282 
.1F0REST AND STREAM 
^Julurnl Twtorv- 
For Forest and Stream. 
THE WOODCOCK AS A SONG BIRD. 
I REMARKED to my friend that the woodcock was very 
much of s singer. He smiled incredulously. “Yes, 
and so is your grandmother.” “My dear sir,” I said, “I 
would have you understand that my respected grandmother 
was a good singer; whether she is now or not of course I 
cannot tell— still we hope.” My friend replied: “Your re- 
mark is not at all relevant." I repeat it, sir; the wood- 
cock is to be classed among the singing birds, with us 
marked a song as the English lurk, and in some respects 
similar. You doubt it? I have seen the same smile so 
many times before that I think it worth while to state it 
here as a fact not generally known. We all know his 
twitter, and a very lively twitter it is, especially in the 
Autumn, when while fronted, in full vigor, and in full 
feather, he gels up and “gits,” dashing away over the tree 
tops for n flight of half u mile with the speed of a tele- 
graphic dispatch. In the Spring, if you flush him. he 
will give you the same twitter; but when undisturbed he 
has still something to say. Auy lime in the Spring, just 
after dark, if the evening be warm, and later, if it be 
moonlight, also iu the morning, from three o’clock until 
daylight, if you will go quietly upon the grounds where 
Woodcock are breeding you will before long hear a quaauk 
(sound of a as in crank) at intervals of a few minutes. 
This is the note of the cock bird, and I suppose (but this I 
do not know) that he is now, with tail spread, strutting 
around madam. This sound can be heard, I should think, 
forty rods or more. I have noticed that it is generally 
nearer than one would suppose. This may be repealed ten 
or twelve times; then, if you are near enough, and it is 
not too dark, you may see him as he rises at an angle of 
about sixty degrees, commencing as he leaves the grouud 
with a chip, chip, chip; this note continuing, and repeated 
faster and faster until apparently he has reached the sum- 
mit of his flight; then chcedle, cheedle, cheedle, tweedle, 
tweedle, tweedle, runuing on to the finule with a general 
twist and twirl of different notes which I am utterly un- 
able to express. He then pitches back and alights upon 
the same spot from whence lie rose, and ugain you hear the 
quaank, to be followed after u short time by another flight. 
'The song is nearly a minute in length, and reminds one of 
the song sparrow, and yet is very unlike it. The notes are 
not of much volume, yet very distinct, and the changes, 
especially at the finale, very rapid and decided — none of 
the coarse vulgnrity of the bobolink, but elegant and re- 
fined, as become the first-class game bird. My friend still 
smiles. I feel very much like quoting Shakespeare at him: 
“A man may smile and smile, and be a villain all the 
while.” That is a fact, and the other also, as sure as you 
are alive. Aliquis. 
— Mr. Seth Green, alluding to the methods of attracting 
birds to bird houses, offers the following advice: "Do not 
put more than one bird house about your premises the first 
season. Add one every ycur thereafter. If you put up 
a number a pair of birds will come, inspect each iu suc- 
cession, and fly away not to return; just as when you go 
into a store where there are a lurge number of the kiud of 
articles you want, and after looking at them you will go 
somewhere else. If there was but one you would buy it, 
but in the great number you cannot make a choice." 
Tiie Sea Serpent. — Capt. Oliver, of the schooner Wins- 
low Morse, of Bath, reports having spoken this ubiquitous 
monster off Cape Elizabeth last week. While the Captain 
was at the wheol a great snake rose up from the water, his 
head coming four feet above the rail, and his body was as 
large rouud as u hogshead. One of the men threw a pike 
into the snake’s body, wliou lie glided off. The Captain, 
who declures ho was 120 feet lmg, still exhibits the pike, 
covered with blood and sinews. 
<■» 
THE INLAND SEA SERPENT AGAIN 
VERIFIED. 
Toronto, May 81th, 1875. 
