Freeiand Tribune Established 1888. PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY, BY THE TRIEUNE PRINTING COMPANY. Limited OFPICE: MAIN STHEET ABOVE CENTBE. FItEELAND, i'A. SUIISCICIIfYION KATES: On Year $1.50 •Six Mouths 75 Four .Months .50 Two Mouths 25 Tho date which the subscription is paid to is on the address label of each paper, the change of which to a subsequent date be comes a receipt for remittance. Keep tho figures in advunce of the present (late, lte port promptly to this office whenever paper Is not received. Arrearages must bo paid when subscription is discontinued. J/aAe all money orders, checks, etc,,payable lo the Tribune Printing Company, Limited. A club is reported to have been forme! in Vienna, Austria, the mem bers of which are pledged to marry a poor girl. If by chance or design a member marries a rich girl, ho is fined 8-000, which sum is bestowed on some respectablo but impecunious couple engaged to be married. Our steel manufactures are in high repute with Russians, as our ship and locomotive builders have discovered to their advantage, and there is no reason v. hy the makers of smaller iron and steel goods should not develop a profitable business with the planters of Southern Russia. Norway is buying cannon in this country, and it is said that she is pre paring for a fight, with her associate in the kingdom, Sweden. This is a trouble of old standing, Norway claim ing that Sweden preponderates too much in the partnership. A war be tween the two countries would be one of great fierceness, for the Swedes and Norwegians represent the most vigor ous stock in Europe. We are likely to forget in these times that the fore fathers of all tho nations of Northern Europe, and our own too, came out ol Scandinavia. It was many centuries ago, but it gives us all an historical interest in that peninsula, __ A report to the State Department at Washington hyConsul General Gowey from Yokohama, Japan, shows the pro gress made in railroad construction in the Japanese Empire up to the middle of the present year. The whole num ber of lines authorized is sixty, with an aggregate mileage of 3521 miles. The lines vary in length from three to 851 miles—the longest being the Great Japan Railway, of which all but thirty two miles had been completed in July last, Nothiug more forcibly mprks the contrast between the progressive Japanese nation and their stolid and apathetic neighbors, tho Chinese, than the enterprise shown by the former iu works of internal improvement as against the determined resistance on the part of the latter to every species of development. Steadily the United States is taking ground for her manufactured articles throughout all foreign countries, and esjrecially is this so in Germany with respect to machinery. England has heretofore led iu this line in that country, but the record of the past vear uncovers the fact that a material decrease has takeu placo in the sales cf the Britishers, while tho business of the Americans has increased fully seventy-five per cent, over that of last year. In 1895 tho imports from tho United States into Germany did not amount to one-sixth of those of Great Britain, now they are equal to sixty per cent, of the same. It is gratify ing to know, too, that this is not due to price alone, as tho quality of the American article is invariably consid ered by the purchaser. The history of the disease proves that ''tlio grippe," or "la grippe," or plain "grip" by any other name would be as unwelcome. AVhether it is contagious or infectious, rides on the sightless couriers of the air or passes from victim to victim by per sonal contract, it deserves the male dictions of all. Whether it comes as an old-fashioned influenza, accom panied by inflamed eyes and other signs, or signifies its presenco by shooting pains in the back and aching limbs, it is not to bo sneezed off. While doctors may differ as to whether it is a germ disease or follows from atmospheric conditions ail agree that it is best avoided by general at tention to hygienic rules. Eat ra tionally, dress warmly, live cheerfully and avoid the foul fiend, which we are convinced was poor Tom's name for worry. If grip, grippe or la grippe catches you iu his clutches, yiold at once, put yourself between warm '-'iiukets and rest and sweat him out. Avoid both depressing medicines nnd stimulating drinks, Be as cheerful as you can under circumstances that would have made Mark Tapley mad. MY BOY. Thft oTis of many