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Conducted by Professor Henry G, Bell The objact of this department ii to ptaca at the ser- vice of our farm readers the advice of an acknowledged authority on all aubjects pertaining to solla and cropa- Address all questions to Professor Henry Q. Bell, In eare of The Wilson Publishing Company, Limited, Toronto, â- nd answers will aopear In thia column In the order In Which they are received. Aa apace is limited It Is advia- •ole where Immediate reply Is necessary that a stamped and addressed envelope be enclosed with the question, When the answer will be mailed direct J. S. G.: â€" 1. Do you know any short cute that will help in thia time of labor shortagfe? 2. What is th« cause of oats growing heavy, rank straw and lodging before they are ripe? Is there something lacking in the soil? My neighlwrs tell me my ground is too rich. We used to hare a lot of stock on the place, and used a lot of â- oft wood ashes. Our hay crop is not nearly so heavy aa it used to be. I have been working the place for four years. Is there anything to put on the land to make the straw grow ed leas than 20 bushels of wheat per acre on the average, and if by fer- tilization, the yield of the same fields can be increased so that double the amount of wheat is harvested, labor used on the fields vdll be employed with an increased efficiency of 100%. Stated in another way, half the land will raise an equal amount of g^rain if properly fertilized. Applying fertilizers takes very little more labor, since it is distributed at the same time as the wheat is sown. The fertilizer distributing compartment of the A Vital Necessity in Peace or War â- yHE operations of Hydro-Electric and â-  Public Utility Companies are a vital necessity to the industrial and social wel- fare of Canada, and are as essential in times of peace as in wai*. This is one of the reasons we recom- mend the Bonds of well-managed Hydro- Electric and Public Utility Companies serving growing communities. Send for list of Hydro-Electric and Pub- ' lie Utility Bonds yielding 6% to 8%. Nesb/tt, Thomson & Company Inveatment Bankers Limited MercantUe Trtist Bldg. 222 ST. JAIVieS STREET ... Hamilton MONTREAL YOUR PROBLEMS BY MS2HELEN ITAW Mothers and daugliteis of all ages are cordis ly Invitucj to write to this department Initials only will be published with each question and Its answer ss a means of identification, but full name and address must be given In each letter. Write on one side of paper only. Answers will be mailed direct I* stamped end addiesaed envelope is enclosed. •J. Address all correspondence for this department to Mrs. Helen Law, 239 woodbine Ave., Toronto. stronger, or to retard the growth of modern wheat drill gives this concen- it? Last year I did not have half the crop of oats as they did not fill out and they went down. 3. What do you think of rape aa a summer pas- ture for hogs and calves? 4. How does arsenate of lead compare with Paris green in effectiveness In the spraying of potatoes? 6. Would you recommend the sowing of beans on Bod land with an application of a fertilizer containing about 1% am- monia and 12% available phosphoric acid? Answer: â€" 1. Many suggrestions can b« offered relative to the conservation of labor during tho present shortage, but it is difficult to bring suggestions within the range of the average man who has a limited amount of machin- ery. There are two lines of attack, first using more efficient machinery, second, employing better cultural me- thods. Without detailing a long dis- cussion of the advantages of the first, the following fig^ures are self-ex- planatory. Investigations by Cornell, Agricultural Experiment Station, show that cultivating corn a one-horse THE SP AN ECONOMIC NECESSITY trated plantfood uniform and effective distribution. 2. I would assume from your question that you have been ap- plying manure heavily to the land where you are attempting to grow grain. Manure is relatively high in nitrogen, but low in phosphoric acid, the plant riponer. The addition of soft w^ood ashes has tended to increase a condition in your soil where consid- erable amount of straw is produced and the grain fails to ripen. Soft wood ashes do not contain very much potash, but carry a relatively large amount of lime. Indications are that your soil is in need of plantfood high in phosphoric acid and carrying a small amount of nitrogen, and medium amount of potash. I would advise you, if sowing winter wheat to ferti- lize same with about 200 to 300 pounds per acre of fertilizer carrying 1 per cent, ammonia, 10 