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arm G^P QsSOl?;^^ <?»= «.:-Jrf« Conducted by Professor Henry G. BeB The object of this departrrent It to place at the ser- vice of our farm readers tho advice of an acknowledged authority on all aubjects pertaliMnjj 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 a •tamped and addressed envelope be enclosed with the question, when the answer will be mailed direct LAST OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE FALL WHEAT YIELDS. Early reports of fall wheat condi- fertilizers are better top-dressers for tions in Ontario are not promising, wheat. Use manure to better ad- Thaws have removed the protecting vantage on other crops, coat of snow. Frosts have done con- High Prices Warrant Heiping The siderable damage by "heaving". Much wheat was plajited late and this copuled with lack of moisture delayed germination. Jirsezing and thawing csnse the ;t7hest plant to "hatvs" and thus break off the roots as Ulastrated above. Plants ia this condition need a top- drastlnft of quickly svailsble plantfood to promote the early ^'o^t"- o{ aavt. rootM. The sum total of bad conditions means much weak wheat. The ac- companying diagram illustrates just how heaving injures wheat. It breaks off much of the central root supply and in maiiy cases leaves poorly at- tached small outlying roots only, 'to carry sufficient food for the grow- ing crop. Even these roots are fre- quently dislodged from their firm hold, and are rendered totally inadequate to moot the usual needs of crop feed- ing. ,Fceclinff Wheat Like Feeding Calves Wea.k calves, colts or pigs require great attention and must have care- ful feeding if they are to outgrow the handicap of their inferior start. Just so "with weakened wheat. When whe-At is germinating, as long as the tiny kernel lasts there is not need for an outside supply of manure or fertilizers, but just as soon as the food supply inside the parent kernel ig exhausted, the plant must get food from the .soil. If many of the tiny roots have been broken off the plant will bi! starved , If the plantfood supply in the soil is short the result again will be starvation. How To Help Wt'eat Wliat the Ontario farmer wants to know at the present time is how to heal the wheat wounds and produce as strong and vigorous a crop as pos- Wheat Top-dressing with' fertilizers is a common practice in Europe. Director Hall and many ct^ier European au- thorities recommend top-fertilizing. Many Ontario farmers of British ex- traction will remember top-dressing their wheat with sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda. Unfortunately the food of cannon is the food of plants. The result is that the supply of sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda is short . Blood, tankage and other nitrogen carrying by-products (which are rendered available in mak- ing fertilizers) are used in fertilizers with the present supply of nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia. Proper Application Very Important Proper application is the key to best results from top-dressing. Fertilizers are concentrated soluble plant food. To be of greatest service they must be distributed evenly and dissolve read- ily in soil moisture. Many success- ful wheat growers distribute fertiliz- ers on wheat, through the wheat drill fertilizer attachment. This is done as soon as the ground is dry enough to drive over. The hoes or disks are not let down, consequently they do not injure the growing wheat. Drilling ib done with the rows and not across them . If you do not, have a fertilizer drill, apply fertilizers with a lime spreader. Good results have been obtained by following an application of fertilizer, with a light harrowing. If you have an adjustable harrow, set the teeth back at an angle of about 45 degrees. This prevents dragging out the wheat. Light harrowing breaks the soil-crust and works the fertilizers into the soil. If the wheat has heaved badly, it is a good^jwactice to roll it lightly be- fore harrowing. Good Results From Top-Dressing One big advantage of top-dressing is that it practically insures a good glass and clover catch . If you have seeded your wheat with a grass mix- ture there is readily available plant- food for the tiny grass plants