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"igers for grain or ~ '. 'This ripening action is very clearly i 5 I ding value of the terially improved if the is fairly ripe before it is cut. = « ; How is the situation to be helped? How. can Canadian farmers avoid a repetition of this 8 condition in 1918? The y abundant 'with_fertil- high in" phos- phoric acid. This advice is amply sup- ported by experimental evidence. » Director Hall of Rofhamsted wrote in 1910: "It (phosphoric acid) is in some way closely bound up with grain formation, being always found in greater proportions in the reproduc- answer ral e manure, and three acid phosphate and applications of " That the land was | muriate 'of in a fair state of fertility was sh by the average yield of 76.8 bushels corn per acre. Frequently the yield of corn is cut short by drouth, se to avoid _ this contingency the Lert: menters arranged to irrigate the corn once a week. Samples of the crop were taken periodically from June 16th -to November 12th. ~These were subjected to chemical analysis which clearly showed the amount of nitro- gen, phosphoric acid and potash taken out by the growing crop at various stages. | These researches showed that the pounds of phosphoric acid taken out by ten thousand plants rose from nothing to 4.8 nds by July 24th; almost 14 pounds early in Aug- ust; reaching a maximum of 41.8 by tive parts of the plant than elsewhere. seen in the Rothamsted experiments on barley; the plots without phos- _. phorie acid being, as a rule, about a the figures shown by the ana week behind those which réceived this fertilizer . . . As might be ex- pected, this ripening effect of phos- phoric acid will be particularly séen in a wet year when the crop is late to A ani statements shows how the fertilized crop matures earlier and more uni- formly than does the unfertilized. ~, Ohio Bulletin 182, published in 1907 a4 a frontispiece showing a bird's- ¢ye view of the ripening wheat plots "#4 that station. The foot-note reads: "Wheat on section C of the 5-yeas rotation as seen from the tower of the . main bdilding about a week before harvest in. 1905. ' This picture shows the early maturity of the plot re- ceiving acid phosphate as part of the fertilizers. The average unfertil- ized yield of this wheat was only 6 bushiels per acre, but plots 11, 12, 14 and 16 yielded 24, 25, 22, and. 21 bushels respectively' In the Middle West of the United States it is the corn crop which is _ growing season. i, fe is not 'make any or reclining on ver in The food value of alsike clover for cows does not differ materially from that of red clover. As a matter of ) enough difference in food value of the two Bons to any differerice in compounding a ration; .ong would take the place of the other, Alsike makes just as .alsike or red clover, = For in- ce, alsike will grow. in soil that is too 0ist and too sour for red clover Alsike clover grown "lover heca with some red" H in connection with these | results, but the birds should always be | eager for edch feed. In cold weather {forced to exercise more than if given |all the grain they des! q |ing feed. Scratch October 8th; and receding fo 40.2.by November 12th. The big practical point, however, is broug out by lysis of the plant at husking time. This showed that 86 per cent. of the phos- | phorie acid removed by the plant was found in the corn ears. Bernberg ex- | periments show that when wheat is vipe 76 per cent. of the phosphoric acid removed by the plants is found in the wheat kernels. But the Indiana experiments show more than the final analysis of the crop. As indicated, these 'experi- ments reveal an increasing need for available phosphoric acid, from early {in August until the corn is ready to husk. This is the -all-impo; point for the sfarmer, especially In ate, cold seasons. If the soil is shor} 1of this constituent which is most I%argély responsible for the ripening of the crop, the result is immature corn gnd large quantities of inferior seed for the following year." Fertil- izer 'agents and progressive farmers can render a great national service at this time by so impressing the fore- going facts so that corn growers in general will actually pay attention to this means of hastening the maturity of thelr crops. | The production of eggs in winter trom pullets, and to some extent from hens, can be . greatly stimulated by good methods of feeding, housing and handling, Very few eggs are secured on the average general farm during the fall and winter when eggs bring the highest prices. Poultrymen, how- ever, by better management secure a fair production during these seasons. In order to get the greatest egg production in fall and winter it is es- sential to have well 'matured pullets which were hatched in March or April. Feed the grain in a deep litter on the floor .and make the hens exercise for all of their grain. The mash may be fed either wet or dry, and should "so regulated that the fowls will get about equal parts of mash and, of the reh grains. It is necessary to give fowls plenty to eat to get good th feed about one-third of the scratch grains in the morning and two-thirds at night, in which way the heps are ired at the morn- ¢ 4 grains, mash or grains, animal protein, green feed, grit and shell should be supplied in the winter. 