The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-02-05
FACTS FROM ALL SOURCES.
THE THISTLE TAX,

All Ao@ohch AOhn aAu 1AhuSaS. Ii appSaT6
Z in Indiana and Illinois several years age
but vigorous efforts wore taken on th
part of the states, and the warfare i
i constantly kept up. Men are employe,
j. at regular wages to dig and burn th
!, plants, it being Intellectual to leav
: them on the surface of the ground tt
dry and die. Wherever tie thistle get
II a foothold in community, the damage
\ is equal to tax of 10 per cent. on al
the farming land, at fair valuation
1t is agreed that the seed was first m
troduced, il the hay with which frui
4 trees are packed. It would be better &c
] raise ones own trees. and have inferior
fruit, than to be thus burdened.
y Oranges, agricultural societies, and
: clubs should make it an especial bust,
q ness to watch the Canada thistle.
Il THE GRASSES.
Il DR.. Bachelor, Of central New York,
4 talks thus of the different grasses with
4 which he has been experimenting
Y Perennial rye grass he considers of no
4 value for hay or pasture, as it will not
endure the winters but italian rye
grass, he says, is hardy anywhere in
H New York, and is one Of the most valu-
] able grasses known either to cut for
soiling or for hay. In vigor it is like
Il orchard grass, but it is finer III texture.
and is of the SO cut-and -come-again
kind, " often producing two crops IN q
season and then rich aftermath.
Meadow fescue he finds to be one Of
the most vigorous grasses, adapted to
either meadow or pasture. It equals
timothy in the amount of hay and can
g cut at the same time. It is a good
grass to grow with timothy. Sweet
vernal grass ought to be grown in the
meadow to give fragrance to the other
hay. Cattle devour it with great eager
ness. Orchard grass alone, or with the
medium clover, is valuable, but it ripens
too soon for timothy. If cut just before
the iower-scape opens it makes valu-
able hay, but if left till it ripens it's seed
is no better than rye straw.
USES oFssAwDUsT.
A correspondent of the Ohio Farmer
writes About six years ago I had
saw-nill set on my farm. At first they
washed the dust, as the sswyers called
it, by letting a stream of water run
under the saw. As the water got low
il would not work then they had TO
wheel it out in a pile, and when they
went away had big pile of sawdust
on my hands. As it was on good
piece of bottom land that desired to
plow, ] wanted it out OF my way. I
tried to burn it, but it would not burn. |
I concluded at last to turn il to some
good account; so when I put my hogs
up to fatten hauled good load every
few days and threw it Ia the pen.
They mixed it with their manure and
the cobs, and in the spring I had about
twenty loads of the very best manure,
besides keeping the hogs clean and dry.
/ Tsel Che sawdust for bedding the
horses and COWS; I put it around my
grape vines to keep down grass ana
weeds and the ground moist. The
vines improved wonderfully. So my
sawdust is used up, and it has paid.
IL I was to have mill again would
make bargain TO have the saWdust left
on the ground.
GRATING WAX.
One pound Of rosin, FIVE ounces So
per cent. alcohol, one ounce beef tal-
low, one table. spoonful Of turpentine.
Melt the rosin over slow FIRE, add the
beef tallow, and stir with a perfectly
dry stick or piece Of wire. When some-
what cooled add the turpentine, and
last the alcohol in small quantities,
stirring the mass constantly. Should
the alcohol cause it to lump, warm
again until il melte. Keep in bottle.
Lay it on in a very thin coat with o
brush. Should it prove thick, thin it
Iown with alcohol. It IS always ready
lor use it is never affected by heat OF
,old, aud heals up wounds hermetically.
LIQUID GRATING WAX. Il
The Horsiculturist giYes the follow
ng formula for making Lsfort's graft
ng wax, which is said to have been
lighly recommended ii France and
sntil lately kept secret: Melt one
iound of common rosin over gentle
lrs. Add 10 it one ounce Of beef tal- {
pR and stir Il well. Take ii from the Z
lre, 1et il cool down q little, and then z
aix with q tablespoonful of spirits of 4
and after chat about seven }
unces Of very strong alcohol, (sixty- 2
We per cent. to be had al any drug !
ist's store. Che alcohol cooIs it down i
B rapidly that Il viii be necessary TO +
at il again on tie FIRE stirring il con &
family. Sill the utmost care must be |,
xercised to prevent the alcohol from D
citing inHamed. 70 avoid IT, the best d
fay Is to remove the vessel from The Il
re- when the lump that may have been u
,rnaed commences melting again. This q
lust be confined till tile whole ID q Vi
mass sinniIar to honay. q
ftsr few days exposure to the d
Bmosphera in thin coat, il assumes s q
hitish color, and becomes aa hard as 8
one, being impervious to water Of air. q