University of South Carolina Libraries
Mynheer Joe BY ST. QEORqt JUTHBORNE. CBAPTIB XVIII. their first day In Iadla haa , aad, we have mm, it has a without Ha adTMtw*. If the la kapt ?p their stay la Bean he aa eventful ooe. > >ofJoe'e?ret duties upon visiting harrecka la to deliver a meeeage a the eoaiiaandaat at Cairo, which contalaa Information respect aa Popoff; for the oflieer who it looks very grave. and aske the many question concerning doing* of the Russian, which Joe. r, la In a position to answer. At this time England la greatly die* over the actlona of Russia's Be la aaM to be making prep for pushing tooth through the territory to a point where his will be knocking at the door of A great railroad is about to be for strategic purposes, and no mm pbaltively knows where It 1* aimed <i aneaning no British subject. . Hence, the appearance of a shrewd diplomat and secret agent, m the baron, upon the soli of India, likely to create a sensation. His mm has been connected with numer a unscrupulous political moves In Mgarit and Roumanla, and all along a Balkans, so that it long ago be thoroughly known to all the world. Thoce who watch the upon the chessboard of Europe ?aa see deep purpose In every action, bawever careless It may appear to the aasual looker-on. Thwae officers stationed In India lave, of course, a peculiar Interest Id oaacythlng the White Cair does. They an threatened by no other nation. Stance is busy In Tonquln snd Al giers; Germany In Central Africa; Italy In Abyssinia, while Austria haa ?o foreign policy, and Spain Is con earned almost wholly in her West In dia possessions. It Is Russia who stretches her vast domains across the Atlantic to Pacific, and yearns to reach the Indian Ocean as well. Year aftei year she placates the tribes en route, slowly but surely stretching her hand Bearer the prize. The day will cer tainly come when the fiercest wai Asia has ever known vill be fought oa neutra! territory between these two giants. One has only to travel to In dia by the overland route, via Herat, to see the evidences of Russian en croachment. Almost to ^he gates of India the traveler finds here and there along the road Russian robatt. 01 email ivsyslde houses of refuge, erected through charity, where the ?reary pilgrim can pass a night with ?at any charge for the shelter. No reasonable man doubts that Eng lqnd must some day be prepared to ?ftt for her Indian empire; nor Is there any reason to believe but that she will be able to bold her own against that cunning foe who would creep in at the back door while the ailstress Is engaged in sweeping and garnlshlug the front of the house. Whatever may be the mission of the baron to India, now that his presence Is known. It is not likely that he will he allowed to go about without some aovt of secret espionage. When the evening meal has been dis posed of. Bandy and Mynheer Joe de cide to see wbat Bombay looks like after nightfall. So they dress as quietly as possible, not forgetting to carry their firearms, as there must al ways be a certain amo.unt of danger traversing the streets alone. Mr. Grimes hopes to be all right by morning, but tlilnks he had better rest until then. Molly complains of a head ache, probably the result of her excit ing race for assistance, and begs to be excused. This has r i Influence wpon Mynheer Joe In inducing him to accept Bandy's proposal that they take a stroll, for he bas no desire to spend the evening alone, Demosthenes com plaining of bruises received in his tum ble. which he wishes to bathe. Peace reigns in the neighborhood of the little hostelry near the foot of Malabar Hill, save In one quarter. Joe draws the attention of his artist correspondent comrade to the rear of the hotel, whence loud voice* of dis evasion come. The row seems to he between the bobajee and a massaljee oader him. The cook berates the scuV Uon and the latter assumes a ridicu lously dramatic attitude, with his head cocked on one side. Bandy eagerly takes It in. If he could only repro> dace that scene on paper. It would 1* a dandy. At any rate, his memory it good, and he may succeed. ?s they walk on in the soft, balmy aooonllght. the angry voice of the bo bajee continues to float after bim. Flo ?Ul there ls? a? hubbub.