Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-11-27
Facts for Our Farmers.

such sheep, Q. &c chased, even, lose
all spirit and become worthless, and
the dogs are worse than worthless. as
they are certain to continue such evil
ways; so dogs and sheep are of no
value after such raid. If, then, any
section Of our eastern country districts
would ever engage in sheep raising, it
can only be with first the destruction
of all mongrel dogs. Shepherd dogs
trained to help with and guard the
sheep must succeed the mongrels.
Fox-Tail Grass Bad for Stock.
Farm, Stock and Home draws atten-
ton to the injurious qualities of the
grass, equisetum arvense, locally
known as squirrel tail, fox tail, horse
tail, pine top, meadow pine and pos
sibly otherwise. The Vermont exper-
iment station has definitely demon
strated that the weed is an active
poisonous growth in marshy or other
low land. really resulted from the
grass. 1t is said that cattle and sheep
may eat it with impunity, and that it
is not poisonous to them. While the
last may be true. it has mechanical
effect in the mouth that is always
painful and not infreQuently results in
death. The awns of the head of this
grass, with their minute barbs, often
work into the cheek of the animal eat
ing it, causing a swelling that is taken
for lumpy jaw, that makes a very sore
4 in
ing, and consequent loss of flesh. and
that cannot be cured until the awns
work through and are expelled from
the outer surface of the cheek. If
bits of awns get stuck in the throat,
as they are likely to, death usually
results, after long and extremely
painful illness that battles the skill of
the veterinary, even if he is aware of
its cause, which cutie often he is not.
1t is difficult to imagine a worse pest
in the meadow than is this grass of
many names and vices.
River and Flood Service.
For many years one of the duties of
the weather bureau has been the
gathering of statistics regarding the
rise and fall of the principal rivers of
the United States and the forecastings
of dangerous foods. Heretofore New
England rivers have not been included
in this branch of the service, but it is
now to be extended so as to include
the Penobscot, Kennebec, Merrimac
and Connecticut rivers. The pre-
liminary work was done last summer
by DR.. H. c. Frankenfield, forecast of
fetal, Washington, D. c., who has
charge of the river and food service of
the weather bureau. Surveys were
made, advantageous points for the
Locating of gauges selected, and OBJ
servers appointed. These observers
will daily note the state of weather,
the amount of precipitation, if any,
depth Of snow on the ground. and
hight of the river as hown by the
gauge reading. In cases of sudden
rises, they are empowered to tele-
graph the river conditions to the sec
ton center Boston, from which, if
conditions warrant, warnings of alb
high water will be issued,
together with the time at which the
freshet is expected to reach it's maxi
mum at different points along the
rivers course. DR.. Frankenfield was
assisted in his work by the
railways and large manufacturing in
terests OF the section, who in many
cases. have courteously offered the
use of their bridges for the locating
Of the gauges, and the services of
their employees as observers. Some
time must necessarily elapse before
the service is thoroughly <ablished,
as systematic study of the charac-
teristics CT each river and its water
shed must be made in order to ac-
forecast the rate Of move
ment and intensity of the food. In
this study the past reports CT the vol
untary observers will be used and
careful deductions made from them
that will be of great assistance.
Mo!asses IS Food for Stock.
The experiment lately undertaken
by Arbuckle Bros. of Brooklyn in the