The Question Box.. 97 



Mr. Smith. — Use bi-sulphide of carbon. Get a 25-cent bottle 

 of it. Put some on a sponge and place it in the mouth, of the 

 bag, barrel or bin and cover tightly. It throws off a gas that is 

 heavier than the atmosphere, and so sinks. It will go all through 

 the package and kill all insects or other life therein. But it is 

 highly explosive, so do not go near it with fire or inhale it. 



Question. — How shall we know when our soil needs fertility, 

 and what to apply ? 



Mr. Smith. — Interview it; use your eyes; ask the crops; watch 

 it and study it. If the grain falls down, it shows that there is too 

 much nitrogen in the soil; if it makes a puny, feeble growth, there 

 is not enough. If the plant lacks strength and color, potash is 

 wanted. If the grain does not " fill " or the seed mature, phos- 

 phoric acid is required. 



Question. — Does sorrel indicate a sour soil ? 



Dr. Smead. — No ; I have a field on which sorrel grows. I tested 

 it with blue litmus paper, but found no acid. On the other hand, 

 I found it on land I little thought contained it. 



Mr. Smith. — Sorrel does not always indicate an acid state of the 

 soil, but poverty instead. 



Question. — Is the Grange of any financial benefit to the farmer? 



Mr. Smith. — It mav be in some instances, but no man oua'ht to 

 join a Grange for the money he can get out of it. He should join 

 it for the purpose of uplifting himself and family socially, and 

 bringing him more closely, socially, with his neighbor. Wherever 

 we come in contact with a live Grange in a town where an insti- 

 tute is held, we find a good attendance. The ladies and children 

 are all there, and there is a program of music and other local at- 

 tractions. 



Question. — Is the Babcock machine a fair one to determine the 

 value of milk for cheese? 



Mr. Smith. — Yes. There are hundreds of factories in this 

 State and in Wisconsin where milk has been paid for on the basis 

 of its butter fat during the past six years. It shows fully just 

 what the milk is worth, not only for butter, but for cheese. Divi- 

 dends are declared on its verdict week after week, and all patrons 

 are satisfied. There is a factory at Belleville, Jefferson county, 

 which has 70 patrons with nearly 1,300 cows, where the Babcock 

 has been in force five years; and another at Vernon, where it has 

 been in force six vears. At neither of these factories can the 

 machine be driven out. There is no longer any question about 

 the fairness of the test for all concerned. It offers a premium 