- a uiL .tb<iy avow tie ling munched forth other nr> gnments than mere words. It is not long before they have reached the native quarter. Perhaps some unusual festival in taking place; at any rate, the shops ani bazars are Ifelitcd up and throng* are on th* fttreet. As In the densely populated cities of China, the people of Bombay seem to Lave no particular time 'f rest, unless during the hot part of the day their enthusiasm dwindles to s hw peg. Night's cooling breezes (bring them all out-of-doors, and the aolse reminds a traveler of carnival tine In Home. Lanterns of every color, made of paper or muslin, bang about the streets and In the shops, sending u strange light upon the picturesque crowd. Hnn gy*s artistic soul is charmed by tlio ^ectacle. He seems to never tire of Making It In, no detail escaping his aye, and all the while ho utters ex clamations that are indicative of bis capture. As for Mynheer Joe, he Is more re ferred In his manner, and yet enjoys the sight s'raost as well us the corro Moadent. They Mm to ezctte no cmoslty ?? !kcj not* along. The uUtm are ?c nutoacd to ntlm BBgUdHpcaklag people at all tvw; alowlj bot Mrdj they ax* leaving the ways of their ancestors. already more than two mil* Uon having become Christiana. England allows fnll freedom of wor ship. The only thing she set her Iron heel upon were some barbarous cus toms. sec> as the juggernaut-car and Its slaughter, the putting to death of widows when the bead of a family died, sod like practices, for whIA Branmins, "ranees anu mussuiiusks alike hare actually become thankful, aa these things were relics of ancient barbarism that dung to the country. Such sights the two travelers look upon?here Is a retail groccry with many odd things upon the shelves, and the queerest object about the place Is probably the banlja himself; Indeed. Joe declares he must be a natural clown from his dress, while Sandy berates himself for not having one of the new atyle little cameras with him, by means of which he could secure a masterpiece for a subject. Next door Is a shelf-like shop, where all manner of bric-a-brac may be found, anything that la bizarre hav ing a place, and the Hindoo proprietor, smoking his huboie-bubble nods wear!* ly over his Koran. Here ars some make-charmers, snch Uie,r tr,ck* and horrul SiLl|>?5Jbe ??uape of Esbehljeb, In ? ~me? a merry fakir, nnt T? * Mckharrle here, shouting ^h KW*reS- Next we have ?onw mountebank athletes, performing won itai * mglUty' Wlth perhaP' n wizard who can make a tree crow 'n the middle of the street, with full-sis^l eaves and bird, singing in the branches; while It Is not uncommon to run across a group of howling der York Vake tbe Plnce of our York little German band, making night hideous in a certain locality, passing the hat around, and then forced to move on by indignant shopkeepers, who are glad to buy them off. All of these sights and many more can be seen around the streets of Bombay. Occasionally an elephant looms up but these animals are found more in the interior. Of monkeys then Is no end. One need not be at all sur h" hat 8Udtlenly Jerked from his head. and. looking up. see an agile fellow climbing to the top of a house with It. Then the monkey, police have to be summoned and varl oub maneuvers resorted to In order to recover the lost headgear. One wonders why these things are al owed until he discovers that the Hindoos, as a class, are believers In theosophy. They look upon these ani mals as unfortunate human beings un dergolng punishment for somo past. Jrhn8.Lb?re ?re mnny ,b,nK" e??ng on all the time in this strange city. One need never grow weary with see ing the same sights, since there is a constant variation. The blending of ,?re ,D the #h,ft,nK Panorama Is what pleases Sandy most of all. and he s ever on the watch for a new variety of turban, cf which there seems to be an endless number. Mynheer Joe has given Kass^e the freedom of the city during their stav, nell knowing that the Intelligent Hin doo? will not abuse the privilege. As Kassee has been Informed concern Ing the baron and his ways. It mav be presumed that he will keep a Jealous eye upon the Russian. This ? whnt Joe wishes. for he knows that, as a hj? servant has no superior TO tne surjmse of tl.e travcTers thev discover this same Kaswo walkfuff Along the street In cominnv *i#.! g otiijT Hindoo, ??? ;;;??? *b. .? ra.her . c.uvivlnl ??? The servant happens to catch hi? signal'thaTffj\ n<l Innkt'R ? rapid hand ??I?M ' ?1"1 """ethlag by ?? Sandy does not see this side-show .. Aw """DK 'n "le "??? nf III I,ow cached a portion S-T Ifr'?"n" bn"r >'r? t where the i guts are more plentiful, and tho SSir?.Tss Mnnar. or goldsmith, <11/. P'aying his quaint wnm. ? attractive f?L. "J17\,"LT7. chaw Then^th"9 ""'""-"y ,0 P"r where * ?? * *re curIo8,ty "hops v tho??