7! -1-\ VOL. XX. NO. 152. Prices of Wheat. The Causes Atfn-ting Th:-m—Papcr Read by Aaron Jones, Hauler ot Indiana htute Grunge, Be- fore the St. Joseph Valley Grange, storing their wheat in public elevators and placing the same on the market direct from the machine faster than the consump- tion demands, and putting in the hands of investors and speculators, has the effect of causing a large visible supply which is published weekly. European wheat buy- ers are quick to take advantage of this and oint to the large visible supply in the lnited States, on account of which the price of wheat in Russia, India, Australia and the Argentine Republic is depressed and the fall of p1‘ices in those countries in turn forces down the price in the United States. Again, it costs from £0 to 12 cents a bushel to store wheat a year in public elevators, not including interest, which farmers have to pa_y in reduction of prices paid by investors and speculators. Farm- ers can store wheat in their own granaries and carry the same for one-third of what it costs in public elevator-.<, including in- surance. "If farmers would market their wheat as the consumption requires they would avoid the large visible supply and the ex- cessive storage charges now paid by them, and would prevent the large visible supply which is one of the principal factors relied on by speculators and others in forcing down the price of wheat. Those reaping the benefit of the present systern are first, the elevator men who charge excessive rates for storage, and second, the miller and merchant who can draw from the ele- vator at will and keep down prices at In- ‘terior points, and third, foreign wheat buyers who can buy where it suits them. The public press unwittingly aids them in depressing the rrrarket b_v keeping before the public the amount of the large visible supply to the serious injury to farrrrers, merchants, manufacturers and mechanics as well. All are indirectly interested in having wheat bring a fair price as it adds to the general prosperity of the country and makes trade and labor active in every branch. If farmers would sell their wheat as the consumption demands it would keep down the large visible supply. The low rrice of wheat is mainly of advantage to Europe, as it enables manufacturers in that country to rrrore successfully compete with American rnanufacturer's, and thus affect our laboring men and mechanics in forcing down the price of labor. There seemsto be no one, not even the farnrer, who will say a good word in the interest of better prices for our great American sta- ple. Farmers have become discouraged and some of them believe these low prices for wheat are the result of natural causes, and not the result of artificial conditions brought about by the unwise and unbusi- ness-like method of farmers in forcing their wheat on the market, and the shrewdness of the far-sighted foreigner in manipula- ting our mistakes to depress and destroy thevalue of our own product. Is there no remedy! Are American farmers obliged to grow wheat at a loss in order to benefit England? The remedy is in our hands; if we will not apply it the fault is with us. If farmers even now would hold their wheat back until the public elevators were emptied, rices would in a short time ma- terially at Vance. THE PBOSPECT. “The visible supply of wheat in the United States March 1, 1895, was 78,761,000 bush- els; not enough to feed our own people un- til June 1, 1895. Besides, Europe is buy- ing of us over 5,000,000 bushels per month. And this wheat she will be obliged to have whether wheat is 50 cents or $1 er bush- el. The stock of wheat in ware ouses in France, March 1, 1895, was only 4,500,- 000, against 19,500,000 one year ago. There are no reliable statistics showing how much wheat there is in the farmers’ hands at this time, but it is conceded by all well informed men that it is much less than it was one year ago, for the reason that in some sections of our country, from poor crops, drought and other causes, farmers have fed and sold their wheat very close. The farmers of the entire country have been educated and impressed by the "T//1:‘ F.-I/3-1//:'[r’ IN 0/" J///[8/1‘ ('//,\'.\'/17g I '/:'.\'( '11‘ CI IA R I .(.)'I"I‘ E, MICHIGAN, J (‘LY 4., Lib””-‘' -‘lB’1'i'l College 1~'.a.