FREELAND TRIBUNE.
PCBIJSNBP KVKIIY
MONDAY AND THURSDAY.
THOS. A. BU OKLEY,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
OFFICE: MAIN STRSKT ABOVK CKNTBB. J
SUBSCRIPTION BATES.
One Year. |1 SI
Six Months 75
Four Months - 50 ,
Two Months 35 |
Siibsrrllwrw arc requested to observe the date I
following the name on the labels of their
paper*. By referring to this they can tell at a
plance how they stand on the books In this
office. For Instant':
Orover Cleveland 28June0f>
means that Orover la paid up to Juno 28, lnr.
Koep the flfpire* in advance of the present date.
Report promptly to this office when your pujwr
is not received. AH arrearages must bo paid
when paper is discontinued, or collection will
be made In (he manoer provided by law.
Out of 50,000 Sioux, over 4,000 nro I
now members of Episcopal, Presbyter
ian or Congregational churches.
Lnst year foreigners did not flock to 1
the United States so fast as in former I
years; the decline was 125,000. It is 1
strange, remarks the Drover's Jour- '
ual, how the great bulk of the immi
grants avoid the South; tlio great
West attracts, but the South is uow
trying to get a larger share.
Professor C. Filmore and Gardner
P. Stickney form the nucleus of n
branch of the American Folk-Lore So
ciety, which is being organized in Mil
waukee, Wis., to preserve tho legends
and traditions of the region there
about that were settled by the Freueh
and Spanish, as well as those of the
English-speaking communities and of
the aborigines of the state.
The number of red foxes in Mis
souri is increasing very rapidly. In
some places there are enough to do
considerable damage to crops. There
is no known reason for this increase
except that fox hunting, which was at
one time tho most popular sport in
the country, died out to a large extent
on account of the scarcity of foxes,and
has not been renewed. It would not
be at all difficult now to find the ani
mals, and that too, within a very short
distance of St. Louis.
Great alarm was created tho other
day in one of the principal courts of
justice at Berlin by the presiding
judge suddenly becoming insane on
the bench. His lunacy was lirst. made
apparent when, without the slightest
provocation, ho sternly inquired of
the witness whethershe liked potatoes.
The surprise created by this question
was intensified when the judge pro
ceeded to make tho most horrible
grimaces at the witness, and to talk at
random on the most incongruous sub
jects, until finally led away by tho
court attendants.
A great many people have laughed
at the old lady who started an alarm
on the brick-battleship Illinois, at the
World's Fair with her fears that tho '
vessel was about to sail and carry her j
off. It is now announced that the ves- \
sel is actually to make a cruiso at an
early day from her present moorings
to the station in front of Van Buren
street, where she will bo permanently
moored ns n practice ship for the State
naval reserve. The Illinois is tho
most perfect counterpart of a battle
ship ever built. She is 348 feet Jong
by 691 feet beam, nnd weighs about
2,000 tons. The plan is to float her
by means of scows after tying her to
gether so that she cannot tumble to
pieces, and then tow her to 'the posi
tion which she is to occupy perma
nently. The cost of moving her is
estimated at from 330,000 to 330,000.
If successful, this will bo one of the
greatest engineering feats ever accom
plished.
The bill which has been passed by
both branches of the New York Leg
islature and signed by Governor
Flower, popularly known as the
"Greater New York" bill, submits to
a popular vote of the communities in
terfstcd on the tith of November nest
the question of consolidation with the
metropolis under the municipal incor
poration. The annexation proposition
not only includes Brooklyn, with a
population of nearly 1,000,000, and
Richmond County, with over .10,000
inhabitants, but thirteen towns and
villages, of which Long Islnnd City, j
with a population of 30,506, is the
most important. Among the others
are Flatbush, Flushing, New Utrecht
Gravesend and Jamaica Bay, Xhe ag
gregate population of the territory
which it is proposed to take in is
1,164,053, which, added to that 0 f
New York, would give to "(.renter
New York," a population of J,o(>s
and make it second only to London in
the number of its inhabitants among
the cities of Europe and America. It,
area would be about 317 square
miles.
| THE WATER LILY.
