The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-05-27
For the Democratic Press.
no MEN RECEIvE ANY BEHEFI1
FROM BIRDS.


For the Democratic Press
DO MEN RECEIVE ANY BENEFIT
FROM BIRDS.
Prof Tsehudi, an eminent Swiss
Naturalist affirms, that, without birds,
agriculture would be impracticable.-
No doubt this learned man has posi-
tive knowledge in this matter; some-
thing gained by actual experience, ac-
cording to Bacon's inductive- method,
consequently not mere theory, but
science gained by fair trial.
Not many years since an agricultu-
raj society in France petitioned gov
ernment to pass alaw for. the protec-
ton of the farmers invaluable friends !;
that is, the birds. Since their argu-
ments were absolutely irresistible, it
is presumed that the wise men of
France listened to their prayer, and
that heavy penalty is now paid by
bird killers in that Empire, that is, if
there be any now in that land. In
this petition they offered the follow
ing argument to prove that birds are
very useful, viz:
At q former time, when the fruit
growers in. the Kingdom of Prussia
were annoyed in consequence of the
sparrows devouring their cherries,
and thereby lessening their profits
from the sale of tiis kind of fruit,
they became so cxasperated at them
that they begged government pass an
ordinance against these pests. Yield
ing to their entreaties, government
ordered q prescription against them
in the form of a bounty offered for
every sparrow that any one should
Kill, and this bounty was so extrava-
CANT that, after the lapse of two or
three years, these little creatures had
nearly all disappeared from that realm,
since multitudes were actually slaugh-
tered, and the survivors had exiled
themselves into foreign lands where
people did not persecute their race
Well, what was the result of this per-
secution of the little warblers? The
cherries, currants and Strawberries
were indeed somewhat protected, but
the cultivators of wheat now began to
meet with serious disappointments
and losses, such as, in former years
they scarcely ever encountered, be-
cause their wheat was pierced by the
ravages of insects, especially by what
in America is termed the Hessian
fy. Some tiller of the soil, who
thought it more useful to raise wheat
than to produce cherries, who also
had the sagacity to discover that the
sparrows were not created in vain,
but were an Important link in I" ma
lures chain," and that they were tru-
ly insectivorous and the natural enc
mics to flies, especially to the grain
destroying insects, proposed to his
brother grain-growers to use their
best efforts to restore to their country
the prosecuted and banished birds
Following this beneficent and wise
suggestion, they presented govern
ment with counter petition against
the fruit grozEersr begging the recall
of the birds, and offering a bounty
to every person that would on his own
soil raise q brood of sparrows, and
the infiction of severe penalty up
on any individual that should kill one
of them under any pretext whatever.
The prayer of these wise men was
Immediately answered, the old de-
cree against the birds was annuiled,
and after the lapse of two or three
years the sparrows became again in
Prussia ss numerous as ever before
After this the birds in that country
were SO kindly treated that they be-
trayed but little fear of the human
family and by their destruction OF
noxious insects, became indispensable
to the gardners. as well as to the wheat
growers. 1H
Formerly almost every farmer IN
New England could raise pluTns of
choice varieties as. well as apples, and
the ravages of the CWculio were
scarcely ever mentioned. Naturalists
believe that every tribe Of noxious
insects has natural enemies in some
certain tribe Sof birds, consequently
if man per secutes these birds, he vio-
lates o law of nature, and is assured
ly punished for that crime, and in
sects repay him the principal and COM
pound interest. Fifty years ago, when
gardeners could raise without diff
Guilty plums of several varieties, there
werenot So many idle men and boys
in our country as at present. Such
persons find great amusement in
shooting birds without discrimination,
and this practice has doubtless contri-
butcd to exterminated many of our
friends, and to keep others far away
from our gardens, our pastures and
fields of grain. The multiplying and
rapid propagation of the Curcnlio
probably pesults from the 1ollies of the
idle portion of the human family.
making the birds fear US, and keeping
them far away from our fruit trees
Otherwise they would devour the cur.
culio and other noxious insects, en-.
abling us to raise fruit and grain in
abundance. Many persons believe
that they ought to spare the insectiv.
orousabirds, but that they are justified
in shooting any birds of prey, sucl
as hawks, crows and owls, as well al
those which devour grain. 1t is tru,
xL.A.o.,o,,ouS hide do soma z1,;enb;o{