1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



113 



THE AM JRICAN CRAB APPLE. 



We manifest our appreciation of friend Fow- 

 ler's kindness in sending us specimens of the 

 American Crab Apple, the first we had ever seen, 

 by procuring the above engraving, which is a per- 

 fect portrait. The fjllowing description is from 

 Mr. Fowler. 



Dear Sir : — I send you some specimens of the 

 species of wild apples, found in the greatest abun- 

 dance in the mor^; southern portion of our union. 

 It is peculiar to this country, being distinct from 

 the common applj we cultivate, this being found 

 in the temperate parts of Europe and Asia. It is 

 indigenous in the Western and Middle States, and] 

 does not occur in Massachusetts. It is first seen 

 in New York, which is probably not far from its 

 northern limits. It would probably be an inter 

 estingtree in the f];arden, being distinguished for its 

 dwarfish habit, its beautiful rose-colored flowers, 

 diffusing a delightful odor all around, and its green 

 fragrant fruit, it can be propagated from seed, 

 or by budding, or grafting it upon the stock of the 

 common apple tree. The fruit, as you will perceive, 

 is small, and very sour, but it is capable of being 

 made into a fine preserve with the addition of su- 

 gar. Yours, &c., S. P. Fowler. 



Danvcrsport, Jan., 1853. 



5^^ Young persons often err grievously, when 

 they suppose certain practices to be safe because 

 others have pursued them without apparent harm. 

 For many men of fair exterior suffer from infirmi- 

 ties known to few. Those who cite their example 

 ■would often be dismayed if they knew tlieir condi- 

 tion. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 B2RD3 OF NSW SNGLAND. 

 THEIR PAST AND PRESENT IHSTORY. ...No. 2. 

 BY S. P. FOWLER. 



The belief, that swallows became torpid at the 

 approach of winter, and buried themselves at the 

 bottom of ponds, belongs to the past history of 

 our birds, being very generally believed by orni- 



tlrologists, previous to the nineteenth century. 



Mr. Foster, in his " Natural History of Swallows " 

 says, there is perhaps no subject in natural histo- 

 ry, which has more engaged the attention of nat- 

 uralists, in all ages, than the brumal retreat of 

 the swallow. Neither is there any subject, on 

 which more various and contrary opinions have 

 been entertained. ' 



The reader may learn the interest which the 

 subject of the winter retreat of the swallow l)as 

 excited, when he reflects, that few natural histo- 

 rians, from the time of Aristotle to our days, have 

 omitted the discussion of this subject. It has fre- 

 quently been alluded to, by the ancient bards ; and 

 even poems have been written upon it. In the 

 library of Sir Joseph Banks, is a curious one in 

 Latin hexameters, written in Holland, on the'oc- 

 casion of a swallow being found torpid, in an old 

 tree. In Prussia, and some of the northern coun- 

 tries, was the question of the place of their re- 

 treat considered of so mucli importance, by some 

 naturalists, that persons, who asserted themselves 

 to have found them torpid under water, were put 

 to their oath, or induced to make affidavits, and 

 give written documents, imp(n-ting the particulars 

 of the fact. The periodical journals were full' of 

 the controversy, about their place of retreat ; and 

 upwards of a hundred letters on the subject, were 



