220 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jtotb, 
proof against pussy's claws, and make the bird- 
Hugs in the branches above secure. The robins 
sometimes build in the wall, or on fences very 
near the ground, but will build in trees if they 
have them. Evergreen trees are favorite breed- 
ing places for several kinds of birds. If the 
old tin is not convenient, pare pussy's nails occa- 
sionally. The tin is the least trouble, and if 
you put it up to shield the nests, you will have 
your reward in abundant bird songs all through 
the summer, in fewer insects, and more fruit. 
Connecticut. 
Grape Trellises. 
Many persons who have planted vines, will 
this season, for the first time, put up trellises, 
and we have man}' letters asking what kind 
shall be made. "We have published so much 
upon this subject that it seems like repetition 
to introduce it again. Mr. Knox's trellis, of 
wooden slats, was figured in April, 1863, p. 116. 
Mr. Fuller's trellis, of horizontal wooden strips 
at top and bottom, and vertical wires, was 
figured and described in August, 1863, page 244. 
In April last, we gave Dr. May's illustrations 
of the trellis of horizontal wires, most in use in 
the "West. Of course the form of trellis will 
depend much upon the system of training. 
Where the double arm and spur system is fol- 
lowed, Mr. Fuller thinks that he demonstrates 
the superiority and cheapness of vertical wires. 
But this is not the system adopted in the large 
vineyards of the West, and there they use hori- 
zontal wires, and the hints of Doct. May will be 
found useful. In small vineyards, w : bere hori- 
zontal wires are used, it will be found conve- 
nient to have a contrivance for tightening them. 
A screw swivel, such as is often used for 
tightening the frames of wood saws, can be 
-easily adapted to this purpose, aud a person, with 
a little ingenuity, can be relieved from all trouble 
from the sagging of the wires. There is one 
advantage in the vertical supports of Messrs. 
Knox and Fuller, — the one using wooden slats, 
and the other upright wires. There is not that 
constant strain upon the posts at the ends of 
the rows that there is when horizontal wires are 
employed. The}' also admit of a saving of tim- 
ber, as short locust posts can be put in the 
ground, to which uprights of less durable wood 
can be spiked. An inspection of the trellises of 
both these vine-growers, shows that the plan of 
either is perfectly practical, according to their 
modes of training, though in the method of 
training followed at Hammondsport, and other 
large grape-growing regions, where the long- 
arm system is not followed, they consider it 
better and cheaper to use horizontal wires. 
Wanted— A Horticultural Society. 
For once, we write a local article. We need 
a Horticultural Society, just here in New York, 
the commercial emporium, the center to which 
everything that is transportable and worth sell- 
ing, tends. We would not ignore the valuable 
services of horticultural associations elsewhere, 
but one is needed here. We have only that 
anomalous association, theFarmers' Club, which 
will give a remedy for itch, with the same facil- 
ity that it discusses the latest pear. It will 
have a Strawberry Show this month, to which 
we hope all our readers within reach will con- 
tribute and make a visit. All these things are 
well, and it is well to offer liberal premiums for 
the best quart of this and that variety of fruit. 
The prizes will be very welcome to those who 
get them, and the public will be gratified by the 
sight of a fine display. We ask for more than 
this — a society whose mature judgment on a 
new fruit or flower, shall outweigh all dollars — 
whose simple certificate shall be more valuable 
than green-backs. Who cares to kuow who can 
raise the largest quart of Triomphe de Gand? — 
any one can do great things if he coaxes prop- 
erly. What we do want to know is this ; is this 
new fruit or flower, so praised, worth buying; is 
this a new thing or some old one with a new 
name. Then again, as many meritorious things 
have died for want of proper notice as there have 
been miserable ones puffed into undue notoriety. 
Let us have a society to settle things. It needs 
some money, but more brains. It needs a class 
of men with knowledge, and without any in- 
terest in the mercantile aspects of the matter. 
Have we these ? — New York can not be so 
badly off as to say no ! Good Mr. Greeley tried 
to do something when he offered premiums that 
must have dissatisfied as many as they pleased, 
no matter how they were decided. Under prop- 
er advice, such liberality might have produced 
some good result. Now, it is interminable 
bickering. Are there not enough pomologists 
and florists in and around New York to give us 
such a society? We don't mean those who al- 
ways want to say "I," and make their own 
little patch the criterion for the rest of the world, 
and talk the thing to death, as other societies 
have been killed — but good, zealous horticul- 
turists, who believe that horticulture is some- 
thing beyond dollars — that it is an important 
element in our National prosperity, that it is a 
great humanizing influence, now often pervert- 
ed, and that it belongs to the great city of the 
Uniorr, which has liberally provided for other 
elevating arts, to do something for horticulture. 
