Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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YNHEERJftR BY ST. qEORQC JUTHBORNE.' book x. VtM? MBMingw From Xhari looai? ^ CHAPTER L n ifMiu'i. oar m iQcaa oasud <-*Backaheeehr hnmly whispered a Stoat, red-faced ttitwr, bending over ? mil, nmow man, who. Mated on Dto plana la frost of tho well-known Bhepherd'e Hotel In Cairo, Egypt, fcihw off page after page of lead-pen cB work, aided by the lights that 11 hmlne the grand plan. The latter Individual never ralaea hie agree, hot with a groan and a me chanical movement of the arm draws a plaster from his pocket and holds II It op, which miserable coin le gravely taken bj the man In the plaid salt and traveling helmet-hat. He does ?St moye away, tmt atands there at the elbow of the scribe, waiting for that Interminable scribbling to be done, and mcanwfelle watching the lively scene upon the great square of ?abehlyeh. It Is certainly a good sight for for eign eyes, and one that will never be forgotten. Although the month Is February, a delicious, balmy atmos phere hangs over the old city on the Nile, lfuslc throbs upon the ale, and. lodging from the gay acenee to be met fertth after night closes In, It would ate hard to belters the Mohammedan fast corresponding to our Lent Is In progress. The Koran, however, only demands observance of strict rules from sunrise to aunset, so that In all oriental countrlea the devout worship* ers make night a period of feasting. Just at the present period many lan terns and flambeaux and lamps 11* iumlne the grand aqoare, 'from which ?rise discordant sounds, a perfect babel of confusion. Here, under a cluster of palma, a anake-charmer beadles his cobraa with apparent Im punity, boxing their heada and caua tng them to do all manner of atrange things. -Near by are dragomans, or galdee, haggling with ownere of don* keys, who. In turm scold or cuff the boya In charge of tbe little beaeta. Cloee by are faklra, pretending to Ml wonderful thlnga for a trifle; awuntebanka, dealers In turban a. Cases, relics and handkerchief a. and a general conglomeration of Idle, curl* cue strollers. * The light dlacloaea a picture that 4osn probably be looked upon In no ether city aave Damascus. Here min gle Turks, with their red fes and na tional dress; Arabs, in white bournous and turban; native fellahln, or Egyp tians, wearing blue gowns and the everlasting brown skull-cap; Jews,' With long beards and eober garments; Nubians, Persians, Greeks and a sprinkling of foreigners. The red coats of Brltlah soldiers give way pretty much to the sensible white that Is worn In all hot countries; still there Is enough to lend color to the kaleido scopic picture. The stout man seos all thla without amotion; be aeldom, if ever, allows himself to be so deeply Interested in anything aa to forget hlmeelf. Stand ing just back of the tilted chair of the smaller man, who wrltea sheet after sheet with railroad rapidity, he puffs away at hla cigar and calmly walta for the time to come when hia friend will have exhausted the sub ject or blunted all hla pencila. Every thing cornea to the one who baa pa tience, and thla la tbe moat prominent trait In tbe character of the tftout tour 'Eureka ! I bare done It! Glowing de scription! Burning rhetoric! Do you proud, toy boy! Now I'd give a. plaster to run arrows Grimes." He has hardly spoken these words half aloud, when the man with the florid face and heavy Band deliber ately raps him on the shoulder. "Pay your debts, young man. I Claim the ra^d by virtue o|. dis covery. Hq^Hrae miserable Turkish coin you're wB-vVd on me. French ?Boney Is preferro," he says, solemn ly. "Oh! It was you who groaned 'Back sheesh!* In my ear, was It? I've heard little else since I struck Egypt. It's ? bowling paradise of beggars. I go to bed with a bag of plaster*? give ?em out in my sleep I assure you, O rimes." Sandy Barlow Is the correspondent eff a great dally' Journal In the United States, and Is never known to be In anytblpg buta hurry. In piping times of peace be finds material to employ bis pencil In rarlous foreign countries, and his letters hare been considered line reading on account of their pi quancy and crisp style, characteristic of everything the man does. Those who know Sandy best hare dlscorered that the war correspondent baa a warm heart, and will readily ?5 out of his way to help one whom he counts a friend This stout gen tleman whom he calls Grimes Is? so rumor says? the wealthy owi\er of ser oral mines In Colorado, about which he occasionally speaks. He keeps his ?wn counsel, however, and any one who la a good judge of physiognomy wovld have little difficulty In reading ?a his resolute face all