In the slimy be<l of sluffjjish mere
j Its root had humble birth,
I / And the slender stem that upward grew *
Wftsoonrso of liber, dull of hue,
j With nought of grace or worth. 1
' The goldfish that floated noar i
Bnw alone the vulgar stem.
The clumsy turtle paddled by,
Tho water snake with lidless eye~
£ It was only a weed to them.
But the butterfly and the honey bee,
Tho sun and Bky and air.
They marked its heart of virgin gold
In tho satin loaves of spotless fold,
And its odor rich and rare.
6o the fragrant soul in Its purity,
To sordid life tied down,
May bloom to heaven nnd no man know,
fleeing the roarse, vile stem below,
'\ How God hath seen the crown.
—James Jeffrey Roche.
r THE WINDMILL.
fOWARD summer
one day, in the
years when Burke
swayed admiring
senates by his elo
sion, ami Wilkes
thundered against
civic abuses, and
set all London
aflame; in short,
when George 111. was King, one Ed
ward Gray, scrivener, came down to
his native village to spend a fortnight
with his sweetheart, Lucy Deal.
There were many pretty girls in the
country around, but she was the
beauty of them all, and ns gentle as
she was good. Her father had died
when she was a mere child, and his
wife faded away some four years later,
leaving to little Lucy only the mem
ory of that tender love which had
cherished her earliest years. So it
happened that when Edward Gray, her
schoolfellow and playmate, was turned
eighteen, and prepared to seek his
fortune in the great city by the river,
he and Lucy plighted their troth
under tho windmill on the hill, and it
was settled they should be married as
soou as Edward was rich enough to
Bet up n home of his own. He had
worked hard and prospered since then,
and hnd made the long journey to Pen
rave this summer to press her to re
deem her word and marry him forth
with.
But Lacy hesitated. The times
were strangely out of joint; rumors of
war were heard on every side ; there
were riots at Bristol— bread riots, what
not; the prudent warned her to be
careful.
"Better wait a little, dear," she
said, as they started for a walk the
morning after his arrival.
"Wait? Why should we wait? Are
you not satisfied with me?"
"Of course I am. Still another year
will soon psss if you are only patient."
The lover could not see it in this
light.
"It is needless to delay any longer,"
said he, decisively. "Heaven favors
the hold, and I miss you sorely when
far away."
Lucy smilod, but made no answer.
They had come to a rising ground,
and high above them rose the old mill.
The great sails were motionless, anil
tho whole building—gaunt audgrim—
j looked like some relic of the past set
lin a background of blue sky. So old
j it was as to bo almost decrepit; the
very beams which supported it were
worm-oaten and crumbling, and the
wonder was thnt it had not tumbled
down long ago. Tho girl's eyes rested
on it with a wistful interest.
"You remember tbo place?" she]
; said. "We used to play hero as ohil
| dron, and later—" She paused, with
\ a becoming blush, and her eyelashes
drooped under hia gaze. "I cannot
help fancying our fate is somehow
concerned with that of the mill; in
deed, I thougut so from tho begin
ning."
Edward latighod outright.
"Nay, goodness forbid!" he cried,
gaily. "What can wo possibly have
to do witli such a wretched owl-roost?
Forty years hence may be— Why,
dearest, what is the matter?"
Mho turned pale with fear, and he
felt her lingers tremble as they rested
on his arm. His eyes followed hers,
and there, confronting them, was an
elderly man, in a dark blue uniform,
with a sword at his side.
The stranger bent his brow sternly
on Edward.
"Who are you, fellow, and what are j
you doing bore?" ho said.
"Fellow yourself!" replied Edward, '
his dark face flushing with anger.
"What insolent boor presumes to ad
dress me in such terms?"
The other drew back and clapped
bis hand on his sword. There was a
wild scream from Lucy, for Edward
rushed at him savagely, and struck at
him with all his nervous force of youth
and strength and rage. The blow
caught the man on the chin, and (
felled him senseless to the grouud.