*nd and one oueer 25^5" ';r? go,hcr?i "? earth. I'erbap. the next place will hplnn>r worker, and his ?,?? , n model of nentnesa. " ? At a turl.nnmnker's fSanrtr .4 *, ]?* the two friends do no, z:tu':r ]rin? 11:; t. r ? ?Knin*t them and '' ' s"ndy. recognizing nr. oU "r ?"? '".eve. >. I. In .1 ,lo?'" 10 " )>>? notch relieve!} "'">0 fln,lln* ?' ? I, a^-t'he Z?rVU'>T? ^ "? nu n mm? ] ?lkh X aril pat tato some shape be fore I alNfL This hu been a rertto tloa to m%. Joe. I aercr before saw each life as old Bombay mi swats. TMnk or fee roagh ?ketches Jf*e aV ready dratwn-rthe weird ttiai of 8*eeee, that waaderfal burial-place sf the lahainMhat ~ msgnlflcesrt statue oat da the ateaqpt-the Paraee broker?what's hla oaatef "Jemaetjee Jeepeebhof," smllea Joe. "Drops from yoar tongae like oil. old follow. I meet practice on these names. About the sketches: I hare the har bor. the strange coasting-craft you pointed oat. a patamar with Its two masts, the email rakish manche and the long, .narrow felucca with I to la teen ealle. Beside*. I're got glimpses tf mosques, that lovely Idol aad aa irray of such things, to say nothing )f the idess now In my hesd which, roughly drawn, will fit) pa gee In the 'note-book. Tee. I'm In derer. Joe, and Mynheer Joe haa left hie elde. which fpet cso?es tbe rotable 8andy to. tarn iros^ sse awcorera me companion talking earnestly with a Hindoo, and, looking more cloeely, 'recognises Kae tee. whose brown face Is very serious, tnd whose whole manner proclaims that there Is trouble brooding In the air for the Americans In Bombsy. CHAPTER XIX. THK TAT Alt THIBTZKX. Sandy chances to be a wise little fel low, and eTinces no surprise st tbo ?tate of affairs. Be guesses Instinct ively that Kacsee has made a discov ery of some importance, and is now communicating the result of his work to the master he lores so well. Somehow It seems quite natural that they should get Into a tangle, that mystery should crop up around them. They are surrounded by strange scenes, which the human mind could hardly imagine without a positive ex perience. The very air of India seems to breathe of mystery, as though it were impregnated with it. He watches Mynheer Joe snd the Hindoo with considerable curiosity, while keeping an eye upon the crowd near by, as if seeking to discover whether any one else is interested in them. Joe now appears to be questioning his faithful servitor, as though he has hoard It all and knows that it is Sert oli*. At the same time be does not exhibit alarm, for his experience has been great in the past, and he knows how to preserve his mental equilibrium in the face of the most astounding difficulties. "Ten to one it's all on account of that miserable Russian. I expected to hear from him again. What in the deuce is the sly rascal up to now?" mutters the correspondent, as he twirls his cigar between finger and thumb and keeps his eyes fastened upon his friend. ?_ ?vcs Joe look around mm, as though seeking the danger of which he has been warned. Then their eyes meet. The traveler cannot help but note the eager look upon the face of Sandy. He smiles and beckons tq him. This, of course, means that he is to be in it; and as the corresppndent usually manages, by hook or crook, to get there, he feels satisfied that matters ape shaping themselves all right. It suits him to meet difficulties as they tly. Sandy was never known to turu bis back on the foe. With his curiosity aroused to a most intense pitch, the correspondent, there fore. advances to the fray. He casts a keen glance at the face of Mynheer Joe, but that worthy shows little of the emotions that may lie deeply hid den under the calm exterior. Thus Sandy draws up alongside of bis friend and awaits the communica tion that is to decide a momentous epoch in their lives; nor is it long in forthcoming. "Well, the baron lias been at work, Sandy," remarks Joe. with a peculiar smile. "I knew he would not be long In Bombay without attempting some mauuer of evil against us, particularly myself, for whom be entertains no great love, you understand." Sandy nods his bead in that vigor ous. thoughtful way of bis, more elo quent than words. [To be Continued.] Guide (referring to Egyptian Pyra mids)?"It took hundreds of years to build them." O'Brien (the wealthy contractor)?"Thin it wor a Govern tnlnt Job?eh?"