The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-01
THE WORM NUISANCE.

The press and the people are coming pretty
unanimously to the conclusion that in order
to Be efectually rid Of the "worm nuisance"
wemust have the city trees filled with in
sectyorous birds, and that to have the birds.
nothing can be tolerated in our midst that viii
ffighten and drive them away. We have
shown that before the squirrels were admitted
into our public squares we had plenty of birds
and no worms; and the rational inference is
thatthe birds and the squirrels cannot agree
togeher in peace and harmony.
Therefore the question TO be decided seems
TO shape itself into this formulary Shall we
have the squirrels with the worms, or the birds
witloat the worms? Nobody, we should
think, could hesitate for moment in such a
choice. The squirrels are Of no imaginable
use In the city parks, and we never could see
the sense Of introducing them at all. Except
that they have profusion Of hair on their
tails, we can discover no more beauty in them
than In rat. While, then, they are neither
useful nor ornamental, why should they not be
exterminated?
They might be endured il they were harm
less, even though they are useless; but they
are positively injurious. They keep away the
birds by destroying their nests, and otherwise
annoying them; and the consequence is that
our city trees are covered every spring with
a fresh brood of caterpillars, which eat up the
foliage, and deprive us Of the grateful beauty
and refreshment Of our intra-mural groves.
II has been suggested by one Of our con-
temporaries that the Municipal Councils
should make an order to have wreu-boxes
placed In all the trees in our public squares
and the argument in favor Of the measure Is,
that the wren Is so small and can get into Its
nest through so tiny an aperture, that the
squirrels cannot possibly disturb them. This
Is very wen as far as it goes, but it does not
go far enough TO meet the evil TO be corrected.
Even fit were true, as supposed, that all that
d necessary to secure the residence in our
city trees of the birds Is TO have their nests
and young protected, the proposition is
only a compromise with the nuisance
10 be abated, and Ike most all compro-
mises, II Is Of very doubtful expedieney.
It Is by no means certain that the wren, even
" provided with quarters impenetrable to the
nduirfels, would inhabit places where no other
MIn4 can come, and where even they are liable
alarmed by swarm Of wild rats, which
esn to be inimical to every form OF animal
|lile except class Of nasty and destructive
Vermin.
The truth Is that the squirrels are the cause
of the worm nuisance, and in order TO cure
that we must strike 1t at the roOt-that is,
Clear out utterly and forever the squirrels.
rherel Is nothing like radical measures when
'you are earnestly intent on getting rid Of any
annoyance whatever. rrv earn, II you can,
what really produces the saischlef to be
emedied, and when that il ascertalned, go In
{.or It's prompt and thorough extirpaticn. All
f .'pcasures abort Of that are mot worthy OF con-
lerafion.
+ 4 Is more than probable-it Is eerltain--tkat
NE the squirrels are allowed to renpain In
NY we shall have but few II any birds,
~ we succeed in getting the birds to
Ek 70 their old haunts In our public
.tst have the worms. This mat-A
rps IN more respects than one, !
net pnWothy Of the speedy |