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a, of ide ath full name jah 3 a means entification abla letter. Write on one fh es paper sn. rect If stamped and addressed envelope Is enclosed. - + Addre ent to: Mts! Helen*Law, successfully lieve it would be advidable to ap- [ing in fertilizer 1 ) at least 250 Ibs, of per . acre in order to insure a good vigor- ous start of this money-erop. For a gravelly loam, I would apply a fertili- zer carrying from 2 to 8% ammonia, 2% can be broadeasted with a lime spreader, but is better ap- plied through the fertilizer dropping attachment of the grain drill. 2 W. H. H.--The Maples--I have 500 acres, pasture land and 700 acres meadow. Am carrying a little over "#100 head of beef cattle, 100 hogs and 85 sheep at present. Am anxious to Le, make my land carry more. What can you suggest? Answer--If water stands on your meadows or pastures late in spring, obviously drainage is necessary. See SED ty If farmers were determined to raise 'h of their feed as possible, per- dairying would not look so down n mouth, "Animal heat" is a term loosely used, but it means something when it comes to maintaining stock in midwin- ter. It will never do to let the fire go down, however hard it may be upon the feed bin. The best way to bring cream to the 'right temperature for churning in cold weather is to put the pail in a tub of very warm water. Stir the cream constantly so it will get warm evenly. If it is overheat- ed the butter will be greasy and ™ J J i If is held too long it will be- -ecome bitter and hard to churn. No herd of cows can do well unless the supply of water is and clean. If the herd can b& watered in the stable, and help themselves, so |! much the better. A "odors. p the. pens Ww lain bright straw, mi 5 acme Fi at least 3% phosyhoris acid and 1 to ture. potash. White Clover ............ yor ~The average 10-yr. yield was 5.09 Lbs. per A. b 2 1 Algike Clover ...... Awe a Yellow Trefoil Total 24 Ibs, Go This is the time of the year that colds are most prevalent. Keep the front of the house open, but see that there are no openings in the back or side walls to cause draughts. Everybody too busy to give the hens a fresh drink, yet there is no other lit- tle chore about the farm more import- ant than watering the chickens." Fix up a sheltered corner for the early broody. bottom of the nest helps to keep the eggs warm, i A' dry atmosphere is a pretty good insurance against canker and Troup. Shun low, damp, foggy places for the poultry business. Growing birds need mineral matter in their feed a good deal more than do at have gained their full growth. Old birds are not making bone and muscle as much as they did once. But it stunts chicks and young 'get short: sity. A newspaper in the! ed , Three girl pupils who are learning farming under the ausplces of the Bduecation Committee with some little pige which are among oe mals under their charge. \ If Ontario produced in 1917 300 bus. | per. acre of potatoes on the acreage devoted to potatoes last year, she could provide one pound of potatoes a day for a whole year for a population of 8,260,000 people. Can she do it? I believe she can. Such an accom- plishment is but the result of applying methods which have "proven out" no further removed from Ontario than Aroostock Co., Maine. The yield per acre obtained in this eounty has fre- quently exceeded 300 bus. for areas not of 5 or 10 acres but on whole farms of 76 to 160 acres. Ontario for the most part has a good potato soil. The rpnge of tem- perature and rainfall during the grow- ing season is usually such as favors good yields of potatoes. Labor is very scarce, and potatoes probably require more labor than most farm crops. Nevertheless, if Ontario farmers would individually or co-operatively equip themselves with modern potato machinery, a great deal of hand labor could be avoided, and large areas handled with little more labor than it now takes to work the common 3 to b a. potato patches. There are at least five great essentials in growing this crop, each of which must be care- fully observed if big yields or first quality are to be harvested: 1st--Potato soil must be fairly open, friable, and must be well drain- Potatoes will not thrive in water- logged soil. See that the open drains are clear and the tile drains are doing their work. Plant your crop on sod land that was deeply plowed. The tu- bers swell rapidly in July. They must not be constricted by heavy, closely packed soil. Disk and harrow the seedbed till it is mellow. 