352 Domestic J^otices. 



The Society awards medals for such collections or objects as are 

 considered deserving, but the plants were not marked for ])nzes, or the 

 names of the successful competitors made known. {Gard. Gaz.) 



Destruction of icood-lice and kermes in green-houses, by birds. — It 

 has been long known that various birds continually wage war on insects. 

 The sparrow race are the greatest destroyers of them, and many draw 

 their names from the modes in which they pursue the insects which most 

 contribute to their existence. Amongst these birds we find the tit-mouse, 

 or tom-tit {Parus lin.) of which there are three kinds in the neighbor- 

 hood of Paris. They may be seen at all times fluttering about in search 

 of their prey. Two of these are too heav}^ to be admitted into a con- 

 servatory, but the third, the blue tit-mouse [Parus ceruleus Eul.) is 

 small, and cannot do any damage to the plants. It is a pretty little bird, 

 olive on the back, and yellowish on the breast, with the top of the head 

 a clear l)lue. It is easily tamed, lives contentedly in a cage, and feeds 

 on crushed hemp-seed, for its bill is not sufficiently strong to break the 

 grains. Many persons complain of this bird surviving but a short time 

 in the cage, but the death is occasioned in every instance by want of at- 

 tention to bruising the food. AVhen wood-lice or kermes are seen in a 

 conservatory, all that is necessaiy is to shut it closely up, and let loose 

 one or two of these little birds. In a few daj'^s not a single insect will 

 be left. The birds, from time to time, enter their cage, and it can easi- 

 ly be contrived to shut them by means of a long string attached to the 

 little door. It was by chance that this easy mode of keeping a conser- 

 vatory free of insects was discovered by M. Poiteau, the French horti- 

 culturist. He has kindly communicated the fact to us, and assures us 

 that two birds are quite sufficient for the largest establishment. (Jc?.) 



Art. III. Domestic Notices. 



MocMs muUicaidis. — This species of the mulberry, of which so much 

 has been said, has stood out the last winter in Burlington, N. J., with- 

 out any injury. Whole fields of it were not in the least damaged by the 

 winter, which, though less severe than for several seasons previous, was 

 by no means without a share of intense cold. This will be taken as a 

 tolerable test of its hardiness, ])articularly in the middle states, especial- 

 ly upon light and dry soils and sheltered situations. In the vicinity of 

 Burlington many thousands of trees are growing, and much attention is 

 given to the subject of rearing trees and silk-worms. We are glad 

 to see this interest tak^'u; for, although the excitement which was cre- 

 ated in the New England states has pretty generally ceased, and the 

 planting of mulberry trees of all kinds, in a degree, given u]), still we 

 cannot but believe, that, whether the leaves upon which the worms are 

 fed are the produce of the white, the Chinese, or any other of the vari- 

 ous kinds of mulberry, which have been lately introduced, it will prove a 

 profitable source of investment to everj'^ farmer, from Maine to Florida. 

 Too great inducements were held out in the first instance, which had a 

 very injurious efl^ect upon the mind of the public, and has been the cause 

 of the sudden check which has been experienced. If very much small- 

 er estimates had been laid before our farmers, it would have been bet- 

 ter; but, expecting to realize a fortune in a year or two, before a tree 

 could scarcely have time to become rooted in the soil, and finding that 

 their expectations were doomed to almost entire disappointment, the in- 

 terest has subsided, and the planting and rearing of trees nearly given 

 up. We trust, however, that our farmers will agahi feel the importance 



