506 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



my luck," "1 don't see what it need rain for, ting judicious fertilization. If any one wants to 

 when I have got so much grass down." Farmer i see a handsome orchard, let them visit the one I 

 Allen's face looked as pleasant as a spring morn-! have mentioned, and they will not be disappoint- 

 ing. Among the many virtues of the hay-caps, led. Directly alongside of this, another gentle- 

 there is one that I have never seen in print, and \ man set out an orchard, about the same time, 

 that is, tl;iat they save the temper and patience i and not fancying dirt upon fruit, be sowed his 

 of the farmer, as well as his hay. [ land to grass. His trees appear to be about half 



The next morning, after the sun had dried the as large as those first named ; and there does 

 dew from the grass, I went out and took the not appear to be any hazard of the fruit being 

 caps from the cocks myself, and there was not a dirtied by falling — for I did not discover any on 

 cock of hay in the entire field protected with a the trees. 



hay-cap that was injured. The hay smelt as. Another instance he showed me, of an orchard 

 sweet, looked as bright and felt as dry as if it set about two years since, where the proprietor 

 not stood out all night in a drenching rain. The determined to have something better than any 

 cock left uncovered was drenched — its swfet oiiC else, put several bushels of strong manure 

 odor and light color was gone. It had to be, from his barn cellar, and covered it slightly with 

 carefully spread and tossed again, while thatjdirt. These trees started well at first, but under 

 covered was merely opened sufiiciently to let the the powerful heat of the sun, and the excess of 

 steam escape, when it was ready to be taken to; stimulation from the manure, have been over- 

 the barn. I was satisfied that the good services done, and from present appearances, will be en- 

 of the caps paid their cost in this single instance, 'tirely done in two years more. Proving what is 

 and that no farmer can afford to do without i often found true — that "too much of a good thing 

 them. lis good for nothing." P. 



Another time I may write something more of i September 6th, 1859. 

 what I saw while paying a visit to the "Horat 

 stead of Farmer Allen." Freeman. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE BOBINS. 

 VERSUS SENTIMENTALISM. 



Fur the New Ens;land Farmer. 

 CUIiTURE AND OVEaCULTUKB. 



Sunny Side, Aug., 1859. 



Remarks. — If "Freeman" would be glad to 

 see his articles free from errors, he must write ^^ Editor :— I have recently noticed several 

 more legibly, and construct his sentences with, articles in your paper about the robins, those 

 more care. impudent robbers of our gardens. There has 



been a great rieal of fine talk and fine writing 

 about the matin songs of the feathered choirs, 

 and their morning hymns of praise, which is all, 

 doubtless, very pretty, and very artistic, but it 

 On my way from Newhuryport, yesterday, 1 1 fails to be appreciated by us gardeners who de- 

 called on my friend Hale, of Rowley, to view ipend in a great measure for a living on our fruits, 

 with him some specimens of undcrdraining of wet j We are told that the robins live chiefly on the 

 lands, commenced by two of his neighbors. I: larva of insects and on worms. I do not dis- 

 found the experiments well begun, but the gen-'pute the fact that they do eat insects until the 

 tlemen are too difl[ident to be named until their j fruits aff'ord them a diet that they like much bet- 

 work is done ; therefore I will say no more about: ter. But what is the use of telling us that they 

 the draining, at present. I reminded them that do but little or no harm, when every gardener 

 undcrdraining need not be confined to low, wetiknows that they will, if permitted, take every 

 land, but that it was equally beneficial to high! strawberry and cherry from his garden, and with 

 lands that were not generally esteemed wet. [all the care he can take, they do actually destroy 

 That the auroral light of draining had just burst j or pilfer^at least, half the berries he raises, and 

 out at Exeter, N. H., — and that Judge French's 

 book, which could be purchased for one dollar, 

 would tell all they need to know, and more. 



What I particularly want you to know, Mr. 

 Editor, is, what Mr. H. showed me in the way of 

 culture of fruit trees, on the grounds of his neigh- 

 bors, Messrs. Proctor and Morrison. About ten 

 years since, Dr. Proctor started the purpose of 

 growing fruit, and procured from one of the best 

 sources in North Salem, (Mr. Wade,) a hundred 

 or more choice apple trees, chiefly Baldwin. 

 These were set near his house, by the hands of 

 Mr. Hale himself, on light land, well fertilized. 

 The trees were set twenty feet apart, and between 

 the apple trees were placed peach trees, designed 

 to be removed, when the apple trees grew. The 

 land has been kept under culture ever since ; the 

 trees look healthy and thrifty, spreading, on an 

 average, sixteen feet in diameter ; and what is 

 best of all, are now as handsomely loaded with 

 fruit as any trees I ever saw. So much for keep- 

 ing the land loose among the trees, and not omit- 



those thi earliest and best. I have a fine bed 

 of strawberries, and a good many cherry trees, 

 and the past season, I am sure, the robins took 

 at least half my strawberries, notwithstanding all 

 the scare-crows and scare-birds we could contrive; 

 and as for cherries, we did not have one fit to 

 eat. Besides their depredations upon these fruits, 

 they made sad havoc of currants and gooseber- 

 ries, and picked a large share of my peas. I had 

 a fine row of the Champion of England peas, 

 which I left for seed, and where I expected two 

 quarts, I got perhaps half a pint. 



Now I profess to appreciate music and beauty, 

 but when they are attended with so much annoy- 

 ance, it interferes sadly with my enjoyment of 

 them. I can appreciate a fine dish of strawber- 

 ries and a basket of plump, blushing cherries, as 

 well as music and song. I want them both ; but 

 if I must have the music at the expense of the 

 fruit, I choose to have the music from other vo- 

 calists than the birds. 



I have been studying the habits of the robins 



