58 
AMERICAN AGBICULTURIST. 
[Febetjaut, 
Birds, Insects, and Fruit. 
Fruit growing, iu the abstract, is a charming 
pursuit, but practically it is beset by many per- 
plexities. Not only is the cultivator disappoint- 
ed by unfavorable seasons, but the insects des- 
troy his foliage and the birds eat up his flruit. 
In a state of nature matters are better arranged, 
and Tve do not often find any one insect or bird 
sufficiently numerous to seriously injure our 
native plants. The small birds keep the insects 
in check, -while the birds of prey prevent an un- 
due increase of the fruit-eating birds, — bird, in- 
sect, and plant have a fair chance in the " strug- 
gle for existence," and all goes on. harmonious- 
ly. Civilization has destroyed this natural bal- 
ance of things, and now fruit culture is in good 
part a fight with birds and insects. We have 
dropped a cog-wheel somewhere iu the machin- 
ery, and it is running badly. This interference 
in the natural balance between the different 
departments of vegetable and animal life found 
a striking illustration a few years ago, in one of 
our large cities. New water works were built, 
and the reservoirs were carefully furnished with 
strainers to keep out the smallest fish, aud no 
one was in danger of finding a minnow in the 
tea-pot. All went well for a while; but the 
Water gradually acquired an unpleasant taste, 
and finally became intolerable. Science took 
up the microscope, and found the water full of 
animalcules, little oily fellows, which imparted 
the taste to the water. These in the absence of 
their natural enemies, the fish, had bred to an in- 
ordinate extent. The obvious cure was to let 
in the fish, and it proved effectual. The indis- 
criminate shooting of birds, formerly so com- 
mon, allowed insects to get a fine start. The 
agricultural press, ours among the rest, joined 
in the cry " spare the birds." The appeal had 
its effect; insects are much less destructive than 
they were a few years ago. But the birds will eat 
fruit as well as in3ects,aud now the cultivator is in 
a dilemma to decide whether it is best to let the 
insects feast on the foliage of his vines and trees, 
and thus destroy his crop of fruit, or to allow 
the birds to check insect depredations and take 
the fruit for their pay for doing the work. The 
question comes up : are all birds the fruit-grow- 
er's friends, and if not, which shall be killed and 
which spared? The manner in which birds 
will dispose of strawberries, grapes, and other 
small fruits is somethingastonishing to one who 
has never seen it. In some places it is impos- 
sible to get a bunch of ripe grapes of any of 
the uicer kinds, for birds are excellent judges 
of quality in fruit. We are glad to see that the 
subject is attracting the attention of Horticul- 
tural Societies; at a recent meeting of the 
Alton, 111., Society, a report and discussion upon 
birds formed a part of the proceedings. It is 
lioped that other pomological assacialions will 
discuss the matter in order that some general 
laws may be established. We give the conclu- 
sions of the Alton Society, wliich may serve as a 
basis for the action of others. 
It was voted to destroy the Baltimore Oriole, 
Cherry Bird, Cat Bird, Jay Bird, Sap Sucker, 
and his kindred. The Robin was not placed in 
the list, though he received a very bad name 
and should take warning. Our own belief is, 
that he is about as bad as the rest. One gentle- 
man stated that the Oriole had during the past 
season cost him 250 gallons of wine. The birds 
reported as not destructive to fruit, and to be 
fostered, were : Wren, Swallow, Martin, Black 
Bird, Meadow Lark, Pewce, Blue Bird, Chip, 
or Snow Bird, Red Bird, Ring Bird, Cuckoo, 
Quail, Owl, Hawk, and Dove. — We notice also 
that the Massachusetts Horticultural Society 
has appointed a Committee to consider the case 
of the robin, and report upon his value, or 
otherwise, to the fruit grower. 
Notes on Grapes and Grape Culture. 
» 
In our notes in December last, we alluded to 
the growing importance of grape culture ; and 
believing it destined to be one of the leading 
branches of industry in this country, we shall 
continue to give, from time to time, such bits of 
information as we consider worthy of being 
recorded. The interest our readers take iu the 
subject is shown by some 20 letters now before 
us. Frequently we are asked questions which 
have already been answered, and it is not always 
convenient to go over the same ground again. 
Every one who has only a few vines even, 
should have some work upon grape culture at 
hand for reference. We do not answer queries, 
no matter if marked private and confidential, 
as to where the best vines may be had. We be- 
lieve that all who advertise with us intend to 
deal fairly, and we can not go beyond that. If 
one wishes to purchase many vines, it will pay 
him either to visit the nurseries aud examine the 
stock, or to send for samples and order with the 
agreement that the vines sent shall average of 
equal quality with the sample. A nurseryman 
out West wishes us to enter into a combination 
with him to put down the high prices at which 
new varieties are sold. We cannot aid in any 
such undertaking. The thing will soon regulate 
itself. When a cultivator, after many years of 
careful trial, succeeds iu obtaining a new and 
valuable vaiietj', he must get his whole reward 
for his labor iu a short time, as the plant soon 
passes out of his hands, aud is propagated by 
many others. Those who do not wish to pay 
his prices, can afford to wait. From the south- 
ern States we begin to have correspondence and 
of course grape queries. There is still much to 
learn concerning the adaptation of varieties to 
localities, but the experience of Missouri and 
Tennessee cultivators shows that as a general 
thing grapes of northern origin are much im- 
proved when cultivated in more southern local- 
ities. The practice of high manuring is now 
abandoned in localities where grapes are grown 
for wine, a well drained soil of moderate fertil- 
ity, giving much better fruit aud a healthier 
growth of vine. We continue our notes from 
reports of correspondents and other sources. 
