Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1875 — Page 6

Abstract of the Postmaster-General's Report.

Th* Po*tmn*tef-Qenerar* annutl report show* tbe receipt* of the department to be $27.441.880 •Bd expenditure* $88,611,809. The receipts exceed 1 rboee of litre 1 14-HO per cent., end the expenditure* 4 M-KB. The actual amount drawn from the , Trooznry was *4.71# sat. or $543,606 lean than the jaevtonsiyear. The recorded coniplninta of Kissing letter* number 5.645, of which 2.6.7 were registered letter* containing bond*, dra.t*. etc., amounting to S7B *l6, the unrert'iemi letter* contained valuables amounting to S7S.!WT. Of the former l .<lB3 were mtisfsctonlv accounted for, 911 actually hist., and 683 remain under Investigation. Arrest* ft* violation ot the Postal law* numbered 807. the greater portion not being connected with the (Metal service. One hundred and seven convictions were had and 157 await trial. The dubujrttm'it is in correspondence with the British itc jsreiet.t on the subject of the iii/nase of t'nilr.lStales territorial rate on British closed mail* trs.o| sjrledbetween New York and San Frau«i*co. the present rates, fixed by the Postal Convention 01 1868, uot paying the actual cost of transportation. The report show* the operation* of the various bureaus of the department, concerning which •wnch information has already been published. The Hone*-Order, fit-part meet, the annual transactions of which hare reached shout $80,000,000. -shows an .fpparart protit of sl*o.ooo. though really an arrears more than that if the clerk-hire and stationery required tor tne business were rtiarged directly’Jo r.s account. The increase of rales on email orders mdH*, by authority of the last Congress will, it is believed, enable the bureau -to hereafter pay it* own exp. uses. . "Hi* fact that but one American steamship carries mails across the Atlantic, and none to South America, is regarded «s humiliating to American pride, Mr. Jewell thinks as a matter of national pride, a* sn aid to the revival of American commerce. and a* a mean* of supplying * n efficient •team marine service for immediate use bv the Government in case of war. provision should be made for tie transportation of our mails on important ocean route* in steamships officered and manur'd by our own citizens and sailing under our awn flan. A moderate compensation in excess of t-hwpostage* now allowed would enable the establishment and maintenance of American lines to Knrojie al.o South America, and a moderate mail compel!-at.on fora line to Japan and China will doubt!« s <on mine the maihservice to those couutfieaHi American 'hip* after the termination of the existing subsidy, the contract for which will expire on the 81st of December, 1876. I thick it safe to say 1 ' that the sum ■pf ssOi>,ooo per annum now granted as » subsidy to the Japan and China line for n single monthly service on that rout* would, in addition to postages on mails, be quitesuffleient, judiciously apportioned between the respective routes, to i«anit*in ac efltciei'.i mall service by mall steamers (.ailing tuidw our flag on all the importantocean routes w hich should be occupied by lines qf H American steamers. Mr. Jewell says the evil of straw-bidding, which •annuity involves the department in the losa’of many hundreds of thousands of dollars, can, in his jnSumrttt. I>B effect noli jr removed by such a change in the, law a- will authorize the Postmaster General. on the failure oV any accepted bidder, to offer a contract at present to the next lower bidder in the list. if. in his judgment, the hid be not too high. and. if ?i:> next lowest bidder declines to enter into s coritraU. to be authorized to enter inr<> a contract w ith any person not a bidder at any price hot exceeding said next lowest bid. The hostmuste:■•General speaks ot the railway postal *eivice and roads doing it in high terms, tin! thinks I; would be more equitable to pay companies by space instead of weight. This would increase the compensation of the roads of tlie larger class, but "redm e it materially on many smaller sudw.c.’inr or.v*. The fast-mail service t* praised, ngd the opinion expressed that at no distant day tht’.bUsine** ot tin- dejuirtment vill be so great as Jo induce : .:!rb*ul companies to tun similar train* from New Krtglaud to the gulf, and froiti the Atlantic to the I'ac.if.c. It is recommended that any person be permitted without ai.digoDi.l charge to write a form of presentation in any hook, pamphlet, magazine, periodical or any other matter of the third class, and also that the sender of any package he permitted without additional. harge to write his or her name and address on th- outside thereof, with the word from" aw.-* • or preceding the same, so as to Inform ail.iresred...df the name of the sender, it: v : o write briefly.Op any package the mtmbiTui. " r me of article* inclosed. The sending Of r"'. • tlocnmeiit* through the mails has not delay**',’ ,e .i, iiwry of ordinary mails or perceptibly inc -eu tlic'.. - ost. As to tee t'viti'icut printed matter, the Post masterG.hey.il says: “I recommend that the postage tratPti-nt newspapers and periodicals, book*, prti t.-l titatter of all sorts, lithograph* and n.ap*. sh->"-.Ku*ir, photograuhs and manuscripts dcsigtir i f.,r , c.ii .cation slum he reduced to one cent f,> <- i..j two ounces or fraction tliereo . .which. w o lie rate before the enactment of the law • .mHtjpduring the closing hours of the ' C.ui.re**."v CtSucerniug newspaper postage. - -ay- -!h; new law. which went into effect on • of January. 1575. from present indication. ... realize about $1,001),Odd for the first caltnd: year. This is not a material variation from rite average results of the old law. ihoag’i < , ,g the l*-t year in which this latter was In o i ration the amount was increased by the payment of postage on newspaper* circulating within the connty of publication, a requirement that was discontinued at the end of one vear White, therefore, there has been no increase in the aggregate receipts, there has been a large tret gain oy saving commission* on collection? allowed by the old law as under the present law. The gre.i- bulk of postage is paid at large offices w ho.*e salaries are not affected by this item. Under the oid law there was no check to insure collections at the office of Ue*tiuation?aud the consequence was much matter went unpaid, and it is a satisfaction that under the present more equitably mode universal collections have made up for the reductions in rate*. The new system has worked so admirably, and ha# given such general satisfaction. th#s.EO change it deemed necessary. It is recommended that the pay of Postmasters of [the fourth clips, lie ba.~ed,upon the business of toeir i -pe tive offices, as determined by the cancellation of stamps, the account to be duly sworn to for each quarter, and returned to the Sixth Auditor." There is great waut of equity in the compensation of Postmasters of the first,, second, and thud classes. If the salaries at smaller office* are not ev. t-'-iew. those of the larger cities are certainly too mw. I find Postmasters as a class to be efficient, capable and attentive bevoud my expecta- - tiocs. and theiv - ..roes should be proportionate «' their duties. Cases are (aid to exist, however, where few or no duties are actnally performed by the Postmaster. A law compelling Postmasters whose net income is. say. SI,OOO or more to give entire attention to the duties of their offices, or. failing in this to employ some person or persons to perform them at their own and not at the Government's expense, would be, most undoubtedly, beneficial to the service.” In estimating the expected revenues for the rear ending June So, 1877. »nd wishing to be on the safe •ide, the estimates have been submitted which show an expected deScienry of $8,151.602. but it is believed thut the deficiency lor that year will be wry much less than the estimates. Basing the estimates of the revenues at the smallest amount, and of the expenditures at the largest, an increase is shown in the percentage of deficiency only of 19 39-109. against 24 65-100. which wa* the estimate of the percentage of the deficiency last year over, that of its predecessor.

