The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-23
Fruit-Eating Birds.

Like our friend MIR. RanSlow, we are
sometimes rather disposed to look upon
this as humbugging world, and among
the many humbugs afoat there is surely
none greater than the common talk about
the value of birds to the farmers. We
know of but one bird that is of any real,
ascertained value to us, and that is the
bank swallow. Swallows take a great
many beetles, butterflies and moths on
the wing, and what is better they do no
harm. The so-called night-hawk (Which
is not hawk but large swallow also
takes large quantity of the nightfying
insects, and is harmless. We wish there
were more of them. But the robins, the
thrushes, the cat-birds and the sparrows
are nothing but nuisance. The follow
ing are the insects that do the farmers the
most harm: the cutworms (several spe-
cies), the white grub, the apple-core
worm, or larva of the Goblin moth, the
currant worms Owo kinds), the cabbage
worm, the potato bug, the tobacco and
tomato worms, the squash bugs (two
kinds), the flea beetles, the bag worms,
the rank worms, the army worm, the as
paragus beetle, the grass-hoppers, the lit
tie white worms (of the same quality but
different species) that prey upon onions,
turnips, radishes, cabbage roots and beet
leaves; the leaf-rollers of the apple tree
Several kinds), the apple worm, the wire
worms Several kinds), the tent and woods
caterpillsrs (much alike, but the latter
make no "tent y, the appletree borers
(two kinds), the aphids or leaf lice of
many kinds, and the bark lice. OF all
these we do not know that any bird eats
them freely, except that the crow will
hunt and eat grass-hoppers, cut worms,
and the white grubs. We have never
seen the robin, sparrow, thrush or cat
bird NEEDLE with any one in the list, nor
CONTRARY to what is often taugh) do any
of the woodpeckers search for or take any
of the borers that attack living trees.
They do eat those which work in dead
trees, but that is of no benefit. The dead.
wood borer never attacks living tree,
they are an entirely different species.
We do not say that these birds never
eat any of these insects, but we do say
that they never make business of eating
them, and never perceptibly reduce their
number. The robin will hunt the earth
worm eagerly, but he hops around among
cabbage worms, currant worms and squash
bugs without noticing them, and perche:
in the midst of all the insects that prey
upon the leaves and bark of fruit trees
leaving them unframed to all intents an6
purposes. One toad is worth hundred
or perhaps Thousand, robins in garden
Hens, chickens and turkeys will eat good
many injurious insects, but in garden
they do quite as much harm as good.
Among our best writers for the agricul
tural press is one who signs himself
Picket" In recent article on this sub
iect, in the New York Examiner, he says
"The reason why formerly prosecuted
the bad boy was because he shot m,
robins, brown-thrushes and cat-birds
which had been taught to regard as m.
best friends, and carefully to protect from
all harm. The reason / have changed is
that have learned that instead of beinl
} my best friends they are among my wors
, foes. These birds, owing to the protection
accorded them, have become very numel
GUS hereabout, and ] have, during tn
: past three years, diligently studied thei
= habits with view to ascertaining thei
!. real value to the farmer and fruitgrowel
, The result of my Investigations was SUI
, prise to me. / have learned that goo
: healthy robin will eat full half-pint G
! cherries each day during the cherry ses
? son. Most of them will eat full pint