‘._ cry of a great visible supply and the exag- . gerated reports of great crops in the Ar- . gentine republic, until they have been free = sellers. “The P1‘ilUtiC€ Of lilt/v‘ _Y(‘3TS 0f f31‘111€1‘5 3 from extensive correzspondence, that there lam of the opinion, gathered 1 are not more than 1oo.o0o,ooo bushels of wheatin the farmers‘ hands at this time. Add this to the visible supply and we have 178,761,o¢ no bushels of wheat in the United States. Europe will have to get from the United States before July 15, 1895, from ‘_>5,000,0o0 to 3o,oo0,o0o bushels. To bread American people to July 15, 1895, will require 118,800,000 bushels. Feeders and farmers will feed domestic animals and poultry to July 15, 1895, 25,o00,000 bush- els on account of the deficiency of the corn crop of 1894, which was short of a fair average cro by from 500,000,000 to 800,- 000,000 bus els. It will thus be seen that all available wheat will be needed before the new crop can be had, and that there will be less than 10_,00o,0oo bushels of wheat of the old crop in America on July 15, 1895, rrruch too small a margin. Prices certainly can not go lower, and may im- rove materially. Stocks of wheat in the 'nitcd States and in the world are lower than usual. Over-supply and over-produc- tion, therefore, are not the causes in the depression in price. There is not as ruuch wheat in the United States as good busi- ness foresight would warrant. \\'e ought to carry a large surplus to guard against a possible poor crop year. The cry used by buyers of excessive amounts is delusion: it not true. in fact, but if we are led to be- lieve it is true, act on the delusion and market wheat at the very low price now ruling it has this same effect of keeping down the price as though it were true. “The prosperity of our country, the suc- cess and value of American investment in manufacturing plants, in stocks, railway securities and transportation companies, and the values of American homes and farms depend on a prosperous agriculture, and a prosperous agriculture depends as nruclr on marketing the products of the farnrcr as in the production of the crops. "' The Lubin Proposition. The following is an address read bv .\Ir. David Lubin. of .\'acramento, California. before the committee on agriculture, of the National House of Representatives, Dec. 1:3, 18:14: As a remedy for the depressed condition of agriculture, and for the removal of the inequality that in our country exists be- tween the relative value of agricultural staples and manufactures caused by legis- lation. I advocate a Government‘ export bounty on agricultural staples. The chief cause of the low prices of ag- ricultural staples, not alone in our coun- try but throughout the world, may be readily traced to the etforts of England. In her desire to procure for herself the two necessary essentials for commercial supremacy she has left nothing undone which was in her power to do. K These two essentials are cheap food and cheap raw material. Realizing that the protective policies of the other European countries and of the United States would debar them the utility of these advantages, that to her alone would accrue the advantages to be gained from these important factors for success, and realizing further that as long as she alone would reap the advantages of cheap food and of cheap raw material that she would have a world advantage over all competi- tion, and that this was the true path to- ward the world’s commercial supremacy, she put into 0 eration a series of methods best calcula to bring about the result she desired. The first important step was in the abo- lition of her corn laws, the second in the securing of vast territories, and the third was in the introduction into those territo- ries of labor saving agricultural machinery. Under this policy England drove out Araby Pasha from Egy t and took posses- sion of that country. To carry out this same policy, the Government of India was changed by declaring the Queen of England Em ress of India. en she began building reat canals, irrigating ditches, and docfis. Harbors and rivers were made navigable, and great su.-bisidizetl railway lines were constructed. She sent large, well-disciplined armies TILEV F.~l[r’-l/. .-1.\'// .\'//H/'/./) /I/1' 1"//.’.\‘T l-l//‘[30 I’/2'/I.