"O, Edward! Edward!"
"I have only dealt with him as he j
deserved," said Edward, somewhat
ruefully, and repenting of his ire;
"but 1 meant not to strike so hard, j
either."
"Ik iH not that, dear. Let us away
nnd hide."
"Why?"
"The press gang.'
At those two ominous words Edward
shivered, and grew cold in the noon
day heat. For in a moment he saw
the imminence of his peril, and all it
foreboded—seizure, separation from
Lucy, exile, perhaps death.
His first consciousness, when ral
lied from the momentary stupor that
hud fallen upon him, was of her voice,
breathing encouragement and hope.
"Come," she said, "we will make
| for the glade yonder, and consider
; what is to be done next. There is no
coach 4o London till the end of the
week, and you must hide somewhere
in the meantime. Seo! he begins to
revive ; he moves; there is not a mo
ment to lose. Come!"
Ho caught at the words instantly,
though only murmured, and it was as
if a new spirit possessed him. He
took her by the hand, and, half-run
ning, they glided along till they
reached a group of trees about a mile
away. There they stopped.
For a long while neither spoke. The
drowsy hush of the perfect summer
day brooded in this secluded spot, un
disturbed by movement of sound of
any kind. On the trees the sunlight
flickered, fled and returned again,
playing fantastic tricks among the
leaves. Above stretched tho serene
and cloudless sky.
* 'lf I had only t hat one man to
reckon with," said Edward, at last, "I
should not care. But thero may bo
others as well, and if the worst befall
me, he has tho law at his back to ex
cuse and condone bim."
"You are not in his power yet, nor
need you bo if you are prudent. I
heard that strange men were seen in
tho neighborhood, but understood
they wore sorno distance away. Let
me go back to the village alone, dear,
and ascertain the truth."
Her face was composed ; hor expres
sion had recovered its natural charm
while she spoke to him. All at once
she wheeled round with a stifled cry,
panting like a hunted hare. Thre men
were hurrying across the open space
behind to cut off their retreat, and in
the foremost of these Edward recog
nized his enemy.
His eyes flashed. "We must run
for it, sweet!" ho muttered between
his clenched teeth, and he clasped her
round the waist.
They were out of the glade and into
the open without drawing breath. The
BUU was level overhead, and its bright
ness almost blinded them as they
emerged in its full radiance. Never
pausing an instant to glance back, they
sped away. The ground was rough
and uneven; hard task, in sooth, were
it to run fast in such a place. And it
seemed to them as if they were fleeing
| for their lives.
Fortunately, they had gainod a fow
yards in starting, for Lucy's cry of
alarm the icon paused in doubt, and
before they co*id the two were well
ahead of them ; Edward drawing her
along and encouraging her to do her
best.
But the sailors' hesitation did not
last long; they were used to such
work, and in a minute more were in
hot pursuit. Had Edward been alone,
h 3 would soon have distanced them,
there being but one of the number
whose swiftness need have caused him
any uneasiness as to the result. This
man quickly shot out in advance of
the other two—a lean, lithe flgure—
and the thud of his footsteps sounded
perilously near.
Soon that one runner was scarce a
dozen strides off, and slowly, but
surely, gaining on them still. Ed
ward groaned.
Though Almost breathless by this
time, Lucy heard him. "Save your
self and leave me," 6he said.
Edward laughed aloud at the sug
gestion—a laugh so flerco and despair
ing that, as the swift pursuer heard it
j ringing in the air, ho had a misgiving,
I and slackened his pace to let his com
rades overtake him. Crafty as well
as bold, he saw the folly of leaving
them too far behind in an emergoncy.
But even this assisted Edward noth
ing, for Lucy suddenly succumbed.
He still held her round the waist, and
bore her on some distance, but the
strain was too grout; no muu so laden
could run far.
She looked up pityingly into his
face. Edward stopped, and, careloss
of all risks, Hpoke words of comfort to
her, but Lucy only sobbed aud hold
him tight.
