1854, 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



401 



THE ROBIN. 



The Robin is a well known bird and familiar to 

 almost everybody. Innumerable thousands of 

 them are seen in the lower parts of the whole At- 

 lantic states, from New Hampshire to Carolina. 

 They migrate, to avoid the deep snows, from north 

 to south, and from west to east. Tlie robin builds 

 a large nest on an apple ti-ee, plasters it with mud, 

 and lines it with fine grass. When l)erries fail, 

 they disperse themselves over the fields, and along 

 the fences, in search of worms and other insects. 



The robin is one of our earliest songsters ; even 

 in March, while snow yet dapples the fields, some 

 few will mount a post or stake of the fence, and 

 make short and frequent attempts at a song. His 



notes in spring, are universally known, and as uni- 

 versally beloved. They are, as it were, the pre- 

 lude to the grand general concert that is about to 

 burst upon us, from woods, fields and thickets, 

 whitened with blossoms, and breathing fragrance. 

 By the usual association of ideas, we therefore lis- 

 ten with more pleasure to these cheerful birds, than 

 to many others of far superior powers, and much 

 greater variety. Even his nest is held more sacred 

 among schoolboys than that of some others ; and 

 while they will exult in plundering a jay's or cat- 

 bird's, a general sentiment of respect prevails on 

 the discovery of a robin's. He possesses much 

 suavity of manners ; and always seeks shelter for 

 hia young in summer, and subsistence for himself 



in the extremes of winter near the habitations of 

 man. 



The robin goes by several names ; some people 

 calling him the red-bird ; some the black-bird : 

 and others the American field-fare. They inhabit 

 the whole of North America, from Hudson's Bay 

 to Nootka Sound and as far south as Georgia. 

 They are too well known to require further de- 

 scription. — Library of Natural History. 



For the New England Farmer. 



PROFESSOR MAPES ON THE CULTURE 

 OF CARROTS. 



Mr. Editor: — Being on a visit to a friend, a 

 few days since, I wasshown a copy of the Gardener^ s 

 Magazine for June, 1854 In hastily running my 

 eye over the various articles, my attention was at- 

 tracted to some remarks on the cultivation of car- 

 rots, written by Professor J. J. Mapes. As I am 

 specially interested in the culture of that root, I 

 was glad of an opportunity to know what so dis- 

 tinguished a writer on agriculture had to suggest, 

 that was new. x\nd truly, there were some ideas 

 that struck me as quite new, and very remarka- 

 ble, not to say absurd. For instance, ho recom- 

 mends that "Those who plant carrot and other 

 slowly germinating seed early, should make use of 

 assistant seeds to break the soil. ]\Iix with the 

 carrot long scai-let radish seed. It will come up 

 in forty hours. The leaves of the radishes will 

 shade the carrots, and prevent the sun from baking 



them ; the radishes will mark the rows, and pre- 

 vent very much, the growth of weeds. Tlie long 

 top roots of the radishes will bring up moisture, 

 and thus assist in protecting the carrots." 



Now at the risk of being thought deficient in 

 reverence for scientific theorizers, I am compellecl 

 to believe this to be arrant nonsense. No one is 

 more willing than myself to receive instruction 

 from any one, learned or ignorant. But I cannot 

 receive as truth everything which is put forth by 

 those who have the reputation of learning. Give 

 me, in my instructor, with the largest possible 

 amount of learning, a habit of close, careful ob- 

 servation of facts, and I will bow with what rev- 

 erence is in me to the teachings lie may bestow. 

 But if such instruction as the abpve comes from 

 the learned Professors of the science of agricul- 

 ture, who can wonder at the contempt in which 

 "Book Farming' '.s held by the followers of the 

 common sense experience of their fiithers? I have 

 had some little experience in the raising of carrots; 

 and though I have no reason to suppose my seed 

 unusually strong, they have shown themselves ful- 

 ly competent to "break the soil" alone, wliether 

 sown early or late, if they were supplied with suf- 

 ficient moisture. I think the Professor must have 

 a peculiar breed of radishes ; and if they can be 

 warranted to draw up more water than they want 

 for their own selfish purposes, and generously be- 

 stow the surplus on the carrots ; if they have the 

 disposition and the power to make their shade 

 benefit the carrots, and at the same time hinder 



