Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-04-09
The W0edpecker.

The Turf, Field and Farm SAYS:
We kill the woodpecker in wanton
sport, and never give a thought to the
subject whether he is of any use in this
life. His plumage is too eaudy to be
beautiful, and there is no music in his
tones. He robs cherry trees and destroys
sound timber, is the common charge,
and you are privileged to shoot him
when and where You please. He is not
TT for the table, and therefore the in
discriminate slaughter is useful.
Woodpeckers are found in most parts
OF the world, and, generally speaking,
the are subject to great deal Of perse-
cution; and owing to this persecution
they are rapidly disappearing from the
forests of England. The woodpecker
is not 80 hurtful to trees as is GENERALLY
supposed. Examine the spots where he
works and you will find that the fakes
of bark separated from the trunk bv
his strong bill are only 30 many useless
excrescences upon it's surface, They
are dead and afford shelter for whole
tribes OF insects. The woodpecker re-
moves the bark-hakes in orderto obtain
these insects, and in destroying the
insects he does the trees q service.
When the bird makes it's nest in q
tree it selects some decayed member of
the forest, for the reason that ordinarily
its bill is not strong enough to excavate
sound wood. It does not iniure the
health of the the tree by tunneling in
the soft, spongy portions of it. Trees
frequently appear sound to the eye up-
on which the hand of decay has been
laid. Mr.. Wood writes:
"Oftentimes large fungus will start
from tree, and in some mysterious
manner will sap the life-power Of the
spot on which it grows. When the
fungus falls in the autumn, it leaves
scarcely trace of it's presence, the tree
being as healthy as before the advent
of the parasite. But the whole charac-
ter of the wood has been changed by the
strange power of the fungus, being soft
and cork-ike to the touch. Although
the eye of man cannot readily perceive
the injury, the instinct of the wood
pecker soon leads the bird to the spot.
and it is in this dead, soft and sponey
wood that the burrow is made. MI.
Waterton, who believe, was the first
to point out the fact, has shown me
many examples of the fungus and it's
ravsges among trees; several fine ash
trees and sycamores having been re-
duced to mere stumps by the silent op-
Grafton of the vegetable parasite"
Sometimes the wind displaces a
branch, leaving a small hollow where it
was torn from the trunk or stem. This
hollow constantly acts as cup to hold
and catch the water which descends
from the clouds in the shape of rain.
Slowl " the rain eats..its way deeply into
the stem of the tree, carrying with It
destruction. Water thus admitted 70
the center of the oak fills it with decay.
and it's fall is but question of time
The poor woodpecker often makes his
nest in these rain hollows, and igno.
rance is quick to credit him with a des.
tructive agency which he does not pos.
sess. He is made responsible for the
work of Natures elements, and is shot
down without thought or mercy. Lei
us be just to the woodpecker, and no,
drive the Notwithstanding bird from
our forests by wanton slaughter.