iS A tK II. III. KHI. H
SH ilUUlUU.UA UllUJJi
The Improvement In Meevea.
A few rears ago there was n notion
lint good beeves could not bo made
licforo they were at least four years
old. W'lint a difference now, and all
Jieesnse of tun introduction of better
Wood, breeding and nianngeinout,
combined willi soiontiflo feeding. All
these Lave reduced the ago of market
ing to about half.
Sueceitlona For Killing; Weeds.
The easiest way to Ret rid of burs is
ia sow oats or wheat in the fields where
the weed is found, and after the grain
lias been removed to mow the burs be
fore they can ripen. Ragweed, too,
can bo destroyed iu this way by mow
ing the pasture or Krain field in which
it is found, iiurdock in hard to kill,
Imt by cutting it deep iu the grcund
just before it ripens for a year or two
it cau always be gotten rid of. T!y
cutting several times duriug the sea
won nil the larger aud older weeds can
lie killed and the smaller ones reduced
in growth or their roots grubbed out.
One of the worst weods that can be
found in the pnsluro is the thistle.
The bust time to c,nt or grub them is
just before they bloom. It will be
necessary to go over the Held more
than nuce for the late maturing
thistles. If the Held is carefully
searched each timo it ought not to bo
n difficult matter to rid it entirely of
this troublesome weed.
Mnnncliis Inenbnlor.
"VTo have an incubator that will hold
150 tgiis. It is heated by water. The
tauk that hold the water will hold
forty-live gallons. Wo heat the water,
iuL it into tho tauk aud let it get
warm enough to run the thermometer
tip to 110 degrees. Theu we put the
rggs iu the tray. In six hours we
look at them. The temperature by
that time nearly always has ruu down
to 10!, where we desire to keep it as
nearly as possible. After the eggs
have been in teu days we test them,
taking out ull that are not-fertile, as
mich eggs have n tendency to lower
the heat. We think the chickens that
tire hatched in an incubator are just as
ltealthy as any if they are kept out of
the cold and rain. We put the little
chicks with hens and they aro less
cure. Wo havo Iho Tlymouth Hocks,
and think they are as good a breed as
the farmer can get. They are large
and easily futtened and with proper
care in winter aro good layers.
We believe that there is es much
profit in ducks ns from any other line
f poultry breeding, providing one has
tho right breed. The Tekin is the
Lest general purpose duck. It is the
Ijest table fowl of the duck family,
having large, full, deep breast. The
Jiica yellow skin of the l'ekiu makes
it easy to dress; its pure white plum
age makes it the most beautiful of
birds. The Btandard weight of the
adult duek is eight pouuds, but it cau
very easily be made to weigh more.
"We have had them woigh eloveu
pounds. The duck can be raised suo
cessfnlly without water tc swim in,
but it must have plenty of drinking
water. Wo would not adviso more
than fonr ducks to ono drake. Ducks
commence laying iu February, and
with good cure will not nuns raauy
mornings in laying until July. Ducks
are not susceptible to disease and lice,
and after they are three or lour weeks
eld will not need half the attention
that is required to raise young chicks.
Mrs. 11. O. Small, iu the Kpito
mist. A l lcfiil ISrako Illnrlc.
A very convenient brake block is
used by tho teamsters iu tho moun
tainous regions of the Northwest. A
three-cornered block, a, of wood is
fustened by chains or wired to the
brake beau of a wagon so that it will
drag on the ground about two inches
THE IlllAKR JILOOK IS POSITION'.
behind one of the rear wheols of the
wagou. The driver stops to rest his
team, and instead of applying the
brake tho team is allowed to slacken
its traces bo tho weight of the load
will rest on tho self-acting chock
block. When the team starts again
the team merely has to start tho load
instead of having to pull against the
brake uutil it can bo loosened.
Pnlnta nu Making Clieeae.
Tho first thing which I observe in
the manufacture of cheese is oleanli
ness, not only in the factory, but
among the different cows nnd their
.keepers as well. All the animal heat
should pass from the morning's milk
before it is mixed with tho eveuing
jniillc, and then it is transported with
out being jarred or jostled very much.
In tho factory I receive no milk from
aus which are not cleaned aud
ntciuuod daily. It must bo sweet aud
pure.
Add enough coloring to give a rich,
creamy tint, and then beat the milk
Blowly to eighty-live degrees and add
diluted rennet. I dilute it to prevent
urd before tho rennet is thoroughly
mixed. It takes about five minutes
to mix. I require from twenty-five
to thirty minutes for a good curd. If
I ever havo u lk-ating curd I draw off
the greater part of the whey aud add
Home moderately warm water. This
is to weaken tho lactio acid and re
duce the acid to the proper amount.
Then heat as before, not heating above
ninety-live degrees iu cooking. In
cooking, the maker has tho curd nu
tter his control, if ho has not nddl
too much rennet, lieunet does not
nid iu ripening cheuso, and I un as
little as I can. It simply chaup.s tho
milk to a gelatinous mass. Wh the
whey is drawn off, tho curd should be
eoft aud retain moisture. It must
then cool slowly toeighty-flve dogrees,
when suit is added, but not too much.
'The suiting should be in proportion to
the amount of rennet.