Gen. Sheridan’s Report.

The Military Division of the Missouri now comMost, of the Gulf and We»tern States, all the Territories east of Arizona. Nevada and Idaho, including the southeastern portion of the latter Territory, ertends from British America on the north to the Gulf of Mexico and the Rio Grande on the south, and as far east as Key West, on the Gulf, and embraces within its limit* ninetv-uine Indian tribes, numbering about 192.000 person'. ■ scattered over more than 1.UM.000 square miles of frontier territory. For the bettorprotectkiß of this frontier, with its vast agticiritural. mining, mercantile and other interests, and for convenience in the administration of the t.ffatrs of the division, it is divided into 'department*, as follow «t The Department of Dakota. Brig.-Gen. AlfredTerrv. commanding: the Department of the Piatte. Brig. -Gen. Geor-e Crook, commanding: the Depttrtment of the Slis-ouri. Srig.-lien. John Pope, commanding; the Department pi Texes. Brig.-Gen. U. C. Old, camiuaiidinand the Department of the Gulf. Brig.-Gen. € C Angor, coatuMinug. Within the-e limits » e have ninety-one established posts and camps, garrisoned by eight regiments of caTairy. six companies of artiile.ry •eighteen regiments and four companies of infanttryand a small detachment of engineer troops, agthe last official re [tort, 14.813 co'mmQ. * eioned officers aDd enlisted men. In relation to the extinction of the Indian title to the Black Hill- territory the General says: l earnestly recommend some action which will •settle this Black Hills question, and relieve ns fro map exceedingly disagreeable and embarrassing duty. steel quite satisfied that ail theconntrv acuth of the Yellowstone River, from the Black Mills of the Cheyenne as far west as the Big Horn Valley. and perhaps as far west as Clark'S Fork of the •YedlOwstoue, .is gold-bearing, but as to the Amount of gold deposits I cannot say: it may be great or it may be small. This area is also at many places well timbered, has many beautiful valleys of ratherhieh altitude, with good soil and Abundance of running water. Nearly the whole of it is well- adapted to grazing purposes. The winters are.l haveevery ren-on to believe, yerv cold, but the temperature is ttnilorm; the cold weather is found to be less injurious to stock where there is no •belter than a milder climate where cattle are subjected to the changes of alternate freezing and thawing, and where the rains rot the grass. The Fiona r Indians, numbering about 35.000. mow hold this -country, and. in addition, the belt ■eastward f rot* the t>**eof the Black Hilla of the Gheyenoetw the Missouri River, which would make about iO.OUO acres of land for the head of each family and perhaps much mote, without one

