The Russellville Democrat., 1880-01-15
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
Pear BlIght-OTebard Grass-A Zee Farm 9 Feeding Value of Potatoes Hay, etc, etc.
PEAR BLIGHT

Hay, etc, etc.
 PEAR BIIGHT.
 The cause of pear blight and it's cure is given by the Gardeners Monthly as fol- lows: Tt has been shown by careful microscopic examination in the earliest stages that the disease is caused by a minute fungus which developes ,n the bark and penetrates inwardly destroy ing the cell structure as it proceeds. The fungus is so small that the distinguished investigator, Dr. J, Gibbons Hunt un- der powerful microscope, could not distinguish the species; but this is of no consequence. This being the cause of the disease, the preventative is obvious n Any one who IS in neIghborhood liable Y to blight can have Immunity by washing his trees annually with pure linseed oil, sulphur wash or other things that will kill fungold spore without injury to the bark. Of course spores may get into q crevice where the washes cannot reach, and hence there may be some cases where, even though the trees be washed, there will be disease. The cause of the disease has been so clearly demonstrated and the remedy so patient, that cases of fire blight onl prove ignorance or reg lect.
 ORCHARD GRASS.
 A writer oa this subject says: For fN'eding down a wood lot 10 orchard grass would advise the following plan. by which Ihave been quite successful; Re- move the underbrush, gruDs and rubbish and blow as thoroughly as possible, late in the fall, then in February, or as soon thereafter as the condition of the soil will permit, harrow thoroughly and SOW about thirty-fye pounds of seed to the acre and harr w or brush. 1t in. Keep all the stock of the first season, and be sure to pasture promptly the following spring, so as to prevent it becoming course and harsh, for if it does the stock will not relish it. Failures with orchard grass are chiefly owing to some of these caIses: Defective seed, or an unsuiii- ecient supply of good seed; inadequate, Fmore often, entire absence of any preparation of the soil late sowing; neg lect of keeping it grazed down close enough.
 THE FEEDING VALUE OF POTATOES.
 Henry Stewart, of New York, says it Is pretty certain that potatoes are worth 25 cents a bushel to feed hogs, cows or horses. They contain l5 or 16 per cent. of starch and some albuminoids; 2 pounds of starch are worth l pound of fat or oil for feeding. Potatoes are cheap CT for stock food at 25,eents a bllshel than eottonseed meal is at S25a ton. As raw starch is only partially digested in an animals stomach, potarocs ought to be cooked. If # will pay to cook anything ii will pay to cook potatoes.
 Appf N-rN,1 I4rDTII r2pps
 To have the best results fertilizers must be applied jndiciously. Study the nature of your soil. If if is dry avoi heating manures, using ashes. salt, plast CT and such fertilizers as attract mois- ture. Never use manure of which you donot knew the nature. If you are about to plant corn upon soil that Is too cold and wet for his crop, use the most heating manure available. fhe drop pings of the pultry house, mixed with sand or coal ashes, would be good in such a case,
 MEASURING HAY.
 To find the number of tons in long or square stacks, the following is the rule: Multiply the length in yards by the 1dth in yards, and that by half the al- titlde in rds, and divide the product by 15. To find the number of tons in a circular stack Multiply the square of the circumference in yards by four times the attitude in yards, and divide by 100 The quotient will be the number of cubic yards in the stack. Then divide by l5 to get the number of tons.
 WATER FOR CATTLE.
 often hear advice given to salt cattle often. Now, l believe that cows should have salt at least once q week-twice IS really not to- often-but care should be taken that they have ac ess to water. My experience is that salt unless soon followed by water to delute it, has injur- olSefacts II produces alone fever in Asxe stomach, and creates a burning thirst which is bad for the animal.
 MEANING PIGS.
 The following plan for weaning pigs by New Jersey farmer When the pigs are proper age to be taken from tie SOW shut them in the pen in the morning; let them ont little while at noon and again al evening. The second day let them out only at morning and evening, keeping them up at night. This will insure the sow's drying up at once