Tho curd is then in condition to be
on re J. It tuould be entirely free
from all taints nnd odors. Allow It
to remain in the press from four to six
hours, then remove, dress and plaoe
in press again until next morning.
The curing room should always be
darkened and the same moderate tem
perature maintained with good ventila
tion, not allowing gases and foreign
substances to enter the room. The
cheese should be greased well and
turned at six in tho morning and again
at nix in the evening of each day.
Ten to twelve days aro required for
my cheese to mire. W. Ij. McCain,
in New England Homestead.
Dash Changed to Crank Churns.
There are a largo number of butter
makers who will nso only the old
fashioned dash churn, believing that
it gives the best results, quality nnd
quantity of bntter considered. The
Flo. 1. A CONVERTED DASH CHlTttf,
great fnnlt of the dash chnrn is the la
bor of operating it, so much of the
exerted force of tho operator being
lost on ncconnt of no machinery to
utilize it as in tho crank churn. Iu
Figs. 1 and 2, dash churns are con
verted into crank churns. In tho de
vice shown iu Fig. 1 an old buggy
wheel can bo UBed for tho fly-wheel.
All tho iron work, such as the crank
shaft, bearings, pitman, etc, can be
mado by any blacksmith at a Bmall ex
pense. The framework any farmer
will bo able to make himself, 'I he
FIO. 2. TJTILIZINO AX OLD FLl'-WIIEEL
IN C0NVEHTIN3 A DASIt CHUB.
two posts used in the first device need
not be very large or heavy, but just
wide enough to permit the wheel to
turn inside or the two supports on
which tho bearings rest. In the sec
oud figure an iron fly-wheel such as
is found on an old cider press is used.
It is adapted to a smull churn.
"Exhausted" Belli.
Aooording to the modern idea, an
exhausted soil is one which will not
produce a paying crop. The term
exhausted is in reality only rela
tive one, because any soil which can
be at all utilizod for farming purposes
must evidently possess some of tho
elements which go to make up plant
growth. An analysis mado of many
lauds now producing only scrubby
growth would reveal, the presence of
sufficient plant nourishment to grow
bountiful crops for hundreds of years
to come.
Tho question then naturally sug
gests itself: Why is it that a soil con
taining plenty of plant food mny yet
fail to produce au average yield? The
answer to this question is a compara
tively simplo one. The soils were
formed long ages ago, and during all
of the intervening time the plant-food
locked up beneath the surface has
been combining and recombiuing un
til it has come to be an almost insolu
ble condition. The average plant lacks
the power to uulook this plnut-food
while in such a state, and is, there
fore, in much the samo position as a
inau iu the middle of the ocean with
out any suitable drinking water. He
dies of thirst while surrounded by the
very substance be is seeking, because
of his iuubiiity to convert it to his own
use.
The agencies which assist in making
plant-food more available are water,
sunlight, and thorough cultivation of
the soil. Through these a portion at
least of tho plant-food can be made
available and the productive capacity
of tho laud greatly increased. Vege
table matter, or humus, as it is called,
is another factor which plays an im
portant part in making inert plant
food available to growing crops. If a
soil is destitute of humus, it is much
more difficult for plants to get their
food from it. On the other hand, if
a soil ooutains plenty of humus, the
decomposition of this vegetable mat
ter helps to dissolve the more insolu
ble substances, thus converting them
into available plant-food.
Every farmer should see that his
land is well supplied with humus or
vegetable matter, which can be done
most cheaply by growing cow-peas or
clover and turning them under. Too
much of this, however, would sour the
land. Therefore, us an offset, a dose
of slaked lime, say about forty bushels
per acre, should be applied onoe in
about every five years. The lime will
not only hasten the decomposition of
the organio matter, but will also un
lock some of the latent plant food iu
the soil, notably potash. By a thorough
system of cultivation the physical con
dition of the soil nan be greatly im
proved, enabling the air to linvo freer
access, thus facilitating oxidation, and
causing the soil-water to percolate more
freely. This will dissolve the plant
food and move it about in the soil so
as to be readily available to tho roots.
It must be remembered, however,
that tho soil ia like a bank. If con
tinually drawn upon without replen
ishing, it will soon become bankrupt;
houce the wise farmer will see that he
at least maintains au equilibrium by
depositing aunually what is drawn
out. This guards against the gradual
removal of plant-food, aud it is well
to remark here, that after a soil has
once Decome run down, it is a very
difficult mutter to build it up again,
A far more economical plan, therefore,
would be to gradually increase the
productive capacity of the laud.
Farm, Field aud Fireside.
During last August the daily use o!
water iu Milwaukee was eighty-two
,?llon per capita.
MEALS ON TRANSPORTS.
FEEDING UNCLE SAM'S TROOPS
WHILE AFLOAT.
Development of nn Adequate Ryatmn
l'lentv of Good Fond For F.very Man
Our Methods Considered tho Heat In
the World Tho Mem OnllU.
