272 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



decay, it may have been more fully suited for its 

 present adranccd purposes, and tl)us the phos- 

 pliatc of lime and other constituents of blood 

 may dilfei" in their applicability for re-appropria- 

 tion, from the same materials in a less advanced 

 state. We all know that when a plant or ani 

 mal decays, or is consumed in any way, that its 

 ultiraates pass back cither to the soil or the at 

 mosphcre, and ai-c re-united in some new organ- 

 ic form ; no one particle is ever put out of exis- 

 tence — and may not this bo tlio cause why many 

 manures are to be found so much more elfective 

 than others of similar composition? 



All know tliat the ultimatcs contained in a 

 green crop, when applied to the soil from origi- 

 nal sources, will produce no such result as is 

 consequent upon the plowing under of a green 

 crop. 



We all know that night-soil, urine of animals, 

 stable manure, etc., produce effects in vegetable 

 growth not to bo. arrived at by the use of the 

 some constituents direct from the rocks." 



The article from which the above extract is 

 made is entitled, "Advancement of ultimates by 

 their use in organic Nature." I have placed in 

 italics the leading thought suggested. Whether 

 it be founded in truth or not, it certainly is in- 

 genious, and plausible. If the atoms or jiarticles 

 of matter, which have once formed a part of a 

 plant or animal, are thereby changed in form, so 

 as to be more readily taken again into vegetable 

 growth, it may be further interesting to inquire, 

 by what processes, in the laboi*atory or out, these 

 peculiar forms may be destroyed or preserved. 



The idea that they are thus changed, and that 

 neither chemistry nor any other science can de- 

 tect the change, gives new support to the old 

 fashioned notion, that experience is better than 

 theory. u. f. f. 



ANIMALS FORETELLING THE 

 WEATHER. 



INSTINCT AND REASON. 



It is said that the woodcock in New-Jersey is 

 building its nest, this year, in open and moist 

 places ; and old huntsmen predict in consequence 

 that the summer will be a dry one. There was 

 a time when science, or what was called such, 

 laughed at signs of this description, as no better 

 than "old women's tales ;" but thougli many of 

 them are still unreliable, a larger observation ot 

 nature has taught that animals have an instinct, 

 which not unfrequently becomes prophetic, as in 

 this example. At last year's meeting of the 

 American Association for tlie advancement of 

 Science, a curious paper was read on tliis sub- 

 ject, by Mr. N. B. Thomas, of Cincinnati, wlui 

 had, for several years, studied tlie lialiits of ani- 

 mals in reference to the indications wliich they 

 might aflbrd respecting the weather. He showed 

 that birds, if tiie season was to be a windy or 

 wet one, build tlieir nests in sheltered places ; 

 but, if it was to be dry, in localities more ex- 

 posed ; that certain kinds of snails always came 

 out, and crept up the limbs of trees several days 

 before rain ; and that locusts, wasps, and other 

 insects were invariably to be found under leaves. 



and in the hollow trunks of trees, hours before a 

 storm set in. 



The sagacity thus displayed, if we may call it 

 such, seems to put the higher reason of man to 

 shame. In vain do our most expert sarayis en- 

 deavor to predict tlic cliaracter of an approach- 

 ing season, or even to foretell, a few days in ad- 

 vance, tlie condition of the weather. The wood- 

 cock that unerringly fixes its nest in the spot 

 best suited for the coming summer, or the snail 

 whose tubercles begin to grow ten days before 

 the rain tliey are preparing to receive, appear, 

 at first sight, to surpass the more developed men. 

 But the inferiority of those lower orders of ani- 

 mals is in tiie quantity of their endowments, 

 rather than in the equality ; they have a single 

 faculty developed to an extraordinary degree, 

 while man has, as it were, faculties almost infi- 

 nite. In thus adaptizing each organiication to 

 its special position, the wisdom of tlie Creator is 

 forcibly exhibited. — Philadelphia Ledger May U. 



For the Neiu En!;land Farmer. 



THE BLUE BIRBS--GUIIE FOR BLACK 

 KNOT. 



]\Iessrs. Editors :■■ — The blue bird returned to 

 us this year on the 23d of March, eleven days 

 later than the date of tlieir return last year. 

 Tlie robins were first seen on tlie 13th day of 

 JMarch, making their return some seventeen days 

 later than last year. Novr, as the season was 

 quite as forward and mild as that of last spring, 

 I wonder if the little travellers did not make a 

 mistake in their almanac, or if, like man, tiiey 

 have not degenerated from their ancestors of pa- 

 triarchal tiaics, who knew "their appointed 

 time." By the way, Mr. Editor, did you ever 

 see or hear of a white "hair bird?" You proba- 

 bly know tlie little fellow, a species of sparrow, 

 sometimes called chipping liird, who loves to come 

 round the house and make himself at home. 

 Well, not long since we saw one in a flock, per- 

 fectly white, its little feathery coat pure as snow. 



Another fact I have been treasuring some time 

 to send to you, thougli, if I mistake not, the 

 remedy named has been proposed before, but in 

 this it has stood the test of trial. A friend of 

 ours was at work in his garden one day, about 

 two years since, and about to cut down a plum 

 tree which was half covered with these black 

 knots, so common and so troublesome to the fruit- 

 grower. He had s>)me spirits of turpentine near, 

 and he suddenly bethought himself to make an 

 xperiment with this tree before destroying it. 

 lie cut the knots with a sharp knife down to the 

 wood, and made a thorougli application of the 

 turpentine. Months passed, the tree lived, did 

 well, and the black knot was destroyed. Since 

 tiien he has been very successful Avith this rem- 

 edy, and so have others who have followed his 

 example. Yours truly, A. E. Porter. 



Profits of Orchards. — A distinguished agri- 

 culturist, who has lOUO apple trees, and intends 

 to set out as many more, says that if apples will 

 sell at 25 cents per bushel, thiy are his most 

 profitable crop ; and if they will not sell, they 

 are the cheapest food he can raise for all kinds of 

 animals. 



