The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1875-09-30
The Relation of Birds to Horticul-
ture.

Our birds occupy far more impor-
tant position in relation to horticul-
ture than a superficial glance would
reveal. a half-witted youth once re-
marked al harvest time that he thought
"the rain did as much harm as good,
take it one time with another" There
are those who are more than hali-wit-
ted on most subjects, who seem to en-
terrain like opinion of the birds, or,
at least, they regard them as too insig-
nifcant for serious consideration, for
getting that our enjoyments and yexa-
tions are made up chifey of little
things. The Ruler of the universe,
while surrounding man with those
things which contribute to his happi-
ness, has not forgotten the Sparrow
created thing worthy of regard, and
and while providing for their exist
ence has fixed proper limits to their
multiplication by causing one species
to subsist upon another.
Natures regulations were such that
the birds held the insect tribes in
check, so that the damage done to veg
citation was comparatively slight, until
man made war upon the feathered
tribe, and thus in measure destroyed
the equilibrium. II may be objected
that man as a part of nature carries
out her designs, and so we must re-
gard il in taking a comprehensive
view of the subject; and in this view
we should remember that the God OF
nature endowed man with reason,
which, when duly exercised on the
subject, must result in restoring those
conditions which add so much to his
happiness and comfort. We have not
only shot the birds, but they have been
trapped and poisoned, and their eggs
and young wantonly destroyed. Nor
has the mischief stopped there. We
have destroyed the forest which was
their habitation, and by this act have
checked the increase of birds and at
the same time driven many kinds OF
insects which formerly lived eXclu-
sively on forest trees to the orchard
and garden. Our war upon the birds
has, doubtlessly, prevented many OF
the more timid species from following
these insects TO our gardens. At the
same time we must recognize the fact
that nature designed some species to
ers to live near the habitations of man.
With the destruction of the forest,
many of our smaller streams and rivu-
lets have become dry, thus destroying
the abodes of the birds whose fayorite
resort is near the water. In order TO
Judge of the importance of the agency
of birds, we must have some apprecia-
ton of the wondrous loss occasioned
by insects. "The American EntOmol-
ogist and Botanist," formerly pub
lishcd at ST. Louis, laid the annual
damage done by insects in the western
States, at not less than $500, 0o0, 600, and
added, that ''Napolean at the summit
of his prosperity never inflicted more
damage ON q nation, than this lilipu-
tian insect army infiicts on the United
States"
Reaumur showed by careful investi-
CATION that one insect, in five genera
tions, might become the progenitor of
5000, O00, 600 of descendants. Remem-
Der in this connection that several
generations of many kinds of insects
are produced in single summer. What
would be our fate, but for the birds
True, we ought to control the Plum
Wevil by Earring the trees and destroy
ing them, and the Currant Worms by
the application of Hellebore, and the
Canker Worms by abridge of tar; but
what shall we say of that most FORM
liable enemy that attacks cur staple
fruit, namely, the Cooling Moth, which
one of our horticulturists is pleased to
style the very "Tweed of insects" At
best our success at trapping is but par
tial, and this pest is the most serious
obstacle which presents itself in the
cultivation of the apple. Each year
brings additional species of insects,
acme of them, perhaps all, from the
forest. which it is easier for the ento-
wologist to describe than for any one
TO present q practical remedy FIVE
Iarre volumes have been published IN