570 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Dec. 



handsomely marked with streaks of black ; two 

 bars of white across the wings ; spots of white 

 on the inner vanes of the exterior tail feathers. 



The Blue Yellow-Backed Wat.bler {Si/lvi- 

 cola Americana, Swain.; Parvida Americana, 

 Bonap.,) is probably found throughout the New 

 England States in the summer, generally arriving 

 early in May, and retiring southward in Septem- 

 ber. For a short time on its first arrival it fre- 

 quents the orchards and the shrubbery of the gar- 

 dens, busily searching for insects that at this time 

 prey upon the tender loaves and blossoms of fruit 

 trees, but spends the summer in the depths of 

 the forest where it rears its young. The tops of 

 the tallest forest trees a])pear to be its favorite 

 resorts, and it is seldom found hunting the lower 

 thickets. Audubon states that an elevated branch 

 is selected for the support of its nest, which is 

 generally placed so near its extremity and so 

 high above the ground that it is not only difficult 

 to discover, but also to obtain access to. I have 

 not yet been fortunate enough to discover the 

 nest of this beautiful Warbler, though I have 

 often mot with the birds in every summer month. 

 It is described by Aububon as being small, 

 "formed of lichens, beautifully arranged on the 

 outside, and lined with the cottony substances 

 found on the edges of different mosses." The 

 eggs, he observes, are four in number, pure white, 

 with a few reddish dots at the greater end. Its 

 song consists of merely a low, lively twitter. This 

 is one of our most interesting and delicately- 

 colored species, but from its retired habits, it is 

 generally known only to the ornithologist. 



This species measures four and a half inches in 

 length, and six and a half in alar extent ; the up- 



{>er part of the head and neck, fine Prussian blue ; 

 ower back and rump, pale blue ; interscapulars 

 glossy brownish yellow ; wings black, barred 

 with white ; tail black, with the usual white 

 spots ; throat and breast rich yellow, changing to 

 a peculiar orange brown on the middle of the lat- 

 ter, edged with rufous ; a spot of black towards 

 the throat ; belly and vent white. The female 

 generally has all the colors much paler than the 

 male. j. A. A. 



Springfield, Mass., Nov., 1861. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 

 ENRICH AND BEAUTIFY THE FARMS, 

 AND MAKE IIOilE PLEASANT. 



Mr. Editor: — Of all places on earth, none is 

 remembered like home. The scenes of childhood 

 leave a strong, an eternal impression on the mind, 

 which not only time, but, we doubt not, the end- 

 less ages of eternity will not be able to blot out. 

 Then how important it is that home should be 

 pleasant; that, when the child loaves home, that 

 home will ever stand an ideal of earthly beauty — 

 a second Eden, on the pages of "enduring mem- 

 ory." The more beautiful home is, the stronger 

 will be its magnet which makes it the oentre of 

 attraction to the human heart ; and the stronger 

 the power of this magnet, the stronger will the 

 teachings and influences received at home impress 

 themselves on the thoughts, and afi'ect the actions 

 of the man in after life. Parents, if you would 

 have your instructions remembered — recollect 

 that the memory of iheai wall always be associat- 



ed with the spot where they are received. But, 

 besides this, how much better it is for yourselves, 

 how much more can be enjoyed, to have, as you 

 may — if it be only a wood colored cottage — a 

 pleasant home, Man, it is said, "is made by his 

 surroundings," and it is true to a great extent; 

 they do make a vast diff'erence with man, as is 

 demonstrated liy the different appearances of in- 

 dividuals of the same race in different locations. 

 Among the lofty mountains, where the scenery is 

 rugged and grand, the child grows up through 

 youth, and becomes a very different man, physi- 

 cally and mentally, from the child of the level 

 plains bolow. Nature loves her children. On 

 them she impresses her beauties, and it is in vain 

 that the hand of art tries to rival her ; she makes 

 ample provisions, which we may draw from her 

 bounty, for our comfort. She provides us with 

 vegetation, adapted to all climates, and fertilizers 

 for the desert, which we must "make to blossom 

 like the rose," if that is to be our home. 



What blessings man receives ! Cultivation and 

 artificial fertilization take the place of natural 

 richness of soil, and the vegetation of the climate 

 springs forth with renewed vigor and unrestrained 

 luxuriance and beauty. 



But to be more practical ; many men will say 

 they are "too poor, they have neither time nor 

 money to spend in embellishing their grounds." 

 This is common everywhere. To all such I would 

 say, you can beautify your surroundings not only 

 without cost, but with profit. Set out fruit trees 

 on your grounds. The best of apple trees of any 

 variety may be obtained for twenty-five cents 

 each. Between, and under these, such fruit as 

 strawberries, currants, raspberries, 8zc., all of 

 which will pay a good profit in two years — can be 

 grown to advantage, and can be started with a 

 small capital. Let those old v/alls be laid up a 

 little better, and fix up a frame, and plant grane 

 vines, letting them run over the frame and wall ; 

 also plant vines to run over your inimovable rocks. 

 In this way, room now lost, will be profitably oc- 

 cupied, as well as beautified. Flowers, too, should 

 not be forgotten, as they cost but little labor and 

 make home attractive. Luxuriant grass and crim- 

 son clover, or any other luxuriant vegetation, add 

 much to the looks in their season, but nothing 

 like trees add to the beauty at all times of the 

 year. Nothing like vegetation in its different 

 forms, springing from the earth in all its varied 

 beauty, filled with odors unapproached by those 

 of man's invention, and yielding fruit and food 

 for man and beast ; there is nothing, I say, like 

 vegetation, to make the surroundings of home at- 

 tractive, and increase the value of the farm. 



A Monthly Subscriber. 



Franlclin, Nov., 1861. 



Care of Grindstones. — No grindstone should 

 be exposed to the weather ; it injures the wood- 

 work, and the rays of the sun harden the stone, 

 so that, in time, it will become useless ; neither 

 should it be allowed to run in water, as the part 

 remaining in it softens and wears away faster 

 than the other side. The water should be dropped 

 or poured on. Greasy or rusty tools should be 

 cleaned before grinding, or they will choke up the 

 grit. Keep the stone under cover. These rules 

 will save the farmer much vexation and expense. 