other mothers Iluve pink and white cheeks just as fair, And wealth of gold and brown locks wav ing; But none can with my boy compare; Oft in tlio distance with his comrades I see him coming, while afar, Among the whole group shining radiant As when from gray clouds gleams u star! When merry songs in nelghb'ring wood lands King forth like sweet bells, pure and clear, I hear but one 'mid all the voices— My son's alone doth reach my carl And when a ball in happy plavtlme Flies upward to the very roof. I know that my owu boy's band flung it— Of his youth's strength a joyous proof! When fifteen more brief years have fleeted, The vision ye will s-o with me, As slender as a green young Mr-trunk! He stands beneath tho apple-tree! E'en now his bright, clear eyes uplifted The radiant sunshine strive to bear; Yes, there are "onsof other mothers, But none can with my boy compare! —Johanna Atnbrosius. I THE NICKEL SKATES^ By A. F. Caldwell, ■sxmxnex t Xx-siaemjieiemeieml \ ENNIE sat in his seat, repeating pk "• (A fA ever and over: jVN* |'y\ 1750 pounds I vfxlS '/ Aji °t hay can be KqV'Vjl//jgy bought for sls, jifij what is the cost i of Uay . r er toa ''" j It did seem as j iI though the an- I vlVrsW / swel * i Q illo book I TtJvT/ must he wrong; .< -T - I >. v for, try as he r Yv might, Bennie's result would not agree with it. Strange! "If 1750 pounds of hay can be bought—can he bought—l wonder who will get those dandy skates either Dick Atkins or " Once more the arithmetic was ojiened. "It 1750 pounds of hay cau be bought for a—for a—pair of nickel skates, how " Again Bennie closed the book dis mally. "There! I cau't get it; there's no nse trying! I get skates and hay all mixed up!" Just then the warning bell rang, nnd tho grade prepared to march out for intermission. Soon little groups met here and there iu the yard, all eagerly discussing that mysterious pair of skates. They had been offered by Dr. Co naut that moruiug to the hoy who should spell correctly, in a given time, the largest number of practical words used iu every-day life. The test was to he given by the doctor himself a week from tile following Friday. Great excitement prevailed; for there was a strong spirit of rivalry among tlio X-grade boys, who were divided into two factions, led respec tively by Bennie Norcross nnd Dick Atkins. Besides, the skates were a "Jim-dandy" pair, as Bennie declared to his chum, Ted Stone—and justly, too; for Dr. Conant, who never did anything by halves, had purchased the finest pair that could be found in the large manufacturing city where skates were made. "Anyway, it lies between yon and Dick Atkins, old man," declared Ted, positively, that night, as they sat dis cussing the matter iu the Norcross sit ting-room. "You two are the best spellers; the rest of us fellows don't stand the ghost of a chance. And, he sides, we want you to get them, any how! See how Dick Atkins got the prize in declamation from you last spring, and just because Dr. Downing, one of the judges, was a relative of his. I'd like to see any one spell for him now, though!" The friends of both boys felt confi dent of their own leader's success, and hardly considered the thoughtjof try ing for the prize themselves. "Of course, we'll go through the form; but, when it comes to our get ting the skates, we won't be there— not even if we tried," declared the boys, laughingly. The fathers and friends of the boys, in all professions, were consulted for their opinion as to the most practical words in every-day use, and in this way both Bennie and Dick received much valuable "coaching" from their eager followers. "I hope I shall get them—they're such beauties! But, then, I'd rather beat Dick Atkins than have all the skates iu the world," was Bennie's frequent soliloquy during that anxious week. "Xwas Thursday afternoon. "Well, to-morrow's almost here," thought Bennie to himself, as he en tered the postoflice for the five o'clock mail. There, before the letter-box, stood Dr. Conant. In taking a letter from his pocket to post, a scrap of'paper slipped out with it and fell to the floor unnoticed. As Bennie stepped to the delivery Window, after the doctor had gone, his foot chanced to tonch the paper. He stooped and picked it up. Un folding it, he found "It's the list of test words for to- j morrow!" he whispered, excitedly. ; "It is? It is! Now, Mr. Dick, we'll 1 see!" Bennie took his mail and hurriedly ; left the office. As he turned into a less busy street, he stopped