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When I start my plow a. runnin' in the black and meller ground ~ And the lznd is grow'm’ smaller that my horses tramps around : When the white-oak buds are oponin' and grass argrowin’ green. Makes a fellcr think of summer as ho gazes on the scene : When the chipmunk runs and chatters 'cnusc the plough his den 'as‘ torn, An' Lhecrows are loudly scoldin‘ ’bout the plant- in' of the (‘0?!) : When the bluebird hollcrs out a. rail and stairs to build a nest, Then I thinkfihgt that’s the time 0’ year I kind 0’ like the best; But. it‘s mighty nice, I tell you, when the sum- _ mcr tune ii here, Wlth the wheat a growin' yellcr and the ham . vest, drawin' near ; Wlth the timothy in blossom and the hayin just at. hand. I An’ the mother quail a~ca.llin‘ to her pcepm little band. . . Oh, I like to watch the woolly ctout‘s a-fioatm far away As I‘m ridin’ on the mower or hay. Then I somehow seem acquain bird or bumblebee. An' I think the golden summer your for me. It is understood that the processes gener- ally ineluded in the term “ cultivation,” such as plowing, harrowing, etc, are all favorable to the encouragement, of growth in plants, and when applied to fruit trees the usual result of increased vigor will be produced. But it is also well understood that the greatest vigor of growth is not, al- ways combined wiLh the greatest produc- tiveness of fruit ; on the contrary, it is a. recognized fact that a tree can not display unusually teat vigor of growth and at. the same timefie correspondingly fruitful. On the other hand, it is common knowledge that trees growing in poor soil, and without, receiving cultivation of any kind, Wlll not long continue to maintain sufficient vitality to enable them to produce perfect fruit, nor, indeed, fruit of any quality. \thn young trees are planted in ordinary good soil, and afterwards receive good care, so far as culti- voting, stirring and manuring the soil is concerned, they usually make strong growths. It, is well to encourage this lux- urianoe at this stage of their existence, the only precaution being to guard against an immaLure condition of wood when frosts occur. Pruning is an operation of vast import- ance in the management of trees, and the principles upon which it is founded must be clearly understood before complete success I in fruit culture can be attained. Plants left ‘ to nature maintain a well-balanced recipro- ‘ cal action between their branches and roots ; ‘ and every branch, bud or leaf that is re- moved must exercise an influence either injurious or beneficial, and no one should attempt to remove branches unless they foresee the effects and influence of such re- movals. The time of pruning, whether during the summer or during winter, will depend upon the object to be attained ; a brief consideration of plant growth will assist us in determining this question. When a seed is ({eposited in a suitable germinating medi- um, its first efiort is to send a. root down- wards into the earth, and then push ashoot upwards in the air. The seed contains With- in itself all the nutriment necessary for this orocess ; but as soon as the young plant is H) far formed, its mode of existence is . 12 nged, and it becomes dependent upon me soil and atmOSphere for future support. lhc elementary substances absorbed by the roots undergo decomposition thrmgh the influence of the leaves, and the material is thus prepared for further root growth and extension. The roots have no inherent power of extension, but are dependent upon the health and action of the foliage ; and although in germination the roots “are first formed, their growth is due to the action of the foliage of the plant thas produced the seed from which they emitted. It is, there- fore, apparent; that the increase in size of the plant, the quality and quantity of its secretions, and the extension of its roots are all dependent upon the healthy action of the leaves. When it is considered how essential the foliage is to the healthy development of the plant, we may well pause before infringing upon the reciprocal action nature has estab- lished. between the roots and branches, for it is evident that every branch or leaf re- moved has an effect either for good or evil upon the plant. The correlative action