single acre being cnltlvntnd, whil« the maximum amount given Bv the Government to an adult* white settler is only 190 acres, on which he has to live, build a hut, pin up fences, till the groufid and pay taxes. , _,<• ' . The ob.*erv»tion of many year* in my own command and throughout most of tha Indian country fdr tbe Inst twenty years has left the Unpre—ion that this system of civilizing tii* wild portion of our Indian inhabitant* ha* not met with a success which gives a fair gquivnlent for the expense. trouble and bloodshed' which bare attended it. 1 believe there is true humanity in making the reservation* reasonably small, dividing them into tracts lor the heads ot families, making iabor gradually compnlsorv, and even compelling the children to go to school. To accomplish this purpose, to civilize, make self-supporting, and save many more of these poor people than otherwise will be laved. I believe it best to transfer the Indian Bureau to the military, and let It be taken under the general administration of the army, governed and controlled in responsibility of accounts in accordance with our present system. The Indian* will thus'be humanely and honestly dealt with,, and 1 believe! If this bad always been the‘case, there would have been but few of the troubles and bloody records which have characterized the civilization of the Indians jn the many year* gone by. In relation to affair* along the Rio Grande Gen. Sheridan say*: Noarly all the troops in the Department of Texas. except those along the ltio Grande frontier, were engaged in this campaign. Those stationed along the ltio Grande River, the boundary line between tbelUnited States and Mexico, have had the humiliating duty of attempting to protect our citizen* and their property from raids by people of a foreign country, who come over the boundary in armed parties to steal cattle, and do not hesitate to attack and kill our citizen* when necessaryJto accomplish their purpose. The low stage of water in the ltio Grande, and its great length—l,2oo or 1,500 miles—makes the duty of protecting it difficult, in fact, almost impossible, with the few troops available for the purpose. In speaking of thi? duly as a lmmilating one Ido uot mean that it is not perfectly legitimate—for any duty i* auch which has for its object the protection of the lives and property of the people on an international boundary line—but when it is considered that these armed parties, a* soon as they are pursued, take refuge on the opposite bank of the river, and there, in sight of our troops, w ho dare not cross, graze and slaughter the stolen eattle with impunity, the service is very mortifying to those engaged in the protection of that frontier. This condition of affair.* has been going on for the last twenty years.

Commissioner Smith’s Report.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Smith, in hi* annual report, says that the reports of the Indian Superintendent* and Agents convey unmistakable evidence of a year of advance in the civilization of the Indians. Their testimony i» almost uniform to the fact that the civilization of the Indians is not only entirely practicable, but fairly underway. Foity-fwb thousand six hundred and thirty-eight Indians are self-supporting. Their corn crop last year wa* 2.404.000 bushels; potatoes and other vegetables. 421.000 bushels; fields under cultivation. 823.000 acres- -a larger era by 7.000 acres than ever before reported, and nearly 200.000 acres more than in 1871. Nearly 10.000 more Indian families are now living in houses than five years ago. The Commissioner, expresses the opinion that a general Indian war will never occur in the United States. In reference to the Black Hills country the Commissioner recommends that legislation be now sought from Congress offering a fair aud full equivalent for the couutrv lying between {be North and South Forks of the Cheyenne lliver in Dakota. The true 1 equivalent to be dieted the Sioux as helpless w ards of the Government for the Black Hills will be found by estimating what 80 1 square miles of gold-fields are \qprth 'to us. and wind ff.'Stl square miles of timber agricultural and grazing lands are worth to them. The Commissioner says the need of the Indian Territory is a government of the simplest tone possible, and suggests that a government similar to that provided for the Territory of i lie United States northwest of the River oTfto, preliminary to tie: organization of a Oeueral’A*-, -eaibiy. would be best adapted lor that Territory at prc*ent. He recommend* that the matter lie again brought before Congress. The Commissioner opposes the transfer of Hie Indian Bureau to the War Department, but recommends that the purchasing, inspecting and transporting of goods and supplies required to sttnsist the .Indians be done by that department. Tlie Commissioner speaks in the Highest terms of tlie aid afforded by tlie different religions bodies of the country, and earnestly hopes (hat Congress will remove the difficulties w hich have heretofore been experienced in procuring the enactment of laws aud necessary appropriations lor the training aud education of the Indian*. None but the very, best men. he says, should be appointed as Agent*, and he expresses a hope that the Gtfve'ruhieut will still be inclined to call upon the religious bodies of the country to name the men. Jt is not expected that a deficiency for this year will arise exceeding $200,000. The cost of maintaining all the Indians except tlie wilder tribes will steadily decrease from this time until they cease to be a burden to the Government. It is not improbable. however, that such an additional expenditure w ill be required in bringing the wilder tribes into the beginning of civilization as will make the totals of tha appropriations fur three or four years to come equal to those of the last three years, and perhaps greater.

Resolutions of the Women’s National Temperance Convention.