to 12 per cent, phosphoric acid, and 1 to 2 per cent, potash. There is abundant evidence to show that this application of plant- food materially improves the yield, strengthens the straw and aids the The cheapest and best ration fori silage is 30% better than shocked live stock must contain a reasonable coâ„¢ from field. The same holds amount of succulent feed. An abund- ^"«"y ,^"« °' un threshed oats or^ . , , . ,, , oats and peas saved for winter feed, ance of suitable ^ture is unexcelled, 3;,^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^„^ ^^^^ produced and a substitute for this feed in win-|„i,i, 20% cheaper than oat sheaves, ter or during a drought in summer is | ggc/^ cheaper than straw and turnips essential for greatest production and „d ^q,;^ cheaper than hay. At the profits. , , I same cost per ton, silage is better feed In view of the scarcity and high ^ ^jj^n j^^tg ^^^ ^^^ ^^ jj^j^y cattle.; prices of grains and meals, the silo M^^eover, considering present labor! takes on an increased ^-alue. For ex-1 o„^.itio„g ^^ ^^,1 ^ ^^^ ^f harvest-! ample :-100 pounds total digestible j^^ keeping qualities and cost of stor- cultivator covered 4 . 4 acres a day of j filling out of grain. The ferti- le hours. A fwo-horae cultivator lizer is best distributed through the covered 6 . 6 acres . This of course is \ fertilizer dropping machinery of the a saving of at least 50% in man labor when the extra horse can be added. The season for cultivating potatoes is nearly at hand. To a large extent a two^horse cultivator can be used to advantage on the potatoes and will ef- fect the same general saving of labor. In spraying potatoes a man with a hand sprayer can cover from two to three acres a day. A horse sprayer can easily cover 10 to 12 acres, in- volving no additional man labor. In cutting hay, a mower drawn by two horses has the following cutting capa- city, varying with the length of the cutter bar: â€" JLength of bar. Area cut per day. 4% feet 8.3 acres 6 feet 9 acres 6 feet 10.2 acres In handling hay. Men Horses Waggons Tons 2 2 1 hauled 10.7 "8 4 2 hauled 14.9 6 4 2 hauled 20.1 The time for seeding winter wheat Is nearly at hand. West Virginia Experiment Station found that it re quired 23.1 hours of man labor to plow, disk, harrow, cut, haul and thrash an acre of wheat. Conditions tn that territory are somewhat the same as in Ontario, so that these fig- ures of production are fairly repre- sentative for Ontario conditions. By fertilizing wheat when seeding, it has be«n found possible to Increase the average yield of wheat 13 bushels per acre in Ohio, 10 bushels per acre in Missouri and 8 bushels per acra in Indiana and Ontario. Of course, this increase is the general average of sev- eral experiments. Actual yields in Ontario of 40 to 50 busihels per acre are on record with In the last two years where the wheat fields are given careful preparation, manured and fer- tilized. Now, it is obvious that if a little less than 24 hours of man labor on an unfertilized wheat field produc- nutrients in com silage has a net cost sf 54c., in bran $2.31, corn $4,02, oats $4.29, etc., wiien silage costs $3.00 per ton to raise and store and other age, silage, where gfrown successfully, is more economical than roots. Sil- age needs no pulping or other pre- paration for feeding. Silage for win- feeds are valued at present wholesale , ^^^ use is in itself the cheapest feed, market prices. Even in these times , ^nj ^t ^^^^ ^^^es ail other roughages of expensive labor, seed, horse labor ; ^^^ ^^j^g n^^re palatable, wholesome and machinery, com may be placed m ] ^^^ profitable the silo at the above cost. Surely: gjios For Summer Use: Good pas- this IS sufficient reason why every live ^,,6, if avail:>.le, is the cheapest sum- stock farmer should consider the in-Lig^ feed. Where permanent pas- creaae m silage production. ^ures fail, an annually sown pasture The adaptability of the silo to vari- of rye or oats and barley may, under ous parts of Canada depends on the [ present labor conditions, be the cheap- location, varieties of crops which may 1 est substitute. However, the use of be grown, and, to a lesser extent, on I soiling crops or summer silage may the class of live stock maintained. No j be the only available means of provid- farmer with two or three cows should i ing succulents. As a rule, silage is think of building a silo, but for a herd ' more profitable and more cheaply containing ten cows or more, or the | harvested and fed during the busy equivalent, a silo may advantageously \ season . Milk produced on corn grain drill. 