University of South Carolina Libraries
.Mynheer Joe. ? BY ST. QEORQE JWTHBORNE. Ooraun vm, ?omtBnm'iEon. , CHAPTER IX. y ( Continued.] ' *A beastly long time com Inf. Tom! ?oH MoDy to Mod you here half an knr hack. Don't aak what's the mat* ter now. Been !a ea? of my usual **"a? yon aoo; only the seventh since isa i tug Constantinople. This time ?Mt a Tartar. Infernal rascal played ?rtth ma. Just think of It? played With the only Tanner aa a cat does a and then when be got tired, 1 ma out If I could only have alone In this room Are minutes ?*4 1st him know 1 ain't so green as I Itok. if I was caught napping once! Tom, yon old heathen, take hold tie thla handkerchief back of my Have a stiff neck for a bloody moat likely. Not so tight, you Sauntering Hoosler! D'ye want to *111 ma outright? There? that'll do. tCow alt down and have a glass with IMl Be social. If It Is past midnight. {That's the beat part of the day la this Mbomlnabla country. Why don't you Bay something, you miserable mute? What! Ton? Death and furies! Btn's treachery P The roar he glvea as his one nncov ?red eye falla upon the face and Cteure of Mynheer Joe is absolutely ta^palllng. He starts back and at tempts to throw himself into an atti* tnde of defense, but striking an obsta cle.. he sits down In an easy chair so forcibly that the breath is driven from tea huge body, and he can only sit ltera and gasp, blinking at Joe like a peat owl. The latter Is strongly tempted to laugh. There Is something so ridicu lous In all this afTalr, but he realizes that such an act must forever ruin Ms chances of a reconciliation. He must control himself until a more fi Snorable opportunity comes about. Acting upon the impulse of the mo vent he holds out his hand. "Mr. Tanner, I have come here to teg your pardon for what bad oc curred. It was all a misunderstand teg on my part. I want you to shake tends with me and tell me you bear Mo malice," he says frankly. t Demosthenes Tanner grins a little, telt as yet makes no move toward ac ?>ting the proffered hand. His neck Inges, and this sets him against i Into antagonist. "Fine words don't cure a stiff neck, *r. I confess I admire the way you took the port of a small man. and your of usiug your dukes nearly won iny heart, but I refrain from making j| peace, for I live in hopes of having another set-to, when I may have my revenge," replies this singular specl s>en of Western chivalry. ' "That will be Impossible, sir. I will tever strike a blow against you again ?tnce I have learned thut you are Miss ?folly'a father." "What the deuce has she to do with It? If you and I choose to engage In la little sport of our own, whose busi ness Is Itr growls Tanner, his band tew slowly advancing to meet that of *be honorable antagonist, whom he respects as a foeman worthy of his ?teeL "1 repeat what I said, sir. 1 am terry to have struck you. You must pardon my Indiscretion? for Molly's teke." "Now thst's twice you've brought ter name Into the affair. What in the tolschlef hss she to do with It? What Is she to you? I don't ever remember te*ta* you before to-night* Molly Jui a regiment of admirers, but sbe Introduces me to every one. Who are you, sir?" "I am known as Mynheer Joe, sir, a terruptlon of my real name." "Ah, the fellow they're all talking Mbout! Been up with Gordon, eb? fBreat man, that Gordon? wonderful ten! Tell me something about him. ?luce It was you who put me Into tills flx It's only fair to Insist on you amus ing me" "Presently, Mr. Tanner. First, ore jrou going io shake hands with me?" "By Jove, y? a, sir! I like your looks. S like the way you swung tbat terrible tight arm Into my neck? 1 like you! (There's my hand, and once Demos theues Tanner gives it lie never goes back on a friend." Mynheer Joe has won, and as yet he feas only made a beginning. Flushed With victory he -queezes the huge tint ?f the governor, who looks very amia ble In his eyes now. Circumstances ?Iter eases. The bull-like roar of the Western orator will never seem the time o him after this. "Perhaps 1 liave a claim on your friendship, Mr. Tanner." be says mod ?ally. "How's tbat? Unbosom yourself, *?y lM>y." "It scents like egotism to speak of it, Imt your daughter will soon be tell ng you. I hrtd the extreme pleauure or Jumping overboard at Malta, a year back, and assisting Miss Molly when ?he was thrown into the water." Tanuer givus another ronr. He act ually throws bis arms around Myn heer Joe iind bugs blin much after the beat" stylo. The explorer's ribs threat en to jxlvo way under the pressure. ? nd he is immeasurably relieved when ^Tanner hair finished his demonstration. VhUh