The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-04-17

Why the Fenthcred Visitors should
He Carefully Protected.

with all the modern appliances which
gre adapted TO his business.
III part of the land Ia marsh, he will
underlay IL with the most approved
system of drainage; II IL has not been
properly cultivated, he buys the best
subsoil plows in order that the riches
which lie just below the surface may
be brought to light. The fertil-
izers which he thinks best adapted TO
the crop which he wishes TO cultivate
are procured and applied with lavish
hand; knowing as he does that this ex-
penditure win repay him, perhaps,
a hundred fold. The enterprising farm
err calls TO his aid not only all the inn
proved tools and improvements for cul-
tivation, irrigation and protection, but
invokes also all the forces Of nature,
which can in any way assist him. He
lifts the subsoil and invites the air to
help him pulverize IL The erects wind
mill and asks the wind to aid in rails
ing the water with which 10 irrigate;
lac digs bitches, and calls upon the wa
ter, which the wind power has lifted.
TO do it's part in nourishing the parched
earth. Thus his vegetables, his grain
and his grasses, through an intelligent
use OF natures forces, spring up and
flourish for a time; but only to meet
new dangers. Now the insects APP
pear upon the scene and the aspect
changes
Can il be that the farmer has put him
self to all this great expenditure OF la
Dor, tools, material, and time, only TO
be thwarted at last? IL certainly looks
SO. But nature, which was responsible
for the danger. now provides the remedy
and that remedy is the birds, which
come in regular order each spring, al
most as regular as the seasons. In the
"Bigelow Papers" this reference ismade
TO the blaclxbirds in "A New England
Spring."
tall trees,
An settlin' things In windy congresses
Queer politicians. though. for I'll be
skinned
Ef all on EN- don't head against the wind. ="
Then the blaclIbirds are soon fol-
lowed by others, and when the proper
time comes each family does its full
duty. and the insects are obliged 10
succumb. Ii is stated by competent au-
thority that the red-winged blaclSbirds
destroyed in single locality more
than 10000. 900 600 insects during one
season. The blackbird does not rival
Patti as n singer, but il does attend
strictly TO business; and its business
like that of an entomologist) is bugs.
But long before this, other birds have
been working for the farmer, searching
all the hidden places, under the bark of
trees, about old stumps, amidst the
moss and dead leaves, and in other
places which the farmer never dreams
of, for the concealed larvae" where the
embryo insects are thus destroyed by
the million. One of the most industri-
GUS of these early workers is the
Brown Creeper," which searches every
tree, as II il had special contract 10
secure certain number of specimens
Of larvae" every week. Thus does this
bird like may others) take time by the
forelock" and destroy millions of in
sects before they have chance to
emerge from this first stage of their ex-
istence.
But we must not forget our old friend
the robin, of which IL is said:
by some name or other.
All men who know him. call him brother"
The robin is more than n brother to
tile farmer, for, by his activity in de-
yeuring insects, he sometimes benefits
the farmer more than could a real
brother.
Have the farmers any adequate idea
OF the value OF the services rendered
them by the birds? The best author
ity states that the birds effect saving to
the country each year Of not less than
500, 900. The farmer should be the
birds best friend and stanch defend
er, for II is the birds alone which stand
between the farmer and the loss OF
his crops. But" argues some plea
yune tiller of the soil, 1.-THE birds eat
my cherries, and the crows pull up my
corn. and I'm bound TO kill EN-"
The Smithsonian Institution long
ago sent out a warning TO the farmers
OF the country regarding the impending
extinction of the birds, and the dire
| full results which are sure TO follow.
When the last bird yields its life 10
the pot hunter, or is offered up 10 sat
isfy the demands OF that tyrnnt, Dame
| Fashion, then, and Only then, will
some farmers see where they have erred
but it will be too late. The ruin will
Lave been wrought. the damage done.
The farmer should see 10 IL that the
boys and girls OF his neghborhood are
taught that the killing OF birds. or
robbery OF their nests, is n crime; not
only an injury to their neighbors, but
an actual harm 10 themselves-for he
yond all question the destruction OF the
birds will cause the boys and girls Of
the present day 10 weep bitter tears OF
repentance later in life. when they real
lie the harm which has been done, and
they will reap the penalty. Under the
| old English law land Ours ns NyelIA "a