3. Rape, especially the be erected. Silage is feed pre- gjiage and green cut alfalfa cost in Dwarf Essex variety, has proven a eniinently suited to the feeding of feed 66% per cwt; produced on corn very valuable pasture crop for sheep, dairy cattle . It, however, is a very ; sjiage and mixed hay may cost 70c per It may be sown late in the spring and excellent and cheap feed for beef cat-: g^. produced on soiling crop (peas produce a good pasturage in the early *J«- s^«ep and horses. In the majority and oats) cost $1.04 per cwt With all autumn. Craig says in his book that «>* *he best live stock districts in On- \qi^^ the heavy milkers received some an acre of rape will carry 30 hogs for ta^io and Western Quebec silos should { grain. Where suitable pastures are 2 months. Young cattle would have ^ o" every stock farm. In the not available the summer silo provides to be handled with care on it, since Maritime Provinces, Eastern Quebec : the cheapfest feed and greatest profits, rape has a tendency to bloat. 4. and British Columbia, all large stock , Finally, the farmer with a silo need Arsenate of lead is competing strong- farms, particukrly of dairy cattle, can never fear losing a crop - of clover, ly with Paris green as a poison to be ^se a silo to excellent advanUge. If alfalfa or late-sowm grain. Silage used in the spraying of fruit trees any particular district is not suited to making does not depend on the dry- and potatoes. If it is well made it is com growing, peas and oats, peas, ness of the weather. The silo is the proving very effective on potatoes, oats and vetches, clover, alfalfa, etc., cheapest storage building on the farm Arsenate of lead comes in two forms. â„¢ay be substituted for that crop. In jn proportion to the tonnage capacity. In dust form it contains 1 or 2 per the Maritime Provinces silos on many The silo allows the carrying of more cent, of moisture and in the paste farms, particularly on large stock ; stock per acre on the farm and is a form, in which it contains 35 to 50 j farms, are operated satisfactorily. . ighor saver, a money maker and a soil per cent, of moisture. Its chemical 1 Silos For Winter Use: Silage at enricher Librarian:â€" Why not hold an ex- hibit to arouse interest in your Public Library? I heard recently that a small town library like yours gave an exhibition that resulted in a great- ly increased use of its books and magazines. The plan was first ad- vanced by a woman's club, the mem- bers of which volunteered to do all the necessary work. They had found in the library many books that were useful in helping them to make vari- ous kinds of fancy work. The ex- hibit as they arranged it contained the articles that they had made, and close beside them the book or maga- zine that had furnished the idea or the design. But they did not limit the exhibition to books on fancywork or to books merely for women. Books on household economy, gardening, arts and crafts, hygiene and many other practical subjects were shown in such a way that the men and the women and the boys and the girls who visit- ed the show could see at a glance what kind of help or information they could get by using the library. Housewife: â€" 1. If wall paper is broken or marred in places it may be successfully repaired by cutting from a remnant of new paper figures or groups of figures corresponding to those that need repairing. The out- line of the design should be care- fully followed in cutting and the whole should be matched and pasted exactly. If the new paper is hung in the sun- light till it is faded a bit the mended place will escape the notice of even a critical observer. Without fading it shows very little. 2. Oatmeal soup might fill the need you speck of. Take two ounces medium or fine oatmeal, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 ozs. dripping, 1 quart of stock, Vi pint of milk and salt and pepper to taste. Wash and pre- pare the vegetables, grate the carrot and peel and chop the onion finely. Melt the fat in a saucepan, add ths oatmeal and fry it for a few minutes while stirring. Then add the vege- tables and fry for a few minutes longer. Now pour in the stock with a pinch of .salt and bring to the boil. , Skim carefully and allow to simmer slowly for about three-quarters of an hour. Lastly, add the milk and ns-- heat, season to taste and serve hot. Molly: â€" .Seeing that you have some spare time on your hands you might use it to advantage by keeping bees. They are very profitable and can be carried on aa a side line without any' inconvenience. It is better to start on a somewhat small scale and grad- ually