and cau- I tiously unfolded the bit of paper j again. Surely, there could be no mistake! It contained the words for to-morrow's trial. "I'll have them, every one, before I go to sleep!" he exclaimed, half aloud. He hastily glanced down the list of j words "scoundrel," "dishonest," j "thief," met his gaze. He stopped;! he could read no more. That last! word seemed to whisper, so all who | passed might hear: "You're one! Y'es j you are Beanie Norcross!" He hurriedly turned into his own street, and in a moment more threw j down the mail or. the sitting-room! table. "I'm afraid your're worrying ton much about the prize," remarked Mrs. Norcross at tea-table that even ing; for Bentiio had left the warm ' rolls and fresh honey almost untastedl "Oil, I guess not," replied Bennie, j lightly. That night when he got to his room he sat down on the bed and placed j the spelliug-test paper before him. "S-o-u-n-d-r-e-1; lean spell that, j D-e-f-u-u-l-t-e-r. That's easy enough. D-i-s-h-o-n-e-s-t " "You are, you are!" seemingly in-! terrupted the wind, us it went moan ing down the chimney. "Oh, bother!" exclaimed Bennie, furtively looking around the room. "T-h-i-e-f," he spelled, and on through the entire list, and then noiselessly crept into bed. "Good luck to you, Bennie!" called ] Mrs. Norcross, merrily, tho next ! morning, as Bennie, with a happy heart, took up his hooks, tightly strapped together, and prepared to leave the house. "Thank you, mother,"he answered, quietly. The next moineut the dooi closed and he was gone. Ted met him a block away. "Why, what's the matter, old man?" she exolaimed, giv ing him a friendly slap ou the shoul der. "Cheer up! You'll come in ahead with ffyiug colors this time There's uo Dr. Downing in this case!" Bennie tried to smile, hut his at tempt was a miserable failure. "I've a good mind not to take it,' he said to himself, as his churn left ! him to do an errand across tho street. 1 "But then I must beat Dick Atkins I and I can do it this time!" Just after the opening exercises Dr. | Conant entered the schoolroom, car- [ ryiqg under his arm a neatly done up I paper parcel. All eyes turned to Bennie and Dick. Beuuie's heart heat wildly, while to | its throbbing u voice within seemed to he keeping time with: "Can't—you —spell—thief? 'Course youcau; for that's you. I'ou caD spell yourself, can't you?" Slowly Dr. Conaut pronounced the first word—how anxiously Bonnie was listening for it!—"business." "He's got another list," happily thought Bennie to himself. "Oh good!" But no. The next word was "scoun drel," and from that on the list was exactly the same us the one Bennie had found and studied. After he had written the fifth word, he looked up from his paper. Ted met his gaze with an assuring smile. Bonnie's fuce llushed. "What if he knew!" he thought. When the test was over, with a sigh of relief, Bennie folded his paper and hurried from the room. "How'd you make it?" asked the boys, quickly, as they gathered around him. "Wasn't it a sticker, though 1" "Was it?" answered Bennie, eva sively. "I thiuk, perhaps, I got most of them right." At the close of the afternoon session Dr. Conaut was to award the prize. How slowly the hours seemed to pass! At length, however, the exercises for the day were over, and Dr. Conant entered. An air of expectancy tilled the room. Beuuie's face paled slightly. "Spelling has become nearly a lost art among the hoys and girls of the present generation," began Dr. Con ant, "and I assure you it gives me a pleasurable surprise to find among the X-grade boys of the Wallace High School u marked exception to this condition. Nearly every hoy in the grade has done himself credit—some, of course, more than others, and one j especially more than all the rest. ' The hoy referred to, who has splendid ly conquered iu the contest"-r-all eyes were immediately turned to Bennie and then to Dick—"is Bennie Nor cross. Will the young man, who did not fail in a single word, please come [ forward?" Bennie arose, pale but resolute, and walked out to the desk before which Dr. Conant was standing. •'Will you please tell me, sir, who stands Becoud in the contest?" asked Bennie, as the doctor took the parcel from the desk. "Certainly, my boy. Let me see: | It's Dick Atkins." "Then," said Bennie, "to him be longs the prize." And, turning, hoi faced the school, and confessed the whole story of tho lost paper. As he ceased speaking, not a breath j was heard in the large assembly room. I Hastily