to^^feed upon, and a satisfactory stand is near- ly always secured. W'heat yiekis have been increased all the way from 14 to 18 bushels per acre by fertilizing as indicated. Ohio Experiment Station recommends broadcasting in the spring 200 to 300 pounds of fertilizer pei' acre. ^ so doing they have obtained 13.2 bushels Greater Crop Yields In 1918 If you cannot Increase the area of your fields In crop you can Increase the yields by means of proper fertilization. An Increase of 8 bushels per acre in wheat yields In Ontario this spring would mean Sy,, millions of bushels more food grain. This Increase was reported In 1917 by the Ontario Agricultural Colleg* a« a result of top dressing wheat In the spring with eult- nble fertlUaer. The Caiiediau Fertilizer Associatloin annouuces the establieh- ment of Us Soil and Crop Improvement Bureau, under the direction Of Henry G. Bell, (a native of Ontario, and graduate of Ontario Agricultural College), formerly Professor of Agronomy at the (Inl- ^'erslly of Maine. The pui-pose of the Bureau is to collect and disseminate prac- tical infonnatlou regarding soil tillage,' fm-tlllty managftmeni and orop production. The Bureau, co-operates with all organlzatlone working for the betterment of Canadian Farming. Write for bulletin, "How to Increase Ontario Crop YieUh." Soil and Crop Improvement Bureau OF THE Canadian Fertilizer Association L 1111 Temple Building Toronto Cnuuniod JJy tln^ JKeOim. JjuJ Mothers and daughters of all ages are cordially invited to write to this department. Initials only will be published with each question and Its answer as a means of identification, but full name and address must be given in each letter. Write on one side of paper only. Answers will be mailed direct if stamped and addressed envelope is enclosed. Address all correspondence for this department to Mrs. Helen Law, 235 Woodbine Ave., Toronto. A USEFUL IMPLEMENT IN ROAD MAKING There are many miles of roads which must be maintained by some means, more or less inexpensively. On the Dominion Experimental Farms, the split-log-drag is found to be one of the most useful implements for this purpose. It is now in use in many localities and an increasing mileage of the rural highways of this country is being kept in repair economically by the use of this simple implement. A dry, sound red cedar log is the best material for a drag, the hard woods being usually too heavy for this purpose. The log should be from seven to eight feet long and from ten to twelve inches in diameter and care- fully sawn down the middle. The heaviest and best slab should be selected for the centre, both flat sides to the front and set on edges thirty inches apart, giving the back half a set-back of sixteen to eighteen inches at the right end so that when the drag is drawn along at an .angle par- j allel to the ditch on the right side of j the road, the end of the back half; will be directly behind the front half, i as otherwise the ditch end of the rtar 'â-  slab would stick out past the ditch ' end of (he front slab, crowding into the bank and interfering with the ' proper working of the drag. Two cross-pieces are wedged in two-inch auger holes bored through ' the slabs and on the right hand side a piece of scantling is inaertod be- \ tween the ends of the slabs. This is \ of great value in strengthening and 1 stiffening the end of the front slab. In working a clay or gumbo road it is advisable to put iron on the lower edge of both flat sides. Handles may be attached to a piece of iron similar | to a piece of wagon tire, the irons to be hinged to the back of each end of the front slab. By pressing the handles the d)ag could be raised, thus depositing a load of dirt which is de- sired to lill a hollow or increase the crown at some ))articuiar spot. A platform of inch boards held to- gether by three cleats should be plac- ed on the stakes between the slabs. These boards should be spaced at least an inch apart to allow any earth that may heap up and fall over the front slab to sift through upon the road again. The end cleats should be placed so that they will not rest upon the cross stakes, but drop inside them. These cleats should extend about an inch beyond the finished width of the platform. An extra weight may be added if