the signs that So to make up a determined charac ter, "Are yon at liberty. Barlow? If 90, I'd like to hate a little talk," re ?aarks the stiver Mag. -Great Caesar! Why didn't you say go bofore? Singular man! Didn't want to Interrupt the flow of genius, eh? But I'd drop even my pencil to oblige you." * "There was no great need of haste. Ton were the flrst one I thought of wben old Tanner brought me the news. Von know blm?" "Like a book! Gruff old party: love ly daughter, Molly. Goon. What was hla news. Is England aroused at last to the emergency?" "Just the contrary. Listen to what Ijhi old Tanner tella ma ttadaba* 1Mb, or boo? boat, hu just m?i down the river; they left It mhm two hmdnd miles above and hastened on by railroad to Cairo. Tbla evening It arrived, and the reis, or captain, called upon him at the hotel here with certain news that has siren Tanner ?one uneasiness. Hs was possled to know what to make of It, and, sating ms, pnt the whole case In my hands, I hare promised to go down to the boat and Interview the man who Is now s sleep on board? a man (hey picked up afloat on the river far abbve ?and who they Imagine Is some sort of j mnesiasfr sent down from Khsr toom by General Gordon." Bandy Barlow Is oat of bis cbsir like a shot, all eagernes* and anima tion. "Come on!" be excla!ined. Tm In this game. Great Ctesar! If I can get the only authentic account of that event I What keeps you. man?" "i're not ready to go yet. Don't make a scene. Sandy, and, above all, whisper not a word of the truth. The False Prophet has many friends in Cairo who would like nothing better than a chance at this person who comes from the south, with scimiter or yataghan. Sit down sgaln while we talk It over.** Sandy has hard work subduing his Intense eagerness to discover the truth, bat he Is equal to great emergencies, snd finally sinks back in bis chair. As for Mr. Grimes, the sliver king, he strsddles a rattan sest snd rests his arms across the bsck In the most careless manner Imaginable. "What did the old orator seem to think of his men picking up a passen ger?" asks Sandy. "He wss wrathy at first, until be found the man was a Frank, or for eigner. That made It all right. Hs bates these swarthy natives? Turks, fellah and Arab." "Yes, I have beard him whisper gen tle words about them in bis own pe culiar way. Lovely soft voice the Honorable Demosthenes has. Reminds aae of a steam foghorn." "Hash! Here comes his daughter!" "Miss Molly, for all the world !" mut ters the correspondent between his teeth. A vision In white floats op to where *ey are seated, and both men spHnf to their feet. This American girl Is t fair, fresh picture? a healthy daugh ter of the land across the sea. She Is not actually beautiful, but there It a charm about face and manner that draws a host of friends to her tide. Mollle Tanner Is a taking girl, rlvacloua, quick, tender-hearted? true, fou can read her constancy in the dear, frank, fearless gray eyes. Lucky the man who wins her heart It will be for all time. "Oh, Mr. Grimes, I have been look tog for you everywhere! I feared you had goner' exclaims the young lady, laying a white band, which, shows lome traces of sunburn, on the arm !>f the mining king. "Fortune favors me. Miss Mdlly. In what way can I do you a service?" ? "You see the governor has Just been telling me all about that poor pan >n board our boat, and I fee! so sorry! i would like to know whether there Is inythlng I can do for him." Some people might be shocked to !?ear Molly Tanner thus designate her parent, but the word is uttered with inch tenderness that the same per iods would secretly listen In the hope >f hearing It again. Mr. Grimes and the correspondent exchange glances, and then smile. "Really, until we have seen the party, we cannot exactly say," begins the former. "That's Just It! Why not allow me to accompany you to the boat?" The girl speaks eagerly, as though ?he hss quite set her heart upon It. "Your father would not consent." b!m^!^,aVe tIlat 10 me? ' ca? manage "And I reckon you're about the only M?e who can. Miss Molly. Outside of that I don't believe It would be safe, iou see, to reach the river where the boat Is tied up, we have to pass through one of the worst quarters of ibe city called Musr, and with a lady In our company, there might be trou ble. No, I am sorry to refuse, but I must positively decline to accept the responsibility." Molly Tanner does not pout, but laughs, proving that while the old governor has done his best to spoil ber, he has not yet succeeded. " Xerj well, I shall not Insist, Bfr. Grimes; but when you return, promise to let me know how the young Ger man pilgrim Is," she says. Who said be is German; your father