wiping his eyes Dr. Conant advanced nnd, gently placing his hand I oil Bennie's shoulder, said tenderly: I "My boy, the skates, of course, be- [ long to Dick Atkins; but, as I said before, I repeat, and with the hearty approval of every boy in the X-grade, I'm certain you have splendidly con-: quered 1" Northwestern Christian Ad- j vocate. iPeiialtled For Tattooing, The Parisian newspapers announce that the Governor of French Oceana has issued a decree prohibiting tat tooing throughout the archipelago, in the interests of public health and! morals, which, the decree states, j seriously suffer from the praotice. j Henceforth tattooers and tattooed will \ lie subject to a fine ranging from $5 to 1 8200, and a term of imprisonment not zxceediug fourteeu days. I sK*^:a\sie;h s ;e^?.c:ei©iaa'Oie;.: , a'sie^ f'NEWS AND NOTES| | FOR WOMEN. | Crystal Beads Too Tawdry. | The long cliaplets of crystal beads in vogue in Paris are too tawdry for folks of good taste—too suggestive of squaws. But long gold chains are coveted, anil the pearl dog collar of last winter is still with us. Care ol the Skirt. Muddy weather is always a sore trial to a woman wearing a, nice skirt, but she can do something to preserve it trom permanent ruin. In the first place, when returned from a muddy street she should kapg the skirt be fore a fire, but not too close, so that the mud may dry quickly. When dxy, the mud spots should be loosened by ruobiug with the edge of a penny, anil the dustshould then be gently brushed off with a brush of moderate firmness. Too rough a brush must not be used, especially upon smooth-faced cloths, for it is liable to roughen the sur face. If after this brushing tho mud marks are still visible, sponge the spots with alcohol or methylated spirits and the material will be left clean and unmarked. In taking oil' a lamp skirt be careful to hang it out as flat as possible over a chair, as if thrown down carelessly iu that oon- I iition it will contract inelegant j creases.—Philadelphia Press. Wanted to See tho (Jneen. About forty-three years ago Queen Victoria, then on a visit to Napoleon 111., passed down the Champs Elysees on kor way to the Champ de Mars, where a review was to be held in her honor. An English nobleman, run ning to join the cab waiting for him, ran against Beranger. The aged poet seemed in a great hurry, and the Eng lishman asked him the reason of his haste. "I want to see your Queen," replied Beranger. Inasmuch as a couple of years before Berangar had declined an invitation of the Empress Eugenie to go to the Tulleries, where upon the Empress called upon the poet instead, the English nobleman re marked upon it. 'T was under the impression that you did not trouble yonrself much about royalty," he said: "You refused to go to see the Empress, aud you rush along to see the Queen. How do you accouut for such incon sistency." "No, I am uot goiug to see the Queeu," was tho rejoinder, "I am going to see tho woman. If there were many women like Victoria I'd forgiye them being Queens." How to llavo a Beautiful Nock. A beautiful neck beautifully dressed makes a woman look fairer and younger thau any toilet dressing, and tbe majority of women know it, and their worry is greater 011 this seore than any other iu the beautifying line. There is a way—iu fact, there is always away when a woman wills— and a little patience and perseverance will make the ugliest neck not beauti ful always but presentable. "Gyiunastio movements tor de veloping the muscles of the neck," says a well-known beauty expert, "are: 1. Slowly but firmly bend the neck forward until the chin nearly touches the neck ; then gradually raise the head. 2. Slowly but firmly bend the head backward as far as you com fortably cau. Itepeut this movement twenty times. 3. Beud the head side ways to right twenty times aud to the loft the same number of times. 4. Roll the head slowly to the right, then to the left, twenty times." After these exercises the neek should be bathed in warm water and olive oil soap and rubbed with a soft towel. Follow this by anointing the neck with retiring cream, and, if persisted in, the fair patient will soon be rewarded by being the proud pos sessor of a beautiful neck. Smelling Salts Cause Wiinklea. The woman who wishes to retain the beauty of her face—aud what woman does not?