-Tit*Bits. .... On* MilllonaK'S. ?He's a, millionaire, that boy is." The boy 1 was walking with looked ?cross the way at the lad of whom my words were spoken. There wsa certainly nothing about the latter to suggest bis wealth. "You don't say so! It can't really be so, he looks almost shabby." "No matter for that, I live in the ?ame block, and I know. But I did not say that was worth a million of money." "Oh!" The boy who was listening looked rather disappointed. Still, he was anxious to know what tbo other one might have, anyhow, so ho askod, "What, then?" "He Is what Is called a 'millionaire of cheerfulness' He Is merry and bright the whole day long, not alone when all Is sweetness and light, but when It Isn't. He ha* sucl pluck and spirit, and such unfailing good na ture, that be must have a million to draw upon, though ho pay. no taxes upon his capital. You nev? r see him scowling or hear him whining. So he scatters his fortune all about and Is a blessing to tho neighborhood. I wish there were more millionaires of cheerfulness. There might be, if everybody gathered up all the sun shino to be had and gave it out as royally as Rob, who goes whistling yonder." Then I went on, leaving Dick ts wonder whether he were as rich as Rob, and if not, why not. Ossr Killed by Wire Pance. A young moose crossed tho yard of A. Putnam at Fort Fairfield, Me., and went In the direction of the rail road station. In Its patch It encoun tered a wire fenco which It attempted to leap over, but caught Ita >y?ad in the wire and broke Ita ns* MsblS t? bMOBM Pm>WII?> with to bacco smoke will dm plants of all aphid? and other Isaacta, bet has bo offset on their eggs. TO fumigate a plant or plants, conflaa them In a box. nnder a barrel or la soaae other wsj; Pot a pan of coal* with sons tobacco Isarsa on the coals tn with the plant, not too near, or the plant wUl get too hot; giro a good smoke. This/will de stroy all living insects. In two or three days give another and you Will be rid of insects for: aome weeks. v*r tn* IwIm. Shade for swine 1* quite ss necessary as for other animals, and when one has a tree o? two |n the pasture the ques tlon of shade is readily settled. If there are no trees plant three or four, and while they are growing use port able houses for sbsde. making them with s sill set on runners and with a ring set In the front sill so that a horse may be attached and the house moved when necessary. These houses may be made of any cheap material, and the roof arranged so that a portion of it msy consist of tree limbs laid over boards set far apart. The cost need not be great and the results will pay for the time and labor spent. C*ttM-S???d HmI r?r Cows. Dairymen find it difficult to carry the cows along properly during the drough ty days of summer on pastrre nloue. and all proper grains .iave beeu tried with varying results. One of the best summer grains is cottonseed meal, for while feeding It will not materially in crease the milk flow. It will keep it nearly to the standard and will keep up its quality, which is quite ns im portant. The feeding of It also makes better butter at all times, and particu larly durlig the summer. While the quantity fed varies according to cir cumstances. from txro to four pounds per cow dail7 is. about a fair ration and will give results which will war rant the expense at any season. To Pm*rw FfM? Pom*. In some sections ;of the country the division of fields by fences is some thing no longer don*-, but the uinjority of farmers still feel that they should divide their fields. ?Tlie work involved in fence building 1| so great that one does not care to do it very often, hi-nee it will pay to go to come trouble to pre serve the posts, these being the parts of the fence which ^ieed renewing first. While there are many preservatives recommended, air of them doubtless more or less valuable, the old plan of smearing the end of toe post with gas tar is about as good as any. Of late years a strong solution of copper sul phate lias been used for this purpose with considerable success. It takes time and trouble to prepare the fence posts with either preservative, put on as it should be, but It psys to do it. for the posts will last donbls the number of years. Bye or Turnip* After Corn. I have been sowing rye now fcr two years. I sow it in thp cornfield In Sep tember as scon as I can get the corn on shock, cultivate, theu follow with the grain drill, putting on a tout two bush els of rye to the acre. Last summer I sowed cow-horn turnips in the corn at last working in July. They made a good growth. Sowed rj e alongside of the turnips in October. We hauled our manure out on the turnips and rye last winter. The year before what land I had sowed in rye we manured in the winter. It grew nicely in the spring. We pastured it