238 Notes and Gleanmgs. 



Birds among Fruits. — For many years, there has been much complaint 

 among fruit-growers at the East because of the damage done to the fruit-crop 

 by robins and other birds. The strawberries suffer severely, and many dollars 

 are lost to the gardener because of the birds. The cherries suffer badly, as 

 well as the early pears, raspberries, and other fruits. When the grapes are 

 ripe, whole flocks of robins can be found about the vineyards, where they destroy 

 an immense quantity of this valuable fruit. We find that the fruit-growers of 

 the West are not exempt from this evil ; for many complaints come to us from 

 that section of country. Some owners estimate their loss at fifteen or twenty 

 dollars a day during the season of ripening fruits. The depredations have not 

 been committed by the robin alone ; but orioles, jays, thrushes, and catbirds 

 have each taken their part in the general destruction. It cannot be denied that 

 some of these birds are a benefit to the fruit-grower, and should not be destroyed ; 

 but we have not much to say in favor of preserving the common robin. In some 

 States, this bird is protected by the law ; the wise ones who yearly assemble 

 to regulate the laws having decided that they should be protected. We have 

 reluctantly come to a different conclusion, and do not hesitate to advise the 

 destruction of the robin. This is the only effectual way of getting rid of them ; 

 though they may be kept off if boys are employed and located about among 

 the strawberry-beds and in the vineyards with watchmen's rattles, or two 

 pieces of wood to strike together to make a noise and frighten them off. It 

 has become a serious question with fruit-growers as to what shall be done with 

 the birds. 



Apples from Nova Scotia. — We lately saw a box at the rooms of the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society, containing specimens of fifty-four varieties 

 of apples ; most of them being fair and handsome, and equal in size and quality 

 to those grown in any part of the United States. Some of them were old and 

 well-known varieties, including the Baldwin, Rhode- Island Greening, Graven- 

 stein, Hubbardston Nonesuch, Golden Russet, Minister, Dutch Codlin, Porter, 

 Tolman Sweet, Roxbury Russet, and others ; while there were a few that were 

 new to us, being seedlings, and having only a local name and reputation. We 

 understand that they have a very flourishing Fruit-growers' Association at Corn- 

 wallis, N.S., where these apples were produced. We are glad to know that our 

 neighbors have made so much progress in horticulture. 



Keeping Vegetables. — Sink a barrel two-thirds of its depth into the 

 ground (a box or cask will answer a better purpose) ; heap the eartli around 

 the part projecting out of the ground, with a slope on all sides ; place the vege- 

 tables that you desire to keep in the vessel ; cover the top with a water-tight 

 cover ; and, when winter sets in, throw an armful of straw, hay, or something of 

 that sort, on the barrel. If the bottom is out of the cask or barrel, it will be 

 better. Cabbages, celery, and other vegetables, will keep in this way as fresh 

 as when taken from the ground. The celery should stand nearly perpendicular, 

 celery and earth alternating. Freedom from frost, ease of access, and especially 

 freshness, and freedom from rot, are the advantages claimed. G. S. G. 



