670 HOW TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



and spliced, logs taken to the saw-mill for posts, railings, plank, 

 or any other lumber required on the farm daring the year ; it 

 would be well to have a good, well seasoned white oak, ash or 

 liickorv loo- sawed up for wagon tongues, harrow or plow beams, 

 oi otlier similar purposes, and the farmer, if he be much of a 

 uorkman, could thus repair many of his own implements, or he 

 could furnish what he knew to be good material for his wheelright 

 lo do it. 



Fa liners who have manure cellars should secure a supply of 

 muck, leafes, etc., in the early part of the winter, for increasing 

 iho manure i)iie ; leaves can be raked together in great quantities 

 in earlv winter, and no better material can be had for keeping the 

 stables and pig sty dry and comfortable. 



in time of peace it is well to prepare for war, and so during the 

 leisure of winter is the time to make preparation for the active 

 campaign of the summer. If an}^ implements or fixtures arc 

 needed on the farm during the summer, the farmer now has time 

 to make them for himself lie can now make a sled to mai'k his 

 ground for corn, boxes for hens' nests, coops for his chickens, 

 traps for varments, or do a dozen things that he may want done 

 when he has not time to do them. But during all his fixing and 

 doing he should allow himself time for recreation and improve- 

 ment, and for the reading and study of agricultural books and 

 papers. 



The Bird Question. — [From the Germantown Telegraph.^ The 

 Western New York Fruit-Grower's Society had a discussion at its 

 laf-.t meeting on the question of the value of birds upon the 

 premises of fruit-growers, and the burden of the comments was 

 against them, particularly the robin. Some of the leading fruit- 

 growers were down on the red-breast, and recommended the 

 shooting of as man}' as would clear the premises. One of the 

 speakers was a friend to hawks, crows, and owls, but said the 

 robin was very destructive upon cherries, strawberries, etc., etc. 



Another, and a solitary one, advocated birds. He said he had 

 un abundance of birds and an abundance of fruit, etc. Our own 

 premises are full of birds, and we encourage them to take up their 

 abode aljout us in every possible \va,y. They are rather greedy, 

 it is true, and take much more than their share of the cherries,; 

 especially the early ones. But is not the robin only; the black- 

 bird, the blue-bird, Hparrow, orioles, and particularly the cat-bird, 

 all freely help themselves, and, with the exception' of the black- 

 bird, are heartily welcome. We lose only a few strawberries, and 

 these among the early ripening ; but the robin here is not the only 

 depredator upon these. The cat-bird is its full match, and a 

 much slyer thief It is especially destructive upon the Delaware 

 und some other small grapes in September. 



But there is a remedy for the depredations of birds upon the 

 farly fruit which is very easy to apply. That is, to plant he-c 