7 Fei '| the school grounds. © [cluding the | ceed nty-five or thirty dollars, The Ant ertility---returns subplies of plant food (Fertilizer) ow more on your PRESENT acreage. e Nitrogen fn buy more fertilizer now than before - or ask for agency : ; tie ONTARIO FERTILIZERS, LIMITED in 'only 100 Ibs. of 2-8-2 TON of manure. in price less than other commo- Write for nearest agent's address CANADA : We a By Lola D. "I have found," sdid a school prin- cipal, "that in country schools Which have the hot.lunch system the pupils do 75 per cent. better work in the afternoon than when they have only a cold lunch." To the inexperienced young teacher, in her isolated one-room school, the task of introducing this hot-lunch sys- tem seems almost too great to under- take. = To her I can say that while she may find it"difficult, she will also find it far from being impossible. The first step is to try to interest the parents, and the best way to do this is to call a community meetin at the school house. "This, of itself, {is a big step toward helping her school, for the average farmer is glad to take an active interest in school affairs if he is asked to. In order to prepare for such a meeting the teach- er must study up this work and be prepared to talk about it. She must write to her provincial. agricultural college, asking not only for helpful bulletins on the subject of hot lunches but for any and all school helps and suggestions that will aid her. Enlisting Co-operation of Parents She must be thoroughly prepared to explain to the people in her district the benefits this system will bring, and to tell of her plans for carrying it out, First, supplies must be secured. The teacher should try to interest the farmers and find out just how they will co-operate. One may donate a basket of potatoes, another, one of carrots, several may 'agree to take turns supplying milk, still others may give canned vegetables, onions, fruit, and so forth, to help the good cause along, In nearly every case, the second year finds the pupils eager to grow their own vegetables and, in" this way, school gardens may be begun. Following the installation of the school gardens, comes the next logical step of canning the products of these gardens for the school lunches of the coming year. ~ And, I am sure, that school gardens will be merely starters for much actual work in-improving Boys and girls are generally eager to work if they are properly directed and interested. They will soon decide that shade trees are needed in the school yard, that the yard needs cleaning up, and the out- buildings need to be painted and kept in repair. In fact, the introduction of thé hot- lunch system may lead up to as high a point of attainment as the teacher wishes to reach. She will*find it an easy matter to make her school the centre of the community by bringing the home interest to the school. Her pupils will not only. be able to do bet- ter work, but there will be a new in- terest with each noon mehl. The Necessary Equipment Just how can a teacher in a poor, disinterested community "establish this system? First of all, a stove, fitted for cooking and baking, should be secured. Where the school stove is not suitable, then an oil or alcohol stove with a portable ovem should be | provided. Each child should bring from. home a bowl or cup and tea~ spoon and fork. The boys of the school may build a cupboard to hold the cooking utensils and the girls may make the dish-cloths and towels. The following equipment is sug- gested for this work: Double boiler, kettle, sauce-pan, sfrainer or sieve, egg-beater, quart measure, measur- ing cup, ean-opener, tablespoon, tea- hee 4 paring knife vegetable brush, "| masher, er knife, two dish-pans, potato ' i> Jan, six fy water et, dipper, baking kettle, dish-cloths, péper.nap- Where the box is obtained of this equipment, in: oil stove, should not ex: er could get up a commun Wangner \ classes, She need only serve one hot dish each day. This may be soup,! «cocoa, baked potatoes or apples, or| something of the sort; whatever is| decided upon' should be worked into) the other lessons. For instance, were she to serve creamed corn, then it could be made the subject of the! daily nature talk. : Corn, wheat, rice, eggs, sago, and so forth, may be used in the same way, as supplementary work in geography, physiology and hygiene. Sanitation follows as a natural sequence, care of cooking uténsils, methods of dish- washing, cleanliness of hands in cook- ing and eating, -and why these are necessary, 1 ' Two of the main factors in main- taining sanitary conditions are pure, fresh air and sunlight. Most rural schools are constructed with no re- gard for ventilation. Here, again, the teacher can help