® SANS BY AEN DE A Ze: \ 3 ~ — Genesis, vi., 4. GOSPEL MESSAGES. ®Giants” 1s the Subject of {ho Twelfth of the New York Merald’s Competitive ;Nermong-=Dr, Talmage Preaches on the Style of the Christian Character. Text: “There were giants in those days.” This text represents the wail of the mor- hid man who refuses to enter into the ac- tivities of life and finds no fit leadership among the men of to-day. He views the men of yesterday, and, by comparing them with his own nothingness, calls them giants. Unwilling to follow his rightful leaders, he pines for the mighty men of the past. 2 It the wail were only the expression of dissatisfied donothings in the world it would be of little account; but the cry re- garding the ancient giants has connected with it an inference that no giants exist to- day, because there is no opportunity for giant life. This pseudo reverence for the great men of the past carries with it the poisonous pessimism that says, “There can be no giants now.” It is discouragement hoiled down and sugar-coated with a pious worship of ancient worthies. ‘‘Casar, Napoleon and Wellington were great generals, but there never will be any more;” ‘‘There will never be another poet like Homer;” “No more orators like Burke, Pitt and Webster;” ‘“No more preachers like Wesley, Whitefleld and Edwards;’ ‘No such statesmen as Madison and Jefferson.” ““There is no chance for such men to-day, and no demand for them.” Ws This is a fair specimen of the idle talk of men who pretend to appreciate the great- ness of the fathers, and with this pious plaint unnerve the ambition of youth. Were this simply the silly talk of imbecility no protest from the pulpit would be in place, put in behalf of discouraged youth I pur- pose to enter an unqualified denial of the spirit of all this word. Did it not seem like impious rejection of sacred writ, I would affirm that there were no giants in those days. The men of yesterday were not so great as the men of to-day. Physically men are better than ever be- fore. The average men of to-day is too large to wear the English armor discarded by giant warriors of a few centuries back. ‘I'he collegian of to-day surpasses the ancient Olympian, Cicero and Demosthehes were giants in oratory by comparison. Orators were few and moor at that time, so these were easily noted. There are better preachers to-day than Wesley. Edwardsis | far surpassed in truthful presentation of the word by modern sermon makers, Bis- marck, Blaine and Gladstone overshadow «ancient men in Statecraft, Macauley tells us that men usually put the golden age of England at atime ‘‘when noblemen were destitute of comforts which would cause riot in a modern workhouse.” So men are constantly placing the age of mental and spiritual greatness in times when men were conspicuous not so much for their own individual merit 48 because of the lack of ordinary ra their fel- lows. In a very true sense we may say that in the light of the nineteenth century men there were no giants in those days. There is a proper egotism which boasts of to-day, and imperiously declares that no such men lived in the past as our generation has produced. 2 Turning from this, we may bow with def- erence to the coming man. The youth of to-day may rise above the best of their fathers. There was never a greater call for giants than now; not.a giant here and there, but a race of giants. Every profes- sion is crowded with little men and is seeking for giants. Professions, like sky- scrapers, have vacant rooms on the top floor. i Railroads are anxious for first class men; <ditorial offices will give handsome salar- ics to skilful writers; pulpits seek com- « nanding preachers; corporations seek in vain for properly qualified counsel; the na- tion calls for better statesmen, the colleges for better teachers, the merchants for bet- ter salesmen, the manufacturers for better artisans. “Top floors for rent” is hung out at every corner, inviting boys who are willing and able t® elimb the old-fashioned stairs. There is no elevator for carrying idle seekers tothe top of business and pro- fessional life. Men who work at the head of a profession or business must have — strength, and that\strength best comes J Dr. -.. You and I have ours. It is toiling up to the high places. (riants are not born, they are made. In- herited adaptability will bave some bear- ing, but earned: qualities will have more. Common strength, common sense, common honesty are the first requisites. The gen- ius of hard work, frugality of time and power, controlled by an indomitable “I will,” must: enter into the makedp of a great man. Time, money and nerve pow- ~r digsipated’by young men, not in true recreation and relaxation, but in idle loit- ering, would, if traly directed, make many great. - NY Nor will we forget that. “Godliness is profitable.” The giants spoken ofin Gene- sis were grandsons of God; the giants