“ to her tributary provinces, and sent her 3 erful war ships to overawc and intimi- ( te the subdued and comprered nations, and when all was prepared. she then took copies of American agricultural machinery and placed them in the hands of the cheap- eat and most dependent field labor in the fvorld, confidently awaited results, and the ,3-csults are here. cultural machines in the hands of the cheapest field labor in the world. and on -lands as fertile and rrmch cheaper than ours, and operated under the peasant tenantry system, produced the effect aimed at by her. Asa result, food and raw material can now be had cheaper in England than ever before. Nor is this condition a temporar_v one; on the contrary, the best informed unhe;-"i- tatingly state that the era of low prices for agricultural staples is here to remain. A few years ago an agricultural machine was a novelty in Europe. To—day there are great manufacturing plants of modern agricultural implements and machiner_v, not alone in England, but in (;‘rcrmany, France. Austria and Belgium, and they find readv ruarkct for them in Egypt, In- dia, North Africa, Asia Minor. the Danu- bian l’1'ovinccs, European and Asiatic Russia. Easter Asia, and South America. The cconouric value of these labor-saving agricultural machines to the commercial .-11 remacy of England is significant. ithout these aids to cheap production, all other agencies would not be sutlicient to avail. for there is a vast difference be- tween the efficacy of machine over primi- t‘(:;féI,-t;*ri('!1ltI‘Irnl hand labor. . I ' 01 greater significance, however, has all this been to the economic condition of the United States. But a few years ago, and we were the almost exclusive users of agricultural irra- chinerv, and because of this fact the pro- ducers of agricultural staples could afi'ord to pay the entire enormous cost of protec- tion to manufacturers and still come out with a handsome profit ahead. This is now no longer possible: for, with the world‘.-: prices of the principal agricul- tural staples at half or less than half their former rates, they are now produced in our country close at or below cost. Under these circumstances the time must come when the fornrer independent land-owning farmer must be driven to bankruptcy and ruin, and his place will be taken by a dependent, degraded peasant- tenantry systcnr, and when that time comes, the farmers of our country will not stand alone as the sutl‘crers. The immediate results to follo\v will be in the great shrinkage of the purchasing power for the products of labor, and mill- ions of workers in the manufacturing cent- ers will be in enforced itllcness. The economic disturbance. unless arrest- ed, must tend in the direction of a greatly increased standing army, and ultimately end in radical changes in our forrrr of gov- ernment, perhaps changing it into a despo- tism or monarchy. These changes seem impossible now, but they seemed equally impossible at a time when Rome was the most powerful repub- lic in the world. The root of the cause of her decline and fall finds a comparative parallel in our present economic condition. The conquest of Carthage, Egypt, Syria, and Asia Minor brought Rome many millions of captives. These she employed under the lash and without pay in the production of agricul- tural staples. The free wage—pa.ying farmers of Italy could not compete with this slave labor. and as aresult were driven into debt which they could not meet. Presently their farms were foreclosed, and the former independent land—owning Roman farmer was driven from his farm, and he became a houseless, homeless vaga- bond, yet a Roman citizen. He drifted to Rome, and when there he chose a new oc- cupation, he became a politician, and elect- ed that party which promised him the most “largess.” In order to hurry a succession of “largess” he found it convenient to change the administration as often as possi- ble, and to hasten natural events he found it expedient to kill off the rulers. \\'ll()l.E .\'(). 400. And so Rome fell. ' A miserable fall it was but not at all undeserved. Now we do not conquer or enslave for- eign nations. England has done this for 1 us: but the result is precisely the sarne as if we had done this oursclvcs. The products of the cheapest, rno.-‘t de- pendent field labor In the world, supplied , with modern labor—saving agricultural ma- 3 chinery comes into direct competition with These labor saving agri- " products of our independent. high-wage- paying, land—owning farmers. and the re- sult rnust be in thc.ir elimination, in their being driven to our cities. Once in the cities and they will cry “pro- tcction," which is but another form of “largcss.“ Why. then, should the Anrcrican produ- cer continuc the production of agricultural staples when he can no longer do so profit- ably! Because he cannot produce any- tlring else that will be more profitable, and because to abandon his holding would be instant ruin. But can we not enhance the price of ag- ricultural staples in our own country by reducing the area under cultivation .’ No; not unless the entire crop is below the export point. As soon as there is a surplus, it must be exported, and the ex- port buvcr will pay us no more for it than it can be bought from the clrcapcst labor countries of the world, and the ruling prices of which are quoted in the chief market center where it is bought in the greatest quantity, and which center is at Liverpool. As soon as the surplus is ollcrcd at the Liverpool price, the same lrivcrpool price rules for the greater portion which is .-old for home consurrrption. ‘Therefore, as souls. as there 1% a surplus, the home price for the entire crop is the Liverpool price, less the cost of transpor- tation f1'orn the place of production to Liverpool, even though the product is con- sumed within a stone's throw from the place of production. Can we not by protection stimulate home manufacture to a degree that will give us that greater home nrarket which will corr- sume our present surplus at home? If this were possible, it would remove our difficultics, for, with no surplus to sell abroad, it would then be possible for us with the aid of the protective tarill to en- hance thc price of agricultural staples in our country to any artificial price that pro- tection permits, arrd staple agriculture would be in the same comfortable position that protected manufacturers are. A portion of agricultural products now produced in our country are actually in that position now, and tliesc products con- sist of kinds of which we do not produce a surplus for export, and which are to a great extent raised and sold near the great cities. Such agricultural products are, however, not under discussion, for they practically are as much protected as man- ufactures, and at the expense of the great staple agricultural industry. Girls in the City. An exchange advises the village girl not to rush from her honrc to the city. The sight is no doubt dazzling and lui'ing to her. A nearer view, however, disenchants the scene. The cities are crowded now with horneless girls. A girl without a mother or a home, and self-dependent, is in danger anywhere, and in great danger in a great city. It is full of enemies to her best interests. The quiet of the farm, the happiness of the anirrral creation around her, the green of the meadows, the music of the wood, the odor of the wild flowers, the whistle of the birds, the life of tree and lant and shrub, are peaceful, joyous, eavenly, beside the horrible schemes’ and diabolical purposes that she may have to confront in the city. Earning one’s bread in the factory or store is to pay dearly for it. Happier far the village maiden who who sews for a livelihood, or is a dorrrestic, or teaches the country school. Teacher——“VVhat is the meaning of the meaning of the word ‘excavate’? Scholar —“To hollow out.” Teacher——“Give me a sentence in which the word is properly used t” Scholar—“The small boy exca- vates when he cuts his finger.”———Tz'd .Bz'ts. ..,. ,.-n....~.................-.a.—..¢.-.- H---'— ‘ .,.................._..-...-. . . .. . .......g:..‘..é-wvs.-i-m..-n.. -.: _......,.__‘ - ‘ Eielcl and Sitcerlto Irrigation. L’. 1'. HEDRICK. for the past two or three years, as well as the present year, the necessity of having V a_ greater supply of moisture has been for- clbly. impressed upon the fariners of Michigan. In the central west—Kaiisas, .\ebraska, Colorado, Texas, and the Dako- tas, there has been a great boom in irriga- tion. Farniers there have given up almost all hopes of success without artificially waterin_g their land, and irrigating plants are being established in large numbers. \\'here there are rivers to /furnish the water, canals are being built after the sys- tem used in the far west. \\'here such rivers do not exist, water is being fur- nished by means of artesiaii wells, or a number of small wells, the water being pumped by means of steam and wind power. The canal system promises best, but there are very few places, there or here, where it may be successfully used. On the other hand there are but few places where an almost inexhaustible supply of water may not be had from deep wells. These, with windmills, have been found profitable in irrigating limited areas, and though such irrigation is stillin its infancy, it promises iiincli. coori:i{ATivi-1 IRl{IGA'I'IO.