Is itceotnpitulfd by a string of delighted expletives and a minting tire of question*. M v'tt'cr Joe exn!n ~ m>'?"rs n* best he ran, tclllng^why be hurried ?way without waiting to give even bis name or meet the father of the young C'.rl whose life he had saved. The ora tor has evidently fallen deeply In love with him; he keeps his eyes constantly on Joe's face, and rubs his hands to gether In a delighted manner. Thv victory Is so complete tha^ Joe rao not but feel proud. He only hopes Hntody may have aa earnest a measure ?f success In the other direction. Knowing the capacity of his friend for tccompll?.i1ng what he sets out to per t?r?. la tot ma nag?, feafeufcudtt: ' mate result of the outer's quiet Inter view with Molly. There la aometblnf more to teD, and he belkvea the opportunity la ripe for It. Thin fa the line of thought ad* vanced between Bandy and hlmaelf. and which concerna the prohahle out* come of the difficulty between Tanner and the baron, had It been allowed to go on. Tanner Ilatena with wondering ejea i and nodding bead. It la all newa to him, and jet be can eaally believe It. Certain clrcumstanbea combine to force him to thla conclusion. "Sow" be. bursts out with, at the con? elusion of the recital, **I was near being the Tlctim of a conspiracy, eh? Perhaps the rascal had an Idea he could run off with my girl, once the old man was out or the way. And you really save my life by stepping In? Mynheer Joe. I am your debtor forever! Show me a way by means of which I can repay you. The baron is a Russian sccret agent on hla way to India, eh? Perhnpa we'll see more of him. I'm something of a diplomat myself, once I put my mind on It. Now. do yov know what Demos thenes Tanner has a good notion to do? Let uj in opposition to this raa cally baron? play him for a sucker and land him In the arms of the Brit* isli in Bombay. Why not? I come of old English stock, and my aympathfes are against the movement of the bear In the direction of fair India. Mow don't think me a fool ? I reckon I can meet him1 even, brain for brain, and give him points. As for his dogs of war, I mMtch 'em here," and the ora tor, with an astonishingly rapid move ment. such as these Western men alone cat show, produces a weapon from some secret pocket ? a revolver that looks ferocious in the lamplight. Mynheer Joe's opinion of Molly's father takes an upward bound. He realizes that the Riant is no simpleton, and *^s met too many strange people in his past to give up easily when brought in contact with a man of the baron's calibre. The two gentlemen smoke a cigar In ?oinpany and then Joe takes his leave, Itromising to see the other on the mor iow, and delate much , of what oc curred at Khartoom. He hopes Molly tnay be present, for her company will 'nspire him to do his best. "I trust your Inconvenience may be flight, and that you will harbor no ill feeling toward me as the cause of your discomfort," the explorer says, when faking his leave. "Nonsense! A mere love-tap! Don't bother yourself about It. my boy. I'm used to worse thiugs than tbat. i can tell you," replies the orator, shaking bands warmly. Thus Mynheer Joe leaves him, and feels that his work has been a grand ?uccess. Light-hearted, he quits the apartments of Tnnncr, and once more leeks the realm where music and gay ety ubound. for the guests ore having a last dance ere the enjoyable affair breaks up. Joe only has a glimpse of Molly, and ?hc does not see him as she passes through the rooms, bidding several lady friends good-night. Undoubtedly she is about to retire. This makes him think It might be as well for him to do the same, al though he does not feel sleepy, after having wooed the gentle goddess for twenty-four hours. Presently he runs across Mr. Grimes, and that worthy, being Interested In all tbat pertains to his fortunes, at once asks numerous questions, recelv Ing in reply a variety of Information that be can sort over at his leisure. He takes Joe. to the onice of the ho tel In order to nook mm. Fortunately some one has just departed,* and there Is a vacant room, to which he is as signed. Another chance places It next tbat of Mr. Grimes. By this time the strains of the music have ceased, most of the people retired and many of their lights are being put I out, so that Shepherd's after the hop resumes its tmtural appearance. Out on the square of Ksbehlyeb the utmost solitude reigns, broken only by the snarling of wandering dogx, which abound in the Cairo of to-day. The fakirs and mountebanks, snake charmers and peddlers, curious Idlers nnd beggars have all cleared out as the lights drop in the hotel. Cairo sleeps. Mynheer Joe finds himself alone In uls room. His eyes are not a bit heavy, and he wonders what he will iio with himself to pass the time away iiiitll morning. Joe's one jrcat vlee lies In the fnet Hint he I* mi Inveterate smoker. De prived of n cignr for six month!