Creiieling. — A cultivator in Central New- York 
writes as follows : 
"Four years' experience with this satisfies us 
that it is a very excellent grape. Excellent in 
some respects, though not in all. It ripens early, 
at the same time as Hartford Prolific aud North- 
ern Muscadine, and does not rattle from the 
stem as both of those sorts do. It is superior 
in quality to them and to the Concord, and re- 
sembles a good Isabella. But the clusters arc 
too loose : sometimes not more thau half of the 
berries set. Perhaps if some other early grape, 
blossoming at the same time, were planted by 
its side, its flowers would be fructified, and the 
clusters be handsomely filled out." 
Hartford Prolific. — A friend who grows 
grapes for market called on us to ask with what 
varieties he should extend his plantation. We 
inquired what kinds he had, and were told, 
Hartford Prolific and Concord, and both fruit- 
ing satisf\vctorily. Our advice was to plant more 
of the same sort, and also to try some of the 
Adirondac, Israella, and other of the newer 
kinds to test their suitableness of his soil and 
location to them. Now while we are well 
aware that either of the last mentioned grapes 
is greatly superior to the Hartford, it would be 
uuwise in our fi-iend to abandon a variety he has 
tested, and plant largely of those with which he 
has had no experience. For a near market there 
is none of the eaily grapes more profitable than 
the Hartford, with all its faults, and though we 
hope to see it supplanted by better sorts, it will 
for some years be valued on account of its ear- 
liness and reliabilitj'. 
Main's Seedling.— Tht Hon. E. AV. Bull, with 
whom the Concord originated, show* pretty 
conclusively, in Uie Massachusetts Ploughman, 
that the grape which has been sold at a high 
price as ' Main's Seedling,' is nothing but the 
Concord. The same thing has also been called 
' Early Concord ' and ' Northern Hamburgh.' 
loiia and Tsraella. — P. C. Brehni, an experi- 
enced grape cultivator at Waterloo, N. Y., re- 
ports to the Country Gentleman, his experience » 
of last season. " Hartford Prolific, lona, and 
Israella, stood it best out of the whole lot ; ri- 
pening their fruit and wood fiuelj'. Israella will 
become a popular market grape, on account of 
its earliness, good quality, and excellent keeping 
qualities ; it bears early and abundantly, with 
heavy shouldered bunches, very compact. They 
adhere very firmly to the peduncle, and will 
shrivel up or dry into raisins before they will 
dry or drop off; this makes them valuable for 
sending to market. lona will undoubtedly bo 
the favorite for the table aud wine, as soon as its 
merits become known ; it is no doubt a seedling 
of either the Diana or Catawba, probably the 
latter, which it much resembles in color and 
flavor, but is much superior to either of them ; 
ripening about the same time as the Delaware. 
Montfjomery. — This variety has been put for- 
ward as a native. We are informed by the 
gentleman, after whom it is named, that lie 
procured it of a German as a foreign grape, and 
that he never claimed for it any other origin. 
Although in favorable locaUties it will fruit iu 
the open air, he wishes it to be understood that 
it is an imposition to pass it ofi" as a native variety. 
Some Choice Winter Pears. 
A richly flavored melting peai- on New Year's 
day is a luxury which is enjoyed by far too few. 
Most who raise fruit, content themselves with 
summer and autumn pears, while thej' might as 
well prolong the season into February and 
March. Our late varieties have multiplied 
largely within the last few years, and they in- 
clitde some of the highest excellence. Some 
who try them, fail from picking them too early 
and keeping them too warm. The consequence 
is, tliat wheu they come into eating, they are 
either flat and insipid, or are shriveled. Of the 
many specimens brought for onr inspection this 
season, the majority had wilted before ripening 
because they liad not been kept sufficiently cool. 
The fruit should be left on the tree as long as it 
receives any nourishment from it ; a few light 
frosts will not injure it. It should, after being 
gathered, be kept as cool as may be without 
freezing, and be brought into the condition for 
eating, by placing it for a few days iu a warm 
room. 'We append a few notes of those, which 
we have tested during December and January. 
Laicrence. — This was figured and described in 
December, 18S4. If we were confined to but one 
late variety, it should be the Lawrence. The 
tree is healthy, vigorous; and productive, and 
though there are varieties possessing a higher 
