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Show SOIL AS A SPONGE Of MCtSIUre finnservation Jpnnpr -. I WWI ww. nsures Increase of Wheat Crop .w- J10BERT iLWJTPATIOffJ &YFAY WALTERS 8YN0P8IS. The story open with the ihtpwrerk of tli BtcHtnor on which Mix Unevlve i, ti8lle, an American hatrmft, Iord an Kngllahman, and Tom Blake, . paKftrnirr-rbrunqua American, wer !:Tha three wero Innird upon an unlnhah led Inland and wera tha only one not frowned. Itltika recovered from a drunk-- n stupor. Hlake, nliunned on tha boat, becauoe of 111 roiiKhnem, became a hero a preervar of the helples pair. The FnKllHhman waa ulng-- (or the hand of Ml Iille. Illake atarted to awlm bark to the fhlp to recover what waa left. Rlake illumed safely. Wlnthrope wanted lila laat match on a cigarette, for which he wai scored by Blake. Their flint meal wan a dead Ann. Tha trio ataried a ten mile hike for hlKher land. Thirnt attacked them. Blake waa compelled to carry Mia Leelle on account of wearl-keWln-thro- n. CHAPTER IV Continued. At first his throat was so dry that he could no more than rinse his mouth. With the first swallow his swollen tongue mocked him with the salt, The tide bitter taste of urns flowing! He rone, sputtering and and gasping He stared choking around. There was no question that be was on the bank of a river and vould be certain of fresh water with the ebb tide. But could he endure the agony of his thirst all those hours? Ho thought of his companions. "Good God!" he groaned, "they're sjonere, anyway!" He stared dully up the river at the thousands of waterfowl which lined Its banks. Within close view were herons and black ibises, geese, pelicans, flamingoes, and a dozen other species of birds of which he did not know the names. Put he sat as though in a tupor, and did not move even when one of the driftwood logs on a mud-shoa few yards opened an enormous mouth and displayed two rows of hooked fangs. It was otherwise when the noontime stillness was broken by a violent splashing and . loud snortlngs He glanced about and saw six or eight monstrous heads drifting towards bim with the tide. "What In Wheel a whole herd of down-stream- "That's what was hippopotamus beaded directly for bim. He glared at the huge bead with sullen, resent ment. For all bis stupor be perceived at once that the beast Intended to land; and be sat In the middle of Its accustomed path. His first Impulse was to spring up and yell at the crea ture. Then he remembered hearing that a white hunter had recently been killed by these beasts on one of the South African lakes. Instead of leap ing up he sank down almost flat and crawled back around the turn In the path. Once certain that he was hidden from the beasts he rose to bis feet and hastened back through the The Conditions and Circumstance with Locality and Season Farmer Must Dtfirmlne. z.. ' a. How deep to plow Is a question that often confronts the farmers in m locallties and It la almost Impossible Must to cite any definite answer to this Soil Secure fo Proper Degres Circumstances and condi. question, Be Kept In Constant Absorbent turns vary with the locality and with Condition and Supply of Hu the season. .This Is a question that mus Maintained. the farmer in each locality must dfor himself. However, Id A nroDer conservation of moisture etermine answer to order the question intelii. semi-ariwheat belts through n the himself he must understand soil gently the of treatment in Intelligent would increase the wheat production the object of plowing, or, In other same, I guess we'll be ready for callers )f the Pacific northwest several mil- - words, he must know why he plows. It Is generally known that the oh Ion bushels annually, according to tonight." "How's that?" Prof. George Severance, of the Wash- - ject of plowing Is to prepare a e.fl bed. Manure and other inorganic ma"Show you later, Pat, me b'y. Now ngton state college. tter is turned under and the soli u trot out some nuts. We'll feed before molsof To secure the proper degree we move camp." :ure conservation, the soil must be mellowed that the roots may easily in all directions In search "Miss Islle Is still sleeping." cept in an absorbent condition. The penetrate "Time, then, to roust her out. Hey, tupply of humus must be maintained, of plant food and moisture. The tact Miss Jenny, turn out! Time to chew." 