did not say anything of that ?ort to me?" declares the stout sliver ftlng, In some surprise. "Perhaps I only Judged It from- his name. You know the Germans and Italians are working down along the Bast Coayt." "Even bis name the governor neg lected to state. What might It be. Miss Molly?" asked Grimes. "I am sure he said Mynheer .Toe." "Mynheer Joe!" gasps Randy Bar* low. "Mynheer Joe!" drops from the usu ally undemonstrative silver king, now greatly excited. "Why, gentlemen, what Is the mat ter? You seem to be astonished?" says Molly, surveying first one aQd then the other In wonder. "Astonished? I'm dumbfounded ?knocked all In a heap? flabbergasted! To think that I should m?et my dear Joe again in this way!" bursts out the Impetuous correspondent. "And, on my part, after all, I'm not surprised. It's Just what I might have expected, knowing what 1 do of the man. Yes, Mynheer Joe has been with Gordon at Kbartoom; he was last beard of there. Now we shall see what news he brings. 1 am ready If you are, Mr. Barlow." . Sandv smiles as he rememtarf that wtwi MitfclBg <rf t Shock apo? bw In* Molly a^Mk that bum. M?mo> ries of tho post an Nctllad, which toko him to other mmn. "loo will pardon u for - leaving yovT* snya the polite Mr. Grimes to the joonf girt. "Certainly. Indeed, yon cannot go too eoon to pleaae me. 1 am anxious to bear what thla poor man has to say. To me General Gordon has al ways been the hero of the heroes, snd any one who comes from him de mands my attention and sympathy. Go then to this poor German, see what be most needs, and If Molly Tanner or her father can In any way help him, do not neglect to give me notice." ?gain the two men glance toward each other and smile, but although she sees this, there Is no explanation made of their actions. * Bowing to the young American girt, they turn away, leaving the plaxsa of the hotel. "Remember!" floats her warning ?olce after them, and Mr. Grimes, turning, wares his hand. Then they are lost in the crowd thst Jostle elbows in the square called Esbehlyeh, In front of 8bepherd's Ho tel Around them sound the voices of dragoman and fakir, mule driver and peddler, mountebank and camel driver, while the barking of dogs can be heard everywhere, the streets of Cairo lit* erally running wild with curs. "Are you armed?" asked the corre spondent, ss they cross the grand pisssa and head into u street that leads from it down to the River Nile. The silver king chuekles. "Never go without a revolver, mj boy. Learned that habit year* ago," he replies. "Yes, you Western men generally do carry a whole armory on deck. Beast ly region we have to pass through. Black as? as? well, Egypt." '.'Let's hire a light? no getting around In this quarter without one." They discover near by one of those link boys, whose trade Is fast dying out In Cairo since tbe Improvements advanced by British rule. Time was, and not so very long ago. either, when, after sunset on moonless nights, the great city on the Nile was wrapped In darkness and the law compelled any one moving abroad to carry a lighted lantern or flambeau. The city being divided Into three dis tinct quarters, separated by gates, and known as the region of Copts, Jews, and F tanks, no one could pass through after nightfall unless besrlng a light. In many parta of the strange, whlted city on tbe esst bank of the Nile, It Is still nscessary to carry a torch or lantern, unless one means to Invito all manner of dangers, slthough tho law with regard to this thins tag* rauen mt^ ^e tuuglisu have made so many innovations with their charge of affairs after the bom bardment of Alexandria In 1882. A boy Is engaged to go ahead with a light, snd the two Franks, ss al! foreigners are called In Egypt, boldly plunge Into the lower region of Cairo, fronting on the Nile. Now and then they pass remarks and Joke, for the newspaper corre spondent Is nothing If not humorous. The frequent mention of that singular name, "Mynheer Joe," proclaims that they are exchanging confidences re garding their experiences In connec tion with this person In tbe past. Sandy Is frank in all be says, and there can be no doubt regarding his fervid admiration for tbe man whom they expect to find on board tbe daha beah of Demosthenes Tanner. "It was at the storming of Alexan dria I first met Mynheer Joe. 1 was then, as now, a correspondent, and ready to undergo all manner of dan gers. in order to get the freshest news, even to holding a wire all day rather than let another man beat me. * . [To be Continued.] Upw Sat tl*na?nt of ?twallu Island*. Lepers who live outside the two homes draw from the Government a fixed amount as a "clothes-rations or* der" every six months. In addition to s weekly allowance In provisions. The Bishop Home and the Baldwin Home draw their supplies through the board ?s required. Many of the lepers have friends outside who provide Incomes !or them. There are 710 buildings of 11 classes, Including two schoolhousea. wo Pro'testant, two (Athollc and two Mormon churches, a court house and |atl.