Editob Forest and Stream:— 
Your article with reference to tho "sou serpent" recall# to my mind on 
account of a monstrous "dsli of proy” which Is contained in Sir James 
Alexander's " Salmon Fithing In Canada." A# this may not be acceosl- 
ble to yon 1 copy the account aa given by him. At this moment I hove 
before me an official "Report of the Commissioners for exploring the 
country lying between the Rivers Saguenay, St. Maurice, and St. Law- 
rence,' ordered to be printed by tho House of Assembly on tho 22d of 
March, ls3;. These Commissioner# are gentlemen of the highest respect- 
ability and intelligence, Messrs. Andrew and David Stnart, who would 
not be likely to be deceived in a matter of the klud, and would bo tho 
lu»i meu to attempt a deception upon others. At pages 10 and :7 of 
their report aro the following words, being au oxtruct from the journal 
kept upon tho occasion: 
• Sunday August Stolh 1820.— Embarked at 7 A. M. to go down to 
Baie lie i Echalt.md du Basque or Riviere aux Cauurds, hut when we 
reached the point of Bale des Riches tho wind blew too hard for us to 
proceed, and we put ashore iu a liulo cove till noon, when we embarked 
again, ana kept close in shore with the lido and wiud to our favor We 
hod not proceeded fur when we were pursued by a monstrous tl'eh of 
prey, iu consequence of which we pul ashore again. This animal was 
four hour, about us. and apparently watching us. It came sometimes 
within twenty feel of the rock on which we were. It was at least from 
twenty to twenty-live feet loug, and shaped exactly like a pike; its Jaws 
were from live to six feet long, with a row of large teeth on each side of 
a yellowish color. It kept itself sometimes for nearly a minute on the 
surface of the water. At 5 1". M-, -fleeing nothing more of it. we em- 
barked again, keeping close lu-sliore, and at 7 I*. M. wo put in for tho 
night at the llsbiug hut at Echuffund du Basque. Two men named Bap- 
tiste Sainard and catou Falion, who wore on their way to Malbay bunt- 
ing for seals, put in at the same time as we did. Thermometer ?r 77“ 
audb#V j. Wi ’ a . • 
EMBALMING BIRDS NO HUMBUG. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., May J4th, 1875 
Editor Forest and Streami- 
Id your paper of May 18th, 1875, I notice tho answer of J. II. Batty 
a rorresponde ..fs question relative to embalming birds. Now, Sir w 
your permission, and the excuse of a little egotism, I will state’so 
facie, trie which 1 am prepared to prove. First, I have the honor of t 
covering, or tnventing, a method of emb&lmtng w htch has stood the I 
for iwelte years past, and has been complimented by naturalism as be 
» method superior to the old one employed In skinned and stullcd sp« 
mens in this or other countries. I will state that I can preserve any an- 
imal or skin, however fat or lean, at any season of the year, by the pro- 
cess; also that a bird that is so putrid that skining would be impossible 
can be preserved perfectly by Ibis method (even though large as a turkey 
ora pelican), and not become a prey to moths ordermestes. I em- 
balmed a badger which weighed twelve pounds and placed it in my door 
yurd, where it remained In sunshine and storm for four years, and was 
not touched by moths or Insects. This was seen by over one hundred 
persons. Ask Professors String and Daniels, of the Grand Rapids 
Union School, in Michigan, what they think of the embalming art, as 
applied to cabinet specimens. 
Perhaps some one will say embalmed birds must of necessity shrink. 
This would be a very Datornl conclusion, since seventy-flvo per cont. of 
all flesh is water, and when the water evaporntes, shrinkage Is the re- 
sult. However, even this Is not a substantial objection, as I lind It easy 
to compensate for the shrinkage by a cheap and practical method. I 
have spent nearly fourteen years In perfecting this method, and am now 
prepared to prove and defend It under the closest scientific Investigation 
and test. My cabinet has been visited by some of the best taxidermists 
and naturalists in this or other countries, and pronounced superior to 
any other. My profession Is teaching embalming and taxidermy. I 
devote my time and life to it, and I know of what I speak. A specimen 
can be embalmed In one half the time it takes to skin and stuff one, and 
when done Is more perfect. I am aware there ore thousands of birds 
mounted by unskillful operators in either method; but want of skill has 
mined many professions. The gentleman— A. M. Decker— referred to 
In your paper, is a skillful embalmer and taxidermist, and was one of my 
stodents. I have seven wild tnrkcye embalmed, and will exhibit them 
In contiuat with auy others In tho world, If the above Is egotism, amen. 
I mean business. For an authoritative opinion on this art I respectfully 
refer you to Mr. Groober, natoralist, .San Francisco, Cal. ; Rev. Dr. 
Kart, Adrian, Mich.; Allen Durfcc, undertaker, Grand Rapids, Mich.; 
and M M. Barker, your traveling correspondent; Dr. E. S. Holms, 
Presldont of Kcot Scientific Institute, Grand Rapids. 
Yours truly, E. IT Cram. 
CENTRAL PARK M ENAGERIE. 
DEPARTMENT OP PtJBLIO PARKS, I 
New York, May 80, 1875. ) 
Animals received at Central Park Menagerie for the weok ending 
May 29th, 1875:— 
Two Slow Loris, Ny diet bus lardigradus. Hab. Sumatra and Borneo. 
One Snow Bird, Juiico hyematts. 
One Alpaca, Llama pacos. Bted In the Menagerie. 
W. A. Conklin, Director. 
^oodliwd, and (§nrdm. 
CELERY— ITS CULTIVATION. 
