The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-11-03

The preservation or length of the tap-root
upon trees has no more influence upon
the growth, health or longevity, than the
length of a dogs tail has upon his affection
for his master. The production ~oftap-roots
upon forest or other trees Is mainly due
to the character of the soil upon which they
grew from seed. ALI the theories which
have been advanced upon this subject OF
the value of a perpendicular or tap-root TO
forest trees is sheer nonsense from begin
ming 10 end, as proved by the success OF
the innumerable millions oftrees propagated
and transplanted by nurserymen for centur-
les past, and / might add by nature
herself, for not a thousandth part Of
the wild trees OF our forests nave
a tap-root after they are a dozen years
old.
SALT FOR BUTTER. = The New York
Bulletin says: Prominence has lately
been given to the question OF what
is the proper salt to use in the manu-
facture of butter, and so important has the
matter become that a short time ago a COM
mfttee was appointed by the Butter and
Cheese Exchange to make an investigation
and report. The English salts, it has always
been claimed, are the best for this purpose,
as they are purer and contain no foreign
flavor. On the other hand, it is said that
the Onoudaga salt contains a fishy flavor,
which is impaired TO the butter, aud, of
course, if such is the case, lessons its value.
There is still a third party who hold that
there is no difference. or, If any, it is so
slight that it can not be distinguished.
The committee spoken of a a report
| hich was not salty at all but very insipid,
and passed this resolution:
Resolved, That the committee invite
dairymen and dealers in dairy products, the
manufacturers dealers and importers OF
salt, to submit all practical and scientific in
formation and experimental tests relating
to the subject, to be communicated in writ
ing or otherwise to the secretay OF the New
York Butter and Cheese Exchange.
You see it becomes a very delicate matter
to endorse some particular quality OF salt,
and in order to do it decidedly might pos
sibly require the salt to be mixed slightly
with silver.
ABOUT CANARY BIRDs.-A clever writer
for the Inter Ocean says: Canaries are like
flowers, they do not thrive unless their keep
ers love them. Nothing is more cruel than
to keep birds and not attend to them, and
this is especially true of canaries. They do
not live by seed and water alone,t they crave
equally companionship and love. They
ought, too, TO be kept in pairs, for they have
a great deal to say to each other that they
can not say to you, and it is delightful to
watch their gossipings and condolences.
1 possess two canaries which, though in no
respects remarkable birds, are a source of
constant pleasure and amusement. The
male is an old bird of fine breed, ~dignifed,
aristocratic, on some days hardly tolerating
the idgety, laxative, demonstrative female,
and resenting either by contemptuous
silence or by downright good scolding, her
interference in his contemplations. Again,
he is in good temper, and then she is the
hsppiest of bird wives. They fly from
room to room together, sit upon the window
stills, and exchange opinions about the
sparro VS., or hold consultations about next
springs house keeping. Canaries love vari-
ETY. in their food, and If plenty ofexercise be
given them, they may be safely trusted
with anything they will eat. During moult-
ing a few poppy seeds are excellent, and at all
times a little branch of fir or pine seems to
afford them the greatest pleasure. The lit.
tie extra cleaning or trouble incurred by
letting them rave the use of one or more
rooms, is ~abundantly compensated by their
love, their happiness, and their charming
companionship. Certainly those who pre-
tend to entertain birds of any kind should
be their friends and not their ~iailers, for
birds, above all living creatures, were crea.
ted to be glad.