2nd--Potatoes must have an abund- ance of moisture, tubers are filling. "Ah, yes!" you say, "that is just where we cannot control conditions." Are you sure you eannot eontrol the oistle- Apply, at least to a. con- sidera nt ? : Is oa ah deeply fall plowed, so that it can-eateh and retdin the great amount of water that falls upon it in the shape of snow and ' rain during winter and early spring? Is your soil well stocked with de- caying plant material--stubble, second crop clover, strawy manure--humus? It acts like a sponge, catching and holding the moisture till #t is needed. 8rd--Suitable well-bred varieties al- ways outyield mongrel' stock. Seed stock, whether early or - late, should be 'pure, otherwise there will be un- equal ripening; and frequently a vari- _in and quality whi Manure is the great ta supply. - It will supply much ne- 1d to, potato ill as to % owever, h many Fry A manure inden ca iy. 3 4 at ea . a Lh popular t : "POTATOES FOR ONTARIO ---------- The Third of a Series of Five Special Articles by Prof. Henry G. Bell. especially when the | plant |izer produces largest crops of best be- | United States Department . of -Agri- culture asks why Th American - er cannot put straw @ sa! 'use 're~{ as itis put by' the European d. (In Europe the farmer knows as well a PT a nf buing 1, CLOVER. ® especially if fresh, forms a splendid | lodging place for the spores or tiny seeds of the potato scab diseases. A! good fertilizer for potatoes' should carry from 2 to 4 per cent. of am-| monia. It is the nitrogen which forms: 82 per cent. of the ammonia, which! greatly aids the rapid and sturdy | growth of the potato vine. The potato fertilizer should also supply from 8 to 10 per cent. of available phosphoric acid. It is thes phos. acid which causes the plant to ripen and form its tubers. Before the war potato growers were using from 3 to 10 per cent. of potash in their potato plant food. It is this important food which aids the starch to form and fill out the tuber. Under present gonditions potato fertilizers had best carry 1 to 8 per cent. of potash. If you have a quantity 'of wood ashes you will do exceedingly well to scatter it on your potato seedbed and to work it into the soil. Well-stored wood ashes carries from 2 to 8 per cent. potash. How much shall you use? Prof. Zavitz at the recent conven- tion of the Ontario Experimental Union reported that as a result of 95 tests of potato fertilizers throughout the province during the last 5 years, | the experimenters obtained an aver-| out fertilizers, and 141.3 bus. per acre where 820 lbs. of fertilizer was applied, and 161.9 bus. per acre where 960 lbs. of fertilizer was. added. Dir. Woods of Maine Exp. Sta. be- gan a special fertilizer experiment in 1915 testing low potato fertilizers for Maine potatoes. On one test where potatoes followed sod he applied 1600 lbs. of fertilizer to the acre, and har- vested the following: Per A. Plot Treatment Bush, to A. 1500 1bs. fertilizer supplying nitro gén and available phosphoric ae] Ammonia 3% Avallable Phos. Acid { 3% Totash .... 424 | In applying fertilizers, as a rule not more than 400 Ibs. should be sown ! broadcast over the potato seedbed and carefully harrowed or disked into the soil before the potato drills are "struck" or the crop is planted. Of | course the potato planter, with fertil-' rizer dropping attachment deposits the | fertilizer in the row, to best advant-, age. Proper potato fertilization is un-| doubtedly the secret of big yields. It 'is the measure that British agricul- turists are so strongly advocating at made it possible for Britain's enemy to produce such quantities of potato food for man and beast. +, bth=--Control potato disease. This is the great perquisite that to- | gether with the foregoing means lar- gest yields and best quality potatoes. This paper is already long, hence we shall delay, discussion of this large subject for a subsequent article, Remember that well drained land; 'plentifully supplied