be- tweenthe leaves and roots being so intimately connected, it follows that any diminution of leaf growth during the period of active vegetation must retard root development. Hence itis an axiom, now becoming recog. nized, that summer pruning weakens growth, while winter pruning produces a. contrary effect. Summer pruning cm wood growth is to he 4;} be repressed in propmm }he removal 05 the f': Wnen planted. in a gamer The Management of Fruit Trees. AGRICULTURAL. BY “'2”. SAUNDERS PRUNINC . Ballad. ‘ ' a. runnin' in the black acquainted with each 'summer is the time o‘ n‘ up the Li a brees, equently will attain a luxuriance incompatible with a. fruitful habit, and their flowering may be somewhat hastened by judicious pruning or pinching, so as to retard Wood growth ; but care must; be exercised, and much observa- tion and experience are requisite before the object can be safely attained. ~. . a ance of growth is destroyed and the roots have the preponderance ; the remaining buds will now shoot forth with increased vigorâ€"an important consideration with trees or vines that have become weakened from overbearing or any other cause, im- parting new vigor to Weak and sickly plants. The time for Winter priming may be regu- lated by the condition oi the plant ; if prun- ed immediately after the leaves {all or ripen, the shoots will be stronger the succeeding season than they would be if the operation had been delayed until spring. This arises from the fact that during Winter the plant still continues to absorb food by its roots, which is distributed over the branches ; and as the principal flow of sap is always direct- ed to the extreme points of shoots, the high- est buds are most fully developed. If, there- fore, prnning is delayed till spring, this ac- cumulation is cut and thrown away, and to that extent the plant is weakened. Early Winter pruning is eminently advantageous to native grapes. As the retained buds be- come charged With sap during winter, they start and advance rapidlyâ€"a matter of much moment Where the summers are rather short for ripening the fruit and wood of these plants. . . ..- c -~J,V. ,,, \Vinte;pri1nmginvigorates wood growth. \thn a. portion of the branches of a tree is removed after the fall of thelezwgs, the b11- ...... r._..V_. There isa. tendency in many varieties of trees to form strong central growths at the expense of the side branches, more especial- Iy while the plants are young. Pruning these strong shoots in winter only increases the evil, unless summer pruning is attend- ed to by pinching out the ends of every shoot before it gains suflicient headway to injure the growth of the lower branches. Strong growths should be pruned in summer and weak ones in winter. In the manage- ment of hedges, where uniformity of growth is all important, this rule should constantly be kept in View. \Vhen the size of a. tree is the only object sought, summer pruning should not be prac- ticed. But it may be said that nruning of any kind isa. negative operation, and prob- ably it is within the limits of possibility that trees may be trained to any form and maintained in a fruitful condition without any instrumental pruning whatever, unless to remedy diseases and casualties. It is much easier, for instance, to rub offa bud in May than it is to cut out a branch in De- cember; and ifa judicious system of dishud- ding and pinching was strictly followed there would be no occasion for winter prun- ing ; or, were it possible to place a tree in such a soil, and under such conditions that it would only make a moderate growth of well matured wood, little, if any, pruning would be required, But as all of these con- ditions are difficult to realize in happy com- bination, we have to resort to pruning, and a knowledge of the principles involved will materially assist the operator. The two days agricultural show at BraL- don Man, last week was agreat success. There was an excellent display of horses and cattle. The Brandon experimental farm exhibited a superb lot of grains, fruit and flowers. On \Vednesday evening Senator Boulton presided at a meeting under the auspices of theagriculturel society, andProf. Robertson, Dominion dairy commissioner, gave an address on “ Agriculture in Canada. and the Dominion Experimental Farms.’ He recommended mixed farming to insure lasting prosperity and to fortify the position of Manitobans against the risk of depend- ing upon one crop. On Thursday evening? the annual convention of the Manitoba. Dairyman’s Association assembled, Mr. S.A Basford, superintendent of the experimental farm, in the chair. Prof. Robertson deliv- ered a lecture on the economical feeding of stoekanddairying. Heannouncedthathewas accompanied by two experts in dairying, who will be left- in Manitoba and the terri- .tories to hold meetings and give lessons in butter making and cheese making at some '50 places. He has issued circulars to farmers. in which he intimates that he has been directed by the Minister of 1 Agriculture to do everything possible to im- prove the bnttermul cheescin Manitoba, and ‘the west. The crops on the experimental farm are heavy. Lmloga wheat already measures five feet. A Central Farmers’ A good profit would result from feeding the waste products, skim and buttermilk, to poultry rather than to hogs, says \Vebb Donnell in the Practical Farmer. For this purpose the hens should be kept for eggs rather than for market purposes, since, milk is one of the best egg foods that we have, and every particle of the milk would be utilized in the production of something that is always salable and always salable at a. good profitâ€"fresh eggs. A specialty ‘ I should be made of supplying fresh eggs, for 1 there is always a demand and good prices. One does not have to be near a large city in order to do this, since they can he sent quick- ly from long distances by express. To ob- tain high prices it is absolutely necessary that one gain a. reputation for always sup- plying fresh eggs. It will not do to let in | one stale egg among a thousand fresh ones. ‘ If a dealer in a large city can be absolutely certain of receiving at stated times a supply of perfectly fresh eggs from a customer it i would be a matter of surprise to many to r know what an advance over ordinary mar- : ket rates he could afford and would be will- : ing to pay. Institute for Manitoba was organized on Friday forenoon. The dairy commissioner agreed to attend a series of meetings during the winter to be arranged for by the Central institute. Manitobans are settling down to multiplying their sources of revenue and organizing to improve their methods of agri- culture. An important exhibition of improved grain binding machines was made the other day on the farm of Dr. Fake, near Joliet In moms- m'el‘ old methods for harvesting. One hinder uses a. straw band and the other bimh with twine of prairie grass. Both machines were successfully operated for several hours. It is expected that the use of straw and grass for binding material Will effect a. revolution in the methods of har- vesting gmin, and will solve the problem of cheap twine for the farmers. A Substitute for Binding Twine. First of the Shows. Walter A. Wood Co. operated ines which are_ raidica} imprqve- Mflk For Hens. Reports indicate that the Farmers’Alliance in the United States, who have made their headquarters at, St. Paul. Minn, are deter- mined to corner the wheat crop of that country by book or crook. Exghb hundred thousand copies of a. circular have been sent out from Sb. Paul, in which the following statements are made : “ The movement. grows out of a. general opposition to specu- lators and Wheat gamblers. They have sold the crop, now we will see whether they can deliver the goods. December wheat has been hold by those speculators at 84 cents, and if they cannot fill the order when the time for delivery comes they Will simply lose the margin. Until a few months ago no active co-opemtive steps had been taken to choke off this speculation. A few alliance 1nenâ€"â€"lea,ders-considered the matter and resolved to act some months ago, but we had a. traitor in our own camp, and our plans leaked out before they were fully- matured. This urged usto greater secrecy,a.ndwhile We were waiting for the crop to mature, when the time for action would be at hand, we were working over the details. The ex- tremely short crop in foreign countries, coupled with the increased demand and the absolute certainty that vast quantities of American wheat will be required to fill foreign orders, makes this a peculiarly aus- picious time to put our plsn, which is a. simple one, in operation. It is all involved in those three words, ‘ Hold your wheat.’ ” There is no doubt that the price of wheat is t2) Be very high, but th.is plan may turn out; an over-reaching idea. to send it up higher. _..D..__. What we have said in the past about the heinousness of corners in the necessaries of life we repeat here. It matters not whether it is the original producers who form the trust or not, it is all wrong. It is our desire to see the farmer, above all others, prosperous, but we prefer to see such a thing brought about by natural means com- bined with industry and frugality. A wholesale corner like that proposed can and will have no permanent effect on prices. It may boost them for a. time, but the collapse is bound to come and then there will be a rightwdowu smash that will carry ruin in its wake to thousands. That is the story told of every wheatcomerengineered by specula- tors and it will be true of this one, engineer- ed by the Alliance, whose members are just as much speculators as old Hutchinson was at Chicago a few years ago when he promot- ed a Wheat corner. He seemed to make much but he is now almost penniless. Wheat speculators and growers have the world to contend against and they Want a free market to compete in and must have it. Fortunatelylthere is no talk of our farm- ers entering into this unholy Western alli- ance, and if they remain mum the result of the movement will be that they will profit by the temporary rise in prices that will be created and by th diversion of the foreign market from the ited Sbatesto Canada. But they must be cautious to be in out of the min when the storm comes, as come it surely will when the Alliance finds that England, the great consumer. will not, and does not need to ‘pay the cornerers’ prices. Free Schools in England. Half a. century of progress in popular education in England has culminated in free public schools. The development has been slow and English conservatism has resiste'd the demand to the last, but, it. could not pre- vent the working out of a. natural process of evolution. Fifty years ago the first grant, in aid of elementary education was made by Parliament. From that beginning of $30,- 000 a year there has been a steady increase until, under the elementary education act, passed by the House of Lords last Friday, and now a law, $10,000,000 annually will be appropriated. For thirty years the develop- . “LA -1:_L; .00] -nnu-mn parish was compelled to provide sufficient accommodations for its children. This was a great gain over all former educational laws in England, but it still required a fee to be taken from every scholar, only allow- ing local school boards to remit it in special ‘ cases where extreme poverty would justify ‘ it. The law 0(1870 has remained practical- ly intact for twenty years, and this new act changes it only by abolisth the fee system, except in a few special cases. The English school becomes free, and, as it was already in many cases unsectarian, it must now soon become entirely so. The day of the church School is nearly over in England. Liberty of conscience, freedom of development, and modern progress unite to decree its downfall, and the end is at best only amatter of a few years. Under the new law Parliament makes a “ fee grant ” of 32.50 annually for each child in attendance at the schools and the total thus required will hardly be under $10,000,000, and is likely to reach a much higher figure in a. few years. The result is the completicn of the system of free educa- tion inaugurated in Scotland two years ago nu, ....‘- v", , parish was cohipefled to prgvide accommodations for ifs qhildren. The latest reports from St. Maude, near Vinceunes, France, show that, in arailway collision on Sunday 4'.) persons were killed and 100 injured. so far as cerned. The Pope 11:15 approved the exhibition of the Holy Coat at Treves, and has sanctioned the forgiveness of sins of the pilgrims who travel thither. The importation of Canadian cattle to supply the district around Edinburgh, Scot- land, has been begun. The first importation was landed at Leith on the 10th inst, when 267 animals reached there by the steamship Fremona from Montreal. Permission to land cattle at Leith has only recently been accorded by the British Minister of