-J. M. Miller, In Harper's Weekly* WHERE HE DREW THE LINE. Was Willing to 8end Enemy Away, But Would Not Help Him Back. Hers lo a good story told of the Iste United States Senator Sewell and Col. "Jim" Scovel. The colonel, who was a stirring orator, but very erratic, had been for years a thorn In Seweil'a side when Sewell was commander-in chief of the Republican forces of ths state. They did not even know each other when they met on the streets. In time Scovel Joined the Salvation Army and mellowed toward the sena tor enough to feel encouraged to aslr Sewell for a pass to Chicago. "I'll send it to you," the General said, and the next morning tbero was a letter In 8covel's mall from 8eweU'? West Jersey Railroad ofllce Scovel dashed out the moment h* broke the envelope seal. "See here, General!" he exclaimed, as he rushed Into the Senator's pree ence, *1 have the pass to Chicago, but there is nr. return coupon to it." "1 am wilting, sir," the Senator returned with freezing dignity, "I am willing, sir, to send you to Chicago. But I'm not fool enough to help you get back." The old-time coolness was on agalo at once,? New York Times. ?hasp With Long Woof. Capt. . Merritt Wright of Larrabest Me., killed five sheep last week, ths wool of which weighed 164 pounds, i The largest one had 44 pounds of wool on Its pelt. The sheep had been ru? nlng wild for three years and had is bo shot. A piece ot the wool picket 1 up at random was 2A laches tan* Om of the worst tatvw of ttt panllij Mmh, aa ye Mat- Farmer, Mt b?? tho mw tar wrtWm mw, InHii th? timadsra tat* a realm of ttaeootent where thqr art all tho time attempting aomathtng wv. One of Iw wont aalatakea la that of crossing pore breeds, became theee breeds, as a rale, bare been built ap through pa tience and energy for a particular line >f work, and croaaea are* sure to Injure rather than help. In fact, the meanest nongrels to be found are those which are the result of crossing two of our dest breeds. Better by far select the breed you like best and then stick to It, Improving It. weeding out the in ferior birds and breeding always from the best and selecting the malee from birds that hare descended from great producers. In this way we build up. Om| V*r In Cklrkm. A re-y cheap and simple roosting 2oop for hen and chickens Is shown by this sketch. Take a plank one by twelve, six feet long, saw In three pieces, two feet long, then saw one of them triangular; one of these and one )f the others make one end, the front and back can be made out of old goods box? sec sketch. Cover with shingles. It Is made with a detachable bottom, held In place by four hooks and sta ples, one at each corner so It can be taken off and scrubbed and cleaned out I put the dimensions on the sketch. For ventilation bore six au gur holes In each side.? A. W. Tober man, Hefner, O. T. SHADE FOIl STRAWBERRIES. ? V. A. Clark and O. M. Taylor, of the New York Experiment Station, Gene va, report results obtained In shading strawberries. With a thin cheesecloth yields were materially Increased and sometimes even doubled, and with some varieties the yield was little af fected or was even decreased. Using cheesecloth one commercial grade heavier, there was a heavy loss on every one of sixteen varieties tested. While the thinner cheesecloth, ripen ing was in some cases hastened by a day or two, but with the thicker one it was retarded about four duys. The effect of shading on the berry itself was to increase it in weight about one rixth. Uhe good effects of shading the strawberry are produced by conserva tion of soil moisture as a result of les sened evaporation and transpiration, and by a alight increase in tempera ture of air* and of soil. The greatest benefit Is derived from the protection of the plants from wind. The Injuri ous effects result from diminishing the intensity of the light. The practice does not appear to be of value com mercially; Irrigation is far more ef fective, and, where practicable, prob ably would be cheaper. Feeding Kerning Muh. Sometimes experience upsets one's plans, which were thought about right, wonderfully and completely. For years the writer has advocated the moderate feeding of laying hens during the win ter; feeding them enough, of course, but feeding scanty rather than run ning the risk of overfeeding and thus shutting off the egg supply. A veter an poultry man who called at