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HOW TO HANDLE EARLY MOLTERS ^ BY GEORGE A- PHILUPS. Few hens lay while th«y are going then. This means that they are out through a complete moit, and as it ia of laying condition for possibly three not desirable to have bens stop lay- 1 or four weeks, and have undergone a Ing in July or early August to take partial molt. If conditions are •n a eoat of new feathers which will j favorable^ those hens are likely to not be needed for protection before lay well during moat of the faU^ but November or December, let us see; will, in most cases, undergo a com- wbether there is anything that can â-  plete molt before winter. \m done about the early-molting hen. Hens that have brooded chicks will Since modern culling methods have ' »^<lei"8o * partial molt before start- eome into vogue, considerable atten-l"»K *<> •*/» *>"*• >' properly handed tion has been given to the time of;^" '«/ w«'-l >" the fall, molting as an index to the laying On many farms the feed is reduced ability of a hen. Unfortunately for/o' **» 'o'^"* ^^'' t*** K'"*^* comes; the peace of mind of poultry keepers a'**' W^t^Z heavily for a few weeks in general, contradictory conclusions » majority of the birds grow thm in have been published by different in- 'i'*^''' *'*'' l*y>nS' ^^^ *>««'" ^ "^'*- vestigators. rThen when harvest comes, if thg M » J iu • X T J i. ' birds have access to the grain-fields or Most of the experimental data; ^^jj^ ^^ commonly pick up in show that early moUmg indicates an g^j, ^^ ^^.^ ^^ ^^ stopped, and inferior laying-record. 'Folks are be- i-i- .> A QUESTION OF CLOTHES BY L. W. KING. My friend from down East is hav- ing a wonderful journey; it i« her first ^^acation in many years and she "First of all," she began. "I laid out all the clotheti I possessed and looksd them over anti made a list of them. ginning to see, though, that early molting, particularly where- most hens in the flock molt early, is oft<Mi caused by mismanagement, and is not neces- sarily a sign of poor laying ability. In talking of early molters, w» most dis- tingruish between partial molt and complete molt The degree of molt can usually be detarmined by examining the primary flight feathers in the wing. These feathers drop out one at a time, or at least only a few at a time, and several weeks' time ia required for all â- the wing feathers to be molted. As a rule, when a wing feather is drop- ped it is replaced by the new feather coming in. Normally, from 'seven to fourteen days elapse from the time one prim- ary feather is drppped until the next one goes, with an average of probably ten days. Approximately four weeks are required for a wing feather to get its full growth, and a fairly de- finite idea of how long a hen has been molting, and what per cent of her feathers have been changed, can be had by studying the wing^s. Careful observation will show that many of the hens which show new feathers over the back and neck have molted only two or three wing fea- the hens will begin to lay, Long periods of excessively hot weather, severe attacks of lice or mites, carelessness in allowing broody hens to stay on nest too long before they are bioken up â€" these are causes of partial molts which make hens quit laying for several weeks during the middle of the summer. The above causes explain why some hens that apparently molt early are fairly good layers • if g^iven -a good chance. But there are hens which are poor layers by inheritance, and which begin to molt in July and pro- long the process until about_Novem- ber. These hens lay few if "any fall or winter eggs, and these are the hens the poultry keeper should be on the lookout for; there are enough of these in most flocks to make it worth while to suspect early molters. A good rule in culling, to get rid of the early molters, is to give the entire flock at least four weeks of reguJar and liberal feeding on a ra- tion consisting of grain aiid laying mash; then sell the ones th&t do not show by the redness of their combs, the flexibility of the abdomen, and the spread of the pin-bones, that they are laying, or are about ready to start laying. A loafing hen pu^ no money in your pocket. .