Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-11-25
RMONT FARM E r..

quantities of earth, gravel and water were
taken. If man We're to eat MS much proper
tionally he would consume in twenty -four
hours over seventy pounds of clear beef, and
drink five or six gallons of water. When
the bird had reached its full size its require
ments reached to about eighteen dwts.
of clear meat, or double that amount of
worms, the latter not being very concentrate
ed food, and it continued to take this amount
up to the time the article was presented.
am well aware that it seems impossible for
the parent birds to supply the young with
so large quantity of food bnt we cannot
suppose that bird would eat any more in
the quiet life of the cage than when freely
exercising in its natural state. If now, II
Robin needs so great u number of worms,
not to fatten it, but simply to keep it from
losing flesh what II great benefactor of the
agriculturst this bird must be- Between
two and three hundred full sized worms
daily is not too large an allowance. What
is true in this respect of the Robin is equally
true of all our insect eating birds, and the
Robin is spoken of so much in detail chiefly
that il may furnish Il sample of what hosts
of others do.
1t is not pretended that these facts prove
that Robins and other birds do not eat cher
ries and other fruit. 1t is not desirable that
only one side, even though it be the most
favorable, should be regarded. hut all the
different views should he taken and compar-
ed, and thus we may hope to reach II correct
result. Estimate us largely us you will the
loss resulting from the destruction of fruit
and as little us you honestly can the evils
which would have resulted from the ravages
of the insects which the Robin destroys, and
the account when balanced, will eventually
stand largely in favor of the birds. Fruits
last only for a time, and the amount
the Robin destroys is at most quite limited,
but the injurious insects are to be found in
some form the year round and, while most
of the Robins migrate farther South some
of them stay all winter even in this northern
climate. 1t is full time this matter We're
considered, and the veXations on account of
loss ola few cherries or other fruits prevent
ed from avenging itself in Il way that brings
so great evil.
All that is needed to rectify the many err
rors so common, is careful and unpreu-
diced examination of the question. 1t may
he true that Il person who raises small fruits
us an essential part of his business, receives
more harm than good, from the birds, but !
find it hard to believe this, for it seems as il
the injury occasioned by an unchecked in
crease of the cankerworms, and various
other like insects would be greater than the
worst inflicted by the birds Indeed it is
difficult To see how any fruit mt all could be
raised if the ravages of the worms were I'M
checked by them, and for this reason any
one who meets with considerable losses from
them may console himself with the thought
that in all probability he would have had
none at all if the birds had all been killed n
season or two before as he sometimes wish
es they had been, so that all that he is able
to gather of his fruit is so much saved.
(COncluded neat Week.)