Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-08
: University Notes.


Experiments in growing different
varieties of basket willows on the
swamp land of the experiment
farm at Madison. have been begun
by the department. of horticulture
of the llege of agriculture of the
Universit.' of Wisconsin under the
direction of Professor Z. P. Sand
stem. Several of the best varieties
of osiers or basket willows have
been obtained from Maryland and
Pennsylvania, with view to deter
mining which are adapted to Wis
consin conditions. Wisconsin has
thousands of acres of swamp lands
that are admirably adapted to grow
ing these willows provided the right
varieties are chosen and the proper
cultural conditions observed. At
the present time Wisconsin imports
more than three-fourths of the
willows used IN the large manu-
facturies of the state, and there is a
big and constant demand for them.
This country annually imports over
S., 00O, 900 worth of basket willows
from Europe. 1t is believed that If
the right varieties are chosen and
cultivated with sufficient care,
basket willows can be successfully
grown here.
nE-NTET uAPnV E1PT-TTC
A large collection of fruit trees
from Siberia have been received by
the college of agriculture of the
University of Wisconsin. The col
lection, which consists largely of
plum and apple trees, is said to be
the most complete of its kind in the
West. Many of the specimines have
economic value, and others are
purely ornamental. They will be
used largely in plant breeding ex-
periments carried On by the depart
ment of horticulture. It is believed
that by grating and crossing with
Anne lean varieties hardy types will
be developed that can be grown to
advantage in the northern parts of
the state. As native to Siberia,
these are very hardy though of
less delicate flavor.
By experimental work it is pro-
bable that the better qualities of the
American grown fruit can be graft
ed upon the hardy Siberian stock,
with a resulting variety combining
the desired qualities of both.
BIG PRICE FOR BERKSHIRE HOG.
The department of animal hus-
bandry of the University of Wis
consin college of agriculture has
sold a choice Berkshire boar, Star
Masterpiece End, No. IS, S52, to Fl.
C. Taylor, Orfordville, Wis, for the
extraordinary sum of $1,000. This
price, it is believed, is the highest
ever paid for a hog bred and de-
veloped in Wisconsin. The fact
that in the University herd there
are now over forty animals which
are the offspring of Star Master
piece End, and that there are also
other animals of noted strains being
matured, led the university to part
with this noted sire. Star Master
piece End was bred by Mr.. Taylor,
and was acquired by the university
when two months old; The breed
ing of the big Berkshire with his
promising characteristics gave as
surance of his developing into an
animal of unusual merit. The
manner IN which he has been cared
FOR and developed since his acquisi-
ton by the university is responsible
in no small degree for his value.
His pedigree reveals to one familiar
with Berkshire breeding that in him
is concentrated the best blood of
the breed. Breeding which COM
bines such meritorious ANIMALS as
those which appear III the pedi-
gree of Star Masterpience End gives
emphasis TO the Importance of ex-
ercising the most careful judgment
in selecting and mating in order to
obtain the most valuable results.