The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-09-05
What the Birds DO for the Farmer.

What the Birds DO for the Farmer.
On Thursday last, while at work near
a wheat field, my attention was called
to the fact that some of the wheat had
been picked from the heads in certain
parts of the field. AS my ncighbor
seemed to think that the mischief was
done by yellow-birds, l procured gun
and killed one of the supposed Offend
ers. Although interrupted while TAX
ing his breakfast, we found in his stom-
ach only three grains of wheat, and by
actual count three hundred and fifty
weevils.-Rmral Home.
Some two years ago, person
brought me turtle dove to preserve.
"Why did you shoot it?'' asked.
because it, along with others, was
found eating some fresh-sown pcasc,"
was the answer. l opened its crop TO
see if such was the case, but instead of
peas l found in it over 1000 seeds of
what am told are the seeds of weeds,
principally dock. l TOOK them to Il
large retailer of seeds here, but could
find none in his shop to which they
correspondent. I could say much in
the confirmation of the usefulness of
our wild birds, but l will reserve any
more remarks on this subject for an
other time.-London Lice Stock Jour-
nal.
One day last season, as the barley in
my fields was ripening, the black
birds began to gather about it, and my
father began to anathematize them as
thieves and robbers, feeding upon what
they did not sow. Why, they come
said he, sin clouds from Naushon, and
and all about us" Notwithstanding, l
told him / was satisfied that they did
more good than harm, and that they
were welcome to their share. The
harvest began, and as the mowers
reached the middle of the field they
found the stalks of grain very much
stripped and cut up by the army worm.
When the barley was down, they COM
menced to march out CT the field in
a compact stream through the barway
into the next one, and here we saw
clearly what the blackbirds were after.
They bounced upon them and de-
voured them by thousands, very ma
terially lcsscning their numbers. The
worms were SO numerous that they
could not destroy them all, but they
materially lcsscncd them and their
power of mischief. All honor, then, to
the blackbirds, which are usually coun-
ted mischievous, and are destroyed by
the farmers like vermin.-BOstOn Ad-
vertiser.
A friend of mine, an animal pre-
server, lived at Southwell, when a gar
dener used to bring him in daily a
number of thrushes. At last he said
to him, "Why DO sou keep bringing
me in SO many thrushes?' "Why,"
said the gardener, :" they are eating all
my strawberries. 81 don't believe
it," said my friend; ~ will come in
and see." So in he went accordingly,
and found the gardener, with gun in
hand, ready to shoot bird that had
just dropped in among the strawber-
ries. There" said the gardener.
"you see, don't you, what he is doing;'
and suiting the action to the word,
raised his gun to his shoulder to shoot.
"Stop." said my friend, let us sec if
it is as you say;'' when presently the
bird rose up with something in its
mouth and flew over the walls into the
adjoining grounds. "Now." said my
friend, 'let us go and see what he has
got" They went, and found the bird
breaking snairs shell. ssThere,"
said my friend, 'you see it is the snails
that cat your Strawberries, and not the
birds;" as a more careful examination
subsequently proved. Need say he
killed no more thrushes on that ac-
count. The fact was. the summer be-
ing dry, the snails harbored there, the
thrushes found them, and were taking
them as food for their young ones.-
LeUi Lee, in London Liue Stock Journal.
The swallow, swift and nighthawk
are the guardians of the atmosphere.
They check the increase of insects that
otherwise would overload it. Wood
peckers, creepers and chicadees are the
guardians Of the trunks of trees.
Warblers and fycatchers protect the
foliage. Blackbirds, crows, thrushes
and larks protect the surface of the
soil. Snipe and woodcock protect the
soil under the surface. Each tribe has
its respective duties to perform in the
economy of Nature, and it is an UNI
doubted fact that if birds were all
swept off the face of the earth man
could not live upon it, vegetation would
withcr and die, insects would become
SO numerous that no living being could
Withstand their attacks. The whole
sale destruction Occasioned by grass
hoppers. which have devastated the
West, is to great extent, perhaps,
caused by the thinning out of the
birds, such as grouse, prairie-hens,
etc., which feed upon them. The great
and inestimable service done to the
farmer, gardener and florist by the
birds is only being known by sad expe-
ricnce. Spare the birds and save the
fruit; the little corn and fruit taken by
them is more than compensated by the
quantities of noxi0us insects they de-
stroy. The long-persecuted crow has
been found, by actual experience, to do
more good by the quantities of grubs
and insects he devours. than the harm
he does in all the grains of corn he pulls
up. He, after all, is rather friend
than an enemy to the farmer.-St. John
(N b. Telegraph.
The Chicago Tribune, instead of
publishing its original poetry, is selling
it to those who have occasion to use
original verses and do not wish to bor-
row from familiar poets. The Tribune
advertises as follows: "Five stanzas,
each four lines, masculine gender;
wants to gaze in young woman's eyes
mo color stated; general tone cheer
full. Thirty decasyllabics; meditations