The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-14
Various Items,
dependence Palatka NEWS.

Special Correspondence Palatka NEWS.
The bobolink. reed-bird. or rice.brd
l''dOlichonyse oryziverous' has been a
troublesome pest to me for about ten
days past. As soon as my rye began to
form the grain. when soft and milky,
these birds were upon it. lighting upon
the heads and carrying them to the
ground lii great numbers. But when
the oats came ON they left the rye. and
began on the oats.
thought at first they were too fine a
bird to kill. and that could bear with a
few for the sake Of their beautiful song:
but they came in such numbers that |
could stand it no longer. They are a
pretty bird, and ! was sorry to kill them.
Shooting among them seemed to have
but little effect for several days: but per-
severing, at length they became shy.
and have now pretty much left the
place. l find them very fat, and they
are nice for q stew or pie. In the
north, where they are known as the
bobOlink, they scatter over the country;
not more than two or three pairs are
found in a field of ten or fifteen acres.
choosing generally low meadow lands,
where they build their nests on the
ground, and rear their yOung-from four
to six at II nesting. Late in the sum.
mer they gather in flocks. and are seen
around grain fields. Early in the fall
they move southwark. feeding on the
seeds Of the reeds that grow along the
margins Of the streams, and hence are
called reed.birds. Arriving in tho Caro-
linas, they attack the rice fields, and are
called rice.birds: and by priority Of right
| suppose ! may call them oat. binds, since
they have been so destructive to my oat
crop.
They sre sometimes kept Us cage.
birds, and priced as singers. second only
TO the canary. Their note il more sill.
very than that OF the mocking bird. but
has not SD much variety. The first
strain in their northern song - from
which its name is derived. and is inter-
preted "bobolink'-is not heard here.
Indeed, think there are three strains of
the northern song omitted. Only the
last part is used here. and one who only
hears them in the south has no concep-
tion Of the beauty Of their song. The
male is constantly singing during the
nesting season, and can be heard any
hour Of the day. Its southern song
seems to be one in which both male and
female unite: but have never heard the
female sing at all in the north. II has
only dull chirp, common to all the
blackbird family.
A number Of other birds are called
,..n hsC1, fs, tt.. cn,,t1, Int Nhio IL thn
true rice.bird Of Wilson.
read to-day in the agricultural col
umn of u paper. that "NO plow should
ever he put into crop Of corn, as il
breaks the roots and Injuries the plants
most seriously. and may wholly DESTROY
them If used later" I think this is
quite contrary to the experience of most
corn.raisers in the south. The only OBJ
lection ! have to the plow in the corn.
Held, is that it leaves the ground too
much in ridges; SO prefer the cultiva-
tor. But put it down as deep as !
would the plow, and within three or
four inches Of the stalk. This root.
pruning and loosenirg Of the soil causes
u greater number OF fibrous roots. or
feeders. to grow, and prevents the plants
suffering 80 much from a drought as
they otherwise would. Flowing near
the corn, and breaking the roots after II
has begun to tassel. may do harm; but
the only instance | have known Of an
experiment Of that kind increased the
growth Of the corn, but delayed its
ripening about two weeks. That would
be no harm here; but it is dangerous in
the north, where the season is often too
short for corn to fully ripen.
Lam proving an oat crop to br an ex.
cellent forage crop this season. | am
cutting most of my oats while they are
vet grecn, and making what the Cali.
fornians call oat hay. There is diff
Guilty often in saving corn fodder on ac-
count Of rains. But whatl beautiful
weather we now have to make our oat
hay, RUSTIC.