The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-27

and not in trees, and will not accept tho
bushes of the garden because they have
no tangled underground. Insects, in the
different stages OF their existence, multi
ply with the increase of tilage; for every
fertilizer that is mixed with the soil rem
ders it more productive of vermin. Birds,
which are the natural checks to the over
multiplication Of insects, would become
more numerous in proportion to the in
creased supply Of their insect food, if
there was harbor for them in the vicini-
ty. A great number of small birds, all
OF which, not excepting the granivorous
species, feed their young with larvae, are
exilcd by the want of border shrubbery.
The catbird, an inveterate consumer of
insects, second only to the robin in use.
fulness to the farmer, will become very
familiar, and build in our gardens, if sup.
piled with plenty of of wild thickct to
yield it that secusion that suits its tenn.
per and habits Birds OF every descrip-
ton of shrubs or trees for resort and
how great soever their supply Of food,
if no woods or thickets are near to afford
them harbor and a nursery for their
young, they will leave it untastcd. Any
man who owns an acre Of land might
gather round it nearly every species of
our small birds by a very little sacrifice
Of space, which is to be filed with the
wildngs Of nature.
A formal clipped hcdge-row affords the
birds no such shelter nor seclusion. Why
an ugly mass of sticks with few leaves
on the outside, should be preferred to a
beautiful growth Of wildings, cherished
upon a natural sod, is no less wonderful
than the myLtery of godiness." AS or
namcnts to the landscape, shrubs are of
no secondary importance. While trees
afford grandeur to the distant prospect,
the beauty of near prospect is greatly
dependent on shrubbery. A rocky and
uneven surface, covered by trees alone,
would not affect the mind with so many
agreeable impressions as when combined
with their underground. When we are
journeying, the wild shrubs that skirt the
waysides, and hang their foliage, fruit
and flowers over the walls and fences add
beauty and inter, st to the scenes Of our
journey not equaled in any respect by the
cultivated exotics in the spadcd lands of
gardens in our suburban towns. In some
foreign countries the suporstitons Of the
people cause them to preserve mauy Of
these things which are so valuable in
ways but little understood. 1t is the mis-
fortune of our land, that these conserva-
tive superstitions which we have rejected
are not supplaDted by philosophy. In
place Of it we discover only barren in
fidelity to Nature, and sceptical disrc-
gard Of her benevolent laws.
The growth OF spontaneous shrubbery
by the sides Of the less frcquented roads,
and in all those situations where it does
not interfere with ncedful operations, is
one Of the chief blessings Of nature. 1t is
profitable for shade and for shelter, aud
affords constant pleasure to the sight. Es-
pecially on the borders OF rustic by-wavs
it covers the nakedness Of the stone wall
with foliage and flowers, and produces an
! ah.-- 49, - "a .tufO 'vI IuIlureu anu
birds. Tons Of whortlebcrries would be
produced every summer by rustic waysidcs
and the borders OF fields, if the sordid
landowner did not destroy the bushes
that yield them cannot see that a
growth Of this kind close to the fences
would diminish the space that should be
occupied by the farmers crops. Yet
were it not for the persistent efforts OF
Nature, who plants her shrubs with lib.
eral hand in neglected field and borders
they would long since have been exter
minated in all our old townships. it i.
true that they do not yield any imineii
ate profit to the farmer; but they pro.
duce fruit which is luxury to the chill
dren Of the neighborhood they are val
liable for iae shelter they afford to thu
birds; they protect the immediate grounds
from the winds, even more than trees
and they constitute the most interestin.
embellishments Of rustic farm