and teach her pupils to help." The boys can make skeleton frames to fit the windows. Over these sashes may be tacked mus- lin bags or double pieces of cheese- cloth, With a window at one side of the room lowered at the top and one raised froth the bottom on the other side, and the cloth screens put in, there will be a supply of fresh air without a draft. But to go back to the school-lunch problem, "How ghall I actually go about cooking a hot-dish for noon?" asks the teacher. The best answer I can give to this is the following account of how one teacher in a small rural gchool carries out this system: Four girls are appointed each day for the preparation of the following day's hot dish, which is decided upon by the teacher. Four other girls are appointed to serve the meal, collect and wash the dishes. By taking two large girls and two smaller ones in each group, all the girls in the school are thus given a share, ' The day I saw her, she served bak- ed potatoes. After the morning exer- cises there followed a short talk on potatoes as this happened to be the subject chosen for the weekly com- position. What One Teacher Accomplished The pupils were required to give definitions of some words used in this talk, and these same words were giv- en out to the advanced classes for their spelling lesson. On the board | were written ten short paragraphs; stating the food value of potatoes, why needed in the diet, and so on. The utensils put away, the girls took their seats and the day's regular work was begun. At the appointed time, without a work from the teach- er, the fire was lighted and the pota- toes put in to bake. When dinner time cdme, the pupils were dismissed | Sixteen's good example. our lovely at 10 cents a set (six | , sold J ~~ set). When ~ will send you the watch MER-WARREN ¢ \ 'DEPT. 42, TORONTO Conaucted By lino Helen Law / Mothers and daughters of all department. Initials only will be pul as a means of identification, but full name and address must be ive letter. Write on one side of paper only. Answers will be malled a enc 3 for this department to Mrs. Helen Law, 238 stamped and addressed envelope ddress all correspondents Woodbine Ave., Toronto. - Just Sixteen: --You and your ques- tions aré most welcome, Miss Sixteen, You are to be congratulated on your ability to write a most charming let- ter. Regarding the spring frock, the one-piece style is decidedly advisable, as it will be very popular this season and it is especially suitable at your adorable age. Your decision to do your bit by raising chickens is com- mendable, and the work should be quite within your capabilities, You are making a wise start by studying the subject at the outset. If you will write to the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, or to the Ontario Agricultural .| College, Guelph, you will be sent, free, reliable -information on poultry cul- ture. You have our best wishes for success. Will you not report pro- gress occasionally, and. in the autumn ages are cordially invited to wri blished with each question and its hed? in each direct if osed. placed on a basis of equality and pro- tected against' unfair competition. as well as being freed from many unde- sirable methods which have crept into the trade. Mother of Five:--You are particu- larly fortunate to have five growing boys who are all keen to do 'something this year. There isn't a boy or girl in Canada now who can't do a little to help in food production. ~ Seeing that you live on a farm why not have them rear a pig, a calf ora batch of chick- ens, Again they can have a garden' plot and grow potatoes and all kinds of vegetables. Seventy-one thousand boys and girls of school age last year increased the agricultural output of Ontario to the value of $125,000, Other provinces did equally well. Miss R.A.A.:--If you want really good substitutes for wheat why don't send us an account' of your experi- of our readers who will follow Just "Ypres" is ences. Probably there are a number you use rolled oats and oatmeal in mixed breads. The first advantage is that théy are easily obtained. Secondly, they will absorb far more pronounced in one syllable, like eepr. water than wheat flour and retain it "Bolsheviki," Bol-shev-ee-kee, with ac- | longer; thirdly, they are as cheap as cent on the third syllable. = "Invalid-'any other ingredient which is avail, ed," in-va-lid-ed with accent on the ' able; and lastly, the oatmeal loaf is first syllable. | said to have a greater nutritive value Britannia:--Yes, the new standard than even a straight wheat flour and loaf will soon be on the market and far greater than a corn-meal or bar- then there will be no more picking or ley-flour mixture. choosirig and no wrappings or expen-| A Soldier's Sister: --As a matter of sive et caeteras. | fact, it is very unwise to send any It is provided that rolls may be food to your brother. It is really a manufactured and sold only in units source of waste to send food-stuffs to of specified weights. The rules pro- soldiers