some, then plowed it down for corn again. It be ing a cold and wet summer the corn was not a large crop. We had a heavy hailstorm a few days before It came out In tassel, which put it back. I did not use any fertilizer when sowing the rye, although I believe it would make a stronger growth in the fall. We plowed it under, what stock did not eat, the last week In .April and first of May for corn.?John F. Zook, la the Massachusetts Ploughman. Shallow and Deep Plowing. It seems almost needl* ss to urge shal low cultivation for the "laying by" of tbe corn crop, yet there are some who still insist upon deep cultivation and ridging for the last time going over corn. The folly of such procedure, however, is very evident to any think ing. well posted man. The tirst culti vation should be deep to stir the sub soil and make room for the roots of the young plants. The second and possibly the third cultivations may be fairly deep, though not so deep as the first. The last two, it is a settled fact by ex periment throughout tiie corn belt, should be shallow, not more than two and a half to three inches deep. And at this time the ground must be left as levol as possible after each cultivation. Tho object is a mulch for the preserva tion of moisture, and why any thinking farmer should ridge up nis corn, break ing the rootc and exposing a third to a half more surface to th?' sun. is a ques tion yet to be solveil. Though the statement that "corn will take care of Itself after being laid by"' is in a meas ure true, a constant watch must be kept to break the crust forming nfter any heavy rnln to ket-p the weeds from seeding and to keep the fences in good repair, preventing damage by cattle. This in order to have a good crop at the harvest.?Rural World. E?r1y Plowing For Wheat. While all wheat growers recognize the necessity for late sowing of wheat to avoid, as far as possible, the rav ages of the liessian fly. ail da not see tho necessity for early preparation of the soil. It Is generally believed that much of the loss from winter freezing might be avoided by the early plowing of the ground for winter wheat. Early preparation of the seed bed 19 easier than late plowing: it gives one a chance to get rid of the weeds moro effectively, the seed bed mny have one or more extra harmwings or rollings and, altogether, put In much better cc. ditiou than when the plowing is done la'e. Then, too, should the ground be not in the best condition at seeding time the thorough preparation previous will count for a great deal. ? hllag one to catch the ground for the fiaal bemwinf and rolling vlMMfir It chance* to be right tor encb working. The question of varieties should also recelre more consideration than It doee and an excellent waj It to look np the best wheat fields In jonr county oo similar soil and ascertain what varie ties are grown. In addition to this every wheat grower, large or email, sboald have a tost ground for new sorts. It will pay for its cost in giv ing one accurate knowledge of sort* on their own grounds. Poultry Wmmmi. Each year sees many women added to tbe rsuks of tbose who raise poultry for market and tbere is little doubt but wbat tbe industry offers many op portunities for women who have tbe necessary ground and tbe determina tion to gain tbelr experience slowly. Tbe writer recently spent a week with a friend at a popular summer resort along the sea coast of New Jersey aud profoundly wished he had his poultry with him. Chickens of the sice for roasters sold for 35 cents a pound in the markets, while guaranteed fresb eggs were in demand beyond the sup ply at 40 cents a dozen. While these prices are exceptional there is no doubt but wbat there is a prolitable demand for both eggs and poultry in nearly every sectiou of the country. Women can bring to the work of poultry raising that care for the small details so necessary to success in the work and a characteristic lacking in the majority of men. It is a well known fact, and every honest farmer will admit it, that two heus set at the same time, one by a mau aud the other by a woman, will show a decided dif ference in the number of chicks hatched, aud it will always be in favor of the hen set and cared for by the woman. The inan forgets to give the liea water or food or some other atten tion she needs during tbe period of incubation. Women with a rural training should do some clow studying of tbe poultry business this summer and make a start in the winter or next spring. Tli* Rliode Ia!