810 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



the stock, but nothing is said of the depreciation in 

 the vakie of horses used upon the farm. Now, as 

 it is necessary that farm horses should be re- 

 moved once in ten or twelve years, it would seem, 

 that the depreciation in their value would be an 

 item worthy of note in a well kept farm account. 



Other statements to agricultural societies might 

 be noticed, but I will not detain you Avith any 

 more details of that kind at present. And per- 

 mit me to say, that this is not Avritten in a spirit 

 of fault-finding, but with a desire that these reports 

 may be improved, so that they may be more use- 

 ful to brother farmers ; and valuable as works of 

 reference. MEimiMACK. 



West Newbury, March, 1862. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



MIGKATION OF BIKDS. 



I think it is a generally received opinion that 

 the birds which are so numerous in the north dur- 

 ing summer, go south to spend the winter. There 

 is a gentleman here who is quite observing about 

 the habits of birds, Avho says that those Avhich are 

 here in summer remain here through the winter. 

 That the robin goes into caves in the mountains, 

 and there remains in a dormant state till spring, 

 and that the swallow goes into mud or water. He 

 says that in the spring, a few years ago, he saw a 

 large number of swallows come up out of the wa- 

 ter in a pond in the north part of this State, s. 



St. Johnsbury Centre. Vt., May 19, 1862. 



Remarks. — It is clearly settled that most of 

 our summer birds leave us in late summer or ear- 

 ly autumn, for warmer latitudes, robins included. 

 Occasionally, a robin may be seen in New Eng- 

 land in the winter. Why they remain, we cannot 

 tell. Perhaps, because they are of a late brood, 

 and do not possess sufficient power of wing to 

 join their companions when they move south. 

 Those that remain may be seen of a still, sunny 

 day in the winter, near some thicket of pines or 

 cedars, and perhaps feeding on the berries of the 

 latter. We do not think the robin ever hiber- 

 nates like the woodchuck or bear. 



It is an old belief that swallows go into the mud 

 in the bottom of shallow ponds and brooks and 

 pass the winter in a torpid state, but tlie more en- 

 lightened opinion is that they migrate, most of 

 them leaving New England between the last of 

 July and the last of August. 



PUKE POULTRY. 



The question of Mr. Shattuck is one on which 

 I woidd like information. I have heard it stated, [ 

 that, by getting a cock ke])t out two years, and \ 

 then ieicii i)i/n home, so mat iie will not run wiLii | 

 his ofl'spring, you can keep ]nu-c-blooded fowls. I \ 

 always in' end to change cocks once a year, if 1 

 can without getting one inferior to my own. 



1 would like to know how many years of breed- 

 ing in-and-in it would take to spoil the stock, if 

 the best specimens are kept ? 



The trouulc with many farmers is, they will sell 

 tlicir earliest and best lambs, turkeys, chickens, 

 8:c., because they letch a good price. I have of- 



ten heard them say, "these late ones will do to 

 keep over." Often they do not come to maturity 

 sufficiently to stand the cold weather, and, in this 

 way, they vrill soon run out. Perhaps this is the 

 case with your neighbor's turkeys. I never knew 

 until this spring, that hens would run out so as to 

 be good for nothing. I purchased four of the old- 

 fashioned kind of hens in March ; one of them 

 has laid three eggs about the size of robin's eggs, 

 and wanted to set. The others have not laid an 

 egg, to my knowledge ; although one visits the 

 nest frequently, and comes off cackling, I never 

 have been able to find an egg. 



SWEET GERMAN TURNIP SEED. 



Can you inform me where I can procure Sweet 

 German Turnip seed ? There is none to be found 

 in AVorcester, and I have lost, the address of Mr. 

 Coy, and do not know that he keeps seed for sale 

 now. Information would oblige a number of your 

 readers. 



N. B. The reply to "Subscriber," in the Far- 

 mer of April 26, signed "C. K. Hubbard, New 

 Worcester," should read C. Iv. Hubbard, Worces- 

 ter. H. T. Gates. 



yew Worcester, May 19, 1862. 



Remarks. — We presume the Sweet German 

 Turnip Seed may be procured at the seed stores 

 in this city. 



SCRAPING TREES. 

 Will you, or some of your writers, inform me 

 what special benefit to trees is the scraping off 

 the loose bark or moss from trees about twelve 

 years old ? If of any benefit, at what time of the 

 year should it be done ? A Subscriber. 



Re:iIARKS. — AVhile we were engaged in repair- 

 ing damages to young apple trees, on Saturday- 

 last, occasioned by mice or moles, we had the as- 

 sis*-ance of a practical orchardist, whose views of 

 the management of trees we considered especially 

 sound. Among other questions put to him was 

 this. — What advantage is gained to the tree by 

 scraping it ? 



The reply was, — "Not any, to my knowledge. 

 Some persons say that insects find a harbor under 

 the bark and moss, but I do not believe they hurt 

 the tree in the least. It seems to me that this 

 rough bark is provided by nature for the protec- 

 tion of the tree." 



Ills attention was then called to the appearance 

 of the south side of two or three hundred trees, 

 and it was found that on that side, almost uni- 

 formly, the bark was very rough, rising in scales 

 from Avhere the limbs start out, to the ground — 

 w]n"lc on the otb.pr sides of the trees the b?.rk W2S 

 comparatively smooth. We cannot see how the 

 tree is to receive any benefit by the removal of 

 this bark. 



^loss on the branches is usually an indication 

 of a slow or stunted growth. AVashing this off 

 with strong soap suds — cultivating about the ti'ee, 

 and encouraging it by the application of manure, 

 will be verv useful. 