The system which lias been per
fected by the Government for feodiug
troops on the United States trans
ports is considereil the most adequate
iu the world. This, is the more won
derful because it has been perfected
in a year. Tho methods employed at
first were crude, and involved a great
deal of unnecessary hardship. A
year ago the troops sent to Cuba,
and even to the Philippines, had only
travel rations, which consisted prin
cipally of oorned beof and hardtack,
with nothing hot except coffee. It
took several hours to distribute the
rations for each meal, so that the men
were irrogulnrly fed, and not uncom
monly were obliged to wait till noon
before they had any breakfast. This
state of alTair-i is practically ended,
and while muru depends npou the in
dividual ability of the ship's quarter
master, certain effective regulations
are universally enrried out.
Tho Uflttod States Government
owns twenty-three transports. The
finest of theso are the Sboridan, the
Sherman, the Grant, the Logan nnd
the Thomas. These five great ships
are exactly alike, 455 foot over nil
and of 55S10 tons each. They are
capable of carrying two thousand en
listed men, besides nearly .one huu
drod officers in the cabin. There are
three messes ou board these ships
the cabin or officers' mess, the crew's
mess and tho mess of the enlisted
men. Iu plying across the Pacific to
Manila, a one month's trip with only
one stop for coal at Honolulu, a per
fect system, not only in the provision
ing but in the daily feediug of this
tremendous passenger list, is au abso
lute necessity.
The messes of the officers and of
the crew are served regularly, and are
equal in varii ty and quality to those
of almost any of the Atlautio liuors.
Tho great problem which has been
successfully solved is the feeding with
equal regularity and with food of
good quality to two thousaud enlisted
men.
A long, narrow galley has beon
built amidships ou the mess deck at
the right hand side. Here are sei
four meat boilers of 110 gallons ca
pacity each, four vegetable boilers of
fifty-live gallons capacity each, and
two coffee boilers containing 150 gal
lons npicoe. Four regular cooks take
charge of the cooking, which is done
entirely by steam; a detail of four
soldiers gives them daily assistance.
Twelva men are also detailed to peel
potatoes and prepare the vegetables,
and twelve more as a fatigue party to
bring supplies from the storerooms,
and, taking into consideration the
tot id amount of supplies consumed
each day, this duty is not a light oue.
.besides the cocking galley, it has
been fouud necessary to establish a
butcher shop, whero tho refrigerated
moats are taken from the cold storage
rooms, ont up and issued to tho cooks.
Three regular butchers and three de
tailed from among tho soldiers are
kept busy hero duriug the day.
HOW THIS FOOD 18 HERVED.
The mess calls for the men are at
C.20 a. in., 12 m. aud 5 p. in. Im
mediately ten men from eaoh company
form iu line iu regular ordor, each
detail being provided with from nix
to ten buckets of fourteen quarts'
capacity, allowing at the least seventy
quarts of food for oue hundred men.
The cooks in the galley fill tho
buckets with meat, vegetables aud
coffee, aud then they are carried to
the mess tables, where tho food is
issued to each member of the com
pany, who is waiting in lino with his
tiu plate aud cup. As each man is
served he moves on and gcuorully
goes to the uppor deck to eat. Tho
mess deck, where the galley and mess
tables are situated, corresponds to the
main dock, and is just below tho spar
or upper deck. After all are servod
the first timo, the men begin to return
for "seconds," ns they call it, and are
served just aS plentifully again.
Iu addition to tho food cooked iu
tho galley the meu havo fresh brend
morning aud night and hardtack at
noon. The bread in issued separately
to tho mess tables, and tho men re
ceive it with tho rest of the food. Iu
order to keep tho supply of broad
equal to the demand there is a squad
of twelve bakers on board, four of
whom are at work all night. The
cabiu ranges are nsod, the bakeshop
being near tho cabin galley. As the
ranges are in use for the cabin cook
ing during tho day, all the baking
must be done at night. The regular
"straight" army flour is used, 2100
pouuds of it every day. It is baked
iu large biscuits, which the men call
"cobs," aud they eat two or three of
these at a meal. Hardtack is issued
at the rate of 2300 pounds every threo
days. The fresh bread is piled on
shelves in a large cage which occupies
the centre of the mess deck, from
which it is issued to the mess details
morning and night.
AM ADUNDANCE OP GOOD POOD.
A few figures may convey an idea
of the generous provision made for
each inau on board. The regulations
concerning tho field or travel ration
are disregardod, eaoh man being al
lowed to have practically as much as
ho wants aud a much greater variety
than the prescribed ration. He has
fresh meat twice a day, nu allowance
of oue nnd one-fourth pounds for eaoh
man. The vegetables comprise oar
rots, onions, potatoes, tomatoos, rice
and cabbage. Oatmeal is frequoutly
given out in Ike morning, and at night
some kind of dried fruit, such as
peaches, primes and aprioots; sorao
times pickles iu addition. The fol
lowing amounts are oftou issued from
tho storeroom in a day: Sixteen crates
of potatoes (lliOO pounds), 100 pounds
of onions, 1000 pounds of carrots, 100
of turnips, 15(55 to 2500 pounds of
meat, 1101) ponnds of salt meat. Eight
pounds of coffee is allowed to overy
101) men over 150 pounds a day. To
sweeten this over 200 pounds of sugar
is issued duily.
Eaoh company lias two mess tables,
and this facilitates the quick distribu
tion of food. It often happens that
every man is served at the end of
tweuty-iive minutes. Forty minutes
is the longest time consumed in' tho
distribution of lae food. Everything
used is of thoroughly good quality,
aud it is only necessary to see the
men eat to realize that it is appetizing.
