The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1888-11-01
BIRDS AND FARMERS.
Instructive Information About Feathered
Friends and Foes.


Some Of the worst 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 i, doubtless, known to many. is
a torch with large wick (such as are
being used in the campaign viii answer
the purpose well) attached to the end
Of long, light pole, TO be used in
burning up their webs. II 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
woodpeckers, 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 d 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 its
Western relative, the black breasted.
The first named is found here in the
fan, winter and spring, retiring farther
north 70 breed, but in that time it man
ages 10 do a great amount Of damage,
considering It's limited numbers.
Rambling through an orchard in the
spring, one may fud tree that was
healthy enough the previous fall, but
now with many Of its branches dead.
and only a few sickly leaves can be
found on the rest. On going closer 10
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 puuctures are close together,
extending through the bark, and
that the effect is the same as If the tree
had been girdled with an axe. There
is no way Of outwitting this marauder
except with a shot gun He may be
known by his black back barred with
yellow, and plain, dirty-yellow breast
Those who have tried to defend the
crow on account Of his eating injurious
insects have not reckoned in their
count the immense amount Of eggs and
young Of beneficial birds which he de-
stroys during the breeding season. In
short, one crow win destroy as many
eggs in a day as half dozen egg
hoggs" could in 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 designate the general character
Of his food. The other insects he de-
stroys would cause as many dollars
loss a. the bees be eats would make
cents worth OF honey. The other fly
catchers, especially the phoebe-bird
and wood pewee, are just as useful.
During the winter the condition OF
the trees is inspected BY hordes OF
blaek-capped chickadees. tufted tit
mice. nut-hatches and other Of our
winter birds. hungry for insect eggs
and pupse Later on, when the buds
are bursting, the kingiets and orioles
make themselves useful ia the same
capacity Lastly, come the warbler
hosts, which are not an uuimportant
factor In keeping down those insects
which iufest the blossoms. w 4
Ciyl. Told. "a farm ana Fireslde.