The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-01-20
fer the farmer.
THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTs
Down wish the Pot Hunter and Peacher-.I.et
the Farmer See that the Insect DESTROYING
birds Saved.

THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTs
Dawn wish the Pot Hunter and Peaeher--I,et
the Farmer See that the Insect Destroying
Birds arc Saved.
SPARE THE BIRDs-Do more than this; eucour-
age them. In walking along hedge row the
other day l counted six birds nests in less than
quarter of mile. Suppose this to be the
erage, then a l6O patch would have "a nests.
Suppose each nest had one brood only raised in
a season, and averaged four, then 96 birds would
be raised on the outside hedge alone. Suppose
every farm on its outskirts had 96 young birds,
and therefore 45 old ones TO attend on them-to-
gether 144 birds. Suppose further, that natural
lists do not oveTstate how many insects il takes
per day to feed a bird-theu what great num-
Der would be destroyed in a day-what myriads
in a season. Further, suppose orchard and other
trees were planted, as they ought to be on every
farm, 1t is only a moderate estimate to say that
the number of birds would be double and double
the number of insects destroyed. An argument
might here suggest itself that trees cause some
kinds of insects to abound that might not other
wise trouble. Ny reply is, good thing in Gre
alton is unmiXed with evil. The good from
hedges and trees far outweigh the evil. During
part OF tins Fall IN Chicago, tons in weight of
prairle chicken and quail were daily condemned
as unit for human food, because spoiled sin
transitu or after arrival, and were fed to hogs
When man sets his hand on wrong doing by de-
stroying timber and not replanting-by killing
birds by wholesale that lived chiefly on insects
he dlsturbs the balance of natures economy and
he must not blame Providence, bot blame hint
self in measure, that crops are DESTROYED by
Insects Mans prayers or curses will be alike
nnaVaIllng. Natures laws must be complied
with: or the penalty be paid in some shape for
ignorance or negligence. Those Iaws-silent,
stern, immutable-must be respected.
have noticed complaints of wire-wOrm, cut
worm, &c, are more frequent in early
some farms than on Others / am nearly sure
that the hedged farms come off best One farm
or last spring, on bleak, open prairie, knew
had to replant corn twice, and to wet his last
rcplant IN kerosene oil before he could get
stand at all. Fifteen wire-wOrms were in hill,
and eut-worms in proportion. Hedge rows and
trees, with the birds always attendant upon
them, would doubtless have saved some trouble.
T. j. Emery, IN Western Farm Journal
SINFUL SLACGHTER.-We had visit from
friend Munson, from St. Louis, last week, who
shocked us by the statement that party of his
acquaintance had massacren 400 grouse, all of
which rotted on their hands, and were thrown
away. There is something exceedingly shocking
to us in this statement, but alasi it is too true
Jhat thousands of grouse are thus lndiscrimin-
ately slaughtered every year in the West, during
the heat of August, when the birds will not keep
from sunrise to sunset. 1t is very prevalent,
but a very foolish ambition with young sports
men to boast of the quantity of game which
they bring to market. Such ambition is un-
worthy of gentlemen, and should be left to the
ignoble pot-hunter and pOacheT On this subject
the founder of the American sporting press ex-
ing should at all times be discouraged and rep
rotated among gentlemen, as quantity is not by
any means a safe test for a superior shot neither
is it the just criterion of accomplished sports
man. But, on the other hand, quantity not I'M
frequently goes to prove that he who claims this
distinction has been more eager, more greedy
more selfish, than his companion, and perhaps
less courteous and gentlemanly in the field than
he should have been. The foolish ambition, as
regards quantity, is often display ed in its most
deplorable form in the wantOn and reckless de-
struction of young wOOdcOcks, which are shot
by hundreds when too feeble to save themselves
by fight; when too young to afford suitable
food for the table, and under circumstances oft
entimes, when these desolatOrs of our fields and
forests know full well that they can make no
use of them. How notifying, how degrading,
in the eyes of humanity, that such a cruel, reck-
less and thoughtless propensity for the, taking
of life should exist in our midst, should be en-
couraged by the example of some of those with
whom We daily associate, and even be discover
ed lurking in the breasts of men whom, IN our
ordinary intercourse with the world, we would
fain pronounce amiable, humane and consider
ate."-Tirf Field and Farm.