*; the weed ceeinH doubly sweet to lilm just now. nnd lie ninde mire to lay iu a sup ,?ly before leaving the oltlee. ins lirst act. there lore, upon HikIIuk himself nlone in his room, I* to drnw a olinlr near the window, throw him self Into It, pro<luee a Ignr, strike a mnteh nnd stnrt the engine. Ah with all old smokers tlilf* pro duces a ti n In of reflection. He goe? bnck to the moment when he opened his eyes on honrd the dnhnhenh nnd met his frlenus, Rnndy nnd Mr. (Crimen. Then It In ensy to follow the trnek of events down to the present, nnd there nre several plnees where Joe linger# tenderly. Whgt a strange series of ndventuret he looks hack upon. "And the end Is not yet." he mutters, is he eontemplntes the prtst through llic hnlo of tho blue smoke that cir cles n round him, "for, unless I'm Jeucedly mistaken, there's going to be I continuation of this wnrfure. It may extend even to India's coral itrnnd, If th.s little benat of a bnron mnkes up his mind that he's bound to possess Molly. Right now nnd here 1 make a tow that such a thing shall never be. Molly l?elongs to him The deuce! I'll see him hnnged first. And yet 1 don't underrate the fellow. He's dangerous aa a dynamite bomb. ud moat b? handled with extreme This to Jae'a way to a qpt. Ha la knows aa ibm*. hat a carefal man. one not called a Hotspur In any aenae of the word, and yet ready to lead a forlorn hope or attempt a moat peril ous m las Ion. la battle hla strong right arm haa been worth half a doaen ordi nary men. and thoae under whom he r ought hare been accustomed to de pend on him when difficulties arooe. He smokes and ponders. . Somehow the bualness makes him a trifle drowsy, and be thlnka be might aa well lie down for a spell. It will be aeveral houra * before day cornea, and there can be no telling what may oc* rnr to exhauat him ere another oppor ? tunity?occura to get any sleep. ltlalng, be toaaea the butt of hla ci gar out of the window. At the aame time be atanda there and glnncea around. The poor apology for an Egyptian moon haa reached a respectable point up In the heavens, and as Joe lookn out be can aee the grand plaxa before him. Beyond are white-walled houses, the gleaming domes of mosques and needle-like minarets, from which per chance at aunriae the muezzin will na calling all thrj faithful Mussulmans to prayer. Giving a yawn he looks down and notes that the ground Is not so far lie low but what an agile man could jump to II safely. Then Mynheer Joe throws himself upon the clean bed. It feels very coin-, fortable. and he gives a grunt of satis faction. It is not very often a man of his calling finds a chance to rest upon suet a couch. More generally he lies upon a bed of leaves or the hard side of a plank on board some exploring bast. Certainly. Joe has been given Ao cot of roses while with Gordon In i Kbnrtoom. This fact does not pre vent a traveler used to roughing It from enjoying a soft thing when chance throws It In his way. He finds his senses fading, and then all becomes blank as sleep overpowers him. The hour passes on. All is si lence around the famous hostelry save for the discordant barking of mangy [?u r 8 upon the streets? a sound every sojourner In the land of Egypt be comes accustomed to, as It is unmerci fully dinned into his ears in every city of size. Mynheer Joe has moved restlessly several times, as though his dreams take him back to the exciting scenes at the beleaguered city on the Nile. Suddenly his eyes fly opt-n. Could (hat be the effect of a vivid dream or lid he really hear a sibilant whisper: "Mynheer Joe. awake! Danger!" Never in all his life has this man of Iron nerve been more completely aroused. He lies there as still as a rock, and yet with his senses and nerves on the qui vlve. Ha! Is that a> sound that reaches l?lm from the direction of the window? (iently he raises his head to look. What he sees In that one glance Is quite enough to take away an ordi nary man's breath. [To be Continued.] How Caviar I* Mad*. The making of caviar la a simple orocess. It can be prepared In any louseliold convenient to a sturgeon fishery. In fact, under these condi tions only is It had in absolute perfec tion. for the longer It is kept either sealed in glass or tin the more rapid Its deterioration. It is for this reason that the caviar eaten in Russia, where it Is served from