AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[JtJKE, 
proof against pussy’s claws, and make the bird- 
lings 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 Avill have 
your reward in abundant birdsongs all through 
the summer, in fewer insects, and more fruit. 
Connecticut. 
Grape Trellises. 
Many persons Avho have planted vines, Avill 
this season, for the first time, put up trellises, 
and we have many 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, Avas figured in April, 1863, p. 116. 
Mr. Puller’s trellis, of horizontal wooden strips 
at top and bottom, and vertical Avires, Avas 
figured and described in August, 1863, page 244. 
In April last, we gave Dr. May’s illustrations 
of the trellis of horizontal Avires, most in use in 
the West. Of course the form of trellis Avill 
depend much upon the system of training. 
Where the double arm and spur system is fol- 
loAved, Mr. Puller thinks that he demonstrates 
the superiority and cheapness of A^ertical Avires. 
But this is not the S 3 'stera adopted in the large 
vineyards of the West, and there they use hori¬ 
zontal Avires, and the hints of Doct. May will be 
found useful. In small vineyards, Avhere hori¬ 
zontal Avires are used, it Avill be found conve¬ 
nient to have a contrivance for tightening them. 
A screw SAvivel, such as is often used for 
tightening the frames of avoocI saAvs, can be 
easily adapted to this purpose, and a person, Avith 
a little ingenuity, can be relieved from all trouble 
from the sagging of the Avires. There is one 
advantage in the vertical supports of Messrs. 
Knox and Puller,—the one using Avooden slats, 
and the other upright AA'ires. There is not that 
constant strain upon the posts at the ends of 
the roAvs that there is wdien horizontal Avires are 
employed. They also admit of a saving of tim- 
bei, as short locust posts can be put in the 
ground, to Avhich uprights of less durable Avood 
can be spiked. An inspection of the trellises of 
both these vine-growers, shoAvs that the plan of 
either is perfectly practical, according to their 
modes of training, though in the method of 
tiaining folloAved at Hammondsport, and other 
large grape-growing regions, Avhere the long- 
aim system is not folloAved, they consider it 
better and cheaper to use horizontal Avires. 
get them, and the public Avillbe gratified by the 
sight of a fine disphiAX We ask for more than 
this—a society Avhose mature judgment on a 
ncAV fruit or floAver, shall outAveigh all dollars— 
Avhosc simple certificate shall be more valuable 
than green-backs. Who cares to knoAV who can 
raise the largest quart of Triomphe de Gaud?— 
any one can do great things if he coaxes prop- 
erl 3 ^ What Ave do Avant to know is this ; is this 
new fruit or flower, so praised, Avorth buying; is 
this a ueAV thing or some old one Avith a new 
name. Then again, as many meritorious things 
have died for Avant of proper notice as there haAm 
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 Avith knowledge, and Avithout any in¬ 
terest in the mercantile aspects of the matter. 
HaveAve these?—Kew York can not be so 
badly off as to say no! Good Mr. Greeley tried 
to do something Avhen he offered premiums that 
must have dissatisfied as many as they pleased, 
no matter hoAV' they AA^ere decided. Under pi'op- 
ei advice, such liberality might have produced 
some good result. Koav, it is interminable 
bickering. Are there not enough pomologists 
and floiists in and around Koav York to give us 
such a society ? We don’t mean those Avho al- 
AvaysAvant to say “I,” and make their own 
little patch the criterion for the rest of the Avorld, 
and talk the thing to death, as other societies 
have been killed—but good, zealous horticul¬ 
turists, Avho believe that horticulture is some¬ 
thing beyond dollars—that it is an important 
element in our National prosperity, that it is a 
groat humanizing influence, now often perA^ert- 
ed, and that it belongs to the great city of the 
Union, Avhich has libei-ally provided for other 
elevaUng arts, to do something for horticulture. 
This is a subject that Avehave long had under 
consideration, and are induced to speak noAV by 
looking over Fuller’s Small Fruit Culturist, and 
seeing—to use a Auilgarism—the “perfect slather¬ 
ing” the author, with the aid of Mr. DoAvning, 
giA^es the nursery names of currants. We can 
not expect that such AA^ork AA’ill be done bv jiri- 
vate individuals at their own expense, nor that 
the decision of individuals, however eminent 
they may be, Avill carry the Aveight of the dic¬ 
tum of a societj''—such a society as Ave hope to 
see sooner or later established. 
are to be had, and to Avhich the fruit is brought. 