The comfort of the men is nlso con
sidered between meals, eight hundred
pounds of ioe being issued three times
a day at 11a. in. and 4 and 7 p. in.
It is placed in great casks of fresh
water, which nro conveniently Bituato.t
on the spar deck, fore nnd ntt.
The mess outfit issued to troops and
carried in tho haversack consists of
two tin plntos, knife, fork, spoon nnd
cup. These plates nro two shallow to
use comfortably on board ship, so one'a
man when he coincs on board receives
a round tin plate of moro thau an inch
iu depth, which he uses during thu
voyage, at the end of which ho cau
either keep it or throw it away.
The facts and figures here given re
fer particularly to tho Sheridan, ono
of the five great Bister ships which,
with tho exception of the Logan, carry
troops across the Pacific, anil nro run
on practically the same principles.
Although many of tho other transports
havo not the facilities for carryiug out
tho new system in its entirety, they
are nil comfortable, aud present a
striking nnd happy contrast to army
transports of n year ago. When tho
Sheridan stopped nt Malta on its first
voyage to tho l'liilipgincs thu English
officers were forced 'to admit that in
this instance at least tho United States
transported her soldiers with moro
comfort than Great Britain. Now
York Tribune.
FOOLING A CONGREGATION.
Tho Salnry.T.om 1'aator Tanned an Orig
inal Surinnn on Ilia I 1m U.
Ouo of tho Chicago publio library
ntteudauts has a curious story. There
was a haudsome, impref sive-looking
man of thirty or thirty-fivo years who
used to como into tho big readiiig
room every Saturday afternoon and
call for a book of sermons. Sometimes
it was Beecher, sometimes it was Tal
mage. Sometimes it was ono of tho
older preachers. Hut he always kept
the book in the farthest corner lie
could find unocoupiod, nnd thoro ho
would bo seen to be committing tho
text nnd discourse to memory.
One Sundny eveuing the Horary at
tendant went to a little church ou tho
west side, and there saw his Saturday
visitor standing in the pulpit. The
man explained tho difficulty of getting
good preaphers to attend to tho wants
of tho people iu that little place and
the need of those same people for the
best, and then he explained that ho
had committed to memory tho sermon
of a celebrated divine, aud he would,
as ho had ou soveral former occasions,
givo it to them as best he could.
And ho made a good job of it. Ho
was evidently nntrniuod in clooution
and iu methods of delivery, but ho
had a certain natural strength and a
native seuso oft tho right inlleotiou
aud emphasis; aud he certuinly was
himself moved by the fervor and word
ing aud by the beauty of tho pictures
presented in those remembered pas
sages. Tho service was all uny ouo
could havo asked, and tho people
seemed do'ighted. Thoy showered
compliments on tho speaker aud nuked
him to servo thorn in like manner
again-.
It happened that the library attend
ant heard that same man ngaiu and at
another church some weeks Inter.
Again ho delivered, after telling tho
naiuo of tho author, a borrowed ser
mon. Months afterward tho nttondaut
heard him for tho third time, and it
ntruck him that tho sormon was by no
means like those ho had heard before.
Ho doubted that it was tho composi
tion of the preacher to whom it was
credited. imloed, his bettor trained
observation told him it was not a bor
rowed sormon at all. A;' the speakor
came to the peroration, ho wus con
vinced this was fully original, nl
thougU it had been announced as taken
from a volume, which, however, no
ono in the house had ever before heard
or.
When tho sorvice had ended, the
attendant waited and greeted tho
preacher.
"I have seen you a good many times
it tho publio library," ho suid. Theu
ho added, so that no ouo else could
hear: "But I don't believo this ser
mon was taken from a book. I be
lievo it was your own."
"Heavens I" exclaimed tho preacher
iu terror. "Don't toll thoui. They
think it is borrowed. Don't, for tho
lovo of their souls, toll them it is my
own. They wouldn't respoct mo at
all if thoy kuew I mado it up. They
think they are listening to a $10,000
nuu. I cloa't cost them a cent.''
Curious Inconsistencies of Women,
As the Btorner sex is fond of remark
ing, women have many curious incon
sistencies. Nevertheless it must be
admitted that the impeachment is not
without foundation. Take for instance
tho matter of "tipping." The most
philauthropio aud generous of women
even, almost invariably give mean lit
tle tips, aud if it is possible to avoid
it, novor give any. At a womuu's
luncheon counter reoently, one of the
few exceptions to tho rule left a coin
on the counter after having paid her
soore.
"You have forgotten this," said tho
waitress, pushing it over to her.
"Oh, that is my teu cout tip," re
turned the other laughiugly, but with
out taking it.
Tho attendant picked it up, seemed
doubtful what to do with it, and finally
wulked over and dropped it into tho
firm's caahbox.
"Evidently tips are not common
here," soliliquizod tho donor, nu Bhe
watched tho proceeding. I forgot it
was a women's counter!
