The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-29

Perhaps had better say "Our Birds and
Everybody for who do they not concern?
But in this article I mean TO treat of the
great Importance birds are to the farmer
writes the American Cultivator.
1 know that it is the prevailing idea
among farmers, and especially fruit grow
ers, that many, if not all, our birds are a
great nuisance, and cause great damage
TO the crops. Now. in the first place.
does a bird eat enough fruit to hurt any
prosperous man, or does five birds, or ten.
or nifty or a hundred, even? And we
would very rarely get 100 birds in our fields
az once. 1t is only the misery man who
Kicks If a straw of hay falls from his
load who will begrudge the birds a little
fruit now and then. During the season
there is plenty of fruit for all. so Ter
the birds have their fill. for as soon as
the crop Is over, and you begin to plow
the lana, the same bird that you wished
10 ger rid OF so fast will come down and
eat all sorts of dangerous insects.
Every man who cares at all for the good
OF mis- crops VIII do all in his power to
encourage the birds to build their nest
about his place, for while the birds are
nesting and when the young are Matched
poth parents and young live almost en-
tlrely on animal food in the shape of IN
seets, worms, etc. The amount of insects
tnat a robin or bluebird can eat is as
tohlshlng; watch your hens ating some
day and you will get some idea of
plrds capacity. The farmer ought to
thlhK or the birds much as the barkeeper
ooes or his customers. Give them free
luhch and they will pay you 20 per cent.
10 let the birds have the fruit. grow
enough for yourself and the birds, aud
they VIII more than repay you by destroy
ing destructive insects
NOW that the spring is upon us and orr
Ieathered friends are returning. look about
your grounds and see if YOU cannot in
vlte a few of them to build. An empty to-
mato can, securely fastened in The annie
tree and faced away from the prevailing
winds, viii tempt the blue birds. 7 once
had six families of buebirds in nv annie
trees, by just offering them these homes
fly catchers Will come if you have aDpla
or pear trees about you, for they delight
IN catching the insects which live about
these trees.
II birds were really expensive to me 7
should try to have them. for II adds 50
much to the beauty of a place to see lots
OF birds about and then their songs. early
in the morning and late in the evening
are one of the pleasantest recollections of
a summers day.
Both bird nest and the use of air guns
should be discouraged by all thoughtful
farmers, for if you have no interest in the
matter yourself, you viii be conferring n
great favor on mankind by preserving the
plrds take this extract from the Out
look: THE destruction of birds is so great
that the Smithsonian Institution sends
out a pamphlet calling attention to the
rarity of birds that few years ago were
common and to the complete extermina-
ton of many birds. Hunters aud fashion
are held responsible for this serious dam
ger of exterminat ton"
| There is one way you can serve the
country Tor this really is becoming na-
| tional problem Do whatever you can in
your locality for the preservation of ali
| our birds.