\'. Fariners well located in regard to water. and who desire to irrigate extensively. ma_v find it best to enter upon some co-operative scheme. A number of farmers by orga- nizing a company will find opportunities in helping each other to help themselves. This is being done in the west very lai'gely. Instead of borrowing money from capi- talists, or having tlieinowii the ditches, the farmers are doing the work on canals owned by themselves. As a large per cent of the cost of such an enterprise is labor that can be done by those inter- ested, but little iiioiie_v is required. in- stances are given of companies consisting of :3!) or 31) farniers digging canals 1.3 miles long, doing most of the work themselves in order to get water on their farins. The plan of co-operatioii otters a good solution of the question of cost, for by it the ex- pense may be reduced to a miniinum, and the scheme immediately becomes practical to at least truck gro\vers and small fruit growers who practice intensive farming. Moreover, it is a step towards closer or- ganization of the agriculturists in other ways, and is commendable in that it may start a spirit of co-operation among agri- cultural forces. ’ IRRIGATION AT THE COLLEGE. The horticultural department of the state experiment station is now tryingasys- tem of irrigation which from a short trial seems to be successful, and from which the farmers may expect to hear in the future through the station bulletins and the farm papers. The water for the system is pumped by a large fire pump from the Red Cedar, a small but perennial river which flows through the college farm. It is conducted from the river to the gardens, a distance of an eighth ofa mile, by means of a three inch cast-iron pipe. Froin the main pipe about :2..3W feet of distributing pipe is arranged in three lines, running east and west. the main line running north and south, in the gardens along the liigli- est points. At intervals of 100 feet there are hydrants somewhat like fire hydrants, to which a two and a half inch hose may be attached if desired. On the highest land in the garden an iron tank .5 feet in diameter and 21) feet high, holding 301) barrels, will be built. From the tank small quantities of water may be had when the pump is not in operation. Nine acres of garden will be irrigated by the water thus obtained. The various vegetable crops will be grown upon the irrigated land and unirrigated, so that the value of the extra moisture supplied may be pretty accurately determined. In time it is ex- pected that the apple, plum, and pear or- chards, and the berry plantation may be irrigated by means of extensions, and a similar comparative test be given them. METHODS or AP1’LYI1\'G WATER. Numerous methods of applying the water will be tried, but the two principal ways will be to supply the water on the sur- face by furrows, or surface irrigation, and by means of drain tile placed beneath the surface, or sub—irrigation. Various minor matters will be taken into consideration, such as aiiiouut of water used, time to ap- ply it, and frequency with which it needs to be applied. The amount of water used will be determined by a meter placed in the tank, all water passing through it. In the surface irrigation the water will be conducted from the hydrants to the fur— rows by means of small wooden flumes or bv hose. In the flunies there are gates which may be opened and closed so that the water may be controlled easily. The plan is, by means of the gates, to allow the water to flow into the lateral furrows be- tween each row of corn, potatoes, or vege- tables, and to be led here and there as _a man with a hoe may direct. The hose is used in carrying the water to the flumes, THE GRANGE VISITOR. or mav carry it direct to the furrows. In sub-irrigation lines of drain tile are laid twelve or fifteen inches from the sur- face of the ground, the lines a rod, per- haps. apart. A hose maybe placed in the tile at the end of one of these lines and the -- -- g - - < w until the ground is ‘r , . . “ft” 1”"“C‘l to fl’ - ~ of the new weeding inacliines. wet‘ enough, or a number of lines may lead from a main. thus saving the trouble of cliaiigiiig the hose often. i:i:st'I.Ts. The systeni has been in partial operation for several weeks and has been of great value even this early in the season. The local rains which have supplied parts of Michigan with an abundance of moisture have not occurred in the vicinity of the college, so that the season has been favor- I able for trying irrigation. been unprecedented in severity for this time of the _vcar. Though it too early to tell of marked results from the artificial watering, yet there are good results plain- ly visible to even a casual observer. A lar_ge bed of strawberries, part of which was watered by the surface ii'rigation, shows almost to a hill the good effects of the water. A plot of peas unirrigated is almost dried up, and the peas are all gone. A similar