with® humus, en-| riched with suitable available fertil- | quality potatoes, if good seed is plaht- ed and"care is taken to control dis- ease and insect pests. + 2 STRAW: AS-FODDER. - + i+ In effect, a:recent bulletin: of the Ug age yield of 122.4 bus. per acre with- B priate by wibooup, | ress all correspondence for this depa Castle Frank Road, Toronto. ¥ 55: "Business Girl:i--1. It is impossible to mix business with pleasure suc- cessfully> = All day in an office ard all evening at the social game burns the candle at both ends, and spells di . An 1 dissipation is stimulating to all of us, and the tem- porary loss of sleep it entails can be made up; it is the canstant drain that tells. 2. If a girl who is entertaining another girl at her home receives an invitation to a party, she may with perfect propriety ask the hostess for permission to bring her guest. Violeg:--1. A cup of hot water or cocoa taken before retiring will sooth the nerves, and induce sleep. 2. For a sallow skin; eliminate sweets, pas- tries, rich gravies, fried foods, fat meats, and use fruits and green vege- tables as much as possible, Drink two glasses of water (hot) on rising, two more about 11 o'clock, two in the early evening and two before retiring. Mrs. L. H.:--1, Probably lack of flavor in the meat is due to the manner of cooking. Have the oven very hot at first, then the meat will be seared on the outside, and this will keep the juices in. temperature of the oven can be con- siderably lowered. Steaks and chops should be put into very hot pans, and turned quickly, then temperature low- ered. Meat should be seasoned jyst before it has finished cooking. 2. Scrambled eggs become watery when 4. 3 After twenty minutes the [lines | EVER = they are allowed to cook too long. Teacher:--The "Teutonic" occupied by the Allies is about 748,% 860 square miles, including ca] colonies. ~The "Allied" territory oc« cupied by the Central Powers is about 125,000 square miles. 4 Mrs. B. K.:--An emery wheel on & sewing machine is most useful for sharpening knives and lead Get a roll of half-inch adhesive from the drug store, cut off a just long enough to reach around the small wheel of the machine and press it firmly to the metal. - Next, cut & strip of fine emery cloth the same 3 length and width and glue to the tape, then wind the wheel all around with a strip of tape or muslin to hold in place until the glue is dry, which will take a day or so, when it may be removed. When worn out another strip of emery cloth 'can be glued over the first. When using the emery wheel adjust as for filling a bobbin. Miss G. L. B.:--The colors for spring are pretty, navy blue, and all shades of grey, a new green called spruce green, and Copenhagen blue. {Wool and silk embroidery in bright of gold yellow, chinese blue, | Persian pink, and jade green are used on hats and dresses. » Pockets are large and appear in pairs, one at eith- er side of the skirt or coat. Pleats and tucks are in favor. Skirts no longer flare but take an mivard curve around the ankles. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL LESSON FEBRUARY 25. Jesus At The Pool Of Golden Lesson VIII Bethesda--John 5. 1-15. Text--John 5. 15. 9 Verse 1. A feast--Some good auth- orities have the feast; that is, Taber- nacles, clearly, in any case, the Evangelist sees no significance in the particular feast, which belongs to the old order (hence of the Jews). It gave Jesus an opportunity of meeting goat crowds in the temper of worship. 2. By the sheep pool, the [pool] which--So read, without altering the ronunciation of the Greek. text. ebrew--That is, Aramaic, as often. Bethesda--There is considerable varia- tion among the authorities. Porches --Covered shelters to keep tle sun off, 3. The interesting gloss at the end of this verse seems to have arisen early and in Palestine. It is drawn from local folklore, and its omission by the oldest copies rids us of a great difficulty: the Evangelist no longer guarantees an absolutely nonmoral miracle! "Each man for himself" was, the motto of the crowd, and the best; legs carried off the prize. No doubt there were geniune mind cures there as at other holy wells: superstition as well as faith can influence the body ~--witness "Christian" "Science" to- day! 4 Symbolic interpreters make much of the Shinty. eight; like the Israelites of old, he had lived thirty-eight years discrediting the narrative, it is better to recognize a little touch of detail such as as an eye-witness loves. 