The following resolutions were adopted by the National Convention of the Women's Temperance Uuious, recently in session in Cincinnati : WmuiKAs. The survey of the work accomplished Brough the Women's Temperance Unions the past , year inspires our most earnest and devout thanksgiving to God—our deep self-abasement that we have not dpne more, and firm determination to work and pray unceasingly for the triumph of our holy cause until tlie kingdoms of this earth shall become the kingdoms of our God aud His Christ; therefore, Jftsolced, That tlie results of labor for the reclamation of inebriates and the drinking classes convince us that a great work ha* been and may bp done in this direction, and that nothing is too hard for tjie Lord. To this .end we recommend Go-I>el temperance prayer-meetings. Cheap lunch and lodging houses, free reading-rooms. Washingtonian homes, temperance reform clubs, the circulation of the pledge, and. above all, continued individual effort with individuals, applying the Gospel remedies which cleanse from all sin. Rftolwd, That, whereas prevention is better than cure, and the hope of our country lies eminently in the home-training of the children, and since temperance is of the flrst importance as a conservation of the morals, strength, pnrity and integrity of our Republic, therefore we urge the women of America to train their sons and daughters in the cradle and around the home altars to forever abjure all that can intoxicate. Recoiled, That as the rum power is the greatest obstacle to the advancement of the > hristian religion we look to the ministry and churches of the land to aid us in the prosecution of this great work. RYolred. That we recognize the existing temperance organizations of the land as fellow'workersand pledge them our cordial sympathy aud cooperation. Resolt-e'l. That, realizing the precious reflex blessings that have come to our hearts and homes -from engaging in this work of love, we urge our sister* everywhere to co-operate with our Women's l nions. aud to unite with us iu banishing from our social circles aud culinary preparations everything that may engender the taste for intoxicants. Retolrel. That, grieved as we are with the indifference and lethargy of the church on this mofueutous que*tiou, -and believing, as we do, that tue use of fermented wines in celebrating the Lord s Supper is tlie source of .much harm to the cause oi temperance, often undoing iu a moment the painful work of months, we pledge ourselves to do all iu our power to induce the officers of our churches to cease from a practice that we regard as so baneful. Resot red. That, as we deem the circulation of temperance literature of the utmost importance, we not only disseminate our own paper, the oof/teif a ' r ranee Uh:om. but endeavor to sc - cure a ptsc- in the columns of our secular newspapers. and th il we recommend the introduction ot the publications of the National Temperance Society into ail our public schools' and public libraries. Re ared. That we recognize with devout gratitude to Almighty God. the mover in every good work, that Secretary Bristow has so successfully ex|»>- ed the corruptions of the whisky-rin-* in our country. llesotred , That we recognize with gratitude the true statesmanship of the Postmaster-General in removing from his department all assistants addicted to alcoholic beverages. Rexolred. That we recommend each State to memorialize Congress njxin the appointment of a National Committee of Surgery to investigate and report rhe effects of the liquor traffic, and to prohibit such traffic in the District of Columbia and the Territories. Said memorial to he presented bv a committee of one person from each State, on the Ist of March. 1876. ltmolrerf. That w hereas the Abject of just government is to conserve the interests of tbe governed; anff whereas the liquor traffic is not only , a crime against God. bnl subversive of every interest of society, therefore, in behalf we call for suck legislation a* shall secure tfils end: and while we will continue to employ all moral ageneieH-as idt’.ispeusable. we hold prohibition to be essential to the full triumph of the reform. Resolve,i. finally. That, whereas women are the preateat sufferer* from the liquor traffic, aud realizing that it is to be ultimately suppressed by meaus of Jjie ballot, we. tbe Christian women of the land, itv convention assembled, do pray Almighty God and all good and true men that the question of the prohibition of the liquor traffic may be submitted to all the adult citizens of this country, irrespective of sex; not as a mean# of en* larging oar right*, nor antagonizing the sexes, but as a uterus of protecting ourselves, our children tad home* from the ravages of the nun power.

AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC.

—To Justify a fanner who is in debt in holding his crop there should be almost a certainty of an advance. The man who is under no obligations to others can properly take risks which the debtor cannot afford.— Prairie Fat-mer. —A writer in the Country Gentleman says: Tlie presence of black walnut trees in an orchard is sure to kill apple trees. The effect of a small walnut on a large apple tree is small at first hut it will show itself alter a little and death will Be the result, —The old plan of boiling broken dishes ill milk is a, very quick way of mending, and I have seen those made permanently strong by simply being tied'up, soaked in warm, freshly-drawn milk and dried; w'hat i mean* by warm, freshly-drawn milk is that containing the animal heat. A glutinous property, doubtless casein, penetrates the fracture and congeals with a firmness very tenacious.— Cor. In Boor and Out. —Corn-fed hens do not lay in winter for the simple reason that there isn’t any albumen material in the corn. When wheat is fed there is fat enough in it to supply all that is needed for the yelk and gluten enough, to make tlie white and lime enough to furnish the shell; it does not thus seem difficult to understand why corn-fed liens should not lay, as they do ‘ not, and why wheat-fed hens should lay, as they do. — Ohio Farmer. —To fasten afcnife-haridle, set the fian* dle upon end, fill th<f cavity with pulverized rosin, then warm the small part of the knife or fork and insert it slowly, crowd it down firmly and hold it in right position until the rosin cools enougliffo ...set. As rosin is not soluble in water, hm or cold, the knives are not loosened. Glue or any other cementing material soluble in water is not available. • Glue may be made to resist water, however, by putting two ounces of it in a pint of skimmed milk and evaporating tlie mixture to the proper consistency* for use. —When stock are fed at irregular intervals they consume more, with less profit to themselves pr their owners; they are constantly; on the lookout for a new supply, and alconstant* uneasiness is the result. When there is a stated hour for feeding, and regularity and punctuality are strictly observed, the animal’s appetite is regulated in accordance; the food is taken with a relish, and, when eaten, the stock are under no anxiety till the next feeding hour comes around. Instead of uneasiness tllere is a ruminating quietness, which is always favorable to good and perfect digestion and assimilation. — Country Gentleman. —A very pretty pen-wiper can be made in the form of a parasol. Sharpen a thin wooden lead-pencil that has an ivory tip. 'Cut a circle of silk, and another somewhat smaller, of thin, black cloth. Point or scallop the edges all around, pierqe a hole in tlie center of each (circle and rjiri the point of the pencil through, leaving the silk circle on top. By a little ingenuity you can now crease, fold and secure these circles close to the handle so thafthe whole will look precisely like a closed parasol; by experimenting first with a piece of paper you can’best get tlie size of the circle required to suit your pencil.— St. Nicholas for December. —I have stood in mud and water two or three inches deep, for ten hours a day for a week, without feeling any dampness .or having any difficulty in getting my boots on or off'. If you would be equally Successful, before wearing the boots give the bottoms a good coating of tallow and tar and dry it in; then oil-the uppers with castor-oil; about one ta.blespoonful will be sufficient. If the weather should be rainy, or you are compelled to work in water during the day, wash your boots clean at night, hold them by the fire until quite warm, and oil them while quite wet, and you will have no trouble about your boots getting hard and shrinking up so that you cannot get them on. It tlie leather should become red, give a coat of ordinary shoe-blacking before oiling. The effect of castor-oil is to soften til; leather, while it fills the pores and prevents the water from entering.—Cor. Indiana Fanner.

