222 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Jan. 35, 1833. 



Boston, Wednesday Evening, Jan. 35, 1833. 



WORKS OF A WOODPECKER. 



James Vila, Esq. of Bedford, Ms. has left in our 

 office a sample of the labors of the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker, (Picus erylhrocephalus) wliich exhibits 

 a curious specimen of the power and industry of 

 that little animal. This consists of the branch of a 

 young tough white oak, between 2 and 3 inches in 

 diameter, perforated to its centre by the bill of the 

 bird. The liole is as neat and well defined as could 

 have been mortised by a mallet and chisel. The 

 object of the woodpecker, in this performance, was, 

 evidently, the attainment of a worm, probably one 

 of the species of the Borer which so often attacks 

 the apple tree. The worm had made a hole in the 

 branch about the size of a goose quill, 4 or 5 inches 

 below the place gouged out by the bird, and was 

 proceeding upwards wlien the woodpecker broke in 

 upon and devoured the depredator. That this little 

 despised workman, viz. the red-headed woodpecker, 

 with his head for a mallet and his bill for a chisel, 

 should make such a perforation is more wonderful 

 than the structure of the Pyramids or tlie Pantheon. 

 Yet boys and other bipeds, who think tlicy have 

 some claims to respectability, are in the habit of 

 murdering woodpeckers without provocation and 

 without remorse ! 



Mr Cornelius Cowi.vc, of Roxbury, once inform- 

 ed us that he found in the stomach of a woodpecker 

 no less than 23 borers, which had been recently ex- 

 tracted. The tongue of this bird is sharp pointed 

 and bearded, on which he impales the insects which 

 reward his labors. The efforts of the woodpecker, 

 however, are often misunderstood, and tliey are 

 stoned or shot for their good deeds by the stupid 

 bipeds in whose service they arc engaged. Tlic 

 perforations they make to extract ineects are, by 

 some, thought to injure the tree wlich they are 

 ridding of the worm in its vitals, and death is the 

 reward which ignorance inflicts on its benefactors. 



Mr NuTTALL, in his Omilhology, ia speaking of 

 the habits of this bird, observes that ( The ancient 

 live oak, his cradle and residence, is clerishod as a 

 domicil ; he creeps around its pondertius withered 

 arms, views the passing scene with complacence, 

 turns every insect visit to his advantoge, and for 

 hours together, placidly reconnoitres tie surround- 

 ing fields ; at times, he leaves his lopy citadel to 

 examine tlie rails of tlie fence, or the ^oards of the 

 adjoining barn ; striking terror into hisilurking prey 

 by the stridulous tappings of his bill, ha hearkens to 

 their almost inaudible movements, and, discovering 

 their retreat, dislodges them from their burrows by 

 quickly and dexterously chiseling out the decaying 

 wood in which they are hid, and transfixing them 

 with his sharp and barbed tongue. But his favorite 

 and most productive retreat is to the adjoining fields 

 of dead and girdled trees ; amidst whose bleaching 

 trunks and crumbling branches, he long continues 

 to find an ample repast of depredating and boring 

 insects. When the cravings of appetite are satis- 

 fied, our busy hunter occasionally gives way to a 

 frolicsoBjQ or quarrelsome disposition, and, witli 



shrill and lively vociferations, not unlike those of 

 the neighboring tree frog, he pursues, in a graceful 

 curving flight, his companions or rivals round the 

 bare limbs of some dead tree to which they resort 

 for combat or frolic' 



FEEDING CATTLE, CALVES, &c. 



' Oil-cakes,'' says the Farmer''s Guide, ' are of great 

 use for feeding cows before calving. Flax-seed 

 broth or jelly is much recommended for fatting. It 

 is made by putting about a quart of flax-seed to 

 seven of water, and then let it stand about fortyeight 

 hours ; after which it is to be boiled gently for two 

 hours, stirring it frequently, to prevent its burning. 

 When cool, it is to be mixed with meal, bran, or cut 

 straw, and fed out at the rate of about two quarts 

 a day to each beast, and it is said to make a great 

 saving in the article of food. It is also useful for 

 fattening calves.' 