plot watered twice by means of surface irrigation, is still, June 26, hearing, peas and the vines are green and thrifty. One forenooii the water was let run for half an hour on part of a piece of timothy near I the garden; bcforc evening one could dis-, ‘ tinguisli exactly the boundaries of the ir- regular plot over which the water had flowed, so beneficial was the result. The sanie thing was trueofa neigliboring piece of 1'_vc. though the effect was less st1'ikiiig and was not so soon seen. Potatoes, corn, cabbage, in fact everything that has re- ccived the extra water by means of the surface irrigation, shows that the effect is beneficial. though whether enough to pay for the added expense remains to be seen when the crops are harvested. \\'ith the sub-irrigation, thus early in the season, the good results are not so marked. As one would naturally conclude, the best results from sub-ii'rigatioii are obtained when the plants are well established and the roots have penetrated farther in the soil. How- ever, small experiments tried along this line last year proved somewhat successful, and it is almost an assured thing that some degree of success will follow this season. In transplanting from the hotbeds to the field the water has been a very great con- venience this spring. Strawberries, cab- bage, and tomatoes, in quite la1'ge quanti- ties, have been transplanted with compara- tive case because of having the watefiatg hand. ‘ i ' "V CC‘ Tim 1’ROBLE)I. From the experience so far, this iinich seems certain at least, that the element of chance is largely eliminated from truck growing or farining, and that certainly in- dicates some progress. There is now scarcely a season in which adi'oi1tli of a few weeks or a month does not greatly lessen or entirely destroy some crops, and the problem of how to get the better of the drouths is one that needs consideration from all faruicrs. It is almost inevitable that something must be done, either to dis- cover aiid check the cause if possible, or provide a remedy, if the farnier is to grow the crops he has been accustomed to grow. Even after the g1'ea't ditliculty of supplying the water has been overcoinc there will still be problems demanding consideration, such as applying it to rolling ground, preparing the ground for irrigation and culture of crops under irrigation. The solution of all tliese can only be accom- plished after experience and after many mistakes have been made. But farmers will do well to begin to think about these tliings. .-1r_;/‘icultiuul College. The Drouth. K. )1. Ki-:i,i.ooo. \Ve are now having the most severe and protracted drouth ever known in Miclii- gan at this season of the year. Meadows ai'e quite generally ruined and wheat head- ing out too near the ground, while oats are at a stand-still. There seems to have been no remedy for the nieadows, but I venture the statement that the condition of the wheat and oats could have been materially changed for the better by the timely use of modern inachinery and tools. If farmers would give more attention to storing up water in the soil during the early spring rains and take iiieasures to hold it there for the benefit of growing grains and plants, the drouths would lose much of their terrors. To accomplish this it is only necessary to pnlverize the soil finely and deeply, and subsoil so that the upper strata will hold several times as much water as in their natural condition, and connect all with the lower sub-strata by rolling down hard so that capillary action will bring the water from the “water level” or lower strata and stop its ascent in time to prevent its escape by coming in contact with the free air and bright sunshine. This we can accomplish by separating the particles of earth so that the amount of water required to fill the in- The drouth has -5 JULY 4, 1895. terstices will be so heavy’ as to capillary action. ‘ cultivation. (‘t'i.Ti\'_—iTi.Vo \\'IIF._\T. But, you ask, how are we going to culti- vate wheat and oat tieldsf $inipl v use anv \\'e will take our new Breed weeder and go over twelve to fifteen acres of wheat. oats. corn or potatoes in a day and ilccollipllsll all that desired: killing all small weeds and in]uring .