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fHE SOUTHERN WORLD, JANUARY j5, ,**5 ns^ is Mary? She need not to mind about tea (or me. I wish ti know if you can spare her to me to-night? It has been so long since I had her all to myself.” " I will see. I will be lonely without her, but if she wishes I will let her go Please excuse me and I will see her "Mary, darling, may I come in? I have news for you,” she softly said as she knocked upon the door. "Yes, mamma, come in,” rising hastily and wiping the telltale eyes. "It was Colonel Lawson who married Miss Coleman,” whispered the mother. "Oh, mother 1” ana a little laugh al most hysterical with its tears, burst from the surcharged heart. " Yes; it was quite a surprise. I see Mrs. DeSaussure feels it.” “Oh, how could she?—I mean Miss Drucie. I could not believe her so cruel,” said the girl. " There are strange inconsistencies in life, my child. But come, lave your face and come in. Mrs. DeSaussure wishes you to stay with her to-night. "Oh, does she? I fear that! shall prove a poor comforter, mamma, smiled the girl, looking all the brighter for the recent little storm. " 8he will trust you for that, darling.” " Will you go with me, Mary?” asked Mrs. DeSaussure as she came in. "If mamma will not mind the lonell ness too much,” she answered. " I will not mind it, dear,” pleasantly said the mother. " Then I will go ” “ Yes, and we will drive by and con gratulate Drucie,” amended Mrs. De- Haussure. " She has sent me no cards,” protest ed Miss Feaster.' “ Nor me, but I cannot let such a for mality stand between us. I do not sus pect she had any. The marriage was very sudden.” " Yes, quite a surprise to us.” "And no less a one to us. But we have abundant time. You and your mother must give me some music. My heart is dry for song,” asked the lady. "lam so glad you asked mamma,” whispered the girl. " It does her good to sing and yet she seems to avoid it. Come, mamma, we will sing, please ” The mother complied, and all hearts were moistened by the music. After a few simple songs they arose to go. _ “ You have done me good,” said Mrs. ttrofting the lady. 1 am glacTT Will you Mary home, or shall I send for her?” "She will come with me, mamma, and Bpend the day,” smilingly answered her daughter. " Yes, that will be nice. I shall look for you.” "I will come.” Mrs. Coleman received them both with a friendly politeness. Mrs. Lawson had run up to ner room to compose the wife ly blushes. " We came by to congratulate Drucie We have no cards, but could not resist the friendly impulse,” apologized Mrs DeSaussure. "Iam glad you waived formality and came. Drucie will be down in a mb ment. She sent out no cards,” explain ed Mrs. Coleman. "Ah, here she comes now,” as the young bride of a day came in looking bewitchingly charming in her pretty blushes. " Drucie, darling, I came to congratu late you,” said the lady, kissing her. "Thank you, Mrs. DeSaussure, and ou, Mary, dear,” turning to the young ady. " Yes, Miss Drucie, I had just heard of your happiness and came to tell you how much I rejoice with you." “ You are very good.” " Drucie afforded us quite a pleasant surprise,” said Mrs. DeSaussure. " Yes, I was surprised beyond ex pression,” said Mrs. Coleman. "And I was surprised myself,” with a sheepish blush. " I hope your happiness will prove as lasting as it was surprising,” said Mrs. DeSaussure. " Yes, it almost seems like a dream.” A few more compliments and the la dies took their leave. (TO Bl CONTINUED.) Agricultural Department. Crop Formula. X A CARD.—To all who are suffering from er ror* and Indiscretion! of youth, nervous weak ness, early decay, lost of manhood, 4c., 1 wtt: tend a recipe that will cure you, FRKB OF CHARGE. This neat remedy was discovered by a missionary In South addressed envelope to Bi remedy ith America. Send self lope to Ruv. Joseph T. Inman Station D, New York. Mention Sonthern World CATARRH CURED, A clergyman, aftersuffbringannmberof years from that loathsome disease. Catarrh, after try lng every known remedy without success, at last found a prescription which completely cured and saved him from death. Any sufferer from this dresdfnl disease sending a self ad dressed stsmped envelope to Dr. J. A. law reace. 199 Dean 31. Brooklyn. New York, W’l receive the recelpe free of chaste. Ashes are a good thing on icy walks. When a physician desires to produce certain constitutional or functional ef< fectson the human system be prescribes and the apothecary compounds, certain medicinal agents in certain definite pro portions, which agents in such propor tions are known, from experience, produce the desired effects. So when a stock feeder desires to develop fat one animal, muscle and bone in another butter or milk in a third, he administers such foods, and in such proportions, experience, taught by science, has shown to be calculated to produce such devel opments. More recently still, the agricultural chemist endeavors to prescribe the ele ments of plant food, in proportion and amount, that should be applied to the soil in order to produce a given yield a particular crop. But little progress has yet been made in prescribing