'or it keeps the soil In a more sponge- - Is known that the deeper the farmer Miss Leslie sat up and gazed around Ike condition. Where wheat Is grown plows the more molature he will gave. in bewilderment. ind continually alternated with sum-ite- r However, the length of time between the seeding Is very "It's all right, Miss Genevieve," refallow, the greater part of the the plowing and assured Wlnthrope. "Blake has found itraw being either removed or burned, Important. The land should be plowed a safe place for the night, and he he humus supply of the soil is gradu- - long enough before seeding that It will have time to settle and exclude wishes iih to eat before we leave here." illy reduced. The small root system "Save lugging the grub," added f the wheat, and the scanty stubble the unnecessary amount of air before Blake. "Get busy, Pat." will not return enough humus to re the seed is put in. From this It will As Wlnthrope caught up a nu,t the place the amount that decays during be seen that It ts wisest to plow deep In the fall and shallow In the spring. girl began to arrange her disordered he growth of one crop. In all semi-ariregions it is wise to hair and dress with the deft and grace"As much straw and stubble should ful movements of a woman thoroughly 3e worked into the soil as possible," plow deep enough that the seeds can be placed in the moist soil. By plow trained in the art. of Prof. Severance. "The straw In Blake's deep lays There was admi-atlo- n ing deep In the fall and leaving the manure ihould not be burned, and the eyes as he watched her dainty preen- ihould not be wasted. Scatter the soli open during the winter a large ing. She was not a beautiful girl at itraw and manure thinly over the amount of water and moisture Is col present she could hardly be termed poorer parts of the fields and Wien lected during the wet season. If then. pretty; yet even In her draggled, mud- hop them into the soil with a disc early in the Bprlng the field is plowed or burrowed this moisture can be con dy dress she retained all the subtle jarrow. served in the toll and saved for fu charms of culture which appeal so 'The evil results commonly at ture use. subwas Blake man. to a Again when the land is strongly to plowing under long straws, the roots have better dued. His feelings even carried hlra tributed plowed deep from the fact that so far as an attempt at formal polite- jr stubble, arise place In which to grow and conse unare under plowed ness when they had finished their he straws quently penetrate deeper. Then when Drokcn, and form a layer between the the meal. hot, dry months of July and Aieedbed and the moist soil beneath, ugust come they are prepared. "Now, Miss Islle." he began, "It's Interlittle more than half an hour to sun- rhls to a considerable extent The land should not be plowed as feres with the capillary connection If If down; so, you please, you're ready, In the spring because there deeply with the moist soil beneath. Much of we'd best be starting." which will be left sticking out be- - will not be sufficient time in :he straw "Is it far?" in order and firm become to settle "Not so very. But we've got to ween the furrows, offering a very ef that capillary attraction will work to which fective ventilation out the dries chase through the jungle. Are you wise soli underneath. "At the beginning the best advantage. It is always sure you're quite ready?" follow spring plowing with either to loosen season surface the the it rainy "Quite, thank you. But how about a disk or a barrow. This will place jf the soil, disking the soil as soon a dust Mr. Winthrope's ankle?" mulch over the surface and will is after the removed, is crop possible "He'll ride as far as the trees. 1 stop evaporation from the can't squeeze through with him, rhree or four inches of loose surface materially soil. surface It will also prevent the will permit a rainfall of one Inch in though." of chunks or clods upon the formation 24 to below the sink mostly hours "I shall walk all the way," put In field. drawn down to be surface, svaporatlng Wlnthrope. attrac-ilon- , "No, you won't. Climb aboard," re- ater by gravity and capillary same as USING ROLLER ON DRY FARM the the being principle plied Blake, and catching up his club he stooped for Wlnthrope to mount his that which causes oil to rise through back. As be rose with his burden I wick when the wick Is lighted. The Implement Must Be Used with Judj Miss Leslie caught sight of his coat. nolsture will rise much faster in mblst ment as Possibilities for Doing which still lay in a roll beside tha joil than in dry soil, and it will rise Injuries Are Many. faster when the particles are packed palm trunk. "How about your coat, Mr. Blake?" firmly together than when they are The roller Is a tool which must be she asked. "Should you not put loose; and It will rise faster when the used with much judgment In dry farm particles are fine Instead of course. It on?" Ing, as possibilities for working in "Stubble fields which are to be sum jury are fully as great as its possibito now. I'm Have loaded ask "No; you to look after It. You may need mer fallowed should be mulched as lities for good. It can be used to it before morning, anyway. If the toon as the soil is fit to work in the great advantage in packing down sod dews here are like those in Central iprlng. If the surface is firm, use a which is broken shallow in the spring liable