1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



175 



beneficence of God are nowhere more manifest 

 than in the numberless objects in both the vegeta- 

 ble and animal kingdoms, made to adorn, beautify 

 and furnish this world, created for man's dwelling- 

 place. The endless variety and incomparable beau- 

 ty of the flowers that embellish the hill-side and 

 the valley, the woods and the mountain, seem 

 enough to awaken feelings in every mind, of unut- 

 terable joj', gratitude and delight. Then to all 

 this add the innumerable number of insects, birds 

 and reptiles, whose shrillings, songs and peepings 

 are heard severally in their seasons, and how much 

 does the earth, even now, fall short of being a par- 

 adise to him who enjoys all these things, with their 

 infinite and untold accompaniments? Alas, alas, 

 that so few seem to find pleasure and delight amid 

 this display of objects beautiful to the eye, so ad- 

 mirably fitted to minister to the highest earthly 

 joy and felicity, and that so many should seek their 

 happiness in the base indulgence of carnal appe- 

 tites and passions. But to return from this seem- 

 ing digression. 



The white snow-bird has been seen as far south 

 as Maryland and Kentucky. It has been known to 

 breed in this State and Maine, but generally mi- 

 grates to the north for this purpose. It builds its 

 nest on the ground. It subsists on grass-seeds, in- 

 sects, and very small shells. In length it is about 

 seven inches. In some parts of the country it is 

 simply called white-bird. 



The chickadee or black -cap titmouse (Parus at- 

 ricapillits,) is by some called a snow-bird, because 

 frequently seen in the depth of winter. It is an in- 

 habitant of the northern regions, and has been seen 

 as far north as the 65th degree. Audubon noticed 

 it in Maryland. It has also been observed in Ken- 

 tucky, and as far south, says Zadock Thompson, as 

 the Gulf of Mexico. It is so common that it needs 

 no description here. They frequent orchards, late 

 in the fall, and seem like the woodpecker, in pur- 

 suit of the eggs and larvae of insects. The habits 

 of this little bird resemble those of the v/oodpeck- 

 er family. It makes its nest in the hole of a tree, 

 and raises usually two broods a year. 



These species now described embrace the more 

 common snow-birds. They have all doubtless been 

 often observed by the readers of the Farmer this 

 present winter, and will continue to be occasional- 

 ly seen until April, when they will migrate north- 

 ward to spend the summer and breed. 



For the New England Farmer. 



THE SKELETON OF BLACK HAWK. 



Mr. Editor : — I am here, e?i route for your city, 

 with the remains of the once celebrated horse, 

 "Black Hawk." It may be interesting to your 

 readers, especially that portion of them who feel 

 the least interest in the science of veterinary medi- 

 cine, to know that David Hill, Esq., has donated 

 the above to our infant institution, the "Boston 

 Veterinary College ;" and so soon as I shall have 

 prepared the bones and articulated them, the pub 

 lie shall have an opportunity of viewing the osseous 

 fabric of a horse, whose like the world has never 

 seen. I have spent the past week at Mr. D. Hill's 

 hospitable mansion, engaged in divesting the bones 

 of their fleshy and tendinous tissues, and I am un- 

 der great obligations to that gentleman, and his son 

 Charles, for valuable assistance rendered on the 

 occasion. 



I just give you this brief item of news to satisfy 

 those who feel an interest in the matter, that the 

 remains of "Black Hawk" are in safe keeping, and 

 that instead of b(!ing left to decompose and resolve 

 into their original constituents in mother earth, 

 they shall now serve as a typification of the Amer- 

 can trotting horse, and also aflbrd the professors of 

 our college an opportunity to demonstrate the pe- 

 culiar anatomical differences that exist between his 

 frame and that of other breeds. 



I consider Mr. Hill's donation one of great value 

 to our college, and one that will be looked upon in 

 years to come, as a rare and inestimable relic. 

 Yours, with respect, G. H. Dadd, V. S. 



Rutland, Vt, Feb. 18, 1857. 



For tlie New England Farmer. 



WILD FLOWERS. 



Mr. Editor: — I have had considerable experi- 

 ence in raising and trying experiments on different 

 plants and shrubberry, and will tell you what I did 

 with some wild flowers. Being defeated one winter 

 in keeping alive some valuable plants, the coming 

 spring I determined to bestow my labor upon some- 

 thing of less value. Accordingly, when spring came, 

 I emptied all the dirt out of the pots and boxes, 

 and replenished them with a light, rich soil from a 

 hog-yard. 



When wild plants made their appearance, I trans- 

 planted a root of the common dandelion ; in another 

 pot a catnip root ; in another, a buttercup ; in anoth- 

 er a violet root ; and furnished them all with the 

 same kind of soil. But the parsley plant was the 

 most beautiful of all, and grew most luxuriously. 

 All were watered well with pure water ; suds is 

 hurtful to most kinds of house plants. But I soon 

 perceived that the violet began to droop, and thought 

 it best to throw it away, but looking over the pages 

 of an old book treating of flowers of every descrip- 

 tion, I went into the woods and procured a quantity 

 of light "earth scraping," and a rock moss, and 

 gave a fresh filling to the pot which contained the 

 blue violet, and had the satisfaction of seeing in a 

 short time the most splendid leaves and blue flow- 

 ers I ever saw. As for rapid growth and richness, 

 the parsley exceeded every other plant. 



The violets and buttercups blossomed double, and 

 much larger than in a wild state. The flowers of 

 the catnip were of a pure white, the leaves had the 

 appearance of deep green velvet. The parsley ran 

 over the box, the blossoms much larger than usual, 

 and some of the vines were over a yard in length. 

 The box was hung up some distance from the floor. 



The above plants were much admired by visitors. 

 The exclamation was frequently heard, "O, how 

 beautiful ! what rich looking geraniums they are," 

 and when informed what they were, they were sur- 

 prised as well as pleased. Could not the above be 

 truly applied to the uncultivated mind ? How often 

 we see the most beautiful expansion of intellect beam- 

 ing forth with almost an unearthly brilliancy from 

 individuals ; those whom, like the wild plant in the 

 back yard, were once, perhaps, through stern mis- 

 fortune and cruel neglect, as uncultivated. 



Worcester, 1857. Mrs. E. B. R s. 



{^ Lemon juice is principally relied on by the 

 physicians in London for curing rheumatism. Thre« 

 table-spoonfuls per day is a dose for a man. 