my furin a year ago, said that I did not feed suf ficiently heavy of the morning mash, so this winter we started out to see if he was r/ght, and found, to our aston ishment, that he was. We now give the laying bens enough of the warm mash in the morning so that they eat all they want before It gets cold. The remainder is then gatli ered.up and an hour later heated and put In the troughs again, when the hens eat as ravenously of it as If they liad had none an hour earlier. Result, more eggs than In the previous win ters from the same number of hens and pullets. In trying to figure out the cause of this change it was con cluded that the hens were unable to take much of the sticky mass in their crops at first, but after a drink of wa ter and an hour of rest they were In condition to take care of the balance, really only getting In the two feeds the quantity necessary for one feed, and the .equivalent of one good feed of grain. Try It the rest of the winter and see how it works with your poul try.? Indianapolis News. Care of Cow*. In the feeding of dairy cows, two seasons are recognized by the average dairyman. These ore the winter feed ing season and the summer season. In the former case the animals are entire ly dependent upon what. grain and fod der are allotted to them, (here being no opportunity for grazing afforded. The very opposite of this Is true dur ing the summer season, the animals being expected to hunt their owu liv ing, says Farmers' Tribune. The transition from one season to another frequently caunes a failing off in the milk supply. This is particularly true in the fall, wheu the animals are left to shift for themselves after the nights become cold. The fact is lost sight of thr>'t a dslry animal is of a rather dell- { cate constitution, and on this account cannot withstand the hardships which the beef animal can bear. It Is a good plan to give cows shelter at night after the first of October. If they are put In the stable or in sheds and fed a small grain ration night and morning, together with a little fodder, they will liberally respond, to such | treatment at milking time, iftrblle the days remain warm they are as well off In the pasture, as there Is no food bet ter adapted for milk production than is grass. Grass Is also economical, and for this reason one should endeavor to II mmIMc. If if t^T*" trt mMbc kin; it will ? iw? pay to h$m a UtOe tedder to tho Acid. N?m tar* cowa ? frosted pui after boring kept them la the stable Ivtsf tb> nlfht ? ? ? lavraviw Mm OnWWI. Orchard aolle usually require larg quantities of potash fertilisers. TbU applies especially to the peach, plum, grape and small fruit tracts. The most convenient form of potash fertiliser is kainit, which may be Used on ordin ary soil at the rate of 000 pounds per acre, allowing a space of a couple of years or more between applications Where the orchards cr vineyards are small, wood ashes may be used in stead. The cowpea qr soj bean Is the best nitrogenous fertilizer where suck Is needed, but unless the trees show s tendency to make very little growth during the summer months, fertilizer of this kind should bj used sparingly. The liberal application of nitrogenous manures causes a heavy growth of leaf and branch. This may prove a detriment Instead of an advantage, since Insect pests get in their most damaging work on the young and ten der growth. Various diseases also of ten attack young trees that have been forced too rapidly, causlug Injury and sometimes death to the promising specimen. Barnyard manure will prove beneficial to worn out orchards, which, however, should be well pruned and cultivated to encourage them to take a new hold on life. Manure may be applied early in the spring, using about twenty loads to the acre and discing In, or it may be turned under with a stirring plow, and later the soil may be leveled with the barrow and planted to some small crop requiring cultivation. For this, potatoes, beans, peas or even cabbage may be utilized. The main object is to conserve the moisture and to hasten decomposition of organic matter In the soil.? {2. Barrett, In The Epltomlst. Farm Cobt?bI?bmi< The first two figures show conven iences originally sketched In the Farm Journal, which says of them: This crate should be about three feet high and fitted with sldepieces extend ing below It that will just fit Into the side Irons of the wagon body. It can thus be set upon the wagon bed In an instant and will be found most useful In moving calves, sheep, pigs or other stock. It will fit on to a sled In the same way for winter use. It Is also convenient when hauling loose mate rial. If this is long the rear gate can be hinged to open at the side. The