of to-day are real sons of God. The strong- #8t men are they that are strongin the Lord. Jesus is the giant of tho age, and the nearer related to Jesus the more gi- gantic is man. Christian qualities are realizable assets, for Christ rules to-day more than all earthly potentates, Men who scoff at religion desire Christlike qual- ities in their employes. Faith, hope and charity are fit emblems for the market, for commerce and the pro- fession. = There are Calvarys along the road to greatness; men must bear crosses if they would rise. “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” It is more than good—it 1s essential; and the Christ yoke is the typical emblem by which men may work themselves, by the grace of God to be present day giants, JAMES A. CHAMBERLIN, Ph. D., Pastor of First Congregational Church of Newark, N. J KIND OF PEOPLE NEEDED, Talmage Describes the Style of Christian Character Required To-day. Text: “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”—Esther iv., 14. Esther the beautiful was the wife of Ahasuerus the abominable. The time had «ome for her to present a petition to her infamous husband in behalf of the Jewish ination, to which she iad once belonged. he was afraid to undertake the work, lest he should lose her owhJlife; but her cousin, ordecai, who had brought* her up, en- her with the suggestion that. proba she had been raised up of God for that peculiar mission. “Who knoweéth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” ; Esther had: her God-appointed work. C I h ours. my business to tell yo what style 6f men and wometi you . ought to be in order that you meet the de- mand of the age in which God has cast your lot. So this discourse will not deal * with she technicalities, but only with the 1 ura -~ practicabilities. What we want is practi- ~al, earnest, concentrated, enthusiastic and triumphant help. In the first place, in order to meet the special demand of this age, you need to Le ° an unmistakable, aggressive Christian. ©f half-and-half Christians we do not want any more. The Church of Jesus Christ will be better without them. hiél Om : They are the othe church’s advance- Lam speaking of another kind of | in the a pliahces-for your be- | that America isto be the - & ristian are at your, an earnest and there is a straight the broad day light of A feu may this moment be the bonds- Be world, and the next moment 6 Pp! . of the Lord God Al- ath for you od’s forgive- ¢ yA t need to be aggressive Christians, ! practically concluded. and not like those persons who spend thelr | dives in hugging their Christian graces and ‘wondering why they do not make progress. How much robustness of health would a :mnan have if he hid himself in a dark closet? |A great deal of the piety of to-day is too jexelusive, It hides itself. . It needs more fresh’ air, more outdoor exercise. There are many Christians who are giving their entire life to self-examination. ; This style of self-examination is a dam age instead of an advantage to their Chris- tian character. I remember when I was & boy I used to have a small piece in the garden that I called my own, and I planted corn there, and every few days I would pull it up to see how fast it was growing. Now, there are a great many Christian peo- ple in this day whose self-examination mere- y amounts tQ the pulling up of that which they only yesterday or the day belore planted. Oh, my friends, if you want to have a stalwart Christian character, plant it right out of doors in the great field of Christian usefulness, and though storms may eome upon it, and though the hot sun of trial may try to consume it, it will thrive until it becomes a great tree, in which the fowls of heaven may have their habitation. I have no patience with these flower-pot Christians. They keep them- selves under shelter, and all their Chris- tian experience in a small, exclusive circle, when they ought to plant it in the great garden of the Lord, so that the whole at- mosphere could be aromatic with their Christian usefulness. What we want in the church of God is more strength of plety. ; Again, if you want to be qualifiedito meet the duties which this age demands of you, you must, on the one hand, avoid reckless iconoclasm and, on the other hand, not stick too much to things because they are old. The air is full of new plans, new pro- jects, ‘new ‘theories of government, new theologies, and I am amazed to see how s0 many Christians want only novelty in order tg recommend a thing totheir confldence; and so they vacillate and swing to and fro, and they are useless and theyare unhappy. New plans—secular, ethical, philosophical, religious, cis-Atlantic, trans-Atlantic—long enough to make a line: reaching from the German universities to Great Salt Lake City. Ah, my brother, do not take hold of a thing merely because it isnew! Try it by the [realities of the Judgment Day. But on