272 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



They usually build upon some sajjling, preferring 

 the Maple to any other ; and although they select 

 so clean a tree, and build so neat a nest, they are 

 exceedingly filthy in and around it, removing none 

 of the excrements of their young from the time 

 they are hatched till they have flown. One would 

 hardly believe, on seeing it, after they are fledged, 

 that this delicate looking bird that daily washes in 

 the cleanest water, that gently runs over the peb- 

 bles in some brook, reared their young in such a 

 foul nest. I do not know of any bird that breeds 

 amongst us, so filthy at home, nor of any when 

 abroad who appear so clean, or who seems to take 

 so much real pleasure in washing. This habit of 

 their frequent washing seems not to have been no- 

 ticed by Mi\ Wilson, but Mr. Audubon asserts that 

 "they seldom alight on the ground, unless to pro- 

 cure water, in which they wash with great liveliness 

 and pleasure." 



During spring and the first part of summer, they 

 rove about in small flocks, and in July will assemble 

 together in considerable numbers on a particular 

 tree, seemingly for no other purpose than to sing ; 

 these concerts are held by them in the forenoon of 

 each day for a week or ten days, after which I have 

 noticed they very soon commence building their 

 nest. I am inclined to believe this is their time of 

 courtship ; and that they have a purjjose in thus as- 

 sembling together other than that of singing. If, 

 perchance, one is heard in the air, the males utter 

 their call-note with very great emphasis, particular- 

 ly if it is a female ; and while in her undulating 

 flight she describes a circle preparatory to alighting 

 (as is always the case,) they will stand almost 

 erect, move their heads to the right and left, and 

 burst simultaneously into song. They do not quar- 

 rel, as male birds of other species usually do, at such 

 times, nor do any of them manifest in the least 

 degree a preference to either of the females ; when 

 they disperse, two or three leave the tree at the 

 same time flying wide apart, or each bird taking a 

 different direction. 



The nest of this bird that is now before us, is, as 

 I have already remarked, usually placed on a sap- 

 ling of the white maple, and built almost entirely 

 of hemp, tow or wool, and lined with the softest 

 material. Its exterior diameter is three inches, its 

 interior diameter is 1| inches, and its depth is 1^ 

 inches. The female usually lays four and sometimes 

 five eggs of a uniform bluish white ; they are eleven- 

 sixteenths of an inch in length, and seven-sixteenths 

 of an inch in diameter, and they raise but one brood 



m a season. 



Some years the Goldfinch is a resident of the 

 State of Massachusetts through all the seasons, and 

 in winter a flock is often seen flitting from one field 

 to another in search of food, of which in some in- 

 stances they obtain a small allowance, as the deep 

 snows sometimes bury, or the frozen rains encase 

 the stalks of weeds and grasses, which contain the 

 food upon which they live. 



Although a small bird, they are remarkably har- 

 dj , enduring the rigors of winter, and sporting over 

 th*^ snow as blithe and contented as when they 

 b{:sk in the sun, or bathe or plume their feathers in 

 th e month of June, and it really seems rather than 

 otherwise to them a season of pastime ; but the 

 cold winds which drive the snow from its northern 

 home, brings with them their most dreaded enemy ; 

 he perches upon some post in the fence, or topmost 

 "^anch of a tree, fi.-om which he can detect the least 



mo\'ing object within scope of his vision, and while 

 the Goldfinches are busy in gleaning for food in a 

 variety of positions, unconscious of an enemy about 

 them, the "Butcher bird" drives in their midst, 

 striking his victim and bearing him off" to the near- 

 est tree ; at this the whole flock is alarmed and rise 

 in the air, flying in all directions, not knowing 

 which course to take, while in the confusion small 

 detachments are formed from the main flock who 

 remain separate, until in subsequent time, they 

 meet the same or some other party. A. F. 



Danvcrsport, 1856. 



GOULD'S MURIATE OF LIME. 



We have made some experiments with this ma- 

 nure, on wheat, and with fine results. Since that 

 time it has been considerably improved by the ad- 

 dition of liquid night soil — the component parts of 

 this manure are all good. Below we give a letter 

 from a gentleman who has tried it. 



Mr. James Gould : — I take the present oppor- 

 tunity to acknowledge the receipt of a barrel of 

 your muriate of lime, about the middle of Aug., 

 through the agency of C. Young & Co., Boston. 



Owing to the lateness of the season, and the 

 drought which followed the long rains in July, a 

 fair trial of its merits could hardly be expected. 

 Yet the result of the experiments made with it 

 was highly satisfactory. I had a field of clover, 

 from which I had already taken two crops, that 

 season. Upon four square rods of this field I ap- 

 plied, as a top-dressing, about 40 pounds of muriate 

 of lime. The effect produced, occasioned much 

 surprise, for, where the fertilizer was applied, there 

 the growth of clover was heavy, rank and dark 

 green ; exhibiting a striking contrast between that 

 portion which was top-dressed, and the remamder 

 of the field which was not. I thought at the time, 

 that this third crop which was fed off, was equal to 

 the second crop which was cut. 



I tried this fertilizer upon different kinds of veg- 

 etables, and in one instance, side by side with 

 Mapes' Superphosphate of Lime, upon a few drills 

 of ruta-bagas, I could not perceive any difference 

 in the result, though the yield from these drills so 

 manm-ed was greater than from the rest of the 

 field. 



I think that this muriate of lime must be a val- 

 uable manure. Convinced by the result of these 

 experiments, I intend to top-dress my grass lands 

 and clover fields with it the next spring. 



Yours with respect, W. F. Wheeler. 



Grafton, J^ov. 22d, 1855. 



Vinegar Anemal. — Hue, in his travels in China, 

 gives a curious account of the "Vinegar Animal," 

 a polypus found in the Yellow Sea, which is placed 

 in a large vessel filled with fresh water to which a 

 few glasses of spirits are added; and, after tw^enty 

 or thirty days, this liquid is transformed into excel- 

 lent vinegar as clear as spring water, very strong, 

 and of a very agreeable taste. Additions of pure 

 water, without any more spirit, are ail that is nec- 

 essary to insure a perpetual supply. Like other 

 polypi, it propagates from a detached limb. The 

 formic acid of ants, and the exudations of the sHmy 

 grub which feeds on our pear leaves, contain vine- 

 gar. 