necessary but it is seldom needed . To use the drag,*^ttach a chain to the - left cross-piece which is behind the front slab, running the other end of the chain through tho hole in the front slab near the right end. It is a mistake to hook this end of the chain over th" front slab as in the case of the other end for when the drag strikes a stone or snag there is groat danger of toppling forward. With the right end of the chain drawn through the hole in the slab as sug- gested, tliis danger is entirely obviat- ed. The operation of the drag is very simple though there are many fine points that may be .learned by experi- ence. For ordinary smoothing pur- poses, the drag may be drawn up and down the road one or two rounds commencing at the edge and working towards tho centre. Usually it is drawn at an angle of about 45 de- grees. For the last stroke or two tho drag may be drawn backward with the round side of the slab to the front and with comparatively little angle. There are two stages when roads will drag and one when you cannot du a job satisfactorily. The first stage is when they are in a very sloppy con- dition in spring or in other seasons after a heavy rain. S. road may then be shaped up wonderfully well, and flfter the surface has a chance to dry a little, before it is cut up with traf- fic, it will make a smooth, fine road. Dragging at this stage fills ruts and send.s the water to the ditches. After this soft stage, comes a sticky stage when the mud will roll up luuier the drag and the road cannot be reduced to a satisfactory condition. After this again, when the surface ap- proaches a crumbly texture, the drag may be used very successfully. -Ex- perimental Farms Note. Betty Brown: -What a delightful time of year for a birthday! Yes, ,,mftple bonbons would be especially ap- propriate at your party, and here are some excellent recipes: Maple Bonbons. â€" Two cups mai^le syrup, one cup milk, one teaspoonful grated lemon, pinch of cream of tar- tar. Put those in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring consequently until it turns to wa>t, then add lommon or nuts, if j5reforred, spread on buttered platter, and roll into little balls. Maple Fig Bars. â€" Two cups gratod maple sugar, one cup chopped figs, cup milk. Boil half an hour, slowly, cool and cut into bars. A delicious sweet meat. Maple Raisin Drops â€" One cup raisins, one of shaved maple sugar, half cup sweet cream. Drop from spoon on buttered paper, brown in j oven. Maple Popcorn. â€" Two cups maple sugar, half cup water, teaspoonful i bitlter. Boil hard for four or five! minutes, or until it strings from the spoon . Put four quarts of freshly popped corn in a vessel, and pour the! thick, hot syrup over it. vStii- well, and form into balls. Many pre-j fer to add a tablespoonful of vinegar to the syrup. | Maple Sugar Cake. â€" Beat half a' cup of shortening to a cream, add one cup maple sugar, crushed by the rolling-pin, two eggs well beaten, two cups wheat flour, heaping, teaspoon- ful baking powder, small teaspoonful soda dissolved in half cup milk, toa- spoonf\d ginger. Bake in a pan about 10>,i by 7 inches for a trifle over half an hour. | This is a prime favorite with boys,' being the identical dainty which made one young pessimist break into rhyme : "I've a birthday every fall, . Nothin' spoci!4 to eat at all; Dan has a birthday every spring, ~ Maple sugar cako and everything." Caroline:â€" Yes, the standard flour' is now on ihe market, and 74 pounds of flour will hereafter be made from every hundred pounds of wheat. The slight increase of flour extracted will be true floui-. and not bran or dust. Formerly this slight amount of flour had been allowed to go into the fecd^ for aniimal consumption, but when every grain of wheat counts as it does ; now, this is far loo extravagant a , practice. The flour is not dark in color, as you had supposed . You will scarcely tiotice. the difference between the old and the new. It will be simply pure flour as taken from the wheat berry, purified and sifted ex- actly as in tlie pa.st, but instead of several grades, all the flour will be blended together and only one brand will be on the market. It must not be supposed that because we have standard biead we must use it free- ly. That is not the