Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-19

tiful violet color, which is effectively
brought out by the distinct white margin
around the edge of each petal. The
plant grows about one and one half feet
in height, is of compact habit. and bears
large umbels of the above flowers in
profusion. A first clsss certificate of
merit has been awarded to the novelty by
the jury of the Society for the Encourage
ment of Horticulture in the RoEai Pcus-
sian States at their last meeting In
Berlin.
Joseph Mcdonnell, of Lexington, KY,
has achieved prominence lately by his
expressed desire to buy $4,000 OF Ken
lucky bumblebees that understand the
management OF clover. They are to be
sent TO Australia to assist in growing
clover there by carrying pollen from
bloom to bloom. A gentleman who came
from Australia last fail and bought some
stock from Mr.. Mcdonnell made the ar
rangement with Mcdonnell that the supply
begathered from the crop OF next season.
Ii has been known for years that it was
necessary to have them in Australia 1t
will make business for the small boy of
this country, and fun for the Australian
school-boy in time TO come.
Since the speculative era has set in to
its fullness in southern California says q
local paper, but little attention had been
paid by former horticulturists- be-
come heavy speculators-to the propaga-
ton of nursery stock. Very few oranges
or lemon stock has been plated, and
with the large demand uphold stock by
growers IN The northern part of our state
year or two will suffice to com pletely
exhaust it. The time will come, however
when an extraordinary demand will be
created for young fruit-trees, especially
the orange, lemon and apricot. Then
the wise man who prepares for that de-
mand now will reap a harvest common
surete with his wise forethought.
j. Ganzhorp, of Ann Arbor, Mich, in a
discussion on the best methods of keep
ing up the fertility of the soil, said he
thought little of stable manure drawn
from town, which too often filled the land
with noxious weeds. Rotten stable
manure drawn into the grapers caused
grape-rot. HIS experiments with clover
in the orchard, as well as in the vineyard
proved q perfect success. The rows
not seeded down he kept stirring with
the cultivator. The result was large and
we'll, developed peaches, perfect foliage,
which did not suffer from drought, and
the largest crop of grapes he ever had.
With more than SO per cent. of the
business property of the country under
mortgage, and 20 per cent. of the farm
property In the west, much of it paving
z and per cent. interest on the loans, it
Is refreshing fact to note this report
from Secretary Ives of the Connecticut
Patrons Mutual Fire Insurance company,
(the grange company, that of more than
100000 of Connecticut farm property
insured by the company less than TX per
cent is mortgaged.
Mr.. Walter G. Murphy, of New York,
has discovered that fish can be kept alive
a considerable time without change of
air and water by placing them in recep-
tacle, partly filed with water, and her
sealing the same. They are I'M
affected by changes of temperature, AZ |
quite healthy and lively on being re-
leased from the jar, while others placed |
in jars "quite full Of water, or in iar0
open and exposed to the air, died in
short time.
In England, the cry, "Fresh watercress-
es!" will be heard in the morning on |
the streets of all her large cities. Water
cress requires running water to perfect |
it, but the upland cress, which is similar |
in its characteristics, can be raised, with |
out extra care, in any garden. Cress |
crisp tenderness and slightly pungent
taste is highly relished. It will stand our |
coolest winters without protection.