The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-07-26

these plants accomplish it through
muriate bacteria found on the roots, that
are actual living organisms. An effort
is now being made by scientific students
of agriculture to inoculate other plants
with these organisms, and thus en-
deavor to communicate to them the
power of appropriating free nitrogen.
FOOD FOR STOCK.
AS food for stock how does wheat
straw compare with hay?
III. L. T., Barlow county.
| 1t will depend of course to some ex-
tent on the kind of hay. One pound of
common hay in the quantity of nutri-
ment cordant is equal to four or FIVE
pounds of wheat straw.
DECAYING TREES.
How can I save trees that are begin
ming to decay from knot holes?
H. A. ", Gainesville.
To save trees that are beginning to
decay in the center from knot holes on
the outside an English paper recon-
mends to empty out the water as far as
practicable with pump and then fill
the holes with portland cement formed
into running consistency with water.
For economy, two parts of sharp sand
or small gravel may be mixed with one
part of cement. which should be quite
fresh When the holes are filled with
the cement, allow it to set. Then
smooth over the crown with the same
material, rounded to throw off the wet,
just having it level with the bark
around each wound, and over this apply
a coat Of grating clay so as to en-
courage the growth'o of the bark, which
we have known to grow and close over
the cement. The thing is to get the
water out and keep it out in the future.
Clay alone would not do that, but
rather accelerate the decay by allowing
! water to enter.
SOUTHDowNS.
note that you recommend the South
downs as good mutton sheep for this
section. Will you kindly give me some
of the reasons why you recommend this
| particular breed? d. A. B.,
| Hamilton.
Mr.. w. w. Chapman, experienced in
sheep raising, thus gives some of the
reasons why he prefers this breed CT
sheep:
Because they of all sheep will produce
more meat at less cost from a given area
than any other breed of sheep, for you
can keep 30 of these Southdowns where
only 20 Of the larger breeds can be kept
on the same food and area. They are
small in size, but great in value. They
| are big sheep in little room. They are
(, sheep that produce the greatest weight
where the best points are, for many of
you may not be aware of the fact that
| hindquarters of SouthdCwns are always
one to two pounds heavier than the
forequarters.
This is a merit peculiar to them.
They are producers of fine wool of the
best quality, and although the weight
of the fleece is not so much as of some
other breeds, taken as q whole, the
figures would show farmer received in
cash more profit from the produce of so
Southdowns than from any other breed,
if an account of the cost of food and at
tendance were properly kept.
prefer them because of their hardi-
ness, freedom from disease and their
ability to live and thrive in extremes of
heat and cold, for they are to be found
all over the world. On their native
downs they have great extremes of eli
mate to endure, from the heat of sum-
mer to the almost arctic cold of winter,
and their fine, thick wool and close
fleece is most essential to their we'll
being, with which, being impervious to
either wet or snow, they are able to put
up with the greatest hardships, cold and
wet, without any i'll effects to their
bodily health or to the quality of their
wool. Thus not only do you by keeping
flock of Southdowns keep a sheep of
the most valuable mutton breed, but
you keep one whose wool is of the finest
and best quality and Is not affected by
the weather in the manner it affects
other breeds.
prefer them because they will thrive
and live as we'll where other sheep
would almost starve; because they are
small eaters and rapid fatters and will
come to maturity as early as any other
sheep in the world; because of their
small size they produce just the joints
that make the highest price in the mar
ket
SHADE FOR FARM ANIMALS.
The following valuable suggestion as
to the benefits to be derived from shade
from one of our exchanges is worthy of
consideration:
The merciful man is merciful TO
his beast Don't neglect, during the
months of July and August, to provide
some shady place to which your cattle,
and sheen esnecially can resort to dur-