"I have never considered the mat
tor of tips," remarked a fashiouuble
wouiau reoently. "I always notioed
my husband gave Bomething to the
waiter when be dined nt a restaurant,
but I never inquired what it was, and
it has so happened I have never gouo
alone to such plaoes. Not long ago,
however, when I had a luncheon ou,
my cook fell ill, and rather thau post
pone tho party I transferred by enter
tainment to the Waldorf. It wus quite
an elaborate luncheon, fand we had
four waiters, and when I left I gave
them a quarter apieco, which I consid
ered au adequate tip, but I saw at onoe
by thoir faoes that I had committed an
error according to their code.
"What should I have given?" I
asked my husband afterward. '
" 'Why, a dollar at loast, for such a
unoheou as that,' he answered."
". York Tribune.
AMERICANS EAT LOTUS.
IT IS NOT A BAD SORT OF FOOD,
EITHER, PERHAPS.
The Agricultural Department la Invratl
iratlng the Matter other Aalatlo Vege
tahlea That Mar l!o Introduced II ere
iJljr ISulbflfia Food Water Chentnutn.
The discovery that t'uore are lotus
caters in this country must be credited
to experts of tho Department of Agri
culture nt Washington who have ascer
tained the fact incidentally toa special
investigation which they have been
making in regard to Asiotio vegeta
bles, writes Bene Bacho in the Detroit
Froo Press. Now that the Pacific
Ocean has boconib nn American lake,
and Yankee enterprise is on the alert
to gobble up whatever may be avail
able for uso on the other side of that
largo pond, it is considered worth
while to find out whether they have
any food-plants over there that would
bo a welcome addition to those already
utilized in tho United Statos. Tho
commission appointed by Secretary
James Wilson to look into the subject
has learned that there are many such,
and has verified its conclusions by
cooking and eating them, as well as
by analyzing them in order to deter
mine how niuoh nutriment they con
tain.
Ono of theso plants is the lotus, tho
roots of which are largely oaten by
orientals iu San Francisco, being im
ported from Canton, nnd are on sale
iu the markets of the Chinese quarter
through the late winter aud spring
months. They are reddish inside aud
are boiled for the table usually, though
sometimes ai e consumed raw. A kind
of "arrowroot" preparation is tiade
from them also. In China parts of the
blossoms are used for the toilet, tho
leaf stalks furnish lamp wicks, tho
Beods nre employed for soup and as a
remedy for indigestion, nnd tho roots
become nu important nrticlo of food
iu times of famiue, fifty per cont. of
their subrtauoe being starch. The
Egyptiaus, too, obtain a valuable flour
from tho seeds, roasted aud ground,
aud bako it into bread.
EXPERIMENTS WITH THE LOTUS.
One reason why the economio use
fulness of the lotus is so interesting is
that the plant has been introduced into
this country within the last few years,
for ornamental purposes. Experi
ments iu its cultivation have beon in
progress for some time iu various
parts of tho United States, and have
been unexpectedly successful. It is
found to tolerate the severe winters
of the middle East, and the short but
hot summers give it an ample season
to perfect its beautiful iloworh, which
somewhat resemble gigantic roses. In
the grounds of tho Department of Agri
culture at Washington is a pond that
is one great lotus -bod iu July and
August of each year, tho maguificent
blossoms nttraoting much admiration.
Iu California and the Southern States
there are many districts specially
suited to the pluut, which is au aqua
tic, aud in tho great interior wator
way of tho former, comprising the
Sacramento and Sau Joaquin liivers,
it could scarcely fail to be successful.
Tho identity of tho vegetable, pos
sibly ouly mythical, consumed by the
Btoriod "lotophagi," or lotus-eaters,
who wore rendered by it forgetful of
homo and friends, has been much dis
puted. Certainly it was not tho aamo
ns the lotus here described, which
anciently iu Egypt was a sacred em
blem, intimately associated with re
ligiou nnd poetry. The Egyptian
plant, iudeod, was a prevailing motivo
iu tho designs of early painters and
sculptors of that nation, and to this
day it survives conspicuously in archi
tecture as, for example, in the cap
itals of columns. It was then, as it
is now, of importance as a food-producer,
not only in the region of the
Nile, but also among Asiatio peoples.
From the view-point of the Govern
ment experts, tho easiest way to ox
nmino Asiatio food-plants was to buy
thorn in Sau Fraucisco, whero many
of them aro always ou Bale, being im
ported for ooiiBUiuptiou by tho Chi
U030. A visit to tho markets of the
Orieutal quartor iu that city reveals
to tho eye of t non-resident muoh that
is both strauge aud interesting. Most
of tho curious roots, green vegetables,
Beods, etc., making up tho stock-in-trade
of the slant-eyed grocerymau
aro wholly unfamiliar, somo of them
being brought directly from Canton,
whilo others, though grown in Amer
ican Boil, are Asiatio iu origin. They
afford a subject of study from which,
it is believed, much may bo learned
thot is of viduo. It is not without
re.ir.on that tho Chinese are said to
understand hotter thau any otber peo
ple tho art of obtaining from a given
area of laud tho greatest possible
amount of food material, and one way
in which they accomplish this is by
utilizing a large variety of food-plants.
LILY BULBS A3 FOOD.
