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-^# «• • <' l» ^rm (rop CW^s ri*-^,^''' 'Z^^^l. Conducted by Professor Henry G. Bell. ^iiir'i-mSik' The object of this department l« to place at the •ervlce of our farm reader* the advice of an acknowl- edged authority on all aubjects pertaining to soils and crops. Address all questions to Professor Henry G. Bell, in care of The Wilson Publishing Company, Limited, To- ronto, and answers will appear In this column In the order In which they are received. As space Is limited It Is advisable where Immediate reply is necessary that â-  stamped and addressed envelope be enclosed with the question, when the answer will be mailed direct. Henry U. Bell. Questionâ€" W. K. : â€" I have a meadow seeded down last spring, but, owing to the extreme wet, followed by a drought, there is only half a catch. The clover mostly lived but the timo- thy is nearly all dead. Should I plow them up in the Spring, or would it be advisable to go over the g^round with a drag harrow and sow timothy by hand? Answer: â€" If the clover has lived •through the winter in sufficient quantities I would advise re-sow^ing timothy seed in the spring and at the same time top-dressing the seeding with well-rotted manure or about 200 pounds of fertilizer. The fertilizer ghjuld be high in ammonia. I think you would do well also to add three pounds of meadow fescue grass per acre. This is a rapid-growing grass and should make a valuable addition to your meadow. After this has been applied I believe it would be advisable to harrow the seeding light- ly, making sure to harrow it with the grain drill rows instead of across it. If the spring is normal this should get you a good catch and make a satis- factory seeding. Question â€" M. L. S.:â€" I purchas- ed a farm on which only 6 acres were plowed and part of this was done two years ago and left to grow to weeds. A small part of the field was planted to potatoes, but it also is very weedy. The land has had vui-y little manure in the last five years. Plowing fori spring crops must be done this spring ^ as we were unable to do any plowing last fall. We purpose sowng bar- j ley and oats, and would like to know whether it is advisable to seed this j land with clover this spring or plow ; the stubble after the grain is harvest- j ed and seed to rye, and then sow the 1 clover a year from this spring. We have no barn-yard manure to apply tO] , the land . Answer: â€" In my opinion it would be well to seed your barley and oats with clover this spring. The soil is evidently run dou-n and you should, as soon as possible, establish a system of cropping where you could plow under a second crop of clover. This will add organic matter, or humus, to the I soil and will also make some addition of nitrogen. In order to make sure ' of a satisfactory catch of clover and , at the same time greatly assist your , barley and oats seeding it would be well to apply 200 to 300 pounds of fertilizer to the acre at the time of seeding the crop, since you have no I barn-yard manure to apply to your land. This fertilizer should carry at least two to four per cent, ammonia and fiom six to eight per cent, avail- able phosphoric acid . It will not only help the grain crop but will do a gn-eat deal to insure a satisfactory stand of clover. yQi/r " CbrnducCaf^ 6x J*ffk> J(ei£.-ri Jour ^ Mothers and daughters of all ages are cordially Invited to write to thl« department. Initials only will be published with each question and Ita answer as â-  means of Identification, but full name and address must b* given in each letter. Write on one side of paper only. Answers will b« mailed direct if stamped and addressed envelope Is enclosed. Address all correspondence for this department to Mrs. Helen Law. 78 Castle Frank Read, Toronto. 'H ©'UMOCKWOOD VJNOEHwtSoif-^'- ''' Tr«n» •9' PHOTOCRAPH Their Fathers are Fighting For R Here are two little Belgian refugees two of thousands upon thousands whose fathers have answered the call of duty and are lighting Avilh their .Allies for the liberty of peaceful na- tions. Those fathers diil net wait to count the cost or to find out how much help they were going to receive from outside their borders. They perhaps believed that great nation.s like Britain and Frajice would not stand by and see them crushed, and that the people of these wealthy and friendly countries would not iillow their children and their wives to starve while they were a\vay. But .all that they really knew wa.s that they heard the call of duty and rallied to their King. Of course their faith in the nations who guaranteed their neutrality was not misplaced unless they had faith in Germany. Great Britain and France did rally to their side and with them are putting an end to the Teuton dream of World conquest. .