The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-20

pected to leave about this time. Nothing from him has been received by his sister and other relatives here. R. F. Moss has a brother in the stricken city but hardly thinks he was in the downtown district at that hour Telegrams have been for warded but there is little hope of hearing for many days to come.
 Brood of Chickens Taken.
 This morning when Justice of the Peace Billups J. Gayle went out into his yard and looked in his wired chicken coop un- der his house he found two lonesome little chicks back in the far corner.
 Last night when the chickens went to roost there were seventy-five little chickens the size of partridge in the coop and about a half dozen frying size chickens. About o'clock MT. Gayle heard the chickens running around under the house and thought that rat was after l them. He got up and went to the window, but could see nothing and the chickens having quieted down went back to sleep. This morning three of the frying size chickens and all of the smaller ones were missing. The chickens had been matched in an incubator about six weeks ago. It was not rat that took the chickens for the tracks of human foot were dis tinctly seen leading from the coop and evidently some negro took the entire brood away Selma's Trees.
 Professor Macintosh, state horticultur- ist, who was in Selma yesterday, made thorough examination of those trees which showed any indication of decay, to1 tta,. wood and twigs and leaves from the trees These he will examine at his lab oratory and probably send some of them to the experts at Washington for exam ination. He was unable, until such study and examination, to give an opinion as to the trouble with the trees. He did make one suggestion which may well be noted by all who own trees or having to do with their trimming
 He said that it was great mistake in trimming the trees to cut the limbs off at any distance from the trunk of the tree. The limbs should be cut close up to the trunk. the cut being made by saw ing from below upwards at first and then down from above. In this way there will be less breakage and a smoother sur face left. This surface should then be painted thckly with white lead. In this way the wound caused by removing the limb will have an opportunity to heal over without any decay setting in. If the limb is cut at distance from the trunk the nub or stump left is bound to de- cay and in doing so will leave a hole into the trunk of the tree through which in- sects readily make their way and which generally becomes a point of decay in the tree.
 Professor Mcintosh was greatly inn pressed by the beautiful trees of the city and thought it was a pity that the city was not financially able to have an ex- pert forester looking after them all the time. He will prepare a full report on the condition of the trees with suggestions for their preservation and the same will be published by the newspapers of the city for the information of the people.
 Local and Personal.
 Mrs. Charles Davidson. who has been on a visit to Mrs. Clara Davidson on Church street, has returned to her home in Cincinnati
 Mr. George Adams of Faunsdale was a visitor to the city yesterday and today. Drs. Harper. DuBose, Ward and Furniss are in Birmingham attending the session of the state medical society.
 This morning in Mayors court Messrs. c. w. Parke. Deans Barber and S. H. Watts were arraigned for the affray of yesterday afternoon. Mir Parke stated to the Mayor that he had been the aggres- sor in the affair and that he did not think the two other gentlemen should be fined. The Mayor thereupon fined Mr Parke s5 and discharged Messrs. Watts and Barber.
 MT. Tom Kelley, baggage agent at the union passenger station. is confined to his home with malarial fever. His friends hope he will soon be out again.
 The second nights performance of the Selma Minstrel company was witnessed by another large house last night and the performance greatly enjoyed. The boys were even in better trim last night than the night before and received liberal annl3use