1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



77 



nest, of dry grass lined with feathers, generally 

 in the fork of a small tree, not far from the 

 ground. The eggs, four to six, arc of a pale cin- 

 ereous tint, thinly marked with rufous spots and 

 streaks at the greater end. They are bold and 

 energetic birds, preying upon small birds and va- 

 rious kinds of insects, particularly grasshoppers, 

 which it has the curious habit of impaling upon 

 thorns, without apparent design, unless for mere 

 diversion. It is always active and persevering, 

 often seen pursuing birds of quite large size, 

 holding frequent contests with the Blue Jays, 

 which seem to rather fear it, as well as detest it. 

 It has been known to pursue and finally strike to 

 the ground by a singlfe blow, the common Mourn- 

 ing Uove, {Ectopistes Carolinensis,) and other 

 birds larger than itself; and I have seen one re- 

 peatedly pui'sue the common domestic Pigeons, 

 evidently with the same intentions. Its manners 

 somewhat remind one of a small Hawk, and its 

 audacity is rarely equalled by any of the Falcon 

 tribe, it having been known to attack birds in 

 cages, under the immediate protection of man. 

 Its flight being strong and well sustained, it darts 

 upon and kills small birds with ease, and drives 

 all larger ones from its precincts, yet its chief 

 food is believed to be insects, especially in sum- 

 mer. It possesses a variety of low, pleasing 

 notes, and has the power of imitating tlie alarm 

 notes of many small birds, and thus sometimes 

 attracts an anxious company around it, soon dart- 

 ing upon one of the number, and filling the air 

 with the cries of a real victim. Its sagacity is 

 often observable in other ways. These birds are 

 at no time very common, and consequently are 

 not generally known. 



The length of this bird is ten inches, extent 

 thirteen ; plumage above, pale cinereous ; wings 

 black, barred with white, and possessing a spot 

 of white on the primaries ; beneath, nearly white, 

 sometimes a little dusky, with fine, transverse, 

 curving linos of brown ; a patch of black ex- 

 tends from the nostrils backwards to the middle 

 of the neck ; the young for several months, and 

 sometimes the female, are quite ferruginous on 

 the upper parts. 



The other New England species is the Ameri- 

 can Gray Shrike, (Lanius excribitroides, 

 Swain.,) is very rarely met with in the Northern 

 parts of New England, but was once seen by Nut- 

 tall near Boston. It inhabits the more northern 

 parts of the continent, being still more boreal 

 than the preceding species, to which it is closely 

 allied in size and markings, and the habits of the 

 two are said to be precisely similar. 



The other North American species are, the 

 Loggerhead Shrike of the Southern States, (L. Ga- 

 rolinensis, Wils.,) which feeds much upon mice, 

 darting upon them like a Hawk ; the White 

 Crowned Shrike, {L. clegans, Swain.,) inhabiting 

 the country around Hudson's Bay ; and the Noo't- 

 ka Shrike, (L. Natha, Penn.,) found in the north- 

 western parts of the continent. S. A. A. 



cakes. If in summer, place the casks in the sun ; 

 if in winter, near the chimney, where it may wai-m. 

 in ten or fifteen days add to this liquid a sheet of 

 brown paper, torn in strips, dipped in molasses, 

 and good vinegar will be produced. The paper 

 will, in this way, form what is called the "moth- 

 er,"or life of vinegar. 



MLaking Vinegar. — Vinegar, according to a 

 writer in the Genesee Farmer, is cheaply made. 

 We republish his recipe : — To eight gallons of 

 clear rain water, add three quarts of molasses ; 

 put into a good cask ; shake well a few times, 

 then add two or thi-ee spoonfuls of good yeast 



PKSPABATIOW OP BONES FOR USB. 



The best and cheapest method of preparing 

 bones for manure is, first, to boil them in strong 

 ley, a few hours, to extract from them the an- 

 imal matter, or what would be more convenient, 

 ])erhaps, break them as fine as convenient, and 

 put them into a tub of ley to remain there during 

 pleasure, until the animal matter is all extracted 

 and incorporated with the ley. The mineral part 

 of the bones will now be found very friable and 

 easily pulverized. They should be rinsed clean, 

 pulverized, and put into another tub or trough. 

 Apply to them some diluted sulphuric acid, in the 

 proportion of one of acid to five of water. Stir 

 them frequently, and in a short time, they will be 

 entirely decomposed and fitted for use. These 

 two masses, being equally rich in the elements of 

 fertility, the one of ammonia and the other of 

 phosphorus, are equally valuable as fertilizers, and 

 adapted to any and every variety of soil that may 

 he deficient in these elements, and equally neces- 

 sary for the healthful maturity of every growing 

 plant, whether of grain, grasses, fruits, or roots. 

 I now advise a mixture of these two masses with 

 the general compost, to secure a general diii'usion 

 of them upon the different fields to be manured. 

 My reason for the general diffusion of these mass- 

 es, upon the diflPerent fields is, first, every plant 

 needs them. Secondly, the farmer's resources, in 

 this line, will be mainly within himself. This will 

 be true of those that live at a distance from vil- 

 lages and cities. Their resources must be small. 

 1 hirdly, the elements of the bone, both animal 

 and mineral, were taken fi'om the diff'erent fields, 

 and should, therefore, be returned to the same 

 fields. To keep up the fertility of each field, it is 

 necessary to return to it annually the same ele- 

 ments that are taken away. The farmer may se- 

 cure a larger crop of any kind, on any field, by 

 robbing other fields of the same elements of fer- 

 tility to enrich that one. But such a policy would 

 not only be bad, but ruinous if pursued. — Coun- 

 try Gentleman. 



RURAL TASTE. 



To owners of very small places, who still wish 

 them to look well, the safest council is, do not 

 plant large trees, — not one even ; keep your grass 

 continually shorn, your hedge evenly trimmed, 

 your little flower-bed in perpetual order. Set out 

 such flowering shrubs as will from spring to au- 

 tumn give you a constant renewal of blossoms. 

 So continually are new varieties now introduced 

 from all parts of the world by scientific botanists, 

 that it is quite unnecessary to name a choice ; 

 and, when diflferences of climate and soil are to 

 be considered, much better advice can be given 

 on the spot by a practical seedsman, than by a 

 review destined for all latitudes. Still of hardy 

 ornamental shrubs we may safely suggest the 

 AlthaiaSj the Deutzlas, the Persian Lilac, the Py- 



