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ifc;: 1 1' ^ arm (rop Queries r=2» Conducted by Professor Henry G. BelL The object of thie department (• to place at tha •ervlce of our farm readera the advice of an acknowl- cdsed authority on all lubjects pretalning to toil* and cropa. Addreia all queatlona to Profetaer Henry Q. Bel), In care of The Wilson Publishing Company. Limited, T*. ronto, anit answers will appear In this column in the crder in which they are received. As space Is limited It is advisable where Immediate reply Is necessary that • atamped and addressed envelope be enclosed with the question, when the answer will be mailsd direct. Henry C. B«a Questionâ€" S. H. (1) How can. I beat g:ct humus into a sandy soil? I have a field of about 5 acres which is unpro- ductive. Last year it was not even good for grazing. I ploughe<J it last fall and have been thinking of sov.ing it in the springr, and turning it under the following spring. What would you suggest th^at I sow and get a fair crop the same year, yet improve the SOU? Answer â€" You would do well in the spring, as soon as the ground will work, to harrow it down to a smooth seedbed, first having given it a dress- ing of from two to five tons of manure to the acre; then seed it to an early variety of oats, such ai O. A. C. Xo. 72, or Daubeney, using about X'^ bus. of seed to the acre. Seed this with about 10 lbs. of Common Red Clover and 4 lbs. of Alsike to the acre. The oats will harvest early, and the clover should get a pretty good growth by fall. A.S soon as it has made a sat- isfactory start in spring, instead of cutting it, plow it under, and you will have enriched your soil by a good ad- dition of organic matter. Questionâ€" (2) What is the beat fertilizer to use for potatoes on sardy soil, and what quantity should be ap- plied per acre? .\nswerâ€" Potatoes on a sandy soil sffbulti receive a fairly high-grade j fertilizer. You will do well to use one carrying from 4 to 5'T: ammonia, ' 8 to lOT: available phosphoric acid, land as much potash (up to %'^c) as ' you can get this year. If you cannot ' buy a fertilizer with a high amount of potash, you will do well to apply wood ; ashes, up to t, ton to the acre, work- ing it into the soil before you apply the fertilizer. If you do apply wood ashes, be sure to treat your seed potatoes with formalin in order to kill the spores of the scab which is like- ly to thrive where wood ashes have ' been applied . In applying the fert- ilizer, if you are putting on 500 lbs. or more to the acre, apply one-half through the fertilizer attachment of '\ the grain drill, if you have a grain \ ^-ill with fertilizer attachment, or spread it broadcast over the potato field before the last harrowing if you do not have a drill distributor. Thor- oughly harrow this fertilizer into the soil and apply the rest of the fertilizer through the fertilizer dropping at- tachment of the potato planter. It is not advisable to apply more than 300 lbs. to the acre through the fert- ilizer attachment of the potato plant- er; hence any e.xci?<s of this amount should be worked in broadcast when preparing the potato seedbed. I Your CuTuuuiad ay f^j Jiedn Jmmt , Motnere and daughter* of all ag«s are cordially Invited to writs to this <;#.partment. Initials only will be published with each question and lt» answer is a means of identification but full name and »dd.-e»a moat &• given in each lef.sr. Wr ta en one side of paper oniy. Answer* will »• mailed direct If stamped and addraaaed envelcps is enclosed. Address ail correspondence for this department to Mrs. Helen Law, 75 Caat.e Franit Road, Toronto. GENERAL BROWNSELIF, Special EInvoy from Riissla to Great Britain. In the matter o( importani army arra-nser-i-^n-.s Ti.e !.ijy !