June, 1859. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
177 
perpetuated, except as aided by the hand of man. 
It is an interesting question to consider wheth¬ 
er plants can be acclimated in a region material¬ 
ly different from that in which they are indige¬ 
nous. Vegetable physiologists are in dispute 
about it. Some assert that the plant under¬ 
goes no constitutional change, and can not under¬ 
go any, on being removed from one climate to 
another. Others hold that a slight modification 
does take place. And the latter surely have some 
facts on their side, at least in the case of plants 
reproduced by seed. Take the case of Indian corn. 
That which is grown in Virginia, if taken at once 
to Canada, will not ripen. But take it there by 
degrees ; plant it fifty or a hundred miles further 
north each year for several successive years, and 
at length it will become so modified that it will 
mature in Canada. Rice has advanced by a slow 
progress, from the Carolinas to Virginia, and can 
now be grown even in New-Jersey. Hence, it is 
inferred that an individual tree may be some¬ 
what modified by a transfer from one climate to 
another. It is well known that a tree, slightly 
tender, becomes hardier as it increases in age. 
Every year adds a new and thicker layer of wood 
and bark between the pith and the outer air, and 
so enables it better to resist frost. If then, we 
protect a young and tender tree for a few Win¬ 
ters until it has acquired thickness of bark, why 
may it not be able afterwards to endure a great¬ 
er degree of cold than it would have experienced 
in its native climate 1 
So reasons Theory, with some plausible show. 
But stern Fact steps in and says: ‘This is all a 
humbug : you may carry seeds from the south to 
the north, and their successive progenies will be¬ 
come hardier from year to year ; but not so with 
an individual tree: it can not materially change.’ 
Gardens for Farmers. 
, Why should not the farmer have as good a 
garden as any body! Don’t he deserve some of 
the good things of this life ! Does the curse of 
Adam fall exclusively upon his garden-patch, 
filling it with thorns and thistles, and compelling 
him to eat the fruit thereof in the sweat of his 
face, without any consolation ! We don’t believe 
it. If his garden is a poor one, let him blame 
only himself. He thinks, as we well know, that 
his great garden, the farm, needs all his attention, 
and will repay his labor and care, much better than 
the little garden of vegetables and fruits. But 
why not have both, and take good care of both! 
There is many an odd spell which, faithfully used, 
would keep the garden in excellent trim. An odd 
half day, with one or two of the hired men, would 
plow and plant it; and then, if the farmer would 
only so determine, it could easily be taken care 
of all Summer, without interfering with the reg¬ 
ular labors of the farm. 
There are many reasons why the farmer should 
have a good garden. The healthfulness and the 
pleasurableness of it are sufficient reasons. Salt 
pork, blue beef, codfish and pickles, are well 
enough in their way, and at suitable times ; but 
how much more pleasant and wholesome, if in¬ 
termingled with some nice vegetables and fruits 
from the garden 1 What is better in Spring than a 
savory dish of asparagus, or parsneps, or vegetable 
oysters ! A riiubarb pie, or a dish of strawber¬ 
ries and cream, who can be insensible to them! 
Early cherries and raspberries, gooseberries and 
currants are not to be despised. And so on, 
through all the heats and labors of the Summer, 
what a fountain of health and comfort may the 
garden be made 1 Nice young beets, peas, rad¬ 
ishes, beans, cucumbers, melons, squashes, grapes, 
plums, and what not, are all healthful, if eaten in 
moderation ; they give a relish to other food and 
promote appetite and good digestion. And sure¬ 
ly, a farmer is a happier man, if his daily toil is 
cheered by such pleasant repasts. He enjoys life 
as it goes. His laborers are more contented ; his 
children grow up attached to their rural home. 
We insist upon it, as we have done before, 
that if farmers would have their sons and daugh¬ 
ters contented and happy, they must not scold 
them for their discontent, but must make farm 
life so pleasant that they will not desire to aban¬ 
don it. They must relieve it as far as possible, 
of wearisome drudgery, routine and coarseness, 
and mingle comforts and pleasures with its severer 
labors. A garden of fruits, vegetables and flowers, 
will do much toward accomplishing this result. 
--- 
Shall the Robin be Destroyed? 
INTERESTING REPORT. 
HE members of 
the Massachusetts 
Horticultural So¬ 
ciety are deserv- 
■ ing of much credit 
3gtS0imBS . for an investiga¬ 
tion set on foot at 
their first meeting 
last year, (Jan. 9.) To bring 
the subject forward formally, 
a resolution was offered to 
“authorize the President, in 
behalf of the Society, to pe¬ 
tition the Legislature to re¬ 
peal such of the statutes and 
laws of the Commonwealth 
as punish the taking, killing, and destroying of 
the bird commonly known as the Robin.” An an¬ 
imated discussion took place, and a Committee 
consisting of Messrs. J. W. P. Jenks, Prof, of 
Zoology ; 0. M. Hovey, and E. S. Rand, jr., was 
appointed to make a thorough investigation, and 
report at such time as they might deem advisable. 