the original packages. Is so far superior to tbat procurable elsewhere. In the cavler of commerce the roe as soon as it is takeu from the fish Is placed in tanks, wlieu It Is carefully washed. Then It is rubbed through screens until the c?K8 are separated. The last process, or rathe-, next to the last Is the pack ing In salt In kegs, and the keeping of It cool in ice or cold storage until it reaches the canners, who seal It In tius or in bottles for export. This is nil the manipulation that It undergoes. Wheu prepared for ltousehold use the cleansing, separation of the eggs and packing in tine salt are all that Is nec essary. There Is but one way of serv ing It and that is on toast or brown bread ami butter or as cauapes with 'cm 011 juice aud a little olive oil. It s the only aliment that admits of but i single method of culinary treatment. Alinntnnm Cnrtnlni. Aluminum has just been employed 'or the construction of a new hreproof '.?urtain to be used In theatres. The '?ui'taiu Is sixty feet wide by fifty-four feet bljrh, is compos _?d of aluminum <heets one-twelfth of an In'Ja ititf weighs 4U00 pounds. A MIRACLE TO ORDER. fncldent Turned Theatrical Tragedy Intc- Comedy. In the days ol' his youth M. Coque lln was ambitious, and fhe parts ht loved best to play were those In which he die J In full view of an appre clatlve audience, for his art. He had one of these roles one evening at the Boulogne theater, and played !t splen dldly, getting a ringing round of ap plause as he fell dead upon the stage Then his troubles started. The audience's applause woke ur ! a mosquito, which applied itself to M Coquelln with so much assiduity that the corpse felt It must either scream or scratch. Another actor, who play ed a general In the corps of which thf dead M. Coquelln was a young ensign was staudlng near the body, and hnrf to say: "See, then, how sad a thing Is war! But now this youth was liv Ing. Now he Is dead ? motionless foi all time! Nothing, snve a miracle, can give him l\fe again." But M. Coquelln could hold out no longer. The mosquito was still bit Ing busily, and Coquelln had to sit up and slap his leg. "The miracle haf happened," cried the general, while the audience laughed until it crlel at this too lively corpse. Ducks Show Intelligence. Some ducks In Rhode Island flndlnf themselves prevented by the Ice froir enjoying a swim In their favorite pond, rose en massp in the air and came down plump in the middle of 'he pond, breaking the Ice by the force of their united Impact, and se curing for themselves open water In which to disport. MflllL PRtSSCO POULTRY. Klltta*. riMklM HA f>*n VW ** The preparation and ?hipping of Jramfl poultry are subjects considered In a bulletin of tbo Agricultural Col lege of Ontario. Either of two method* of killing may be practiced. The first ia to kill by bleeding, making a sharp, deed cut with a knife In the roof of the mouth Just below the eye*. The sec ond la the wringing and pulling of the neck. The chicken I* taken In the handa, the neck la stretched, the crown of the head being held In the palm of 8HAPIXO BOARD. the band, and a quick turn upward with a steady pull at the tame time la given. This method Is cleaner than bleeding. Exporters are reported as favoring it. They claim that the flesh will not be so dry and will keep longer than la the case when the fowl Is bled. Immediate plucking la recommend ed. for not only Is plucking more la borious after tbe bird has become cool, but the skin is much more likely to be come torn. About two Inches of feath. ers Is left about tbe head, the rest of the bird being plucked clean. During this operation tbe head of the fowl should be kept downward to allow the blood to collect in the neck. The dressed chicken is placed on a "shaping board." A weight is placed on the top of the chicken to compress It and give a compact appearance. The detail in the accompanying cut shows a weight of Iron, but a brick answers the purpose. It is best not to hang chickens by ihe legs after plucking, because this gives tbem a thin, leggy and unattractive look. At least twelve hours should be allowed to pass to let the animal beat get thoroughly out of the body, before * packing. The box shown in the cut Ik the one used for export shipments. The dimensions are: Length, three feet; width, seventeen Inches; depth, seven inches. A parch ment paper liuing is used. For short shipments the box is three feet long by twelve inches vide and twelve deep, holding three tiers of birds. In long distance shipments not only Is the box lined, but each bird Ik wrapped In paper, to prevent bruising and because