â- < h.s daugr-.t-^r. Don't expect to succeed with hogs if you give them any old thing to eat. Pigs muit be fed clean wholesome food if yoy wish to eat fine hams and bacon of delicious flavor. The ill-smelling pig-pen is a relic of the past in up-to-date farming com- munities. Cleanliness is the watchword for success with pigs. To expel worms from hogs the fol- lowing prescription is right for a pig weighing about 100 pounds: San- tnio, five grains: calomel, two grains; areca nut. two grains; sodium bicar- bonate, one dram . Keep the hogs off feed for about twelve hours and give the dose in a slop of middlings. The evening of the same day give a m«s!i of wheat bran. This will flush the bow«Is. Gather all worms and burn them. Worms o'ten are the forerunner of disease. If hog or pig has a big appetite and thriftless condition, with dry dead hair, it is a good indication of the pre>- sence of worms. Sheep will stand a lot of cold weather, but draughts are as danger- ous to them «.â- Â« to other animal.-i. Do not crowd the flock. Exercise is very essential to the ewes and the coming lambs. Feed regalarly. and be quiet and kind to the flock. Sheep appreciate a kind, well-modulateil voice. Provide for plenty of clean fresh water in the sheep barn. Give it fresh every day. Are yours just sheep, or the very best you can find? When a sheep does not chew its cud or eat. you have a sick sheep on your hands. GooiH treatment is to take the sheep out of the flock, put it in a sunny yard or pen and give it a chance to drink what pure water it will. Don't ui-ge it to eat. and l>» patient . The man who lets hi* flock get a part of their living by pawing through thfc snow shows a lack of wisdom . Ice-cold water must be warmed up in the sheep's stomach. That costs more than it would to do it on the stove. If a horse has a loud, ilry. hoarse cough, becoming moist later on, loud and frequent respirations, dullness. ropy saliva from mouth, bowels costive and urine high colored, and stands cencinuously, he is sho\ving symptoms of bronchitis . See that he has comfortable, well- ventilate<.l quarters, excluded from draught. --Vpply mustard to breast and sides. Steam nostrils, hijiiling head over boiling water with a little carbolic acid. Give cold water with 3 or 4 drams nitrate of potassium in it. When inflammation subsides, give dram doses each of gentian, ginger, and sulphate of iron 3 times daily. If hay is kept in front of idle horses ali the time they will keep on eating it. to their own detriment, and at the waste of a lot of good feed. It is more economical to give a small feed oi grain at noon than to stuff them with hay. Give just as jnuch hay morning and night as will be eaten up clean in a reasonable time. Study your horses. .Some require more roughage than others to keep them in condition. Some horses will never stuff themselves with hay, no matter how much is given them; oth- ers wil! eat everything in sight. The intelligence of the feeder must control the situatibn. Bring the head-stalls into ?he kit- chen .It night if the stable is frosty, or cover the bits with smooth leather. Never put a frosty bit in a horse's mouth. The idle work horses and the colts should spend a few hours every plea- sant day in a sheltered yard. Never leave them out until they are chilled; that doesn't pay. Be very careful with the breedinjt mares. Don't let them slip, and don't make them back heavy loads. .\ good teamster will manage to make his team back as little as possible. Back- ing is unnatural and very straining. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL' INTERN.VTION.VL LESSON M.VRCH 4. Lesson IX. Jesus Feeds The Five Thousand â€" John 6. 1-21. Golden Te\t.â€" Matt. 6. 11. Verse 1. Tiberias â€" .\n almost ex- clusively Gentile city, gave it.s name to the lake; it occurs only here and in John '21. 1. The town is mentioned m verse 23; it was r^meii from the then ruling emperor, Ti'oerius. 2. Followed â€" Some in boats, but mostly on foot round the north end of the lake. Signs â€" The Evangrelist's interpretative word; he could never think of them apart from what they "signilied.'' 3. The mountain â€" The high ground southeast of Bethsaida Julias, toward , which town t in the northeast comer of the lake) the disciples started their return journey, keeping near in shore. as we gather from Mark ^. 4-5, as most probably e.xp'.ained. The crowd had not much further to go bv land from Capernaum to Bethsaida than the boat by water. .^ppa.'ently Jesus la.".ded in a quiet place and went ap to rest on the hill; Mark tells us that the peo- ple had to some e.xtent got to the eastern side first. 