T HIS dow well known luxury of the table, this prince 
among the salads, is the Apium graveolens , a biennial 
in its wild state, made an annual by a superior method of 
cultivation, except where it is grown for seed. Its home 
was originally among the marshy grounds of the 9ea coast, 
and very flue plants of the same came from Italy. Celery 
is propagated from the seed and these seed may generally 
be obtained at our seed stores. For the purpose of culture, 
the raising of plants both iu England and America, this 
plant has gained a great celebrity. It may be sown in any 
month from Christinas to the middle of April, the time 
of the sowing of the seed regulating the lime when this 
rich salad may be gathered. Would you eat of this crispy, 
delicately flavored salad in September as a garniture with 
your roast turkey, you must plant your seed in February 
in situations of warmth sufficient to give you your April 
plants. Much of our market celery, like the lettuces, are 
first started in the hot bed and forwarded as they may be 
wanted to plant out during the season for early or late 
Winter use. This method of raising being so well known 
we need not recapitulate it in this place. The English 
method of cultivation of this plant is made quite an expen- 
sive outlay, being planted in boxes, and frequently trans- 
planted and covered with hand glasses, &c. By the time 
it is ready for the table, if at all early in the season, it be- 
comes quite an expensive luxury, and costing about four 
times the amount of celery raised after what is termed our 
American method of culture. 
Leaving the English mode of culture to those who may 
desire to practice it, I pass’ to the usual method of culture 
adopted by agriculturists who grow for home consumption 
and city supply. For wliat is termed an early supply or 
crop, you will sow your seed (let it always be good se*ed) in 
a cold frame the latter part of March. Let the plants re- 
main until they have attained a height of one inch or an 
inch and a half; now you will thin them to three inches 
apart every way. Now these plants, if properly attended 
to, will he fit to transplant to the trenches at the 1st to 6th 
of June, which will he early enough in our New England 
States. Much of the best celery grown in Massachusetts 
is planted at even a later date than this. Plants, to mature 
earlier, would require to be raised in a hot bed; hut in such 
cases they are very liable to run to seed or become too 
stalky or piped. 
Among our celery growers there is an open question, to 
a certain extent, as to the best of two methods generally 
made use of. One method is to make trenches in good, 
deep soil, after deep and thorough ploughing aud harrow- 
ing, whereby the soil is thoroughly mellowed, harrowed 
and made smooth on the top like a well raked bed. In 
this nice, clean bed the trenches are to be oponed in June 
—as near the first as possible— and should be made twelve 
inches deep, sixteen inches wide, and four feet apart, and 
the trenches nearly filled with finely rotted cow manure if 
it can be readily obtaiued. If you cannot procure this 
any well decomposed manure will answer.* In all cases it 
must be well incorporated with the soil, and the whole left 
level with the top of the earth. This method I think 
preferable to the planting in trenches and filling up the 
trenches from the sides, as iu what are called the “sunken 
rows" there is often a liability in heavy rains to an accumu- 
lation of wash, by which tho plants become somewhat 
damaged. Accidents of this kind occasion much loss of 
time at a busy season, and may become, if not remedied at 
once, tho cause of entire loss of crop. In all cases the 
celery plants are to be placed about eight inches apart 
whether they stand in a level row on top of the bed, or in 
trenches or sunken rows. If the weather is quite dry at 
the time of planting out, if on your level ground you 
should use a dibble and make holes for your plants, which 
you are to till with water, it will soon soak up, and your 
plauts thus planted and well pressed in will be sure to live 
-ottutauuiLu nuu iur MiM- Dy JUTDeP Uo 
Arlington, ib probably ihe boat of tho phosphatlc fertilizers 
plied to celery It Is put up at smallest In largo and small packai 
1 have used It for fourteen years with great buccwbb. y O. C 
and thrive well. Be very particular not to pour water over 
the surface, either before or after planting, for the action 
of the sun’s rays upou this saturated soil has a tendency to 
bake and encrust the same. Celery plants, when first* set 
out, require an open, friable, free soil, to grow rapidly and 
well. The time to plant out celery is after four o'clock P. 
M., or on a damp, cloudy daj’, and if the plauts are good 
and strong, as they should be, if care is taken to remove 
them from the seed bed with all their leaves and foots, 
particularly the top roots, they will go on growing without 
any check to their growing state. All our most skillful 
market gardeners are very particular to preserve the tap 
root, knowing the saving of time and labor gained by 
planting out only good sized plants, and those well rooled 
and firm. As soon as your plants begin to grow begin to 
use your hoe among the roots, stirring the soil every three 
or four days, if you would have your plants grow well. 
Keep out every weed, and do not begin to earth up your 
plants too soon. Much harm is sometimes done by giving 
too much earth to the plants, thereby depriving them of 
necessary sun and air. When you blanch the celery be 
careful to give the earth in small quantities, always keep- 
ing the leaves of the plants well straightened and all in an 
upright or perpendicular condition. 