*nd Rrd, ~ A pair of thescJ useful, all-purpose fowls is shown here, and their gen eral appearance gives us some idea of their prominent characteristics. Tlicy are full-breasted and stockily built, and nt all ages, from the broiler to the roaster, produce a generous amount of the choicest flesh. Tbey are medium size, being about the same as the Plymouth Rock; in fact, they have been used extensively In crosses to produce the Buff Itocks and Wyandottes. They originated in Rhode Island, from whence they take their name, and are found there on almost every farm. They are good layers and splendid mothers, and when they have become better known, will be ifeuuuK our most popular new breeds. Fur in Not ct. Drive slowly tlie first liour after a meal. Light and dryness destroy fungus growths. Thorougli grooming clonuses the hide as well as the hair. Rores or bruises on horses should be healed up as soon as possible. It is always ruinous to dispose of any braneb farming wbeu prices are unsat isfactory. Generally the smaller the farm the better the cultivation and the greater the profit for the expenditure. The dirt and sweat which accumu late on the horses during the day should never be allowed to remain on over night. Plants have greater need for theit leaves and can be nio?*o easily killed in the growing season than when par tially dormant. If the cow has to travel over a large surface and take a good deal of time to fill her stomach, the time and energy expended will cause p. reduction in the flow of milk. As the leaves of the tulip and other spring flowering bulbs ripen and die. the best practice is to take them up, ami, after drying them In the shade for a few days, put them in a paper sack and put them away until in tlio fall. The dniry cow should not bp obliged to travel a long distance for water. If she does she will go without until she gets very thirsty and feverish, and then drink until she is painfully un comfortable. Both conditions are un favorable for milk secretion. As a rule wounds made by pruning in September or a little earlier some what, although they do not heal <julck? ly, never decay. The wood, owing, doubtless, to Its condition of ripeness, becomes hard as bone, and although the healing process may proceed slow ly, the tree docs not seem to suffer In any way. The Iron mines of Michigan give em ployment to 14.450 persons, and their products amount to $20,09T: SOO. SELECTING FRUIT TREES. Only experienced people are capable ?f selecting varietlee of fruit trees. Novices should always seek advice. ?oil. cllninte ami demaud of tb? market are to be considered. Varieties :hat may be suitable for one locality 0l#y be almost worthless In another; And it 1s the lack of knowledge In se lecting varieties that causes some fall jres. Selection is a very important matter, for when a tree is planted and the grower waits several years for his ?rop it Is then too late to rectify uii? takes except at a great loss. WHY NOT HAVE MORE APPLES? Adapted to more than two-thirds of :he farms of this country, going North South. East and West, there are to lie .'ound many farms where It Is a minus quantity. No other fruit known tc :be American farmer can equal the apple as a food product. Other fruit .s considered s luxury, the apple o staple product. It Is practically a twelve-month fruit, as the average 'armer can have apples by a judicious selection of varieties and care of the Trult, until the new crop comes In. For mllnary purposes It is unexcelled; cap able of such a variety of uses as It Is. >ne'does not so easily tire of.lt. and in ?oiue form It may be used as a dessert the year around. In the form of pre lerves and Jelly It Ails an Important place; dried and evaponfted ap oles add still further to the variety. The first cost of an orchard" Is small, the running expenses lnsigulficaut and the portion of the farmer's time re lulred short; In fact, it Is an easy working side line. One hundred ap ple trees may be had for $10; better >nes. though at $12 and $15. Novel ties cost more, but why fool with nov ?Itles, except In a small way. when there Is such good fruit lu the more certain standard sorts. The first aim >f the farmer should be to provide 'ruit In quantity for his own use. but tie need not have any anxiety about the surplus, especially of winter ap ples, If he lives out of a regular upple 'hipping section. Winter apples have sold for $1 to $1.50 per bushel for many seasons oil the bom;? market.?F tuck, in The Eplto.uisL THE FRUIT VS. FRUITLESS FARM In point of ecouomy the farmer who raises his own fruit has everything his own way over the one who does aot, for the cost of production is very imall, while the outlay or first cost Is .n significant. The raising of a family ?upply of fruit Interferes very little ?vith other farm work and the growing af fruit fo.