intention in bring- ing it on the market. Bread must be saved just as scrupulously as ever â€" more so, in fact. The School .Jilarm: â€" Why hot have competitions among the children for the best food saving posters? Here are examples of what some other kiddies did in this coimection: "Be canny with food." "Peel thin i nd win." "Spread butter thin â€" Help the sol- diers get Berlin."' "Bread and buns will beat the Huns." "Every spud is a bullet." "Save bacon until Berlin is taken." "Wise wives won't waste." "The kitchen is your fort." "Little savings in the preparation of meals all count for your country. Kill Kaisorism in the kitchen." And, by the way, it is to be hoped that you arc planning to have a school garden this year. Every rural school should have one and it will be an inspiration ,to the children as ^vell as being a very practical wi'.y of in- creasing the food resources of the country. Miss Primrose: â€" The boys are lin- ing up to help you, though. This ia enrolment week for the Scddiers of the Soil and you will fiiul that by the time help is needed on your father's far/n there will be plenty of youthful volunteers who are this year to take the place of the men in khaki. The farms of Canada are now the second line of defence in the Great War and it would never do to let them suffer for lack of recruits. The 1918 anny of soldiers will be paid regular wages and each boy who spends three months at farm work will be pi'esent- ed with a bronze badge of honor. The Canada Food Board is directing the raising of this army and the farmers can count on the boys for the forth- coming season. The Duke of Devon- shire has given his support to the movement and has made a direct ap- peal to the boys, as follows: "I con- fidently appeal to the boys of Canada to make the best use of their brains and muscles and to do their part ir bringing victory to our cause." INTERNATIONAL LESSON .'V'^RIL 7 HOW TO INCREASE WHEAT YIELDS- The cut illustrates how fertilizer applied as s top-dressinft causes the wheat plant to "stool out" and produce more stems and heads, thus increasing tha yield. There ia still time to tepidnss this y«ar'> crop. top-dressing winter wheat just as i per acre increase as an average of soon as the ground is dry enough to j twenty-three years test. In co-opera- work . Plantfood for top-dressing i tive tests conducted by the Ontario should 1)6 readily digestible, just like j .Agricultural College in 19 IG there whole-milk for young calves.. That it, | was a gain of 8.3 bushels per acre ol* tljc top-dresser should contain at least i wheat obtained where winter wheat 3 per cent, quickly available ammonia ' was top-dresse.l with complete ferli- and 8 to 12 per cent, available phos-llizers in the spring. Such a gain on phoric acid. Ammonia or nitrogen winter wheat in Ontario would net causes early stalk growth and phos- over five and a half million bushels in- phoric acid supplies strengthening ' crease. I and maturing food just where the I Laiesc reports indicate that the' plain, senc's up shoots for the bcarmg j price secured for wheat during the "**, • , „!last few months will be maintained if The ammonia or nitrogen supply of j ^q^ increa.sed this- year. | soil has to wait upon soil warming up, • , . . ,," ',,,.,! 80 that the millions of soil bacterial ^'^''"'^^ ,Z""' '•"lT^'^^^'" ."/ ^'f can change the nitrogen-carrying con- 1 ^'''^'»*'-''"V''"""" '" '•^"«-!'9; ^^'^^ o"ly situei.ts of soil to forms that the ' I* "^^'^^'-j^^^' «"l'P'>' "vailablo in the plant can use; hence the advantage! y'"^''. K'ng.lom, so that, prospects of applyhijf available nitrogen which ! ^<^'" ^ ''^^'^ ''''"^"'"' ^'"- "^'^^ ""P ''^^ immediately strengthens and invigor- I only clhim . The Greek also was in- ! eluded . 28. The dogs under the table-- I Dogs are seldom mentioned in Scrip- I tuie except in terms of contempt but it is usually the street dog, tho out- ! cast animal which infests Oriental I cities as scavengers. The Jews allnd-j ed to the Gentiles as dogs. The dog here alluded to is the little house | ^ dog, likely to be under the tjible at I the family meal. Y'ea, Lord:, even Lesson Lâ€" .Icsus Sets Men Freeâ€" 'the dogs under the table eat of the Mark 7. 1-37. tiolden ' children's crumb.s.