The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-12-25

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rh;. subject has been taken up In the Lcgisla.
,,r,.. If both Connecticut and Massachusetts, and
/. law has been passed by the fermsr, perhaps by
the latter. also, prohibiting the indiscriniinate
slaughter Of birds. In Report made 70 the Legis-
,aure Of Massachusetts on this subject. Il Is said
that the examination of the habits of birds has led
manv intelligent persons to the conclusion, that 1t
Ii ionbtfnl at leas, whether single one is found
In me S,ate which does not more good than harm
tothe farmer, aud has made It certain that many
now looked upon as enemies are friends Of such
Importance that without them the business Of hus-
bandry could not go on.
The right Of destroying birds by those who wish
10 secure their orchards or gardens is not denied
bat the greater number are killed by wanton boys,
who. without any reason but their own pleasure,
are permitted to indulge in q cruel and injurious
amusement. 49, 4t tlsatlS
1t is clearly proved that the determination of
birds which do little harm occasionally gives
protection from small evn at the expense of
greater securing the fruit by the sacrifice Of the
tree Whilst no Kind OF cultivation is affected to
any considerable extent by the depredations of
birds, tand III IL should. other means than shoot.
ing may be devised to prevens IT, not so with the
insects and their ravages.. Ii they fasten them
selves upon the locust, the apple, the pear and
many other trees, they are gone beyond all re.
demption.
Wilson, says the Massachusetts report snakes
the computation that each ed.winged black bird
devours, ON an average, fifty grubs day SO that
single pair in four months will consume more
than twelve thousand. Allowing that there are a
million of pairs of these birds in New England in
summer, which is but moderate estimate they
would destroy twelve thousand millions Let any
one consider what an Immense injury that num-
Der OF insects would do, and this would be suffi.
GENTLY striking to show how much we are indebted
70 the labor OF these birds But the computation
may be greatly extended for many insects have
young by the hundreds; besides cutting off the OK
isting destroyers, they prevented fgesa multi
plying; and when we consider whsn myriads of
birds there are constantly and easciently engaged
in this service it gives Ga suppression beyond the
power Of calculation TO reach, of the astonishing
manner in which the increase of insects is kept
town, simply by sparing the lives of their nat.
ural destroyers And this it must BIO remembered.
is the only means of preventing their increase and
reducing their formidable ananbers.s No other rem
edy that man can apply win reach the eyil This
is the VOCATION Of birds and it. for the sake of re-
moving 6 small evil. we viii ;,,,t hermit them
70 live and labor in ii. We ,,s, not comnlan when
the natural conse"'- oo,,,os 49,. a. 80
Soy experience, also.to teach US on this sub
~'z Kahn remarks that after some States had paid
,hree nence dozen for the destruction OF black
,iras the consequence was total loss IN the year
174e Of ALI the grass and grain, by means OF IN
.ec,s which had fourished under the protection OF
that law. The example of our trees just aiiuded
N Is also a standing warning; for we see that
now ones are adding to their numbers. The ma
nile perhaps the most valued of our ornamental
,rsas il now marked out for destruction, and, in
snite of all that we can do, will soon be entirely
lost There is nothing to prevent this process from
-.,oine on-Osher trees will soon swell the list Of
victims and when it is too late, we shall lament
that " e have protected our enemies and persecu-
tedour friends Every eultyator, for his own sake,
as " ell as the public good, should endeavor to
spread right views on this subject and to show
that the wanton determination of birds is throwing
difficulties in the way of horticulture and farming
which no industry science skill can overcome"
We commend these views to the agriculturists,
Gardeners and legislators of Virginia We under
stand that bin upon the subject win be intro
duced into the present Legislature Long life to
the birds Death to the insects .--
=. T. ,..ss.55...-. The War.
~ Never. since the days DORIS famous rebellion in
Rhode Island, has there been such tremendous war
asthat Of Kansas The grand tragedy of SebastopoI
is nothing to it. We don't wonder that the "Mis-
sourians" went home grumbling over the treaty
49,, "A