Tho other man stopped also, nnd
was signalling to tho laggers to make
haste. Seeing the quarry at bay, he
could afford to tako his time, aud was
disinclined to incur any unnecessary
danger.
Edward raged inwardly to think
that he was powerless ; and tho precious
minutes were flying fast, never to bo
recalled!
"If I could only see away out of
this," he said.
"Ah, if!" echoed Lucy.
A change came over his face.
''Listen, dear," he said. "I doubt
the power of those men to capture mo
if I were alone aud uninjured ; but I
| have you to protect, for they might
insult you on my account. We are
noaring tho hill again; let us try to
ascend it, and take refuge in tho
windmill. Who knows what may
happen after?"
Meanwhile the other two had come
up with the comrade who had headed
them, when, just as the trio were in
peep consultation, the fugitives
started the race anew. It was their
last effort.
A tierce shout escaped the astonished
watchers as they dashed headlong
after the prey. The Hhout ceased
abruptly, for Lucy and her lover had
suddenly vanished.
"Down the vale!" callod the leader,
in explanation.
The words were hardly out of his
lips when they reach the edge of H
hollow which none had noticed unil
now. There, right before them stood
Edward, poising in his hand A great
lump of dried earth. Rage and de
spair tore at the young man's heart,
and gave strength to his arm and
steadiness to his aim as he hurled the
huge missile at his nearest foe. Down
went the varlet backwards, his com
rade's head falling cracked under his
falling weight ; and in a twinkling the
two strong men were rolling helpless
on the ground.
So sudden was it all, that the third
man stood like one benumbed. Then,
with a bitter laugh, Edward disap
peared. With one impulse they ran
to the other side of the hollow, which
commanded a view of the hill, and saw
the faithful lovers already half-way up
the side, at a distance which showed
the folly of continuing the pursuit.
They looked at one another.
"Best give it up, skipper," said one
of them addressing the inan in uni
form. "'Tisa smart youngster, and
has beaten us cleverly. What then?
One can easily find stout hearts for
King George elsewhere, and I bear no
malice."
j "Nor I," said the second.
The skipper eyed each in turn with
a contempt which ho made no effort
to conceal. No creature is so touchy
about his dignity as a petty officer.
"Mighty tine," he sneered, "but
you may as well keep your sentiments*
to yourself; they won't suit his
majesty's navy. Besides, tho scamp
struck me in tho execution of my
duty."
"Oh, as to that, if you're going to
drag private quarrels into our busi
ness, why, 'tis neither hero nor there;
and if you ask my opinion, skipper, I
say, after the bother we'vo had al
ready, it's sheer waste of patience to
go on. Evidently the lad and the lass
know the country well, and will lead
us a rare fool's dance before wo have a
chance of parting them. Small blame
to either of them!—in their place 1
would do the same."
And the speaker folded his arms,
and glared defiance.
The skipper felt like a captain whose
crew revolts, and his astonishment |
quickly turned to anger, but he
bridled his wrath.
"How do you know what my design
is?" said he. "Do you take rao for a
clown, bent on wasting my own valu
able time and yours into tho bargain?
We have only to wait a little, and tho
man, or most likely the girl, will be
forced to go back to tho village for
food ; they can't sit and Rtarve on the
hill. Thank your stars that you have
to do with a man who understands his
business, for your worthless wits would
never keep your skins whole for a sin
gle hour." He looked round with a
sudden start as he ended. "Lie down,
both of you," he said peremptorily.
Tho gesture and command was so
significant that the men dropped on
the green in mute obedience ; then the
skipper advanced a little way, and, at
the risk of being observed, scanned
the road closely. No, his eyes had
not deceived him.
At a bond in the path, he saw Lucy
coming quickly along towards tho
place where he 6tood. Ho waited to
make sure, and then turned round with
triumph written on every lino of his
face.
It was as he had guessed. Deaf for
once to the prayers of her lover, Lucy
had insisted on venturing back alone.
Strong in her love she feared nothing.
"They dare not harm mo," she said
proudly, and so broke away from him
with a last embrace and a promise to
return after sunset.
