Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-12-27
AGRICULTURE.

3S1 ,OO2, 900 pounds, valued at $26, 49,
96S.
FRENCH tobacco contains to s per
cent of nicotine; Virginia tobacco, s to
z; Maryland and Havana about 10 per
cent
OF tobacco, Massachusetts averages a
yield per acre of $40 pounds; New
Hampshire, 1900; Pennsylvania. ], $50;
Wisconsin, 500; Virginia, 600 pounds.
JOHN JOHNSTON, the veteran New York
farmer, near Geneva, has frequently fed
out to his cattle forty-five tons of oil
cake per year. He has always argued
that grain and stock and grain raising
must go together when it is proposed to
keep up the fertility of the soil.
One pound of corn, oats or barley is
equal, as regards the food it furnishes,
to q pounds of mangels, 103 pounds of
straw or So pounds of cabbage.
SHOWING the results of scientific farm
ing, while Austria produces on one
square mile 1896 head of stock, Prus-
STA, within the same limits, raises 1887,
France 500, Great Britain IL, Az. In
Belgium, where agriculture is most nat
urally pursued, q square mile produces
means of nourishmentf for ,345 persons,
whereas in Poland the farming produces
food for only 9, 229 persons per square
mile, and, taking the world at large, a
far less average than this is obtained
WHAT GRAPES TO PLANT.-To the fire.
quent inquiry what grapes to set out for
a moderate family supply, the answer
would be most safely confined to old.
well-proved sorts, at moderate prices;
say the following for succession in ripen-
ing: Hartford Prolific, Delaware, Grey
cling, Concord, Diana, Catawba. More
extended lists will embrace Adirondack,
Iona, Rebecca, MaXatawney, Israella,
AgaWam, Wilder, ETC.; and those who
can pay higher prices may add several
of the newer and promising sorts, as
Brighton, Lady Washington, Lady, etc.
To BREED PICS SUCCESSFULLY From
the experience of successful swine breed
ers it is pretty well established that to
keep pigs growing and thrifty all winter
1t is important to give them a dry, warm
place to sleep; good drink, either warm
slop or fresh pumped water; and to keep
not too many hogs in an enclosure, and
they as nearly as possible of size. If
you have large and small together, the
big ones will run over the little, and
they will not get their share of food.
There is much more danger Of cholera
or epidemic diseases where the condi-
tiOns mentioned above are disregarded
than where hogs are kept thrifty and
growing, and certainly there is more
profit. A dry, warm bed is a cheap
luxury for hogs III winter, and every
farmer should prepare a shed and plen-
ty of material in the fall
THE PIGs-The pigs require warm
shelter as much as. any animals. Do
not imagine, because they can endure
cold, that it is of any benefit to them.
Keeping swine IN a piggery open to the
cold, perchance with no bed but the cold
wet earth, is like throwing food into a
river; for it requires food to keep up
the animal heat, and the food fed, first
goes to this work, second to increasing
the flesh. A warm, clean house is
cheaper than grain.
ORCHARDs.-The orchard needs atten-
ton now. Young trees especially
should be mulched. A couple shovel
fuls of compost should be placed around
the body of each one Of them. This is
a good protection against mice in the
winter, it guards the tender rootlets
from injury from sudden changes of
temperature, and if spread on the sur
face of the ground in spring, promotes
the growth of the trees and increases
both the quantity and quality of the
fruit.
PRUNING GRAPE VINES.-Grape vines
should now be trimmed. This gives the
wound some time to harden before being
lain down, and will not bleed when taken
up in the spring. Before winter sets in
they may be lain down and covered an
inch or two in the earth. This is sure
and safe covering, and it may be done
about as quickly as to fuss with straw
or boards or brush, which affords so
good shelter for mice. Remember to
cut away the old wood, as it is this
years growth only that sends out bear
ing shoots next year. This is the only
secret there is in trimming vines. They
may be made to grow in any desired
or fancy shape if this rule is only obey
ed. Leave from three to five feet long,
according to the size and strength of the
root.
The MILAN APPLE.-This good old
apple seems to hold its place in local.
ties where it is hardy. That is, south of
the latitude of St. Louis. The Farmer
and Fruit Grosner. Il southern Illinois
journal says: "In setting out an orch
ard, do not fail to plant q few acres of
the Milan apple. The fruit is not large,
but is excellent. In apple sauce and
pies they are superb. The flavor of
these apples is very fine, whether they
are eaten raw or cooked. They are the
especial delight Of children, being deep
red, juicy, and pleasant sub-acid."
OLD TREES AND CLOSE PLANTING.-Ai
writer in the Builder describes the pres
ent condition of the plantations of trees
in Kensington Gardens, London. Many
of the trees are nearly 200 years old, |
and being originally planted at distances
of only five, four, or even three feet |
apart, present now bare poles, many |
dead at the top, and the branches closely |
interlaced with each other. What a
contrast these tall deformities present |
with round, full-headed, rich, spreading |
trees that have grown in ample space. |
Grounds, which cost $4,000 a year as
these do, ought to show better keeping,
for although it is now too late to entirely |
remedy the evil of original close plant
ing, it may be lessened in some degree
by cutting out dead and deformed trees.
and leaving more space for the best and
most vigorous.
MULCHING AND MoIsTURE.-It is a |