Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-10-18
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FRIENDS OF THE FARMER.
The Birds Of the Fields and Air
Should be Protected.

The Birds of the Fields and Air
Should be Protected.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
The agricultural interests Of this Sec
ton, for the season now closing, make
! rather a gloomy showing. It was con-
sidered at the beginning of 1t that fall
crops were imperatively demanded by
the needs of the people. Instead Of
heavy crops there has been compare
tive failure, resulting in disappoint-
ment and embarrassment.
The failure of crops from drought Is
only temporary evil. The rule is that
good crops follow. Continued dry
weather puts the soil in good condition.
There is, however, an evil in connec-
ton with the season which is not tenn
porary. The complaint has been gene
raj that unusual damage was being
done to the growing corn, especially
from a little boring worm, which
caused the stalk to lose color or fall
down before the wind. Moreover, the
chinch bug has made 1t appearance In
some localities for the first time.
One Of the great evils which man has
to contend against in making living
is the insect. (This term includes bugs
and worms). Almost every plant has
some insect which feeds upon and de-
stroys it. Ravages Of insect pests be-
come greater year by year. There Is
an increasing demand for insectides.
These have to be regularly included In
the expenses of certain lines Of farm
ing. No crop need be expected without
application Of insect poison.
There is no insect pest more to be
dreaded in this section than the chinch
bug. The readers Of THE ENQUIRER In
some sections of the county, know this
only too well by sad experience.
The natural enemy of the insect Is
the bird. Numerous species Of birds
have been provided to fill an important
place in the economy Of nature. One
of their duties Is to keep the insect
world in check. Some species Of birds
feed upon insects which creep along the
ground. Some catch those which fly in
the air. Others search for those which
bore into the bark Of trees. Others feed
upon those which are found upon leaves
and stems. Nature has provided some
bird which lives upon each kind of In
sect. They are 80 constituted that they
require an enormous number Of insects
for their support. Naturalists say that
some of the smaller birds consume sew
eral times their own weight of insects
each day. The quantity consumed by
nest Of voracious young birds is al
most incredible.
It Is stated on good authority that
the stomachs of four little chickadees
were found to contain 1,02S eggs Of the
canker worm; the stomach Of one par
fridge contained 101 potato beetles; the
stomach of another partridge contain
ed 500 chinch bugs. The bird is the nat
ural and only sufficient protector Of ma
ture against the ravages Of the insect.
All the insectides that can be COM
pounded cannot take its place.
The inference from all this needs
scarcely to be stated. Protect and cher
ish the birds. Every person with just
conceptions of public welfare and OF
the right and proper should stand as
friend to the birds. All owners of lands
should vigorously prohibit the killing
Of any kind Of birds upon them.
Think Of 500 chinch bugs in the
stomach of one little partridge. Where
can be found a more useful thing? Yet,
men will go with dogs and guns,
through fields, infested by this bug,
and shoot down every partridge that
can be found at its work of devouring
them! But it is said, "the boys must
have sport" This Is true; but the sport
derived from killing birds Is a snort
that costs the country too dearly. 1t Is
probably not saying too much to assert
that every bird is worth more than its
weight in gold.
Children should be taught to love
and cherish the blrds-to look at them
from other standpoints than as fur
nishing a mark for the murderous shot
gun.
Does it not seem that a people who.
for sport, kill the birds deserve to have
the country desolated by the pests
which the birds were designed to keep
in check? Is not the blood of the ruth
lessly slaughtered birds beginning TO
cry for vengeance upon the inhabi-
tants of the land. cry through resistless
hords of insects, bugs and worms?
NATURE.