Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-09-16

BIRDs-THE FARMERS FRIENDs.-N othing is
moro common than to hear our farmers COM
plain of the ravages of the grub.worm, WIRE
worm, caterpillar, and the various classes OF in
sects which are generated in such numbers IN
our genial soil and climate. The complaint is
Just, and there are few more formidable enemies
to the production of cereals and fruits than these
worms and insects. And yet, strange to say, al
most every farmer encourages his boys and per-
mts the boys of his neighbors, to range over his
fields shooting and wantonly destroying the
birds that live on these insects, and would, If
left alone, soon rid the country of them.
In conversing with an intelligent English gen.
tleman the other day, he expressed his surprise
at this shortsighted policy of our farmers. He
also remarked on the small number of birds that
are to be seen in this country. He said that In
popuous England there were ten birds to be
found in their fields and hedges for one that was
to be seen here. He said that IN England BIRDS
were regarded as the farmers best trae'ads, and
that they were carefully protected by law from
destruction, by shooting or trapping. Each bird
will destroy thousands of insects every day, and
they ought to be encouraged to multiply on every
farm Even the crow and the blackbird, which
most of our farmers regard as their natural enc
mics, and are warred upon as such, are really
their best auxilaries 1t is true that a crow or
a blackbird will occasionally scratch up a few
grains of corn or wheat when they are looking
for grubs. But the grub is their natural food,
and the destruction which they infict on the
grub compensates more than ten-fold for any
occasional injury they may do to the corn or
wheat field.
This subject merits the serious consideration of
our farmers, and we would like to see public
opinion strongly organized, by clubs and associ-
atoms, against the cruel and wanton destruction
of birds. Nothing lends greater charm TO
country and village life than the songs of birds
in our forests and orchards and the shade.trees
around our dwellings. This, of ITSELF ought to
be a sufficient motive for their protection, but
when to this we add their utility in Kidding US
of grubs, wre-worms caterpillars, grass hop
pers moths, ants, flies, and the myriads of in
sects that spring into life in our warm climate
we have strong interest in guarding the birds
from destruction.
In Maryland, they have law making it a
penal offence to destroy any kind of birds. ex-
cept hawks, owls, eagles and other birds of prey,
which, like pheasants and cartridges, are recog-
nized as game and even these last can only be
sHOL III LIE proper season OF the year.
The robin, hooking bird, cat-bird, jay, thrush
sapsucker, oriole, blackbird. woodpecker, spar
row and others, which are insectlvorous, should
not be destroyed at any season of the year, but
left to ply their useful vocation of feeding on
worms and insects. If reason and humanity
should prove insufficient motives to protect these
harmless and valuable aids of the farmer, then
the strong arm of the law should be invoked to
give them protection by stringent penal enact
ments against all who destroy them.
How delightful it would be if our forests and
orchards and ornamental grounds could be made
vocal with the songs of these beautiful warblers,
and our grain-feds, by their agency, freed from
the pest of worms, circulios and other destruc-
tive insects
Some years ago, the ornamental trees in our
northern cities were annually stripped of their
foliage by disgusting worms that covered them
in countless thousands This led to the introduce
ton of the English sparrow into all the northern
parks and pleasure grounds. They were brought
here as the natural enemy of the worms, and
now every place where tree or shrub grows is
enlivened by their chirp and the worms no
longer infest the ornamental trees.
Let our farmers give heed and practical effect
to these suggestions. and we have hesitation
in saying that, if they do, the pleasures Of their
homesteads will be augmented, and there will
soon be no farther cause to complain of the raw
ages of insects.