Endurance versus Welfare of Animals.

Every student of agricultural history is probably aware that there have existed in all ages two widely-dift'erent methods of caring for domesticated animals. One is based upon tlie theory that animals have no rights-wliieh man is bound to respect, and that the limits of physical endurance mav be sought with as much propriety, aud the act be r as sinless, as that of seeking their greatest Comfort. The other system is the exact reverse of this. From whence came these opposing methods of treating dumb brutes it is not our provjdte at this time to inquire; but the readiness with which certain classes ot human beings have ever submitted to physical' torture for some presumed future good may suffice to show that the origin of either system is not an unfathomable mystery. It is enough, however, for us to know that there are men in this age, having animals in their care, who seek more persistently to discover how much torture a creature will endure and live than to learn' even its natural wants, leaving out of sight tlie question of mere physical comfort. It would be but reasonable to suppose that a man who has hafl tbe benefit of warm clothimr, a comfortable house and plenty of good food (all of which are unnatural, being wholly artificial additions), might think how acceptable some of these things would be to his animals during cold, stormy weather. It is true that our domesticated animals, through long exposure, have become able to withstand the season’s differences, but whether they are better for it, or man is to be exonerated for permitting their sufferings, is quite another question. We are not desirous of advocating a pampering, debilitating, liot-house'culture among domesticated animals, for there is such a thing as going to extremes in this direction; but instances of this kind are so rare that they may be put down as exceptional. There exists, however, among a large class of our farmers, an idea that protection from cold storms aud plenty of rich, nutritious food tend to make their •animals tender and a;re actually debilitating- -mv • These men will leave their Colts, calves and other young stock out in the barnyard, or perhaps in woodland pasture, during the winter months, holding to the erroneous idea that such exposure tends ifes toughen them; and if their hair turns tlie wrong way before spring, and their ribs stand out like hoops on a barrel, they say it is a good sign ot the toughening process. These abuses'are perpetrated to an alarming extent, even in the most Northern States, while in the Middle and Southern it is even worse; for in mild climates less care is bestowed upon animals than in ,cold; lienee an equal if not greater amount of .suffering. The loss of animals in proportion to the number kept, as well as their

appearance when in health, is all the evidenccbrequired to show the importance of better care, even in mild latitudes. Again, tire same qlass of men who claim that shelter, with atf*abundance of rich, nutritious tood, is not-necessary nor conducive to health, will tell us that salt for stock is but a foolish way of indulging an acquired taste, and that' animals will do. just as well without it. Some men are so jnucli in earnest over their theories in regard to such matters that theywill experiment upon themselves in order to see how much physical nature will withstand. We conclude that —3lr. Stephen Young, of lowa, who has lately written us on this subject, is one of this class, for he says that for the last twenty-five years he has abstained from the use of salt,' and for thirty-three years lie. has eaten “neither fishv’fiesh nor fowl.’*" As a clincher to his anti-salt theory lie says: “No carnivorous animal cats salt,’’ which may be true in the abstract; but we would like to know what a lion or tigel 1 is doing Inst takings good dose of salt when drinking the blood 'of his victims? Now, would it not be far the better plan to lay aside all these discussions, as well as experiments in regard to the -amount of suffering animals will endure, and try to learn what will give them the greatest pleasure and most comfort during their brief existence? This, we are pleased to say, is the humane and enlightened system now practised by the most successful breeders of fine stock. They do not seek to learn whether animals can do without salt, pure water, variety of food, or shelter in winter; but if these are conducive to health and comfort, they are freely given. Cows commanding SI,OOO and upward each, and yielding butter which sells at a dollar a pound in our markets, are not produced under the “ toughening system,” or fed upon bog hay without water or salt. Our finest and most valuable horses are bred by men who feed liberally and furnish warm stables for their animals; in fact, a capacity for physical endurance under deprivation of natural or artificially acquired needs is seldom considered. Domestication has produced many artificial wants in our animals as well as in man, and to ignore them is cruel, if not a positive sin. When our farmers seek to make their animals perfectly cornfortable at all times and seasons we shall hear of fewer failures to make stock-rais-ing profitable, and fewer losses by diseases. There will not only be warm stables and a variety of food for winter use, but shade trees in pasture, pure water, salt and other condiments provided for them. — N.Y. Sun. -

Flow Deep in the Fall.

