Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-18

parts of the country where man has
formed his settlements, and consequently
there has been an immense increase OF
the insect tribes on which birds are fed.
The pamphlet before US contains a list OF
the birds which feed on insects. Of the
insects hurtful to garden vegetables he
makes thirty different species; of those
injurious to the apple and apple tree,
seventy-fve. Shade trees have a hundred
kinds of insect enemies, and wheat and
other grains fifty. We require very
considerable army of birds 20 protect the
husbandman against the ravages of these
pests, and there seems to be every reason
why the killing of birds that feed on the
insect tribes should be punishable by the
tribunals.
But we began this only with view of
coDving what Mr. Palmer has to say of
providing proper habitatiOns for these
friends Of the farmer. Here is what he
saws on this point:
Next to the law, the most important
measure for the protection Of birds is the
putting up of accommodations for them,
and thus inducing them to settle on our
estates. There is 70 reason why every
one VINO has half acre of land should
not have two or three pairs Of birds nest
ing thereon. Perhaps many do not real
ize what simple accommodations swal-
lows, bluebirds, sparrows, wrens and
other birds are eager to avail themselves
of. Simple and inexpensive arrange
ments are just as satisfactory to them as
the most elegant and costly ornamental
houses; and no one need be prevented by
the fear of expense from furnishing dwell
ing-places, rent free, to these interesting
tenants. With few simple tools and a
box or two, which any grocer will give you,
a bird-hOuse may be made OF almost any
size or shape desired. Should you wish
it highly ornamental, nothing is better
than to cover it with rustic work, which
may be done with the aid Of q wild grape
vine cut in pieces of the right length and
nailed on. Such q bird house costs little
or nothing save the time required to
make it; and this slight expense will be
amply repaid by the satisfaction of doing
a good deed.
"There are many simple cOntrivances
which may be prepared and put up IN five
minutes, and will serve the birds as well
as anything else. At the opening Of the
present season we put up four tin cans,
such as are used for canning tomatoes,
having first filed a small hole in the lower
end to prevent the collection of water.
Three of the four were Immediately
occupied by blue-birds. One pair laid
five eggs, four of which Matched, and the
young grew to maturity. The other two
pairs each had two broods, four eggs to
each brood, and all Matched; but three of
the young died before growing up.
Seventeen young blue-birds and their
parents, six in number-twenty-three in
ooAs hSrI1 I, 70
make their homes in our orchard, the
parent birds for about five months, and
the young, say, about three months. Ger
tainly, at a very low estimate, each bird
would average twenty insects day; for
the food of these birds consists entirely Of
insects. At this rate the old birds would
have destroyed during their stay here 49,
600 insects and the young 30,600-which
gives a total of $4,000 insects destroyed
from our own and our neighbors' trees ;
and it did not take us half an hour to pre-
pare and put up these simple accommo-
dations. Are not these facts eloquent?
Then how interesting to watch the house
keeping arrangements Of these beautiful
little neighborS; to hear their welcome
song when winter seemed still with
US; to hear them debate the situa-
ton, and finally decide in favor of
our apple tree; to see them carrying up
grasses and cotton and feathers, and
weaving them together into bed OfdOwn
for the protection of their early-laid eggs
to watch their love-making, and all their
gentle, affectiOnate ways toward each
other; their jealousy of intruders, and
their sOlicitoUs care of their eggs during
the period of incubation; their final Joy
when the young break the shells and are
born to the light; and their untiring de
votion in obtaining choice bits of insect
food for the nourishment of their off
spring. Truly, here is Beauty at our
door-yard, and Poetry has taken up her
abode in our apple tree.
"Purple martins, and other members of
the swallow tribe, will readily occupy
boxes put up for their use. Wrens, too,
are interesting friends, and are easily in
duced to settle with us. We know of a
case where pair of. blue-birds found a
happy home in an old beaver hat which
had blown up and lodged in an apple
tree. A good bird-house may be made of
a medium-sized flower pot, with the hole
somewhat enlarged and the top covered
with board. Will not every one who
has dozen rods of land make bird
house of some kind, and thus help to re-
store the proper proportions of the feath-
cred and insect races ?"-Neao York Even-
ing Post.
EInan TN fla Wallis