The skipper made a sign to his men,
and went forward to meet her. The
others reluctantly followed him. To
do them justice, they were ashamed
of their work.
Absorbed in thought, Lucy took no
notice of them till they actually met,
aud even then her look was quiet and
composed; no changing color betok
ened fear. But when she saw the
fierce eyes of the skipper fixed steadily
upon her, then, indeed her courage
ulmost failed.
She looked at each of thorn in turn
aud then waited.
"You are the girl that was with that
man a while ago?" the skipper began.
"Where is he now?"
Lucy made no answer.
"Are you his sister, or his sweet
heart -which? Best speak the truth,
or it will be worse for you in the end."
"Bravely said," retorted Lucy scorn
fully. Then she paused. The thought i
crossed her mind that it would bo
wiser to conciliate than defy liira. "I
have done no more than I have a right
to do," she wont on. "After all that
has passed, you surely cannot expect
me to stoop to betrayal."
This time no one answered; she
slipped quickly past tho skipper, and
quickened her pace. But he soon
overtook her. "Come, my Inss ;it is
idle to jest with us; be not so foolish
as that." He reflected a moment.
"Mates," said he, "my life on it, but |
our bird's not far off. I havo taken
a thought, and I mind mo of that
windmill we passed yesterday. Let's
have a look at it; tho chanco is worth
trying for."
Sho turned palo directly. This
change of countenance did not escapo
him, "You must accompany us,
lass."
He caught her by the arm. As she
felt tlie touch of his hand she drew
back. "Release me, and I will go
with you," she said quietly.
Tho party walked on in siience till
they reached the clearing in front of
the mill door. Here the skipper bade
them stop, and warned them to keep
near him. He then lifted the latch
and went in.
They looked eearchingly round, but
discovered nothing. The place was
dim and close. Now the Hunlight
reached the floor at intervals. Now
agaiu it was veiled in gloom.
"Stay you there while I take a peep
at the floor above," the skipper said,
stepping toward the winding staircase
in the opposite corner. Seeing, this,
Lucy lost all nerve, and, careless of
consequences, tried to prevent him
from going further.
"Away!" cried the skipper, and
pushed her roughly aside. At that
moment an active flgure sprang on
him swiftly as a cat; a heavy blow sent
him staggering back, and there, con
fronting them all, was the mun they
sought.
The shock of surprise smote them
dumb; but before they could speak or
move, a low, rumbling sound swept
through the building, the walla bent
inward, swayed, tottered and sank.
With one simultaneous convulsion the
old mill fell crashing down in a cloud of
dust that hid the daylight, and threw
a sudden darkness over the scene.
Then, in the darkness and stillness,
and the horror of it all, a woman's
voice was softly audible :
"Dear Edward, only you and I are
left now!"
She nestled close to him—closer
still, and burst out crying.
* • * * * •
FROM THE PARISH REoisrnr.
Marriage. Tho year 1705.
T. No. 41. page 12.
En ward Gray, of this parish of Fenrave,
and Lucy Deal of the same parish, were
married in this church by banns, this 2d day
of August, in the year one thousand seven
hundrod and ninety-five, by me,
ALFBKD MAVKBS VICAR
This marriage was solemnized between us •
EDWARD GBAT,
LUCY DEAL,
In tho presence of i
GEOIIOE EDWARDS,
ELIZA JONES.
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.
The circulation of the blood is af
fected by music.
An ordinary locomotive is said to
| consist of 5410 pieces.
A new metal named powellite has
been discovered in Idaho.
The only quadruped that lays eggp
is tho ornithorhychus of Australia.
It would take about 1200 globes M
large as our earth to make one equal
in size to Jupiter.
Pasteur's patients for treatment
against hydrophobia sometimes num
ber as many as 129 a month.
Dr. T. C. Duncan, of Chicago, says
that smallpox epidemics are coincident
with great atmospheric changes due to
sun spots.
It is estimated that by improper
methods in tho Pennsylvania mines,
thirty to forty per cent, of the an
thracite coal was formerly lost.