to Use. The mulch need not be deep, It Is valuable for crushing clods. Some America they are but should form a continuous blanket day our farmers will be able to dis bring on malarial fever." Nothing more was said until they over the surface. If the surface pense with It for that purpose, be had crossed the open space between breaks up In slices, or lumps, as It cause they will pay much closer atten the palms and the belt of jungle frequently does, the disc should be tlon to the moisture condition of the along the river. At other times Win followed with a splketooth harrow to soil at the time of breaking, and will thrope and Miss Leslie might have pulverize the lumps and form a more find that they will have much less been interested In the towering screw perfect mulch. While It is vital that need for a clod crusher than at pres palms, festooned to the top with disking begin as soon as the soil is ent. Anotner condition tnat someclimbers, and in the huge ferns which It to work. It Is a mistake, particularly times arises under which the use of they could see beneath the mangroves with heavy soils, to begin when the the roller Is very essential, Is where in the swampy ground on their left. soli is so moist as to slice up in seed nave been planted in a soil which chunks. Now, however, tl.ey were far too con ;heese-llk- e is quite moist below, but dry near cerned with the westlon of bow they "As fast as the plowing is done the the surface.' Rolling will compact should penetrate the dense tangle of turrows should be worked down. The the surface, thus causing concentre thorny brush and creepers which best practice is to follow the plow as tlon of the moisture there for a short rose before them like a green wall. closely as possible with a time, and give the seed a chance tc Even Blake hesitated as he released packer. sprout. If the surface remains packed Winthrope and looked at Miss Leslie's "Successful dry land tillage does not for very long, the soil will dry out costume. Her white skirt was of call for an increased amount of labor The danger in the use of thi stout duck; but the flimsy material of to much as for labor to be properly roller great is that It leaves the surface her waist was for rough applied. If two or three extra work- fine and compact, which favors evap usage. The surface should always ings of the soil should be called for, oration. "Better put the coat on unless you the farmer can determine whether an be loosened, best with the bar want to come out on the other side In Increased production, say ten to 25 row, after It has been rolled. drag The full evening dress," be said. "There's bushels per acre, will pay for the ex- sentlal difference between the roller no use kicking, but I wish you'd hap tra work." e and the packer, is thai pened to have on some sort of a jacket the roller packs the surface of uV when we got spilled." soil, leaving It In a condition wblct "Is there no path through the thick- CARE OF DUCKS IN WINTER favors evaporation, while the packe et? inquired Wlnthrope. firms the plowed layer against tbi "Only the hippo trail, and it don't Should B Kept In Inclosure Until Late plow sole and leaves the surfa In Morning and Fed In Pen Ad go our way. We've got to run our loose. own line. Here's a stick for your joining Roosts. u h i :f d sea-wate- r. hippos!" he muttered. the boles mean." PROPER DEPTH FORPLO x Blake Pushed Out from Among the Close Thickets. foremost three down for the count. But this sat down on the palm trunk beside settles the first round In our favor. him. How do you like the picnic. Miss "I say, Blake," be suggested, "I feel deuced fagged myself. Why not Jenny?" "Miss Leslie, if you please," replied all take a nap?" the girl, with hauteur. "'And when they awoke, they were "Oh, say, Miss Jenny!" protested all dead men,' " remarked Blake. Blake, genially, "We live in the same "By Jove, that sounds like a Joke," boarding house now. Why not be protest . the Englishman. "Don't rag folksy? You're free to call me Tom. me now." Pass me another nut, Wlnthrope. "Joke!" repeated Blake. "Why, Thanks! By the way, what's your that's Scripture, Pat, Scripture! Any front name? Saw It aboard ship-C- yril" way, you'd think it no joke to wake up and find yourself going down the "Cecil," corrected Wlnthrope, In a throat of a hippo." . low tone. jungle. He was almost In view of the spot "Cecil Lord Cecil, eh? or is It only where he had left Wlnthrope and Miss the Honorable Cecil?" Leslie, when be stopped and stood "My dear sir, I have Intimated behesitating. fore that, for reasons of er state " "I can't do It," he muttered; "I can't "Oh, yes; you're traveling Incog., In tell her poor girl!" the secret service. Sort of detect- He turned and pushed Into the thicket Forcing a way through the "Detective!", echoed Wlnthrope, In tangle of thorny shrubs and creepers a peculiar tone. until