-i..aii raicouer, champion Canadian rider. With tlie title, he got the ! saddle, a loving cup and $1,000. CAN G1RI5 RAISE PIGS? BY VERA M. DEAN. The Advantage of Hiinning. \ The harvest season is a good time to check up on many things particu- larly on the results of thinning. One important aspect of the ques- tion which we seldom hear discussed and which is difficult, perhaps im- possible, to estimate accurately, is the time the grower saves in picking and packing a crop of thinned fruit as against that required for an equal volume of fruit from unthinned trees. In many discussions of the practice of thinning fruit, and certainly in tke minds of most fruit growers, the op- eration is charged aiid should be cbargfed with the total cost of the job. Though, as a matter of fact, it Is probable that we get bade in the increased speed which is possible with thinned fruit more than the cost of thinning. This greater speed is due to two different factors. First, the smaller number of fruits per bushel, owing to the greater average size of the Individual fruits; and second, to the fact that a very large percentage of the imperfect specinisns have been removed in thinning and there is mueh less probability of poor stuff getting by the operator when he si>eeds up. The Experiment Station which has done the best work «n uils question of thinning apples, has this to say on the phase of the question here under discussion : "It has been found in this thinning work, tbat if trees were heavily load- ad, the cost of thinning could not lairiy be charg^ad ag«inst the thinned tMe«. "Different factors, such as the fol- lowing, offset this charge in such cases: In the first phtce, the fruit teken off at thinning time would have to be picksd at picking time anyway, and it would cost as much to iwmovs it then as it would at thinning tims. This was the case with the Ben Davis in 1914 when the unthinned trees had from 1,000 to 1,666 more apples per tree to be picked. Even with tl^s ad- ditional fruit there was then less than half as gi'eat a total market- able yield as there was from the thin- ned trees bearing ths smaller num- ber of apples. "Second, it cost consid'erably mprs in sorting to rimove the large nun*- ber of cutis from the unthinned trees and after the sorting these culls were then not saleable. Thus in this case M charge could be made for thinning. | l!»n in the case of thinning young^ aIlie-$<Mi|'-o!d Baldwins, it cost 35 \fK\ 'Mot more to pick ths unthinned trees. Here again the sorting cost was increased with more unsalable apples from the unthinned trees. "In meat cases where thinning is necessary, only a small part, if any, of ttie cost of thinning can be charged against the thinned tree^." House Eariy Pullets Elarly. We are approaching the season when early-hatched pullets should be put again in their early laying quar- ters. Now is a good time to feed these early-maturing pulleta all of the grain they wiU eat, and if mash is given them see that it has a lot of j com meal in it, for a couple of weeks I at least â€" possibly 15 per cent of yel- ' low corn meal. The idea is to put as much flesh on them as possible to enable them to carry through the rig- orous production period just begin- ning. When put in the laying house see that each one is treated with blue ointment or sodium fluoride for body lice. .^ Also be sure that the perches and perch supports, nests and dropping boards are painted with a good oily, wood-penetrating, mite-kilHng paint, j for during August the mites are , troublesome and the best practice is ^to make the house absolutely immune from them. Watch for Bumblefoot. Bumblefoot Is a quite common and frequently serious menace to the health and behavior of chickens. As the name indicates, it consists of a swelling of the foot, caused by bruises or injury and resulting in a pus poc&et forming under the bottom of tiie foot which, if not treated proper- ly, wiH develop rapidly, until lame- ness and possible permanent injury follow. Bumblefoot is especially pre- valent in the hot, dry weather o^ mid- summer, when birds are allowed any run on gravelly, bare ground. If the poultry yards can be seeded down to a permanent sod, there will be fewer injuries from this trouble. During the hot days of midsummer, if the yards are bare, plowing them once every other week or cultivating them once every other week, will go a long way toward keeping them ifi a better sanitary condition and re- moving the danger of injury to the birds' feet When I was nine years of age I was a very sick little girl. I had to stay home from school a great deal, â-  until the doctor told me to spend as much time as j-cssibla in the open:»- , Dad