the other hand; do not adhere to any- thing merely because it is old. There ‘is not a single enterprise of the church of the world but has sometime been scoffed at. There was a time when men derided even Bible societies, and when a few young men met in Massachusetts and organized the first ‘missionary society ever organized in this country there went laughter and ridi- cule all around the Christian Church. All.the great enterprises in and out of the Church have at times been scoffed at, and there have been a great multitude who have thought that the chariot of God’s truth would fall to pieces if it once got out of the old rut. And so there are those who have no patience with anything like im- provement in church architecture, or with anything like good, hearty, earnest church singing, and they deride any form of re- ligious discussion which goes down walk- ing among everyday men, rather than that which makes an excursion on rhetorical stilts. -Oh, that the Church of God would wake up to an adaptibility of work! We must admit the simple fact that the churches of Jesus Christ in this day do not reach the great masses. There are fifty thousand people. in Edinburgh who neve: hear the gospel. There are one million people in London who never hear the gospel. Ah, my friends, there is work for you to do and for me to do,in order to this gragd accomplishment. I have a pulpit. I preach in it. Your pulpit is the bank. Your pul- pit is the store. Your pulpit is the editorial chatr. Your pulpit is the anvil. Your pul. pit is the house scaffolding. Ycur pulpit is the mechanics’ shop. I may on in my place and, through cowardice or through solf-seeking, may keep back the word 1 ought to utter while.you, with sleeve rolled up and brow besweated with toil, may utter the word that will jar the foundations of heaven with the shout of a great victory. Oh, that we might all feel that the Lord Al- mighty is putting upon us the hands of or- dination! I tell you, every one, go forth and preach this Gospel. You have asmuch right to preach as I have or any man live ing. ‘ I remark again that in order to he «qualified to meet your duty in. this. par- ticular age you want ugbounded faith in the triumph of the tru®h &nd the over- throw of wickedness. How dare the Christian Church ever get discouraged? Have wo not the Lord Almighty on our side? How long did it take God to slay the hosts oi Sennacherib or burn Sodom or shake down Jericho? How long will it take God, when he once arises in his strength, to overthrow all the forces of iniquity? Between this time and that there may be long seasons of darkness, and the chariot wheels of God’s Gospel may seem to drag heavily; .but here is the promise. and yonder is the throne, and when omniscience has lost its eyesight and omnipotence falls back impotent and Jehovah is driven from hig throne, then the Church of Jésus Christ can afford to be despondent, but never until then. Despots may plan and armies may march and the Congresses of the nations may seem to think they are ad- justing all the affairs of the world, but the mighty men of the earth are only the dust of the chariot wheels of God’s providence. And I think before the sun of the next cen- tury shall set the last tyranny will fall, and with a splendor of demonstration that shall be the astonishment of thé universe God will set forth the brightness and pomp and glory and perpetuity of His eternal govern- ment. Out of the starry flags and the em- blazoned insignia of this world God will make a path for His own triumph, and re- turning from universal conquest He will sit down, the grandest, highest throne of earth His footstool. I prepare this sermon because I want to encourage pll Christian workers in every possible department. Hosts of the living God, march on! match on! His Spirit will bless you. His shield will defend you. His sword will strike for you. March on! march on! The despotisms will fail and paganism will burn its idols, and Mahome- tanism will give up its false prophet, and the great walls of superstition will come down in thunder and wreck at the long, loud blast of the Gospel trumpet. March on! march on! The besiegemeat will soon be ended. Only a few more steps on the long way: only a few ‘more sturdy blows; only a few more battle cries, then God will put the laurels upon your brow, and from the living fountains of heaven will bathe off the sweat and the heat and the dust of the conflict. March on! march’i! For you thé‘time for work will soon be passed, and amid the outflash- ings of the judgment throne andthe trum- peting of resurrection angels and the up- heaving of a:world of graves, dnd the ho- sanna and the groaning of thesaved and the lost, we shall be rewarded for our faith- fulnéss or punished for our stupidity. Dlesged be the Lord God of Tens from everlastingto evstlasting and let the whole earth be fllled with His glory. “Amen