this is thought to length en to some extent the period of good keeping. Common wrapping paper should not be used, as It has a tenden cy to collect moisture. Cmrm of Mule Colin. The feeders here buy mule colts to be delivered at weaning time, usuully the first of October. Up to this time the mule's food consisted of biuegrass with a few weeds for seasoning and the milk allowance. Now, after the mother Is taken away, the restless youngster must be fed. Feed must be provided for biro in the enclosure, for ? well fenced lot or a stall is essential to restrain tbe desperate donkey for a week or ten days. This feed, at first, should be green corn on the stalk, reasonably Urm ears, some sheaf outs and a llttl" clover bay. After having cspitulated, they may bp turned ou good pasture, bluegrass, clover or rye. One man let his colts run in a corn Gold around which wan a wide margin of uncultivated land with thick set of luxuriant bluegrass. They grazed well and seldom bothered the corn. If any was pulled down It was through curi osity as much ss anything else. I con sider good fall and winter pasture es sential to proiltable mule colt growing. It Is policy, too, to let them come to the shelter every night and eat a small ration of ground feed or shelled corn and oats. Do not turn them out In bnd weather, particularly a cold rain. This grain ration, with some fodder and hay under shelter, will be better until tbe wen then opens. Such a period sel dom lasts over a day. so that most of their time is spent afield. But after bad weather sets in in earnest, tliey ore penned and fed a larger grain ra tion and Hie feeds named above, es pecially clover or mixed bay. Is good for them. Be kind to the young donkeys. They respond very readily to kind treatment. No other kind should be given. (Jive the hired man and small boy to understand that positively there must be no teasing, for such is calcu lated to make a vicious animal. Hal ter tbe gentle colt, curry It, and lend It around. Soon the shyer ones will seek the same treatment. Almost be fore you know It, they will be half broken or more. I like to begin tbe colt education early, for then they can be properly and Judiciously taught and the foundation laid for reliable and agreeable motive power -li. \\. Jones. In Tbe Kpitomist. Piiiii II Inta. IjHJ in a few barrels of dry road dust so that when tbe ben is denied her dusting place outdoors, one cun be supplied her. Do not 1st ducks and geese roo?t in ?r near the poultry bouse. Any open ?k?d will protect them. It belBR snly PMMM17 to hm tlio ground dry. Do not let docs and cats worry the bens. ? strange dog In tbo poultry yard will often do much (damage. Male birds will not be disposed to lllbt If kept confined In yards. Tbey should never be kept with laying hens except during the hstchlng season. To keep seeds free from mice and In* sects put some pleccs of csmphor gum In them. Instead of staking potatoes put straw around them. This will keep % them moist and clean. # Elder bsrk scraped off and fried In fresh lard or mutton tallow makes a sslre that will cure burns snd sores. Ducks and geese ari cholera proof, but some people Imagine they require no care, and will live and thrive sun roundest by filth. Whole grains are best for adult fowls, and should be scsttercd in straw or litter, so that the fowls will be compelled to work. ? knowledge of the markets and ol the kinds wanted at different times will msterlslly sld In swelling the profit side of the poultry sccount. For cabbage worms dissolve one-halt teaspoonful of saltpetre In one quart water. Sprinkle on the cabbage in the cool of the day. Ttis Old Orchard. Can we rejuvenate the old orchards, or must we plant new ones? is a ques tion frequently asked. Many old or chards can be improved and possibly be made profitable by thorough enrich ment, careful cultivation, pruning and spraying? operations that have been discussed in this connection many times. For the farm or the home this plan may be worth the while, but for a commercial orchard, or for the young man, or the up-to-date fruit grower, I doubt If an old orchard can be made satisfactory, says Professor U. P. Hed rlck, of Michigan. In most esses the new must take the place of the old. There must be new varieties or new combinations of the old; new methods of planting, of heading and pruning; a greater use of cover crops to keep the soil in good tilth; more vigilant snd Intelligent care in cultivation to start the roots rightly and treatment from the first to keep out insects and fungi. Our fathers considered orchards an adjunct to the farm. Fruit was al ways a