Professor E. E. Barnard has pub
lished two striking photographs which
indicato that Brooke's comet collided
with some other body on October Ist,
1893.
Tho Paris Academy of Medicine has
decided that milk aud cheese are
great brain restorers. Pure casein
contains 753 parts in a thousand of
organic phosphorus.
The fastest time recorded was by
the Empire State express on the New
York Central and Hudson River Rail
road, May 11th, 1893, one mile being
made in thirty-two seconds, equal to
112 miles an hour.
The phosphate marls of New Jersey
have been worked for fertilizers since
17G8. In surveying marl beds a bor
ing apparatus made of half-inch gas
piping is used. It gives good results
to a depth of thirty feet.
It is said that a red parnsol destroys
in a groat measure the actinic power
of the sun and must therefore keep
the skin from freckles. Photogra
phers long ago availed themselves of
this peculiarity of light transmitted
through a red medium, and it seems
reasonable to suppose that a red shade
might protect the complexion.
Mr. Chandler, the astronomer, in
recent investigations into the period
of the star Algol, which is subject to
remarkable diminutions and eclipses,
says that there is no doubt that the
eclipses are produced by a far distant
and larger body thau Algol. It is pos
Bible that this is a new world so fai
distant that light from it has not yet
reached this earth.
On Wednesday, January 17th, at
Brocknell, England, the Rev. C. W.
Langmore observed a beautiful lunar
rainbow. It appeared 111 the shape of
a circle of brilliant white surrounded
by a broad band of brown, next came
another band of violet, followed bv a
bright band of green and a narrow one
of yellow. The whole series was en
circled by a baud of brown-orange.
If there was no dust haze above us
the sky would be black. That is, we
would bo looking into the blackness of
a limitless space. When in tine, clear
weather we have a deep, rich blue
above us it is caused by a haze. Tho
particles in tho haze of the heavens
correspond with those of Ihe tube in
tho koniscope, and the blue, color is
caused by the light shining through a
depth of the haze.
Tests for Color Blindness.
America is far ahead of Great Brit*
ian in protecting its travelers by sea
from the dangers that might occur
through color blindness. The visual
examination of all British shipmasters
and subordinaie officers is loft to the
examiners in seamanship, which is no
test at all. Any person that has made
this subject a study is aware that none
but surgeons or experts in optical sci
ence are competent to locate color
blindness even in a mild form. The
test of color blindness is not in how
one can namo the colors of lights
but how well he sees them. Four per
cent, of the males and one per cent,
of the females of all civilized nations
are more or less color blind. The law
requires that all deck officers of Amer
ican steam vessels shall be examined
by a marine hospital surgeon, and if
found color blind, or partially HO,
they must not serve in that capacity.
—New York Advertiser.
How He Spelled His Name.
The late Ottiwell Wood, one of the
leading characters of New England,
was once summoned as a witness in
court. When he was called and sworn,
the Judge, not catching his name',
asked him to spell it, whereupon Mr.
Wood began:
"O, double t, i, double u, e, double
1, double u, double o, d."
Ihe Judge was too thick-witted to
grasp tho meaning of this string of
words and letters, and, throwing down
his pen in despair, exclaimed: "Most,
extraordinary name I ever heard ; will
you write it for me, Mr.—Mr. Mr.
Witness.' - fit, Louis Republio.
BFRING REPAIRS.
' It pays to look the farm over before
the hurry of spring work comes on,
and find out what ought to be done to
keep everything about it in good con
dition. If time is taken by the fore
lock in this matter, a great deal of the
hurry and worry of spring work, as
usually experienced on the farm, can
be avoidod, aud the sundry jobs neces
sary to keeping things about the place
in good shape can be done more satis
factorily, because more leisurely.
American Agriculturist.
POTTING COMPOST FOR PLANTS.
The soil used for potting is made of
one part of clean loaf mold or decayed
sods or rich garden soil free from
weed seeds, one part of clean sand
from a stream, and ono part of thor
oughly-decayed cow manure. For
bright flowering plants some powdered
charcoal is often added, this giving
great brilliance to tho bloom. A good
liquid manure for house plants is
made by dissolving oue pound of ni
trate of soda, two pounds of good su
perphosphate of lime, and two pounds
of fresh wood ashes in a barrel of rain
water.—New York Times.
