed bathroom.
If tan shoes are soiled, moisten a
cloth, rub it across a piece of pure
white soap and clean the shoes.
Boiled ham will be more delicate
and delicious if it is allowed to cool
in the liquor in which it is cooked.
“Did you ever hear of a recipe par-
ty 2?” she asked of her week-end guest.
went to one a while ago, and it was
such a jolly affair that I have been
wanting to give one myself ever since.
I am just wondering whether I can
arrange to have it while you are here;
I think you would enjoy it. More-
over, I want you to meet the family,
and that would be such a pleasant
way.
he family? Haven't I told you
about that yet? It is quite an im-
portant institution, to us. We are
six—all girls—and we all keep house,
in pairs. We enjoy our apartments
immensely, and we often have the
jolliest dinner parties together. We
are all busy people, three school
teachers, two social workers and a
journalist; but our ‘housekeeping is
our relaxation and delight. © Every
one of us likes to cook and so, I think
a recipe ary would be just the thing
for us. Enel I tell you about the one
I went to? al .
“The girl whom I was visiting lives
in a single house in the suburbs of
a large city, and she is so much in-
terested in household affairs that her
mother ,who is a busy woman with
many outside interests, lets her have
a great deal to do with the manage-
ment of the place. She chose a Thurs-
day night for the party—the cook’s
night out! The guests were a dozen
or so girls, members of a sewing club
to which she belonged. Some of them
were busy by day with teaching and
other occupations outside the home,
and some, like my hostess, made
themselves useful at home. All were
interested in cooking, if only on the
chafing dish. S
“Each guest was asked to bring two
or three of her favorite recipes, but
was cautioned not to tell anyone what
they were. When all had gathered
and exchanged greetings and what-
ever news they had to bring, the hos-
tess arose, and, inviting them all to
follow her, led the way out into the
kitchen. The long table in the center
of the room was scrubbed as white as
could be and the guests were invited
to take seats about it. Paper and
pencil were given to each, and one
was asked to sit at the end of the ta-
ble and copy the recipes into an at-
tractively decorated little notebook,
which had been prepared for the oc-
casion. Then the fun began.
“The first girl, on one side,
one of her recipes and the others
wrote it down, ingredients, directions
and all, and one minute was allowed
for guessing what it was—this was
silent, of course—then the next one
read hers and so on until we had been
around the table two or three times
and all had been written down. Three
or five minutes were allowed, at the
end of that time, for looking over and
corrections, and then time was called
and each one, reading through her
recipes again, announced what they
were. The girl, who guessed the
greatest number of them correctly
was given the notebook which had the
recipes written in in ink, This was
bound in water color paper and, when
the outer covering was removed,
showed a picture of the girls, which
had been taken at one of their sum-
mer garden parties. This was a blue
rint and the hostess had provided
Po ink for the writing in of the rec-
ipes. Moreover, not only the cover
was decorated, but scattered through
the book, were several blue print
snapshots of familiar faces and
scenes. .
“The refreshments served were sim-
ple, a milk sherbet, dainty little cakes
and a delicious fruit punch, all pre-
pared by the hostess and according to
the recipes which she had contributed
to the cook book.
A small glass jar of salt should al-
ways be kept on the bathroom shelf
in plain sight. : : :
weak salt solution is highly anti-
septic as a tooth and mouth wash.
A dessertspoonful of salt to a pint
of water is usually strong enough for
hygienic purposes. :
x teaspoonful of salt in a glass of
———
FARM NOTES.
—Potash makes the clover grow.
—Clay land is usually fairly rich in
potash.
—Cream rises better in a falling
temperature.
—The ash of a pine contains little
or no phosphates.
—Cream does not churn so well in
autumn and winter.
—Butter should never be touched
with the human hand.
—A tractor should never be left ex-
posed to the weather when not in use.
—The success of any branch of
farming is measured by the man be-
hind it.
—Liquid manure from a pig sty is
richer In Phosphates than any other
similar substance.
—However well land is cultivated,
unless it is properly drained, the pro-
duce will never be satisfactory.
—The acidity of milk should always
be tested with litmus paper before the
rennet is added for cheese-making.
—If milk is acid it will impart a
reddish-purple tint to litmus paper.
If alkaline it will make the paper blu-
ish-purple.
—There are 15,000,000 globules of
fat in one drop of milk, says an Eng-
lish scientist. He must have had a
great time counting them.