—should forego the use of the smelling bottle, for, accord ing to a well-known New York physi cian, who has lately bo."n making ex periments in that line, the use of smell ing salts encourages wrinkles. "If you don't believe me," he said, "stand in front of n mirror and inhale the pungent odor from a smelling bottle and notioe the number of lines that form about the eyes, nose and mouth. Each sniff taken from the bottle causes the same screwing up of the face, and each time the unbecom ing lines deepen. Remember, also, that it is ail unpleasant experience which has called up these wrinkles. Those caused by laughing and talking are bad enough, but the wrinkles formed by the use of smelling salts give an absolutely undesirable expres sion . "But if you are already iu posses sion of wrinkles which have been pro duced iu other ways than by the use of salts, then smelling salts are a specific for removing them aud causing them to stay away. Iu almost every case the wrinkles formed by laughing and crying are iu an exactly opposite direction to those produced by in haling salts, aud in this case smelliug salts act like a charm iu causing the unbecoming lines to disappear."—New York Herald. Modish Hosiery. Perhaps ii\ no line of wearing ap parel has there been BO marked a de parture within two years as in hosiery. The universally worn black stockings, in spite of their many points of excel lence, have no place in the modern wardrobe. Plain colors are still worn, but all are gaudy, except the somber gray aud tan shades. In the place of the sober black articles there have come the tartan silk ribbed hose aud fancy stripes in lisle thread, with a woolly finish, aud they might at first sight he mistaken for a heavy-weight article. Thefts come in such combinations as yellow, blue ami black, anil green, coral and black, the most brilliant color in each being made of silk, which is inter woven with the lisle thread. The prettiest novelties in lisle thread are the checks, composed of two shades of one color and one of white. The checks a**e perhaps one third of an inch square, and are con tinned quite to the tip of the toe. One very beautiful check is shown of gray, green and white, with toe and hem at the top of black. The French quadrille is another very pretty couceit, and is formed by a succession of narrow stripes of green and white upon a black background. In all combinations the checks and stripes extend throughout the entire length of the stocking. There is a bewildering variety of exquisite weaves for evening wear which embrace every imaginable color aud design. One of the novelties is the boot-top design of embroidery, reaching from the too to one-third the length of the hose, where it is finished in form of a boot-top. Lace vertical stripes and embroidery infancy colors are used for this. The long vertical-striped hosiery is to be had in such blendings as maize and white, pale blue and white, and two shades of the colored Hilk, but with black tips at the toe, heel and hem. Black silk speckled lightly with blue aud of a very lace-like tex ture affords a dainty example of such black hose as is worn. There is also a bolder combination of black and white Milan silk, wherein the two colors are in lace-like stripes alter nately placed.—Harper's Bazar, Gossip. Japan is going to have a woman's | university, the Nihon Yoshi Daigaku, jin place of the former Academy of ! Nobles at Tokio. Mrs. Antonio Terry, Silby Sanderson that was, now that she has fully recov ered her health, will probably return to the operatic stage. Miss Jennie Revert, who has a stock farm on Long Island, lias invaded a new field for women by graduating from the Veterinary School in Alfort, France. Mine. Sarah Bernhardt is so de lighted over her recent ascent of Mount Vesuvius that she has declared her intention of establishing a villa on the slope of the mountain. Mile. Lucie Faure, the only daugh ter of President Faure, whose engage ment to M. Georges Chiris is an nounced, understands Latin, Greek ami English, aud has written a book of travels. The late Empress of Austria was a great admirer of beautiful women. She had a special portrait gallery con taining the pictures of good-looking women sho had met, especially Au.s triaus, French and Italians. Miss Amy Castilla, M. D., the first woman to become resident medical ollicer of a general hospital in the southern hemisphere, has just died in Australia. She was also one of the first lady graduates of the University of Melbourne. Mrs. Lily Dominis, formerly queen of the Hawaiian Islands, has rested a modest furnished house in Washing ton and will hereafter