CB4TB, PLOW AMD MOVABLE BDBDLK. slats should be of hard wood three quarters of au inch thick. When there Is plowing to be done close to fences or trees have your smith put extension rods on the plow and a clevis to hitch tbe team to, like the cut. The sketch wits sent us by one of our readers in Kansas, and he says it works well for him. If the heaiu of the plow is adjustable to draft it should, of course, be adjusted be* fore the rods are bolted to the handles. The lower figure shows two views of portable sheep fencing used at the Col orado experiment station. It is easy to move about and set up and very real' ily made.? Connecticut Fanner. Poultry Note*. Frosted combs will check egg pro duction. Coat tlieni with vaseline. For henvy breathing or rattling in the throat we have found nothing bet ter than a teaspoonful of glycerine, to which is added four drops of turpen tine. If you mean to purchase eggs for set ting. start early. Eggs are not apt to hatch so well, nor are the chicks so strong, if obtained from hens that have been laying for many weeks. To feed a duckling ten weeks will cost about Ave cents per pound. Labor, marketing, etc.. will add as much more to the cost. The bird should weigh live pounds and sell for more than fifty cents to bring any profit. It is not a bad idea for a poultryman to have padlocks on the egg crates. It serves to show an excluslveness to customers who regularly expect first class articles, and then It's n proof that they have not been tampered with. The color of the newly hatched chick does not always indicate what the mature plumage will be. Those who have bought eggs of pure bred stock should, therefore, not be hasty In passing judgmeut on the merits of the stock. The cheapest way to rid a poultry house of all kinds of lice is to thor oughly scald with boiling water, with sufficient salt added to inuke a brine. Apply the remedy once n week for three weeks, using a pail und tin cup in applying it. Itough, scaly shanks spoil the ap pearance of any fowl. The parasite that burrows under the natural scale and destroys It may be killed by coal oil. The oil should not be permitted to saturate the feathers of the thighs, or it may blister the skin and cause the feathers to com*- out. It Is ulways best to mix the kerosene with sweet oil or a little lard. . When you see a fowl staggering around with Its head thrown back on its shoulders, that means vertigo. Catch It, pour water slowly from a height of three feet on the back of Its head for Ave minutes. Itcpeat the pro cess in a little while, and peu It up without a bite for two days. You have been feeding too high, and it needs starvation for a day or two. Returns of the receipts from shipping on the Hues Canal In January show an Increase on tho year from 91,003,575 to $1,980, 000. A school for theatrical critics If to be opened In Paris. The students are to attend dress rehearsals and write them up for practice. HDWKXJLTURE HINTS STANDARD BARREL. At tbe recent St. Louis Apple Con treu a resolution was adopted wblcb 'avoretl the making of all apple bar els seventeen and one-eight Inches In llameter at tbe 'bead, with staves wenty-slx and one-half Inches In ength, the barrel to hold three bush els. Bnsbel boxes were recommended o be eleven and one-half bj twenty nches on the Inside. A GARDEN PERENNIAL. Monkshood is n well-known garden >erennial. slioiy and couse?iuential m account of its rank growth. It trows about four feet high, each stalk laving a long Inflorescence. The flow. ?rs are dark blue; the colored sepals generally mistaken for the petals. The ipper one Is vaulted, and from this the >laut gets its commoh name, the se >al hooding the flower like a monk's ?owl. In cultivation there are many 'nineties of color. TEMPERATURE FOR APPI.ES. Experiments have proved that a low ?r temperature than at first used by -oniuiercial houses Is the more desir ible for apples. The temperature Host satisfactory Is thirty-three de uces, and in our experiment was the emperature we tried to keep. Lower ng the temperature does not stop all :hanges going on in the apple, but sim. >ly delays them. Fruit cannot be kept ndeflnitely at thirty-two degrees 'reezlng without any changes. There ire chemical changes going on which -esult In what we call over ripeness, nealiness, and loss of flavor. This rhange is Independent of decay and is llndered by low temperature and bas oned by high.? Iowa Experiment Sta lon. TREE PRUNING. While the eurly spring pruning and be summer pinching back of the small ;!.oots covers tbe main pruning of the 'xult trees, much good work may be lone during the opening days of win :er which will, at least, save time in *he spring. Broken limbs may be re noved