Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-30
TIE BIRDS AND THEIR USES.

Tho subject Of birds and their rela
ton TO agriculture has an Importance
which is not generally appreciated, bu
which is being enforced by havoc
which is being worked by insects whcr'
birds have been destroyed. A Rich
mond (va.) paper recently stated that
bad news came from every tobacco
growing district Of the State, the plants
being eaten by the fly. Thus, in the
opinion Of the paper, the chief staple
of a large part Of Virginia was in dan
ger. This special peril to the Virginia
tobacco crop has grown the last twenty
years. II is believed that one Of the
chief causes is the destruction wrought
oflate years upon the birds. With the
end Of the war an indiscriminate hunt
for birds has begun and ever since has
been continued. The greatest enemy
of insect life is the bird, and as the
birds have been destroyed in Virginia,
every one has noticed the increase of
insects that attack the crops. The
same lesson has long since been learned
in other countries, so that il has become
an accepted maxim in Europe to foster
the birds, and in Australia, and OF late
in this country, European birds have
been imported for the simple purpose
of insect destruction.
In report of the Commissioner OF
Agriculture there is an article from the
pen of Prof George II. Perkins, OF
Vermont, in which he says that there
are in the State of Vermont probably
not less than 800 species of lepidopter-
GUS insects, q. O., the moth and cutter
fies), and in the whole United States
there are not less, probably, than 1000.
But leaving therest Of the States. Prof
Perkins confines himself in the follow
ing calculation to Vermont, and works
out the following alarming results
"lf we suppose the number of species
in this State to be soc, the increase
will be something like this Each
female lays on average $50 cggs-but
we will place the number at 300. Now
suppose in the year 1871 there exists
only one pair of each species, there
would be during the year 100000 eggs
which would develop into
24O, 900 caterpillars. If half Of them
were females, next year we should
have 10000 pair of insects, which
would produce 100000 caterpillars
for 1873, and SO on, so that in five
years there would come from the un-
checked increase of only one pair Of
each species 1,2I5, 10000 100000 cat
erpillars, or 2OO,OO0,OO0 for every sin
glo acre in the State. 1t is true that
as the arrangement iof things now is,
not one in q hundred, if indeed one in
of these eggs ever reach
but the great agents OF de-
struction are the birds. Making all
possible deductions on account OF all
destructive influences except the birds,
we have left q very large figure, and
if this is Multiplied by the number of
pairs actually living, and as all know
Of some kinds there are thousands, the
produce Is something appalling"
If such are the facts in Vermont,
where cold climate tends to harrass
and diminish insect life, what must be
the innumerablc hordes OF insect dep
under warmer and more genial
skies If any of the animal creation,
by its relation to the general economy
Of nature, deserves TO be protected it is
the birds. For every apparent evil in
nature the Creator has provided a
and birds are the insect de-
stroyers. The remedy is one in which
all can have a share in rendering
Farmers and planters should
exert themselves to protect the birds
from the sonseless, savage, and more
Lban useless slaughter to which they
have been condemned. These little
beings not only minister to the solace
,f men by their beauty and melody,
)ut they are even more useful than
hey are beautiful.