secondary consideration. An orchard to be profitable now must have first consideration. We must re alize. too. tliat apple growing Is not all one grand sweet son?, and that It re quires infinitely more labor and thought now to grow apples than it did a generation ago. But the difficul ties are not insurmountable. The or chard demands only the attention com monly given to field crops, with the ad dition of the tirst with poets. Pruning Penctt Tree*. The top pruning should be done as soon as the tree is planted, says Bul letin No. 02 of Delaware Station. There is a groat difference of opinion as to the height at which a peach tree should be headed, but the height advo cated here is eighteen inches from the ground. This is lower than most trees are headed in the East, and is too low -for the man who will not prune intelli gently every **y^ar. It is better to prune the liiubs to short spurs with two or three btuls than to cut thein close up to the trunk. There are two reasons for this: First, when the limbs are cut to spurs there Is no dry ing out of the trunk as there is when the entire limbs are taken off, and secondly, the foliage on the spurs shades the trunk and helps to increase its size and strength. The more fol- 1 iage distributed along the trunk the better should lie its growth. It is well to examine the tree occasionally during | the season and pinch back the shoots wherever necessary to muintain ~ sj m metrical form. Protecting Poultry. Hundreds of farmers raise chlckons. but lose many when they are a few weeks old. At an early age the hawks, cats and rats carry off a large portion of young chickens; not one-third of , those hatched escape their aniuial en emies. It Is not easy work raising chickens under favorable circum stances, but under unfavorable condi tions it is almost Impossible. Most farmers allow the chicks to follow the old hen through the wet grass, out into the rain, and through the slush and mud. This will never do. The mother hen must be confined and the chickens aiKo must l># kept within limits by making a fence of wire or lath; wire is cheaper. The hen's cover must be wa tertight. The water must not come In from overhead nor from the fldor. A barrel, with one bead out, makes a pretty good place for the hen. but she must have exercise.? P. F. Caldwell, in tirecn's Fruit tJrower ftoori. Simple i'.ntm. Make it light and hang it InsMe of I ?vo heavy screw eyes as shown In cut. The ends of main upright, whi' * 1 should be of hard, tough oak or othet ! hard wood, are shaved down and nice ly rounded ofT. It is u handy and cheap driving gate. flint* on Sow?, If brood sows can have a chance to feed on clover hay about the stacks, or the racks in the feed lot. there will be little. If any. complaint about pig-eat* ing at farrowing time. WelUfed hogs eeldom give any tron* hie in breaking out of pasture or feed lots. If fed regularly and they will eat. they will spend murli time In the shed at rest. IJnder these conditions they fatten most quickly. To have hogs develop properly It It necessary to raise them under health* ful conditions. Clean water, clean quarters, freedom from lice and mange, good pasturage and suck grain as they need, not too much corn, are the r? quialte condition*. T 0**?n?ta| Aid. HE advocates of CoTcrn ment aid in building anf ; improving the ruads ar< < engaged in bunting up pre cedents. The latest tbinc n this line la Government aid to e<tu ' ?T.Ley CaI1 attemio'> to ttu .act that, in our earlier history. Iarir? ? o?f pul>,,c lands were made tt k St*!f t0 be U8ed ,n *uPP<>rt o.'? -be public schools. In 1802 tbe Mor rill act was passed by Congress male ng large grants of public lauds to all : e States. the Income from which wa? 'o be used in the maintenance of a?;ri cultural colleges. In 1800 the secom slorrlll law was enacted making a na ilonal appropriation of $15.<wo to eat* State to be used In supporting tlies* agricultural colleges. This annual ap proprlatlon has been increased fr?.in rear to year until it Is now $25,000 f??i ?acb State. This direct appropriation idded to the Income which all tin States derive from the land grants oi 1862, makes an aggregate of uearli 12.000,000 a year which the States 11m? receive as national aid to agriculture' education. One interesting feature of this Gov irnnient aid scheme is that it involves ro -operation betweeu the nation a no tbe States aomewhat similar to tha* aow proposed in the Brownlow-Lati ?er road bill. The Government up propriations and the land grant fundJ must be used only In maintaining thf Jolleges, not in establishing .them. Thf States must provide tbe buddings and equipment. Most of tbe States alsc ?upply part of tbe funds used in pay *g the current expenses. In additior ?o all this Congress in 1887 passed tbf Match act, making a gift of $13.