TO KEEP HOGB HEALTHY.
Cleanly surroundings, pure, clean,
good food of tho proper kinds for
building the growing frame work
whilst growing or for fattening when
finishing off is as essential to the health
of hogs as to any other animal, says
Colman's Rural World, and to reverse
these is to induce frailty, weakness,
loss of appetite, and, soouer or later,
disease. It may bo in individual cases
only, or it may attack and decimate
the whole herd and bring ruin and dis
aster to the owner. Filthy pens, filth
fed with food, filthy, rotten, and de
cayod food, sour swill, the dead car
casses of diseased Hnimals, the drop
pings of diseased animals, etc., etc.,
and a like line of feeding and keeping
aro all conducive to uuthrift and dis
ease, just as surely as that dry wood
will burn when heaped upon a big fire,
and we do well to recognize the tact
aud act upon it. Hogs as raised and
fed for market nowadays are the
merest kind of hothouse plants any
how. They are crowded, aud crammed,
aud made gluttonous from their earliest
feeding days and unless great care is
taken very easily become feverish, ex
cited, overheated, and fit receptacles
for floating microbes or other animal
culm iu the air, the grass, or on their
food.
MAKING AND MENDING FENCES.
Building and maintaining the fences
on the farm is an item of considerable
expense. It will be found advisable
to plan the farm so as to lessen the
quantity of necessary fencing as much
as possible. In many cases the greater
part of the cultivated land can be put
into one field and in this way a con
siderable saving be made.
What fences are necessary should be
good ones. A fence is intended either
to keep stock out or in, and if it fails
of this purpose it is an expense with
out benefit.
In the spring go carefully over the
fences and see that they are in good
repair, as it certainly is not good
economy to risk a crop where there is
a chance of stock breaking into it.
One of the best times for driving posts
is in tho spring when the frost is all
out of the ground and the soil is soft.
If the posts uro well sharpened they
can be set more rapidly in this way
than in any other. At this season there
is always more or less time when the
ground is foo wet to work, and the
fences can be overhauled without in
torforiug with the other farm work.
Wire fencing is so cheap and so
convenient that it has largely taken
the place of other kinds. One decided
advantage with it is durability, while
a good barb-wire fence will restrain
stock that no other kind of fence
will.
Ono of the best fences, especially
when small hogs aro to be restrained,
is made with wire netting eighteen to
twenty-four inches high at the bottom
and three or four strands of barb-wire
above this.
By using four-point hog wire at the
bottom, making the first three or four
strands of this kind, and the rest of
two-point cattle wire, a hog-proof
fence can be made entirely of bar bad
wire. When this is done it will nearly
always be best to set the posts eight
feet apart, taking care to stretch the
wires tight. One important item in a
good, all-wire fence is to have /good,
stout end posts, and to set them deep
in the ground and see that tbey are
well braced.
A very good fence of all-smroth wire
can be made by using nii.e or ten
wires ard putting in an upright stay
not further than every three feet.
Two planks at the bottom and three
or four strands of barbed wire above
them make one of the best kinds of
fences that can be built. At present
prices it is doubtful if it is good econ
omy to make an all-rail fence. ork
the timber into lumber, ties, posts or
cord wood, and a better, cheaper and
more lasting fence can be made buy
ing wire. One great advantage of a
wire fence is that it takes up much
less room nnd is much easier kept
clean.—St. Louis Republic.
POTATO RAISING MADE EASY.
In deciding upon a specialty, loca
tion must be considered, thinks C. E.
Chapman, of New York. The largest
part of the potato crop must be grown
within a few miles of a shipping sta
tion, as tht bulk makes too much cost
for hauling long distances. Thirty
bushels at twenty cents per bushel,
where but one load can bo drawn per
day, little more than pays the cost of
hauling. Do not be handicapped
from the start in planting ground un
suited, or illy prepared.