\nd their children and their wives have not been allowed to starve. The two shown ight. SHALL THEY STAKVE ? in the pi''ture. healthy and happy en- ough, arc in England, at Stretham. So are many others, and it is compara- tively a simple matter to care for them. But there are left in Belgium more than have been or can be takyn to England. What of them ? The Belgian Re- lief Committee has answered that question most efficiently. It has fed ihem ever since they were driven from their homes to shift for themselves. It he:* been enabled to do this through the response of Canadians, with the people of the Motherland and the United States, to the oall of the Bel- gians' need. The Committee's need.s grow great- er rather than less as long as Ger- many rules the occupied parts of Bel- gium, and so long as the need lasts the friends of freedom-loving Belgium are asked to open their heartj and loosen their purse-strings. Contribu- tions should be sent direct to tlie Central Beligan Relief Committee, 59 St. Peter Street, Montreal, or to the branches in each lovalitv. The hen that gets cold feet through exposure these raw d&ys is apt to give her ma.ster cold feet when it comes to marketing her eggrs. Keep the hens in till the ground is warmer. When you turn chickens out for a run during mild days, throw some meat nraps, which are too large for them to swallow, within their reach. The ones that are lucky (?) enough to secure a morsel will be chased by the others, thus affording abundant exercise for all. The egg-laying season among geese practically begins in March, although frequently eggs will be dropped in .January and February â€" much depend- ing upon the age of the geese and the condition of the weather. An abtlominal pouch of great size indicates great age, a pointer well worth remembering in purchasing breeding birds. If you want to know what hen ma- nure will do for fruit, plant some plum trees in the yard where hens run . Trees that bore very few plums, and none that were sound, have been made to bear bushels of fruit, just by letting hens run around them at will. A pound of meal before the cow freshens is worth as much as three -tMWids after she freshens. Water basins, with a supply of wa- ter always before the cows, means less i labor in milking and a greater quant- ity of milk in the pail. Cows fed a ration composed largely ol silage produced 17 per cent, more milk and 28 per cent, more butter fat than those given a ration consisting mainly of grain. i Let your cows know you and study their wants. A finely bred dairy \ cow is a sensitive and high-strung animal and quick to respond to kind < and considerate treatment. \ So far as possible turn the water out of your barn-yard, so that the \ cows may not slip and bring on trou- i ble. j A wire barn-yard fence |is pretty \ cold comfort for a cow oi\ a raw March day. Cold and comfort are not on speaking terms in the dairy. The sire which has brought you , good calves is worthy of the best care you can give him. Chronic swellings, pulTs, etc., which wvyvtp • ijn** Omv PPl Pr'TIAM are usually a sequel to some acute cm /I ly J^ttU ^tLtt 1 IUN disease or injury, have their beginning â-  ^ â- â€¢" ^ *''^-"' k/ »*»*«%/ a aw* i soft, in enlargement, either hard or without pain or heat. The remedy is either repeated Wist- 1 ering or the use of absorbents, as the ' daily application with smart friction of a little of a liniment made of 4 drams each of i<Kiine and iodide of, potassuim and 4 oz. each of alcohol and glycerine. Begin fitting the work horses for^ xo Uie Britiah uaUoii potatoes con- the heavy spring tasks before the .... ... , . y x, â-  etitute oue of the great articles of work begins. " After a winter of comparative idle- '1^«»' History reconls the (il...a«ter of ness it is unwise and unprofitable to the (real pota.to orop in Ireland, and put a team in heavy work without pre- 1 the present shoruge gives Uio nritlsh- paration. er of to-daj- aii Idea of the Importance Now that heavy plowing is about to of this oouimou but veo' valuable start, remember that prevention is the -crop. AND DISEASE CONTROL E. F. A.: â€" 1. Vegetables are more wholesome and better flavored when steamed than they are when boiled or fried . Besides, there is much less waste than in boiling, as much of the nutrition of the vegetables is thruwn away with the water in which they are boileii. The water should be saved an(r used in soups. 