an^l many of the inside limbs .vhich are overlapping the fruiting ;wigs can be cut off during the winter is well as in the spring. The work of pruuing should always )e done with a saw on limbs too large x> cut with a sharp knife; in pruning, taw from tbe underside of the limb Irst, sawing up a quarter or half Arougb and finishing from the top. This will result in a clean cut through !rom the top. In tbe winter pruning >f orchards keep your eyes open and sote the condition of the tree so that it the proper time any remedy for any. trouble found may be applied. PACKING APPLES. ' The time has come when the farmers *rho raise apples on a large scale and pack them for shipment for the gen* ;ral trade must pay more attention ? the manner in which they are put jp. The practice of large dealers go ng to apple growing districts and buy aag apples on the trees and having 'item picked and packed by experts las made it imperatively necessary ihat the crop of the individual orchard ft must be managed in the same man ner if it has any show in competing ?vith the product of the large com mercial orchards. The fruit must be carefully gathered from the trees and til inferior specimens rejected and added to the cider pile. They must t>e carefully and honestly graded and packed in the barrels, with the same juality in the middle as at the bottom >r top, and the grade branded 011 the barrel, truthfully. After they are packed the barrels must not be left in the orchard exposed to the sun and rain, but shipped or put in storage at >nce. By observing nil these precau tions the orchardist can be justified In putting his name on the package and guaranteeing the quality. OVER-WATERING PLANTS. It Is not generally understood by some that plants can be over-watered. But the fact Is, they may be literally drowned? and this often happens. The position of water in the life Workings of a plant is chiefly that of carrier? it is taken up by the roots, carries food to all parts of the plant and mostly passes off Into the atmos phere through the leaves. This rou tine is necessary. Without it growth cannot be made, while a surfeit of wa ter brings decay of the 1" touch with the excess. The times when over-watering is most possible are when a plant Is with out leaves, dormant or nearly so, and water cannot be used speedily; when the soil Is heavy and does not give up the moisture quickly; when a plant has been recently transplanted and new feeding fibres have not been formed to take up the moisture; and when evergreens are In question, the leaves of which do not pass the water so readily. House plnntR may suffer for lack of regular watering if the atmosphere bo warm; or they may have too much wa ter If the conditions are as described. Transplanted plants like moisture to give them a start, and usually take a thorough soaking; but that once Is all that is needed, and that the plant can well stand. Just a little of forethought and study are needed to make evident.? plant's needs and Its limitations; and there Is really but little excuse for over watering, yet, strange to say, it Is a more common occurrence than many would suppose.? Floral Life. New Industrial Kconotnjr. A locomotive engineer on an Eastern railroad said one day to his two fire men; "Suppose you fellows work as if you, and not the company, were paying the coal bills." During six months, men-ly by careful firing, the men caused a saving in coal, over the aver age consumption of the engine, equal to almost four times the amount of wages paid the men for that period. The engine, was the same; the men .worked differently.? World's Work. Premier Balfour sajs that although he was taught the classics for ten j.cars lie Beyer learned them Tk?lr Talae. KE of the greatest draw* backs to country life la found In tlie mi sera bl?wcon dltiou of the highways over" which the farmer has ; to transport the products of I) In energy. It Is no wonder that the boys and girls want to leave the farm atul go to the city when they have to tramp through mud ankle deep several months of the year to and from school and church. If there In anything that Is calculated to disturb the serenity of the human mind It Is to travel over road muds in thr winter season when there is danger tf miring down with an empty wagon everj few hundred yards. It is remarkable that a country that has made such wonderful progress along ko many lines should have given so little attention to Its public roads. The United States leads the world so far a: agricultural production Is con cerned. This irt attributed largely to the excellent system of public educa tion and to the progressive spirit and ambition of the American people. Why roiuls have not received greater con* sideration is a hard matter to under* stand, since they are. after all. the chief highways of commerce, That the United States is woefully behind in the matter of public road construc tion* is shown l?y the fact that France has built 23.003 miles of wagon roads and Italy more than rWH)0 miles. In some States the* matter has been taken up seriously, and It Is believed that * New York will shortly Issue bonds to the extent of $ ."a). 