and amen, A e THE SOUTH'S IRON INDUSTRY. Faith in It Leads to a Large Investment by Englishmen. An Eaglish syndicate, whose agents first visited the Birmingham (Ala.) district last spring, and made a careful inspection of its coal and iron resources, has, it is said, practically completed arrangements. for the erection there of a :million dollar steel The syndicate, it is said, is convinced t of the iron and steel industry of the world, an that Alabama offers the best opportunities for cheap steel production, It is known that extensive options on min- eral lands near there have been secured by the Jorgigaers, and that negotiations for he building of the steel plant have been. Guipure Lace, Heavy guipure lace is a feature of trimming on many of the new gowns, where it covers the square neck, so fashionable with the new blduse waist, yokes, revers, epaulets and collars, with good effect. New Idea in Waterproofs, A novelty seen in the shops in the way of a waterproof cloak is simply a skirt and cape of fine waterproof ma- terial. The skirt slips on easily and but- tons with an adjustable strap around the waist. he light cape clasps at the throat, and one is ready to battle the elements. Women who have tried to put on over an outdoor suif the awkward cloak with cape attach- ment of the usnal rain proof garment will appreciate the possibilities offered in this new arrangement. The Czarina’s Car. 1 The czarina of Russia travels in the same luxury in which she lives in her palace. She has a private car most vichly and elegantly furnished. It is upholstered entirely iu pale blue satin, an i the electric lamps are all in the shape of lilies. Among its perfect ap- pointmerits are a tea table and a writ- ing desk of mother of pearl. In separate apartments are nursery, din- ingroom, drawingroom and several sleeping rooms. The car wheels have India rubber tives. Novel Ideas in Braiding. Satin ribbon braiding is new and pretty, and when well done has quite a professional air. The ribbon should be narrow and usually black, of good quality. in turning a corner or mak- ing a €ircular figure the inside edge should be gathered in: very fine stitches, which are drawn tightly and holds the figure in shape. The rage for braid has extended its use, and the old time braided pillow shams and counterpanes are said to be the com- ing style in bedroom furnishings. — Woman's Home Companion. New Skirt for Wheelwomen. A new skirt for wheelwomen is de- scribed as foilows: In each side a divi- gion 1s made, running down from the waistband to the bottom of the skirt, thus forming an apron in the. front and back. At the waistbelt is attached a strap hanging down loosely any suit- able distance over each of the divi- sions. The two edges of each divi- sion are then buttoned one over the other; and the two straps having holes worked down them ave also buttoned over the division. By missing one or more” buttons when fastening, the straps are consequently ‘made to lift and hold the skirt to any length re- quired for the safety of the rider. By undoing the straps the skirt ‘falls again into position.—New York Trib- une. The American £irl’s New Accent. The fashionable accent is another important matter to be considered by the maid who desires to seem one of the society elect. She must avoid a lisp unless she wishes to brand her- self a half century behind the times. The broad *‘a” of the Anglomaniac has seen its best days. <The southern drawl, with its apparent indifference to the existence of the average final syllable, is threadbare. To be up to date from a vocal point of view it is necessary to cnltivate a soft, low voice, an enunciation so distinct that occasionally you convey the impres- sion that the capital letter is at the end of the word, and a certain vivac- ity of utterance that, throughout Eu- rope, is associated with the modern American girl. -—Demorest’s Magazine. Woman's Cruel Vanity. ‘“As there is no argument on the side of bird killing for decorative pur- poses, so there is no excuse for its en- couragement by even the most friv- olous of women,” the St. Paul Pioneer Press says. ‘‘I'hey have had pre- sented to them over and over and in every form of appeal the cruelty of the custom as well as its reckless abuse of the gifts of natufe, for it is asserted on good authoritythat the destruction of the field and forest birds has an ap- preciable effect on agriculture. Yet the killing goes on, apparently with no diminution. Europe uses 300,- 000,000 of songbirds in millinery an- nually. ~ One Chicago firm buys and sells every year 62,000 birds and 300, - 000 wings. The pitiful story of the egret, whose ravished plumes wave from the hats of thousands of wealthy women and are shown every day in our own shop windows, has been told so many times that it would seem as though the woman who persists in wearing them must feel like a mur- deress every time she does so. “We do not need societies, pledges, orations, or tracts on this subject. The matter is one which rests ‘on a purely commercial basis. The leaders of fashion in any city can settle it prac- tically in, one season.’ They have only | to refuse to wear these trophies of cruelty and the thing is done. It does not even require strongminded- ness to do this. One would think that \ would be the only requisite. Women, 2 young or old, rich or poor, who think a mere spark of humanity in the heart { | ! themselves anxions to help along the cause of humanity can do it no more easily or effectively than in this way. 1t is a gracious mission and one in which the only sacrifice involved is of [ a very little personal vanity.” Gloves in the Present and Past. Tt would be a rare thing to find a person who would not be pleased with a present of gloves. One cannot have too many of these useful articles. Even those wearing mniourning, and therefore unable to make any great change in the matter of hand cover- ings; ean find several different styles of kids or cloth to choose from, and suede, stitched, elaborately or slight- ly,- glace leathers, both heavy and fine, are made up into gloves. for* all sorts and conditions of people. The wearing of gloves is a more ancient custom than it is generally thought to be. Homer speaks of gloves, and tells of one-who wore them to protect his hands while working in his garden. The use of some cover- ing for the hands was known to the ancient Persians, and Old Testament writers also mention them. They were in such common use among the Romans that they were worn even in the wild country by the Britons. Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, was, it has been said, a knitter, and manufactured gloves, for which reason the glovemakers of France long ago made her their patron saint. At one time gloves hatl a certain meaning at- tached to them, and chosen to show the character or occupation of the wearer. = There are records of gloves being ordered for ‘‘grave and spiritual men.”’ About this time, the sixteenth century, gloves made of chicken skin were used by both men and women for whitening the hands, and were worn at night. = In this connection one is reminded that for bleaching the hands and for preventing or curing them of the roughness so difficult to avoid in“winter, nothing is better than | the free use of mutton tallow, and a pair of white kid gloves, worn while sleeping. The gloves serve to keep the hands warm enough to induce perspiration, and the opening of the pores enables the tallow to do its work “easily. So even in so small a matter as this, history is only repeating it- self, when the nineteenth century girl goes to bed with her hands en- cased in gloves.—New York Tribune, : Fashion Notes. The fleur-de-lis still holds #s own as a design for brooches and chate- laine pins. : Chatelaines are more popular than ever. Those made of oxidized silver take the lead. Artificial flowers without foliage are used in great profusion to decorate evening gowns, White ostrich feathers and pheas- ant’s quills are distinctive features of the winter millinery. Hatpins are shown in great variety, real und imitation gems being the principal decorations. : A jeweled pin, similar to a safety pin in shape, is worn to fasten up the curling locks at the nape of the neck. Blouse waists of velvet are studded all over with jet, steel and silver spangles, or brilliants whieh have the effect of dimnonds. Silver and decorated china bon bon dishes are shown in many novel de- signs and shapes. These may be had in sets of gradnated sizes. Black satin, finely tucked, makes very pretty belts to wear with separate waists. Fasten them with a fancy buckle or a knot of satin. Bangles and bracelets are again in bigh favor. There are coin bangles and bangles of gold and silver decor- ated with pretty colored enamels. A pendant which combines the old with the new styles of jewel work shows blue, green and rea enamel gleaming amid diamonds nd rubies. Jewelry in Oriental designs and ef- feots is especially popular this season. The rich eastern appearaice is ob- tained by a free use of topazes, spinels, peridots and chrysolite. : Sleeves seem to have settled down to their limit in size, for the seasca at least; and the comfortable fullness at the top still remains; but the skirt is gradually diminishing in width, two and a half yards around being the size of the latest model. A decidedly new bracelet is set loosely: in links alternating with pearls, cabochon rubies and diamonds, set clearly in gold rims, so that the back and front of the stones are alike visible. This beautiful wristlet is fastened with a bow of diamonds, from whiéh hangs a pendant of pearls. Crepe de chine in all the lovely tints is one of the season’s leading materials for evening and house dresses. A pretty costume is in a bright shade of