Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-08-27
AGRICULTURAL.

SAVING SEEDs.-As the period of ripenine
OF grain and vegetables arrives, it is well to
bear IN mind the truth, that like produces
| IKE, ana take precautions to preserve the
earliest and best specimens of the various
| crops of the garden, for the next years seed
| By so doing We may obtain seed from the best
and most fully matured stocks, which being
| planted the next season will be likely to pro-
duce better specimens, and at an earlier date,
than those selected and preserved as they are
| apt to be, from late and inferior plants. Let
the earliest OF each kind grow and ripen for
seed. Save the first squash, cucumber and
melon, row OF peas, few hills of corn,
beans, &c, and when perfectly ripe pick and
preserve carefully, put them in packages cor
| rectly labelled, lay them away until next
planting season, when you will have seed that
you can depend upon, and if the process is
continued year after year, the quality of the
plant must be continually improving.
BEES IN AUGUsT.-August is not profta-
BILE month for the bee-keeper, as it rarely
happens that the bees can obtain enough
money tor every day wants, and must draw on
the stores laid up in July. At the present
time, the Sth, the ground is parched, there
are few blossoms even in the gardens. and
the woods and meadows are dull and dry
From the corn-felds bee-bread is obtained,
and along with little honey is also the pro-
duct OF the various species of thistle A
thorough wetting would produce little white
clover, and, perchance, a second blow of
hoarhound and catnip; from all of these,
honey might be obtained. 4 good field of
buckwheat viii be blessing next month.anG
we hope our farmers will SOW enough of it to
supply both the wants of bee-keepers and
pancake eaters. ''Phe little busy bee" does
not Improve each shining hour this wealth
err or rather 1t cannot.-O5io Farmer.
PURE WATER FOR Srock-A good draught
of good water is, probably, as refreshing to
beasts as it is to people. But in the month
OF August nearly all domestic animals suffer,
tar more than we imagine, for want of good
water. Sheep will thrive far better if they
can have plenty of water. And if mich
COWS must drink stagnant water wherever
they can find 1t, how is it possible for them
to give their usual flow of good milk? 1t is
impracticable for them to do it,
Some people allow water to stand in
troughs, day altar day, and compel their ami
mails to drinkit all up. Did such people ever
drink water from an old dirty slop pail, after
1t had been allowed to stand in the sunshine
for two or three days? Let them try the ex-
pertinent of such water, and wait for the re-
suit; and then they VIII be prepared to ex-
press correct opinion whether or not such
water Is as good for stock, i'll the sultry days of
August, as pure water could be.
Water troughs and water tanks should be
| cleaned frequently, during the hot days of
August, and fresh water pumped into them
several times during the day.
Mich COWS require a vast quantity of pure
water i'll hot weather, III order to produce
their usual flow of good milk
Pig PROrECToRs.-0ne of the troubles in a
pig-nursery is the OVERLAPPING of the juvenile
swine by a careless maternal hog. 1t is not
at all agreeable to the proprietor of such
stock, when he has progressed so far as to
count his chickens after they are Matched, on
visiting his pi G nursery in the morning, where
he had left, the night before, a dozen of the
cunning little juveniles, to find half of his
| pets Hat and stiff as a cold johnny cake, from
having been laid on by their mother. To Sc
cure the little pOrkers in their inalienable
rights OF life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness, We have seen plan Of this sort:
Against the walls OF the apartment devoted
to the pig-bedroom, fix a plank like shelf,
about IL loot wide and some eight or ten inch
es from the floor, SO that when the female
swine lies down to rest, or give sustenance to
her little folks, there will be space between
her and the sides of the pen, which she can
not occupy, and into which the pigs can re-
treat in case of pressure. Sows over-lay
pigs from their backs; not from the side
where the pigs get their dinner, and by this
contrivance, the pigs are shelved away,
and the mamma may roll about upon her bed
with impunity whereas if she could press her
brood to the wall, there would be a smart
chance for It pig funeral, and many OF the
| hopeful flock would never arrive to the years
of discretion.