Potatoes require mellow soil; depth
and looseness are more necessary than
richness. The poor hemlock, yellow
land of Tioga County, New York,
yields the finest potatoes brought to
the New York market. With me
phosphates have proved valueless;
horse manure spread on clover sod a
year previous to planting is the best
preparation. The land is plowed in
the fall, twice dragged iu the spring,
with a spring tooth harrow. The
drills are marked out three feet apart
with a two-horse reversiblo plow, let
ting the plow run as deep as when the
land was first plowed, turning all fur
rows down hill, which forms a bank
on the lower side. Where land is
steep the soil cauuot be worked up to
the hill from the lower side. The
other way is marked with a narrow
toothed marker, which drags some
fine earth back into tho furrow, which
makes a perfect seed bed.
Tho cut seed is dropped and stepped
on by boys. With the same plow and
one horse walking in the trench, the
seed is covered, throwing tho soil the
same way as before, not back. Tho
tubers are covered six to eight inches
deep and the ground is two-thirds re
plowed. The potatoes will be a long
time in coming up, will escape the
first crop of bugs, will withstand
drouth, can bo harrowed several times,
and, best of all, will be strong, rank
growers, soon shading tho ground
with their foliage. I have never yet
found a new tuber below tho piece
planted, nor above that point on the
stalk which first saw the light, no
matter how much soil was piled arouud
it afterwards. Therefore it is best to
plau so as to have a long bearing stem,
with tubers attached far enough from
each other to expand fully, instead of
a hat full of the size of hens' eggs at
tached to two inches of stalk.
From the time the potatoes are plant
ed uutil they break through tho
ground, they are dragged several times
with a heavy two-horse spring drag,
drawn in the same direction they were
covered, but not across the furrows.
This levels down the two furrows par
tially, aud forms a rounded hill, com
pletely mellows the soil in the hill,
kills all weeds, can be done by a boy
at a very small expense, as compared
with cost of cultivating, and is infinite
ly better in the quality of work done.
By this process no hoe ever goes into
the field, nor any sunburned potatoes
come out. The root growth iH enor
mous ; some of the roots are twenty
inches long before any tubers have set.
The after cultivation is very shallow
to keep the ground from /rusting over
after rains, and to keep the soil fino
and mellow, so as to serve as a mulch
in times of drouth.
Helect some large, yielding, medium
late, disease resisting, long white po
tato, and the battle is half won. Round
potatoes are not favorites in the mar
ket, and peal to waste. Do not let
your seed sprout. In a trial row I out
the seed early last season, placed it in
crateß aud covered it with land plaster,
which kept it cool; when plauted the
buds were swollen full, but not enough
to break off. Thus treated, it gave
the largest yield of any of my trial
rows. My rule is to seed according to
the quality of the land. Tho poorer
the land the farther apart the hills,
and the less seed. —American Agricul
turist.
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.
A hen should lay about twelve dozen
eggs a year.
Always see that the milch cow has a
good milk-foriuing ration.
You can feed clover to laying hens
fofir or five times a day with profit.
Be sure to fix up a warm poultry
house for next winter. Cold hens are
profitless.
Sprinkle a good dressing of copper
as under tho grapevines as a remedy
for mildew.
Land that cannot be profitably culti
vated may ofteu be plauted with trees
to advantage.
Between hay and grass is a precari
ous period for the cows. They will
bear attention.
In the growing of large strawberries
a rich soil thoroughly prepared is an
important factor.
Good drainage should always be pro
vided before the plnnting is done,
rather than afterward.
Unless a sow has shown characteris
tics of early maturity she should not
be used for breeding purposes.
A weak, delicate horse is poor prop
erty. Breed for vigorous action. Breed
sound mares to sound stallions.
In building your poultry house
don't put too much glass in it. One
third of the south front is sufficient.
The best time to prune the plums is
in the spring, between the last heavy
freezes and the breaking of the buds.
If giveu plenty of room the white
and sugar maples are fine door yard
trees for shade. A lawn set with
maples and evergreens presents a hand
some appearance.