New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-25
cOyyEcTIcrTs Elm TREES.


The statement is made that the State of Con-
necticu is likely to lose many, If not all, OF Its
elm trees because OF its love for song BIRDS AZ
the story is told the trees were kept wholly pro-
tected from the insects that prey upon them
few years ago by the English sparrow. But after
the advent Of the sparrow it began to be noticed
that the native song birds were disappearing. III
was assumed. whether rightly or wrongly. that
they we're driven away by the English sparrow,
and as the people Of Connecticut have strong
affection for their song birds. they promptly be-
gan a lingo war Of determination against the 1T
tie English alien. Perhaps they did not realize
fully the extent of his services in preserving
their clms or If they did. they concluded that.
inasmuch as all the elm beetles had been eaten
nm and the elms were no longer in any danger,
the room Of the English sparrow was better thah
his company 1t was. perhaps an act OF lnsratl-
tude on their part But. as We know, republics
ore proyerbally ungratefu; and the Common
wealth founded by Thomas Hooker who, though
not the Judicious Hooker, pretty level
headed man Is the very quintessence Of Repub-
He As the sparrow disappeared. often. doubtless,
to be set before some gourmet AS delicious reed
bird the song birds came back, ana the citizei"
u Connecticut were happy again.
But. unfortunately In the present imperfect
stage II civilization. people cannot nave ther
cake and eat IT, or. ~ refer more Immediately u
the matter before Us. they can't have cake ana pie
both Connecticut soon discovered that 1t couldnt
have its beloved elms and its equally beloved
song birds at the same time. In the absence OF
the hated sparrow, the various kinds OF insects
that prey IN the elm began To multiply. until now
they threaten t. Kill most OF the trees OK the
state This Is the story that is being printed In
various papers and which thus far no one from
Connecticut has denied We should be glad to
hear that It is untrue or exaggerated that spar
rows and native cong birds are dwelling to-
gc,her in amlty in the Little Nutmeg Paralse
and TIA, tho noble elms Of the State are not be-
Ing threatened with destruction by the small
though insldlous beetle. But. assuming that the
facts arc substantially as stated. we are Obliged
:, say that the people Of Connecticut did not act
with their usual VIE iom. 1t is OF course To their
credit that they love their elms What. indeed.
vonld Connecticut be without that fine tree.
which may almost be said to be an integral part
IF the States history? For generations It's eth
zeos hove lived peacefully under the shady roof
Of branching elm starproof." until the associa-
lions of the tree have become part Of their lives
7, Is al,so 10 their credit that they Ike 10 hear
,hclr rotive song birds AZ to some OF these song
birds II e true there Is a difference Of opinion.
There are pc oplc who say that the robin Is noisy
Nuisance and their angry passions are reused by
the very sight Of him strutting on the lawn. SO,
olsn the cracked note If the phoebe seems 10 fall
snncyhat short II the idea Of perfect music.
Stul speaking generally, a love for song birds Is
q commendable trait. But. as between the birds
and the Gins 1t seems to US that the people OF
Connecticut ought to have preferred the eWs. II a
choice had actually t. be made. And, therefore.
unless they were prepared to destroy the elm
beetles themselves, with the aid Of science. they
should have tolerated the English sparrow. who
was both willing ana able To do So II the spar
rows drove away the song birds which now
ever. Is not proved, 1t was. OF course, hardship.
II must be admitted that the chatter ~ the Eng
llsh sparrow 10 poor substitute for the sweet
notes Of some American song birds But we can
not help feeling that so inventive people as the
Connecticut Yankees professedy are could nave
done something in the matter They could nave
h,ea q race Of chatterless sparrows. they could
bove Taught the native and imported birds to
live. together In peace. And II neither OF these
things could have been done why could they not
have invented Instruments 10 reproduce the songs
Of various birds artihcally? We are aware that
come instruments Of the sort are already In use as
TOYS but they are crude and imperfect. In no re-
spect equal to what Connecticut Yankee could
produce II he really bent his mind to the subject.
Such instruments might be fitted with clockworK'
Connecticut being the land of clocks; and 90 the
man who loved to be reused at $3.50 In the morning
by the shrill whistle Of the robin. we VIII say
could have his artificial robin adjusted tor '"a'
hour Other applications OF the idea VIII a. o"ce
suggest themselves. People who love TO near
dog bark all night could buy an artihclai pa'he'
and save the keep Of dog. In the mean WINE
the homev but useful English sparro"s-a 'hal-
terless strain If possiblc-woui be Keeping the
elms free from all insects and both the sparIows
and the citizens would b" correspondlhgly happy |