Agri- culture, the district having previously been supplied by the shipments to Aberdeen and Dundee. Arrangements are being made at Leith to handle a large trade in imported cattle, and it is a significant in- stance of the growth of this business be- tween Canada and the Motherland th at the Scotch demand should have justified the establishment of a new depot. The best method to resolve ‘doubt into certainty, if any such doubt exists as to the eflicacy of St. Jacobs Oil, is to use it, and be convinced. A warm day is a. good day for experiment upon any form of pain and for such, St. Jacobs Oil has no equal. A Farmer's Wheat Corner. island of Great; Britain is ooh- A Warm Dny‘ Cassidy (to his brother Tim, just landed) â€"â€"Tha.t’s the Coortâ€"house. W'e‘ll dhrop in and yez can take take out your first. citizen’s paw- Squireâ€"Morning, Uncle Rufus: See you’ve got new neighbors moving m over thfzfe._ What am; they like '1" V Timâ€"An’ is there anything to pay? Cassidy‘A thrifleâ€"about twinty cints ; but sure, ’bisa. good invistmint. In foive years it’ll pay yez two dollars annu’lly at years it’ll pay iv‘ry eliction. “ There are no flies on me,” said the board- ing house steak. “ N o, ” replied the boarding house butter, “ fixes would starve to death while the were trying to get their teeth throng you.” v “ But look at; the flies on you !” retorted the steak. ” W'hy don’t. you run away from them? I’m sure you are strong enough.” Uncle Rufusâ€"Cain’b always judge by de appearance, Squiah, but dey has two monst’ous big featheh beds foh niggabs W’at don't, keep fowls. Frequently Had More Than an Eye on Him Mrs. Garcow (to daughter) : “ Maude, my dear, you should often have an eye on the rich Mr. Tarbox, and see that that miux ng Totgcn don’t get him away ffom you.” Eittle Brother (“7110 is very. observing) : “Oh. Maude often does better than that, ma, for she has her whole body on Mr. Tarbox’s. ” Mrs Newmanâ€"011,1 wish you could see Mrs. \Vinkler’s haby. It’sperfectlylovelyl Such a. delicate, sweet little creature as itis! It’s a. perfect little cherub, with the loveli- est eyes, the sweetest little mouth the cunningest little nose, and eyes of hea- venly blue. It looks as if it, had just drop- ped from heaven and every tiny feature had been fashioned by the angels.” Mr. Newmaâ€"It is as nice as our baby? Mrs. Newmaâ€"Mercy 1 no, not half. He hada. baskeo of eggs on his arm as he went into the building looking for “ the man that writ out weddin’ licenses.” “ I’m from Stony Point and I want a. wed- din" license," he said to the clerk at the desk. “13 this the place ?” The clerk said it was. " Might. a. snowed it,” be continued ; “ ter the {eller at, the door told me it was. But I’ve got, doubts about what you city fellers tells a stranger when he ain’t got no propis." “You bet I do, and I want it for myself, too I ain’t bashful Iain‘t. A fellerhuin’t got no right to be that has been courtin’ a gal fer two year like I’ve been doin’. How much air they 2” “ One dollar.” “ Goramity, Gosh ! They ain’t that much air they? They was that last year, and I’ve been readin’ as how the McKinley bill had brought down prices on all the necessaries of life. Ain’t that so 2” A “Do you want a. license’r’ asked the clerk. " It hasn’t got around here yet,” explain- ed the clerk. “ Well I’ve got to have her, dollar or no dollar, but young feller, I’ve got seven dozen eggs here worth fifteen cents a. dozen. Right fresh out of the hens, too. Can’t you take it out in trade and let me have the five cents over in cash to buy some red streaked andst‘riped candy fer the gal ? Taln’t much, young feller, and if you ever come up on Stony, durn my cats if 1 don’t, board yer a. week fer nothin’. Is she a. swap with a. nickel to boot fer the weddln’ present, '1" Ten minutes later he went dut chuckling, with the license in the basketwhere the eggs had beenâ€"[Detroit Free Press. “ Did ye see me Toozy’s noo hat, Oi won- dher, Mrs. McGIaggerty fl” “ Oi saw that she had a. Bee hat, but Oi didn’t uxackly see id, Mrs. Magoogin. “ Thin ye mist a great dail, Mrs. Mc- Glaggerty." " Howis that, Mrs. Magoogin 'z” “ Oh, but id’s out av soight, woman. Id’s foonier than a box av moonkeys, Mrs. Mc- Glagg¢rtY:”. . . A ,. cgake hat to her funeril, not afl' id was to i kape her aloive tin