000.000 for the pur pose of improving her public high ways. In some sections of the South ad mirable roads are to be found, but. for the most part, road construction is an unknown art in Tennessee. One of the best ways for a community to add to its wealth and productiveness is to improve its public highways. People art going to locate where they can travel back and forth from market with the greatest ease and comfort. The construction of good roads is not a tax: it is simply an improvement of one's property. for the history of the movement shows that it has always increased the value of the a^pcent property. The farmers of the South are interested in good roads. It means much to every one of them, for they all have something to take to market, and if they had. good highways to transport it over, they could take it there in half the time. and the saving in time and labor effected would be enormous, Itecause the wear and tear on the wagon and harness and work stock would be reduced to a minimum. If the farmer would sit down 'and con sider that lie spends about a whole day to take a third of a load of grain tt> market, he would see what an enor mouse tax he pays to "King Mud." It is strange how willingly the people will submit to Indirect taxation, and how strenuously they object to paying n small direct tax for the development of public utilities that will be of the greatest benefit to them. The good roads question has assumed n National importance, and a bill has recently been introduced into Congress to appropriate $24,000,000 to build demonstration roads? in the several States of the Union. It is proposed. to divide this money on the basis of pop nlatlon, except no State shall receive less than $2o0.000. On this basis, Ten nessee, for example, would receive $r?8T?.000. and in order for the money to be available, ir. would be necessary for the State to appropriate a similar amount. This would give a fund of more than $1,000.1100 for the construc tion of public highways in the Stato within the next four or five years, and would enable many miles of permanent road to lie. constructed. It is only nec essary for a demonstration road of the kind suggested to be built to convince the people of its value, and in view of . all that is to be gained by the con struction of first-class highways, and the fact that they affect the interests of every citizen, the present movement Is to be commended.? Southern Agricul turist. UrmnliiimM For Improvement, In a recent report State CommlB sloner Macdonald, of Connecticut, says Hint State Is "almost unanimous for road Improvement." Since 1805. when State aid was adopted, 102 out of a possible 108 towns have had Improve ments made under tliat plan. The ap* propria t Inns made by the State have steadily Increased, successive legisla tures having appropriated 7150,000. f2<K>.000. W50.000 and M50.000. Over r>oo miles of roads have been construct ed. He says: "Our work In Connecti cut is so similar in character to that embodied in the various bills for Na tional aid that 1 must express my grat ification that'thc matter has been taken up by the United States Oovernment. I have always taken the position that the public highway is a public posses sion. and that the public in general should pay for its Improvement." How to Mfkfl Komi*. I have traveled on roads a short dis lance that had two road beds, one of dirt ami one of gravel, side by side. 1 was favorably impressed with that kind of road, and thought why is there not more written about that kind of roads. People traveling will choose the dirt road when In condition to use lit preference fo gravel, which Is more than half the time. They are more pleasant to ride on mid considerable saving to the vehicle and horses, and less tax to keep in repair. With the Implements they now have for making roads, I know tulles of roads In Wayne County where the gravel could be plowed and thrown over to one aide, and plenty of room for dirt and gravel. I believe that If this county will corn inence making that kind of road* oth ers will soon follow.? S. F. C., In Indiana Farmer. u In December last there were 2327 bank* in Japan, with an aggregate cap itiil of .120,755.000 yen, a decrease of two banks and 408,000 yen in twa mouth*. "