Wk cannot conceive of a cheaper metiiod ()f improving land than by constantly increasing the depth of tlie soil with the pkjw.. To turn over a shallow soil deeply, th'rdwing a poor subsoil to the surface upon which small grain is sown, will seldom prove to be advantageous to the first crop, and frequently it is quite injurious. Many a farmer has tried deepening his soil in this manner with results which fdrevever afterward have made him an advocate of shallow' plowing. While no one will deny that a deep soil is better than a shallow one, there are many who cannot be persuaded to attempt deeper plowing than usual for fear of injuring it. Of course, if a man has plenty of manure to spread over the poor subsoil brought to the surface when inverting the soil to an unusual depth fie can remedy any deficiency in fertility; but this is not always to be had where a greater depth is desirable. We have ourselves inverted a poor, thin soil to tlie depth of a foot or more and then allowed it to remain idle for a year, thereby permitting the poor subsoil brought to tlie surface to become mellowed and sweetened, as it were, by tlie rains and frosts of a season, after which it was occupied with crops, and the results were highly satisfactory. But as there are few farmers M'lio would think they could afford this system of deepening their land, we would recommend reaching tlie same end by easy stages, say one or two inches every y§ar or two, until a good depth is secured. Land that is to be sown with grain or planted next spring may be plowed with advantage this fall, by putting tlie plow' down an incli or two deeper than ever before and bringing that amount of the lower soil to the surface. This will tie acted upon by tlie frosts and rains of winter, until it becomes thoroughly pulverized and in a condition to be incorporated evenly with the older-stirred soil in the spring, and with great benefit to tlie succeeding crop. Tlie next time the land is unoccupied in the fall let this deepening process be repeated, and pursue tlie system until a deptli of one foot or more lias been secured. We have millions of acres of old cultivated land which lias never been plowed to a depth exceeding six inches, and as a result exhausted fertility and light crops, unless manure is frequently applied and in large quantities. No man who has ever cultivated plants of any kind upon a soil twelve to twenty-four inches deep will need to be told liow much better it is than one of six inches depth, either in wet or dry weather. We have tried this deep plowing upon various kinds'of soils, from a light sand to a heavy, stiff clay, but never without permanent beneficial results. The only danger to be guarded against is in attempting to deepen too rapidly where there is no manure spread upon tlie poor subsoil brought up; consequently it is best to proceed slowly, going down an inch or two at a tinie and at intervals of two or three years.— N. Y. Sun.

Wintering Turkeys.

Turkeys do not require as warm quarters in winter as do other fowls. However cold the weather they should be allowed to run out of doors every day, , except, perhaps, in very stormy weather. If confined in warm quarters and not allowed to run out of doors they usually show signs of indisposition; lose their appetite, become dumpish and inactive, and not unfrequently die. They are very hardy birds and easily wintered. About ail they require is a place to roost at night where they will he out of the wind; plenty to eat and drink and their liberty during the day. Some persons even go so far as to contend that they do not need to be out of the wind even, but should he allowed to roost in trees if they wish to. At first thought this might sdem to be in accordance with their nature, as they will almost invariably choose a tree to roost in if there is one on the place, 'J'his is undoubtedly a trait , inherited from their wild ancestors, hut we must remember that in their wild state they could choose their roosts in the depths of the-forest and thus he sheltered "from the wind,'■while on most farms what trees there are, are more or less exposed to the wind, and are thus rendered unfit for roosting purposes;— American Patron. » - thousand sheep have been im- , ported into Montana the present year.

Our Young Folks. SANTA'S COM IN'! - Santa’s cornin'! Guess he is! Grun’ma, she’s a knitting Biggest stockin’ ever was; Never needs no tittin'. She p’tends it’s gran’pa's sock, Polly says that’s ’ post' rent*! Savs it every bit as if Gran’pa was a 'noc'ro*.' Guess I know whose sock It is! Guess it’s mine for Santa; Won’t it hold lots? Hope he knows* - So he’ll bring a-plenty; Hope he’ll cram it from the toe To the big red toppin’. Golly! Gracious! Just to think Sets a boy a-hoppin'! Santa’s cornin’! Guess he is! —■ .. ■ Mamma smiles at sewin'; Everybody all tlie time Looks so awful knowin’; — ’Spose they smell the kitchen things, Cakes,, and pies, and cheeses. My! I feel so good, I eould Hurrah myself to pieces!

A MAGIC BOX.