several yards from the path he Blake grinned. "Well, It is fawther began to edge towards the face of the a nawsty business for your honorable jungle, that he might peer out at bis But there's nothing, like callludshlp. unseen by them. companions by their right names." ing things There was more of the thicket be names er I don't quite "Right fore bim than be had thought, and be I have told you distinctly take you. was still fighting his way through It name is Cecil Wlnthrope!" my to a a stand by when he was brought ! ! how lovely! See-sllpeculiar cry that might have been the Bet they called you Sissy at bleat of a young Iamb: "Ba ba!" school. English chum of mine told me "What's that?" he croaked. schools are corkers for nickHe stood listening, and In a moment your names. What'll we make it Sis or he again heard the cry, this time more Sissy?" distinctly: "niak! niak!" "I prefer my patronymic, Mr. Blake," There could be no mistake. It was replied Wlnthrope. callfor him, and Wlnthrope calling "All right, then; we'll make It Pat, ing with a clearness of voice that If that's your choice. I say, Pat, this would have been physically Impossible Is the stuff for wetness, but It juice half an hour since. Blake's sunken makes a fellow remember his grub. He with burst eyes lighted hope. Where'd you leave that fish?" through the last screen of jungle and "Really, I can't Just say, but it must stared towards the palm under which have been where I wrenched my he had left his companions. They ankle." were not there. "You cawn't Just say! And what Another call from Wlnthrope directed his gaze more seaward. The are we going to eat?" "Here are the cocoanuts." two were seated beside a fallen palm, "Bright boy! go to the head of the and Miss Leslie had a large round obclass! Just take some more husk off was ject raised to her Hps. Wlnthrop those empty ones." waving to him. Wlnthrope caught up one of the "Cocoanuts!" he yelled. "Come on!" Three of the palms had been over- nuts, and with the aid of his knife thrown by the hurricane, and when stripped It of its husk. At a gesture Blake came up he found the ground from Blake he laid It on the bare strewn with nuts. He seized the first ground and the American burst It he came to: but Wlnthrope held out open with a blow of his heel. It was one already opened. He snatched It an immature nut, and the meat proved from him and placed the hole to his to be little thicker than clotted cream. swollen Hps. Never had champagne Blake divided it into three parts, handtasted half so delicious as that cocoa-nu- t ing Miss Leslie the cleanest. milk. Before he could drain the Though his companions began with laRt of it through the little" opening more restraint, they finished their Wlnthrope had the husks torn from shares with equal gusto. Wlnthrope the ends of two other nuts, and the needed no further orders to return to convenient germinal spots gouged his husking. One after another the nuts were cracked and divided among Pp n with his penknife. Illake emptied the third before he the three, until even Blake could not of the spoke. Uven then his voice was swallow another mouthful bourne and strained. "Ilow'd you luscious cream, Toward the end Miss Leslie had bestrike 'em?" At Winthropo's urg"I couldn't help it." explained Wln- come drowsy. now down for a nap, she had lay ing, you "Hardly thrope. disappeared when 1 noticed the tops of the fallen Make's coat serving as a pillow. She palms and thought of the nuts. Tnure fell asleep while Wlnthrope was yet was one in the grass not 20 feet from arranging It for 'her. Illake had turned his back on her and was staring where we Iny." "l.iifkv for von anil for me. too I irooriily at the hippopotamus trnll "We were Ct when Wlnthrope hobbled around aud cuuHx," sattl Blake. "O-h-h- l! See-seal- "Hippo?" "Dozens of them over In the river. Shouldn't wonder If they've all landed and're tracking me down by this time." "But hippopotami are not carnivor ousthey're not at all dangerous, one wounds them, out in the un-les- ri in im tw to I or i eh . th pr rti H. qu ph :;wr Inj fit! tbl wh I yoi iv WOI kin. " f e "That may be; but I'm not taking chances. They've got mouths like sperm whales I saw one take a yawn. Another thing, that bayou Is chuck full of alligators, and a fellow down on the Rand told me they're like the Central American gavlals for keenness to nip a swimmer." "They will not come out on this dry land." "Suppose they sub-surfac- won't there're no other animals In Africa but sheep, eh?" "What can we do? The captain told me that there are both Hons and leopards on this coast." "Nice place for them, too, around these trees," added Blake. "Lucky for us, they're night-birdmostly If that Rand fellow didn't lie. He was a Boer, so I guess ie ought to know." "To be sure. It's a nasty fix we're in for Could we not build some kind of a barricade?" "With penknife! Guess