4. This is not a mere note of time: the Evangelist is thinking of a feast that is to supersede what the national apostasy made only a feast of the Jev^s, eternally connected with Pass- over by the event of a year later. j 5. Philip â€" Of the neighboring town ' of Bethsaida (John 1. 44i. i There iS: no real evidence for another Beth- saida on the western shore, i He, might 'oe supposed to know where a i large supply of bread could be bought, i But as one who had so auickiy realiz- ' ed the greatness of his Master (John' 1. k^\, he might also have been ex-' pected to feel sure that Jesus -.-ouM deal with the emergncy. Here he falleti, as he did in John 14. S. In John 12, 22, as here, .\ndrew comee to his help. 7. Shillings' â€" Philip makes a busi- nesjtlike estimate of the amount, which' would give them, say. half a loaf; each: if that was the allowance he had, in mind â€" for the leaves were only the | size of buns â€" one denarius would pur- . chase about a dozen. .\ denarius was an ordinary day's wage t Matt. 20. 2).: S. .\ndrew â€" .\ quiet inconspicuous to his forceful brother. But it was he, who brought Peter to Jesus, and he was clearly, for all his quietness, a' man, only named as an appendage man to be depended on. 9. Barley â€" Compare Rev. tj. '6, showing that barley was only one third the price of wheat. Note how full of new details is John's story. 10. Much grrass â€" Passover time was the one period when this was the ease; it was soon burnt up by the dry weather, as we see well in India. The men â€" This does not mean that the wo- men and children (Matt. 14. 21) stood. But there would only be a few of them, and the rough estimate of num- bers-made, perhaps, by Philip- -was made from the men only. 11. He distributed â€" Through the comes the keynote (verse 23 >. "Thanksgiving" (Eucharist* became the special name of the spiritual feast on which this story is a commentary. 11. He distrimuted â€" Through the twelve, as Mark makes clear. We picture each disciple filling from the Lord's hands the baskets he carried, and then going down between the tiles giving them out the loaves broken into halves. They went roun.i again, liil all had enough. 12. Broken pieces â€" Not fragments. but half leaves which the men had not touched . 13. Baskets â€" Smai! ones, such as Jews were accustomed :o carry about, according to a Roman writer. In the other story i Mark S. 8 1 seven r.sher- men's baskets were rtlled; the wonl is that found in .\cts 'i. 2-5, and denotes a bigger kind. 14. The Prophetâ€" "Like unto" Moses. See Lesson Text StUiiies for Febuary 11. verse 2-". WOMAN GETS MILIT.XRY MEDAL. Army Nurse is First Woman to Re- ceive Medal for Bravery in Field. For the t:rst time in history a wo- man has won the Military .Meial. and it has beer, awarded to her "for brav- ery in the lield." She is Staff Nurse Catherine Mar- gar<et Carruthers, of the Territorial Force Nursing Service, and the honor H'lW awarded to her is announced of- r.cially in the London Gazette. Sir Douglas Haig mentioned her in his despatch of November 2-5 last. Nurse Carruthers was bravely carry- ing on her work of mercy, calmly caring for the wounded in very da.n- gerous circumstances in a "hot"' repen in France. She was eventu- ally slightly wounded by a shell which burtf near the spot where she was on duty. Tho courageous nurse has now recovered, and has resumed her work among the wounded fighters. Miss Carruthers. whose home is in Ireland, was trained at the Royal In- n-raary, Glasgow. She afterwards joined the Terri- torial Fore and was posted for duty at the 4th Territorial Hospital. Glas- gow, a few days after the war 'ocgan. Some months later she went to France, where she has been doing valuable work in the face of danger. ^ (iallant IJttle Battle. South .Africa is ringing with the stirring glory of how 25 of General Northeys Rhoiiesian column in Ger- man East .\frica kept a: 4aay and dis- persed 250 German and native troopt The SpringN-'ks fought from 10 in the morning until (5 o'clock at night with a losis of only five kil!e*i. .-V voliey checked a rush by the as'naris who, in a state of j>anic, retired witii So casu- alties. The defenders had only two cartridges left, says the Exchange Telegraph ('ompary. Paper From Grass, The Government of the South .