~c:u‘c(‘ a spear of grain. save, per- haps, what a man and horse would break down, and as much of this would straiglit- en up again the damage from this >()l]1'c'L* is very inconsiderable. Small weeds offer no resistance to the teeth and are rcadilv torn out, while the wheat, oats. or otlier plants slip around them with the greatest overcome Tliis we do bv surface ease. The surface is thoroughly pulver- _1 ized, admitting the atmosplicrc to the roots % to render plant food available. and thus l l 4 i I maintaining the soft dust mulch which acts like a blanket to prevent the escape of moisture. Had this been done early in the spring and repeated only two oi‘ three times, the wheat heads would now have been full and a splendid growtli of straw secured. I know there are some eminent investi- gators who deny that capillary action brings moisture to the surface, but claim that it merely the results of evaporation. I think a visit to my 41 acres of sti'awbci'- ries would convince them of the correct- ncss of iuy theory. The ground was re- peatedly cultivated and pulverized with Acme harrow. both before and after plow- ing, and subsoilcd to a depth of from '_’H to 34) inches: and tirnily rolled down. \\'c could force the hand down into this mellow soil almost the entire length of the arm: the surface has been kept loose to the depth of about an inch b_v stirring with the wceder or Planet Jr. cultivator with pul- verizer attachment, and now we can re- ino\'e this dry dust anywhere to a depth of less than an inch an get soil which you can press water out of. If the water came up as vapor this dust would not hold it. Of course, when the lower stratum had parted with its water, the upper surface would be heated by the sun and it would become vapor and pass oft", the "wet line" grad- ually reccdiiig until the ground would dry out to a great depth. (‘Al’ILI.AI{Y _»\("I‘Ig breeders tax credulity soniewliat with 1‘(+po1‘ts of litters of astonishing number. I*‘ccundity rather than fat. should be the aim. The buyer must cease demanding pork-fat gilts and the seller must cease stulling his young sows that he. intends to send out as breed- ers. Better send a man a gilt so thin that she will disappoint him in appear:uicc than one so fat she will not farrow more than three or four pigs. Tiii: GA’/.1-:T'ri<: has never been an advo- cate of the starvation-diet tlicory in breed- ing improved stock. It does not believe in making animals “liai-d_v" by feeding them on straw and briars. It rarely em- phasizes that side oftlie question. (,)verfeed- ing kills its tens while underfceding its ten thousands, and hence this journal rarely utters a warning against stuffing for fear it may be taken as a license for starving some poor beast; but the time has come to ci'_v out against the overfattening of gilts designed for breeding purpose. No breed can afford to acquire a reputation as a pro- ducer of small litters even with its gilts. It will avail nothing to win in the show- ring and lose in the farrowing-lot. The pig breeder of the r‘\e1'iii'c will de- mand sows that can farrow and sut-kle large litters of healthy pigs, even if the double. curls in their tails are not tied up with blue ribbons.—]'/or Ii’/‘rzlxr/I.’/"»\‘ /Il”3‘r’7[¢’- Control of American Clover Seed. Experiment Station Record. Efforts are continually being made in certain parts of Europe to discredit Ameri- can clover seed. During the last two or three years, on account of the drought in Europe during the suniniers of T8103 and 189-}, the importation of American seed greatly increased and an outcry was _made to beware of such seed on account of insect larva-, weed seeds, and general worthless- ness. Some of the statements mblished seem to be inspired, not so muc from a desire to protect consumers from real danger, as to bring the products of this country into disfavor. _ The danger of introdiiciiig insect pests is very remote, and the purity and vitality of American clover seed Will compare fav- JULY 4, 1895. THE GRANGE VISITOR. 3 \Moxn.mI.’s \lll'oRx.. A June Reverie. The grand perennial time is come, That’s oft been sung in song and story; Bright avenues of bower and bloom, Appear in all their summer glory. We look on the enchanting scene. And all the air seems filled with leaves; We see a wealth of summer green, And hear a voice in every breeze. The forest trees uplifted high, In varied shape and changing scene, Seem piled against the bending sky In one long line of living green. The zephyrs chant their murmured sound, The wild winds, and the tempest driven; Time marches, on a ceaseless round, Deep as the sea and high as heaven. The grandest note that nature knows, The rolling tide, the boisterous roar Of mighty waves, whose thunder tones Are heard along the rocky shore. The morning light so gently steals It would not break an infant’s slumber; Yet a more powerful influence wields Than swelling tide or rolling thunder. Though first a gentle, lingering ray, Wide o'er the World refulgent shed, Imperial silence marks the way. God's mighty energy displayed. 