The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-02-25
RELATION OF sPARROWs TO AGRICUL,
TURF.

numerous and one of the most widely
distributed groups of small birds in
the United States. They seem to
prefer to nest on or near cultivated
ground, and wherever there are
farms or gardens there we find the
sparrow.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 8
INVESTIGATION.
Sparrows are we'll known but,
strange to say, until lately very little
attention had been given to their re-
1ation to agriculture. Il is evident
that a genus of birds so numerous
and so constantly associated with
farms and gardens as the sparrows
are, should be an important factor in
rural economy and that a thorough
investigation of their food habits
would be of great value. Such an
investigation was recently made by
the United States Department of
Agriculture and it fully proves their
value to farmers and shows that
they are we'll worthy Of our proteo
ton.
The food of the smaller order of
field birds consists of fruit, grain,
and insects, and birds value TO the
farm depends on the amount of each
kind of food eaten and whether that
kind is in itself beneficial or injur-
ious to agriculture.
THE ENGLISH VS.. THE NATIVE SPARROW.
The English sparrow, which is
treated apart from the native species,
and which is a pest wherever found,
adds more or less fruit destruction
to it's numerous other sins, but oul-
tivated fruit forms no important
part of the diet of the native spar,
row, which is harmless to orchard
and vineyard.
NATIVE sPARROws DO NOT INJURE
CROPS.
In the destruction of grain the
English sparrow again comes to the
front, and so much does it consume
that on this account alone it might
be declared pest. Perhaps it is
natural that the native sparrow
should fall under the ban of sus-
picion. The native bird, however,
has no taste for cultivated grain,
and if he ever does take any it is but
to sample it. To prove this oonolu
sively, a number of sparrows were
collected on q wheat farm both be
fore and after the grain was out.
OF nineteen stomaohs of native spar
rows killed only two showed that
the birds had eaten any grain, and
these two had taken but a grain
apiece. On the other hand five
etomachs of English sparT ows killed
ut the same time were examined and
each showed that the owner had
recently gorged itself on grain.
DEATH TO WEED SEED.
There is one hind of grain, how.
ever, that the native sparrow does
have a decided fondness for, and
that kind is weed seeds. As weed
destroyer the sparrow stands pre-
eminent. Whenever fall approaches
and the weed seeds ripen, the spar
rows gather in great hocks and de
scend on the weeds weed seeds form
their principal food for the rest of
the winter. So abundant is the sup
ply of the seeds, and suoh is the
birds fondness for them that the
amount consumed by each bird is
almost Incredible. Seldom, if it can
get them, does field sparrow con-
tent itself with less than a hundred
seeds at meal while in the stomach
of a snowflake that had been break
fasting in a garden in March we're
found 1, 500 amaranth seeds. It has
been estimated that in Iowa the tree
sparrows alone destroy over 1880,
coo pounds of weed seeds during
their winter sojourn. The English
sparrow also consumes a fairly large
amount of weed seeds and in parks
and on lawns does considerable ser
vice in kseping down the lawn weeds
but this good is more than overbal-
anced by it's filthy and destructive
habits.
AS TO INSECT PESTS
It can hardly be expected that
such weed 'destroyers as sparrows
are should consume as many insect
pests as birds that are wholly in
sectivorous. As a matter Of fact,
insect pests form only about 25 per
cent. of the food of the adult native
sparrow and they cannot be depended