hold court there, assisted by Miss McGuire, her "lady in waiting," aud Mr. Hellelulah, her "lord high chamberlain." The Queen of Roumania is perhaps the only royal personage who acquits herself as)a public lecturer. For some time past her majesty has been accus tomed to give lectures privately in her palace to the youug leadies of the. leading families in Roumania. Fashion Notes. Silk petticoats are now hung from deep yokes aud fit the kips like a glove without even one gather in the back. The bows worn with stocks are big and broad aud the ends long. The sides and ends are hemmed with a narrow stitched hem. The old combination ot pale gruy and orange, seen so muoh of late in house and carriage gowns, i now used for evening frocks with much success. Fus capes, pelerines, fichus, sailor shaped collars, boas and Vaudyked collarettes kavo never been made in such a variety of styles as they have this season. Many of the exceedingly smart lit tle garments cost quite as much as a fur jacket or other wrap, and in spite of the rage for the new long, sweeping capes, the small fur shoulder cover ings are still a la mode. Poplins of various qualities and in many new effects will be one of the fabrics next season. They have a silky finish, and in dainty stripes, plaids, ohecks, and dots of soft, deli cate color the spring patterns are ex ceedingly eil'eotive. Simplicity marks the ornamentation. Hand embroidery of silk, in colors, is chosen for decorating the cull's and the front of the bodice. Applique of broadcloth, in contrasting and in har monizing colors, is also fuvored by many. The colors most used are auto mobile, a reddish-brown, castors aud gray. Tho head of the nnimal in mull's has taken its plaoe at one side, aud with the long tail—or there may be two or more tails, there being often an abnor mal development in made-up auiinals at thb other end, and with the mull' itself serving for a body, there is a strong suggestion of the animal as it was in life. Long coats are features of the sea son. They appear in a variety of de signs. An attractive model of brown velvet is trimmed with sable. It is tight-fitting both front aud back. A high, rolling collar of velvet is faced with Rable, the fur extending i*i long, stablike ends. At the bust is a large bow-knot of the velvet. | FARM AND GARDEN. \ Changing a Heavy Clay Soil. It requires at least 100 or more loads of sand to cover even very slightly the 43,500 square feet in an acre of land. This will make the cost more than the change is worth, unless the sand and clay are much closer together than is usual. We have known it to be done in gardens for the culture of melons and cucumbers, both of which succeed better where sand constitutes a part of the soil. But usually the application of manures, and the plowing under of clover and the thorough underdraiu ing of the clay will make all tho change needed, and do it much more cheaply than can bo done by drawing sand on it. Ho soon as a clay soil is under drained the frost mellows tho surface soil so that clover seed will grow, and when a clover growth is secured it will so increaso the amount of vegetable matter that there will be no difficulty thereafter in keeping the soil friable at least to tho depth it i 3 plowed. Clay soils are always originally full of vegetable matter, because they hold the wuter and the leaves, and vegeta tion grown on them decays slowly. But continued cultivation so reduces this vegetable matter that the clay runs together in wet weathor, and when plowed comes up in hard clods that plant roots cannot penetrate. As the clay contains much mineral fertil ity, these clods need only to be broken up by freezing to enable the plant roots to use it. But we have always found tliat a small dressing of avail able potash and phosphate has even better effectupn clay soils than it does on sand or gravel. It is needed on tho clay to start the plants to growing, after which their roots will help them selves to whatever is in reach. On the saudy or gravelly soil there must bo n larger dressing of fertilizer as such soils can furnish less. It is very rare that, however long cultivated, nil of tho vegetable matter in clay soils will be exhausted. But we have known instances where sev eral feet depth of clay was removed for making brick and tile. The clay soil beneath was, after a few years, well seeded with grass, and made a good meadow thereafter. The first thing done to this clay was to sink underdrains into