The lifting aud handling of celery and its Winter treat- 
ment are very important. If you have not injured your 
celery at this period (and it is frequently entirely spoiled 
by too much earth in blanching) you will, at the time of 
the full growth of the plants, lift them carefully for Winter 
use. We suppose you have, as advised before, been very 
careful in the lifting of the lower leaves of the plants, and 
compressing lightly the lower part of the plant with the 
hands; this lias a tendency to prevent decay. This direc- 
tion is very simple, I know, aud it may appear trifling to 
some; yet it is a necessity for amateurs to know that celery 
Is a peculiar plant and requires peculiar treatment. All 
cultivators may skip this line, for it is written for and at 
the request of readers of Forest and Stream who do not 
know how to cultivate this valuable plant. After this 
“handling" you can now with a spade lay tho necessary 
amount of earth along tuc sides of your celery. As the 
plants grow you will give from time to time the earth in 
this manner; most generally three or four spndiugs at a 
side will be all the plants need. Two handlings are all that 
will be found to be really needed. Now if you grow cel- 
ery plants for Winter and Spring markets you will find in 
the following method, which we have often practiced, all 
the information you need: — 
Grow your plants for this purpose in the seedling bed in 
the open ground so that they are not very large at the time 
you desire to transplant them, which will be say July 1st 
to August; those planted in the month of August you will 
use for Spring sales or consumption. For this purpose you 
will be particular to sow your seed April 1st in bills of one 
foot distance, and thin the plants to a distance of three 
inches every way. Now let them grow until July, when 
you are to place them in the trenches already prepared for 
them, as heretofore noted. These will be the plants for 
your main crop. About August 1st you cau plant out your 
remainders, or plauts left in seed bed. These you will let re- 
main without earthing or blanching until you lift them for 
the Winter’s storage. The keeping of this plant involves 
many ways, the simplest and the best of whicti, we think, 
is as follows: — 
If you do not store your plants in a dry cellar for Win- 
ter, you will prepare a slight trench of eight to ten incites 
depth in some good, dry situation, and set the plants in a 
perpendiculr position against the outside of the ridge or 
border, each head touching the other, and puiting a layer 
of three inches of earth between every layer of your plauts. 
You will be careful to leave about four inches of the top 
uncovered with earth, for the reason that you want light 
and air until the time of severe frosts. Whenever you ap- 
prehend a l'rost you are to place a temporary covering ot 
boards over the celery, but not toueniog it; make a trench 
of eighteen inches in depth all around the bed, to carry off 
the rain water. 
The variety I like best is the red celery, a rich, crispy, 
hardy plant, standing both heat and cold fiuely. There is 
a branching dwarf sort which is very good, and* which com- 
mends itself to amateur culture, as it requires very little 
attention and always finds a remuuerative sale in Fulton 
Market, New York. There are in cultivation the follow- 
ing kinds of celery, all of which are good: Early dwarf, 
white; Cole’s superb, white, equal to Ins red; Manchester 
giaut, much grown in England, but not much used in this 
country; Seymour’s white champion, very good, compact 
of habit, crisp, and easily blanched. Any of the above 
we can recommend for culture, as we know them all. 
Olupod Quill. 
Story of TnE Big Squasii.— The big squash of Am- 
herst Agricultural farm, which grew so stoutly that it burst 
several iron cages, and finally lifted 4,120 pounds (and of 
which a plaster cast is preserved), had enough roots under- 
ground lo feed it for its herculean work. The squash vine 
was washed out with its roots by the continued use of a 
garden hose for twenty-four hours, and the whole root sys- 
tem was spread out on a floor and carefully measured. The 
main branch was twelve or fifteen feet long, and aggrega- 
ted some 4,000. One of the seventy nodal roots, four fett 
long, had 480 branches, and a most careful estimate of the 
ramifications of the rootlet, based upon the actual meas- 
urement of the division, showed that the squash vine had 
between fifteen and nineteen miles of roots. Reckoning 
the number of days it had been growing (fifty-two), it was 
found that it must have been on an average 1,000 feet per 
day, and on fuvorable days about 2,000 feet. Colonel Clark, 
the President of tho Agriculturist College, says that while 
this growth was going on, and the big squash was expand- 
ing aud lifting its enormous burden, great drops of sweat 
stood all over its rough rind, proving that it felt the great 
task imposed upon it. 
—Tho current worms are again busy, and threaten in 
many places to destroy this valued fruit. 
A correspondent, G. B. S, , Salem, Mass., deplores the 
looseness and inefficiency of the game laws iu that region, 
and expresses a strong desire for an osociulion for the pre- 
servation of our game birds. Such sentiments deserve en- 
couragement, aud we trust our correspondent will be able 
to secure the desired co-operation for a protective society, 
