The Russellville Democrat., 1881-12-01
FOR THE FARMER.
A Tree without Merit--The Best Yield of
 Cofton--Hens Losing Featbers-- Agricultural Notes.
\ TREE WITHOUT \ MERIr.


 TREE WITHOUT 4 MERIT
 It fs the Lombardy poplar. It may be <, good enough tree in sunny Italy, the land of flowers, song, maccaroni, and heggars, but it is not even a good apology for tree in this country. 1t produces little shade, affords no shelter, is useless for lumber, and next to no value when employed as fuel. The trees do not get fairly to growing before they begin to show signs of decay. Like the persons whom the gods love or the devils wants i for assistants, they die young. They l live. however, long enough for all pur-. poses of youth or beauty. It seems to be pity that their existence ever began. 1 The trees. like some young people of tho I present generation, are very aspiring in I thefr habits, but they always fail in ae- complishing anything meritorious If 9hey would seSTe the purpose of light ning-rods thereswould be one thing in their favor, for itwould serve to dimin ish the number of]ightning-rod of vendors. !. But Jove's thunderBolts will not conde- l'scend to strike a Tomb poolar tree. ] They will not waste their strength on So unworthy mark. The treeashcfds no fit reting-place for fowls, and even wild birds shdn it in looking out for places to build their nests. The tree, after it is | large enough to be led a tree with any decree of propriety, becomes sickly and 1 if it would die outright every one would rejoice. But it continues to protract it's miserable existence in some mysterious manner. Persons often desire to cut ] Lombardy poplar down, but they find difficulty in So doing. It is so tall that the topis bound to strike window, fence or some out-building, or to- obstr1ct a road. One will never blow down, even. if an Iowa wind prevails against it. Ac l cordingly it stands epired monument of the supreme folly of the person who set it out. Tue only real use ever found for aIunbardy poplar WAS to salt down. a tee culture claim with. Itis admire ble afor this purpose. Itwill make a good showig -at a distance and allow the enterprising planter to make his claim good before it dies. He will then have only to clear up his land and have a good farm for nothing.
 THE BEST YIELD OF COTTON.
 The best yield of cotton we have seSn this season on old pine hill fields, is on afield near Br6okhaveh, over 400 pounds of lint to the acre. It was estimated by neighbors who were competent judges that it would have made more than 50 per cent in addition fo the 400 pounds had the season before been favorable. The drouth reduced the yield fully 200 pounds of lint to the acre. The fertilizers used were, 200 pounds of Stern's super phosphate, a ton of Byra.n paarl, and stable manure. Cost of sDperphosphate about $5; the mari, which will do good service or 10 years or more, we will put at $l, manure $2. It's effects will be felt more than one year, so will the su- perphosphate to some extent. The cot ton sold for 10sc cash, at Brookhaven-- Neec 0rleans Picoy,oae.
 HENS LOSING FEATHERS.
 It is no indication of disease that hens l should be losing their feathers at this season. Some fowls begin their annual mott early, and this to be desired rather than complained of, as the recovery is more rapid in warm weather. It is ad- xisable to give little cooling medicine | to melting fowls. A dram of saltpeter may be dissolved in q pint of water and given for a drink each day for a dozen 1 fowls. Corn should not be given freely, but barley or wheat substituted in part. Some chopped vegetables would also be usatul, and run on a grass field. Fresh, l clean water is especially necessary while the fowls are in their present weakened condition.
 l AGRICULTURAL NOTES.
 IT is estimated that not more .han one acre of land to a farm in Vermont is planted to corn.
 | Pics are able to consume far more | food in proportion to their weight than either sheep or oxen.
 TIE general opinion is that ants are enemies to fruit trees, but 1t has long since been proved that they do not de- stroy the fresh fruit.
 THE potato is more productive than any other esculent and one authority | places the yield from an equal quantity of ground at thirty pounds of potatoes to one pound of wheat.
 IF the cucumbers which grow nearest the root be saved for seed for number of years in succession the result will be a smaller and earlier variety. If the fruit on the extremity be saved it will pro- duce larger and better variety
 Bora for it's effect upon fattening and upon health, small amount of leeched wood ashes would be given to swine The food without this is rich in phos- phoric acid, but has little lime, and the equivalent should be thus supplied.
 NIX little sulphur with salt and feed occasionally to sheep It will effectual- ly destroy sheep ticks. The same rem edy applied 70 cattle troubled with lice will soon rid them of vermiD The use of sulphur with salt repays the trouble of keeping a supply for cattle and sheep. If a mixture of one part of sulphur with seven of salt be applied, there will be no trouble with vermin.
 THE pear blight is now said to be the effect of microscopic organism that when sufficiently numerous, causes a fermentation in the pores of the wood by devouring the starch in the grain or liber This disease can be easily com municated from one tree to another by transpiring even minutes fragment oi the bark from a diseased to healthy tree, and therefore may probably often be communicated by accident Cutting down and burning the affected trees is the only sure cure.
 THE following trees are named as the best for planting artificial forests in the western States: Yellow cottonwood making a saw-log or rail cut sooner than any other tree; osage, giving strong and lasting timber, and not troubled by in sects; the hardy eatalpa, of quick growth and lasting timber; white elm and west. ern plane tree; black walnut, one of the most valuable Of trees; soft maple, furn'