got me interested in helping him on our 240-acre farm. There were all kinds of chores to do â€" calves, ' pigs, horses and cows to take' care \ of, besides i)errie3 and bees. However, pigs were ray choice. The! pig is'one of the cleanest and most ' intelligent animals on the farm if it's given a chance. Besides, pigrs increase ; faster and mature quicker and give '. more and quicker profits. I have ; worked other projects in club work ' and am deeply interested in all of them, but pigs make my biggest pro- â-  fits and help increase my bank ac- \ count. When I wasn't much older than ' eleven an old bearded friend of my father's was over to see us. I told ; him about my inteWst in pigrs, but | he only smiled. I, .think I have raised enough of them now not to be far ; wrong when I say that girls can be more successful than boys in the ' raising of hogs. Girls usually take ; more pains and time in keeping hogs ' and their quarters more sanitary, and j look after the minor ailments with | closer attention. One morning ftiy father found one | of his best Berkshire., sows dead af ter | farrowing eleven littfe pigs. Five of , them were still alive. He gave them \ to me and I took them to the house and fed them warm milk with a tea- spoon. In a few days they ' learn to eat from a shallow pan. They were kept in an old washboiler near the stove at ni^t and were carried out into the open and sun in the daytime. They g^rew fast and a grass lot was provided for them. Their main ra- tion was milk with ground oats, and weeds from the garden. I gave them a clean place to sleep and washed them with disinfectant to keep them free from lice and their skin clean- When Fair time came, I exhibited three of them at our County Fair and won two firsts and one second, selling two of the male pigs at $35 and $75 each. Since then I have won many riblions and cash prizes to ths an\- ount of $1,803.25, besides many otlier trophies and free trips. But showing alone was not the height of my ambition. I wanted to mak3 a real business out of it. I did, and discovered that feeding is the most important thing to" make one successful in the pig business. Here is my summary of how to do it; Skim-milk and whey, with plenty of gr-een pasture â€" alfalfa, sweet clover, rad clover, blue-grass and fresh-pulled weeds of all kinds. Greens cut the feeding cost in two and make better pork and breeding aniiHflls. For concentrates feed ground oats and standard, middlings with a little oilmeal, salt and \vcod- ashes added. Feed sparingly and regularly four times a day. My ex- perience is that pigs respond to good care more than any other animal. Can a girl who is successful in the Pig Club Project be successful in canning? Why not? Last year while I was in the show-ring showinij some of my dandy prize-winning pigs, I was challenged by my competitors, also by a few noted men and women, that a girl who could be successful at raising and showing hogs could not be successful in canning and sewing. Upon hearing this remark, I de- cided I would show them that a girl can work the two projects together successfully. _ On March 1, I signed up in the canning project, my motto being, "Can all you can, ihow them you can," and at the end of the contest, I had canned 1,269 pints of fruit, meat and vegetables, and no doubt would have canned more but I divided my time with my three other pro- jects, demonstration team and county leadership. In sewing I completed 29 articles and garments inside of three months. Not knowing anything about sewing when I started, I feel that it has taught me a lot. So in conclusion, when any one asks me, "Can girls and women be successful in raising hogs?" I point to my rack of ribbons and other prizes and say, "I certainly beHeve they can!" i« enjoying it to the utmost From | Then I made up my mind which could every city she visits sIm sends me be made presentable, and decided .to enthusiastic post cards, so that I can concentrate on them. I discovered all follow and enjoy with her all of the i sorts of ways in which they could be novel sights and gcod times. On her | freshened up; new and attractive way my friend stopped with me for ; collars and cuffs did it for some of a day and a night, and we had one! them, a change in the wuistUne made of those delightful visits that only a wonderful difference in others, some two women who have knovm each of the slrirts I shortened to conform otlier for years can