Sir Young says, ' I have for some time entertained 

 an idea, that skimmed milk might be prepared with 

 proper ingredients, effectually to answer the purpose 

 of feeding calves when the practice is to give new 

 milk from the cow, and at about a third of the ex- 

 pense. The articles arc treacle, [molasses] and tie 

 common linseed oil-cake, ground very fine, almost 

 to an impalpable powder, and the quantities so small 

 that, to make thirtytwo gallons, would cost no more, 

 exclusive of the milk, than about sixpence. It mixes 

 very readily and almost intimately with the milk, 

 making it more rich and mucilaginous, witliout giv- 

 ing it any disagreeable taste. Take one gallon of 

 skimmed milk, and in about a pint of it add half an 

 ounce of common treacle, stirring it till well mixed; 

 then take one ounce of linseed oil-cako, finely pul- 

 verised, and with the hand let it fall gradually in 

 very small quantities into the milk, stirring it in the 

 mean time with a spoon or ladle, until it be tho- 

 roughly incorporated ; then let the mixture be put 

 into the other part of the milk ; and the whole made 

 nearly as warm as now milk from the cow. After 

 a time, the quantity of oil-cake may be increased.' 



PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NEW 

 ENGLAND FARMER. 



We take the liberty to announce to our friends 

 and patrons that a solicitude to render our paper as 

 useful as it is in our power has induced us to pro- 

 pose fo publish, every week or two, short practical 

 original essays of one, two, or three columns, on the 

 best methods of cultivating many of the most useful 

 articles of produce, both in Garden and Field Hus- 

 bandry. By this means, we hope, in process of time, 

 to furnish a Cultivator's Dictionary, engrajted on the 

 stock of the New England Farmer. The Index, to 

 be presented at the close of each volume, will fur- 

 nish the reader with nearly all the facilities for 

 turning to and re-perusing any article, which are 

 presented by alphabetical arrangement. 



CJ^" We earnestly solicit the assistance of our 

 intelligent correspondents, farmers and gardeners, 

 in carrying the above proposed plan into eflTect ; and 

 hope our esteemed friend and patron in Albany may 

 approve of, and contribute his very efficient aid in 

 enabling us to enrich our columns with the fruits of 

 hia extensive reading and results of that experience 



wliich, under the guidance of judgment and science, 



has placed him at tlie head of American cultivators. 



Among other articles and subjects, we propose to 



include the following, viz. 



Tomatoes. — As you have professed to bo fond 

 of Tomatoes, Mr Editor, I >vill tell you how to 

 lave thciii for use during the whole year. When 

 ripe gather and throw them into a strong brine ; 

 and wlien wanted for use, soak them in fresh water, 

 pi'ol .'uid stow them as if fresh picked, withholding- 

 salt. J. B. 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SO- 

 CIETY. 

 The Standing Committee on Ornamental Trees, 



Flowers, Green Houses, &c. award the following 



premiums for the year 1831 : 



For the five best varieties of Chinese Chrysan- 

 themums, a premium of .$5 to Mr David Haggerston, 

 of Charlestown. 



For the best half dozen of Tulips, a premium of 

 $3 to Mr David Haggerston, of Charlestown. 



For the best half dozen of Ranunculus, a premium 

 of $2 to Mr P. B. Hovey, of Cambridge. 



For the finest varieties of Pinks, a premium of $2 

 to Mr David Haggerston, of Cliarlestown. 



For the best Carnations, a premium of $3 to Mr 

 John Lemist, of Ro.xbury. 



For the finest specimens of Cultivated Native 

 Flowers, to Messrs. F. & J. Winship, of Brighton, 

 a premium of $3. 



For the finest Roses, (including sixty varieties of 

 hardy Scotch Roses,) a premium of $5 to Messrs. 

 F. & J. Winship, of Brighton. / 



For the best Hyacinths, a premium of $3 to M 

 Augustus Aspinwall, of Brookline. 