overseas. The rations, is- hibit the wrapping of bread or the plac- ! sued by the Militia Department are ing on it of a paper or other band for liberal and varied. The aggregate the period of the war. By providing quantity of food sent privately to the for a standard loaf, unwrapped and soldiers is very large and much of it of the simplest character consistent is spoiled in transit. The situation with wholesomeness, the Food- Con- | overseas is so critical that every troller has ensured for the people avenué of food waste must be closed. of Canada bread at as low a price as| Mrs. F. B.:--I have given your it can possibly be made and distribut- | name and address to some prospective ed. The consumer will benefit by the customers for your goose feathers, regulations, while the bakers will be They will write you shortly. Cilteeslibs™ el It is now time for the live stock farmer to make sheep raising one of his regular lines of production. One of the first considerations in the shelter for sheep is ventilation without draughts. Bean fodder i§ an excellent rough- age feed to be used in combination with other forage, particularly for sheep. It may also be successfully fed to cows in small quantities. When used for sheep in combination with other roughage feeds, bean straw will have approximately as high feeding value as good hay, although it will not be as closely eaten, on account of the coarse stems. The feeding value of the forage is almost always en- A Rain-drop Song. Sing a song of rain drops, Sliding down the pane, Sing a song of winter, Cloudy" days and rain. Sing a song of study time, Things to read 'and wile, Sing a song of happy time, Faces clean and bright. Sing a song of teacher, Smiling as she stands, Sing a song of stories, All of distant lands. for five mintites in the open air. Dur-, ing this time, the room was pired and; four girls spread paper napkins on| each desk, setting the pupils' lunch! boxes on the desks with and! bowls holding the potatoes. This particular teacher's school was in an isolated, nonsinterested district and her task had been a most uphill one. Her first task had been to in- yite all the mothers to her boarding 'house for a discussion of school mat- | ters. She tactfully introduced the! subject of good school lunches and showed many leaflets and pamphlets | ghe had secured, ; Then she followed her talk with a) delicious lunch, serving many varieties of dainty sandwiches, and they began to be interested. After that, it was an easy matter to tell them of food values and why they must vary the contents' of the lunchbox. ~ That school has Jong since ceased to 'be merely' a wodden building where are unwillingly driven to the "three R's." It has become the Seifize of its community, the lead) er of its secial ' side and ' an active agent for good. All this came about because one woman saw the great pos- sibilities in ger school work. N better still to outgrow the habit of catching cold, wear warm shoes, and keep the feet dry. Sing a song of recess, When we run and play, Sing a song of gladness, Make a happy day. hanced by the grain it contains, as even where a good job of threshing is done, some beans will nearly always remain in the straw. . the field. * Had 329 bushels of beans that picked two pounds. FREE T0 GIRLS How to Prevent Epidemic of Colds. A wheezing, sneezing, nose-blow- ing, sore-throated individual should be isolated. Colds are catching. Watch how they spread through a home, or an office, or schoolroom, or any place where people congregate. Offering cures for colds is a popu- lar philanthrophy. We are all ready to pass on our prescription and preach its merits. But the very best time to cure a cold is before you get it. Hygiene is more efllcacious than drugs. Careful eating, healthful gleeping--windows open rain or shine and a hot water bottle at the feet, if needed for warmth. Wet feet conduces to colds. If you are anxious to get rid of a cough, or ROLLED GOLD LOCKET "AND CHAIN We will give this beautiful rolled gold locket and chain free of all charge to any girl who will sell 80 Packages of | our lovely embossed Easter Postcards at 10 cents a pac e. Send us your name and we will send you the cards to sell. When sold, send | us the money and we will send you the locket and chain. Address: ! HOMER-WARREN" CO. DEPT. 41, TORONTO, - ee - an os fcr Growing Beans With Small Cost. Plowed the ground early and worked it seve times both ways so as to make it level. I planted with two-row | epared | |r Age ' 'Rollers for Chair. i an' invalid 6¢ corn drill, twenty-eight inches apart, {in 'the row. I worked them with a two-row cultivator and hoed them dole ve once. Harvested them, eighteen acres, | in. he day. with two bean pullers and ¢| follow the rake tered beans. cannot afford a wheel and dropped a bean every ten inches Had two men | ck te We will give thik beaut) free of all charge to hy sir ar lady wh sell 40 sets of Postcards at 10 cents a set. The Extension Br Cf gold plate and fits ~gend us your you the cards.