, 1874-05-23
THE EAIs1IElsS' FRIENDS.
IssscCt-Eatlng n3lrt1ss


we nave ootofo w prlse ossay, ny Ifank Il.
Palmer, entitled 1uscct-Eating Birds the
Farmers Bas. Friends," published at Boston
under tho auspices OF tho Massachusetts So
eioty for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals.
Insects aro the pest and pane OF American fruit
culture; they spoil our cherries they sting our
they preyclit our plum treos from producing
mature fruit; they ps,ncturo our grapcs; they
destroy the beauty or our roseB; thoy devour
our groom vegetables, mud are misolievouB III
other why's. Mr. Palmer muintaius that this
is tho result Of our own improvidence.
sLroyed thoir natural ononies that insects
have become O post, and they will cease 10
trouble him only IN proportion. NJ he shul re-
store the Dnlnuco Of which nature shows tho no-
there has been q steady decrcase III the number
Of our native birds i'll all pnrta Of tho country
where man llas formed Gis so.tlomouts, and
consequently thors has hocn ELL immense in-
oroase Of lilo insect tribes on which birds are
fed. Tho pamphlet before us coutains liat Of
the birds which feed Oh insocts. OF tho inBccta
hurtful to garden vogetabloB he mikes thirty
different species; Of those injurious to the apple
aud apple tree. soyoniy-fivc. Shade troes have
O. hundred kinds Of insect cnemoB. aud wheat
siderable army Of birds to protect the husband
mau against tho raTagoH Of these peuts, and
thore b9eu.s to be every REASON why tho killing
OF birds that feed on the inject tribes should be
punibN1Dlo Dy TIC ttlDul1M.
But wo began this only with q view OF copying
what N1r. Palmer has to Har OF providing proper
habitations for thesD friends of tho farmer.
Here is what ho says on tllib point:
"Naxt to tho lAw, the most important NOUS
uro for tho protcctien Of birds is tho putting up
thein to settle Oh our estntos. There Ia no ron
son why every QUO who Inns d half-Acre OF land
should not hnye Two Oh threo pairs Of birds nest
ing thereon. Perhaps many do not roaliza what
simple accommodations swallows, bluobirds,
sparroTs. wsens md other birds are eager to
avail themselves Of. Simple aud Inexpensive
arrangements aro just an satisfactory to them Us
the most cltgaut and costly ornamental
hoaaeH; and no ono ncea bo proyanted by
the fear of osponso from furnishing dwell
asitB. With few simple tools and boz Or
two which my grocer will give you, bird-houHe
may be made Of almost any size Or shape do
sirod. Saould you wish it highly ornamental,
nothing iB better than to cover it with rustic
work, which may DO done with the mid Of a wild
grapevine cut in piecos Of tho right ieng,h and
nailed oil. Such blrl~house costs littlo or
nothing saye the time required to make it nnd
tina slight o1penae will be amply repaid by tho
natisfa0tion OF doing Il good decd.
''IhGro are many simple Gol:triyancoB which
may DO prepared aud put up i'll llyo minutes, mud
will servo the birds as we'll is anything else. At
tho opening OF Tho prehant Hea6ou wo put up
four tin cans, such ny are used for canning to-
matoes, having ilrat filed small hole il the
lower end to prevent tho collection Of
occupied by bluebirds. Ono pair laid tlyo
ogss, four OF which hntchol, md tho young
grow 10 maturity. Tho other two pairs each
hnd two broods, four egg, to each brood, and all
growing up. Seventeen young blue-birds aud
their parcntu, six IN neutrality-suspicious. in-
aect-outlng birla-wero thus Induced to malin
their homes in o,lr orchard, tho parent birdn for