(KK lnnually to each State to aid in sup porting a State experiment station, tnd in this we have another example )f the same kind of co-operation. Thf I States now receive from the Govern j nent for the support of these stations pearly $S00.0O annually. This addet' :o the Government aid which the col i eges enjoy makes a grand total of more than $2,700,000 annually. j The good roads people are asking why their plan for national aid to rond Improvement should be branded as unconstitutional and paternalistic j while Government aid to education if ? well established feature of our na I tional policy. They point out that while the Constitution expressly em powers Congress to "establish posl roads," it is silent on the matter of ed neat ion. They also claim that agricul .ural education Is something which j the States could handle far more easily I than tbe improvement of the roads. l'rotect Th?lr ICon<l?. There is considerable agitation ovei j the question of good roads. No on? | doubts the desirability of good roads j But suitable material for making good I roads on a foundation of Florida sand is scarce in this State. If we had suet laws as exist in Kurope. our roads | could be made good with the material at hand. ! European countries have long dis larded narrow tires in order to pre serve and build their highways. an<f also because it is economy in the use of the vehicle and the weight that a borse is able to draw, savs the goo<! Good I toads Magazine. Wide tires art not only lighter in their draught thar narrow ones under nearly all condi tions, but they roll tbe roads smoott; Instead of cutting them to pieces. j| four-inch tire on a wagon carryinir a Heavy road Is a road builder. In France every freight nnd mnrkel wagon Is a road maker. Tbe tires art from three to ten iuches in width, usu ally with a single horse, tbe load! weighing over two tons. With the new four-wheeled vehicles used In Frauc? the tires are rarely less than six Inchet In width, and the rear axle abou| fourteen inches longer than the tort axle, so that the rear or bind wheels run about one Inch outside of th? level rolled by the front wheels. In Germany the law prescribes thai all the wagons drawing heavy loada such as coal, brick, earth, stone, etc. roust have tires at least four Inche* wide. It is worse than useless to ere ate expensive and valuable highway* to have them only cut to pieces by thf use of narrow tires as now used foi the hauling of heavy loads In this eoun try. When an expensive highway bar been created It must be taken car* of, and methods heretofore permitted must be changed In order to help main tain it. W Ide tires are of the greates' value In preserving ordinary dirt roads ?Florida Agriculturist. DuitlrM KoHdi In Krnnr*. An official report of the I?epartmen# of Bridges ii ikI Itoads in France show# the continuance of the good rexulfs ob tained in rendering road a free froii dust by coating Hie surface with far. The engineer of the Seine and Marin# Departments reports that after an un successful trial of a mixture of oil an< petroleum a coating of tar was in tin summer of U>02 laid down on sevei different lengths of road. After care fully observing these during a period of twelve months, he finds that dus and mud have wholly disappeared ani the cost of maintenance of the road/ has been considerably reduced. Fur ther comparing the previous outlay o? the roads with that of those witl tarred surface, he says: "It appcari that the tarring method requires m | greater outlay, and at the same film very considerably improves the con dltlon of the roadway. In La Che' two lengths of the Chausee National# were coated with tar In June and Au ( gust of 1002. Both these experiment' ( have been r-ntlrely successful, the roaf now being covered with an elasth ! skin, while the sound of foot passcn j gers' tread Is muffled and horses nn< I draft oxen require only one-half tin | effort they put forth before. Tin i noise and vibration caused by vehlcu j lar traffic Is much reduced, and nelthe? I dust nor mud Is formed on the tarred | ?urface." I | ' GROWING CUCUMBERS. When growing cucuidIhtk for pickle* it is umswry to pick off the cocuiubei before they m?wI two Inches Is 1 length. Should the vines be permitted | to fulfill their mission? growing seed? they will cease to l>e productive, hence oot s single cucumber ou a vine should lie allowed to mature. As long as tbs small cucumbers are picked off it will Inert ate the number. AIR HOT-BEDS. Hot beds should be well air.nl. hy raising the sash on warm days, but I they should be well covered and pro* teeted at 'night. The temperature enn j be kept to within n few degrees of tbs j |Ki:ut required by keeping a close I watch and giving care to the hot-beds. I Fresh horse ma nut e is the best to use for creating warmth. It is not too ?oon to make the frames and have everything ready for beginning tbs hot-beds. | OYSTER S1IKIX BARK. | Are any of your trees on the lawn j >r in the orchard infested with the : \vster sli 'll bark louse? This is an j .ild enemy and you should look out for it. It is shaped like an oyster shell. It is not nearly so bad as the San Jose, vet it will soon kill a tree if allowed to have its own way. Make a thin white wash and cover the tree over with It; r?r concentrated lye. such as you can buy at the grocery More, is an ettleient remedy, t'sc one pound to ten g dlons of water. Do not let the substance touch the hands or clothing. i TROUBLE WIT1I QUINCE. What's the matter with the culnoe I trees that they do not bear? This is { the plaint of many correspondents, and this is the answer: The Quince is al ways infested with a borer which riddles the trunk near, and Just below, the surface of the ground, which If not dug out will eventuality kill the tree. Each tree should be wrapped tightly with rooting felt, or hardware (taper, for eighteen inches up and two or three below the surface of the ground; and it would be well also to hill up. Tie the paper tightly at the top s?o tbs parent tly can not get down. This should be done the last of April. That's one thing. Another enemy of the quince is a fungus, which spots the leaves and fruit, and coats the tw If" so badly that the tree cun not bear : good fruit. FLORAL NOTES. I Do not forget the flowers. Arrange j to have a few? two or three are better than none, and whether in-door* or i out-doors, there is nothing so com | forting, so refining, so soul-healing as | these bright-faced children of Nature, j You will always find them doing their best; they never give up until forced , to do so, and they are always seeking j the sunshine. You will learn many lessons from tliein, and their care will bring you many surprises. Do not count the moments lost In which you j are listening for the bluebird or digging j about the roots of a plant. | Many florists offer "surprise" col : lections of plants and bulbs that aro ? really valuable; the surprise lies in { the amount you get for your money, j aud the comfort you will take In car ing for them. No collection i* sent out for less than one dollar, but you could club with your neighbors and get any amount you want. After the rush of the spring trade is over flor ists have always a surplus of some things which they do not care to ear ry over, and they make up "collec tions" of their own ohooxing. and about the middle of May send them to whoever orders. May is ea.l.v enough for most of us, unless our homes are In the sunny South. In ordering, slate if you want the plants for indoors or out.? The Commoner. THE DUN LA I* STRAWBERRY. As every strawberry grower knows, the most profitable varieties to grow! are the early and late sorts, but if one makes a business of berry growing and has ? <?ood market he can nof afford to overlook the mid-season I varieties. While they nuiy not bring as good prices as the very early and late sorts, by having them one Is able to keep In touch with the regular ens* ?enters, and then by propel* grading. j he can obtain a price which will eivo ' him a fnlr profit. The Senator luinlap ha* proved very productive in tlelil culture, of excellent form and size ami of fine quality. It Ik also a stood fthipper. If there Is any objection fo the sort, It lien In Itu color which in very dark ml nil through, but tlilff would | not be considered objectionable in | most Rectlona. especially where u homo or nearby market wan entered to. The | variety la worth a trijil. and the quality I* no good tha. at least a few planis will be found valuable for frulf for Louie uae.? Indianapolis News. Market For Ap|>lr?. A Belfaat paper nays that duriiiff one week recently 100.000 bushels of | apple* came from the United States [ and 180,000 from Canada, and that Continental apples are much Infvrlor Ilk | quality to either of fh^above. and the fupplle* are ItiKlgnlflcain In comparison to them. Aortallut Literature. A Roclallat paper published In Kan* Kits ban 000,000 circulation; another In Minaourl, 00.000; and fl magazine now printed in Canada circulates more than 100,000 copies.