0, glorious June, we love thee best, And sing thy praise in song and story! Nature through all her works is dressed In royal robes of green and gloryf SAWJEL TP.0’I‘)I.-\N. Alden, June, 1895. The Child. FLORA C. B L'F.LL. \‘Vor1(. Our loves guide our acts. \Ve like to do what we love. It is easy for us to do what we like. IVe are prone to do that which we can do best. One of the greatest heritages that may be given to a child is a thorough training of his powers for use. “Be not simply good; be good for some- thing.” Skill and dexterity are acquired readily in early years. He who would see the skill- ful seamstress, artist, or incclianic of the future, must not overlook the first at- tempts and patient practice. It is easier to do ourselves than to teach little ones to do the smiie, but it is very in- jurious to them. Do not scorn their work. Show them it has pcrinanent value. A girl of ten returned home from a visit with a playmate and said. “I wish I could make aprons all alone as Lucy docs." IIer first seains had been cast aside, or worse, laughed at, until she had ceased to try. The little stitclies, rolls of dough. and steps to help, may all find their places by the wise mother in building the home. I{ESP()l\'SIBII.ITY. The servant was absent at close of an evening meal. Aid was offered in clearing the dishes. “Oh, we all help iiiaiiiiiiaf“ She cared for the food, the three boys piled up and wiped the dishes which papa washed, and tlirce-year-old (i‘rcrtrudc faitli- fully carried the knives and forks back and forth. She would have indccd bccn offended had anyone t.i'ospasscd upon her right. There she \\':lS(1lleL‘II. \\'as thc re- spoiisibility to her any less than that which transformed the "niadcap Hari'_v" into the capable Henry V? \Vith added strength coiiics addcd re- sponsibility, and often vice vcrsa. It is an element of strength in our cliar- acters to have the contidcnce of those about us. IIow pitiful it was when seeds had been given a child to plant for his very own, to have the niotlier take them from his hand saying, “Let the lady drop the seeds, slie knows just how to do it. " He was not encouraged; he was not led to take one step in advance of any previous ones. but he was i'endered useless. "Ccasing to -serve, we cease to be valuable." Let a child know you believe in him and the germ of iiiaiiliness will devel- op wonderfully. Accustomed nearly to a proper way of thinking and doing, he will take no pleasure in idleness. Ann Arbor. Birds. A paper read by Mrs. John K.V Vanipbell, of Frateriiity Grange, at a public meeting of Xpsilaiiti (iraiige, May 4. _.,,-I Your lecturer wrote me like this: Please, Will you not tell us of the feathered friends in your yard, how you know them, and how you learned to distinguish them? This is all /It/2/}, but with me (contrary to the rule) the wily comes before the how. I was reading my Bible. In Isaiah, the 64th chapter, -Ith verse, are these words: “For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, Oh God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” The thought came to me why should I look forward to the de- lights of another world, when I am too dull to see or hear what from the founda- tion of the world, God hath prepared for my eye, for my ear, in 1/1115’ world. It is true here and now that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him.” “Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its fragrance on the desert air.” And is it not ino:s:tl__v desert air! How much of the harmony, the beauty, the aroma of nature is noted byany save God! "Men have not heard, neither hath the eye seen 0 God beside thee, what he hath pre- pared.” I am asked to tell you of birds and how I learned to like them. \\'hcnit was revealed to me that the birds are a part of what God hath prepared, to which my eye was blind and my ear deaf, I did not know where to turn for help in their study. but I began to talk about birds and ask questions. I asked the hired man. the hired girl, and the school chil- dren. The boys and girls like to have their storiesappreciated, and they have such a fund of—— “Knowledge never learned of schools, Of the wild bee's morning chase; or the wild 1lower’s time and place, Flight of fowl and habitude Of the tenants of the wood; How the tortoise bears his shell, How the woodchuck digs his cell, And the ground mole sinks his well; How the robin feeds her young, How the oriole's nest is hung.” As I came, today, I pas.-'c