New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-29
CAN CROUS COUNT.
A PENNSYLVANIA FARMER CONVINCED THAT
THEY CAN.

\ Nv
THEY CAN.
Laceyvillc, Penn, Jan. II tSpecial).-"I got the
drop on flock OF pesky crows last spring. sad an
old farmer the Susqnehanna River Valley near
this village. "but It took some time and good deal
OF Ingenuity to do IT, The crows didn't care the imp
OF wing for the efigies OF men that plhc'H IN thc
field soon az the corn was planted lac 'D'aeH
seamps scratched up all around the scarecro"s
and they got so cheeky that they III upon the M
Of tie scnrecrows cawed and croaked ana made lnn
Of the Silent old When they had. acted In tha'
familiar way for spell fastened The scaretrows TO
the lower limbs In different parts OF the hsd
placing them on their stomachs with sticks In their
fronts, so that they looked at 2 distance rs though
they were real lying n walt for the bEicK corn
thieves The new attitude Of the Scarecr0ws pulZieN
the crows for DAY or So and they had several noisy
conventions the discovery In the edge OF the
woods where they sought shelter whenever a person
entered the field. The crows flew shy OF the trees
where the bogus men lay on the limbs but before the
end OF the week they made up their minds that 'he
things were harmless, and they settled down ana
scratched up corn right under them. Then i strung
twlne across the field and hung up bunchcs vi ne"
tin but tie crows swoOped down and dug up the corn
as before. | planted II over erected three NOISY
wIndmIlls In the lot and thought had got the be''
OF the black rascas ut last. but fouhd by the iuu
Of the week that had Hattered myself too soon'
q
In the woods and had fun among themselves. They
,rc,od ovcr III, new things with wheels and clap
pers and on the day, time the wnd diea
away the cunning birds alghted In the hem ana
scratched up corn TIL the windmills began 10 cia''er
again Wien they flew to the woods ana talked II All
over ON the fourth day the crows took possession
OF the cornileld and acted as though tie "inunh'
had been put up for their special entertainments
They didn't fear the windms any more than they
dayicp nm /
clusion that wouldn't be able to raise any corn "'
summer.
.When I and my men had rcpanted the corn u
hovborn that stood I'm the centre OF the lot gave me
nm idea which at once proceeded to put in'o PRIV
tlcc sprinSled two quarts OF corn Oh Tue s".ia
of the field near the barn, and then ana ohc Vi '"0
men loaded two double. barrelled shotguns ana
ecreted ourselves I'm the barn. where we could DIaze
away at the crows when they came alter inc VII,
covered corn The rest OF the men went to work u"
the other end OF the farm out OF sight Oh inc COR"
field We stayed IN the barn for four hours "'"ou'
seeing n single crow settle down VI an! part VI '
lot The crows knew that We were III Tue o"'"' w
while we could hear them oawing In the eose U! 'ne
woods they were cunning enough 10 keep o"' vi ''
cornGcld Then | started for the house, Supp'S'"e
that the crows would aIght in the loose corn 500"
oer they saw me leave the barn, so that my man III
the barn might shoot some OF them. He stayed there
for two hours, and the crows renamed III Tue "o.'
OH the watch. Then he came 10 the ho"Se' wv"
hadn't been out OF the field two minutes "nc" o'''
or forty hungry flew to the uncover na s s1
and robbled il down In Il hurry II wa "Gou, Sa
srt inrn. and TIE crows sailed back 10 the "oou'
without scratching In any OF the hiiis. . oor, I'm
rho g next spot Srfors the sun was up Pretty soon
The crows began to hy around la sc;'rch Oh .'o,
n meal q, ot tae men and went the barn with ou
guns cum We stayed til tw, Of the other men nad got
ISer breakfast when they relieved vs. vs. Asr , wS
'ratIIr