1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



385 



er species of whose summer homes they were 

 equally ignorant. It probably will be found, how- 

 ever, to exist in the northern Alpine parts of New 

 England during that season, having myself shot a 

 male of this species in Weathersficld, Vt., August 

 16th, 1860 ; it was then in the midst of its moult, 

 and instead of manifesting that uneasiness charac- 

 teristic of these birds during their migrations, it 

 seems like a bird perfectly at home, and I doubt 

 not had spent the summer in that vicinity. 



Length four and a half inches ; alar extent, 

 seven. Above, yellow olive ; head and neck, asli ; 

 crown, deep chestnut ; beneath, greenish-yellow, 

 brightest on the throat and breast. 



The ORA^'GE-CRowNED Warbler, {Helmin- 

 thophaga celata, Baird,) was first described by 

 Lay, in 1823, who discovered it while travelling 

 with Mojor Long's expedition to the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. Audubon gives us an interesting account 

 of its habits, he having found them breeding in 

 the eastern parts of Maine, and in New Bruns- 

 wick and Nova Scotia. "Its nest," he observes, 

 "is composed of lichens detached from the trunks 

 of trees, intermixed with short bits of fine gi-ass, 

 and is lined with delicate fibrous roots and a pro- 

 portionally large quantity of feathers. The eggn, 

 which are from four to six, are of a pale green col- 

 or, sprinkled with small black spots. The nest is 

 placed not more than three to five feet from the 

 ground, between the smaller forks of some low fir 

 trees. Only one brood is raised in the season, 

 and the birds commence their journey southward 

 from the middle of August to first of September." 



It ranges from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and 

 southward to Northern Mexico. "In the summer 

 months," says Audubon, "it manifests a retiring 

 disposition, keeping among the low brushwood 

 that borders the rivers and lakes of the northern 

 districts ; while, in the South, however, where it is 

 rather common near the seashore, it is less cau- 

 tious, and is seen, in considerable numbers in the 

 orange groves around the plantations, or even in 

 the gardens, especially in East Florida." 



Length five and a half inches ; extent, eight. 

 Above, greenish olive ; fulvous spot on the 

 crown ; beneath, olive yellow, brighter on the 

 vent. 



The Tennessee Warbler, {Helmintlwphaga 

 -peregrina, Baird,) is another rare species of War- 

 bler, of whose history, we, at present, know but 

 little. It has been seen in this State, and is also 

 rarely met with in New York. Its habits, as far as 

 known, are similar to those of its congeners, feed- 

 ing on caterpillars and small insects. Its breed- 

 ing habits are probably yet unknown. It was first 

 discovered by Wilson, some fifty years since, in 

 the State of Tennessee, and hence its name. 



The length of the Tennessee Warbler is about 

 five inches, and it is eight in alar extent. Upper 

 parts yellow olive : throat and breast, pale cream 

 color, fading into white on the lower parts. With- 

 in the last year, I have met with several individu- 

 als of this species at Springfield. 



Nashville Warbler. — Since the above was 

 wiitten, some days since, it has been my good for- 

 tune to discover a nest of this species. The nest 

 was placed on the ground, in the side of a bank, 

 which was overgrown with bushes and coarse 



})lants. It was built of fine roots and grass, nice- 

 y lined with hair, covered externally with green 



moss, and so placed as to be protected above by 

 the dead weeds and grass, though not properly 

 an arched nest. The eggs were four, white, and 

 thickly sprinkled over the greater end with red- 

 dish brown specks. The nest was discovered of 

 the 31st of May. 



Black and White Creeper. In No. 18 of 

 this series, it was stated, on the authority of Au- 

 dubon, (Vol. 1, p. 4-52,) that this species builds in 

 hollow trees. It also builds in other and various 

 situations, frequently openly on the ground, like 

 many other birds, as I have had the pleasure of 

 observing. j. a. a. 



Springfield, June, 1862. 



RECEIPTS FOR HARD AND SOFT SOAP. 

 A correspondent, in the Oerviantoion Telegraph 

 offers the following receipt as one to be perfectly 

 relied on : 



Take ten pounds of soda ash, and dissolve it in 

 twenty gallons of soft water, with twelve pounds 

 of fresh lime and three-fourths of a pound of rosin, 

 by boiling them all half an hour, stirring the while 

 to keep them from setting or burning ; then pour 

 all the contents into a tub to settle, washing your 

 kettle clean. After these contents have settled, 

 take the clear water that comes on the top and put 

 it in the kettle ; now hunt up all your fat and skins, 

 till you get about twenty-three pounds — if clear 

 not quite so much — put over the fire to boil till all 

 the fat is eaten up : perhaps it will take two hours, 

 or not nearly so long ; then take fine salt to divide, 

 and add salt till the hard soap comes on the top. 

 It will at first look like froth, and the waste will 

 look very dark in the bottom of the kettle. Pour 

 all out in a tub. I forgot to say, fill up your tub 

 with cold water after taking off the first clear lye, 

 ready to boil your soap-froth with the second time ; 

 put two good bucketfuls of this clear lye in the 

 kettle, then with an iron ladle take all this soap 

 froth off" the top of the tub and put it in with these 

 two buckets of lye-water, to boil again a few min- 

 utes, to make your hard soap clear and nice, add- 

 ing salt till it separates well. Then pour all out 

 in a tub, to remain undisturbed over night. In 

 the morning you will have over thirty pounds of 

 as nice wliite soap as you will wish, for either 

 washing or toilet use, which will not chap the 

 hands at any time. Again, if you would wish a 

 half barrel of nice white soft soap, fill up this said 

 lime tub again with cold water till it settles, then 

 take the hard soap that sticks to the kettle and the 

 pitcher that you dip out with, and three or four 

 iadlefuls of this lye-water, and let it boil a few 

 minutes, till it looks like soap, then fill up your 

 kettle nearly full of the lye-water, and let it boil a 

 few minutes, then pour it out into a vessel, and 

 you will be much pleased with the result of your 

 labor. This soft soap will be thick and solid, and 

 it is very nice for boiling clothes or washing, as it 

 makes a very nice froth. 



In order to have plenty of soap fat, you must 

 begin at the beginning to save all the skins of 

 meat, and all the fat scraps that come from your 

 table, which, in warm weather, should be put in 

 some of this clear lye until you get enough to 

 make some soap. By this course, in an ordinary 

 family, you will always have enough soap without 

 buying. 