This is a subject that we have long had under 
consideration, and are induced to speak now by 
looking over Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist, and 
seeing — to use a vulgarism — the "perfect slather- 
ing" the author, with the aid of Mr. Downing, 
gives the nursery names of currants. We can 
not expect that such work will be done by pri- 
vate individuals at their own expense, nor that 
the decision of individuals, however eminent 
they may be, will carry the weight of the dic- 
tum of a society — such a society as we hope to 
see sooner or later established. 
Picking Berries for Market. 
The success of small fruit culture depends 
upon several other things than the choice of 
suitable soil and productive varieties. There 
must be ready access to market, and abundant 
labor to gather the crops, just at the right time. 
So perishable are most of the small fruits, that 
a day's delay in either picking, or in transporta- 
tion, may seriously reduce the returns. Both 
forethought and capital must have been em- 
ployed in providing an abundant stock of bas- 
kets, crates and other packages — enough to al- 
low the grower to go on with gathering in spite 
of any delay in returning packages. As many 
hands are needed to gather the berries, the cul- 
tivation of small fruits must of necessity be car- 
ried on in thickly settled communities. In the 
great berry regions, picking time levels social 
distinctions, and the poor and well to do, young 
and old, black and white, find plenty of work, at 
paying prices. The season begins with strawber- 
ries, then come raspberries, which, followed by 
blackberries, prolong the season through several 
weeks. A shed or shanty is erected in the 
field for "headquarters," where empty baskets 
are to be had, and to which the fruit is brought. 
Each picker has a basket stand or tray, which is 
a shallow box with a handle, and large enough 
to hold from 6 to 12 baskets, according to the 
size. A row or bed is assigned to each picker, 
who is expected to gather all the fruit, good or 
bad, that is ripe at the time. Assorting is done 
by the picker, who reserves one or two baskets 
for the inferior berries, and puts only good ones 
in the others. This is found to be much better 
than assorting the berries after they are brought 
in, as it saves one handling. The baskets are 
rounded up, in order that they may be at least 
level full when they reach the consumer. When 
a picker has filled all the baskets, she (or he) 
brings them to headquarters and receives as 
many tickets as there are full baskets, fills up the 
stand with empty baskets, and starts anew. The 
basket are put at once into the crates, (the in- 
ferior berries beingkept separate,) which, as soon 
as full, are fastened up, and are ready to go off. 
When the picker accumulates tickets, (represent- 
ing each a basket,) enough to amount to a half 
dollar or a dollar, they are exchanged for one of 
these denominations. These larger tickets are re- 
deemed by the proprietor. In some places they 
pass as currenc} r at the stores. The price paid 
varies from two to five cents a quart, and the 
pickers earn from $1.50 to $3 a day. Those 
who live within an easy distance of market, find 
it much better to send fruit by their own convey- 
ances than to forward it by rail. 
Picking commences as soon as the dew is off, 
and the fruit is started for market in time to 
reach its destination early the following morning. 
Garden Irrigation.— 2d Article. 
BY " TESUQITE," NEW MEXICO. 
Those who have their gardens laid out for 
irrigation, as described in the March number, 
will soon begin to use the water; and in the 
month of May, in climates such as New Mexico, 
will use it pretty freely. 
Parsnips, carrots, beets, radishes, and all root 
crops should have water, and have the beds well 
filled with it, at most, five or six days after be- 
ing sown. By watering them at this time, the 
ground is well soaked, and, besides giving the 
seed an early start, it obviates the necessity of 
watering the plants when just appearing, and 
when, very likely, there are frosty nights; and at 
such limes very young plants are more or less 
injured, or at least put back. 
Early peas sliould get water often, and always 
be watered two or three days before picking for 
market, if you wish them to fill well. 
Turnips will speak as plainly as any vegetable 
need, when they require water, aud in dry cli- 
mates do not leave them any longer without it, 
after the leaves begin to call for it, than you 
would your best cow ; don't put it off for a day 
or two, or you may insure a crop of pithy, 
strong flavored roots, entirely unfit for the table. 
Cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, and the rest 
of the cabbage tribe, should be transplanted into 
beds well watered overnight; and the day after 
transplanting, another slight watering is neces- 
sary; after the plants are well established they 
are not apt, in an ordinary season, to need irriga- 
ting oftener than every two weeks, until they 
commence heading, and then, every ten days. If 
lice are found on any of the plants in a bed, 
pull the plants up previous to irrigating, as the 
lice are liable to wash from one to the other. 
When the lice have commenced on plants 
that are not higher than the borders, by filling 
the bed so that the plants are immersed for a 