On my table I have a magic box. It does not look like anything very wonderful, just a tiny bit of a brown box, packed full of-some curious white stuff. But you’ll see there is something strange about it when I tell you that, closely folded and packed within its shining brown covers, it holds a greater marvel than ever juggler's box unfolded. No less than a perfect beauty of a plant, with tender green leaves and rich clusters o's fragrant flowers—a thing of inexpressible beauty that will be a joy to me all summer. Yet if you <>pen this treasure-box you w’ill see nothing but a little powderlike stuff, without" a hint of its possible glory. • How, then, will I manage to draw the sliy beauty out of its little brown covers, anti unfold it to our sight? I’ll tell you. By and by, when the sun gets brighter, and Mother Earth has got her old hones thoroughly warm, I shall carefully prepare a soft little bed for my curious box. Very' tenderly I shall lay it down, and cover it lightly with a fine, soft covering, bind then I shall come away and leave it. The first drop of dew or rain that reaches the box will be greedily drank up, or absorbed into it, the shell'will grow’ softer, a wonderful little live thing called a germ will seem to Wjiktuuup out of a sleep, stretch itself a little, push open the box and step out. When fairly out, part of it will start down into the earth for water and food, and another part wilTpush aside" the cover I laid lover it, aud show its pretty green head in'tlie sun. So, my magic box is nothing but a seed ? Well, yes, that is what we call it; but it is no less a miracle, and a marvel, because it is so common we think nothing of it. Let me tell you more about it-. Do you know' how it came to be a seed, instead of a few atoms of starch, and other materials? Why, all last summer a lovely plant stood in my garden, and Worked with all its-power, collecting treasures from the air and earth, just to prepare and pack up a tew of these little brown boxes. All summer long its roots spread around in . the soft ground, and tlie tiny mouths at the ends of them drew up every bit offood they could find, and sent it up into the plant, and its' hundreds of leaves drew in more food from the air. As soon as the mother plant was strong enough it sent up a stem with a little ball ou the top, packed full of boxes, carefully .covered from cold and damp by delicatetinted robes as soft and smooth as satin, and protected by a soft green cloak ot silk. This, beautiful dress, which was the very loveliest the plant could make, was a sign of its noble use, to guard and protect the treasure-boxes and keep safely the marvels prepared for another summer. All this time, you may be sure, I had noticed it, and when it grew larger, and the green cloak began to open here and there, and I could see bits of the delicate satin robes inside, I watched it closer than ever. And at last, when the green mantle was thrown entirely off, anti the beautiful bright flower, with its precious package of boxes, opened to the morning sun, I—why, I picked it, and carried it into the house, where it gave out its delicious breath, and filled the room With fragrance. Now, of cotirse, taking jf away from the plant put an end to the packing of that bundle of little boxes, and, if the plant had been like some people, it would have taken its first disappointment to heart, become discouraged, drooped its beautiful leaves, and said (in flower talk): “ It’s of no use for me to try to ripen my seeds. No sooner do I get a package open to the light than some great monster . tears it off.” But the dear little green mother didn’t belong to that easily-discouraged class. By no means. No sooner had she lost her pretty blossom than she began again. From every joint below the top she sent out a new stem of buds, and where I might have had but one flower if I had left it on the branch I now had a whole busli full. But J- could not let them alone; every one that opened its pretty eyes in the daylight was at once carried into the house, to live on my table and perfume tbe room. Bravely the little plant went on with her work. Bud after bud came up, so determined she was to perfect at least one box of treasures for next year, and at last it was accomplished. One modest little blossom hid under the leaves so that I did not see it till it was fading, went on and ripened its green ball $f seeds. They grew large and brown; the flower petals, being no longer needed to protect them, fell off, and there I found them one day, just ready to fall to the ground. 1 have other magic boxes, too. One is round and brown, not so large as a pin’s bead, and has a beautiful plant packed safely away in it, and another is black and angled, and holds another kind of flower. This is flat and yellow and has a sort of wing to it, and that is thin and long, and will give me still a different pleasure. Isn’t it wonderful that little and simple as these tiny boxes look each ojae has mysteriously wrapped up in it tlie power to produce a plaut just like its parent? Some < ofi the boxes are hard and-tough as a edeoanut, and some are soft and live in a house lined with silk. Some are folded in cloaks and some are wrapped in leaves. Some are packed in a row, in long, narrdw peas and beans—and some rattle about loosely in a round one. Some of them have each a room to itself, and some are protected by' an army of spears. Some are kept warm m blankets of wool,' and some are smothered in _the middle of walls of -flesh, There is ho end to the variety of ways in which these wonder-boxes are arranged. And that is not the end of marvels. The little seed has not only to be formed and

r— 7-j- ’ ! *-’-T packed, ready for next yews* to also need* to . travel a little to find a placebo grow.. It it did not there would nbt be room for all the seeds on one plant to, grow, and liesides, each kind would in one spot and there would.be no variety. The ways of getting about of the seeds are as wonderful atfd beAuti'ful aa anythin>’about them. Some of them have- wing? aud fly off on the breeze. The maple seed has a pair of them, much like some insect’s wings, as you can see for yourself, and the dandelion has one of soft leathers that carries it far up into the air. Some of the seed-cups burst with violence andjScaUer the little boxes far and w ide. One kind that I have'tead'of’ makes a tremendous explosion that can be heal’d lor niiles. lin yMPV e< fis have hdtoks by wlifrch they catch on to people afld animals, and"so tra\ el, about with them. I'ou know of one c *fll it “Stick-light.” Others are sticky outside, and in that way make animals carry them about. Some seeds are wrapped up in fruits, and eaten by birds and small animals; the fruit digests, but the seed falls to the ground and grows. Birds plant seeds,in another way by hiding them in the ground, and squirrels do a great deal of tlie same sort of work. That much-abused bird—the crow—has been seCn to plant acorns, and oaks have grown from them. And pigeons are notorious for taking nutmegs trom one of the Malay Islands, where they grow, and planting them all over the whole group, much to the disgust of the owners of the Nutmeg Island.

