Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-31
NOTES.

Cattle are sometimes poisoned by eating
the wilted leaves of the wild cherry The
green leaves are not poisonous, but the poi
son seems to develop by some chemical
change which takes place during the willing.
1t is said that weeds may be destroyed for
years by copious watering with solution of
lime and sulphur in boiling hot water. This.
if efTeetual, will be highly important to such
as have garden gravel walks, pavements, etc.
through which grass and weeds grow up.
Dr. Maxwell r. Masters writes that he hns
often seen the experiment tried of thinning
potato tops by pulling out all the smaller
stems, leaving only two, or at most three, of
the stronger ones to the hill, and never knew
on instance where the result was not larger
tubers and frequently heavier total crop.
For sheep there is no grass that equals
white clover. Sheep being close grazers do
not like long grass, and as the white clover
is shorter than the red, and can be grown on
poorer soil than that adapted to the red it
may be made valuable grass in pastures
that are devoted to sheep.
The Ohio fruit crop is failure. Apples
peaches and pears are very scarce. Grapes
are rottng badly, and the supply of all kinds
of fruit is far from adequate. Potatoes are
doing finely, but are high in price. Bugs
and maggots are destroying nearly all the
cabbage, cucumber and squash crops.
One of the safest and best ways to send a
few choice cut flowers to a distance is to cut
Sits in potatoes and insert the flower stems
taking care that they are firmly fastened in
and supported by little cotton or paper.
An ordinary potato will keep most flowers
fresh for two weeks or more in moderate
temperature. Potatoes can also be used in
floral decorations, being disguised by leaves
and flowers.
quart of good milk should weigh about
, 10 pounds, or nearly two pounds, two and
one-haf ounces. 1t milk is weighed this
rule will give the monthly yield in quarts
more exactly than measuring.
The South is fortunate i'll the acquisition
OF new plant called Japan clover, and it is
being made a standard grass crop. The clio.
yer Is low in growth, barely exceeding four
inches in height. Its value is due to its abil-
lty to grow under many disadvantages, for il
will reseed itself, stand drought, and occupy
locations that are unfit for any other purpose.
1t seems to fill vacancy long felt, and for
the pasture cannot be surpassed, especially
for sheep.
The apple crop of Kansas is so lar &c this
season that 1t is expected to yield more bush.
els than ever before despite the destruction
caused by wind and hail storms.
The well known fact that a COW will give
more milk and make more butter on a bright
sunshiny day than during one of dull. dark
character is strong argument in favor of
having our winter stables so arranged that
the animals get the benefit of plenty of sun
shine. If possible have the COWS on the
south side of the barn, and provide plenty
of windows.
The common white elder, which in the
early summer in this climate is covered with
wealth of snowy bloom, and later by clus.
tiers of shining berries, appears to possess
claims, aside from its beauty, to distinction.
The Florida Times Union states that decoc.
ton made from the leaves and tender twigs
of this shrub, sprinkled upon cucumber
vines, cabbage plants and other vegetable
crops, will entirely rid them of DESTROYING
bugs and worms. Flies will not remain in
room where branches of the elder are hung.
But more important is the fact that it is al
legged to be safe and effectual specific for
Brights disease.
Some one who has tried it says il is a good
plan to burn sulphur in cellars where milk il
kept, especially if they are damp. The sui.
phurous acid evolved destroys the mildew
which, if not checked, will iniure the flavor
OF cream and butter. In many damp cellars
the mildew wastes the cream so that the but |
ter product is seriously decreased besides
the injury to quality.
A glass of hot water slipped before eating
Is recommended as a tonic for persons hav. |
ing weak stomachs.
Sorghum for fattening cattle is highly rec.
by DR.. Kedsie, of the Michigan
agricultural college. 1t has been found by .
some who have tried it, he says, to DOS.
sess wonderful fattening properties, and
produces beef of very superior quality
But he adds that the sorghum must be fed
at first until the cattle become
used to it, on account of danger of their eat.
ing too freely Of the material, causing scour-
ng, etc. The seeds of cane are equal in val.
ne, pound for pound, to oats or corn.
A growing, living tree robs the soil of wa
ter, and to some extent of fertility, for a wide
distance. This is distinctly seen in fields de-
voted to hoed crops. 1t is scarcely possible
10 manure highly enough to bring corn or
potatoes under or near trees to the average
n other parts of the field. Butternut and
hickory trees are especially injurious to hoed
crops near them, possibly because the wash
rom their leaves positively Injuries the soil.
This, at least, Is the belief of many farmers
md appearances indicate its correctness.
How much is skinned milk worth for
eeding purposes? This is an important
question in butter making districts, and quite
'ften the possible use of skinned milk de-
ermines the profit or loss of the dairy.
WIN young, growing pigs an addition of the
kmmed milk from a COW in full flow of
milk for each pig will keep them growing
With very little corn. 1t is quite us we'll
However, to have two or three pigs to every
ow, and supplement the feed with a greater
proportion Of grain. For the amount that
hey VIII eat no kind Of stock will make SO
'rontaole use Of milk as laying hens
A gentleman of Vernon, N. j., Mr.. I. L.
who is extensively engaged in pro.
uoing honey, claims to have made diseov