In this country lilies aro considered
ns of uso ouly for ornamental purposes,
but iu Asia tho bulbs aud also the
flowers of several spooies have long
boon used as articles of food. Both
the Chinese and the Japaneso cat
them' habitually, and one kind fur
nishes the hairy Aiuos of the islaud
of Yezo tho northern limit of tho
Mikado's empire with their chief
vegetable diet. From early December
to lute in August the bulbs of au edible
lily, imported from Canton, are found
iu tho Chinese markets of , Sun Frau
cisco, where thoy are sold at teu to
twenty cents a pound. What seems
to bo the same species may alfo be ob
tained in a dried state throughout the
year, ond both this and tho fresh bulbs
uro known to the epicureau Celestial
as "pak-hop."
ThoBa bulbs were analyzed by the
experts, who found them rich in starch
and oven more nutritious thau pota
toes. Wheu Bimply boitod they are
very palatable, and it is believed that
Americans might easily acquire a
taste for them. One notable point iu
their favor is that when dried they
aro quitv a& good for table use as iu
tho fresh condition. It is not likely
that thoy could bo grown in this
country as cheaply as some other
vegetables, but they might Berve as a
luxury, like lettuoe. Iudeed, the Chi
nese regard them more as a delicacy
than as a standard article of diet, the
price being proportionately high. By
the Japanese they are considered as
an especially desirable food for in
valids and oonvalesoents, and when
utilized for this puiposa tho bulbs
aro only slightly cooked aud mti
eaten with sugar.
OTHER ORIENTAL FOOD ILATS.
The so-called "water chestnut" la
widely used in China and Japan as a
food plant aud in those countries is
highly esteemed. It grows wild in
watery places, and in some regions bo
profusely ns not to reqniro cultiva
tion." The edible tubers nre sweet,
juicy, aud resemble the chestnut in
llavor. It is believed that tho plant
would thrive well in humid portions
of tho Southern States, or iu the in
terior valloy of California.
The Asiatics have some very odd
cabbages, the most notable of which
resembles a head of lettuce rather
thau an ordinary head of cabbage.
This is tho famous "Shantung cab
bage," natnod after its native proviuco
iu China, whioh, though long ono
brought to the attention of aeedmeti
and gurdoners, have never been intro
duced in this country. It is described
as delicious.
The seed" of the lotus are used by
the Chinese as wo use chestnuts, being
eaten raw, boiled or roosted. Iu
ordor to render them palatable, it is
necessary to remove the dark-green
germs, which ore no bitter that tho
saying "bitter ns the germ of the
lotus Rood" has passed iuto au
Oriental proverb.
Among other valuable Asiatic food
plants aro millet and the soy bean.
The former is a cereal of the first
rank, cultivated on nn ouormotts
scale in both India and China. Tho
latter forms au important part of tho
largely vegetarian diet of the Chinese
aud Japanese. It has been cultivated
for many years iu Europe, and is be
ginning to be extensively grown in
tho United States, though mainly for
forago. It resembles a pea rather
than a bean, but is vory different
from auy of our peas and beans.
CURIOUS :fct?.
A sheep with live horns exists ia
Kentucky.
Artificial ivory if mado from bora:
and skimmed milk.
The first Groek loiter society in this
country Phi Beta Kappa was started
iu 175fi.
A Hungarian in Mount Carmol,
Penn., recently sold his wife, house,
two pigs, aud a cow to his brother for
S200.
A peculiar clook of the timo of
Charles I. was the lanteru, or bird
cage style, which hung from the walla
high up, with their works exposed.
An eight-year-old girl in Bristol,
Penn., tried to boat the record of a
playmate by jumping rope more than
1500 times without resting. She is
dead.
The giroffo was thought to bo near
extinction, but Major Maxse, a British
explorer, has found great herds of
them along tho Sobat Bivor, a tribu
tary of tho While Nile.
In battle red Uniforms attract the
eye most readily, and twelve men wear
ing that color are killed to seven in
rifle green, or Bix in blue, or five ia
either browu, blue, or gray.
About the most expeusive lnxuriea
in Lima, Peru, are postage stamps.
it cost twenty-two cents in native sil
ver to carry au ordinary letter, which
is equivalent to eleven cents iu gold.
A "poster" oue mile long, printed
on a contiuuous roll, was used re
cently to advertise a street fairiu Bat
tle Creek, Mich. It was pasted ou
the brick pavement between the streot
car tracks.
The butchers of Berlin have a curi
ous way of informing their customers
of the days on which fresh sausages
are made by placing a chair, covored
with a largo, cleau apron, at the Bido
of tho shop door.
The astonishing statement is mode
in London that the health of the em
ployes ou the underground railway ia
better thau on any lino in England.
The atmosphere is said to havo posi
tively cured cases of quinsy and bron
chitis and to have benefited people
with lung troubles.
The lntereatlui; Wuter-Ou.el.
Tho natural home of the water
ousel is the Piocky Mountains. He is
not known anywhere elso ou this con
tinent; and ho loves the mountain
stream, with rapids aud cascades. In
deed, he will erect his oven-like cot
tage uowhero else, aud it mu3t bs a
fall bud not a mere ripple o;1 rapid.
