Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-06-03
Agricultural.



As sure as I am born,
Theresa farmer planting corn"
The rest is forgotten, but IL is, or should
be, a declaration Of his intent to pull up a
share of the springing blades at his first OPP
portunity. How to circumvent such a pur-
pose has been the subject of much study, and
to this end innumerabe devices have been in
use mostly designed to impose upon the
crows over cautious nature. It is said that
some of thom that were once effective are not
so now. II true this proves the crow TO be
possessed of progressive intelligence tits
alleged that the young American crow flies
fearlessly into the comfeld over the Enclosure
of white Irvine that his less intelligent anoes-
tors regarded with superstitous dread and,
further that the later generations Of the crow
resent the imputation on their intelligence by
roosting on the outstretched arms of poor
imitation tramps. We hope the thing will
not go so far as to bring into utter disrepute
and disuse the picturesque and familiar orna-
ments of the landscape known as scarecrows
The great variety of forms in which these
appear-the range of artistic skill which they
display-might be made q subject of study
hardly less in the raw material than the an
cient Greek or Roman statuary. The subject
should be taken up at once by some writer
for the illustrated magazines, before the crows
become so wise as to- endanger the continu-
ance of these works of art
1t is evident that if the crow was ever de-
ceived by any of the low grades of these false
representations, that is thing of the past
His superstitious fear of things that are fright
f,lo 30
portion to his knowledge of facts. The mod
ern scarecrow must be so constructed that the
book agent will hitch his horse by the road
side and go into the cornfeld for an inter
view. 1t should draw every travelling carpet
Dagger over the fence. Then will the crow
also be deceived. But, either from knowl-
edge gained by observation or tradition, or
because farmers are coming more to the front,
he has learned to distinguish between an ave-
rage scarecrow and farmer. With still great
err equality in taxation, and a better recogni-
ton of the rights of those who till the corn
fields the difference may become still more
apparent-and MOTTO crows alone
Public sentiment in regard to the merits of
the crow is divided. A few years ago he would
have carried majority of votes in his favor
but as of Conkling we are now having lit
tie too much of him. The number of his
species appears to be largely increasing.
While the greater share of wild birds and an
imals disappear, or retire to more remote and
sparsely settled parts, as the country grows
older and the population increases, the crow
seems best suited to live where cultivated
fields abound. OF late years crows have be-
pnma flpuIiar than at INV Yravin,o time
There is serious charge against them-
perhaps of a graver character than the pull
ing of corn for which they are usually con-
demned. The disappearance of many small
BIRDS that were once found here in album
dance, is accounted for by the great number
of eggs and young birds stolen and devoured
by the crows since they have become so nu-
merous. If we must sacrifice the songsters
and the useful birds in the interests of the
crow-if the callow brood of the robin, the
bluebird and the sparrow are his victims to
such an extent as some writer's aver-our sym
pathies are with the songsters rather than
with the crow. Though he can plead in off
set some good deeds for the benefit of the
farmer, such as the destruction of grubs bee
ties, etc. do not these belong in part, at least
to the birds which he destroys p, his crimi-
nality is not thereby excused, more than the
mans who pays literally on popular subscrip-
ton papers with money that honestly belongs
to his creditors
But the crow is not without his defenders
as well as defamers. Few that live as con-
spcuous life as he, can get through the
world without being condemned on the one
nd 9TH A.,
nent naturalist says: Probably no bird is
more generally and unjusty prosecuted than
the crow; every farmer thinks himself privi-
legged to destroy it, and counts the death of
every one as a gain to agriculture.
Though the crow pulls up a few seeds of the
terminating corn, his services to the agricul-
turist far outweigh his depredations he daily
devours insects, grubs and worms, which, but
for him, would devastate whole fields of the
young corn. On the whole, the
crow is prosecuted, comparatively harmless,
and indeed most serviceable bird"
Another naturalist, quoted by correspon-
dent of the Mirror and Farmer, who calls up.
on the state to offer bounty on the head OF
the crow, says; ''He is perhaps, the most
generally known and least beloved of all oul
land birds, having neither melody of song
nor beauty of plumage, nor excellence OF
flesh, nor civility of manners, to recommend
him. On the contrary, he is branded as
thief and plunderer-a kind of black coated
vagabond, who hovers over the fields of the
industrious, fattening on their lRbors, and, by
his voracity, often blasting their expectations
Detected in robbing the hens nest
pulling up the corn, and killing the young
chickens, he is considered an outlaw, and sen
fenced to destruction So universal
is the hatred to crows that few states either
here or in Europe, have neglected to offer re
wards for their destruction. In tn,
United States they have been repeatedly rank
ed in our laws with the wolves, the panther
and the foxes, and a proportional premium
offered for their heads"
The correspondent referred to above say
that the rapid increase of crows in New Hamp
shire within the last few years is truly alarm
ing. 81 have for the twentieth time to-da,
just driven from my newly -sowed wheat-fielC
flock numbering over 60. They have be
come so bold and tame and well-posted Oh
scarecrows, that it is next to impossible I,
keep them from destroying our corn and grail
crops"
1t should be noted that the European orov
is different species from ours-larger AM
more destructive.
CURRANr WoRAEs. -Tbose who hava avna