The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-12-21
FARM AND HOME.
The Bird and Fruit Question.


For many years we have seen eloquent
pleas without number for the preserva-
ton of the birds. "Spare the birds;
plant trees and encourage them to come
and nest about your grounds" Such
advice has been often repeated in lectures
and newspapers.
Most birds are beautiful and attractive.
and, if they behave suitably, would win
the respect of and be admired by every
body. Sentiment is all on the side of the
birds. Without question birds, as a
whole, do vastly more good than injury
on the garden and farm; but we do not
think it follows that every bird in every
neighborhood is greatly to be desired.
While one man says he can not get any
cherries because the robins and cedar
birds take them, another says: Plant
more trees and raise fruit enough for the
birds." The defender of every bridal
birds, regardless of habits-tells us how
many cut-worms a robin will eat in
cay, and how many she carries to her
young. He says: off the robins are
killed we shall be oYerrun with insects"
All animals are on a Strife for living,
or at war with each other. They prey
upon one another and taus prevent any
undue multiplication of species. Occa-
sionally, by the agency of man or some
other means, some species become very
troublesome on account of vast numbers.
If robins were removed entirely for a
few years, and cut-worms and other in
sects became very numerous, no doubt
some other birds or other enemies to the
insects would multiply with great rapid
ity and be ready to do the benefcent
work now attributed SO largely to the
robins. We grant that the robins does
much good, and all will concede that she
does some harm. We have yet to learn
that robins eat any injurious insects that
are not also eaten by other birds which
asse less trouble to the fruit-grower.
Robins and other birds are numerous
some portions of our state where cut
7orms have been very anneying-unusu-
Ally so tor several years in succession.
Robins are not sure remedy for making
cut-worms scarce. On the grounds
of the Michigan agricultural college
there are many trees and shrubs,
and 10 one is allowed to trouble the
birds. These become very tame, and
nest and multiply in great numbers; but
/ may safely say that we have insects
here in great numbers, of all the prevail.
ing sorts which are noxious to farmers
L now give some testimony from reliable
sources, in four other localities in remote
portions of our state
South Haven is situaed on the lake
shore in the western part of the state.
1t ia comparatively new, but lareiv de
voted to the raising of fruit. Mr.. L. H.
Bailey, Jr., has been defender of the
birds. No one in that neighbsrhood
raises as much rs one hundred bushels of
cherries, yet every one IN the village and
country raises them more or less. All
the sweet and early cherries are greediIy
taken by the birds, the most common of
which are the cedar bird, cat-bird and
robin. The cedar-bird is by far the most
troublesome. Every year they appear at
about the same time and in great num-
bers. The people know of no way to |
get rid of them except by firearms; but
this does more harm than good, by driv- !
ing other harmless birds away. Scare |
crows do no good. He would advise
raising more fruit and letting the owners
get what they can. Birds have not
troubled grapes in South Haven.
Mr.. III. E. Owen lives in the city of
Adrian, in the southern portion of the
state. He has for some time been an
active member of a local horticultural
society. The most troublesome birds
there, in city and vicinity, are cedar
birds, robins and orioles; the latter of
which nest in large numbers in the nu-
merous elms in the city and neigbor
hood. They ego for the sweet cherries
without much distinction, and in some
seasons have taken grapes. One Sunday,
in about eight hours, the robins took
about five hundred pounds of grapes.
There are no large cherry orchards or
vineyards about Adrian, but, on the
whole, there is large amount of fruit
raised Planting enough for the birds,
TO use an expressive phrase, "has played
out" The people who save their fruit
shoot the birds, hang birds in the trees,
or cover the grapevines with mosquito
netting.
Mr.. III. Dale Adams, of Kalamazoo
has for some years raised about
$50 bushels of cherries, annually. This
year there were no birds to make any
trouble, but usually they are very thick,
and he shoots them. The birds are the
worst on black cherries. One year the
birds came in such focks that fifty to
one hundred bushels of cherries were {
taken almost at once. He laughs at the
dea of planting enough for the birds,
md thinks it very unreasonable. He
Ices not think it can be done. !
Mr.. George Parmele, of Traverse coun-
y, finds the birds very troublesome on
'arly cherries. This year he probably
Iiiled 500 birds-mostly cedar birds, and
few blue-iays. The robins rare not so s
'ad- The late cherries were not touched, '
5 the birds probably found an abundance
t wild raspberries all over the country. :
fr. Parmele il one of the most ,,ro,, !;