it so as to carry off surplus water. Then it was fall plowed, nud in tho spring was sown with grain and clover seed, merely harrowing down the rough surface which the plowing had left. There was only a' partial growth of clovor the first year, but after growing a year the clover was plowed under when in bloom, and the clay was cultivated until fall, ami wheat sown with Tim othy seed. In the spring clover seed was also sown, and made a much bet ter catoh thau at first seeding. Tho Timothy sod was a good one for two or three years after tho clover hnd died out. How much longer it would have lasted we do not know, for about that time there was an increased de mand for brick, as a nearby city was growing rapidly, and auotlior strata of clay was taken from laud that had al ready furnished two stratas before. American Cultivator. Rlllk Strain* Among Ilogs. Too little attention has been paid by breeders and farmers to the milking qualities of their brood sows, and yet of all things to be taken iuto consid eration in seleoting brood sotvs this characteristic is the most important. Maternity is the fuuctidu of a brood sow, aud failing in good milking ca pacity, she fails to fulfill this function. Did you ever note that the sow that is the kindest, most careful mother, is always tho one that gives the biggest flow of milk, and the sow that gives little or no milk is careless, forgetful aud negligent of her litter? Well, it is a fact, and has a very natural ex planation. The sow with the large ex tended udder full of milk fiuds it a re lief to have it drawn off by tho pigs frequently, aud she most gladly re sponds to the call of Jthe little fellows for a lunch ns often as thoy want it. She is careful and grateful to them for the relief they give her. The other sow finds no such comfort from her litter, since she has no need of that kind of relief; on the contrary, the fre quent demands of the half-starved pigs is unpleasant to her. She be comes irritable and cross at their per sistent calls for more. She would rather bo let alone, go off by herself, eat her fill aud lie down undisturbed while she converts it into pork on her own back instead of her pigs. Conse quently, at weaning time you will find her in pretty good shape, while the pigs are all runts. But the other sow and her litter, how do they look? Just the reverse.—American Swineherd. Colds and Influenza In Poultry. During the cold and wet weather of the winter months poultry are linble to various ailments, any of which may prove fatal if not treated in time. Colds and influenza aro the most com mon aud this item should therefore be kept handy for future references. Colds aro frequent among poultry in winter and need prompt attention to prevent the more serious roup which is likely to follow a neglected cold. The symptoms of a cold including the frothy nostrils, • running matter in eyes and wheezy sound when breath ing are familiar to all poultrymen. Take ten drops each of tincture of spongia and aconite and mix with suf ficient alcohol to make an ounce. Put a teaspoouful of this mixture in each quart of drinking water. Keep the fowls from dampness and cold winds and bathe the eyes and nostrils of the birds with equal parts of water and hydrogen dioxide, forcing a little down the throat and iuto the nostrils. This treatment is also good for roup 1 in its incipient stages. Lagrippe or iniluenia is prevalent [ this winter. The symptoms are dis | charges at eyes and nose, cough and swollen faces. Take ten drops each of aconite, spongia and bryonia and mix with sufficient alcohol to make an ounce. Use a tablespoonful of the mixture to each quart of drinking water, using also the mixture of hy drogen dioxide and water iu the man ner advised above for colds. Keep fowls dry and well fod. A Handy Farm Cart. On nearly every farm there is one or two pairs of unused cultivator wheels. With these a cart can be made which will save much lc bor, and many steps. Especially is this so where there are half grown children about. They will eujoy working with the cart and wjjl do much of the feed ing, haul wood and cobs, aud do many chores that would otherwise take up the farmer's time and attention. A box about 2}x3j feet and six or eight inches in depth is set on an axle long enough to give the whoels plenty of play, in such a manner as to nearly balance, the heavier end being toward the handle, so the one pushing or pullinp; it will have little weight to carry. To the sides of the box fasten with nails or bolts, three-inch boards extending three feet from the box and about five from the axle. Bore an inch hole through the ends and put a round piece of wood, such as an old pitchfork handle or other strong wood, into these'holes, fastening theendsby wedging firmly. This will serve as a means of propelling the cart. Under neath the rear end of the cart, stan dards can be spiked or bolted on, so that the cart box will always remain in nearly a horizontal position when the propeller re'eases the handles.