2. If linen is moistened along the line the threat is to be pulled, the task of pull- inu: threads is easier. 3. k large pah- of scissors is a convenient kitchen tool, especially in preparing lettuce and other vegetables. Of course, they must be thoroughly washed, as are other utensils, after every using. 4. When plaster cracks, add enough vine- gar to plaster of paris to make a mix- tvire like thick putty, fill the crack, and smooth off with a knife. If water is used the plaster hardens too quick- ly. 5. Before .storing a stovepipe away for the summer, rub it well with coal oil, stuff the ends with newspaper to keep out any moisture, and there will be no rust in the autumn. R. S.: â€" 1. There is a clear aml)er shade between yellow and brown that' would be e.\Jellent for tne walls of your living-room with the Northern , exiwsure. Have the ceiling of a deep ivory tone, dropped down to meet ' the picture moliiing which should also be deep ivory. Plain oatmeal paper is best for walla which are to serve as a background for pictures. With plain walls one may have figured madras curtains, but hemstitclied scrim in ecru or cream would make very suitable curtains for this room, and scrim wears and launders better than madras. Dip the ecru curtains in strong tea and dry in the .shade. .-V' suitable rug would have the ixmber shade of the walls mingled with blue and term cotta. 2. Subdued colors are always most restful. I would not advise papering any room i." red as it Is considered by physicians to be very trj'ing on the nerves. Ji. Vcs, Not- tingham curtains are sati.-ifactiry. especially if you possess curtain stretchers. Thev cio not iron Aeil. 4. The tendency is towards simplicity in house furnishings now, as few* draperies, cushions and ornamenLs ac possible, and ail articles are intended for use and not merely for show. It certainly lessens the housewife's task of cleaning, and is conducive to th« family health . H. D. : â€" 1. The trenches on the western front extend about T.iO miles. 2. Probably "The New Housekeep- ing," by Mrs. C. Frederick, will sup- ply the information you require in household matters. 3. The Provincial Boanl of Health of Ontario will furnish you gratis a booklet, by Dr.- Helen .MucMurchy, entitled "A LiUle Talk .\bout the Baby", which you will find valuable. W. W.: â€" 1. The new collars are nearly all of th..- sailor variety and of very sheer materials such as ninen, and georgette crepe . They are hem- stitched or edged with lace or silk braid, and some have tucks or inser- tion set in. 2. Handbags are seldom of leather, but ari' elaborate aff;iirs of silk, or beads, or are knitted or crocheted in bright hues of crochet silk. You might make a round bag of a strip of siik like your dress with a circle of cardboard covered with silk' ot form the bottom, and then crochet on a top of a conlriisting color about an inch wide, through which to run a silk cord. D. V. C.:â€" When your time is limit- ed, it is best to plant flowering shrubs rather than annuals. Once carefully planted in jjood soil, the shrubs re- quire little attention and are beautiful and permanent additions to the home grounds. Some of the best ahrubs ore; Spireu vau Houeeti, Flowering -â- Vlniond, Japan Quince, Tartarian Honeysuckle, Syrintia, Lilac, Snowball, Hydrangia, Rose of Sharon. 4 These will give you u succession of bloom from .May to October. Flowering vines, such as Clematis, W'staria, Dutchman's Pipe, Trumpet Flower, and Climbing Roses, are easily cared for. It is best to buy large three- year-old plant-i. The Fourth of a Series of Five Speciul .