-X-f- rican L'niim is investigating the re- sources of the country in regard to papermaking material, of which large quantities art^ 'unown to exist. Vast areas of* native grasses are to be found in different parts of the coun- try, and it is to these that special in- vestigation is now beirir directed. S. W.; â€" 1. Efficiency is indee<: a word to conjure with, and nowhere is it more needed than in the Cartadian household at the present time. .\ foo<i expert gives the following five ways in which he estimates twenty per cent, of the money expended for food is wasted. 1. Needlessly ex- pensive material . 2. .A great deal thrown away. 3. Bad preparation. 4. Failure to select nghtiy accordir,g to season. 5. Badly .-onstructed ovens. Protein foods are eggs, meats, fish. 'oear.s. peas, cheese. Starchy foods are the grui.is â€" whiat. rice, rye, oats. COB*, etc., a.id potatoes. Fats are nuts, cream, butter, lard, fat meats. Minerals are co.ntair.ed i.n carrots, let- tuce, spinach, beets, parsnips. .A well ba!an<-ed meal consists of one protein. ryt-j starch, two mineral and one ;weet. You will see therefore that beans and peas shouiii not be ser.td with meat. 2. The proper height of working sur- face fcr a woman of five feet three inches is 29 S; inches. For every inch in a woman's Height there should be a variation of half an inch m the height of ta'ole. ironing board, sink, etc. 3. Time savers lire: Food choppers, br-rad mLxe's. cake muers. washing .ma- chines, dish dryers, silver cltan pans. There is also a I'^rg lis: of electric device*: irons, washing rr.achi.ies. vacuum clearer-*, toasters, grills, per- colators, fans. •â-  enu'iatorss . C. H. D. :â€" 1. A cleaning liquid for the nails can be male as followa: Or.e dram tartaric acid, one dram tmcture of myrrh, two drams cologne -^'iter. three ounces wa:ufr. Dissc-ive the A-id in the uuter. rr.ix the lincfjre ^t myrrh and cologne and ad i these to the ecid solution. Dip an ira.nge- W',-»)d Stick ir, this, app^y to •'"- n.i;.s. and P'.'i.sh with a chamois skin. 2. When eating soup the spoon should be dipped away from oneself and the scup be take.'; from the side of the bow!, not the tip. H. B.:â€" 1. To disguise eastor oil pour a small quantity of lemon jiiic« in a tumbler, then add the castor oil, and en top of this more lemon juice. The acid taste completely disguises the oil. 2. If tapes of about 4 inches in lengt.h are seweil to the tops of stock- ings a.-.d each child is taught to ti« his vr her -tickings together before putti.-g them in the wash basket, the time a.-..i trouble taken m mating the sti.<iv:ngs "A hen they come from the wash may be avoide<l. This is ior.e a: m:i.-y "oarding 3chcM:is and is found to r:e satisfactory. .K. F.â€" ;. To set the color in ging- haiT. pa: t'r.e garment before washing \r.'.t> str-.r^c sa.t .vater Let :t st^ind for ten or ntteen minutes and then dry thoroughly an.i a.< luickiy as possible before washir.?. .Xiding ore :ea- spo«>nfui Epsc-m ia;t.s to each failon â-  f water in thr -.vashirg i* another •f'j~)-i way to -.-t ;oi. r. Ot cm.-se, under present lye coniition. seme lyes will nr. in srite â- :: ail you r-.n do. 2. R.ce shoui'i ; e -tirre-i^-cery slowly into -apidly iv lintc water a- d the water kept at a ' r-sk .â- : '. :f the rice is to be flaky an.i .'.••: mu-hy. It .-hi^uld bj stirred 'li^ht.y '.vith a fork, as a .-pooa w: 1 c.-U--h '.iie grains. 3. .A. cloth â- "h' j!>i t>e wrupped t.ghtly around a fr' -e.i water pipe '"ef r-» pounng hot water over it to uiaw ;t out. 4. One pair -f st.^c'-;irg« -x-'.'. make a capital ir'-n-iioii-e. :'" -plit a.^.d folded neatly ,.;:^ a S';-.'.re. laiited .-.nd bound round the edge-i. Slip a piece of asbestoa cioth oetweer the toids U; keep the heat fr ,ni :'Tl-: hand. A NEW BRITAIN. Lloyd tleonie spirit of Gri^i IVter- mination Seizes Nation. Htrr'v-rt H. White. 1 usmcs-^ n:a:.- :i;jer of the Har-.ard I'nit \". K'>"c-j and England, has just r«turr..d h-me. after f.%0 busy mviths. an..t. :n :i" interview in the Boston (.iiorr. r.t says that the war in E-ropr Aas never more serious \'^r all â- .â- â- â- P'err.-f'i in it than at the present nionic '. .