work up. Mr. F. W. L. Sladen, Dominion Apiarist, says: "I am more than ever convinced that for a large output of honey this coming summer, one of the best bits of advice to give is to urge those who are employing and know ; how to employ modern methods to in- crease their holdings l>y purchasing or leasing bees from tliose who, for on« I reason or another, are neglecting their i bees." It would seom that women ; are particularly adapted for this kind of work . j Ambitious: â€" If you have any talent whatever for public speaking or for giving demonstrations then by all means start something in your com- munity. Write to the Food Board for copies of their various pamphlets and bulletins. Get yourself well inform- ed on the food question and then talk. A teacher has now a splendid opport- unity to bring home to tho people in rural communities the facts of the , food situation. Encourage the chil- ; dren to suggest ways of saving which will apply to their own homes, and receive reports each week on the sav- ings accomplished. You will soon find the pai-ents, as well as the chil- ; dren, becoming interested. composition shows it to carry a rela- tively high amount of poison which should be effective in killing potato beetles if carefully applied. 5. If the sod land can be worked down so it forms a good mellow seed bed, beans should do well upon it. Careful soil preparation shows best results in bean crops perhaps more than it does in any other farm crops. The fertilizer you mention should produce good re- sults provided you have grown clover \ $3.50 per ton is cheaper cattle feed : This is the season of the year to than mixed hay at $12 per ton. Com build more and better silos. SA)fYes The Pink Peach Blossom. Once upon a time, after a long, cold on the field preceding the bean crop or ] winter, there came a few days of you may be able to make the pink frock that you want." The little peach tree thought that that was good advice. So she set to work her very hardest and work- ed from morning until night, sending moisture and sunaihine and wai-mth into her branches. And after a few days of working. ,. , , , ... .... .. i ,, . J i- 4, that little peach tree over in the cor- apphed stock manure to it .vnthin the | warm southern breezes, and a stir of ^^ blossomed out in a brand-new laart two or three years. In applying : life and growing was felt in the air. ^^^^_g^ jn^ di-ess too' The verv the fertilizer be especially careful not In the old orchard tiie trees encourag- ^.„^ ^^^ ^^ wanted' most of all. to get it right under the beans. Sev- ed their buds to swell and grow and on "Xhank you so much " she said eral succ^sful bean growers in apply- \ every hand there was planning for the | Gushingly to the apple tiee when the ing fertilizers follow the practice of new spring clothes. | „,d tree praised her beaAiful appear- closing up the 3rd, 6th and 9th holes , ^nd they al^ worked hard-so hard ance. "It's kind of vou to praise mv of the fertilizer s^ction^^of the grain ^^^^ j.^ ^^a almost a week before they frock. I'm so glad I took your ad- ^"i2er 1 noticed the little, tiny peach tree over' vice. Now every year I'm going to .!"i in the corner. | work like this, and maybe all my v ^\. -i, Zl â- \ "Well, well," said the old apple tree spring dresses will be pink." ^^^^^Z^l^ArfrZfly.f!^.!''^^'^^ A.nd indeed she has worked, for S+.^^L It. Hnfp'^to tV fplii,v i *"& ^ 1>^^« ^"y "^ ^P'"'"^ dress?, ever since that year the peach tide's spoute that are closed to the fertihz- p^^. jj^e „ew frocks?" 1 spring di^ss has been pink. erThls amounts to applying the fer-j ..Qh; indeed I do!" exclaimed the ^ ^ ^ ^ tiUzer broadcast between the rows,! ^^^^ ^ree, and she could not help be- I ** " drill, and distributing the through tho other tubes. comes to seeding beans. not dropping it immediately under the . beans. It is necessary to give growing chicks green food of some kind in order to obtain tho maximum growth which is so essential in chick raising. For the poultry raiser who has plenty of land free range will supply the necessary green food more eco- nomically than it can be secured In any other way. Where the range is limited or when the poultvyman de- sires to hatch chicks very early it be- comes necessary to supply in some other form the required amount of green food. This may involve some •xpense, nevertheless the careful ing pleased to have the apple tree ' I think it must somewhere be writ- notice her so kindly, "but you see, 1 1 ten that the virtues of mothers shall, want a dress of my own, and I don't ! occasionally^ be visited on their chil- \ dren, as well as the sins of theii- fath- Dickens. know how to make one." depend upon the conditions. For the man who raises 500 chicks or more .,^ ^^^^ ^f y^yj. ^^^ ^f course," : «"• time and equipment necessary for ^^^ ^^^ ^ j^ ^^^^ ^^^ =^^ under- ! = raising -lettuce kale, or sprouted oats ,ta„jing. "Now, you set to work and IS too great and there fore It cannot be ^^^^ ^^^ -^^ ,j,^g ^j^^^ j^^ „„d done economically. Of all the green ^^^^^^ ^,„i „ . or succulent food for chicks perhaps ..yes-s-s," replied the peach tree, butâ€"" mangels are the best because they can be raised the year before and stored and when wanted can be cut up or sliced in two and hung up on nails around the house, thus giving the chicks a chance to exercise in ob- taining their succulent food by com- stantly picking at tho mangels. While the chicks are very young mangels may be used to advantage by cutting ^ „ them up in very small pieces; thus P"*?!, =la •• they can learn to like them and will "Maybe you don't like a pink and white and green dress," suggested the cherry tree; "maybe you'd like one like mine." "Yes-s-s," answered the peach tree, "butâ€"" "Well," said the pear tree, "make a white one like mine; they're the manager will provide some sort of ' eat more of them later on. green food for his growing chicks. p^r late hatched chicks green food The green food which the poultry- , ^^ ^ supplied by giving them free man will feed to his early hatched chicks will depend somewhat upon the amount of time, equipment and num- ber of chicks he has. Among the many gieen foods which are good for the growing chicks may be mentioned swlss chard, rape, let- tuce, cabbage, kale, mangels, sprouted oats, alfalfa, clover and beet pulp. The last three mentioned can be pur- chased in li-ry form- quid then can be soaked and used as a succulent food. range in pastures or in lots that have been sown to clover, oats, rye or w4ieat. Yes-s-s," replied the jieach tree, "but, but, you see â€" I think all your dre.sses are just beautiful â€" but I want a pink one. An :^l-pink one. Just pink." "An all-pink dress!" exclaime<l the pear tree. "Who ever heard the like!" "That's a good idea," said the apple tree, who was the oldest and of course knew best what to say. "But since you're so young and haven't WOClb Farmers who ship their wool direct to ns get better prices than farmers who sell to the general store. ASK ANY FARMER! who baa sola bis wool both ways, and pQta wluit be saysâ€" or. better ctill, write as for our prices J they will show you how much you lose by selling to the General Storei We pay tha hl.hest pricM of »ny firm ID tOecouultyJndnre the InimiJ wool dMicra )u Csn.ula. Fnyni.nt Is r«^- mitted lbs immc liay wo«l u j ccti veil. SlilpiiSyourmKil to^yâ€" you will b« morelliBtt pirnscd if J-oudo, sud are •.tstli cj of a square dt'ttl from us. i H. V. ANDREWS 13 CHURCH ST, TORONTO No one can plow, harrow, and cul tivato his ground in the same manner tried making dresses before, why don't any two successive years with the ex- you, for this year, just draw up all peetation of growing a maximum the moi.'vture you can and drmk all crop. Nature never gives a person tho sunshine you can and work your the same soil and weather conditions best and make just any dre^s that Which o,^i» of the others to use will j in any two years. ( you can? Then, perhaps, next year SMOKE TUGKETTS T«B;fU« INTERNATIONAL LESSON JUNE 9. Lesson X. Jesus Faces Betrayal and Denialâ€" Mark 14. 10-72. Golden Text, Mark 14. 38. Versa 17. When it was evening he Cometh with the twelve â€" This is in an upper chamber in Jerusalem, intro- ducing the sixth day of the week â€" Thursday, between 3 and 12 p.m., April 6, A.D. 30 The Paschal lamb was to be slain "at even" (Exo<i. 12. 6). The custom was not to kill it till after the evening sacrifice was of- fered. They were now all together for their last passovor supper. 18. As they sat (reclined) â€" Origin- ally the Paschal lamb was to be eaten standing (Exod. 12. 11). 19. They began to be sorrowful â€" What would have been a meal of good fellowship and blessed communion is now turned to an occasion of fear and suspicion and doubt. How unthink- able that one of his intimate friends who had been his companion should now hand him over to his onemiesl As Jews they no doubt recalled the familiar passage in Psalm 41. 9: "Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did oat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me . " Is it I? â€" Better reading, "Surely it is not I, is it?" 20. He that dippctli with me in the dish â€" To dip in the dish wag a sign of friendship. John's account states that John, at Peter's suggestion, ask- ed directly who was meant and that Jesus replied that it was he to whom he was about to give tbe sop (John 13. 