* market as a side line is rery profitable, for while the cost of production is small, the fruit comes high very often to those who have to Duy; heuce, this advantage cf the fruit 'arm. Aside from saving, there is a jreat advantage in having fruit fresh and crisp from the tree or vine, which the farmer cf the fruitless farm can not enjoy. How much more pleasing and appetizing is fresh whole fruit thin that which is 'wilted and mashed with little of tliL? original flavor left! The table of the man who growc his >wn fruit is well provided with fruit it a quality which the less provident tannot have. The man who raises his ?wn fruit uses it more lavishly than ?e one who has everything to buy; aence. the better living and the more advantage of the medicinal value of fruit. The orchard, too, is a drawing ?ard to the majority of home seekers; consequently, the farm is more valu able and often quicker sold when it Das an interesting fruit supply on It. Some kind of fruit is adapted to near ly every section of the country. If the peach, pear or plum is not adapted, the apple is. very likely, and by a suc cession can be made to take the place Df other fruit.?E. W. Jones, in The Epltomist. PROPAC5 AT I Nli CT'RRANTS. The iisiui 1 methods of propagating currants Ik to make cuttings of tlr. now wood in tlio full or early winter and keep them in a trench or in the soil for planting in the our It spring. The majority of such cuttings will strike root and grow. A mtieh better way, however, to my mind, and one which will give the gardener n start over the above method of half a sea son'* growth, and one l>y which not a cutting will not be lost, is to make four cuttings along the last of Au gust after the wood is pretty well grown. yet somewhat soft and sappy. Plant immediately in well flraiued soil In nursery rows. The trench method Is the simplest, and a good puddling it time of planting will insure root ing. In case of a drought following, which is not likely, throe or four buck ets of water, run down a hoe furrow alongside the slips will irrigate liftv l?lmits. During the following six weeks the cuttings will strike out vig orous roots, and the following spring, Instead of being "cuttings," they will be sturdy plants ready to loaf out and take full advantage of the earliest spring sunshine and warmth. My first practical experiment with August cur rant cuttings was the sticking In the urotind and trumping tight of a shoot iiccldvutally knocked off the parent bush. The ground was dry and I never expected the slip to live. It died, apparently, after a few days, died the death, but when I happened to notice it ton days later It had braced up strong and healthy, and when I pulled it up in October to observe its progress it had a line long root sys torn.?Uuy E. Mitchell, in The Culti vator, Tli* Hut l.fvrl. Professor Tail comes forward with the statement that with the slight amount of compression known to be IKJssiblo in water the sea would be lid feet higher In level ,lf It were not for the compression due to its ow,n weight. Supposing this fact to be true, the e.?uw pressibilltyof water adds about 000 more squnro miles to the laud surface of the Mirth. L?1h>t troubles on the Lukes has seriously affected the grain meiy.s of Buffalo ?fCfc r is subject for frequent comment on tbe part ot travelers that the roads of Europe are far superior to those of the United States: aud this result la generally attributed to the system of government aid and supervision which prevails In nearly all European nations. But It Is not so generally known that our nearest neighbor. Canada, la also ahead of us. not only in the character of the roads, but In the matter of road legislation. Hon. A. W. Campbell. Highway Com* mlFRioner of Ontario, is an enthusiast on the subject of good roads, and at the same time a very able aud practi cal public official. He is quite well known to the good roads people of the United States, as he has attended and addressed a number of Important con ventions in this couutry. In u recent report he says: "Good roads are essential to tlie full development of agriculture. In a coun try such as Ontario, dependent upon agriculture, tlila means that good roads are of very great importance to the towns and cltiea as well. Good roads are not a benefit to any one class