Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-01-19
From the Maryland Farmer.
NOTES AND COMMENTARIES.
BY PATUXENT PLANTER.
Freaks OF Nature.

Freaks OF Nature.
The following extracts from my Farm
Diary. show some curious. and. to me.
very astonishing freaks in horticulture.
September Goth, 1871, observed this
morning golden rod. three feet high.
growing out Of the rough bark OF an old
locust tree, two feet from the ground. and
iu same manner. in or on another locust
tree, both near my house, catulpa. two
feet high and growing. How did they
get there, except from seed deposited by
birds or the wind? How did they .vege-
tate without earth How did they receive
sustenance, during this long drought. and
flourish in the crevices of the dry outside
bark of these old trees are questions be-
yond my KEN"
Dogs.
I was glad to read your excellent edito-
rial 10 the December number of the Farm.
er. Surely our Legislature will heed the
outcry of our farmers. and give their aocks
some protection against the thousands of
worthless ours that prey upon that impor-
tant branch of rural pursuits. The loss
annually sustained. bv not having strin-
gent law taxing dogs. is incalculable. 1t
is not only the actual loss. but the num-
her of sheep that would be reared, if there
was such law, over the number at pres
ent Few men care to risk keeping a
flock OF sheep, and fewer still choose to go
to any expense in procuring valuable
sheep of the best breeds. feeling no secu-
rity against their immediate destruction. /.
bv the worthless cur of a neighboring
gentleman of color. Wool is steadily in
creasing in price and mutton is becoming
more popular as food What the sheep
interest is to England. it will soon be to
this country-second to no other stock in
terest Turnips and sheep have given
England her high position as an agricui-
tural nation, and with our mild. dry eli
mate we could soon rival her in sheep.
hut for the continuously increasing depre-
dations of the vile dogs. A strict law
against dogs. rigidly enforced. would in a
shert time increase the number of sheep
in Maryland 200. 900. which would be an
increase in the aggregate wealth of our
State of 81. 900. 900. yielding an annual
interest Of 20 per cent. or $500. 900 at
the least, to the incomes of eur farmers.
All this is lost to US. from love Of the ugly.
miss-shapen. skulking - cur dog!
The Turf, Field and Farm.
The friends of Col. F. Skinner are re-
joiced to see he has returned from the land
of Egypt, in restored health to his post.
as Agricultural Editor of that able and
popular weekly. the Turf. Field and Farm.
Long may he continue to WELD his nerv-
GUS pen 10 the good cause! This journal
is one of the most efficient contemporaries
you have, in sustaining the agricultural
interest of the country. It's efforts to
build up and sustain on an elevated sys-
TEN. the noblest amusement known to
man-horse-racing. with its adjunct. trot-
ting. has done in short time a wonderful
work in adding to the material strength,
wealth and power of the whole nation. -
Millions have been added to the real. oil
as some mal-contents would say. fctitioul
value of the thoroug bred and the high
bred trotting stock Of the country, it ha.
also stimulated wealth aud enterprise int