NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



201 



THE BIRDS. 



It has been truly said that the birds are the culti- 

 vator's best friends. They not only enliven the scene 

 of his labors Avith sweet music, and beautify it with 

 their fine appearance, but render essential service by 

 destroying legions of insects, which otherwise might 

 increase, and destroy many crops, or prevent their 

 production by destroying the tender plants. 



Of all the enemies and disadvantages that the 

 fiirmer encounters, none are so formidable as insects. 

 Others he may conquer and manage, but these mi- 

 nute, often imperceptible, creatm-es devastate whole 

 fields, in spite of all opposition. 



The birds, in their industrial labors to procure 

 food for themselves and offspring, arc constantly de- 

 stroying insects ; and they are admirably adapted to 

 this purpose, and will accomplish what man cannot. 

 The millions of insects which they consume annu- 

 ally, and the thousands of millions which they pre- 

 vent by their timely labors, are beyond calculation. 

 Without their aid, manj' crops would be unprofitable, 

 or a total failure, and we should find barren fields, 

 instead of the lands that now smile with plenty, and 

 gaunt famine might stalk over those countries now 

 blessed with abundance. 



Since the great utility of birds is well known to 

 every one who reflects on the subject, how impor- 

 tant that thcj- be protected, and encouraged to be 

 the familiar associates and assistants of the farmer and 

 gardener ! We should have laws throughout the 

 country for their protection against the heartless 

 sportsman, or cruel boys, who would kill the inno- 

 cent and useful birds, or rob their nests. In some 

 towns, it has been wisely ordained that no birds shall 

 be killed or entrajiped ; and this subject is worthy 

 the attention of every town. 



Those -wanton boys who trifle with the feelings 

 and rights of birds by destroying them, robbing their 

 nests, or confining their young, should consider what 

 awful feelings would becloud their minds, should 

 some stranger tear them from their happy home, and 

 from their father, mother, brothers, sisters, and 

 friends, and shut them up in the gloom of a prison. 

 Birds have feelings as well as human beings, and He 

 that made them for wise purposes will look with 



displeasure on the wanton sport of the wicked boy 

 who molests them. 



Even those birds that are regarded by some as 

 mischievoiis, are among the most useful. The 

 crow devours immense numbers of worms. He sel- 

 dom does injury excepting in pulling up a little corn 

 in spring ; and this maj- be prevented by feeding him. 

 As he works for the farmer, he should occasionally 

 share in his bounty, as well as the ox, the horse, or 

 the dog. 



The woodpecker is charged with injuring trees by 

 pecking them full of holes ; but he is invited to this 

 business from the defection of the tree, and he labors 

 to relieve it from the depredations of insects. He is 

 as harmlessly and usefully employed as the man 

 Avith his chisel and mallet, cutting the borers out of 

 the tree. 



CAULIFLOWERS. 



I have been eating delicious cauliflowers all winter, 

 thanks to your directions in the Horticulturist. I 

 sowed seed for the winter crop about the middle of 

 ^lay, and when winter approached I lifted the plants 

 in a damp day, with a little earth attached to the 

 roots, and set them on the floor of a warm cellar, 

 under one of my out-buildings. They were most of 

 them not even showing the least signs of flowering 

 when they wore put in the cellar, and I confess I 

 was a little incredulous as to their " coming to any 

 thing " in their winter quarters. But they soon be- 

 gan to form blossom crowns, and I have cut the 

 whitest and most delicious cauliflowers from these 

 plants since last Uecember that I have ever tasted. 

 As this mode of treating cauliflowers is not gener- 

 ally known here, I have quite astonished my neigh- 

 bors by the sight of such a fine winter vegetable in 

 abundance. — Ilurticutturist. 



WORTH TRYING FOR. 



The London Athenseum says that the Belgium 

 government has instituted a prize of five thousand 

 francs, with a gold medal and one thousand francs 

 respectively, the first for the best work on general 

 agriculture, and the second for the best treatise on 

 the disease of the potatoes. Foreigners are invited 

 to compete, and manuscripts are to be sent to the 

 lyiinistry for the Litcrior before the 1st of January in 

 next year. 