pomegranate, toned down by,panels of black plaited chiffon, two on either side of the skirt, over black, and one at the left side of the i i opens, and is fastened with silk cord ‘and small diamond buttons. Both the skirt and bodice are accordion plaited, and the belt and collar band are of black satin. Double Walls for Warmth. In building for warmtle it should never be forgotten that light double walls, enclosing a dead air space, are much better than a solid wall of any material. These are equally useful to keep out cold in winter and the exces- sive heats of summer. Air is one of the poorest conductors known, and when it is confined so that np current affects it, there is greater uniformity of temperature than can be secured by my other methad. Full Colonies Are Best. It is always best to start with a full colony of bees,and one that is in every way in first class condition. It is true that you can buy a part of a colony for less money, but it is the dearest in the long run, and more liable to be a failure with yon. A full colony of bees in one season are capable of stor- ing 100 or 200 pounds of honey, be- sides they may swarm and make from colony of bees are in a condition to take care of themselves, and do not require such difficult manipulation as that of a nucleus, or pounds of bees, and a queen, etc. Full colonies are always sent in the ordinary hive used in the apiary, and are equipped .with the necessary fixtures to have every- thing in working order the moment the bees are located, and the entrance opened. -—The Epitomist. Garden and Truck Farming. There are several things to contend with in gardening and truck farming to make it a success: ‘1st. You must find a place where there is a demand for your product; where there are factories, mines or some similar concerns, employing many people who have little time or room to raise a garden. 2d. You must have good land and keep it good by frequent applications of the best fertilizers for the crop you expect to raise. : 3d. Ascertain what vegetables your customers want and supply them with the best of each variety. Keep posted on store prices an®l den’t undersell them, thereby commanding the re- spect of your merchants: Fhus you will get much better prices than if you sold at the store. 4th. Have regular days for making your rounds and make them, rain or shine. Then your customers will wait for your coming instead of buy- ing elsewhere. Sell for cash. 5th. Be polite, dress neatly, have your wares arranged to look attractive and keep your rig in good repair. 6th. Be honest and indstrious, give good measure, and success awaits you. — Charles L. Berry in the Epito- mist. Growing Cabbage. Unless you intend to grow cabbage for early summer use, which 1s ex- pensive and often unprofitable, it will not be best to sow the seed until March or April. Before that time make a hotbed, but without manure, for the young cabbage is quite likely to ‘“‘damp off” from too much heat as to be injured by ccld. . Make a bed of as rich soil as you can pro- cure and cover this with straw or leaves to prevent it freezing. Then when the sun passes the March sol- stice rake off the straw or leaves used as protection, and sow the cabbage seed rather thinly in rows six inches apart, and cover with a glass sash large enough to cover the bed and banking on three sides. The fourth side should merely fit against a board, so that it can be lifted to give air and ventilation. In ten days the cabbage will beup, and then the sash should be raised every day so-long as thesun is shining and the air is above the freezing point. If you have some ni- trate of soda to put in the drills with the cabbage seed it will make stronger plants. - So soon as the plants are three inches high they should be transplanted into larger beds, which aust be previously prepared for this purpose. Every time the cabbage, is transplanted shorten its leaves so as to keep it from wilting. This will make a stocky plant, with plenty of roots. Such plants in fairly rich soil will be sure to head. The plants that are grown in masses and have no trans- planting until taken from the bed where they have grown and set in the as 4 gift where those that havé been at least once transplanted can be had.