\rlick's by Henry G. Bell, .Xjfronomist. these for next spring's seed. Plant only the best potatoes from these. Individual tuber selection Is the n.'oct elTeiHive meaiie of linprovUiK and pur!f>MDg potato seed. Tuber se- lection starts with seed of a good variety if possible, choose a number of potatoes of icoo<l tuarkelable size. . Cut each of these tubers Into four best cure for .sore shoulders m horses. i.\nv Canadians realize that almost pjf^.,,!, and plant oach four pieces If it doesn't do the horse any good one acre In 4t) under tillage In this pro- f,i„n one potato in a hill, or plant t)ie to have you say a kind word to him vluce is normally planted to potatoes. . f„ur pieces of the same potato in crop totalled as you pass, it does you good. The value of the li<U Plenty of sunlight and abundance of nearly $12,|><>0,0<K). fresh air are two prime requisites in when the Canadian potato grower any stabling proposition. considers the yield per acre he Is ob- kjield the largest The horse's feet should be washed talnlug as compared with yields In ! marketable stock occasionally with soap and water. England, Scotland, Holland, .\oj-th Bone spavin can often be traced to eastern United Slates and other parts working the colt at too tender an age, jot the w-wrld, ho must be Impreseed or fast driving over roads that are' with the opportunity ho has In Increas- slippery, or too suddenly stopping or ii^g yields jerking the colt. : xiie average yield for Ontario Is For growing colts there is no bet- less than 1(50 bus. per acre, while Kujf- ter grain ration than equal parts of land Is growing over :<oo bus. per porn and oats ground together. This acre. Hol'Aiid Jilt) bus., and Maine feed supplies the elements required \,vtfr 250 bus. per acre, for the production of fat, bone and Que of the reasons that these other â„¢"'"^'®- ports of the world are exceeding Can- ; adian yields Is that they are sele^:li]lK ' g<x!d potato seed, and not rolylug on small noudeecrlpt stock. Tliere are three grades ot seed se- lection In potatcHis. Field cholco Is Qrst. Uy fleld selection 1 moan simply watching tho growing crop to Pigs have short legs and not much see Uiat It Is a pure variety. First strength. They can't wallow around start by planting a pure vaiiet.v and in long straw. Run the straw thou save seed from all the plants through the cutting box and then scat- having the same colored flowers aud ter it about the pen, good and deep. the same characteristic spread of po- A sow that has just brought her tjito vines. Dig th« pure stock Ili-si pigs to town doesn't need much, if and cull out the small inferior pota- anything, to eat for a while. When toes. Discard these and do r.ot plant she acts as if she was getting hungry. : them for seed potatt^es. You don't make her a nice soup of wheat mid- \ save tihe calvoe of the small, wealtly dlings, bran and oats. But we need heifers in order to build up your herd, to be careful not to give too much at Don't plant siuall Inferior sto<:k and Bowels in good working order to a good time at farrowing. lead If a ewe loses her lamb, keep her milking as a foster-mother. If she objects to mother a strang« lamb, put her In a narrow stall, spe- cially prepared, until she becomes re- conciled. With gentleness, a ewe will aeon take kindly to the situation. One night out in a cold March storm may cost you several lambs and per- hi.ps take the vigor out of a nice ewe. Arc the droppings hard and like bul- lets? A little more laxative food and not quite so much timothy hay will correct this. The best physic for aheep Is wheat bran, with frequent rations of vecintablea . The humble sheep is getting a great deal of attention just now. Scarcity of wool nieana higher-priced clothing. once; better to feed often. Bad results sometimes come when pigs are due, because of disturbances in the vicinity of the sow's quarters. So far as possible give her a chance to be quiet. Hogs fill a very important place in the economic world, and will doubt expect to got good, strong, heavy yielding crops. Plant geloctlon Is the esoond step In potato improvement While the crop of pure variety potatoes Is growing, go through tho flold and mark off the strongest best plants by putting a stick in beside the growing hill. less long continue to do «o, the more j When the crop Is Hpe dig the marked especially when we succeed in reduc- 1 potatoes separately. Save