\ great change ha* com.' .'ve' G-eat Britain the pa-'t tew month-i. a-id es- ation to go at it L". a serious and re- lentless raarner. and to pay me f'^U price in jlood and treasure and in such ^acrl^.ces as that relentlessnesa •\ill ent-u!. \.ad arpare-tly that ;» what tha British pe-ple wa:itâ€" a.i.i that is why thev ire submitting, without a mur- m If tj «uch corJitions a.id sacri- :;-^.; -ii wf e never known in the .'ur-.try bef'.'re. The ^ay of â- luiss^; faire" 'nas i^a-sse-; .". Ei.gla:'.dâ€" t'ne day of irrim Ic-.trni.na-ion ai'd 'iv;rk at •â- full pecially sirce l\yi (.•''â-  Comm:tti-e cf K ve t.-'"K. the war. Mr W'r.te says ir.a' (.teorgc took iRce the Great Britain have bee feel aid reali.:e the :ull- seriousness of the war. Lloyd George seeks ne.thrr to hide its seriousness nor his own .ictermm- a:'. : ir.ci i-.-'> 'â-  people • t n made t .- the t-rrible -•Je« ,1 ^y. â- at r.-h â€" . ".vhere angels teor to 'A hat a â- â-  " the angels on earth itts cme. K. . ti-^iui. .-.(.c : • • • : -â- â€¢ .s â- Ni.t...:v .'v. say cjr towr. am t lit- e-arv,' -ii.i '.be 11 cowTnar 'Nc T aske-i u'^"> ;i-ri\al "No. cause we '-ki.lvd a P''et here once, .'ust 'o we C'.'uld luild a nioii'iment to him. ' MORE DIVIDENDS FROM GARDEN CROPS This Year, It" Ever, the Opportune Time for Makinjt Money From Veiietables. RECRUITS FOR NAVAL SERVICE Silage furnishes a juicy foo<.l for win- ter, and thus helps to keep the diges- tive organs of cattle in giKxi order. On the same acreage, two cows can be kept on silage at 'he cost of keep lug one cow on hay or other roughage. Plan to look over the pasture fences as soon as the winter is over. No time to stop to fix them after the stock is turned out and you are busy with the plowing. Fear, cold, any kind of discomfort, are expensive in a dairy herd. Com- fort always means profit. It is up to you if your cows do not turn you a profit. Give the heifers that are to calve in the spring veiy special care. They thould have exercise, but not whei-e they can be knocked around by the elder cows. They should be handled every day, and made very gentle and tractable. This handling will be found to have been time w^l spent wheji they come l&to auik. Never feed chicks till the third day after hatching, let them have all the the dry sand and water they will take. Their first real feel should be rolled oats and hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. Two tablespoonfuls are suffici- ent for 100 chicks. .-Vre pens mated up? Don't delay any longer. Fowls, like men, tire of sameness in diet. They must have a variety in the bill of fare to do well. Select the breed intelligt'ntly, and then care for it judiciously. The man who sticks to his breed, getting out of it all that is possible, is the man who succeeds. Neglect does a lot of mischief in the poultry yard. The fowls need regulivr attention. There are many details that must be heeded, or dis- aster may result. It doesn't seem possible, in this era when the pure-bred fowl has proved its worth to be double that of the mongrel, that any intelligent farnier should tolerate the Utter. But. ala», lliej-e are still some Peter Tumble- Jowni.H in our rural districts! K a hen is not comfortable. If she is not provided for according to her de- mands, she just simply refuses to pro- duce eggs. She caa not be fooled; I she caa can^ oi her %^ output at wUl. The Women of Canada Are .\8ked to Support Campaign for Roval Navv Volunteers. Captain the Hon. Rupert Guinuess. .A.U.C . C B , C.M.G . R.N.V R . Senior Officer of the Ri?>-al }*i\-al Volunteer Reserve, and his wife. l.ady GweuJoien Oulnness. sailed a few weeks ago for England af ter having spoken in almost every town of any slie In Canada from Sydney aud Haiifax on the .Atlantic, to Vancouver aud Victoria on the Pacific. Their aim was to organize Ccmmlltees to secure recruits for the Overseas Division of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve, and the work which they launched and which was unreservedly helped along by the Hon Mr. llazen for the Canadian Ooverument, has already had splendid results, aud hundreds of good recruits have joined The Pendant Offe-ed by ^y^^ >;avv under the auspices of