Each picker has a basket stand or tray, Avhich is 
a shalloAA' box Avith a handle, and large enouirh 
to hold from 6 to 12 baskets, according to the 
size. A roAA" or bed is assigned to eacli picker, 
Avho is expected fo gather all the fruit, good or 
bad, that is ripe at the time. Assorting is done 
by the picker, Avho reserves one or tAvo baskets 
for the infeiior berries, and puts only good ones 
in the others. This is found to be much better 
than assorting the berries after they are broiurht 
in, as it saves one handling. The baskets are 
rounded up, in order that they may be at least 
level full Avhen 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 Avith empty baskets, and starts aneAV. The 
basket are put at once into the crates, (the in- 
fei ior berries being kept separate,) which, as soon 
as full, aie fastened up, and ai’e 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 b}^ the lu'oprietor. In some places they 
pass as currency at the stores. The price jAaid 
A'aries from two to five cents a quart, and the 
pickers earn from $1.50 to $3 a daj'. Those 
who live Avithin an easy distance of market, find 
it much better to send fruit by their oaa’u coiiA^ey- 
ances than to forward it by rail. 
Picking commences as soon as the dcAv is off, 
and fhe fruit is started for market in time to 
I each its destination early the following morning. 
Garden Irrigation.—2d Article. 
BT “ TESTJQUE,” NEAV MEXICO. 
Picking Berries for Market. 
Wanted—A Horticultural Society. 
For once, Ave AAU-ite a local article. We need 
a Horticultural Societ}^ just here in KeAv York 
the conunercial emiAorium, the center to Avhich 
eveiything that is transportable and Avorth sell¬ 
ing, tends. We Avould not ignore the valuable 
services of horticultural associations elscAvhere 
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 
lave a Strawberry ShoAV this month, to Avhich 
we hope all our readers Avithin reach Avill con¬ 
tribute and make a-visit. All these things are 
Avell and it is well to offer liberal premiums for 
the best quart of this and that variety of fruit. 
The prizes Avill be very Avelcome to those Avho 
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- 
loAV the groAver to go on with gathering in spite 
of any delay in returning packages. As many 
hands are needed to gather the berries, the cul- 
tiAvation of small fruits must of necessity be car¬ 
ried on in thicklj'- settled communities. In the 
gieat berry regions, picking time levels social 
distinctions, and the poor and aa’cII to do, young 
and old, black and white, find plenty of Avork, at 
paying prices. The season begins Avith straAvber- 
lies, then come raspberries, Avhich, followed by 
blackberries, prolong the season through several 
AAeeks. A slied or shanty is erected in the 
field for “headquarters,” Avhere empty baskets 
Those Avho have their gardens laid out for 
iiiigation, as described in the IMarch number, 
will soon begin to use the Avater; and in the 
month of Majq in climates such as Kcav Mexico, 
will use it pretty freelj'. 
Parsnips, carrots, beets, radishes, and all root 
crops should have Avater, and liave the beds Avell 
filled Avith if, at most, five or six days after be¬ 
ing soAvn. By Avatering them at this time, the 
giound is AA'ell soaked, and, besides giving the 
seed an early start, it obviates the necessfty of 
AAateiing the plants AAdien just appearing, and 
when, A'’eryr likelj'^, there are frosty^ nights; and at 
such times very young lAlauts are niore or less 
injured, or at least put back. 
Bally peas slioiilH get wcitcv and alAA'aA^s 
be Avatered twm or three days before picking for 
market, if you AAush them to fill AA^ell. 
Turnips Avill speak as plainly as any vegetable 
need, Avhen they require Avater, and in dry cli¬ 
mates do not leaA'e them any longer Avithout it, 
aftei the leaA'^es begin to call for it, than you 
would your best coav ; don’t put it off for a day 
or tAvo, or you may insure a crop of pithj'-, 
strong flavored roots, entirely unfit for the table. 
Cabbages, caulifloAvers, broccoli, and the rest 
of the cabbage tribe, should be transplanted into 
beds Avell AAmtered overnight; and the day after 
transplanting, another slight AAxatering is neces¬ 
sary; after the plants are Avell established they 
are not apt, in an ordinaiy season, to need irriga¬ 
ting oftener than every tAA'o weeks, until thej^ 
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 irriaatimj, as the 
lice aie liable to AA'ash 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 
