New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-06
kING.BIRDS AND FARMERS' CUES.

10 the Editor Of The " 4 TrisUne
SIR: In your eeky OF May 20 il published abstract
Of parer read before the TURNER'S CIsj under the
heading OF " The Birds and the Farmers. Speaking OF
the Knc-Bird, the author Of that paper says:
AS 10 his eating honeybee, is prep0scrous Its
sting is Nature efficient guard against such enemies. II
any doubt this fact let them produce one honey-bee from
the stomach Of kHg-Bd and thls statement WI be de-
world has dssected numerous Hing Birds, ana never
found honeybee III the stomach OF single one This Is
sufficient evidence for me.
Now this may be sufficient eridenee for a city club
farmer but to commonsensc farmer it is more than
the simple fact that Mr. Bell found honey-bee in
the stomach of Kng-brd Every farmer who knows
Kng-brd from a nghhawki vino has hall IN eye, and IL
in tie hab, Of going abou, with open, knows that King
birds 90 bees. have opened the stomach of hng-
bird and have seen the vertable honey-bee therein
friend of mine shot and released from scrop
live honeybee, which, after exposure Tor -hot e, lie"
away This fact sufficient tor me whether before the
Farmers Club it would preponderae over the welyhy
fact that distinguished naturalist failed 10 ma money
in the stomachs of kingbIrds. know not Perhaps IN
the estimation club Of Jooksh turner's, the positive
experience of practical farmer Is not to be received IN
contradiction of the negative experience OF distinguished
naturalist. ~
Seriously, protest against this jOok'sh farming We
country farmers do not believe that the man VINO studies
agriculture as he sits his parlor window and surveys ms
firm bounded side by city avenue and on the
OTHER by his neighbours garden wall aud reports hs exe
rence through the Farmers Club is SAFE counselor We
auot receive the tg, dlx such farmers OF such
club of farmers a. law for us.
We take pride in farming and We have cnb. On
cluJ meets at the blacksmith mop II always
gdourns ne de- and flags, except IN fair weather
Most OF the members either take some agricultural paper
oras generally lreierre--ome Newspaper wi'h
wel.couductod agricultural column bU: So emlnenty
practical they that they cannot help sa-Hg when
they read tia hngbrds DO not eat bees or ha COWS sned
Their H6 horns p cIc CO SeIr m.y q, ls Gu'' &C.
Remarks.
d. T." volunteers critic, and OF course challenges
criticism lie speaks his mind with entire freedom which
we Ike and shal initiate II he should happen to feel
somewhat smaller at tie end of this discussion than he did
at the beginning he will know whom TO blame fof the cir
cumstance.
J. An eminent naturalist, who has devoted his lie TO
wacl ing the habits md dongs of birds, tesIes that lie
never saw King-brd honeybee, and has e'iscera
ted many lgbirds without finding any honey-pee "N'n
them This is certainly Il. direct and ogen testimony as
can be sdduced on that side OF the question But D. /.
says he las found honey the stomach OF hnbrl'
and that friend sho, Kng-brd and released from 10
crop Ire honey-bee. New if j. 7. will just give the
public his name with that Of his friend Aforesaid his ;e',
ory will overbesr that of Messr Bel and Hooper onae
other sethG il say the fsct that Two men hare founi
bees in King birds crops will oyerbear the fact that other
men have opened many King-birs rdaout hnting any.
Yet even then we consider safe 70 infer from the fac;
that naturalist ike Mr. Bel has watched King birds
many and never seen one eat bee, aud opened
many Kngbir without finding bee that King are
NOT AoJifual destroyers of bees l. it not 30
Suppose two astronomers in the planet Jupiter armed
with telescopes which enabled them TO discern and watch
the denizens of Earth TO report-one that he had
seen one killing another, the second tha, he had
watched through several years and never witnessed
homicidewoud not be the legitimate conclusion OF the
Jupiteriars that, though I'D sometimes Kill each
other yet murder nevertheless not habiual and or
binary occurrence
.. -. F." protests against this j0okish farming by
who study agriculture from their parlor window
ard whose farm consists Of city lot two. This being
Ayowedy aimed at the Farmers Club Of this City, we
proceed 10 yon:iaie j. p ignorance without regard TO
his imperiinonco.
o. the thirty forty gentlemen whom we have me' AZ
the Farmers Club do not know one who Is NOV
practical farmer. Prof Mapcs though but lew yei''
,rmcr very successful one, and produce H''' '