of the community. They are of universal value. This is a matter of whleli too narrow a view has been taken in On tario. If we must have canals and rail ways. then we must liave good country roads. It has been taken for granted that If the country us a whole con structed canals and subsidized rail ways. the common roads could take care of themselves. But this lias not been the case. "The broader aspect of the question has recently been given prominence by the decision of the Provincial Gov ernment to appropriate $1,000,000 for road improvement. Till*. for lack of a better name, has been termed gov ernment "aid" or "assistance." It is a recognition of the value of good roads to every citizen of the country, and a Just effort on tlie "art of the Govern ment to co-operate In procuring them. "The object of the present measure is not so much to aid by the gratui tous distribution of money, but has for Its aiiu a nobler purpose. While it aims to encourage the doing of a work which is acknowledge by all as being an imiMtrtnnt and necessary ser vice. Its prime object Is to equalize and lighten the cost. The unfairness and Injustice of the present system of tax ation for highway construction is so noticeable as to be a matter of wonder ment that some step of this kind lias not been ere this devised by Govern ment. or compelled by the people. "The Government is only exercising Its rightful function as a part of tho administrative system In providing a portion of the cost of making roads and distributing the money among tho different municipalities entitled to it. This function enn be performed by the Provincial Government only." In Nova Scotia, nearly llfteen years ago, the Provincial Government bepan the appropriation of funds to improve the roads and the plan has proven en tirely successful where the old system of depending on the local communities was a complete failure. Even away out in British Coltimnia there are many tine roads which art* said to be "the delight of tourists." All these are built and kept up by tho Government. Houl Mitlnteimnrr. Without proper care the most expen sive road inay to to ruin in two or throe years, and the initial expense of constructing it be nearly lost. It is of greatest importance, therefore, that all good roads should have daily rare They not only wear out. hut wash out and freeze out. Water Is the greatest road destroyer. It is necessary to the proper main tenance of a road that it should "crown" or he higher In the middlo than at the sides. If it is Hat in the centre it s.ion becomes concave, and Its middle kooii becomes a poo: or a inudhole if on a level, or a water course if on nil Incline. A hollow, rut. or puddle shouM nev rr bo allowed t<? remain. hut should he evenly tilled and tumped with the same material of which the surfaco was originally constructed. A rake should he used freely, especially In re moving stones, lumps, or ridges. ituta may he avoided hy using wide tir;>s. 011 all wagons wlileli carry heavy loads. If this Is not always possible, tho liorses should be hitched so that th"? will walk directly in front of tin* wheels. This can be r.ccompllshrd l y making the double, or whltflo. tree of such length that the ends may l>e in line with the wugoti wheels. A hors:> will not walk in a rut unless compelled to do so. and, consequently, if all horses were hitched in this way rut* would eventually disappear from stone roads. If stones are cracked on a road with a hammer a smooth surface is out of the question. Use stone chips for re pairing stone roads, and remombor that all foreign material and rubbish will ruin the best road, and thai r.ust and mud will double the cost of main tenance. Ordinarily the chief work done by country people on highways Is repair ing the damage resulting from neg lect. Why this negligence? The adage. ' A stitch In time saves nine." can never be applied more appropri ately to anything than to the malnteii ance or repair of all kinds of roads. Wilt NfVfr Turn Buck. The people of this country will n^v er turn back until every sneMnn and neighborhood enjoys t'ie blessings of rural free mall delivery. Hut before this can be accomplished, a general improvement of the roads Is absolute ly necessary. There Is no escaping this conclusion. Already bad roads are proving the main obstacle to the establishment and maintenance of ru ral mail routes. If this is true now, while the system Is extending over those areas which have the best roads, how much more true will It be when we attempt to niai"? fho system uni versal.