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Pigs Slicking a Cow. — Fruit in Cincinnati. — S^c. Vol. IX. 



Pigs Sucking a Cow. 



For several weeks in succession our dairy- 

 maid complained that our best cow was de- 

 prived of her milk by some foul means. 

 That when she came trom pasture she had 

 just been milked, and that the udder was 

 still wet. I could accuse no one but a ten- 

 ant who lived near the lane throuo-h which 

 they passed, and which was generally open 

 from the cow-yard to the pasture. The ac- 

 cusation was denied with evident surprise. 

 At length 1 determined to watch the cattle 

 on their evening walk from their pasture, 

 and you may judge my surprise, when I 

 observed that on the cow mooing as if in 

 search of her calf, about fifty yards distant 

 from the yard, four shoats, three months old, 

 ran squealing down to meet her at their 

 utmost speed. The cow remained in the 

 rear of the others, and quietly and patiently 

 stood still till every drop of milk was ex- 

 tracted from her udder by the pigs; they 

 standing the while erect on their hind legs, 

 w"ith each a teat in its mouth. The place 

 for the operation was most favourably se- 

 lected, as small apple-trees interposed be- 

 tween the parties and the house, which 

 stands upon an elevation. The extraordi- 

 nary thrift of my pigs, which all along was 

 so discernible, was now accounted for; and 

 I learned a lesson which shall never be for- 

 gotten through life, viz., never to make ac- 

 cusation on mere circumstantial evidence, 

 unless strongly corroborated. 



I shut my pigs in a pen immediately. 

 The next morning the cow appeared as un- 

 easy without their visit as if she had lost a 

 calf, and the pigs squealed in answer, as if 

 they had been deprived at the time of their 

 mother. — Christian Intelligencer. 



Fruit in Cincinnati. — The Cincinnati 

 Atlas says, " It is estimated that the market 

 has been supplied with one hundred bushels 

 of large delicious strawberries daily, for 

 three or four weeks past. The raspberry is 

 now succeeding the strawberry in about the 

 same quantities, and the blackberry will 

 succeed the raspberry in the like profusion. 

 There are strawberry patches in the neigh- 

 bourhood containing about twenty acres, 

 cultivated by a single individual, and gar- 

 dens of the same size devoted to the rasp- 

 berry. These berries sell at the stalls in 

 the market, at five to ten cents per quart. 

 They form a standing dish on most of the 

 tables of the wealthy and middle classes : 

 and none so poor, but they are more or less 

 supplied. We have melons and peaches in 



great abundance during the season ; and as 

 for apples, we challenge the world to match 

 us." A late committee from the Horticul- 

 tural Society of that city, appointed to ascer- 

 tain the statistics in relation to the growth 

 and sale of strawberries in Cincinnati and 

 its vicinity, has reported, that in pursuing 

 their investigations they had found in the 

 market, during one day in the last week of 

 May, 235 bushels of this fruit; and this was 

 exclusive of the large quantities bought by 

 the hotels, and also of those brought into 

 the city after market hours, and bawled 

 about the streets. 



Anecdote of a Mandarin Duck. — Of 



this bird Mr. Beale related several anec- 

 dotes, which prove it not destitute of saga- 

 city. Upon one occasion, one of these birds 

 was for a few days removed from the aviary: 

 his mate seemed almost inconsolable, sitting 

 by herself near the brink of the fountain, 

 apparently in sorrow at the loss she had 

 sustained. Another dnck — a gay and dash- 

 ing fellow — attempting to pay his addresses 

 to the forlorn one, ducking around her, and 

 whispering, doubtless, many flattering things 

 in her ears ; but the faithflil bird heeded not 

 the charmer, and seemed highly to resent 

 his assidious attentions. At length the ab- 

 sent one was restored to the aviary ; when, 

 after a few moments, the duck was^ observed 

 in close confab with her mate, which seemed 

 much ruffled at her recital ; and no sooner 

 was it ended, than, advancing straight to his 

 rival, a furious battle ensued, and ere the)' 

 could'be separated, the injured bird had laid 

 the aggressor dead at his feet. 



Saving Flower Seed. — Instead of saving 

 seed from any blooms that may chance to 

 remain on, it should be saved from the best 

 well formed early flowers. The proper way 

 is to mark good flowers as soon as they can 

 be found, and let their seeds ripen well be- 

 fore they are gathered. Let them be from 

 good double flowers. When the seed is 

 rubbed out, only the few outside rows of 

 seed should be used : those which come from 

 the centre or disk, will almost always come 

 high. There are no means so effectual as 

 making the best early blooms of the best 

 varieties, and relying on those pods of seed 

 only. — Gardener and Practical Florist. 



Good buildings — good fences — ^good land 

 — good stock — good implements, and a long 

 purse, are among the requisites for the beau- 

 tiful, in forming. 