—In leading a bull with a staff,
never go ahead of him. He is more
easily controlled by walking by his
side, opposite his shoulders.
—For beef cattle: 50 pounds of
cornmeal hominy, or corn-feed meal
or barley, 26 pounds of cottonseed
meal, 25 pounds of oil meal.
—The high protein feeds have a
greater manurial value than the low
protein’ feeds; therefore, farmers
should feed as much of the high pro-
tein feeds as possible.
—For lambs and calves: 200
pounds ground oats, 200 pounds hom-
iny, 300 pounds wheat bran, 200
pounds oil meal, 100 pounds gluten
feed.—Philadelphia Record.
—Potatoes should be handled care-
fully and not as though they were
cobblestones. The potato is a living
thing, with a protective skin, which it
is able to keep intact if it has a fair
chance.
—One heavy draft horse will per-
form the work of practically two un-
dersized, inferior plugs, while such an
animal can be fed at about the same
cost for maintenance as for one of
the plugs.
—Delaware and Maryland are the
only States on the Atlantic seaboard
that raise enough wheat to sup ly
their inhabitants. As we go am -
diana is the first State to produce a
surplus of wheat.
—An inch of rain coming down on
a single acre of ground would fill more
than 600 barrels of 45 gallons’ capac-
ity each. This amount of water would
weigh more than 110 tons, or nearly
a quarter of a million pounds.
—For dairy cows this ration is rec-
ommended: 500 pounds of wheat
bran, 300 pounds of ground oats, 500
pounds of gluten feed, 300 pounds of
oil meal, 200 pounds of ground bar-
ley, 200 pounds of ground hominy.
—When the Indians taught the
white settlers of this country how to
raise corn, no flight of the imagina-
tion could have foreseen the crop of
1918, covering nearly 178,000 square
miles, or nearly as much land as there
is in Germany.
—One South Jersey potato grower
hauled the product of 23 acres to
Philadelphia by motor truck, and has
not shipped a single potato by rail.
Many other farmers are cutting out
the railroad as a means of transport-
ing produce and supplies.
—To prevent nails that are used
for outdoor purposes from rusting
heat them red-hot and throw them in-
to a mixture of a pint of linseed oil
and two ounces of black lead which
has been well-stirred together. Leave
them in a few minutes, then take out
and drain.
. —Sheep were the only domestic an-
imals that showed any increase in
New York State last year. Farmers
are taking more interest in sheep than
at any period since Civil war times,
and the statistics will undoubtedly
show a large increase in numbers of
sheep this year.
—An agricultural college professor
claims that timothy hay and cats do
not make a good balanced ration for
a horse; yet in spite of that claim,
and the chemical analysis, millions of
horses on our northern farms have
lived to ripe old age through years of
hard work and usefulness on timothy
hay and oats, with a little bran to
read | keep in tone the digestive system.
—If a horse is very thirsty and is
watered before eating, he may drink
too much, causing digestive disturb-
ances and affecting his appetite so
that he may not eat as much as he
should, or digest it as well. The same
thing is apt to happen if a very thirs-
ty horse is not watered until after
eating. He may not eat enough, and
he will be apt to drink too much wa-
ter when he gets to it. Some horse-
men water before and after every
meal, and in the middle of the fore-
noon and afternoon. Worry takes
flesh off horses as it does off of peo-
ple, and takes the pep out of them as
well, and a horse will worry for a
drink if he wants it badly.
—War conditions made potash the
scarcest and by far the highest in
price of the fertility elements. Be-
cause of these facts, eve effort
should be made to conserve all wastes
which carry potash. Straw is one of
them. Ordinarily one thinks of straw
largely in terms of litter and stable
ding. It is a convenience, in a
purely mechanical way, around the
arn. If there is more of it than can
be used in this way it is usually per-
mitted to £ to waste. From now on
one must think also of straw in terms
of potash. It is true that Tie Jax.
centage which it carries is her
small, but it must be rememebered
that the price of potash is now so hi
that the manurial value of a ton
straw is equal to what has been the
accepted market value of a ton of hay.
In the light of these facts it will be
well to make liberal use of this ma-
terial in the usual stable operations
and manage also in other ways to get
it back to the soil, where it may de-
water on rising will act as a quick
laxative.
cay and return such fertility as it con-
tains.
No?