experience. | to. the latest mode and then I man- I was so pleasant to help her un- aged an ensemble costume from an pack lier pretty dresses and hang ' old tailored suit that I feel is quite them away, to listen to her newsy | an achievement chat about other good friends, to set j "I remodeled the sleeves in several our supper table out under the trees '. good but unfashionable dresses and at the edge of ttie garden, and later j brought them up to date in other to sit there in the. moonlight gossip- ^ ways. And do you know I had al- iug long afber all the windows in my most as much fun fixing over my old neighbors' houses were dark. Wo exchange views on every eub- ject under the aun, from politics to things as though I were planning a whole new wardrobe? "While I worked I discovered many recipes, and of course the question of i things that are going to prove very clothes was givan not a little, con- 1 valtwble to me in the future. One is sideration. j that it is very foolish to let the ques- "I thought at one time I w^^ not] tion of clothes interfere with one's going to be able to make thitf' trip," j chances for a good time, find another said my friend. "I felt that I could , that it isn't necessary to follow all not afford both the journey and the : of fashion's whims in order to be well new clortlea I wxjuld need Tor it, and â-  dressed. Becoming lines and colors^^ so L becaro3 discouragfed and almost \ distinctive little trimming details and ' decided to stay at home."' ' j simplicity now seem to me the very "But you managed the new clothes 'foundation stones to a well-bred, in some way, didn't you?" I replied; • smart appearance, could ask for v, i»i6?e,j>, -'And when I saw !» - j^-tiie train, the "Yes, I managed, but not with. new i in her cleverly remodeled dress, \vith lothss; just furbished, up .1^ old j- Its crisp, becoming^lfcJftar and cuifs, thi.igs and made them do." i her simple hat and^^e^t^shoes, I knew Of course I wanted to know all i that ^e was right BecjHfiingness is about it and, as we are old. friends,! th^ most important quality a wo- for no woman suitable wardrobe." saw my friend off,, at next morning, garbed she told me. ' nwn's clothes can possess. Forcing the Molt. The only reason for forcing a flock of hens to molt early would be the ex- pectation of getting the flock back into production whilie egg prices are high in the early winter. Ths th«>ry is fine, but it is difficult to work out in practice. It is a simple matter to foroe the molt at almost any time that may be desired, but it is by no means easy to bring the flock so handled back into high production during cold weather. It is, of course, more or less un- natural for hens to lay during the winter months. It is only by provid- ing comfortable quarters, stimulating feeds and an environment that to some extent approaches spring con- ditions that one is able to get high winter egg production. In general, the problem is made more difficult rather than simplified when an early molt of all females is induced. Unless one is able to use artificial light, so as to give the hens a winter working day thirteen or fourteen hours long, the chances are not very good for increasing the total yearly income by means of a forced early molt. It is usually more profitable to carry a sufficiently high percent- age of pullets in the flock to furnish the necessary winter egg yield. Real Realism. Artistâ€" "This is my latest picture. 'Builders at Work." It's very realis- Uc." Friendâ€" "But they are not at work!" Artistâ€" "Yes, that's realism!"" The Horse in Hot Weather. Water often when the heat is i^i- tonse, a little at a time if horse is warm; don't water too Boon af£er feeding, and always at night after horse has eaten his supper. â- When the sun is hot Ifet horse breathe once in a while in the shade of some house or tree. Anything upon the head, to keep off the sun, is , bad for the. horse unless it is kept wet, or unless the air can circulate ; freely underneath it I If horse stops sweating suddenly, ' or acts strangely, breathes short and quick, or if ears droop, get him into the shade at once, remove harness and bridle, wash out his mouth, sponge all over, shower legs, and give him two ounces of aromatic spirite of ammonia, or two ounces of swaet spir- its of nitre in a pint cf water, or a pint of warm coffee. Cool head at once, using cold water or if necessary chopped ice wrapped in a cloth. A hot night in a narrow stall neither properly cleaned nor beddad, unfits the horse for work. Turning the hosa on ths horse is too risky a thing to do unless you are looking for a sick horse. Spraying the legs and feet when he is not too warm on a hot day will be agreeabl«i to him. Sponge out the eyes nose and dock when the horse comes in tired and dusty at night with clean cool water, and also spongfe under the collar and saddle of the harness. aiP^m .