for seed Ing the death rate in the hog kingdom ; only those which have the largest to a reasonable figure. j nuniber of well-formed tubers. Keep I a row When \\\v crop is ripe, dig these sister hills or plants In groups of four. Save only the potato â- â€¢families" that II umber of good Keel) the fa ml lies" separate and plant a drIU of each the second year, t'lioose again the best yieidiug, good quality stock and H good solectJon is started. A M'chlgan potato grower found a iHf- fereuce of IM bus. per acre In the crop from selected s;cck compared wit'u the crop from mi.xtHl seed grown on the same ground. Tho selected crop yielded ,S6ii bus. per acre and the mixed stock produced 250 bus. per acre. The methods of seed improvement ouilinod apply equally to early aiui late varieties. The Ont.;LrIo E.\peri- mental Cnlon has tested a groat num- ber of varieties throughout the pro- vince. Prof Zavltz reports that aa an average of 40 tests witli two leading varieties he linds Da\ies Warrior to yield 131. Hl^ bus. per acre and Kxtra Early Eureka 126. BS bus. per acre. Before planting tlie selected seed, it should be dipped In a mixture of one pound formalin aud 20 gals, water for LM minutes. This treatment will kill scab spores or seeds wlijili may bo at- uiehed to the seed tuber After this irealuiont If Uie selected stock is planted on gi'ound where potaiues have not been grown for some time. It Is likely no scab -.vlll appear on the product. Special seed stock should always bo grown on good, wellpreparod ground, and should receive careful attention while the crop Is developing. Much can be done to pr»>tect the growing crop from blight and oliier diseases, but this subject of disease contfol must ho treated In a siicceed- lug article. HE.NRY a. BELL. What About That Silii? From time to imie we iiave pointed out the advantage of having a silo. Experiments have .-liown that cows receiving some sort of succulent feed during the winter will give several pounds more milk than those fed dry roughage. Succulent feed is not only better digested than if the feed were drieil before feeding, but it uid.s in the digestion of the other fee^i that is fed as well. We must have suc- ' culent feed for profitable milk or beef production, and the question is what kind of suci'.ilent feed is best. In the Old Country roots have been the stand- by, but many farmers over there now are learning from their American brethern and considering the advis- ability of putting up silos. In this country there i.i no question which is the cheapest feed tu grow. .\t Centra! Experimental Farm, Ot- tawa, in the season of 19i:i, 17 tons of mangels were grown per acre as against 12 tons of silage. The man- gels cost .*2.14 per ton to proiluce, whereas the silage only cost $1.84 per •^in. On an average there is no rea- son why 1.') tons per acre of silage should not be produce<l. In good years as much as 2" tons per acr« should be produced. .^ ::;!o is a pay- ing proposition. Fresh milk is shipped long di.-tance» in Brazil in perfect condition in sealed' cans with inaulnttni walls, blocks of' fro:'.i'ii milk being placed in It to keep- its teinperatui%down . This is a good season to make Iit'oels and stakes and point them. They will be wanted during the season when the garden ocoupii's the full time of the itardener. Pruning young apple trees during the dormant stalo is effected at 'ess expense in vitality of the trees than the removal of twigs and branches^ during the growing season. More- over, summer pruning does not. ac-i cording to experiments, ha.stcn frui% bearing. Newly planted hotbeds will run high in temperature when the sun shines and the plants within the frame will become spindling unless enough Keep Dairy Records. 'eleven years old, who never made any Your cow that stands in the third | big record for a day or a week. But stall may have deceived you. When ; recall the fact that she stuck tn the she freshened last June very likely ; job splendidly and gave a fairly good air Is given to keep the temperature | she gave about thirty-five pounds of I mess per day right through her ten down. During bright days and at other times when the temperature is high, lift the sash a little at the bot- tom to keep the heat below 90 degrees. In ventilating at thla season be care- ful not to permit the cold air to blow directly in upon the plants, otherwise they will b« checked in their develop- ment. ft.1 ..uiiv.'