6. The Lord's question seems | strangely superfluous! But he asked, Bartimeseus one much like it. By such simple questions he drew out the man's state of mind: the very expression of | the need was a preparation for meet- ing it. a 7. Troubled-- The Evangelist does] not stop to explain the allusion, which doés not concern him. It may have been an intermittent spring; or pos- (See Expositor, December, 1906.) i 8. Compare Mark 2. 11. The pallet (margin) might have been a mere mat, but the word itself (one from the vul-| gar tongue) rather suggests a light! frame, such as we see in India. | 10. People who could solemnly dis- cuss whether a man with a wooden leg might carry that burden on the Sab- bath--such was the national lack of humor!--fastened on this breach of their lav, i ome could have Sold, the man to fete s property next 1 But he regularly set himself to as. | credit a law which made the a weariness instead of a delight. "11, One who could do 'a deed st have God' regulate ng ll a Vg Err tude ag that of the blind man in John "14. In the temple--"Retuining to give glory to ." This is'a key to the © man Sify ho EE CCRE oh tL > no - CA e (J ¥ would fy Bk Boi an oven ll snd . | Te Bedtime Story | THE HAPPY CHICK. Blim, blim, blim! "Oh, Mother, dear! knocking outside the coop. I must run out and see who it ia" Charlie Chick started from under his mother's wing with a rush. "Wait, wait! Take it calmly. Let me peek out and see who it is. You- must not be too hasty, especially when you are young," sald Mrs. Plymouth Ruak, cuddling Charlie under her wing as she peeked out of the coop. | "Ah! I told.-you 86. It is Rover, the big dog, gnawing at a bone back of our home. You must beware of dogs and cats," Mrs. Plymouth Rock settled herself once more and Charlie closed his eyes for a nap. When he woke up he stretched his wing over, his little leg and yawned. Then he asked: "Mother, horns?" "Horns? Horns? I did not know that a dog had horns--do you mean ears?" asked Charlie's mother, laugh- ing. "Yes; that must be it. But why haven't I horns or ears that stick out?" "You do not need them, my dear. Mother Nature does not want us to be burdened with things which are of no JE I hear some one why does a dog have in the potato drill or furrow. Amounts, in the desert before he came into his use to us. A dog needs his ears to in excess of this should be sown' promised land! Unless we are out for hear with. They are placed where they will catch all the sounds that come to him, He must hear the rustle of the grass which tells him that a rabbit is near." Mrs. Plymouth Rock looked lovingly at her son and cuddled; him once more under her wing. All was quiet for a time and then Charlie Chick poked his head out from under his mother's wing and said, "How may we know our enemies, mother, dear?" { "My child, you ask a lot of ques- this moment. As long as they were gibly (as Dr. Dendel Harris suggests) | tions for a tiny chick; still, you will able to obtain available phosphoric the world-wide notion of getting "the never learn if you do not ask. acid, potato fertilization was what luck of the water" on New Year's Day. | ware of things which have four legs. Be- Beware of birds that fly in the air, lest you chance to fall into the claws of a hawk. Keep your ears open, even if they do not stick out: like a = dog's, for the shrill cry of the hawk will warn you when you are in danger." "Thank you," replied Charlie Chick, as he sauntered forth into the lot. By and by he saw something mov- ing toward him. Remembering what his mother had said, he looked and saw that the object had * two 'legs. Sure enough! It was Buddie from t! big house coming to feed the chickens. Such a. scampering in the hen yard! Charlie was soon surrounded by a lot of 'other chickens, all bent on having their share 'of corn. When he and his ;mother had eaten their fill, th both went back to the coop an Charlie said: "1 saw Buddie coming and I knew ARR egs; but, mother, dear, he did not hdve éars tike Rover." =