— American Cultivator. Poultry for the Table. It is singular, but it is true, that in our country yellow legs control most purchasers of fowl for the table in their selections. . The shape of the body which comes on the table is ignored .imn favor of the color of the legs, which are cut off and become offal. It is a truth that there exists no breed “of fowl bred for table poultry in all the long list of American productions save one; i ide world there is no distinctive table fowl wi legs. give up their fancy for yellow legs or | forego the choicest of table poultry. one to three colonies; and more, a full | open ground are not worth taking as’ American lovers of roast fowl must | town. Pi This yellow-leg business is a nonsen- gical fancy. The uneducated gour- mand - who calls for yellow-legged chickens would never think of calling for a yellow-legged qnail or turkey or canvas-back duck. The choicest of all our wild-game fowl do not have yellow legs. The quail, whose body- shape is the perfection of shape for the table—a little bird which carries more meat in proportion to its size thin any other food bird—has not yel- low legs. The true table fowl is long body, wide in the back, full in the breast, and plump over the keel— meaty all over. Taking its legs as a centre, there must be more body in front of the legs than behind. The shape is a parallelogram. It may be carried more or less uprightly, de- pending on the breed. : America has produced one most -ex- cellent breed of table fowl.. This is the black java, a fowl which deserves full recognition. I shall never forget what a beautiful sight at the first mid- continental show at Kansas City, the pair of black javas of George McCor- mick’s, dressed by Armour, made. These black fowls have yellow skin but dark legs, long, deep, meaty bod- ies of good size; they are a large bird. Those fowls attracted a great deal of attention. : I do hope our poultry societies will pay more attention to tublc poultry. I know that prizes aye often offered for best pair dressed fowls, ete., but that is ‘not what I mean. It must be made a feature, and the prizes must be awarded by an expert in dressed poultry--one who does not care for breed or color of plumage, but does know what the carcass should be for table purposes. As a rule, our poul- try judges know nothing on this sub- ject. If at our poultry shows we conld have a classification ‘“4able poultry, first shown alive, and then the “fowls to be dressed for final award,” 1 tell you there is a whole lot of much advertised table fowls which would not be in it, and some of our old breeds would come to the front in a single leap. There is one bread of fowls that should come in here which I have not heretofore referred to. They are not described in the Standard; they are not recognized as a fancier’s breed; vet there is no breed so truly a thoroughbred--no one which can trace its pedigree so far back into by- gone. ages—not one which has more of general utility for all pur- poses —for eggs, for the table. I re- fer to what is now called ‘‘the old English game fowl.” May the time come when pit-fighters cease to dic- tate regarding this breed--when the Standard again admits and describes it as it was fifty years ago, and wheu its stalwart form and fearless bearing is again recognized in the poultry fancy as the. chief of all poultrydom. -Correspondence Country Gentle- man. im, the Poultry Notes. : If half the hens lay during the win- ter (50 per cent.of the flock) it is good enough. ; “If the hens lay fairly well durizg Jannary and February, it shows that they get proper care. ! In fact, meat should be fed every day in the year, only more should be given in winter than in summer. Keep the bone mill going if you have one. 1If.not, then feed plenty of ground meat and bone, put ap for that purpose. Feed the mash every morning also. So many different grains, ete., can be thus easily mixed and fed, and acts as # change and invigorator. 0 Do not overfeed. - Give plenty ‘of good, sonnd food, but in such a man. ner so the fowls will have to work to get it. Never feed rye to laying : hens. Meat in some form is the founda- tion of winter egg-laying. Use one quart of prepared meat to every six quarts of the soft mash, seven morn- ings every week. Do not neglect to season the nash with salt. We use about a good tea- spoonful of salt to a pail of mash. All these little things count in the course of the year. Wheat is the best standby for a regular diet, yet if possible change to other grains. If very cold feed corn at night, Cracked corn (sieve out the meal) is the best, for it works down in the litter better. Never confine fowls to the same kind of food every day in the year. Make a change as often as possible. Small potatoes or any vegetable ecan- be boiled, mashed and thickened with bran and fed warm will do nicely for a change. : Clean, warm water mornings, dar- ing cold weather, acts as a tonic on the fowls. It warms them up and gets them to work sooner than a drink of ice-cold water. The water can be boiling hot when taken from the stove. It don’t take it long to cool at this season of the year. . Fresh eggs and fresh-killed poultry will always bring a good’ price. If the quality (of egg) is regular—-no new nest ones—the price will be way above market quotations. This is where the farmer has the advantage. Make your own market in the nearest . EC eople will—pay high prices for strictly fresh eggs or fresh-killed poultry. —Agricultural Epitomist,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers