The Hays free press. [volume], August 01, 1918, Image 2

About The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
Our Fart in Feeding the Nation 1
mo
(Special Information Service. United States Department of Agriculture.)
MAKING MAN LABOR COUNT FOR MORE
By REX BEACH i5S&gz
'Copyright, by Htrpcr and Brothers)
W9S ENB
C-
ROSA AND HER COMPANIONS, FACING STARVATION, ARE
FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HiDING PLACES
Synopsis. Don Esteban Varona, rich Cuban planter, hides bis
money and jewels and the secret of the hiding place is lost when he
. and the only other person who knows it are killed. Donna Isabel, step
mother of the Varona twins Esteban and Rosa searches vainly for
years for the hidden treasure. Johnny O'lleilly, an American, loves
and is loved by Rosa. Doona Isabel falls to her death in an old well
while walking in. her sleep. Esteban's connection with the Cuban
insurrectos is discovered and he and Rosa are forced to flee. O'Reilly,
in New York on business, gets a letter from Rosa telling of her peril
and he starts for Cuba. Pancho Cueto. faithless manager of the Varona
estates, betrays Esteban and Rosa, leading Colonel Cobo, notorious
Spanish guerrilla, to their hiding place. Esteban. who is absent, returns
jnst in time to rescue Rosa. O'Reilly' efforts to reach Rosa are fruit
less and he is compelled by the Spanish authorities-to leave Cuba.
Esteban wreaks a terrible vengeance on Pancho Cueto. A fierce fight'
with Spanish soldiers ensues. Esteban escapes, but, badly wounded
and half conscious, he is unable to find his way' back to his camp
CHAPTER XI Continued.
9
But the time came when he could
walk no farther. lie tried repeatedly
and failed, and meanwhile the earth
spun even more rapidly, threatening to
whirl him off into space. It was a ter
rible sensation; he lay down ind
Imgged the ground, clinging to roots
and sobbing weakly. Rosa, he knew,
was just around the next bend in the
trail ; he called to her, but she did not
answer, and he dared not attempt to
creep forward because his grip was
failing. lie could feel his fingers slip
ping slipping. His last thought, as he
went whirling end over end through
space, was of his sister. She would
never know how hard he had tried to
reach her.
Late on the second day after the bat
tle Asenslo returned to his bohio. Rosa
and Evangelina. already frantic at the
delay, heard hira crying to them while
he was still hidden in the woods, and
knew that the worst had happened.
There was little need for him to tell
his story, for he was weaponless,
stained, and bloody. He had crossed
the hills on foot after a miraculous es
cape from that ravine of death. Of his
companions he knew nothing what
ever; the mention of Esteban's name
caused him to beat his breast and cry
aloud. He was weak and feverish, and
his incoherent story of the midnight
.encounter was so highly colored that
Rosa nearly swooned with horror.
The girl stood swaying while he told
how the night had betrayed them, how
he had wrought incredible feats of
valor before the shifting tide of battle
had4 spewed him out the end of the
tiiinken road and left him half dead in
the grass. Asensio had lain there un
til, finding himself growing stronger,
he had burrowed into a tangle of vines
at the foot of a wall, where he had re
nialned until the fighting ceased. When
the Spaniards had finally discovered
Ithelr mistake and. had ceased riding
'one another down, when lights came
-and he heard Colonel Cobo cursing
them like one insane, he had wriggled
away, crossed the calzada, and hidden
In the woods until dawn. .He had been
walking ever since; he had come home
in die.
J Asensio recovered, but he was sadly
changed. There was no longer any
martial spirit in him : he feared the
iSpaniards, and tales of their atrocities
cowed him.
Then Cobo came into the Yumuri.
jThe valley, already well-nigh deserted,
was filled to the brim with smoke from
framing fields and houses, and, through
It the sun showed like a copper shield.
Kefugees passed the bohio, bound
farther into the hills, and Asensio told
.the two women that he and they must
.also go. So the three gathered up
(rwhat few things they could carry on
their backs and fled.
They did not stop until they had
gained the fastnesses of the Pan de
Matanzas. Here they built a shelter
and again took up the problem of liv
ing, which was now more difficult than
ever.
The Pan de Matanzas, so called be-
-cause of its resemblance to a mighty
loaf of bread, became a mockery to
the hungry people cowering in its shel
ter. Bread! Rosa Varona could not
remember when she had last tasted
such a luxury. Raw cane, coconuts,
the tasteless fruita bomba, roots, the
pith from palm tops, these were her
articles of diet, and she did not thrive
upon them. She was always more or
less hungry. She was ragged, too, and
she shivered miserably through the
long, chill nights. Rosa could measure
the change in her appearance only by
.studying her reflection from the sur
face of the spring where she drew wa
ter, but she could see that she had be
come very thin, and she judged that
the color had entirely gone from her
cheeks. It saddened her, for O'Reilly's
sake.
Time came when Asensio spoke of
.giving, up the struggle and going in.
"They were gradually starving, he said,
and Rosa was ill ; the risk of discovery
was ever present. Jt was better to go
while they had the strength than slow
ly but surely to perish here. He had
heard that there were twenty thousand
reconcentrados in Matanzas ; in such a
crowd they could easily manage to
hide themselves; they would at least
be fed along with the others.
No one had told Asensio that the
government was leaving Its prisoners
to shift for themselves, supplying them
.with not a pound of food nor a square
inch of shelter.
; "" Misery bred desperation at last ;
iBvangellmi's courage failed her, and
tehe allowed "herself to be won. over.
jShe began her preparations by disguis-
. ling Rosa. Gathering herbs and berries.
Ishe made a stain with which she col-
irrvl th jHrl's fm nnrt hrwlv then cho
jsewed a bundle of leaves into the back
. Id! Rosa's waist so 'that when tlie lat
ter stooped her shoulders and walked
with a stick her appearance of de
formity was complete.
On the night before their departure
Rosa Varona prayed long and earnest
ly, asking little for herself, but much
for the two black people who had suf
fered so much for her. She ..prayed
also that O'Reilly would come before
it was too late.
CHAPTER XII
A Woman With a Mission.
Within a few hours after O'Reilly's
return to New York he telephoned to
Felipe Alvarado, explaining briefly the
disastrous failure of his Cuban trip.
"I feared as-much," the doctor told
him. "You were lucky to escape with
your life."
"Well, I'm going back. Won't you in
tercede for me with the junta? They're
constantly sending parties."
"Um-m! not quite so often as that."
Alvarado was silent for a moment;
then he said : "Dine with me tonight
and we'll talk it over. I'm eager for
news of my brothers and there is
some one I wish you to meet. She Is
interested in our cause."
"'She'? A woman?"
"Yes,' and an unusual woman. She
has contributed liberally to our cause.
I would like you to meet her."
"Very well ; but I've only one suit of
clothes, and it looks as If Td slept in
it."
"Oh, bother the clothes!" laughed
the physician. "I've given most of my
own to my destitute countrymen.
Don't expect too much to eat, either;
every extra dollar, yau know, goes
the same way as my extra trou
sers. It will be a sort of patriotic
'poverty party.' Come at seven,
please."
That evening O'Reilly anticipated
his dinner engagement by a few mo
ments in order to have a word alone
with Alvarado.
"This lady who Is coming here to
night has influence with Enriquez." Al
varado told him. "You remember I
told you that she has contributed lib
erally. . She might help you."
O'Reilly had met women with ideals,
with purposes, with avocations, and
his opinion of them was low. Women
who had "missions" were always tire
some, he had discovered. This one, it
appeared, was unusual only in that she
had adopted a particularly exacting
form of charitable work. Nursing,
even as a rich woman's diversion,
must be anything but agreeable.
O'Reilly pictured this Evans person in
his mind a large, plain, elderly crea
ture, obsessed with impractical ideas
of uplifting the masses! She would
undoubtedly bare him stiff with stories
of her work; she would reproach him
with neglect of his duties to the suf
fering. Johnnie was too poor to be
charitable and too deeply engrossed
at the moment with his own troubles
to care anything whatever about the
"masses." And she was a "miss."
That meant that she wore thick glasses
and probably kept cats.
A ringing laugh from the cramped
hallway interrupted these reflections;
then a moment later Doctor Alvarado
was Introducing O'Reilly to a young
woman so completely out of the pic
ture, so utterly the opposite of his
preconceived notions, that he was mo
mentarily at a loss. Johnnie found
himself looking into a pair of frank
gray eyes, and felt his hand seized by
a firm, almost masculine grasp. Miss
Evans, according to his first dazzling
impression, was about the most fetch
ing creature he had ever seen and
about the last person by whom any
young man could be bored. The girl
and she was a girl had brought into
the room an electric vitality, a breezi
ness hard to describe. Altogether she
was such a vision of healthy, unaffect
ed and smartly gotten-up young wom
anhood that O'Reilly could only stam
mer his acknowledgment of the intro
duction, inwardly berating himself for
his awkwardness.
Alvarado placed an affectionate
hand upon Miss Evans shoulderl
"O'Reilly, this girl has done, more for
Cuba than any of us. She has spent
a small fortune for medical supplies,"
said he. -
"Those poor men must live on qui
nine,; the girl exclaimed. "Anyone
who can bear to take the stuff ought
to have all he wants. I've a perfect
passion for giving pills.'
O'Reilly liked this girL He had liked
her the instant she favored him with
her friendly smile, and so, trusting
fatuously to his masculine powers of
observation, he tried to analyze her.
He could not guess her age, for an ex
pensive ladies tailor can baf3e the
most discriminating eye. Certainly,
however, she was not old he had an
idea that she would tell him her exact
age if he asked her. While he could
not call her beautiful, she was some-
thiaz Irr.Tneaaeljr better sh w&s alivaJ
human, interesting-, and interested.
The fact that she did not take her
"mission" over-seriously proved that
she was al.o sensible beyond most
women. Yes, that was it. Miss No- !
rine Evans was a perfectly sensible,
unspoiled young person, who showed
the admirable effects of clean living
and clean thinking coupled with a nor
mal, sturdy constitution. O'Reilly told
himself that here was a girl who could
pour tea. nurse a sick man, or throw
a baseball.
And she was as good as her promise.
She did not interrupt when, during
dinner. Alvarado led Johnnie to talk
about his latest experience in Cuba,
but, on the contrary, her unflagging in
terest induced O'Reilly to address his
talk more often to her than to the doc
tor. He soon discovered that she un
derstood the Cuban situation as well
as or better than he, and that her sym
pathies were keen. She was genuinely
moved by the gallant struggle of the
Cuban people, and when the dinner
was over she exploded a surprise
which left both men speechless.
"This settles it with me," she an
nounced. I'm going right to the insur
rectos with you."
"With me!" O'Reilly could not con
ceal his lack of enthusiasm. "I don't
knov" that the junta, will take me."
"They will if I ask them. You say
the rebels have no hospitals, no
nurses "
"We do the best we can, with our
equipment."
"Well, I'll supply better equipment,
and I'll handle it myself. I'm in ear
nest. You sha'n't stop me."
The physician stirred uneasily. "It's
utterly absurd," he expostulated.
"Some women might do it, but you're
not the sort. You are pardon nre a
most attractive young person. You'd
be thrown among rough men."
"Mr. O'Reilly will look out for me.
But. for that matter, I can take care
of myself. Oh, it's of no use trying
to discourage me. I always have my
own way ; I'm completely spoiled."
"Your family will never consent."
O'Reilly ventured ; whereupon Miss
Evans laughed.
"I haven't such a thing. I'm alone
and unincumbered. No girl was ever
so fortunate. But wait I'll settle this
whole thing in a minute." She quitted
the table, ran to Alvarudo's telephone,
and called a number.
"She's after Enriquez," groaned the
physician. "He's w eak ; he can't re
fuse her anything."
"I don't want a woman on my
hands," O'Reilly whispered, fiercely.
"Suppose she, got sick? Good Lord!
I'd have to nurse her." He wiped a
sudden moisture from his brow.
"Oh, she won't get sick. She'll prob
ably nurse you and all the other men.
You'll like it. too, and you will all fall
In love with her everybody does and
start fighting among yourselves.
There! She has Enriquez. Listen."
Johnnie shivered apprehensively at
the directness with which Miss Evans
put her request. "You understand, I
want to go and see .for myself, she
was saying. "If you need medicines
I'll give them bushels of the nastiest
stuff I can- buy. Ill organize a field
hospital. ... Oh, very well, call
it a bribe, if you like. Anyhow, I've
fully determined to go, and Mr. O'Reil
ly has volunteered to take care of me.
He's charmed with the idea." Miss
Evans giggled. "That means you'll
have to take him along, too."
There followed a pause during which
the two men exchanged dismayed
glances.
'She doesn't seem to care what she
says. OKeuly murmured. "But ril
put a flea In Enriquez' ear."
"Put it in writing, please." There
was a wait. Now read it to me. . . .
'I'm Going
Right tc the
Witli You."
Insurrectos
Good! Miss Evans fairly purred
over the telephone. "Send it to me by
messenger right away; that's a dear,
I'm at Doctor Alvarado's house, and
he's beside himself with joy. Thanks,
awfully. You're so nice." A moment,
and she was back in the dining room
facing her two friends a picture of
triumph. "You have nothing more v to
say about It," she gloated. " The pro
visional government of Cuba, through
Its New York representatives, extends
to Miss Norine Evans an invitation to
visit its temporary headquarters la the
Sierra de somethlng-or-other. and
dasms It an honor to Lave sr as its
guest so long as she wishes to remain
there. Now then, let's celebrate."
She executed a dance step, pirou
etted around the room, then plumped
herself down into her chair. She rat
tled her cup and saucer noisily, cry
ing. "Fill them up. Doctor Gloom.
Let's drink to Cuba Libre." -
Johnnie managed to smile a3 he
raised his demi-tasse. "Here's to my
success as a chaperon." said he. "I'm
disliked by the Spaniards, and now
the Cubans will hate me. I can see
happy days ahead."
O'Reilly arose early the next morn
ing and hurried down to the office of
the junta, hoping that he could con
vince Mr. Enriquez of the folly of al
lowing Norine Evans to have her way.
But his respect for Miss Evans energy
and initiative deepened when, on arriv
ing at 56 New street, he discovered
that she had forestalled him and was
even then closeted with the man he
had come to see. Johnnie walked un
easily; he was dismayed when the girl
finally appeared, with Enriquez in tow,
fur the man's face was radiant.
"It's all settled," she announced, at
sight of O'Reilly. "I've speeded them
up."
'You're an early riser," the latter re
marked. "I hardlv expected "
Enriquez broke in. "Such enthusi
asm! Such ardor! She whirls a per
son oft his feet."
"It seems that the Junta lacks
money for another expedition, so I've
made up the deficit. We'll be off in
a week.
"Really? Then you're actually
going?"
"Of course. Don't be hateful, and
argumentative, or I'll begin to think
you're a born chaperon," Miss Evans
exclaimed. "Come! Make un vour
mind to endure me. And now you're
going to help me buy my tropical out
fit." With a smile and a nod at Enriquez
she took O'Reilly's arm and bore him
away.
The days of idle waiting that fol
lowed were trying, even to one of
O'Reilly's philosophical habit of mind.
He could learn nothing about the Jun
ta's plans, and,-owing to his complete
uncertainty, he was unable to get
work.
At last there came a message which
brought them great joy. Enriquez di
rected them to be in readiness to leave
Jersey City at seven o'clock the follow
ing morning. Neither Johnnie nor Les
lie Branch slept muchxthat night.
As they waited in the huge, barnlike
station Enriquez appeared with Norine
Evans upon his arm. The girl's color
was high; she was tremulous with ex
citement. Leslie Branch, who saw her
for the first time, emitted a low whistle
of surprise.
"Glory be! That goddess!" he cried.
When Norine took his bony, blood
less hand in her warm grasp and
flashed him her frank, friendly smile,
he capitulated instantly.
Enriquez was introducing a new
comer now, one Major Ramos, a
square-jawed forceful Cuban, who, it
seemed, was to be in command of the
expedition.
"My duties end here," Enriquez ex
plained. "Major Ramos will take
charge of you. and you must do ex
actly as he directs. Ask no questions,
for he won't answer them. Good-by
and good luck."
When he had gone the three Ameri
cans followed their new guide through
the Iron gates. "
Major Rainos proved that he knew
how to obey orders even though the
other members of his party did not.
He remained utterly deaf to Miss Ev
ans' entreaties that he -let her know
something about the plans of the ex
pedition ; he would not even tell her
where he was taking her, where the
ether filibusters had assembled, or
from what port their ship would sail.
When Philadelphia. Washington, then
Baltimore, and finally Richmond were
left behind. Miss Evans was, in truth,
ready to explode, and her two compan
ions were in a similar frame of mind.
It was not until the train was ap
proaching Charleston that Major Ra
mos finally announced: "This Is the
end of our journey; the other mem
bers of the expedition are here. But I
must ask you not to talk with them
or with any strangers, for our friend3
are being watched by detectives in the
employ of the Spanish minister at
Washington and by United States dep
uty marshals. One little indiscretion
might ruin everything."
The hotel to which Major Ramos
led his guests appeared to be well
filled; there were many Cubans in the
lobby, and the air was heavy with the
aroma of their strong, black cigarettes.
As the major entered they turned in
terested and expectant faces toward
him and they eyed his companions with
frank curiosity. Miss Evans became
the target for more than one warmly
admiring glance.
As for O'Reilly, the familiar odor of
those Cuban cigarettes, the snatches of
Spanish conversation which he over
heard, awoke in him a great excite
ment; he realized with an odd thrill
that these eager, dark-vLsaged men
were now his friends and comrades,
and that those Americans - loitering
watchfully among them were his ene
mies the spies of whom Ramos had
spoken. There were at least a score of
the latter, and all were plainly
stamped with the distinctive marks of
their calling. That they, too, were in
terested in the latest arrivals was soon
made evident by their efforts to get
acquainted.
On the next afternoon word was qui
etly passed to get ready, and the fili
busters, carrying their scant hand
baggage, began to leave the hotel In
groups, followed, of course, by the
watchful spies.
As the three Americans prepared for
Everything is all right. We're not go
ing aboard the Dauntless at all; she's
here as a blind." "
"Are you sure?" O'Reilly shot her
a quick glance.
"Major Ramos himself gave that
story to the newspapers; it's all a part
of" his plan. I promised not to tell,
but I Just can't help myself. Gee!
I'm having a good time."
Leslie Branch shook his head mourn
fully. "Yoh may enjoy It, but I don't,
he grumbled. "We'll end it by being
pinched, and that will finish me. One
week in a damp cell, with my lungs "
O'Reilly, whose spirits had risen
magically, clapped him heartily on the
back, crying: '"Congratulations ! You're
feeling better."
"I never felt worse !" the other com
plained. "Nonsense! That's the first kick
you've mmle since we hit cold weather.
A ipiill
11 ?
"They're 'Wops, or Greeks, or Some
thing." By the time we reach Cuba you'll be
nice and melancholy and your cough
will be all gone."
Ramos led his three charges to the
railroad station and into the rear
coach of a south-bound train, where
the other members of the expedition
had already found seats. As they
climbed aboard a secret service agent
essayed to follow them, but he was
stopped by a brakeman, who said :
"You can't ride in here; this is a
special car. Some sort of a picnic
party. They're 'wops or Greeks or
something."
O'Reilly finds himself back in
Cuba only to 'have his hopes of
finding Rosa and Esteban re
ceive another crushing blow.
Still he refuses to give up the
search. - Read about these devel
opments in the next installment.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
MYSTERY HOVERS OVER LAKE
Body of Water in Central Africa Has
Most Curious Effect on Minds
of Travelers.
Cold and gray are the waters which
Lake Tchad spreads over the lowlands
of central Africa. The traveler In
Africa finds the mystery of the dark
continent more haunting and unfath
omable here than in the baffling mazes
of the jungle or in the silent smile of
the sphinx. Heavy winds toss the
shallow waters about and whisper their
secrets through the reeds. But the
lake makes no answering confidences.
It stretches on and on, measuring Its
miles of surface in sweeping wave
lengths.
As far as the eye can see ahead are
the reeds and rushes reaching up
through the water In tangled masses.
Here and there the line of the gray ex
panse is broken by slender islands
bearing up a few round-topped native
huts, outlined dimly against the sky
line. The effect is that of a painting
seen, through gray glasses, reducing
the whole to a low key. It Is In the
grayness that the lake's effect of mys
tery lies, the grayness that hovers
dull and cheerless over waving reeds.
The traveler gazing across Lake
Tchad for the first time feels the thrill
of discovery. The knowledge that he
Is not the first to stand upon the banks
does not dispel the feeling of entering
the most shut-off place in central
Africa.
Valuable Australian Wood.
Figured blackwood is mentioned by
a consular report as perhaps the most
beautiful of Australia's many orna
mental hardwoods. The "fiddleback
and "mottled" grains are -most socht.
the grain of the former being not on
like that of the North American curly
maple. The color, however. Is differ
ent, being a rich golden brown. The
panel effects are obtained by combin
ing the fiffure with the plain black
wood. Eye Guard for Eye Worker.
An eye guard raluable for macntn
Ists who work where there Is danger
to the eyes from eteel or other par
ticles consists of a 6teel frame and a
piece of plate glass covered by Iron
wire netting of large mesa. The guard
Ls said to be easily adjusted and more
Larger Implement Increases
MACHINERY AIDS
LABOR SHORTAGE
Use of Modern Implements Is
One Way to Increase Crops
in Time of Emergency.
AIDS EFFICIENCY OF WORKER
United States Department of Agricul
ture Recommends That Farmers
Co-operate in Purchase of Va
rious Farm Outfits.
Work which Is generally done In
some part of the country -with the aid
of machines that greatly Increase the
efficiency of the man employed is still
largely done by hand in other parts.
Machinery for the most of the work in
connection with preparing and tilling
the soil Is available in many sizes, and
frequently two or more outfits, each
requiring the time of one man, are
seen working in the same field on op
erations for which implements of two
or three times the size of those used
could be employed with just as satis
factory results. There are few farm
horses which a driver of ordinary in
telligence cannot train to work In
large teams in a few days time, and
most of the larger Implements are lit
tle if any more complicated or diffi
cult to handle than the small ones for
the same work.
Machinery Profitable.
Where the farm is large, and it Is
not possible to procure sufficient labor,
specialists of the United States de
partment of agriculture say it Is more
profitable, as well as patriotic, to In
stall machinery which will enable the
operator to plant, cultivate, and har
vest a full acreage of the crops best
suited to his land and the needs of
his country, than to let some of the
land He Idle, or, at best, have It pre
pared and worked poorly, and the
crops out of season.
In Farmers Bulletin &S9, "Better
Use of Man Labor on the Farm." Just
issued by the United States depart
ment of agriculture, photographs of
actual farm scenes are printed to
show that in many cases work can be
doubled by the use of larger Imple
ments and greater motive power, and
sometimes the gain is considerably
more than that. If the nature of the
work and the machinery for doing It
are such that the best Implements
will Increase the efficiency of the
worker by only 50 or 75 per cent their
use may make possible an increase In
acreage by just that ameunt and at
least will enable the farmer to do
his work In less time and allow him to
take better advantage of good weath
er If the season Is unfavorable
Combining to Purchase Machinery.
Can all farmers afford to buy extra
horses and larger Implements to save
man labor? Of course those whose
farms require but one or two horses
to do the ordinary work seldom can
afford to do so. But they can secure
this additional help by combining to
purchase larger machinery, and doub
ling up their teams to operate it; or
one. usually more skilled In operating
machinery, or-better able to purchase
it, may own the .larger Implements,
and do the work for several neighbor
farmers, besides his own, to the ad
vantage of all concerned. Both these
methods have been tried out In many
localities with mowers, harvesters,
tractors, thrashing machines," and
other farm machinery.
How Rats Migrate.
Migrations of rats from one local
ity to another probably are due chiefly
to food conditions, say Investigators
of the United States department of
agriculture. After years In which the
pests are comparatively scarce in a
rural neighborhood they suddenly be
There are ' many varieties of cow
peas, of which the white and black eye
sorts are most desirable for table use.
Hogging-down and sheeping-down
corn are contemplated this year on an
unprecedented scale. Scarcity of labor
is the principal prompting influence.
'W
-TV
Work One Man Can Do.
come exceedingly abundant and de
structive. Rats migrate from places
where food is scarce to places where
it is plentiful. Abundant food In the
new locality 'causes abnormal repro
duction, the effect of which in a short
time is that of a sudden invasion by
a vast horde of rats.
Other movements of rats are local
and seasonal in occurrence. An exo
dus takes place every spring from
cities and villages to river banks and
farmsteads In the surrounding coun
try, and is followed by a return mi
gration In the autumn. This phenom
enon, which has been observed almost
everywhere, explains why rats are
more abundant in towns during the
cold season and In larger numbers la
the country during the summer.
That all rodent destruction is prop
erly ffte business of the community,
and that this must be recognized be
fore substantial progress is made, la
asserted by the department Investiga
tors. t INVESTING IN MACHINERY t
If two men, driving one horse
each, can combine the two
horses into one team which one
man can drive, and this 'team
can do as much or more work
than the two did singly. Isn't It
wise to combine them and save
one man's time?
And If the farm Is large and
conditions warrant, isn't.It wise
to combine two of these two
horse teams into one, and save
another man's time?
But before making these extra
investments It is wise for the
farmer to "consider well the cost
and the probable gain. If extra
horses and Implements cost
more than they will produce, of
course it would be unwise to
make the Investment,
Maple Sugar Value Grows.
The value of the national produc
tion of maple sugar and maple sirup
has grown from $2,600,000 In 1809.
when the census first ascertained It,
to $12,000,000 for 1918, according to
the bureau of crop estimates. United
States department of agriculture.
The maple sugar and sirup of 1913
were 'worth five times the cranberry
crop of 1917, one and one-third
times the hop crop, three-fifths of
the sorghum sirup made, one-half of
the buckwheat or flaxseed or onion
crop, one-third of the oranges, and
one-quarter of the sugar beets.
The principal region of production
extends from northwestern Ohio
through New York to Vermont and In
cludes parts of Maine, New Hamp
shire, Massachusetts and Pennsyl
vania. Outside of this region there Is
production of Importance In the moun
tain country beginning with the south
ern counties of Pennsylvania and ex
tending through western Maryland
Into scattered localities In West Vir
ginia, and also in parts of Michigan,
Wisconsin and Indiana.
Weeds Never Rest.
The weed fight Is one of the stand
ard routine operations on the farm,
and It represents a large proportion of
the labor necessary to produce crops.
No other single feature of farming re
quires such universal and unceasing
attention as do the weeds.
Results From Thinning.
Do not let the vegetables remain too
thick In the row. Too many beets to
the foot in the row is just as bad as
weeds. Get the maximum results from
your ground by thinning and good care.
Plan for Storase House.
Early this season plans should be
made and executed in the building of
suitable farm storage houses or cel
lars. This usually can be done at rel
atively low cost If undertaken in time.
For honey comb and cellar winter-
ing an eight-frame hive Is commonly
t preferred.
Frequent cultivation of the soil will
be necessary to save moisture.
.
Barn room and the proper shelter
for crops Is always Important on the
farm. -V
A good rotation is just as essential
to the farm as a good meal to the
farmer.
When alfalfa is cured in the wind
row the leaves draw moisture from the
stem and insure even curing.