we'll roost In a tree." "But cannot leopards climb? It seems to me that I have heard" "How about Hons?" "They cannot; I'm sure of that." "Then we'll chance the leopards. Just stretch out here aud nurse that ankle of yours. I don't want to be lugging you all year. I'm going to hunt a likely tree." s t. game ankle." Wlnthrope took the branch which Blake broke from the nearest tree and turned to assist Miss Leslie with the coat. The garment was of such coarse cloth that as Wlnthrope drew the collar close about her throat Miss Leslie could not forego s little grimace of repugnance. The crease between Blake's eyes deepened, and the girl hastened to utter an ex"Not so planatory exclamation: tight, Mr. Wlnthrope, please! It scratches my neck." half-gree- (TO BE CONTINUED.) Crocodiles Along the Nils. At the sound of the shot the whole of this hank of the river, over the extent of at least a quarter of a mile, CHAPTER V. sprang Into hideous life, and my companions and I saw hundreds of croco The Man. lilen. of all sorts and sizes, rush in;; madly Into the Nile, whose water shore were along the lino of the lashed into white foam, exactly as a henvy wove had broken. It could be no exaggeration to say FTKUNOON wns far ads vanced and Wlnthrope was that at least a thousand of these had been disturbed at a single beginning to feel anxious when at last Blake pushed out from shot. Strand Magazine. among the doge thickets. As he apWretched Pay for Labor. proached ho swung an unshapely club a At hearing last summer 4u London of green wood, pausing every fow on the "sweating" question, evidence paces to test Its weight and balance was brought forward showing that on a bush or knob of dirt. C6 women who sewed hooks and eyes called Jove!" "By Wlnthrope; "that's on cards enrned at an average a little not half bad! You look as If you could over "5 cents a week. Another woman howl over an ox." was Instunced who worked from nine Illake showed that he was flattered. mi.' morning until thu next morning "Oh, I don't know" he responded; I 'tul earned lfi rents in that t ! "tiie tliltuj'a blamed unhandy. Just the would si. via btiur to die. LS2 sau-rlnn- The Value of Charcoal. Supply plenty of dry bedding and Charcoal has great value as an a ducks shut in the Inclosure until about eight o'clock In the morn- tlseptic. Smoked ham will keep f years packed In charcoal. A R ing. A snail pen can be built adjoining lumps of it In a cistern will keep t! their regular roosting quarters, where' water pure and sweet. A quantity it in a cellar will absorb the ode they can be fed and watered and kept unmolested until time to let them and a small lump boiled with cabbt or onions will do the same. Butt Put. It Is a good plan to feed early of put In a small vessel completely swi warm bran mash,' cooked vegetables, rounded with charcoal will keep a long time. A naste of nowde with clover clippings stirred in. r Feed about all they will eat of this, charcoal and honey makes a good at noon give half as much mash or a tlfrlce. It not only cleans the teft but disinfects them and sweetens small ration of grain. breath. Taken inwardly la At night give a fair feed of whole corn. In severe weather give the corn the digestion and relieves const warm and as much as they will eat tlon. cp quickly. Feet of Horses. It Is best to feed the breeders bulky tuff vegetables, cut fodder and If the horse has defective feet k them carefully trimmed and shod. elover. The soft hoof should They love to saw Into cnbbnges.and necessary. this vegetable Is a cheap and excel- shod and reshod every six or flfl lent feed for cither ducks or chicks. weeks In winter where the ground Meat must be given In some form; frozen, and at all times of the they are more ravenous for meat than where the roads are rocked or P eled. Ily keeping the horse with vi are hens. Cracklings mixed la the morning feet properly shod It will do taash are good In cold weather, but service without loaa.of time. lean meat or moat meal Is preferable best, however, to breed for good M is a regular diet. Keep the lug to-ost dipa 'on that "I know "h aiirnl day or ihajta yc it time." - A "I'm not wt-rjc e was know h "llavij y inquire encoi "iptitons. , isc-d- . r'y utlool ll 11 o! bine si.h r Kilo i 'IIKll Hlu. r r come now Heeled-lTrees. Trees and shrubs heeled Id 'j The cow, If given proper feed and winter should be heavily mulched' care, will grind up feed while you completely covered with stra worfli cornstalks during the coldest P,rt sleep and put Into butter-fa- t four times the cost of feed, and have the winter to prevent them from a manufactured product on hand In Ing out. The soil about the f the morning for n ready market. nlioiild not be allowed to freeze dfi n Cow Works Day " I'erhap m.-iiiyI 1 11 J , ., heir :K and Night. wl it t rve one elm tr(. Kofriu ,i, PasMi-- i ntigry, ' "tie wa ui'eak h aim ,low |