This committee entered upon their labors with 
much interest and zeal, and continued them 
through the year. In a recent number of the 
Journal of the Society, we have the report of 
Prof. Jenks, Chairman of the Committee, in full, 
and condense therefrom the following outline, 
which will be found interesting. 
The plan adopted in the investigation was, 
First, to obtain birds at day-break, mid-day, and 
sunset: Second, to obtain them from both village 
and country : Third, to preserve in alcohol the 
contents of each gizzard. 
In accordance with this, specimens were ex¬ 
amined at least weekly, and most of the time daily 
from March to December last, and at several 
periods during the winter. 
The male birds made their appearance first, 
early in March, followed by the females the sec¬ 
ond week in April. The gizzards of those killed 
in the morning were almost entirely empty, or 
but slightly distended with well macerated food, 
while those killed in the latter part of the day 
were as uniformly filled with fresh food. 
In the almost daily examinations of their giz¬ 
zards, from the early part of March to the first of 
May, not a particle of vegetable matter was found 
in a single bird, insects in great variety, both as 
to number and kind, forming their sole food, a 
large proportion of which was the bibio larvae, an 
insect feeding principally upon the roots of grass. 
During May the larvae entirely disappeared 
from the gizzards, being replaced, up to June 21st, 
by a variety of insects, including spiders, cater¬ 
pillars, and beetles, of the family Elateridae, the 
parents of the well known wire-worms, so des¬ 
tructive to corn and various other seeds. The 
earth-worm was found to be a favorite food for 
the young robin, but was sparingly employed by 
the adult bird for its own use. 
From June 21st, strawberries, cherries, and 
other pulpy fruit were found, usually intermingled 
with the insects, leading to the conclusion that 
the fruit was used for a dessert during the ener¬ 
vating season of moulting, as it was more easily 
procured than any other food. 
This mixed diet of the robin continued from 
the ripening of strawberries and cherries to Oc¬ 
tober,—the vegetable portion consisting, during 
August and September, mainly of elderberries 
and pokeberries. 
During October the vegetable diet was discard¬ 
ed, and grass-hoppers and other orthopterous in¬ 
sects supplied its place. 
Early in November the robins mostly migrate 
to the South. The few which remain, exist dur¬ 
ing the winter, upon bayberries ( myrica ccrifera), 
privet berries ( ligustrum vulgare), and the com¬ 
mon juniper berries. 
Prof. Jenks proposes to pursue his researches 
and observations still further; but from what has 
already been shown, it is very evident that the 
fruit which the robin takes for his dessert can 
well be spared him in view of the vast service he 
renders by destroying immense quantities of in¬ 
sects alike injurious to fruit and vegetables. We 
hope that not only the Society above named, but 
other like associations will institute and continue 
similar investigations respecting other birds. 
-=>-<-—K-e-t—---- 
The Black Knot on the Plum. 
We find on our files the following remarks from 
a correspondent in Oneida Co., N. Y.: Horti¬ 
culturists are evidently becoming discouraged in 
their attempts to cultivate the plum. Thecurcu- 
lio and the black-knot are two formidable ene¬ 
mies. Of the curculio I do not now propose to 
speak ; but the black-knot I believe can be kept 
in check, if not exterminated. Careful observa¬ 
tion has ascertained pretty clearly what the cause 
of the knot is. It is undoubtedly the sting of an 
insect. This insect is about an inch long, pale 
yellow in color, has four wings, and hind legs re¬ 
sembling those of grasshoppers. The puncturing 
of the branch is done by the female, who stings 
it in order to deposit her eggs. These eggs, 
numbering often as many as ten or a dozen, are 
laid in August and September. They are soon 
hatched, and the larvae lie dormant until the early 
part of the following Summer, when they are 
changed into winged insects. 
The tumor on the tree appears to be caused 
partly by the puncture itself, and partly by a pois¬ 
onous substance infused at the time the wound is 
made. By frequently examining plum-trees in 
the months of August and September, the insects 
will be found busy at work, stinging the branches 
and making their deposits; which being done, 
the whole is varnished over with a w r ater-proof 
substance, and domestic matters are kept quiet 
until the larvae are hatched. Cut open a limb 
that has been stung, early in June, and the larvae 
will be found alive and kicking. 
Of course, the only way to subdue this pest is 
to wage an unceasing war upon it. Entrap him 
in bottles of sweetened water hung in the trees ; 
burn him in bonfires kindled in the garden by 
night; examine the trees often, and cut out t he 
tumors as soon as they appear, and burn them. 
This cutting of the limbs does no serious harm : 
they soon heal over. By pursuing this vigorous 
treatment, the black-knoj will do little practical 
injury. Oneida. 
