324 - QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1898. 
NEW SPECIES OF WILLOW. 
Tue willow-tree has found a congenial home in Queensland, more especially so 
on the Darling Downs, where it has by some been considered asort of nuisance. 
But the willow is as useful as the osier for basket-making, and its light timber is 
put to various uses. There is a new species of this tree introduced from Asia 
Minor at the Chico (United States) forestry station of the Agricultural 
Department of the State University—the Salix salmonei. This tree is of 
remarkably rapid growth. In less than three years a small six-inch cutting 
attained the height of 32 feet, with a circumference of 52 inches and 12 feet in 
spread of branches. The willow we are acquainted with here will barely reach 
10 feet in height in the same time with a girth of about 8inches. We are not 
aware of the age of the willows at the Toowoomba railway gates, uor of those 
in the beautiful grove at Tenterfield; but had these been of the new variety, 
their size to-day would have been something stupendous, and probably they 
would have a good market value. 
A. NEW REMEDY FOR CHOKED CATTLE. 
Somerres a cow will get choked with an orange or mango or perhaps some- 
thing else. It is always well to have something on hand with which to relieve 
‘the animal. There is nothing better than a good probang. Every farmer 
should haye one. They are cheap, and will often save more than they cost in 
time and worry. The latest suggestion as a remedy is a peculiar one. Fine- 
cut tobacco is damped with molasses sufficiently to make it stick together, and 
a ball the size of a hen’s egg is made. Now hold up the cow’s head, pull the 
tongue forward, and crowd the ball as far down the throat as possible. In 
about a quarter of an hour it will cause sickness and vomiting. This relaxes 
the muscles of the gullet, and the object will likely to be thrown out.— Farming. 
CASTRATING PIGS. 
Tuts operation should be performed when the young pigs are from six to eight 
weeks old. It is a good plan to feed them slightly for a few days before and 
a few days after the operation. The pigs generally do better if altered before 
they are taken off the sow. It requires two persons to perform the operation. 
The assistant holds the young pig between his knees with its back to the 
ground, or better on a carpenter’s bench. Then he grasps a hind leg with 
each hand and presses the legs down on the belly. ‘The operator presses the 
testicles out until the skin of the scrotum is tight. Then a quick cut is made 
with a very sharp knife. Some prefer to make a separate cut lengthwise for 
each testicle; others prefer to make only one cut crosswise. The opening 
should be only large enough to cut the testicle out. The covering of the 
testicle should then be cut, gradually worked back, the testicle gradually 
pulled out and finally cut off as close to the body as possible. Some men 
prefer to let the cut go without any dressing. Some use salt, but it is better 
to use a little clean lard.— Farming. 
IMPORTED FLIES FOR POULTRY. 
Tur Mark Lane Express states that a company called the “ Insectivora Food 
Company,” in London, advertises a new food for poultry under the name of 
“Preserved Tropical Flies.’ This singular food consists of flies which swarm 
in some of the South American lakes, swamps, and rivers. ‘They are taken by 
nets spread over the water at night; then they are dried, pressed, and sent 
over to England to feed British poultry. Even the eggs of the flies are 
collected. They are the size of poppy-seeds. These serve for chicken food. 
This sounds like a yarn, but the sedate Lxpress does not publish anything 
which it has not verified. Therefore we may take it that the more the South 
Americans are cursed with flies, the more the Briton is blessed with spring 
chickens and eggs. 
