174 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



produce seed for another year's planting, got some 

 40 or 50, by planting these sections, the size of a 

 pea, some larger. I dug four of them after the frost 

 had killed the vines, leaving two to stand through 

 the winter, found the tubers from 14 to 24 inches 

 long, and al)out one inch through at the bottom. I 

 have but little fait"h in their succeeding in our cli- 

 mate ; they may do further south, but will not con- 

 demn them entirely, until after another year's trial. 

 I also raised about four quarts of the Japan Pea, 

 planted them early, did not fully ripen, pulled up 

 the stalks before the hard frosts, and stacked and 

 cured them in that way ; they are very fine for the 

 table, but not to be depended upon as a crop in our 

 latitude ; and I doubt, provided they could, whether 

 they would be profitable. Jas. H. Ferre. 



Agawam, Hampden Co., Mass., 1857. 



For the New England Farmer. 



THE SNOW-BIRD FAMILY. 



BY LEANDEU WETHERELL. 



A Pleasant Mockeey. — While the sun was shining brightly 

 on Sabbath forenoon, our ears were saluted with the joyous 

 sound of bird-music, and on looking from the window into the 

 yard we saw great numbers of summer birds busily regaling 

 themselves from the seeds on the weeds that were suflered to 

 mature there, and filling the air with their glad melody — very 

 grateful indeed to our feelings, but O, how tantalizing, since 

 the illusion was so soon to vanish by a relapse again into a 

 zero temperature ! The birds represented, were the various 

 species of swallow so common here all suminer, the thrush, wood- 

 robin and some others, which frequently do not migrate on the 

 approach of winter, but retire to the swamps and forest depths 

 for a home and shelter. The storm of the preceding night 

 probably had disturbed their domestic arrangements in their 

 asylum, and driven them to the abode of man for food. Would 

 it not be well if housekeepers would more frequently throw the 

 crumbs of the table about the doors and windows, to attract 

 these little serenaders that sometimes in this way visit our 

 dwellings, and contribute not a little to while away the weary 

 hours of winter. — Amherst Express, Jan. 16. 



Some one several weeks ago, inquired through 

 the JVeiv England Farmer concerning the white- 

 bellied swallow, and the snow-birds. The ques- 

 tion concerning the former species was subsequent 

 ly answered in the fourth number on the Swallow 

 Family. That relative to the snow-birds will nov/ 

 be considered, as these little visitors from the north 

 are seen in flocks by the roadside, about tilled fields 

 and farm-houses. 



The common snow-bird, {Fringilla Huelsonia,) 

 is well known, whose migrations, says Wilson, ex- 

 tend from the Arctic circle to the Gulf of Mexico, 

 spreading over the continent, from the Atlantic to 

 the Pacific. They usually make their first appear 

 ance as winter approaches, on the borders of woods, 

 in flocks of forty or fifty, more or less. As the 

 weather grows colder, they advance nearer the 

 dwellings of man, in search of food. When the 

 ground is deeply covered with snow, the pressing 

 demands for food cause them to approach even 

 unto gardens and barn-yards, where they glean, 

 appearing very familiar and lively, seeming partial- 

 ly domesticated. By observers, their Increased ac- 

 tivity, and assembling into large flocks, is regarded 

 as a sure prognostic of a storm. They are observed 

 everywhere over the States, during the winter, and 

 must, therefore, be an exceedingly numerous spe- 

 cies. They leave for their northern homes in 

 April, where they breed, far north of Hudson's Bay, 

 where they are seen on their migration about the 

 first of June. They are said to breed in the Al- 

 leghany mountains. They build their nests on the 

 ground like the sparrow family, which they re 

 semble. 



In some parts of New England, says Wilson, "I 

 found the oj)inion general, that the snow-bird ia 

 transformed in summer into the small chipping 

 sparrow, (or chipping-bird,) so common in that sea- 

 son. This is a mistake." This will account for 

 the mistake of a contemporary, whose pleasant lo- 

 cal paragraph is placed at the head of this commu- 

 nication. The birds which were then observed, and 

 whose notes were so acceptable, were probably the 

 common snow-bird, for the other species enumer- 

 ated migrate to the south to spend the winter, re- 

 turning very late in spring — about planting time — 

 with the exception of the sparrow, and leaving 

 while It is yet summer. The "wood robin" men- 

 tioned Is the wood thrush, an exceedingly shy bird 

 in Its habits, and one of the sweetest singers of the 

 bird tribe. It Is called the American nightingale. 

 Audubon says, "This bird is my greatest favorite. 

 To it I owe much." It is not very probable that 

 this bird, which does not make its appearance in the 

 spring for weeks after the swallow's advent, was 

 seen at Amherst in January. 



The color of the common snow-bird Is a bluish 

 black upon the back, abdomen and lateral tail-feath- 

 ers white. Length, six Inches. Bill, short and 

 stout. The snow birds, observers say, migrate in 

 the night. It was noticed by Dr. Richardson as 

 far north as 57 degrees ; and has been seen as far 

 south as 30. It is common In Northern Europe. 

 Its note Is a sharp chip ; hence It Is often called 

 the chlpplng-bird ; sometimes the blue chipplng- 

 blrd. 



The Lapland snow-bird, called also the snow- 

 bunting, (Fringilla lapponica,) is another species 

 of the snow-bird family. It is far from being com- 

 mon, being seldom seen, unless the winter be one 

 of unusal severity ; then It leaves its Arctic home 

 for more southern climes. In the winter of 1836, 

 numbers were shot on Long Island. Audubon ob- 

 served them in Kentucky and Missouri. They 

 feed on seeds and berries. They build their nests 

 on the ground. Their color varies with the chang- 

 es of the season. They are sometimes seen in 

 company with the first described species. This 

 bird is about seven Inches In length ; and has been 

 observed as far north as the 74th degree of lati- 

 tude. 



The white snow-bird, (Emheriza nivalis,) though 

 not very common. Is not deemed a rare bird In this 

 State, during the winter. The farmer frequently 

 notices these birds, as he does the common snow- 

 bird, ap])roaching quite near his barn and house, 

 coming into the garden and barn-yard, in quest of 

 food. They, like the preceding species, are lively, 

 joyous and happy. These birds, that thus frequent 

 the abodes of men during the inclement season, 

 seem well fitted to awaken feelings of pleasure in 

 the minds of observers. Even the cawing of the 

 crow, and the screaming and scolding of the garru- 

 lous blue-jay, serve, at this season of the year, to 

 arouse the latent feelings of pleasure in the minds 

 of such as love nature's sounds and melodies. 



"All discord is but harmony unknown," 



only to him who has no ear for music; for what Is 

 music, but sounds agreeable to the ear that is at- 

 tuned by the soul's being in love with nature's 

 voices, whether coming from her animate or Inan- 

 imate creations. The heralded dislikes of some 

 persons, serve to betray their lack of liberal cul- 

 ture. The Infinite wisdom, goodness, mercy and 