sped fic doses for special crops or for special soils; but enough has been done to in dicate that the agricultural doctors are on the right line. At one time it was thought most important to ascertain by accurate chemical analysis the chemical composition of the soil. It would seem that such a knowledge of the chemical composition of the soil to be treated indispensable. Such a revelation would certainly be of great value; but so far the chemist has not been able to find out the exact chemical combinations that exist in the soil, and therefore he cannot decide to what extent certain elements of plant food are directly avail able to a growing crop. He may find that there is enough phosphoric acid, or potash, in a given soil to produce average crops of cotton or grain for a hundred or even five hun' dred years, if it could be made available in installments just as the sucdbssive crops might require. As a general rule the greater the content of any element in the soil the larger the proportion that is immediately and successively avail able. But the chemist cannot tell how much of either element is available to the crop. Hence we are compelled to resort to another method of finding out. The chemist can analyze the crop to be grown on the land, and from a know! edge—easily obtained by measurement— of the relative proportions of the dif ferent parts of the plants, and the ag gregate weight of the whole, he is en abled to prescribe a formula for a fertil zer that will, when applied to such a crop, produce, approximately, a definite yield. In doing this he eliminates, or leaves ont of the formula, such elements as are either so generally abundant in soils, are but little required by the par ticniar crop to be grown, or which are supplied from the air. Such a fertilizer, when so compounded, is called a com plete fertilizer, and may be varied for particular crops according to the indi cations of plant analysis. Such com' pleteness of adaptation to a particular crop both in composition and proportion, is particularly important if not abso lately indispensable to the production of very large yields, and therefore all important to a system of intensive farm ing. It is quite evident that an acre of land that contains only pota<h sufli ciently available to produce one hundred pounds of lint cotton cannot he reason ably expected to yield five hundred pounds by the addition of "ever so mnch ” fertilizer that contains no pot ash. It is true that the application of a large amount of fertilizer, complete iu every element excepting potash, would result in a very considerable increase of the yie'd; it might even reach the amount of five hundred pounds of lint. This would be due to the chemical ac tion o f some of the elments present in he feitil'zer by which the insoluble potash would be ren’ered available. Indeed, this process is relied on to a considerable extent in scientific formula It is found to be cheaper, sometimes, to add lime, which costs but little, with the view to make something else already in the soil, so'uble and available to the crop. But with all the science of the chem ist he cannot so successfully prescribe for a given plant until he has actually tested his prescription on the subject— the crop and the land. Soil test is the proof or the refutation of his theory, or it furnishes the guide to its amendment. Whatever a physician may theorize in regard to the effect of a supposed rem edy, he must try it and prove it, before he ran introduce it with confidence into the materia niedica So in formulating a treatment for soils and crops it is nec ecssary that soil experiments bo con ducted under scientific direction Hence, the need of Experiment Stations—a need which is being appreciated and supplied in all progressive StateB. But in the meantime, farmers them selves ought to be experimenters. It is not a difficult matter to determine with some degree of certainty, whether with a given soil and a particular crop, ammo nia should form a part of the fertilizer to be used. If needed, he may also find by experiment w’ at proportion gives most profitable results. So with the other elements of fertilizers. It has already been found by direct experiment, that ammonia is not requir ed for a crop of peas or adult clover, and that it is very necessary to an oat crop. In this way it was proven that potash is a specific manure for tobacco, potatoes, and all vinos, and that salt is necessary for an asparagus bed. The field for experiment is literally as wide as our broad domain and has, as yet, been barely entered, and affords opportunity for the exercise of the skill, energy aid investigating spit it of every intelligent worker, both in the labora tory and on the farm. R. Kconotity In Feedlnx. The virtue of economy is highly ex tolled and its practice especially recom mended to those who are pinched with want or scarcity. But economy is the part of wisdom and duty under all circumstances, whether apparently nec essary or not. He who wastes when he has plenty, will hardly know how to practice a judicious economy when in want. Hearty and liberal generosity b not necessarily wastefulness. If