1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



5S9 



traction of the oil, and the repuhs in its use for do- 

 mestic purposes, I am compelled to believe, that 

 the oil extracted is equal if not superior to any 

 oilier now in use; answerinfj the place of olive 

 oil, (or \hf table, and P|iermeceti, and all other 

 kinds now in o-eneral use, lor all the requirements 

 of painting, liijhtint^ of lamps, &c. 8cc. 



This may appear a very broad assertion to those 

 who have lor the first time had the subject brought 

 to their view, and to others who have i'aUen into 

 the received opinion, that the oils now in use are 

 the best, because they answer the immediate wants 

 and requirements ; not reflecting that it takes two 

 or more of these specific kinds and qualities of oil, 

 to supply the necessary wants and uses — when 

 this oil, if properly cultivated and prepared, will 

 answer, if not take the place of all others put to- 

 gether. 



A grand desideratum, and which ought not to 

 be lost sight of, is, that lor lamps, it burns as long, 

 gives a clear and more brilliant light, exhales no 

 disagreeable or unhealthy odor, no apparent 

 smoke evaporates from the wicks, and consequent- 

 ly leaves none of those dark and unsighilv fea- 

 tures of soot attendant upon even our finest oils 

 now in use. All of which, without the aid of phi- 

 losophy, is apparent to even the most careless 

 observer, to be detrimental to the health of funi- 

 lies thus using them, and repugnant to the ollac- 

 tory nerves. 



These remarks hastily put to paper, is intended 

 to draw from you any information or experience 

 you maybe possessed of in regard to the sun- 

 flower plant, for the purposes here mentioned, or 

 as fiiod for stock or poultry ; and you will conlisr a 

 singular favor upon me, by letting me hear from 

 you on the subject so soon as convenient. 

 With respect, 



N. A. Adams. 



We have no experimental knowledge on the 

 subject of the foregoing letter ; and request that 

 any infirmation possessed by others may be af- 

 forded through our pages. In the agricultural and 

 other papers, sundry articles have appeared, within 

 the last twenty years, recommending the oil of the 

 seeds as a substitute for olive oil. But, so far as we 

 know, there has been no statement of practical 

 results, or of cost and profit. — Ed. F. R. 



A BIRD STORY. 



From the Cultivator. 



Milton, Ulster co. N- Y. July, 18.39. 

 Friend Buel. — I would not have ventured to 

 forward the following statement, were it not that 

 the narrator of it, Edward llallock, of the firm of 

 _Wm. Hallock & Brother, of Milton, Ulster, co. 

 is known to thee, and known to beof unquestionable 

 veracity. I have heard him before express his 

 conviction, that if birds were protected and che- 

 rished by farmers and others, we should never be 

 subjected to the loss of corn or other crops by grubs; 

 and that other noxious insects would be sensibly 

 diminished. There is a small kind of bird (the 

 males nearly black, the females brown,) that is 

 noted for being around and foUowins cattle in th„ 



field, as in the case I am about to detail. Mr. H. 

 says, "on the26ihofthe present month, I was 

 ploughing lor turnips, myself v/ith one team, and 

 my son with another; and observing that we were 

 fi)llowed by a fiock of the above litde birds, I took 

 it into my head to notice their motions, to ascertain 

 wnat was the attraction, when I perceived that 

 their object was grubs. We ploughed up plenty 

 ot a small white, and a large brown or gray frpub, 

 as well as some in a chrysalis state, and anijle 

 worms; all of them, excepting angle worms, ap- 

 peared to be acceptable to them; an"d as the sequel 

 will show, they were capable of devouring large 

 quantities. 1 should think that one would make 

 way with at least 100 per day. I cautioned my 

 son against making any motion towards noticing 

 them, in any way to intimidate them; as 1 found 

 they grew more and more bold in their honest av- 

 ocation, and as the land diminished in width, they 

 would remain in the opposite furrow when not 

 more than three or lour feet distant. At length 

 my son spoke cautiously, and said there was one 

 on his plough beam. I then stopped the teams 

 and told the boy to pick up a grub and throw it to 

 the bird that had distinguished itself by its tame- 

 ness. He did so; and the bird immediately seized 

 it. Encouraged by this. I told him to pick out the 

 next white one and hold it out in his fingers near 

 the ground; crawling down, he did sofand the 

 bird came and picked it out of his finiiers! After- 

 wards he stood up and held out one,''and the bird 

 lighted on his hand and picked out the worm. This 

 was repeated until it lighted on my own hand; I 

 raised it up and applied my cheek to its wing 

 wuhout frightening it away. The next day he 

 vyas not slow in finding us, and practised the same 

 familiarity, in presence of James Sherman, Wil- 

 liam Hallock, and others cf the neighbors; it came 

 into the corn field where the boys "were weeding 

 corn, and actually, without any special attraction" 

 perched upon the head of one of the boys; it con- 

 titiued these visits until one of the boys in an ad- 

 joining field, could not repress his inclination to 

 seize and hold if. This made him more wary, 

 but he gradually recovered his confidence." I 

 communicate these facts in the hope that they may 

 contribute to produce an examination into the sub- 

 ject, of how far it would tend to the agricultural 

 interests, to fall upon some method to tame and 

 fimiliarize small birds,instead of frightening, maim- 

 ing, or destroying them. E. Hull. 



TO CURE WOUNDS ON HOUSES AND CATTLE. 



From tlie Genesee Farmer. 



Mr, Tucker — 1 became a subscriber at the com- 

 mencement of the 3d. volume of the Weekly Far- 

 mer, and in the first No. of that volume, I found a 

 recipe to cure wounds on horses and cattle, 

 which alone has been worth more to me than ten 

 years' subscription, and I think it would confer a 

 favor on thy patrons to republish it in the present 

 volume. 



Silas Gaylord. 



Skaneateles, 1th mo. 26, 1839. 



The (bllowinff is the receipt alluded to, in the 

 above note of Mr Gaylord: 



As there are many useful receipts hidden from 

 the public, for the sake of speculation in a small 