Theu from this point as a coutio or,
'rather, tho middle point of a wave'
ing line bo forages up aud down the
babbling, meandering brook, feodiug
ohiefiy, if not wholly, on wafer in
sects. Strauga to say, ho never leave?
the streams, never makes excursion to
tho country ronud-about, novor fiics
over a mountain ridge or divide t
reach another valloy, but simply pur
sues tho winding streams with a
fidelity that deserves praise for iti
very singleness of purpose. No
"landlubber" is he. Should he wislt
to go to another canon, he will simply
follow the stream he is ou to its junc
tion with tho stream of the other val
ley; thou up the aecond defile. His
flight is exceedingly swift. His song
is a loud, clear, cheerful strain, the
very quintessence of gladuesa us it
mingles with tho roar oi thu cataracts.
Now York Post.
Hlberla a tiroat Fur Field.
In Siberia tho ormiuo catch has
fallen off largely within twenty years.
On the other hand, tho figures of the
first half of tho present deoauo of
years show that the catch of sable,
otter and red fox, as well as that of
many other less valuable fins aud
ukins, has greatly increased.
This meauB simply that Siberia lias
been the least hunted of the great fur
fields. With the increase of populti
tiou and means of transportation tho
product marketed is growing larger,
for the time has not yet arrived when
the field is overlain to J. Thin Siberia
is to-day the most important of the
land fur preserves.
It may be that Bussia, hooding tha
lesson taught by tho virtual extinction
of the fur nuimulsiuherown northern
forests, will endeavor to prevent the
same fato from befalling tho Siberian
fur trade. Now York Sun,
Itovaniia From Vl.ltora,
An Italian statistician, Commends
tor Bodio, estimates the number of
visiting strangers coming to Italy nt
not less than 70,000 a year and their
expenditure at about $203,000 a day,
au annual income for the country of
mora than $00,000,000.
THE SABBATH SCIIOljf
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMEvf
FOR OCTOBER 13.
Snhjeeti leather Pleading For Her V J
K.ther Till., 8-8, 1.1-17 Golden il
l aa. xxxvll., a Commentary on
Jj'a I.eaann.
th.
till
Co!NcTi!o Link. Wbnn Mom
nnnrii oi tun terriuiH ueerno wlilcli nr,.
the dentil ot nil Ills people he wa-
4
wuri Kriw. no sent n copy or tli c,.
to Esther mid asked lier to interoedo
the king that the calamity mlnlit ho a w.
ed. The klnff whs n nokln-nilndn.l
potlo ruler, and Eatlier had not bePuV' C
prosonno for thirty dnys. It wns tln-r7
a Rront risk for her to venture lm, ' p
presonco, lost her life be taken. I, i Ct
tempting to save hor people the i, rv
must risk everything lior position",. ,
attempt by the more wellit of person
lliHince to reverse tlio decroes of nu ht
that prided Itself on hnvlnn u tuilt-r '
laws; nnd she must do tills unliist ti,.!
fluenoe of Hainan, the king's favorite.
most powerful subject In the kingdom i
the nuemy of her people. She mint ,
it known to ttie king that she xtnx ,.
despised race whose lives were In ,
Dofore Esther ooulcl enter upon till,
porlnnt mission aud eucoilnti'r the it '
SCI
th,
I
Trl
nee
leg
by
tur
connected with sueli nu not, she
claimed a fiiHt among her peoplo In Si
an, nnd she and hur mnldeus also d
nnd prayed. Then she said she won;
on nnd do hor best to anve her i
thoiteli It should cost her life. At t ,.
of the fast Esther dressed herself I,
queeuly npnarel and came before tlm, ,
Ho received her kindly ami asked why am
petition might be, promising to gr.n niel
Hhe merely mado request tliHt the kin. Pi 0
Human attend u bauipict which she r if
tirennrn foe them l..n.l f ir
over this honor, nnd of his plan to ,
Monlooul; of the king's sleepless n
nnd his plnn to reward Mordeeal In
former kindness ln fumrlntr hiu lo
toll
con
chanters S nnd 0. In chapter 7 tlm .
nt the second fenst or bnaqnet Is recur'
Here Esther mndo known the plnn of A
man to destroy the Jews. Then thna ea,
ot the king was turued npou Human ni
he ordered that ho be hanged npoi pleB
ii!i.iYa no nun prejmreu iir 1M0M.
IIIOM--
1 (,'iv.
iomii t wr
MorJ. V
iueu tue house of Human was
Esther, and the ring which bad bo.
to Human the king iravo tn !H
anteui jjiiil-mu jiurueuui uor COUslUt
tho house of Hnmno.
8. "Esther spake yet ngaln." Thew;
Human wns out of the wav, and the :
of the king was turned to 'Esther ninl:
dnent. vet the decree w not i
t.-al.n. r i , .
This Esther would entreat the kliu ti
ers the day came for the execution.
uown nt his foot besought bin
imirn. i i was run nuinnee itn,i
of a suppliant. Her work was not
until hor peoplo were saved from dn Jp
4. "The king held out the goldou
tre." Iu token that her request walk
ceptod nnd tbat she noedod uo louif.fL
iniuutalu the humble attitude of a s.f . '
not.