--"It is as if she T«-« T„i, a oc said -1 grant, Lord, that the meal is text, Jonn ». 6b. | jg,, tj,^. f„n,iiy and that tho children] Verse 24. The borders of Tvre and j '""st. be fed. But are not the dogs; Sidonâ€" Jesus' purpose in going so »'so of the house, and is therr not al.«o far, and into Gentile territory, seems something for t.hem in their turn?'. to have been for retirement, which 1 She does not think of contradictint; we mav infer from the statement "He ' J'''*""' ''"^ accepts what he says as would have no man know it." The ! •-''"<-'' "'"' turns it into an argument in hostility of tho .Jewish loaders was i '"vor of her appeal." growing in (iajileo, and the multitude ! 29. For this saying- Matthew nieii- WHS increasing in onthusia.sm, so for I tions tho greatness of her faith as tho a time he would get away. These two reason that Jesus granted her rc- Phoeniciaii cities figure prominently | (|iiest . He shows how Jesus met her ill biblical history. They were great first by silence, then by refusal, and centres of commerce antl culture, but ; finally by seeming reproach (Matt, at the time of Christ had lost much of , lo I. Over (his apparent rebutf her thtir ancient importance. He could faith triumphed. She was willing to not be hid The report of his great | take the bunibicst position and take works had penetrated even (o these the sligh(cs( favor, anything-, so that remote parts. 25. Straightway a woman -.Vt once, when it became known that he was in her little (laughter might be cured. .SO. Founil the child laid upon (he bed, and the demon gone out -Her ates the young crop before the soil supply becomes available. Manure distributed very finely : hicreased makes a good lop-dresser. However, ' obtained, the nitrogen of manure has to await bacterial acti(in in order to make it readily available to crops, just the same as has the nitrogen of the soil. It is hard to distribute manure even- ly. Manuj'e gives better results on cultivated crops such as corn and sible. He can accomplish this by roots. There is usually a shortage of manure, and manuvc is not well bal- anced for wheat even greater ih.Tu tliey were last year. This is your Inst opportunity to in- 1 crease the yield of 19 IS winter wheat. ciop.s this spring can be 'the way to oblain them is j to top-dre.ss winter wheat with ferti- lizers carrying .'! to .') per cent, avail- I able ammonia and S t<> 12 per cent, 'available photphoiie acid. FERTILiZER PAYS Batter than ever. Write for Bulletin ONTARIO FERTILIZERS, LIMITED For these reasons 'WEST TORONTO CANADA the noighlxuhiind, the scchisioii which faith had il.s reward. The uoinon was he sought was broken in upon by a gone, (hougii the child was not yet suppliant. . j recovered from the exhaustion of the , 2«i. .A Greek, a Svro|»h»eiiiciari â-  P"»ession. It will bo noted that it Matthciv describes her. as a ('ana-|^"'s not the fai-.h of the sufferer but. anitish woman, .^lu; belonged to the the faith of the mother uhicli here' Phoenicians of the -Roman province â-  was honored. This is one of three of .Syria. Though a Phoenician, she' instances of heiding at a distance, spoke Greek. Besought him Matthew I The nobleman's son (John 4. â- 1(1-541 tells us that she adjiiied him by the ami the centurion's servaiir (Luke 7. title "Son of David" to have mercy' l-IOl are the two olhurs. | on hor. Through the Jews in the' ,11. He went oir from (h.> borders vicinity she hud doubtless become ac- , of Tyre "Having c(,nie out of Calilee (luainteil with their Messi:iiiic ex- : for retiienient, the perio, manco of pectations and with ;he name ".Sen of this miracle with the inevitable ifath- David." "Her use of this title would cring of the populace aioumi him not necessarily mean lliat she had ac- deicmined Jesus lo leave the neigh- cepted the .T'.wish IMe.ssianic hope, or; i,urhoo(l of Tyre f..r o.her regions that she had a rehgio„s (aith in Jesus f„rthcr removed from the border and as the Messiah; but that she adonted ; therefore more liU-dv uivo him th.. sot- thc title bestowed upon h:m by bis j ^j^^ rttircment he miodod." Through counlrymen as a way of approach to yi,,„„ j„.,„ ^,,^ v^,,,, ,,f (i„,i,oc -This him ui her need. | ^^,„,,,, ,„^j ,,;,„ n,.,,,,^,,,^,! „,„„^, j,,,, '27. Le'. tho ehddror, Iiim be filled ; toa-t th.ough tho city of Siduii, thoiii â€"This is tho principle on which his j southca'.lward over s.purs of the mission was to proceed. '1 he Jev.