—• American Agriculturist. Floors For Henhouses. A henhouse floor should never be made of boards. There will be sure to be some cracks betweeuithem, and when the droppings fall upon them and keep these cracks moist they make tho best possible breeding place for lice. Bather than have board floors we would-have one with earth, underlaid with stone to secure drain age, and covered with sifted coal ashes to receive the droppings from tho roosts. The most satisfactory of all floors is one of cement. This will not rot out like a board or plank plow, and it will not have cracks to encour age the breeding of vermin. On a cement floor under the roosts no litter should be allowed. Thus the exore tions may be kept free from matter that canuot be rotted down, aud if put into a large box with sifted coal ashe3 spriukled over them they will be rotted down by spring, so as to be in good condition for drilling With grain or for sprinkling in the rows where peas are planted. There is nothing better to give peas a vigorous start early. It will also make them several days earlier, and thus secure for a them better price. Value or mixed Rations. In feeding all kindsof farm animals, including poultry, the object should be not to use the food that is the chenpest, but that which is best. The main tronblo with farmers iu this di rection is that they confine their feed ing operations to but one grain, de pending on roughage for variety. It is understood just how convenient it is to feed the grain one happens to have on hand and not buy other kinds, but this is poor policy. Iu a farming neighborhood it is quite often iiossi ble to trade grains value forvnlue, not measure for measure, and thus obtain a variety of foods without the neces sity of purchasing them. It is a well known fact that two mixed grains oan bo fed more cheaply than eithor fed separately. That is, less food will be required, to say nothing of tho added benefit to the animals. Variety is the spice of animal foods as it is of life, and the stockman, dairyman or poul trvman who feeds on this principle will realize tho best results. Feed Figi Gencreuzty. It certainly is unprofitable for any swine raiser to stint his animals, as • they should be made to grow every day. After ten days or two weeks they should be fed generously through their dams, and at three or four weeks provided with a place where they can obtain, unmolested, a little feed ol slop and soaked shelled corn. Keep them growing every day, and at an early age thoy will be ready for-the market at a profit to the raiser. II the pigs are allowed to stop growing and become stunted it is very hard to start them anew, not to mention the loss of feed, time and labor. Pigs inclosed iu a dry lot or yard, and given only dry, hard corn and hard water, seldom yield a handsome profit. They need a variety of food, such as will expand the stomach and at the same t time be Cooling to the system. Corn, alone, is too heating. Itougli Hark on Old Trees. The gradual thickening of bark on trees is often objected to as an evi dence of unthriftiness. But it al most always comes on trees when they get to be of bearing age, aud except for harboring the cocoons of the cod ling moth it does no harm. Scraping this bark off through the winter re moves the protection, and the cocoon exposed to snow aud rain perishes. These cocoons will be usually found on the side opposite where the pre vailing wind blows, as this is partly protected against beating rains, es pecially if the tree trunk leaus that way. Only tho bark that readily comes off should be removed. Scrap ing the trunk down to the green bark will cause some kinds of trees to sun scald and is injurious. Make the tree grow vigorously and the rough bark will roll off of itself or with very little effort. 1 The older one grows the less risk there, is of dying; only two or three centenarians die each year.—Life.
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