22, 24-26). This, thon, was the sign, tho selection of Judas to receive , the bread whi-h the Master would dip ! into the "charoseth." 21. The Son of man goeth â€" Re- ferring to his death. John frequently used the word "go" with reference to the death of Joaus (John 8, 14. 21). Even as it is written â€" Jesus' death was not a mere accident in his career, but the fulfillment of tho pui'pose of God. Woe unto that man â€" "iet, the free action and the responsibility of Judas are not taken away. He was not an irresponsible instrument, though his action is in the lino of the fulfillment of Cod's purposes. Gooo were it for that man if he had not been bornâ€" Apologies have been made for Judas, suggesting that he all the time believed that Jesus would by an exhibition of supernatural power con- found his enemies at the hour of be- trayal and rise in all tho majesty of his Messiahship. But tho doom here spoken is definite and dreadful! The doom of a traitor, a plotter of evil, and not words for a heedless disciple. t 22. As they wore imting, he took , bread, and when ho had ble.'jsed it- Here wo have the institution of the Lord's Supper. Opinion is divided ns to when this occurred, but it is clear that it was in connection with the passover meal. The blessing was n prayer of ihaiiksgiving and setting apart. (jave to them -Distributing 1(, them as they were reclining. This is my l>ody -Symbolizes my Kody. It is a violation of the principle of tha interpretation of long usage to sup- pose that tills was to be taken as the actual body. "I am the door," "I am the vine" are other instances of the metaphorical u.se of language precisely similar. 23. He took a cup â€" Several cups were taken during the paschal meal. Some suppose it was the fourth cup, since Luke and Paul state that it was "after the supper." (Luke 22. 20; 1 Cor. 11. 25.) 24. This is my bloodâ€" By "this" is meant the wine in the cup which he gave to the twelve, and this wine is a symbolical representation of his blood. ; Of the covenant â€" Paul gives it, "This \ cup is the new covenant of my blood." I (1 Cor. 11. 25.) The old covenant was j of the law at Sinai. Moses (Exod. 24. 8) says: "Behold the blood of tho I covenant, which Jehovah hath made \vith you concerning ail these words." Jesus institutes a new and better cov- 1 enant than the one at Sinai, which I was to be ratified by the blood of a I better sacrifice. j 25. I shall no more drink of the j fruit of the vine â€" This is preceded by I the solemn words, "Verily I say unto I you." These were really farewell words. It was the last occasion on which Jesus would take part in the passover celebration. But, there is coming a time when all things are to be made now, then there will be a passover of a newer and better kind and a fellowship of a higher order. This will be in the consummation of the kingdom of God. It is in Paul's account that v.-o have tho definite in- stitution of the memorial supper and its destination to be observed till Christ comes (t Cor. 11. 24-26), and , the special injunction, "This do in re- membrance of me." 26. When they had sung a hymn â€" Some suppose this to have been Psalm 136, which is a psalm of praise to Jehovah for his goodness to Israel. Others are of the opinion that ths "hymn" was the beautiful aeries of psalms U8-127. Unto the mount, of Olives â€" They had usually retired to Bethany this week, as evening drew near. But this time they were not to reach Bethany â€" for tho culmination of the great tragedy was Imminent. Judas had carried out his diabolical plan. Jesus goes no more into quiet reti-eat among his friends, but now bo- comes the victim of the raging chief priests and scribes. <> Care and patience will cui-o the kicking cow if the proper methods are employed. One method is to pass a rope or strai) with a loop in one end of it around the body of the cow and draw it tight. The cow \vill usually jump at first, but when she finds she cannot get out of tho ro|>e she will stand still. If this method causes the cow to give bloody milk, place the rope or .strap behind the udder, and draw it light as before. Another method is to hobble ths cow by passing th^ rope around each leg behind the udder, and tying just above the hocks. This method Is a dangerous one, however, for the per- son t.ving the rope. .\fter these me- thods have been repeated a few times the cow will stand quietly to be milk- ed.