St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-11-23


der Wilson. tho great ornitholoRist
estimated that the red-winged black.
bird alone destroys about $1,000, 900 Of
insects every year; that about twenty
years ago such clouds of grssshoppers
descended upon the western states and
territories that in Utah the food sup
ply was threstened with entire de-
struction. but at the moment Of great
est peril large hocks Of beautiful
snow-whito gulls appeared. coming
from no ono knew where. and de-
voured the grasshoppers almost with
ont cesssng, 50 that the crops were
saved and the Salt Lake prophets
solemnly declared that the Lord had
sent these beautiful winged messen-
gers to save his chosen people. AL
these facts, which have been printed
over and over again, are worthy OF re-
publication and should b borne in
mind by thoughtful people in every
community, and steps taken TO check
al much Is possible the total extinc-
tion Of these valuable allies of man
At best, birda-song birds especially
afford very little food, and their wan
ton destruction for ''sport" alone Is .
crime against nature, which nature re-
pays by the inl1iction of countless
myriads of insect foes. rendering in
vain the painful labor Of the agricul-
turist-Humane World.
Camslativs InAuenee of . Sire.
We have the best of reasons to be-
lieve that . great many farmers, and
especially young farmers. are think
ing Of laying the foundation of new
herds and docks. Many of them have
already begun, and many more have
the subject under serious considera-
tion. Some Of these are liable to make
. serious mistake in buying inferior
sires to Begin with. They reason that
1t Is better to 60 slow, buy something
eligible TO record. but cheap, and grad
ually grow into . better heard. While
we do not advise any inexperienced
breeder to pay fancy prices, or
invest . large amount OF money
at the beginning. we believe that in
following the course suggested they
make q serious, II not fatal, mistake.
They forget that in buying the sire
future herd; that the sire has cumula-
tive influence. and that II . mistake =
made 1t will take many years and .
great deal Of money to rec:ify It The
get of . sire will be at least half his
blood. and have half Of his merits. and
also of his defects. II the aire Is wise
ly chosen his get will have . much
larger proportion. The next genera
tion will have . quarter, the next an
eighth, and 50 on. while individuals
will appear in the fifth or sixth genera
tion that will be stfikingly like the
original sire. Hence, it IL Of the ut
most Importance that the sire be
wisely chosen, have rs few defects -
possible. and. above all things else. be
strong where the females on which he
is to be used are weak. II otherwise,
there will be blemishes on the herd
which can only Be corrected by the con-
tinous use of aires that do not have
these defects.
1t Is not necessary to pay fancy prices
for . hrst-class sire, either In cattle.
hogs or sheep. The breeding should
be unobjectionable, but need not nec-
essarily run to fancies. With breeding,
against which no objection can be
made, individual merit of the highest
order should be secured. The blood Of
the race Is behind this breeding, and ii
is the blood of the race that counts
even more than the blood Of an indi-
vidual.-Wallace's Farm and Dairy.