River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-11-08
BIRDS AND FARMERS.
Instructive Information About Feathered
Friends and Foes.

Friends and Foes.
Some OF the wol st enemies with
which the tent caterpillar has to con.
tend are the yellow-billed and black
billed cuckoos, but especially the latter,
since it is more of an orchard bird than
its cinnamon-winged cousin. A most
effective remedy for this pest, one
which is, doubtless, known to many. is
torch with large wick (such as are
being used in the campaign will answer
the purpose well) attached to the end
of long, light pole, to be used in
burning up their webs. 1t has been
claimed that the branch operated upon
usually dies. but this has not been my
experience.
Those industrious little black and
white birds. the downy and hairy
woodpeekers. are among the best
friends of the orchardist; they destroy
the borers which infest fruit trees.
The name, "sapsucker," by which
these birds are commonly known,
is a misnomer, for their only food is
insects. The only decidedly injurious
woodpeckers in North America, and
the only ones to which the name sap
sucker can be properly applied, are
the yellow-bellied woodpecker and itg
Western relative, the black-breasted.
The first named is found hero in the
fall, winter and spring. retiring farther
north to breed. but in that time it man
ages to do a great amount of damage,
considering its limited numbers
Rambling through an orchard in the
spring, one may find a tree that was
healthy enough the previous fall, but
now with many of its branches dead.
and only few sickly leaves can be
found on the rest. On going closer to
examine it, we find rings Of punctures,
commencing on the main trunk and
extending for some distance up the
larger branches. Each ring is about
six inches distant from the one below it.
and the punctures are close together,
extending through the bark, and
that the effect is the same as II the tree
lad been girdled with an axe. There
Is no way OF outwitting this marauder
except with shot gun. He may be
known by his black back barred with
vel ow, and plain. dirty-yellow breast.
Those who have tried TO defend the
crow on account of his eating injurious
insects have not reckoned 10 their
count the immense amount Of eggs and
young OF beneficial birds which he de-
stroys during the breeding season. In
short, one crow will destroy as many
eggs in day as half dozen egg
hoggs" could in a week.
Spare the king-bird, or, as he is more
generally known, the bee martin, or
bee bird, for that name does not truth
fully des .gnate the general character
of his food. The other insects he de-
loss as the bees he eats would make
cents worth Of honey. The other fly
catchers, especially the phebe-bird
aud wood pewee. are just as useful.
During the winter the condition OF
the trees is inspected by hordes of
black-capped chickadees, tufted tit
mice, nut-hatches and other OF our
winter birds. hungry for insect eggs
and pup9. Later on, when the buds
are bursting. the kinglets aud orioles
make themselves useful in the same
capacity. Lastly, come the warbler
hosts, which are not an unimportant
factor in keeping down those insects
which infest the blossoms. w. Z.
Clyde Todd. ia Farm and FireSide.