we give to our friendn or to the needy, there is no Iobs ; but how is it when we feed our animals more than is necessary to keep them in good, sleek, working con dition. We presume most farmers, at this time, have a bountiful store of pro visons for stock. The last year’s corn crop was above an average. But if not thoughtful and careful there is danger that much of the store of food will be wasted in riotous living,” so to speak. But the chief danger and the great source of loss in this respect is due to the poor protection afforded to stock in the way oi shelter and improvident methods and appliances for feeding animals. Many a pound of sweet fodder or hay, is trampled under foot of the horses and mules, because not cut up with a feed cutter, o r so disposed that the ani mal can separate a mouthful from the mass put before him without having to rub it against the most conveniently near object, and trampling much of it into the mud. Cutting up with a good machine cut ter is the best, but an ordinary old style cutting knife does very well to cut up all straight forage, like corn blades, stalkB and small grain. The finer the cut the better; but it is better to cut up with an old broad-axe than to feed un cut. Most mange s, or troughs, are entirely too small. The old typical " dug-out ” the old time, was originally, a make shift, and is now an abomination in this ! day of sawmills and lumbt-r. Each animal should have his own st and a deep, wide, low manger, with a grain box in one end, so that he cannot possibly be disturbed by the others. When at hard, daily work, let the feed be full in quantity, and duly proportion ed between grain and long forage, or rovyhness, as the Georgia farmer calls it. The harder and more continuous the labor the more important that there be a good ration of muscle producing food. Corn is fattening and heating—excellent for horses and mules doing hard work in cold windy weather, but inferior to oats in spring and summer. Salt is important—indispensable—to animals, and should be placed so that each can partake of it at will every day. An iron-bound box nailed or securely fastened in some sheltered place easy of access to all, is the best way, unless it be better to supply each stall with such a box. Salting once a week—every Sun day morning—is a relic of the past. Sup pose we had to take all the salt required for a whole week, at one time? R. AVIiiit we Bleed. It is a very common belief,—if one 1 may judge by the practice of many farmers—that the business of tilling the soil needs not to conform to the princi ples which underlie success in other callings. Because the farmer must rely largely upon circumstances and condi tions which at best he can only modify, or palliate, but never prevent,—the sea sons, with their accidents of undue heats, untimely frosts, consuming drouths, and destructive storms—the in sect depredations and diseases of ani mals and plants; he is apt to conclude that, after all, success is so much a question of sunshine and rain—of Prov idence—that he has but to plow well, plant well, keep out of the grass, and gather the resulting crop, complacently charging up his failures to Providence or to bad luck. Not all farmers are so; to: many feel assured that there is a skill in planning,—which may be at tained,—a science (sound common sense mixed with the knowledge which cometf from reading and reflection),—to which they aspire,—which, joined to industry, economy, and a proper use of the les sons of experience, will, in the long run, command success in spite of occasional unfavorable seasons and unforeseen and unavoidable accidents. Men in other professions as well as many farmers too, steer clear of failure and are successful in accumulating the means which minister to health, happi ness and contentment. Those who fail and continue failing throughout life are generally—if not always—‘o blame. It is due to mistakes,—which have been repeated, over and over again,—bad judgment,—which might have boen im proved by observation,—and ignorance, —which might have been relieved by reading. " This is an age of progress,” has been repeated thousands of times, but often without a realization of its truth, in its application to farming. The resources of science, the aid of edu cational institutes, merchants’ ex changes and colleges, are brought to bear with more effect on the business of all other professions titan upon that of farming. While there has been un doubted progress in agricultural scien tific knowledge, the great wautis a more general diffu<>ion of such knowledge and its practical application to the business of farming. Our teachers need to understand more perfectly the sciences tributary to agri culture and their relation to the busi ness of farming. We need Experiment Stations where the multitude of old questions and the constancy increasing new ones, whose solution <b vital to agricultural progress, may be investi gated and answered. We need a broad* er, more comprehensive, and more lib eral legislation in order to develop our agr!cu!tu r e by *he support of and vite inauguration ol agencies espe cially devoted to the purpose, R.