402 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



I : i iv ! not, by any direct observation of my own, 

 been a >1 • to verify this fact in reference to our 

 America;) ants. Mrs. Darling, on one occasion, 

 had the .good fortune, on raising a flat stone in 

 the spring, to see the ants pick up and carry off the 

 aphides, which had been housed for the winter in 

 the same habitation. I have no doubt, therefore, 

 but that our ants are, as Huber expresses it, a 

 'pastoral people,' as well as those of Switzerland. 

 It is quite probable that the aphis of the cherry 

 tree, in particular, is domiciled with the ants in the 

 winter, and in the spring as soon as the leaves are 

 unfolded, is carried by the ants to the trees, 

 where it finds pasture for the summer. It rather 

 confirms the supposition, that when the cherry 

 aphis first makes its appearance in spring, it is on 

 leaves very near the ground. I have had occasion 

 to turn this fact to account, in preserving my 

 young cherry trees from this destructive insect. 

 .... Peach trees which have been tarred in the 

 spring for protection against the borer or peach 

 worm, are never infested with the aphis — I sup- 

 pose because the ants cannot cany the aphides up 



the trees over the tar — Noyes Darling. " 



In your own remarks, Mr. Editor, in reply to the 

 inquiry of "Mount Grace," or in the remarks of 

 Prof. Harris upon the subject, I see nothing at 

 variance with the theory, that these insects are 

 the ants' "cows," watched, tended, and kept for 

 their milk, or honey-dew ; that they are kindly 

 housed in winter by the ants, and in summer taken 

 by them to pasture. If there is as much truth as 

 poetry in this theory, "Mount Grace" will no 

 longer wonder that his disturbing their well ar- 

 ranged dairy operations, should have aroused the 

 belligerent spirit of the industrious ants, nor that 

 they should be willing to fight in defence of their 

 herds and pasture-fields. s. f. 



Winchester, Aug., 1852. 



For the New England Farmer. 



SWALLOWS— DROUGHT— APPLES. 



Editor New England Farmer : — Sir, — Your ar- 

 ticle in a late number of your paper in regard to 

 the swallows, I think will not apply to this region, 

 as they are quite plenty here at this date. You 

 stated that they left almost invariably the last 

 days of July. Do you think a hundred miles' dis- 

 tance makes two weeks difference in their depar- 

 ture? (a.) The crops in this vicinity have suffered 

 some from drought, but are generally good. Ap- 

 ples are quite abundant. 



Yours, &c. c. m. l. 



New Britain, Aug. 10, 1852. 



STATE FAIRS FOR 1852. 

 The following is a list of the Agricultural Fairs 

 to be held, during the coming fall, in various sec- 

 tions of the Union : — 



Vermont, at Rutland September 1, 2, 3. 



New York, at Utiea September 7, 8, 9, 10. 



Ohio, at Cleveland September 15, 16, 17. 



Michigan, at Detroit September 22, 23, 24. 



Canada West, at Toronto September 21 to 24. 



Indiana, at Indianapolis October 19, 20, 21. 



Pennsylvania, at Lancaster October 20, 21, 22 



Wisconsin, at Milwaukee October 6, 7, 8. 



New Hampshire, at Meredith October 6' 7' 8 



£ e °H; ia -- October 18 to 23! 



Maryland, at Baltimore October 26, 27, 28 29 



Am. Pomological Congress, at Philadelphia Sept' 1.3 



American Institute, at New York October 5. 



American Ins. Exhibition of Stock October 19, 20, 2L 



MEETINGS OF COUNTY SOCIETIES. 



The following list gives the days upon which the 

 several Agricultural Societies in this State hold 

 their respective meetings : — 



Essex Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 29—30. 



Housatnnic Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 22—23. 



Franklin Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 22— 23. 



Worcester Thursday, September 23. 



Hampden Thursday and Friday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. 



Norfolk Wednesday, September 29 



Worcester, (West) Thursday, September 30. 



Middlesex Wednesday, October 6. 



Berkshire Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 6—7. 



Plymouth Thursday, October 7. 



Barnstable Wednesday, October 13. 



Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Oct. 6—7. 



Bristol Thursday, October 14. 



Hampshire Wednesday, October 20. 



Remarks. — (a.) No. Is CM. L. confident that 

 the barn, swallow was at New Britain on the 16th 

 of August? Was it the swallow with a steel-blue 

 band on the breast, and the same color on the 

 back; front and beneath chesnut-brown, paler on 

 the belly ; tail long forked, with a white spot on 

 the lateral feathers, the outer ones narrow and 

 long 1 It is important to notice the difference in 

 the birds, as there are some seven or eight kinds 

 of swallows, appearing and retiring at different 

 times, five of the varieties being common in Mas- 

 sachusetts, and probably all over New England. 

 We have not seen a single barn swallow now for 

 more than ten days, [Aug. 18,] and but a few of 

 the white-bellied, who were diligently feeding their 

 young and preparing them for their southern 

 flight. We are happy to find that attention is 

 turned to these lively and interesting birds. The 

 farm is a perpetual museum, containing number- 

 less specimens of the most beautiful creations. It 

 ought not to remain sealed and unobserved to any. 

 The swallow tribe has arrested the attention of the 

 wise and good through many ages. As far back 

 as the time of Anacreon, it was observed and ele- 

 gantly described by him in his 33d ode. 



"Lonely swallow, once a year, 

 Pleased you pay your visit here; 

 When our climes the sunbeams gild, 

 Here your airy nest you build; 

 And, when bright days cease to smile, 

 Fly to Memphis or the Nile." 



To Preserve Girdled Trees. — In the April 

 number of the Farmer, page 129, J. II. L., of East 

 Charlemont, Mass., inquires if any of your corres- 

 pondents know how to preserve trees that have 

 been girdled. Tell him to take out a block of wood 

 extending into the bark above and below the gir- 

 dle, and take from the body or limb of another tree 

 a block corresponding in size and shape, with the 

 bark on, and adjust it in the place, and bind it 

 there, on the principle of engrafting. I have re- 

 commended this plan before, and it has proved 

 completely successful. — C. Moore, Port Clinton, 

 Michigan. — Genesee Fanner. 



The Latest Lador-Savixg Machine. — It is said 

 that a Yankee has invented a potato digging ma- 

 chine, which, drawn by horses down the rows, 

 digs the potatoes, separates them from the dirt, 

 and loads them up into the cart, while the farmer 

 walks alongside, whistling "Hail Columbia !" with 

 his hands in his pockets. — Boston Journal. 