&;> '. -â- â€¢ milk a day, and you thought her pos- ,' months slbly the best cow out of the eighteen ! Two actual records in an Ontario you own. But she may have dried | herd received by the Dairy Division off rather early and you overlooked j show that, with milk at $1.60, cow that fact in the light of her good flow , No. ,T brought in $72.66 from her 4,- In .Tune; you remember she was 9 641 lb. of milk and 148 lb. of fat; but years old and a fine-looking, quiet cow, ' cow No. 14 brought in from her 6,- ea»y to keep. ' 076 lb. of milk and 225 lb. of fat, just Now think of Eliza Jane, homely, ^ flOfi.SO. INTERNATIONAL LES.SON MARCH 23. Lcsf»on .Ml.â€" Jesus The NVay. The Truth, .Vnd The Life (.Review). Read John 14. 1-14. Golden Text John 14. 6. 1. The way. That Josns i.s the way to eternal life for the individual has long been the confident conviction and the triumphant experience of the church. We are now engaged in dis- covering the same thing for human society. Men have over thought an ideal community life. They have call- ed it the brotherhi>od of man, the co- operative commonwealth, the kingdom of God, and through many ages have looked for the way that led there. For this also Jesus is the way, even as for the individual. Following his teach- ings, men come to the land of their desire. The world wants peace, but it developed nationalism where he taught international brotherhood; it followed gain where lie taught service, and in such a world there is no peace. \ prominent Helji-ew recently declar- ed: "We shall never get out of war except by following the teachings of .Jesu.s." Following those teachings in a new treatment for tho criminal lias turned the enemies of society into its friends and helpers. When the nations of the earth are williTig to fol- low the same principle ot loving their enemies, of returning good for evil, will not the ssmi; transforma- tion occur in the external enemies of the state? 2. The truth. To the world of Jesus's day the truth was an ;ib»t:;;c- tion. "What is the truth?" aid Pil- ate with a sneer, thinkiir; ho '• i b ;- ; fore him only (mother splitter of, I logical hairs, but instead he hud tha^ j truth incarnate -a very different ' thing to face. The Legos- the eter«| ' nal truth- says John, became fleshij I that men could tomh it and under-' ; stand it; so that we might have withi j it the kinship of common e.tpenenc*.' I Does the world doubt that it is poa- I Bible to walk in tho wav that Jesus I showed, thai so wo might come to righteousness and brotherhood and. ! peace? Ho himself >valked in it. .A.rej his teachings a vain dream? He him- self lived the truth th.it he taught,! Does ho say that impossible thing,' "Love your enemies," and turn them! into your friends? Listen to him upon the cross: "Father, forgive them, tliey know not what thev do." The truth here is not a cold formula, but a liv- ing force. When th« nations seek after a better wo:ld-life, they cai\ walk not aione by faith, not simply by reason, but by sight. ' 8. The life. In his immortal story John Bunyan made hit- pilgrims run away from the city of destruction; crying "Life, Life, Eternal Life.'T That ie what the race needs even as the individual. The great lack of to-, day in the world is not more technique, for better living, but more power; iiotji more m.'ichinery, but more dynamic.,' There is knowledge enough to build better world tu-morrow, but not animate it. On paper to-day you caqj draw i» better coniniuiiity life than now exists in your neighborhood, bulj can you get it to-morrow to walk and act in the market place? This in what makes Jesus the great hope o^ the race. He iloes put power int<J| life foi- better living. His contact with the Father, the source of aU energy, is such that he is able tO transmit that eternal power to hui man life as none other ever has doatti it. Tho mystery is greater than outj definition. "Do" the will," he sayaLj "and ye shall know the truth." He dill the will and found 'he power. So aisgj he gives the pciMih Those who w live with him and with th« Fath doing the will in all faithfulnesi they shall know â€" men and nationi that he is the life eternal. lie J '4