292 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



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giiisb the sound of the cutting-machine when it is cutting sorgo, 

 and manifests greater impatience to be fed with it than it does for 

 grain. As to its value, as compared with other feed, I am unable 

 to say, but I think the feed crop may be very greatl}^ increased by 

 growinof sorgo. 



Mr. W. P. Peck, thought it was owing to its sweetness that the 

 horse liked it. Horses, he said, are fond of sugar. 



The Chairman stated that horses are exceedingly fond of mo- 

 lasses, and that saccharine matter fattens them rapidly. 



Dr. Snodirrass said when animals consume too much saccharine 

 matter, their flesh runs too much to cellular tissue. Too much 

 sweet is not good for any kind of animals. Mothers injure their 

 children, frequently, b}^ giving them too much sweet. The flesh 

 made by sweet food ia usually too babby to be really healthy- 

 Sugar does not produce strong muscular men nor animals. 



Bird Houses. 



Mr. George Bartlett, Hicksville, Long Island : "It is said that 

 blue-birds and wrens are both attracted around farm houses if 

 boxes are put up for them, but that the holes in the wren boxes 

 must be so small that the blue-birds cannot get in, otherwise they 

 will drive the wrens out. Now what I want to know is this : how 

 large the holes should be for each of the two species ; also, how 

 laro;e should be the holes of martin-boxes. I should like any other 

 information in regard to the construction and arrangement o# boxes 

 for l)irds." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — A hole an inch in diameter will admit a 

 wren, and will not admit a blue-bird. The hole for a blue-bird 

 should be one and a half or two inches wide; and for a martin 

 two inches wide, and three inches high. There should be a roost- 

 ing-stickfor the bird to light upon outside the hole. The cheapest 

 and ])est boxes for wren or blue-birds are made of gourds, which 

 are also cheap vessels for other purposes. 



Dr. Trimble — There is a mistake in the statement about the 

 blue-bird driving the wren from its nest. It is exactly the re- 

 verse. The wren will protect itself against any other bird. I 

 have known it to annoy robins so that they had to leave their 

 nests; and although a wren can go into an inch hole, it will not 

 choose one so small on account of getting in their sticks. There 

 is but one thing that I know of that can drive a wren from its 

 box. Bumble-bees sometimes get possession of the old nest before 