â-  SiQdusii)eJ^aitavs\ He â€" "You say you had the tulvant- age of a college education?" She â€" "Yes. Several of them. I've been engaged to about a dozen college hoys." The Septic Tank. The 8epti» tank is doing its part to Increase the average life of mjtn. Havo you built yours yet, or have you other sanitary means of sewage disposal? August is a Jtood month In which to do this work. Bull«>tt.n and working plan "blue print" sup- plied by Dept of Physios, O.A.C., Goelph,. to anyone desiring to build a septit tank.. Have a comport he«p and keep it grov.'ing dajr bv iaj^ Who Was the Joke On? ! A fanner had just built a big bam. I One day as he was setting off for , town he told his two boys to cut a small hole in ono oi the sid^s so that the cat could get in or out at will. The boys cut a hole just beside the big bam door, but when the farmer I returned and saw it he was much displeased. ] "Why can't I depend on you boys , to do a single thing ri^t?" he ex- claimied angrily. "Don't you know I that hole is in the wrong place?'" "Why?" aski?d the boys. The famrer fairly snorted. Leap- ing from the buggy, he seized the barn door and swung it open and, of course, it covered the aperture. "Now where is your cat hole?" he shouted. "How in the name of sense can the cat get into the barn when the door's open?" Pl>otect Machinery. Note repairs needed on farm equip- ment when through using tools. Clean, oil and store machines out of the weather. This practice lengthens tJie life of a machine and prevents delays when It is to be used. Juniors' frocks in bright prints and plain colors, for afternoon or play, are charming -with short kimono sleeves and little boyish collars or low necks. -A sash of contrasting-eolor ribbon is tacked beneath side plaits, which form a panel effect in the front, tying in a large bow at the back, and is the only trimming. The diagram pictures the simplicity of Pattern No. 1138, which is in sizes 4, 6, 8 and 10 years. Size 6 years requires l''/4 yards of 36-inch or 40-inch material. Price 20 cents. Home sewing brings nice clothes within the reach of all, and to follow the mode is (fblightful when it can be done so easily and economically, by following the styles pictured in our new Fashion Book. A chart accom- panying each pattern shows the ma- terial as it appears when cut out Every detail is explained so that the inexperienced sower can make with- out difficulty an attractive dress. Price of the book 10 cents the copy. E{u:h copy includes one coupon good for five csnts in the purchase of any pattern. HOW TO ORDER PATTERNS. Write your namj and address plain- ly, giving number and size of suck patterns as you want tCnclose 20e in stamps or coin (ci)!a preferred; wrap it carefully) for each number, and address your order to Pattern Dept, Wilson Publishing Co., 7S West Ada- laide St, Toronto. Pattern* sent by return maiL A FARM WH;CH WALKED DOWN MAIN STREET ..Vbove Is one of the Canadian Pacltlc Beats which took part recently In a procession at the Calgary stampede ani wr - regarded as the most unique feature of the parade. It is h conip'.ete model of a farm and besides the usual tui'idincs. antl livestock, fhnws ?uch details as a radio aerial stretching from the barn to the farm-house, an auto- mobile entering a garage, farm implements and all the paraphernalia ciisto marily associated with moilem farm yards. The float was prepared and contributed by the Department of Natural Refources of the Canadian Pacific Ry. PoUutrd Wefl Water. If doubtful of your farm water supply send a stcma sampl* to the. Bk-leriological n«pt, O.A.C. for ex- amination and advit^e. .At this time of year, when w?"s are low, con- tamination is frequently found. Boil- ing doubtful water for drinking pttT- poses is always good practice, ss h also the treating of same with chle^ ide of lime. 4 What a Cynlel Tired Buulnees Manâ€" "I'd Uke to n where I'd be entirely cut oft from dw worldr I FVIendâ€" "W*y don't yo« trjr • taitk I phone booth, old maaf *