The delicious envelope 6F the seeds, such its the cherry, is, you see, only a bait to induce birds to carry the seed away and give it a fresh place to grow. Perhaps the most .wonderful of the wonder-boxes belong to the ferns and mosses, and can only be seen with a microscope. The fern, you know, has no real flowers, but if you look at it carefully, at certain times of the year, you will see on the under side a tiny row of clots around the edge of every delicate leaf. These are boxes of seeds, or what perform the use ot seeds, and are very curious to study. Every tiny dot is a heap of round boxes. When ripe tlie box opens wide, like two sides of a cockle-shell, and scatters tlie golden-colorecl atoms with which it is filled all about. What makes it burst open ? A marvelous arrangement, no less than a little spring, which at first is coiled around the box, but as it grows straightens itself till it pulls apart the box, as I said. . A Seeds of mosses, tiny things so small they look like dust, or are invisible to us, are among the loveliest things in the world. They are packed in the daintiest imaginable baskets and boxes. A basket of seeds, under tlie microscope, looks like’ a nest full of eggs, and when they are ripe the rain washes them out.. The boxes are tightly closed till all is read}', when some which have springs inside burstopen with a snap, scattering the seeds, others open a small door in the side and let the contents drop out, while still another kind jerks up the lid and shoots tlie seeds out in a fine cloud. - These atoms of seeds are so small that they float about iu the air. We dp not see them, but there are millions upon millions of many kinds about us, and they have a very useful work to do in the world, which you may be sure they never try to shirk. This duty is,j to start a vegetable growth iu every possible spot, a sort of pioneer work, and no one can imagine how much of the beauty of thq earth we owe to the tiny seeds which plant the first bit of green on barren places. This is how they do it: Wherever a spot of moisture remains, on bare rock or board fence, on an old stump or cottage roof, there some of these ever-floating seeds will stick and begjn to grow. If the sun does not burn them up they will flourish, the next rain will leave more of its drops with them, particles of sand and dust will lodge there and gradually make a little soil. Some of the larger-winged seed will touch' and take root, die aud leave a little heap of soil, making room for larger ones, and after awhile the bare place will be covered with beauty. Bare rocks that rise out of th,e sea thus come to be green spots, where birds plant the seeds of fruit, and the restless waves of ocean bring heavy nuts, and at last where men and animals may live. And all this is due to the tiny mosses, for without tljieir silent, patient labor no larger plant, could have found root there for a moment. Did you ever hear of such magical boxes as thesfe? —Olive Thorne, in Christian Union.

During tlie last season of its work tlie Boston Fruit and Flower Mission made 16,821 distributions of flowers and 834 distributions of fruits. “The Pansy Man” sent in more than 30,000 beautiful pansies, and 59'towns made 743 contributions of fruits. This mission has also, with the help of the Young Men’s Christian Union, giifcn 272 rides to poor invalids. .Such good works prove that religion can use the new science and art in the service of piety and charity, and make the kingdoms of naturff" contribute cheering and wholesome gifts to go with the Gospel to the poor and the suffering. For a school-room for 20 pupils BG feet square and 12 feet high is about the right size. The entire air of such a room should be warmed and changed five times an hour to keep the carbonic acid down to tlie proper amount; nothing short of this will keep the air sufficiently sweet. At the end ot every hour the room should be flushed from every direction to still further purify it —Herald of Health. A St. Lake paper says: “It may be of interest to a large number of young gentlemen and ladies in this city just now to know that there is no Marriage law in the Territory. Simply standing up in the presence of your mother-in-law and saying: ‘ Sal, let’s hitch,’ of, ‘Jeruslta, let’s go pards for life,’ constitutes a legal marriage and doesn’t cost a cent.” ■ i i m > s#* “WhAT do you take for your cold?” said a lady to Mr. — r . “ Four pockethandkerchiefs a day, madam,” was tlie answer. )

“Throw Physic to the Dogs I’ll None of It.”

We do not in the least feel like .blaming Macbeth sos this expression of disgust; indeed, we are father inclined to sympathize with him. Even nowadays most of the cathartics offered to the public are great, re-pulsive-lpoking pills, the very appearance of which is sufficient to “ turn one’s stomach.” Had Macbeth ever taken Dr. Pierce’* Pleasant Purgative Pellets he would not have uttered those words of contempt. It is really eneourtiging, when ohe isMl, totind that a little, sugar-coated Pellet, no larger, than a grain of mustard, will as promptly produce the desired effect if* a dose of «rXt nauseating pills. These little Pellets/nnlike other are really uiifurc’s physic. They d.o not debilitate, bi if tone and invigorate the system. No \amily should be without Dr. Piefoe’s PleasunVPurgative Pellets.