the R. N. C V. R. Lady Gwendolen Gulnneaa „ . ' , ...i , ^ ,. .i , , â- ' Before leaving. The Lad.v Gwendolen made ai^ rangemeats to have a specially designed souvenir pendant distributed through the various recruiting centres to the Mothers, or Wi\es or Sweet- hearts whos«> Influeuce had helped to secure recruit*. This pendant Is a very pre'ty one of silverâ€" gilt â€"and bears the motto "t helped to serve." The badge 1? uow. we are inXcrmed, being distributed hy the Conunlttees and will doubtless be worn by many women as a Iwdge of honor, as well as a souvenir of their teved one*. The Illustration gives some ld«a of its geueral aiipearuuce. ' . ' \ Five acres of Ontario soil near a good market can be made to easily support a family in comfort, in pota- toes alone the returns would rui-. un- der ordinary prices, nt from $100 to $200 per .^cre. From $400 to $500 per acre can be made from cauli- flower. Many people will be inclined to regard these figures as exaggerat- ed, but they are facts, and many cases can be pointed out to substantiate our statements. With j-roper soil treatment, the average garden will produce at least a half more than it now does. Several things must be borne in mind, how- ever, to make a success with garden crops, such as onions, potatoes, cab- bage, etc. The soil must be suitable. cultivation must be thorough, varie- ties the best for the district and the market, and good salesmanship. The plot selected for the garden should be well drained, and must not be shaded to any extent. Drainage takes away surface water rapidly, and keeps the soil water away from the surface, thereby allowing the roots to grow deep and the air to cuter the soil and aid in devomp<.>sing it. Fertil- ity is another most important feature. The need for fertiliter is shown 'oy low growth and pale color in the plants. Stable manure, bone meal, or good commercial fertlliier should be used to renew the elements required by the soil. Germination. Crcps are often lost through the failure of the seeds to germin.ite. Don't blame your seetisman for this. It is usually because in planting the soil is left loose about the tiny seeds, and the dry atmosphere penetrates to them, shrivelling them up until all vitality is destroyed. Vegetable crops as a rule are sown in rows, and In every case, as soon as the seed is sown, it should be pressed down in the drill with the foot, then covered up level by the back of u r-';-', i': -vn lengthwise v^'f the drills, and again tirmeii by the roller or back of a spade. For want of this sunple pre- caution, perhaps one-iuarter of alt seeds sown fail to germinate. .Again. for the sane reason, when setting out plants of any kind, be certain that the soil is presse'i close to the root. We have seen whole acres of caulifl'>wer, cabbage anii strawberry plants lost solely th-'igh I'eglcct of this precau- tion. Value of Kotation. In order to secure maximum yields, and to keep down weeds, the system- atic rotation of farm crops is ..n ac- knowledged necessity. Why not, therefore, plan the varieties of vege- tables and their planting time •so a.« to â- secure a continuous and abun.lant supply of good, fresh green things'? It is just as easy as any other nie-h'>d of garden management. anJ. it is m.icb more satisfactory For example a crop of rad:she<. tur- nips, spmach or lefuce sown \'.\ -Vpril, will have ripened so that the ^rround can be cleared, dug up, and manured^ and again used by the first of -Tunej when such crops as cucumbers, peas, tomatoes, or sweet corn can be plant- ed, and so tiv\ all through the list. ' The crops should be moved around fvv^m year to year, so as to sive the soil a chance to recuperate. Where a number of successive plant- ings are desirable, as with peas, it is jan excellent plan to nlan: a third or fourth crop between the rows of the ' first ciop, removing the vines of the first crop as soon as the pens have \ been picked. The obscrv ance ot the foreifoing^ suggestions, along with instructions for planting, which most reliable seevismcn supply with purchases of seeds a'ld plants, should enable any , thoughtful and ambitious pers^^n to- make a success of growing thv com- mon and most popular summer vejfe-