- had, l.elianoii mountains ii difficult juw. thing of the details of this journe.v nor of any incidents un the way. There must have been some reason for such a detour, ivhich ended not as we \vi)ulil suppose, at his favorite lake home, Ciipornaum, but which led around to the other side of the lake through the borders of Decapolis. 32. One that was deaf, and had an inipedimsnt in his speech^ â€" This re- gion was the one from which he had been practicall.v expelled some time before, but now he is received quite differently, and exercises his healing power upon the deaf mute. Thoy beseech himâ€" This is one of the eases where the sufferer is brought by his friends to Christ. They had be- sought Jesus to leave their region, now they seek his gracious help. 33. Took him aside â€" Usually his cures wore performed before the peo- I pie. In thi case, for reasons not i stated, a less public treatment was | necessary. Instead of the cure be-| iiig imniodiate he now uses means--- the tlirnsting of his lingers in the! oars, the si>it.lle, and touching his, tongue . These were no doubt sim- 1 ply visible signs to help the man's j faUh. j 34. Looking up â€" .•Vs whoiuhe brake: the bread in the feeding of th$ multi- tude. Sighed â€" Or groaned. The only time when this word is used in the (Gospels. .An c.xpressiiui of Jesus" i deei> sympathy. Ephphuthii â€" Like talitha cumi, this is an original -Vraniaic word, treasured as having been used by Jesus. 30. Spake phiin â€" No stjimmeiing or stuttering now. WIi'c'i iiidica'cJ thai ho cou'.d •.] oak articuit'luly and at oicc. The cure was coinpl* te. I :)i). The m »•.. he charged then,, so, much the more a groat deal they' publisiied it. --"The command to sil- ence liad been earnestly and repeated- â-  ly laid upon them. In their excite-! meat they disregarded it, and the! more the charge was urgod the more' did it stimulate their zeal to proclaim tho work." They tilled the iieighbor« hood with the good nows. j 37. He.vond measure. ".V very, stroiij; word of which this is tho one! occurrence in the New Testament. The impression produced in all cases, by our Lcird's mighty wurks was in ihif CH.sc, and among these half pagan i people, far greater than ever." Hu | hath done all things well- -He his' cvorywhi'ic disiribut*;tl his works of mercy aiul has boon successful in' Lvoiylhing. . This cure stands mit for the com-| nnrativo privai;y in which it was per-. fi-rnu'cl lUHJ for the mani'e.statioii of, intense feeling on tho iiart of Jesus. S/oms \ Lively (>ame. -Alarblc time is here at last, Morry times for you; Even March and .April clouds Play at marbles, too. First they take some drops of rain, Green and red and bliu^, Where the dancing sunbeams send Sparkles through and through. Then they hang them in the sky Where the winds that blow Kreer.e them ban! and smooth and round, And as cold as snow. Then they roll them through tho air To the earth below; -And tho little children ask, "How <io hailstones grow'.'" The I'u/.zk' of Legs. One Leg was idle, And doing not a thing; .Along came Two Logs And tied him with a string. He whirled about on Three Legs, When in through the door Came Four Legs a-flying. And tipped him to tho floor. Does it seem a pu.i/.le? Read tho tale again. When you know the answer It is very plain. Just a top is One Lag. Now, of course, you see, .\ boy, a stool and Rover -Are ilie other three. SkurOain the first claim, but his was not the i icy of icvcral diiio. We have no- m^ih- What Are Thej ? Side by side, in summer weather, Pivo littie males ran out together; Haio and free in the sunshine sweet. Brown and strong and merry and fleet On tho greensward soft they frolicked and played, Hut apart from each o'hor they never strayed. They were one in friendship ami glad endeavor. The five littU- mate.- who qimrrelled never. Five liltlo mates, in wintry weather, Side by side sat down togeihof; Crowded close in a tiity room, I.oft to (hcmselvos in the dusky giOom, They lived in love, no little brother I'ushing unkindly against another, -Ami ibey lived in hope. Cir (he/ thought V, ilh glee. When bedtime conies wo arc all sot free. ;<i!a^>)«M^'j