hundred year, Mrs. Mc- I Glaggerty. The carbiwheel hat was bad x enoof, God knows, an’ th’ hoigh Thmifle tower hat wasa might, an’ th’little Mickeens } av bonnits that was no bigger nur poshtage '. shtamps war curassities, but the panceake hat takes the bakery 311’ th’ oice cmim sal- yunes, too, me frind. Th’ head is no place fur punceakes ; they belongs in th’ shtomick They War invented to ait an’ not to wear. Oi’m mixin’ the batther fur some now, Mrs. McGlaggerty l” The Value of Citizenship. Looked Suspicious. TIT-BITS. Ib Was a. Trade- The hish Widow. Of Course Not. Flies: 51:51 FQR PAIN. an, __mzsâ€" RHEEJMATESM, The most momentous event of the last week in England was unquestionably M'r. Balfour’s announcement in the House of Commons that the Government would atthe beginning of the next session introduce a. bill providing local government for Ire- land, and based, broadly speaking, upon the principles and lines of the Scotch and English Local Government bills. Both Healy and Mr. Parnellâ€"irreconcilable u on every other pointâ€"lime already anno ced their intention of cordially supporting/s. bill of this kind, which is destined to confer upon Ireland the same local government privileges and rights as those conceded to Scotch and English communities. It carries in its train most of the benefits which the Irish hoped to derive from Home Rule, and, this being the case, the Gladstonian press has announced that the Opposition will ofi'er no resistance to the measure. There is every prospect of the latter being carried therefore almost unanimously. “ I have been a great Asthma. sufferer from Asth- ma and severe Colds every Winter, and last Fall my friends as well as myself thought because of my feeble condition, and great distress from constant cough- ing, and inability to raise any of the accumulated matter from my lungs, that my time was close at hand. When nearly worn °out for want of sleep and rest, a friend recommend- ed me to try thy valuable medicine, Boschee’s German Gentle. Sgrup. I amdcon- . fi ent it save my Refresmng life. Almost thefirst Sleep. dose gave me great relief anda gentle re- freshing sleep, such 351 had not had for weeks. My cough began immedi- ately to loosen and pass away, and I found myself rapidly gaining in health and weight. I am pleased to inform theeâ€"unsolicitedâ€"that I am in excellent health and do cer- tainly°attribute it to thy Boschee’s German Syrup. C. B. STICKNEY. Picton, Ontario." 0 a ‘German Syrup A steamer which arrived in London from Auckland brought a. cargo consisting of 40,- 000 sheep and 2,000 beeves, all dressed and frozen. This is the largest single cargo of dressed meat that has ever been brought to England. The latest {all in Seattle, Wash, is paper hats for ladies. They are made in various styles. and being usually pretty and showy and costing only a. few cents each, are apt to become quite popular. A Saratoga, letter tells of a. woman there whose hair has turned within ayear from gray to blackâ€"its original color. She is 70 years old, and her hair has been gray since early in the ’70’s. A portable boat: has been devised by Col- onel Apostoloi’f oi the Russian army, “ which may be constructed instantly by making a. framework with the lanccs of the Cossacks and L‘Overing with a. tarred 010th. Two boats le‘e capable of carrying 36 men with Is .1 constitutional and Eat a local disease, and therefore it cannot be cured by low} applications. It requires a, constitutional remedy like Hood's Sarsaparilla, which. working through the blood, effects a. perma- ncnt cure of cauu'rli by eradicating the im- purity which causes and promotes the disease. Thousands of people testify to the success of Hood’s Sarsaparilla. as a. remedy for 03mm) when other preparations had failed. Hoods Sarsaparilla, also builds up the Whole systém. and makes you feel renewed in health. their baggage uni arms. Sold by all druggists. s] ; six for $5. Prepared only by C. I. HOOD & 00., Apathecaries. Lowell, Mass. IOO DOSeS One Dollar $arsaparilla Sold by Druggists and Begin-s everywhere» Fxfty Cents a bottle. Duections in 11 Languages. “IE CHARLES A. VOGELER c0..BaIthnore. Md Neurafigia, $ciatica, Lumbago, Backache, Headache, "i'oothache, Sore Thwa’f9 Frost Bites, Sprains, Bruises, Burns, Etc. Canadian Depot: Toronto. Ont.