5. "Reverse the letters devised bvp'::
man." it mny be supposed that Al:
rus hesitated In this perploxiug cii-i
not knowing how to extricate himself J
credit from so great a dlrtleultv. an,l
luctnnt to proclaim to all the worl
roily into whlou he has been seduoetl.
joiner, wuu grent uisorotlon, nv I
every Intimation that t he klu him,.;'
lusuod tboriecreo, nnd orpressed uor,' Ai
If it hnd been not only Human's devi"
altogether his work, ns though thu fm
bad been forged by him. I
8. "How cau I endure." She doi-J
urge the Innooenoe cf tho Jews, but!
pleads their affinity to her. ' f
8. "Wrlto ye also for the Jews, f r"
writing which Is written may no uci
verse." "According to the i'eralan c f , t
tutlon the former edict could not 'VjL'
vokod; hence they could not repeal ti:,
oroe, hut provide an antidote." Ho , ,
strange nnd even ridiculous this m 1)15
procedure may appear, It wus thoonV-rf
which from the peculiarities of cour:'0v('
quette In Persia could bo adopted.
15. "Mordooat went out. ...In rovaUVEr
parol." Hut a fow duys before, Mo:;,
was In snnkclotli aud all thu HAQi
In sorrow; now Mordooal Is In purpKQi
the Jews In joy. The royal apparel
belonged to his pluoe, or the king a ;nPC '
ed t to him ns a favorite. A dross n i'm ,
.mil wblte wns held In Croat estiii:,-; i
among tho Persians, so thnt Mor i . i
whom the if Ing delighted to honor, v'f ey
fact arrayed lu tho roynl dress anil y.
lila. "Hhushun rejoiced." Tho peoplf i
sensible of thoir advantage In tho Vj-L!
meut of Mordouai, aud looked for jjgiav
times when so good a man was lu ' Kv
When tho wicked perish there Is nUoiV
wheu the righteous nre in nutlioril ; '
pooplo rejoice, liamau was too pro ! j,
bo popular; fow lamented his fall. .;Th
was populnr respect for Mor.looiW. ' 5
10. "The Jews hnd light, gludness
honor." The decree thut could not b"iccpt
tormnnded was erased, aufl tlm irtain
saved from destruction. Ever sluci' i,.
they have kept tho fast of Purlin n,
the 18th nnd 14tu of Adar (about )JHDei
1st) iu memory of theso days. The tmltU
history wrought good In the charao enu1'
the Jews aud proclaimed their rollgl '!
thoir God. The Jews were content11 t'
being permitted to defend their n U
Wheu tho dooree went out unuVQubat
king's seal In favor of the Jows It wo !. '
understood that lie hold their lives f18"
lous, and as far ns possible would fVB t"
them, though "It laid him under the dig!
slty of eunotlng a olvll war lu his owreni f
minions, for both sides might tnko uu j
by his authority, nnd yet agnlust M
thorltv." Kl Mo
17. "In ovory province. . ,.olty."( will,
ouly In BhuBhau, but In all other rn.a .
whore the Jows resided, thoy onturt". jT
ono nnotlior nt their homes aud fenst'tr,l,n
giithor, being full of Joy nt this nit. Hell 1
of thoir nltulrs. If thoy hnd notH ha,
threatened und in distress thoy )i'hitinn
hnd occasion for this extraordinary"10"
Therefore are God's pooplo eomr- -
mado to sow la tears that they may ti
so mucli. Uiojn6r8 joy. "Many I s
JTwS.n MuSy of the Persians 1 1
proselytos to the Jewish rollglon, m
they wore olroumolaed Is not plobui) .
Is likely, however, that thoy roh'. ?
idolatry and beenmo worshipers i
truo God. Suoh proselyt03 there w
all times, especially lu the days ol -and
Bolomon, wliou the ntTalrs of th f t
wore very prosperous. Human thonJjfii
root out the Jews; but It proved tlm '
numbers wore greutly lnerensed.
seen thnt tho strength of right and 9 SkJf
was with them. "Fear of the Jw'L
them." Hainan's fate warned them, ifSj
Jews' power, and when thoy observe
wonderfully divine Provldeuou had L
them and wrought for them In this 'flgj
junoture,. thoy thought them gri,
ihcso happy that wre among thorn; 5
fore they aumo over to them, aa : J i
told. Zech. 8:23. Compure Deut, 335 J ,c
Early Mnrrlajea of Royalty.
Royal personages almost Invar
marry young. The queen was no
21 when she married Prince AlbcrJ
prince of Wales was not 22 wl?
wedded Princess Alexandra; thi
czar of Russia was only 22 wW
married Princess Dagmar, slater
princess ot Wales, who was 20; I
Humbert of. Italy wag 24 when li
rled the 17-vear-old Marehorltif
IS
the emperor of Austria was 23 w f jde
wedded the lovely Princess Ell'5 1
who was only 16. The king of ti
lia
Klaus was first married at the
J wo
18: the late king of Spain was n
str
lirbl at the age of 19, and had a
;ad'
wife when he was 22, and the C
emperor was only 22 when he n
,tat
'tak
the Princess Augustus Vie:
Schleswlg Holsteln - Augustenb
Tlt-Bltfl.
one
Vro:
A ITulque l'uatnflloe.
No other sovereign has what 1
or William has. This la a IItt!
inu
cim
I
phi
11101
not
.vitl
office all for his own use. Tliei
apeclal staff ot officer detailed
after, sort and distribute the hu,
of letters tbat com for the t
every day.
.1.